FlyBe may yet fly again......

The UK's leading travel trade publication TTG is reporting that the former UK regional airline FlyBe may yet fly again after the administrators have put in a request with the CAA for a temporary licence. 

Gary Noakes advises that the failed carrier’s administrators Interpath Advisory is seeking a permit to allow it to engage with the authority and others to restructure the business.  A source close to the administration told them that gaining the licence would allow administrators to explore a sale. "We have a short window in which we can try to get some sort of sale agreed for the business and assets,".

"The UK Civil Aviation Authority has not yet made a decision on whether to grant a temporary licence. Flybe’s licence currently remains suspended in accordance with the undertakings given by the administrators."  a spokesperson said. 

1.4 million people flew with SAS in January

Financially troubled Scandinavian airline SAS saw passenger numbers jump 89% during January according to the latest results released by the carrier.   The total number of passengers was 1.4 million as travel demand increased massively although the load factor was just 68%.  

“January traffic came in at 1.4 million passengers, an 89 percent increase compared to January 2022. It is a healthy figure during the winter season when we, due to our usual seasonality, see lower passenger numbers. Our flown load factor of 68 percent exceeds the pre-pandemic level of 65 percent in January 2019. We continue to make progress with SAS FORWARD and our chapter 11 process in the U.S. We recently concluded our aircraft lessor negotiations, and we expect to achieve our targeted cost reductions related to annual aircraft lease and financing costs,” says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS.

Lygg... the aviation startup adds new flight routes to and from Helsinki, Finland; Örebro and Linköping, Sweden and Tallinn.

Lygg - the aviation startup adds new flight routes to and from Helsinki, Finland; Örebro and Linköping, Sweden and Tallinn. 

The regional air travel startup out of Finland is leveraging existing privately-owned aircraft assets and their pilots, coupled with car services, to deliver flight routes that take passengers from destinations underserved by traditional airlines to cities throughout Europe with door-to-door service. In January, Lygg began offering flight routes to and from Helsinki, Finland; Örebro, Sweden; Linköping, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia, which started Monday, January 16, 2023.

The new flight paths milestone comes on the heels of record promotional and charter flights in 2022 to familiarize customers with Lygg’s offerings. From June last year, when operations began, Lygg has completed 52 flights to 17 destinations in 12 European countries.

“These new flight routes are a confirmation that the Lygg regional travel model is resonating with the business community,” said Roope Kakäläinen, CEO and Co-Founder of Lygg. “On the one hand, we are delivering traveller satisfaction with curb-to-aircraft seamless efficiencies that anticipate savings for companies. On the other hand, we are providing operators of the small aircraft asset class the possibility to see future flight hours and consequently predict their revenues. Happy customers, savings, profitability — that is a winning combination.”

The new city and country destinations offered by Lygg are linked with direct connection flights, planned and optimized through Lygg’s smart mobility platform, at the heart of which lies its client and demand-driven business model. The Lygg customer app enables corporate clients with regular transportation requirements to book point-to-point itineraries across Europe.

“We have people moving around every week, so the use [of privatized flights] could be very active … we [also] have a lot of visitors [come] here at the factory. The nearest airfield is in Kuopio, from where it always takes time to get here [IIsalmi],” says Tommi Väänänen, who heads supply chain for Ponsse Plc, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of large-scale forest machines. Ponsse plans to use Lygg’s existing Helsinki-Iisalmi direct connection flights for easier access to the company’s remotely-based site.

Cathay Pacific’s ‘The Deck’ is now open

As more flights are resumed, Cathay is progressively reopening its lounges for customers to enjoy before they fly

Cathay Pacific has reopened The Deck lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, giving customers more ways to relax and pamper themselves before their flight.

The Deck joins The Wing, First and The Pier, Business as the Cathay Pacific lounges currently open to guests at the airline’s home hub. The airline is also working towards reopening The Pier, First and The Wing, Business within the coming six months as it continues to add more flights to its schedule.

As travel resumes, Cathay Pacific is also progressively reopening its global lounges. February will see the reopening of the Cathay Pacific lounges in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport, while March and April will see the airline’s lounges at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, respectively, reopen their doors to guests.

Customers can also look forward to enjoying the airline’s signature lounges at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport in the second and third quarters of 2023.

Outside of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific’s First and Business class lounges at London Heathrow Airport, and its lounges at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport are already open to eligible customers.

Cathay Pacific understands its airport lounges are highly appreciated by its customers and the airline has used the time while these spaces have been closed to further invest in its lounge experience.

