United wants to turn microalgae into SAF through the first new investment of its recently announced UAV Sustainable Flight FundSM since its launch: algae biofuel company Viridos. This $5 million investment will support the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from algae, an abundant and scalable resource that can be grown and harvested without impacting the food supply chain.
Viridos specializes in the bioengineering of microalgae and its proprietary technology accelerates the amount of oil that can produced from microalgae. This algae oil could then be used to scale the future production of SAF.
SAF is an alternative to conventional jet fuel that, on a lifecycle basis, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with air travel compared to conventional jet fuel alone.¹ SAF is made from used cooking oil and agricultural waste, and, in the future, could be made from other feedstocks, including household trash, forest waste, or algae. To date, United has invested in the future production of over three billion gallons of SAF - the most of any airline in the world.²
"SAF is proven, scalable, and the best tool we have to reduce our carbon emissions from flying, but we face a significant shortage of available feedstock," said United Airlines Ventures President Mike Leskinen. "As the global aviation leader in SAF production investment United remains committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions, without relying on traditional carbon offsets, by 2050. Viridos' algae-based biofuel technology has the potential to help solve our supply problem without the need for farmland or other agricultural resources and marks our inaugural investment in our new cross-industry UAV Sustainable Flight Fund."
Hawaiian Airlines stimulated $10.2 billion in economic activity in Hawai‘i – about 11% of the state’s gross domestic product – and was directly or indirectly responsible for 53,500 jobs statewide in 2022* despite enduring challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.
The report, titled “No Kākou a Pau” (interconnectedness) to underscore the ways Hawaiian Airlines is connected to the economy of its home state, was commissioned by Hawaiian and produced by ICF, a global consultant with extensive experience in aviation and other industries.
“Following several years of uncertainty because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is also a story of resilience. Hawaiian Airlines led through the uncertainty of COVID-19, keeping its people employed, continuing to support local industry and business, providing local jobs and training, and transporting cargo and supplies,” noted the report, which analyzed full-year data from October 2021 through September 2022.*
During this period, Hawai‘i’s hometown airline carried 9.4 million passengers to, from and within the islands (including 1.6 million visitors), supporting nearly one-third of the state’s 128,000 tourism-related jobs and generating more than $600 million in Hawai‘i state tax revenue.
WestJet Group provides update about Sunwing transaction
Canadian Government issues order finding that the transaction is in the public interest
The WestJet Group today issued a statement following the Government of Canada's issuance of an order finding that the proposed acquisition of Sunwing Vacations and Sunwing Airlines is in the public interest, taking into account certain measures.
"We are pleased that the regulatory review of the transaction is now complete," said Angela Avery, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief People, Corporate & Sustainability Officer. "We thank the Minister of Transport and the Commissioner of Competition, and the staff of Transport Canada, the Competition Bureau, and the Canadian Transportation Agency, for their efforts to review the transaction."
The issuance of the order is an important milestone in the process toward closing the transaction.
Finavia, the airport operator in Finland, is making hand baggage security control easier at Helsinki Airport. At the beginning of the summer, the airport’s remaining old security control equipment will be replaced by next-generation technology that makes it possible to carry also liquid containers of over 100 ml in hand baggage.
“A year ago, we introduced advanced security control technology at Helsinki Airport. These devices eliminated the need to remove liquids and electronics from hand baggage, which has made security control faster,” says Ari Kumara, Vice President - Security at Finavia.
During summer 2023, travelling via Helsinki Airport will become even easier as Finavia installs more ultra-modern security control equipment at the airport. It allows passengers to carry liquid containers exceeding 100 ml in their hand baggage.
“This is a significant step forward since the worldwide adoption of the EU liquid regulations in 2006. We are at the forefront of security control development as similar new technology is currently used only at a very limited number of major European airports and at some airports in the United States.”
From March to June 2023, on departure from Paris, Air France offers a new series of exceptional dishes to be exclusively enjoyed on board its long-haul La Première and Business cabins. The company is teaming up with a high-flying trio of chefs - Mauro Colagreco, Angelo Musa and Régis Marcon – to showcase French haute cuisine on board its flights.
To design these menus, the chefs have worked alongside Servair, a global leader in in-flight catering, to create a selection of dishes, focusing on fresh, seasonal and local produce. As part of its commitment to a more responsible catering offer, the red meat, poultry, milk products and eggs on each menu are of French origin and the fish sourced from sustainable fisheries. A vegetarian dish is also systematically available.
Mauro Colagreco and Angelo Musa in the La Première cabin
For the very first time, the company has entrusted the dishes on the menu of its prestigious La Première suites to Mauro Colagreco, a three-Michelin starred chef and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for biodiversity, based in Menton (France). He has come up with eight tasty dishes that will be revealed gradually from March to June, created by selecting only seasonal produce.
“I was inspired to create these dishes by our region in the south of France, the Alpes Maritimes. There is a whole range of ingredients from the sea, the mountains, citrus fruits and the famous Menton lemons. I would like passengers in the La Première cabin to discover each product and its history so that their meal is a real moment of culinary pleasure suspended in time,” said Mauro Colagreco.
