Traffic restrictions at Amsterdam Schipol Airport and plans new APU guidelines

Authorities in The Netherlands are again limiting the number of aircraft movements at the country's biggest and busiest airport, Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport to 460,000 take-offs and landings this year. 

This is a reduction of over 7%  compared to the pre-pandemic levels in 2019 and they say the aim is to reduce aircraft noise and air pollution. The airport operator is calling for new airport traffic regulations in the long term, to enable further growth by using quieter and more efficient aircraft.

APU use reduction for stationary aircraft

Schiphol has submitted an action plan, incorporating input from partners at the airport, to the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) aimed at reducing the use of auxiliary power units (APU) by aircraft parked on the apron. Schiphol views reducing APU use as a priority in light of the concrete improvement this makes to healthy working conditions for apron workers. It also contributes to reducing CO2 emissions from aviation as a whole.

An auxiliary power unit (APU), which is normally mounted in the tail of an aircraft, provides autonomous starting power for the main engines, supplies electricity in the aircraft and provides pneumatic pressure, which is needed for various functions including air conditioning on board. The APU runs on kerosene and causes harmful emissions as well as noise nuisance for apron workers when operating.

Alan Mangels joins Aviation Capital Group as new Vice President of Marketing

Aviation Capital Group has confirmed that Alan Mangels has joined the company as Vice President of Marketing for ACG. Mr. Mangels was previously with CDB Aviation and also spent a number of years at Rolls-Royce and Airbus. Mr. Mangels will be responsible for covering the North American region.

ACG is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan Mangels as Vice President, Marketing,” said Carter White, Chief Revenue Officer. “Alan has an impressive track record of developing aircraft lease placement and sale-leaseback opportunities in the marketplace and we look forward to his future contributions to ACG. This appointment also continues to reflect the strong emphasis ACG places on the recruitment of top industry talent as we maintain a global sales and marketing team with experience across the core competencies of the aircraft operating leasing business to deliver long-term sustainable growth.”

“I am both humbled and honoured to be joining a team of such accomplished aviation professionals at ACG. I am also excited to work with our airline customers and further contribute to ACG’s growth and success,” said Alan Mangels.

AAdvantage members earn more rewards, more often

Beginning today,  1st March 2023, American Airlines AAdvantage members can receive benefits and earn rewards more often — including before and beyond reaching status — and have more options to customize their travel experiences through Loyalty Point Rewards.

Announced in December, the program’s continued evolution provides more value for members, including more opportunities to achieve rewards even before reaching status. Learn more about the AAdvantage program below:

Rocket Lab plans two launches from two continents this month

Rocket Lab USA, a leading launch and space systems company, today announced it is preparing to launch two dedicated missions in March from the Company’s launch sites in the United States and New Zealand - within days of each other.

One Electron rocket is ready and in position at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand to deploy satellites for Spaceflight Inc. customer BlackSky, a real-time geospatial intelligence company. Meanwhile, a second rocket is simultaneously undergoing final launch preparations at Launch Complex 2 in Virginia to deploy satellites for American space tech company Capella Space, the world’s leading provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery.

Both launches are scheduled to take place in March with the launch windows to be finalized based on individual customer and range requirements; however, both missions are expected to launch within days of each other. Capella Space’s two satellites have been integrated to Electron at Launch Complex 2 and are ready for launch, while BlackSky’s two satellites are undergoing final check outs before integration to Electron at Launch Complex 1. Rocket Lab has also completed a Wet Dress Rehearsal at Launch Complex 2 and the mission is now awaiting range clearances from NASA and the FAA to proceed with launch. Meanwhile, Launch Complex 1’s Wet Dress Rehearsal is scheduled to take place in the coming days.

Running simultaneous launch campaigns across two continents once again demonstrates Rocket Lab’s ability to deliver responsive and flexible launch solutions to the small satellite market. The upcoming missions are expected to best Rocket Lab’s previous launch turnaround record set at Launch Complex 1 in 2022 when Rocket Lab launched the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA followed by a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office 15 days later.

Intelsat completes multi-orbit inflight Wi-Fi tests

Intelsat, operator of one of the world’s largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks and leading provider of inflight connectivity (IFC), today announced the successful completion of inflight testing of its new electronically steered array (ESA) antenna. This antenna enables global streaming-fast Wi-Fi service and is available to airlines around the world.