The Deck, Hong Kong

Pay as you go access now avialable at the Star Alliance lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Star Alliance Lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Now Offers Pay-as-you-go Access

Passengers travelling in all cabins on Star Alliance member airlines can now choose to experience the premium lounge before their flight.

The Star Alliance-branded lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) airport now permits pay-as-you-go type entry.  Thus, in addition to offering complimentary access to Star Alliance Gold members, and First Class and Business Class passengers, the lounge will now welcome other Star Alliance passengers regardless of membership status or cabin class, for a nominal fee.

This is the fifth among the six Star Alliance-branded lounges to offer paid access, after the Star Alliance lounges in Rome (FCO) Airport, Rio De Janeiro (GIG) Airport, Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The Star Alliance Amsterdam airport lounge is located airside in Departures Hall 2 after security clearance for the Schengen Area. This makes it ideally positioned for easy access to passengers travelling to or from European destinations within the Schengen Zone. Currently, 14 Star Alliance member airlines operate flights from the Amsterdam airport connecting 20 destinations in 16 countries.

Delta and American Express team up for special discount

Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members can take 15% off Award Travel on Delta flights, anytime₁. The new TakeOff 15 benefit is available to Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, and Reserve Consumer and Business American Express Card Members.

Eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members have another reason to start planning their next trip: beginning February 2, these cardholders can take 15% off Award Travel on Delta flights, anytime1.

The new TakeOff 15 benefit is available to Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, and Reserve Consumer and Business American Express Card Members.

“Our Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members are some of our most loyal customers, and we want to continue to give them opportunities to travel the world more easily,” said Prashant Sharma, V.P. of Loyalty at Delta. “We’re grateful to have a partner like American Express who shares our vision and passion for delivering ingenuity and excellence to our customers.”

This latest partnership achievement with American Express further demonstrates Delta’s commitment to evolving the SkyMiles program to exceed expectations and enable more seamless travel. And it comes as Delta continues to revolutionize the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Delta now offers free high-speed Wi-Fi for all SkyMiles Members, which will power a vast suite of in-flight entertainment. All of this bolsters an already best-in-class loyalty program that gives customers opportunities to earn status through other partnerships with brands they love, such as Starbucks and Hertz.

Seven weird and wonderful careers in aviation

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

Ask someone to name a job in aviation and their likely answer would be ‘airline pilot’ or ‘flight attendant’. Yet there are many diverse careers in the aviation industry, ranging from critical safety roles to ultra-niche stunt performers. Artemis Aerospace spotlights seven unusual jobs in the field of aviation.

Aviation is big business. It’s estimated the industry supports over 10 million jobs worldwide, generating billions of pounds of GDP. Although badly hit by the pandemic, aviation is recovering well, with passenger numbers climbing back towards 2019 levels. Commercial pilots and cabin crew are busy again, but so are many other industry professionals. Here are seven surprising aviation jobs you might never have heard of…

Wildlife survey pilot

Fancy a spot of low altitude flying? Wildlife survey pilots get to fly close to ground level day in, day out, piloting conservationists and biologists as they conduct studies of wildlife and habitats. Aerial surveys are carried out over oceans, too, offering these pilots some of the most spectacular views imaginable. Within this niche profession is another category: polar pilots. These airmen and women fly above glaciers and icebergs, helping environmental scientists monitor the terrain for research purposes.

Skytyper

You’re probably familiar with the concept of skywriting, but have you heard of skytyping? As an advertising technique, skywriting dates back to the early days of aviation. Hugely popular in the 1920s, messages were ‘written’ into the sky by aircraft whose exhausts are primed to release smoke. Pilots with skywriting skills can still be hired today, however a more sophisticated (if expensive) technique has been developed: skytyping. Five aircraft are needed to release smoke dots into the sky at approximately 12,000 feet. The dots join up to create an accurately ‘typed’ message that can be visible to millions of people on the ground. Messages can last several minutes depending on wind conditions. Banned in the UK until 2020 due to safety concerns, skytyping is popular in many countries around the world, with prices starting at $25,000 for a single message. That’s a pretty astonishing way to blow a fortune!

Interior designer

A new flight linking London Stansted and Bergen to start 26 March....

A new Widerøe flight linking London Stansted and Bergen will offer travellers from London and the East of England easy access to Norway's famous fjords from 26 March 2023.

Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, will operate a twice-weekly service to the country’s second-largest city using a 110-seat Embraer E190-E2 aircraft.  Flights will depart London Stansted at 18.40 on Fridays and 11.30 on Sundays.

A World Heritage Site located in the west of Norway, Bergen, is renowned for its Bryggen harbour district, one of Europe's oldest ports, and as the gateway to Norwegian fjords.

