Airbus built Inmarsat-6 F2 satellite arrives on board an Airbus Beluga in Florida for launch

The Second Inmarsat-6 satellite is scheduled for launch in February

87th Airbus Eurostar satellite delivered

Multi-beam Ka-band and L-band and digitally processed payload for maximum flexibility

 

The second Airbus-built Inmarsat-6 geostationary telecommunications satellite (I-6 F2) has arrived on board an Airbus Beluga at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida ready for its launch in February.

The second satellite of the Inmarsat-6 generation is based on Airbus’ ultra-reliable Eurostar E3000 spacecraft and will be the 58th Eurostar E3000 built by Airbus. It will be the ninth Eurostar in orbit that is equipped with electric propulsion for orbit raising, reinforcing Airbus’ position as the world leader in electric propulsion.

François Gaullier, Head of Telecommunications & Navigation Systems at Airbus, said: “I-6 F2, with its sophisticated digitally processed payload, will join Inmarsat-6 F1 (I-6 F1) in orbit giving Inmarsat even more flexibility, capability and capacity. This is the 10th geo-telecommunications satellite we have built for our long-term customer Inmarsat, a leading provider of global mobile satellite communication services, and with I-6 F1 the satellites will enable a step change in the capabilities and capacity for their ELERA services, and deliver significant additional capacity for their Global Xpress network.”

I-6 F1 and I-6 F2 each feature a large 9m aperture L-band antenna and six multi-beam Ka-band antennas, giving a high level of flexibility and connectivity. They also carry new generation modular digital processors to provide full routing flexibility over up to 8000 channels and dynamic power allocation to over 200 spot beams in L-band, per spacecraft. The Ka-band spot beams are steerable over the full Earth disk, with flexible channel-to-beam allocation.

The satellites will enable Inmarsat to further enhance its world-leading ELERA (L-band) and Global Xpress (Ka-band) networks respectively, for customers across land, sea, and air.  They are also the next step in the company's plans for the world’s first multi-dimensional network, Inmarsat ORCHESTRA. The ‘network of networks’ will build on Inmarsat’s existing space-based capabilities to provide a transformational growth in capacity and new features for customers into the 2030s and beyond.

Civil Aviation Authority annual progress report

Yearly update on the progress the CAA is making in its modernisation strategy.

The UK's Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport -Baroness Vere of Norbiton has made the following Ministerial Statement on Monday 30th January 2023.

The Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS) refresh, published on 23 January 2023, sets out, through 9 elements, the ways and means of modernising airspace, focussing on the period until the end of 2040.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) must report to the Secretary of State annually on the delivery of the AMS, through an annual progress report. This report details the progress made by industry, as well as work the CAA have conducted against each of the AMS’s elements. For 2022, the progress report reports on the previous AMS’s 15 initiatives.

In total, 6 of the 15 initiatives are assessed as ‘requiring attention’, 2 are on track, 1 has been implemented and 6 initiatives have been assessed as having ‘major issues’. The department continues to work with the CAA to ensure greater progress is made in implementing the airspace modernisation programme. Ministers are giving the programme the urgent attention it requires and are committed to delivery of the AMS.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi doubled its fleet size during 2022 and reports massive passenger number increase.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the ultra-low-fare airline has announced its outstanding operational results for 2022 with extra capacity, more aircraft and 13 new destinations during the year. 

The joint venture established between ADQ, and Wizz Air Holdings PLC enjoyed a record-breaking 2022 by operating more than 6,000 flights and transporting more than 1.2 million adventurous travellers. The airline carried over 600,000 point-to-point passengers to the UAE in 2022, supporting the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and unlocking an eclectic mix of travel opportunities for travellers from all classes. 