Intelsat’s ESA is the only commercially available antenna in the aviation industry that can operate between low Earth orbit satellites and geostationary satellites. Announced in June 2022, the new antenna has been accumulating flight hours with Ball, Stellar Blu Solutions, Intelsat and OneWeb engineers validating antenna and network performance.

In early 2023, Intelsat successfully demonstrated the new system to global airlines on the company’s Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet outfitted with the new antenna and inflight Wi-Fi system. With peak inflight download speeds exceeding 275Mbps, airline customers were able to participate in live virtual meetings, stream media and stay connected without interruptions.

By using the Intelsat and OneWeb satellite networks together, Intelsat can offer the benefits of LEO’s low latency along with the redundancy GEO provides to address network hotspots that LEO networks on their own cannot address. Whether aircraft are flying polar regions or over the most populated cities in the world, the ESA antenna will offer seamless coverage from takeoff to touchdown.

At just 90 pounds and with no moving parts, the new antenna stands just 3.5 inches tall on the top of the aircraft. The terminal’s low profile has the lowest drag of any product Intelsat has ever offered, reducing CO2 emissions for airlines.

Hong Kong drops face mask rules

Photo by Ruslan Bardash on Unsplash

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced they will drop the mandatory mask-wearing rule starting today - 1st March for all visitors travelling to Hong Kong.  This means that travellers will no longer be required to wear masks indoors and outdoors and can enjoy Hong Kong’s iconic and new experiences to the fullest.

The announcement comes as the city prepares to host a line-up of large international events in the coming month, such as Clockenflap (March 3-5), Art Basel (March 23-25) and the Hong Kong Sevens (March 31 – April 2). Travellers from near and far are invited to dance and sing along to the performers at Clockenflap, cheer for their favourite teams and party with cool drinks at the celebrated Hong Kong Sevens; and meet with world-class gallerists at the Art Basel Hong Kong.

.

Try afternoon tea!  

The Murray Hong Kong (1969) Hong Kong, China

The Murray Hong Kong, a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide since 2019, dates to 1969 and is a monument to midcentury modern architecture located in Hong Kong, China’s Central District. Winner of the Historic Hotels Worldwide Awards of Excellence Best Historic Hotels Worldwide Hotel in Asia/Pacific in 2022, The Murray Hong Kong boasts some of the city’s best restaurants offering the most memorable dining and lifestyle experiences in the city. 

Air Canada Named One of Montreal's Top Employers for the 10th Consecutive Year

Air Canada Named One of Montreal's Top Employers for the 10th Consecutive Year

Air Canada today was recognized as one of "Montreal's Top Employers" for 2023 in Mediacorp Canada's annual employer survey, marking the 10th consecutive year that the airline has received this award. With more than 10,000 employees in Montreal and up to 1,094 weekly flights at its Montreal-Trudeau global hub connecting Montreal to 89 destinations across Canada and internationally, Air Canada is a significant contributor to Montreal's economic success. Air Canada is Canada's largest private sector company offering bilingual services across Canada and is proud to offer services in both Official Languages, demonstrating true leadership among major Canadian companies in promoting bilingualism. 

"Air Canada's global headquarters is firmly established in the greater Montreal area, and we are very pleased to be recognized as a top Montreal employer for the 10th year. Our more than 10,000 employees based in this vibrant metropolitan area range from C-suite executives to innovative leaders in commercial strategy, technology and specialized operations, to several hundreds of professionals responsible for safely transporting customers at our Montreal-Trudeau international hub. We continually advance our employee workplace programs to attract and retain global talent, and to create a supportive environment that fosters wellness, growth opportunities and meaningful connections," said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs.

JetBlue launches three new routes......

Three New Routes Include Highly Requested JFK-DCA Flights and New Summer Seasonal Flights from Westchester County

JetBlue today announced three new routes launching this summer – enabled in part by its Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines – which will further increase competition and choice for travellers across the Northeast. Seats are out for sale starting today with fares as low as $59^(a).