Simon Gorrighan, London Stansted’s Aviation Director, said:  "We're delighted to welcome Widerøe to London Stansted, adding yet another new destination to our growing network and giving passengers even more choice when travelling from their local airport.

This new route makes a beautiful region of Norway more accessible to UK travellers as well as being an important route for business, especially the energy industry in Norway and the East of England."

Christian Skaug, Widerøe’s Commercial Director, said:   "We are very pleased to be flying to London Stansted from 26th March and being able to maintain London as part of our route map. London Stansted has smooth and convenient connections to the City of London, which we know our customers will appreciate."

Several other new flights will be available from London Stansted this summer, including Belfast, Newquay, Edinburgh, Asturias, Klagenfurt, and Leipzig with Ryanair.

Meanwhile, Emirates is launching a second daily service to Dubai on May 1 and Jet2 is also adding new flights to Rome and Athens.

VisitNorway.com

Bergen is known as "The heart of the fjords"....

Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway and yet it also offers small-town charm alongside a metropolitan character that matches any European tourist destination. 

The UNESCO World Heritage site Bryggen, the Hanseatic wharf is a key relic from times gone by, when the city was a key centre for trade between Norway and Europe.  These days, the wharf is host to a museum, shops, galleries, and restaurants, popular with locals and visitors alike. 

Not far away is a jolly and lively fish market which has a long history of providing the locals with freshly caught sea creatures since 1276. Although, the market now also sells more than just fish, offering fruit and veg,  souvenirs and handicrafts.  

There is a vibrancy about Bergen which might be because around 10% of the population is made up of students and that means there is always something happening at one of the many bars, venues or restaurants.  

KODE is one of the largest museums for art, design and music in all the Nordic nations and is a wonderful building dating back to 1896 which has undergone a complete renovation over the last couple of years. 

Not far away is the home of Norway's most famous composer Edvard Grieg which is now a museum and exhibition centre. 

Air France to offer new activity kits for children on long-haul flights.

In all cabins on long-haul flights, Air France cabin crew will give children a new fun activity amenity kit to help keep them amused and occupied.  With nearly 2 million children travelling on its flights every year, Air France is dedicated to the well-being of families travelling with children, that's why its introducing new products for younger passengers. 

Turning the trip into a world of make-believe

In all cabins on Air France long-haul flights, children now receive a new fun activity kit from the cabin crew to keep them amused with imaginative role-play games during their trip and for use at home. Inside, they will find a little dog-shaped figurine with a suitcase, a plane in the airline’s colours, a runway jigsaw puzzle, an activity book and coloured pencils. The kit unfolds to reveal a fun French bakery decor and the figurine wears a sailor top, two emblematic nods to France.

This new kit is distributed to all young travellers during the in-flight meal service. The “kids” menu is exclusively made up of organic products on flights departing from Paris and is automatically offered to kids aged 2 to 6. Beyond the age of 6, the child’s parents can reserve the kid’s menu at no charge up to 24 hours before departure. As part of an eco-friendly approach, this kit is free of plastic. Each item is made of FSC wood (obtained from sustainably managed forests) or recycled paper and cardboard.

SWISS to resume passenger services to Shanghai

SWISS to resume passenger services to Shanghai

Now that the entry restrictions into mainland China have been lifted a number of European carriers have or are in the process of restarting services. SWISS is the latest to announce a resumption of flights, with the confirmation its Zurich - Shanghai route is back on the schedule from early next month. 

One weekly flight is currently planned on the route for the month of March, which will then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards.

In view of the now-eased local entry provisions, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to resume passenger services to and from Mainland China. SWISS will initially offer one weekly non-stop flight between Zurich and Shanghai from 3 March. Service on the route should then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards. The flights will generally be operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, or alternatively Airbus A340-300.

“We’re delighted that we’ll soon be providing our customers with flights between Zurich and Shanghai again,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “It’s a high priority for us to meet the demand that is now growing again for travel between these two major business centres and beyond. Shanghai remains one of the key points in our network in terms of both inbound and outbound travellers.”

SWISS suspended its previous scheduled passenger services between Zurich and Shanghai in April 2022 in view of the travel restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and its services on the route have since been limited to cargo-only flights.

In addition to resuming its Zurich-Shanghai passenger flights, SWISS will also be increasing its service to and from Hong Kong from five to six weekly frequencies in the 2023 summer schedules.

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New fun activity kits for kids on Air France long-haul flights.