The airline supports Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) vision to welcome the world to Abu Dhabi, connecting cultures and inspiring generations to embark on journeys of creativity and discovery*. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is looking forward to future growth, in line with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, and further strengthen the position of the UAE as one of the best destinations in the world for tourism**.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has doubled the size of its fleet and organisation with a 100 percent growth from 4 to 8 state-of-the-art brand-new A321-neo aircraft. The average fleet age is 1 year, ensuring the airline meets its commitment to sustainability with the lowest environmental footprint in the region.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has proudly introduced a new segment of travel in the UAE in line with the country’s socio-economic vision with recent exciting expansions into Central Asia, The Maldives and across the Gulf Region allowing for convenient, self-connecting travel across the wider Wizz Air network via the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is constantly developing the UAE network to share the love of travel with tourists and residents benefitting from hassle-free, point-to-point travel to culturally rich destinations including vibrant cities and natural paradises.

Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: "We are proud of all our achievements during this record-breaking year and are delighted to carry over one million passengers."

Qantas extends codeshare deal with IndiGo reaching far more of India.

Qantas is offering customers even more travel options across India as part of an expansion of its codeshare partnership with IndiGo.

The national carrier launched the first phase of its codeshare agreement with India’s largest domestic carrier in August last year, offering customers seamless connections from Qantas flights in Bengaluru and Delhi onto IndiGo services to other major Indian cities, including Mumbai and Chennai,  as well as smaller destinations such as Pune and Goa.

Under the second phase of the agreement, Qantas customers can now travel to an additional eight cities, bringing the total number of Indian destinations available for connection from Delhi and Bengaluru to 21. Qantas customers will also have more choice across IndiGo’s domestic network with more than 250 new flights available for booking.

Qantas Frequent Flyers can earn and redeem points on connecting IndiGo flights (with the QF code) and IndiGo recognises Qantas Frequent Flyer benefits for tiered members (Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One) including priority check-in and priority baggage.

Qantas customers travelling on IndiGo can carry the same baggage allowance as their flight from Australia as well as receiving complimentary food and drinks.

Qantas Chief Customer Officer, Markus Svensson said: “Qantas’ new routes to India have proven to be incredibly popular with our customers.

Our codeshare partnership with IndiGo has improved the way our customers travel between Australia and India, and the additional destinations give travellers even more options.

The new codeshare flights will allow our customers to enjoy more connections across India from our Delhi and Bengaluru gateways and have their luggage checked straight through to their final destination.

Our frequent flyers in particular benefit from booking these flights, with more opportunities to earn points and status credits.”

New codeshare destinations:

Guwahati

Indore

Chandigarh

Mangalore

Jaipur

Nagpur

Thiruvananthapuram

Visakhapatnam

Existing codeshare destinations:

Ahmedabad

Amritsar

Bengaluru

Chennai

Delhi

Goa

Mumbai

Kochi

Kolkata

Hyderabad

Lucknow

Patna

Pune

2022 - A busy year for airBaltic Training..... 48 graduates of the Pilot Academy joined airBaltic in 2022

48 graduates of the Pilot Academy joined airBaltic in 2022

The Latvian airline airBaltic announces that 48 airBaltic Pilot Academy students have joined the company as First Officers after graduating in 2022. Overall, there are 67 active students for now, and four new study groups will be formed in 2023 – in February, May, September and November.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “The previous year has been rich for the Pilot Academy and I am delighted to see that it becomes more and more noticed and respected internationally. Specifically, this achievement of the recent graduates, who have joined airBaltic, absolutely highlights the Pilot Academy's quality of training and the students' dedication in pursuing their careers as commercial airline pilots. They will play a crucial role in the growth and success of our company, and we wish them all the best in their new positions.”

Altogether 48 airBaltic Pilot Academy graduates started their career at airBaltic in 2022. They represent such countries as Latvia (24), France (7), Germany (5), Lithuania (4), Spain (3), Finland (2), Estonia (1), Sweden (1) and the Netherlands (1). Six of the graduates, joining airBaltic, are female.

During previous 12 months, students have flown 4 202.3 hours, but the most time spent in the air was in March, August and September.