“As we prepare for the summer travel season, we are introducing more choices for our customers in the Northeast with the addition of new alternatives for customers travelling between New York and the fabulous destinations of Washington DC, Martha’s Vineyard and Charleston,” said David Jehn, vice president, network planning and partnerships, JetBlue. “These new routes are part of our ambitious growth strategy as we work to bring our unique combination of low fares and award-winning service to more customers.”

New York City

Enabled by the NEA, JetBlue’s new service between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) will deliver a customer-centric alternative for travellers across the busy Northeast Corridor that has historically been dominated by high-fare legacy carriers.

"As a very frequent flyer from JFK in New York’s 5th Congressional District to our nation’s capital, I am excited to see new low-fare competition on this route,” said Congressman Gregory Meeks. “JetBlue has been part of our community in Queens, New York, and JFK for more than 23 years, setting the bar on low fares and customer service. I look forward to even more growth with this long-sought addition to their network.”

Daily Schedule between New York (JFK) and Washington DC (DCA)

Beginning June 15, 2023

JFK - DCA Flight #1887			DCA - JFK Flight #1888
7:00 a.m. - 8:40 a.m.			6:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
JFK - DCA Flight #2487			DCA - JFK Flight #2488
1:15 p.m. – 3:01 p.m.			2:10 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
JFK - DCA Flight #2587			DCA - JFK Flight #2588
7:15 p.m. – 8:55 p.m.			5:00 p.m. – 6:48 p.m.

Westchester County

JetBlue Travel Products teaming up with Briggs & Riley and Solo to launch first retail offering on Paisly

Industry-First Partnership Gives Customers Even More Ways to Earn TrueBlue Points

JetBlue Travel Products, a subsidiary of JetBlue announced this week, an industry-first partnership with United States Luggage Company. The launch marks JetBlue Travel Products’ first foray into retail, furthering JetBlue’s dedication to being a trusted travel partner rather than just an airline. Starting today, customers can purchase travel bags from Briggs & Riley and Solo on Paisly.com, JetBlue Travel Products’ homegrown travel booking website, and earn Mosaic-qualifying TrueBlue points along the way. By purchasing a travel bag on Paisly.com, customers will also have access to a 24/7 dedicated phone line to Paisly’s helpful humans, should they want to repair or replace their travel bag, plus, free shipping and returns on all purchases.

“Giving customers the option to purchase luggage and bags on Paisly.com gives them a one-stop-shop solution to all their travel needs, and offers customers even more ways to earn TrueBlue points," said Andres Barry, President, JetBlue Travel Products. “U.S. Luggage Company’s commitment to making travel more seamless and sustainable is in perfect harmony with JetBlue’s brand, and we're thrilled to join forces to continue to deliver exceptional customer experiences across all segments of our customers’ journey.”

How the passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversion market took off

The passenger-to-freighter conversions market has experienced rapid and unprecedented growth over the last three years. Here, Jim Scott, owner of components solutions specialist Artemis Aerospace, discusses this impressive market expansion and how PTF conversions programmes are adapting to future demands.

	Photo by Niklas Jonasson on Unsplash When the pandemic pulled the plug on global air travel in 2020, the aviation industry was left reeling. Air passenger traffic was cut off overnight and billions were wiped from industry revenues. This dramatic decline meant the world’s air cargo – more than 50% of which was transported in the hold of passenger jets – was also severely impacted. Despite freight aircraft continuing to operate, the grounding of passenger fleets resulted in a huge gap for air cargo operations that relied heavily on the extensive route networks travelled by passenger airlines. Yet demand for air cargo capacity during this time was not waning. As well as the need to transport essential medical equipment and supplies, the sudden acceleration in e-commerce meant logistics providers, eager to take advantage of this growing sector, were searching for quick solutions to satisfy e-consumers’ appetites for fast and efficient deliveries. In response, airlines adapted quickly seeking to mitigate huge losses by redeploying their passenger aircraft as ‘preighters’. As passenger flights resumed, and demand for travel began to grow again, many of these ‘preighters’ have since returned to normal service. However, with global e-commerce sales expected to grow by 10.4% in 2023, and 57% of people reporting that they shop internationally, according to Forbes, the need for air cargo capacity remains strong. As supply chain logistics diversify and adapt to meet an ever-increasing list of customer expectations, the demand for new freighter aircraft has intensified with MROs working round the clock to fulfil orders. The PTF market faces numerous challenges and resolving these has become essential for airlines that require flexibility in a continuously evolving industry.