In all cabins on long-haul flights, Air France cabin crew will give children a new fun activity amenity kit to help keep them amused and occupied.  With nearly 2 million children travelling on its flights every year, Air France is dedicated to the well-being of families travelling with children, that's why its introducing new products for younger passengers. 

Turning the trip into a world of make-believe

In all cabins on Air France long-haul flights, children now receive a new fun activity kit from the cabin crew to keep them amused with imaginative role-play games during their trip and for use at home. Inside, they will find a little dog-shaped figurine with a suitcase, a plane in the airline’s colours, a runway jigsaw puzzle, an activity book and coloured pencils. The kit unfolds to reveal a fun French bakery decor and the figurine wears a sailor top, two emblematic nods to France.

This new kit is distributed to all young travellers during the in-flight meal service. The “kids” menu is exclusively made up of organic products on flights departing from Paris and is automatically offered to kids aged 2 to 6. Beyond the age of 6, the child’s parents can reserve the kid’s menu at no charge up to 24 hours before departure. As part of an eco-friendly approach, this kit is free of plastic. Each item is made of FSC wood (obtained from sustainably managed forests) or recycled paper and cardboard.

IATA inks cooperation agreement with the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia agreed to deepen and formalize cooperation with the aim of strengthening the economic and social benefits of aviation in Somalia.

Under an agreement signed by Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President, Africa and the Middle East, and H.E. Fardowsa Osman Egal, the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Federal Republic of Somalia, a new framework was established that will also see an expansion of IATA’s activities in the country.

"Aviation is a significant contributor to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so the potential for a strengthened air transport sector to contribute to Somalia’s development is enormous. This agreement aims to realize that potential for social and economic development by focusing on global standards and best practices. H.E. Minister Fardowsa Osman Egal has a strong vision for a successful aviation sector to contribute to a more prosperous Somalia. And we are determined to support that by turning the words of our agreement into real actions,” said Alawadhi. 

The agreement provides the framework to support IATA’s mission for aviation in Africa: the creation of a safe, efficient, sustainable, and economical air transport sector that generates growth, creates jobs, and facilitates international trade and tourism as well as playing an essential role in supporting the UN SDGs through generating connectivity between nations. 

“Aviation is essential to the success of Somalia's development plans.  The Government of Somalia is committed to developing its air transport sector to help promote long-term social and economic growth in the country. And we will ensure that global best practices are at the core of development. This agreement will pave the way for closer cooperation on the priorities for aviation in the country,” said Egal. 

Qantas shows off new pride livery......

Sashaying to a runway near you is the new Pride is in the Air livery adorning an Airbus A330-200 of Qantas, the Australian flag carrier. The aircraft,  registration VH-EBL will be deployed across both domestic and international flights to help the airline celebrate Pride.

Qantas is a long-time partner of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and this year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever before as part of Sydney WorldPride 2023.

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Loganair job oppotunities....

UK Regional airline Loganair is looking for a number of staff in Scotland, at various locations including Sumburgh, Inverness, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Kirkwall. 

From cabin crew to customer service agent roles, there are many opportunities,  for more info visit Loganair's careers pages. 

Some of the jobs on offer.....

Ramp Agents & Customer Service Agents - Sumburgh Airport

Licensed Aircraft Engineers – Inverness and Edinburgh Airport

Storekeeper, Stores Department - Aberdeen Airport

Operations Control Centre (OCC) Assistant - Glasgow Head Office

Customer Service Agent - Kirkwall Airport (F/T)

Senior Purchasing Specialist – Glasgow Head Office

Aviation Auditor – Glasgow Head Office

Technical Services Engineer (Technical Representative) – Worldwide

airBaltic has opennings for technician apprentices

The Latvian airline airBaltic is currently looking for a number of people to take up various positions at the growing airline. The company is also looking for people to take up its Technician Apprentice jobs.

For more info,  take a behind-the-scenes look with airBaltic's Technician Apprentice Edgars, who gives you a glimpse into the daily operations on the airBaltic apron! They asked him a few questions to better understand the hands-on training and how it feels to work alongside experienced professionals as an apprentice.

What you will need to succeed

Higher or started technical aviation education and/or examination of EASA Part-66 basic requirements in A, B1 or B2 category (at least 5 modules);

Good knowledge of English and Latvian language;

Possibility to work night shifts (practice gathering at actual shifts);

Average grade of 7/10;

Preciseness and fast learning personality with high sense of responsibility;

Permit to work in EU.

Technician Apprentice (airbaltic.com)

The airline has a number of other positions.   All open vacancies
Including pilots, cabin crew, mechanics, first officers, storekeepers,  training coordinators, flight dispatchers and others.