In total, 49 people began their studies in the Pilot Academy in 2022. However, there are 67 active students for now. Most of them are from the Baltics, while also other EU member states, such as Germany, France, Finland, Spain and Italy, are represented. More than 10% of students are female.

A collaboration between Emirates Group and Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy builds diplomatic capacity in the UAE aviation sector

The Emirates Group and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) are set to collaborate in the launch of a training programme for the airline’s Emirati Country Managers. The innovative programme is designed to enhance the diplomatic skills of managers who are stationed around the world, and forms part of the Group’s new Commercial Ambassador Leadership Programme.

A ceremony to celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was held at the Emirates Group headquarters, attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, and Member of the Board of Trustees at AGDA, along with senior executives and representatives of both organisations. The MoU was signed by Amira Al Falasi, Emirates Group’s Vice president, Human Resources, Learning and Talent, and Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, AGDA’s Deputy Director General.

The AGDA’s 5-day programme will provide Emirati Country Managers with a comprehensive understanding of the diplomatic skills needed to effectively represent the Emirates Group abroad, and to achieve their business and commercial objectives. The series of tailored and practical training courses will also serve as a platform for knowledge exchange to enrich Emirati managers’ capabilities in the aviation sector.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed said, “The Emirates Group is a global company based in Dubai. We are proud to represent the UAE’s aviation sector and we work to promote the UAE in all the markets in which we operate. In AGDA we have found a like-minded partner, and we believe our collaboration will further develop and empower our team of Emirati managers to represent our brand across the world. It will enable them to promote more effectively the values and opportunities of the UAE throughout our global network.”

SAUDIA increases international flight capacity by 40%

SAUDIA Group, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, is continuing to implement its operational plan for 2023 by boosting its international presence and market share by increasing its seating capacity by 40% on high-demand destinations. The ambitious plan aims to expand SAUDIA’s network, connect international visitors with the Kingdom, and strengthen Saudi’s tourism, Hajj, and Umrah sectors. The plan also includes an increase in domestic flights and seating capacity.

SAUDIA has allocated over 25.3m seats for international flights in 2023 across almost 90,000 flights, up 40% from 2022. Similarly, seating capacity on domestic flights for 2023 has been increased by about half a million seats to reach over 17.8m seats, with the total number of domestic flights exceeding 102,100. The update to the company’s flight schedule and operations are designed to meet growing customer demand and further increase convenience in flight schedules throughout the year, and in particular during demand-peak seasons. 

Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO of SAUDIA, said: “We plan to build on SAUDIA’s operational success of last year with a strategic plan that further enhances SAUDIA’s reputation for meeting our guests’ needs and delivering performance excellence. Since the beginning of the new year, we have seen steadily increasing demand on already-popular routes. By expanding capacity and enhancing flight schedules SAUDIA is able to offer increased flexibility to customers and better manage its operational requirements in light of the significant challenges facing the aviation industry.” 

SAUDIA’s operational plan also features a number of new additions to its fleet. New Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft, with 24 business class seats and 333 economy class seats, will join SAUDIA’s fleet in 2023, along with the latest Airbus A321NX aircraft, that offer 20 business class seats and 168 economy class seats. Additionally, SAUDIA continues to implement strategies and systems that allow it to maintain operational efficiency while ensuring the highest safety and quality standards. 

With its advanced fleet of 142 aircraft, SAUDIA currently travels to over 100 destinations across four continents, delivering a daily flight rate of about 461 flights. The company has also enhanced its cutting-edge digital service offer on its website and mobile app, allowing customers to conveniently complete their travel procedures and access services online.

Saudia's performance in 2022.

BOC Aviation announces a new deputy chief operating officer.

BOC Aviation Limited has announced the appointment of Thomas Chandler as Deputy Chief Operating Officer, with effect from 30th January 2023.