Air Canada Proudly Salutes its Black Employees, Wraps Black History Month with Celebration Flight

Flight AC660 from Montreal to Halifax was operated and supported by Black pilots, flight attendants, managers and ground teams

Air Canada wrapped Black History Month today with its second annual Black History celebratory flight. Flight AC660 from Montreal to Halifax was planned, supported and operated by Black pilots, flight attendants, managers and employees on the ground and behind the scenes at Montreal Trudeau International Airport and on arrival at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

"Air Canada salutes its Black employees who have proudly championed their identity and pride to showcase their achievements and contributions to aviation. This is the second year in a row we have applauded Black excellence with a celebration flight and we are thrilled to highlight our employees' professional achievements. They are incredible ambassadors and role models for the next generation of Black youth," said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at Air Canada.

On today's flight are some Air Canada employees and special guests who will visit Africville to learn more about the rich Black cultural heritage, and the long and deep Black history roots in the Halifax area.

Comments from airline professionals involved in Air Canada's Black Celebration Flight:

"Being asked to help lead and organize this second Black Excellence Flight for Air Canada is an honour that I cannot express in words. I am proud of the example we are setting and showing as a Black community and as an Air Canada family. We are highlighting to aspiring young Black kids that there are people in the aviation industry that look like them and that they, too, can be a part of this incredible industry.  We are demonstrating to them that Air Canada celebrates Black History and that 'You are Black History'," said Andrew Free, Manager, STOC Oversight for Montreal and Quebec City.

"To me, being a Black aviation professional means having the responsibility to mentor the next generation of young aviators. I am extremely fortunate today because of the efforts of the few Black pilots that came before me. I appreciate and thank all the many hard-working professionals who have contributed to the success of the day," said William Batson, Manager, Line Operations, Flight Operations in Toronto, and Captain of flight AC660.

JetBlue offers passengers tools to help scale the sustainability of air travel

New Platform Enables JetBlue Customers to Directly Contribute to the Purchase of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Help Grow This Critical Emerging Market

JetBlue has formed a partnership with climate tech company CHOOOSE to enable passengers to estimate the CO2 emissions of their flights and then address these emissions by contributing to a fund dedicated to covering the cost premium of SAF as compared to conventional jet fuel.

JetBlue views SAF as the most promising avenue for addressing aviation emissions in a meaningful and rapid way – once cost-effective SAF is made available commercially at scale. Produced from a wide array of renewable sources such as agricultural wastes and used cooking oils—not fossil fuels— SAF is a type of renewable fuel that exists today and drops directly into existing aircraft and infrastructure with no impact to safety or performance. SAF can lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 80% compared to traditional petroleum-based fuels while reducing particle and sulfur pollution.

In 2022, roughly 0.3% of JetBlue’s fuel consumed was SAF. Supporting and growing SAF availability is critical to increasing this volume and reaching the aviation industry’s emissions reduction goals. By contributing toward the purchase of additional SAF through CHOOOSE, JetBlue customers and can now send a critical signal of consumer demand for more sustainable air travel options and help grow the emerging SAF market.

Qantas unveils prototypes of the First and Business cabins on the Airbus A350 that will fly passengers non-stop from Australia to New York and London from late 2025.

Luxe First suites with fixed flat bed, separate lounge recliner and wardrobe.

Next Generation Business suites with sliding door for added privacy.

Fast and free Wi-Fi to be installed across A350 fleet.

Qantas has unveiled prototypes of the First and Business cabins on the aircraft that will fly passengers non-stop from Australia to New York and London from late 2025.

A virtual reality fly through of the aircraft cabin has also been revealed.

Designed with ultra-long haul travel in mind, the flagship cabins are the first to be developed from the ground up by a mix of aviation specialists, as well as Australian industrial design studio Caon Design, and a multidisciplinary team of scientists from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre including sleep scientists.

Key to the cabin design has been giving passengers more space, made possible by Qantas’ decision to configure its 12 Airbus A350s to seat 238 passengers compared to the 300-plus seat layout specified by other carriers.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the investment in new A350 aircraft and approach to cabin design continues Qantas’ 100-year history of aviation ‘firsts’.