 

In this newly created role, Tom will oversee all legal and transaction management, technical and procurement departments of the company globally and will report to David Walton, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer.

 

Tom brings with him more than twenty-five years of experience in legal, banking and aviation sectors and joins from TUI Group, where he was Managing Director, Fleet and Asset Management. He has worked with diverse international teams in procurement, leasing, financing and trading, and has closed numerous high value aircraft transactions in the process.

 

“We are delighted to announce Tom’s appointment as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and look forward to leveraging his experience and capabilities,” said Robert Martin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. “Our ability to attract such top rate external talent confirms BOC Aviation as an employer of choice within the aviation sector.”

 

Martinair, part of KLM Group to get four new Airbus A350Fs

The Air France-KLM Group has placed a firm order for four A350Fs, the brand new Airbus widebody freighter, to be operated by Martinair Holland N.V., a Dutch cargo airline headquartered and based in Amsterdam Schiphol airport, and part of KLM Group. The A350F’s will allow the airline to retire its existing older generation freighters and replace them with a clean sheet cargo aircraft that offers a big step towards more sustainable cargo operations.

“We are delighted to make this major step forward to the A350F. It accelerates Air France KLM Martinair Cargo sustainability ambitions with significant improvement on fuel emissions and complying with most stringent ICAO Chapter 14 for noise and CAEP 8 for NOx. We are fit for the future!” said Adriaan den Heijer, Executive Vice President of Air France KLM Cargo and Managing Director of Martinair.

“Another A350F endorsement, and a great one too! We are delighted to see the A350F enter the KLM/Martinair world, confirming the relevance this most modern high capacity long range cargo aircraft brings to the airfreight segment. I am very pleased with the way our program is taking off. With 50% less noise, and 40% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared to the previous generation aircraft it is replacing, that is hardly a surprise! We thank Air France-KLM Group for their continued confidence.” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.

The A350F is based on the world's most modern long-range leader, the A350. The aircraft will feature the largest main deck cargo door and a fuselage length optimised for cargo operations. Over 70% of the airframe is made of advanced materials resulting in a minimum 30 tonnes lighter take-off weight, which together with efficient Rolls-Royce engines generate an advantage of at least 20% lower fuel burn and CO2 emission over its current closest competitor. Delivery to Martinair will be in time to comply with the latest ICAO CO2 emissions standards that will come into effect by the end of 2027. With a 109 tonnes payload capability (+3t payload / 11% more volume than its competition), the A350F serves all cargo markets (Express, general cargo, and special cargo).

Launched in 2021, the A350F recorded 35 orders from seven customers.

Scott Sheldon has confirmed he is retiring as President and Chief Operating Officer of the budget airline Allegiant,.

Scott Sheldon has confirmed he is retiring as President and Chief Operating Officer of the budget airline Allegiant, with the effect of April 1, 2023.

Greg Anderson will continue to serve as President and will assume oversight of the company's operational teams.  Keny Wilper, Allegiant's Senior Vice President of OCC and Stations, will assume the role of interim Chief Operating Officer.

"I am incredibly proud of the work Scott has done throughout his tenure here at Allegiant," said John Redmond, Allegiant's Chief Executive Officer.  "His influence, leadership, and guidance permeated all levels of the organization, and the company would not be where it is today without his contributions.  I want to thank him for his many years of service.  I speak for all of Allegiant when I say Scott's voice will be missed within the halls and walls of our company and that we wish him the absolute best in all his future endeavours."

Singapore Airlines new advertising campaign - Welcome to World Class!

Singapore Airlines has launched a new advertising campaign that artistically focuses on the service the renowned carrier has offered for years.  

If you've ever wondered what contributes to Singapore Airlines cabin crew’s world-class service?

It’s their interactions with various local cultures around the world, creating diverse experiences that build a unique combination of attributes such as empathy, confidence and passion.

Mr Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President of Commercial, Singapore Airlines, said: “At Singapore Airlines, service excellence is deeply ingrained in our DNA, and our customers are at the heart of everything we do. This campaign highlights our unwavering commitment to delivering a world-class travel experience, no matter the duration of the journey. Our award-winning cabin crew are central to this promise, with their rich and diverse experiences, as well as their dedication to customer service, having a positive impact on everyone around them.”

Directed by filmmaker Liz Murphy, the uplifting video was filmed in Singapore, Auckland in New Zealand, Barcelona in Spain, Mumbai in India, and Shanghai in China. The Airline conducted in-depth research to measure its global brand perception and used the findings to create a campaign that aims to resonate with customers around the world.

  

Welcome to World Class | Singapore Airlines

"Singapore Airlines has been at the forefront of passenger service for decades that it is sometimes easy to forget just how good the service is if you haven't flown with them for a while, its just sort of expected - it goes with the name - Singapore Airlines = great service. I remember a few years ago I took a flight from Cairns to Singapore and then another on to London after a brief stopover with Singapore Airlines and the service, even in economy was far superior to British Airways Club World. The crew were so attentive and actually seemed to care about the passenger rather than performing a 'service'."   Jason Shaw. 

Voyager Aviation Holdings has delivered Its second new Airbus A220-300 in 2022 and announces 5 more A220 jets on a sale and leaseback deal with Breeze Airways

Voyager Aviation Holdings has confirmed that it has recently delivered another new Airbus A220-300 on long-term lease to Breeze Airways and agreed to provide five more aircraft under a further sale and leaseback deal.

“We are delighted to celebrate the delivery of our second A220 to Breeze in 2022 and to further reinforce our long-term partnership with five additional aircraft.”

David Neelman, Breeze's Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We appreciate the continued support of Voyager Aviation with their commitment to finance five additional future A220 deliveries.”

“We are delighted to celebrate the delivery of our second A220 to Breeze in 2022 and to further reinforce our long-term partnership with five additional aircraft,” continued Hooman Yazhari, VAH Executive Chairman. “The transaction underscores the strength of our partnerships and aligns with our strategy to continue the diversification of our portfolio in aircraft types and new airline partnerships. The A220 is the perfect aircraft for Breeze’s operations; we look forward to working closely together with Breeze as one of our key partners, and as they grow their incredible business.”

This is VAH’s second A220 delivery from Airbus’s U.S. Manufacturing Site. The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation geared turbofan engines. The A220 delivers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous-generation aircraft, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards. In addition, the aircraft noise footprint is reduced by 50% compared to previous generation aircraft - making the A220 a good neighbour around airports.

Breeze Airways began service in May 2021. One year later, it was ranked as the No. 2 U.S. best domestic airline of 2021 by Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards. Breeze now offers 121 nonstop routes between 35 cities in 20 states. Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman, Breeze operates a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with a focus on providing efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times. 

Lynx Air starts flights between Orlando and Toronto Pearson

Budget airline Lynx Air has launched a service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) arriving at the new Terminal C.

 Canada’s new ultra-affordable airline will operate four direct flights per week between Toronto and Orlando, flying brand-new Boeing 737 aircraft.

"Lynx Air took to the Canadian skies for the very first time just over nine months ago, and we are excited to be already expanding across the border into the USA. The choice of Orlando as our first US destination was easy – it is a very popular holiday spot for Canadians, with its famous theme parks, world-class golf, and great weather of course!” said Merren McArthur, CEO of Lynx.  “We are thrilled to offer an ultra-affordable option to travel between Toronto and Orlando. Whether you are travelling for a holiday in sunny Florida or to visit family and friends, Lynx will ensure a great flying experience at an ultra-affordable price.”

“Lynx Air has been a valued partner of Pearson’s since April of 2022, offering service from Pearson to six Canadian destinations,” said Janik Reigate, Director of Strategic Customer Relationships at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. “We’re delighted to partner with them on this expansion of service, which is their first to the United States, so that our valued passengers have more options, whether they’re looking to explore Canada or visit Orlando."