“Qantas has been the leader in opening up new long-haul flights for most of our history, and we’re bringing everything we’ve learned, both technically and in terms of passenger comfort, to Project Sunrise flying,” said Mr Joyce.

“We think our A350 cabins have the most sophisticated and thoughtful design of any airline, combining cutting edge technology with sleep research to shape the look and feel for what is effectively a new era of travel.

“We’re building on the customer experience of our extremely popular non-stop flights from Perth to London as we keep working to make it easier to connect Australia with the rest of the world.”

The spacious First suite has a range of features to make customers feel like they are in a mini boutique hotel room complete with an extra-wide fixed bed, separate recliner chair, personal wardrobe, dining table for two and a 32” ultra-high definition TV.

Every Business suite will have direct aisle access for ease of moving around the cabin, and Qantas is incorporating sliding doors into the suite for privacy, if desired.

Other Business features include a two metre flat bed, generous storage (including a large mirror), cushioned leather ottoman, 18” ultra-high definition touch screen TV, large dining table and feature lighting.

First and Business will also offer multiple personal device charging options including wireless induction charging.

Airbus Foundation joins explorer and scientist Jean-Louis Etienne’s Polar POD expedition

                The Airbus Foundation has signed an agreement with the Polar POD expedition to support both the scientific programme and the operational phase of the mission. The Airbus Foundation will provide access to products and services such as Earth observation satellite data, as well as offering additional capabilities for reliable high-speed telecommunications. 

The maritime expedition, driven by renowned French explorer and scientist Jean-Louis Etienne’s non-profit organisation “Océan Polaire”, aims to better understand global environmental and climate dynamics. Running for several years, it will achieve this by monitoring the Southern Ocean using an innovative inhabited low-carbon vessel: the Polar POD. It has no engine and will be propelled by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, sails and wind power. 

The aim of the Polar POD initiative is to measure air-sea exchanges to improve climate studies, detect man-made impacts (such as microplastics, pesticides, etc.), and analyse the ocean’s weather, waves, winds and colour to improve satellite calibration.

“We are honoured to support this major oceanographic initiative by providing access to Airbus’ products and services. The research being undertaken by the Polar POD expedition aims to help mitigate the impact of climate change and to restore damaged ecosystems. This mission is well-matched with our priorities and perfectly complements other projects supported by the Airbus Foundation, which have until now focused on land-based activities, such as wildlife and ecosystem protection and reforestation monitoring,” said Rachel Schroeder, Managing Director, Airbus Foundation. “The Foundation and Polar POD teams will work side-by-side to successfully implement this extraordinary mission and tackle the important scientific and technological challenge together.”

Top level changes at Qantas.....

The Qantas Group has announced changes to its Group Management Committee, as the national carrier moves into a new phase of growth and renewal.

In summary, the changes are:

Andrew David, who is CEO of Qantas Domestic and International, will retire from the Group in September 2023.

The role of CEO of Qantas Domestic and International (which was combined during COVID), will return to being two separate portfolios from 1 July 2023. This will provide the management bandwidth required as each business welcomes new aircraft and expands its network. Both roles will report to Qantas Group CEO, Alan Joyce.

Cameron Wallace, who has more than two decades of aviation experience in the Asia Pacific region, will join the Group as CEO of Qantas International and Freight from 1 July 2023. This will include growing Qantas International’s capacity to 100 per cent of pre-COVID levels and beyond, as well as guiding preparations for Project Sunrise through to the first flight in late 2025.

Andrew David will remain as CEO of Qantas Domestic until his retirement from the Group in September 2023. A recruitment process to appoint this role will start soon.

The rest of the Group Management Committee remains unchanged.

In announcing the changes, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: “At the start of the pandemic, we rationalised the two CEO roles for Qantas Domestic and Qantas International down to one given what was happening to our business.

“With Andrew retiring and given the amount of investment now in the pipeline, it makes sense to again have separate CEOs for the International and Domestic businesses, which are both back to generating billions in revenue each year.

“Andrew has contributed a huge amount during his 10 years across both Qantas and Jetstar. His leadership of Qantas’ domestic, international and freight businesses has been pivotal, especially during the incredible challenge of putting the airline into hibernation and bringing it back again.