The latest results for American Airlines released

American Airlines Group Inc. reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 financial results this week which show that it had fourth-quarter and full-year net income of $803 million and $127 million respectively. Excluding net special items¹, The U.S. mega-carrier had fourth-quarter and full-year net income of $827 million and $328 million. With record fourth-quarter revenue of $13.2 billion, which represents a 16.6% increase over the same period in 2019, despite flying 6.1% less capacity.  The firm ended the year with $12 billion of total available liquidity, after prepaying a $1.2 billion term loan during the fourth quarter. Moving forward the carrier reported that it continues to execute on its plan to pay down $15 billion of total debt² by the end of 2025.

“The American Airlines team has produced outstanding results over the past year,” said American’s CEO Robert Isom. “We are committed to running a reliable operation and returning to profitability, and our team is delivering on both. We’re proud to have led the industry in operational performance over the holidays while producing record full-year and fourth-quarter revenues, resulting in a third consecutive quarterly profit and a profit for the full year. As we turn our attention to 2023, we will continue to prioritize reliability, profitability and debt reduction.”

Running a reliable operation

American and its regional partners operated more than 475,000 flights in the fourth quarter, with an average load factor of 83.9%. For the quarter, American ranked first in completion factor among the nine largest U.S. carriers.

The American team delivered an even stronger performance over the holidays, despite challenging conditions in many parts of the country. American outperformed the industry over the December holiday period, ranking first in completion factor. The momentum has continued into 2023 as American has delivered the best on-time arrival performance of the nine largest U.S. carriers so far this year.

Search Data Reveals the World's Dream Jobs.....Where does pilot come on the list.

• Financial services provider Remitly used global search data to discover which jobs people dream of doing the most
• Taking top spot was how to become a pilot, favoured by 25 countries in total, including America, the UK, Canada and Australia
• In Australia, becoming a writer was second, followed by careers as a dancer, YouTuber and DJ

Remitly, a leading digital financial services provider for immigrants and their families, has revealed that taking to the skies and becoming a pilot is the number one dream job for people around the world, having topped the wish-lists of 25 countries. 

The concept of a ‘job for life’ has changed dramatically in recent years, with new generations much more likely to seek a career switch and not ‘settle’ for a job role they dislike. Taking this into account, Remitly looked at global search data to find which jobs are proving most popular with the inhabitants of each country. This was achieved by analysing the annual search volume for phrases commonly associated with researching a new career such as ‘how to be a pilot’ - the most searched for job within every country topping their specific rankings. 

Becoming a pilot, known for its excellent pay, great job prospects and travel opportunities is a clear favourite for everywhere from the United Kingdom and Australia, to Cyprus and Montenegro. With almost one million Google searches per year around becoming a pilot, it's the ultimate dream job, however a career as a writer isn’t far behind, topping the wish lists of countries including India, New Zealand and South Africa.

Careers in arts and culture proved the most popular sector overall with writer, dancer, actor, singer and DJ all featuring prominently worldwide. Jobs in social media and online are also hugely aspirational, with YouTuber, influencer and programmer all featuring in the top 10 despite being career paths that didn’t even exist at the turn of the millennium. 

Becoming a YouTuber is the dream career for those in Mexico, Uruguay and Bolivia, and influencer the top choice for residents of Spain, Argentina and Colombia. 

The World’s Top 10 Dream Jobs

Dream Jobs	Worldwide Global Search Volume for ‘how to be a…’
Pilot	930,630
Writer	801,200
Dancer	278,720
YouTuber	195,070
Entrepreneur	178,380
Actor	176,180
Influencer	159,180
Programmer	125,310
Singer	121,430
Teacher	114,950

With the US Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting faster than average growth for airline and commercial pilots than all other occupations*, it’s arguably no surprise that becoming a pilot  sits atop the list of dream jobs.