The dishes signed by Mauro Colagreco for the La Première cabin -
Comté and onion ravioli with porcini sauce;
Asparagus with parmesan cream;
Lobster, citrus vinaigrette;
Crusted sea bream, royal courgette, shellfish juice and tarragon sauce;
In terms of desserts, this is also the first time that Angelo Musa, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and World’s Best Pastry Chef, is bringing an elegant and sweet touch to the menus in the La Première cabin worthy of the finest restaurants. For this series, the chef has signed a selection of 4 desserts where balance, delicacy and harmony of flavours meet.
“It’s an immense source of pride to work with Air France and to invite La Première customers to discover my desserts. For me, Air France embodies French excellence, just like my profession” added Angelo Musa.
The Dubai-based carrier adds two new destinations to its network with the launch of flights to Al Qaisumah and Neom and resumes flights to Jizan and Najran
flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, has announced the launch of four destinations in Saudi Arabia. This includes the start of flights to Neom from 16 March, Najran from 18 March, Al Qaisumah from 21 March and Jizan from 26 April.
Earlier this year, the airline also resumed its operations to AlUla with a twice-weekly service from 12 January.
Hamad Obaidalla, Chief Commercial Officer at flydubai, said: “flydubai remains committed to opening up underserved markets and so we are pleased to offer our customers more options for travel with the launch of these four destinations. As Saudi Arabia continues on its path of economic growth and investment in developing its tourism sector, we look forward to offering passengers from the UAE and around our network the opportunity to explore more of the country.”
flydubai operates flights to more than 114 destinations, 75 of which were underserved markets that did not previously have direct air links to Dubai. The growing network is served by a fleet of 76 Boeing 737 aircraft.
Flight details for the four destinations
Flights will operate from Terminal 2, Dubai International (DXB).
Start Date
Flight Number
Departure Airport
Arrival Airport
Frequency
16 March
FZ 851/852
Terminal 2, DXB
Neom Airport (NUM)
02 weekly flights
18 March
FZ 803/804
Terminal 2, DXB
Najran Airport (EAM)
03 weekly flights
21 March
FZ 837/838
Terminal 2, DXB
Al Qaisumah Hafar Al Batin Airport (AQI)
02 weekly flights
26 April
FZ 801/802
Terminal 2, DXB
Jizan Airport (GIZ)
04 weekly flights
Flights are available to book on flydubai.com
From its home in Dubai, flydubai has created a network of 114 destinations served by a fleet of 76 aircraft. Since commencing operations in June 2009, flydubai has been committed to removing barriers to travel, creating free flows of trade and tourism and enhancing connectivity between different cultures across its ever-expanding network.
The wet-leasing specialist airline Hi-Fly has released more details of the latest aircraft to join its fleet, an Airbus A330-200, with the registration 9H-HFG.
This aircraft seats 268 passengers in a three-class configuration - 18 high-comfort business class seats with flat beds, 36 Premium Economy with extra space and 214 Economy.
The A330 is the most modern and reliable family of aircraft in the sky, providing a quality solution for every route, with an operational efficiency of 99.4%. Is an efficient, modern, state-of-the-art aircraft inside and out, offers comfort to passengers and is a smart choice for customers.
Teesside Airport has beaten bigger airports to become the UK’s first to entirely do away with the 100ml limit on liquids when passing through airport security.
It is now easier and smoother than ever for passengers to fly from Teesside, as the previous 100ml threshold on liquid containers has been upped to 2 litres for hand luggage, thanks to two cutting-edge C3 scanners fully operational in security.
These high-tech scanners also remove the requirement for creams and cosmetics to be placed in separate bags, or for laptops and other electronic items to also be taken out ahead of scanning.
Government previously set a June 2024 deadline for airports to install new security technology to be able to handle the new rules when they come into force, to reduce hassle for passengers.
With both airport security lanes running 100% on the new scanners already, Teesside has cut the limit as part of a pilot scheme. This move makes travelling even more convenient and speedy, reducing queues and hold-ups – plus the detailed 3D scans of baggage will also improve passenger safety.
As not all airports are introducing new security technology at the same rate, the Government advises passengers check security requirements with their airline or destination airport before travelling, as 100ml liquid containers and 1 litre transparent bags may still be required when they travel back to the UK.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Once again Teesside is at the forefront of developments in the aviation industry, with our C3 scanners in place and already being used in the roll-out of the new rules, coming into force elsewhere next year.
“Some airports have announced they’re looking to end the restriction in time for the Easter holidays, but we’re one step ahead in having already scrapped the limit – showing how local, regional airports are going further, faster for the people that they serve. Passenger safety and experience is front-and-centre of all we do at Teesside Airport, and these scanners play a massive part in both.
“We’re getting lots of positive feedback from our passengers right now and, as our slate of summer holiday flights begins to ramp up at the end of this month, these scanners will be invaluable to quickly process the hundreds of thousands of people we’re set to welcome through our doors.”
Airport company Finavia has been awarded a prestigious international airport award. The award is based on a survey in which passengers have rated Helsinki Airport as the best airport in Europe in the 15 to 25 million passengers size category.
“We are delighted to have won the award and are proud that air passengers have chosen Helsinki Airport as the best airport in Europe. Year after year, Helsinki Airport continues to be ranked among the best airports in the world,” says Finavia’s CEO Kimmo Mäki.
The ASQ (Airport Service Quality) award was granted by Airports Council International (ACI), the international umbrella organisation for airports. They awarded the prizes to airports that were the best in their size and region class.
The award is based on a continuous measurement of customer satisfaction and service quality. The ASQ survey involves almost 400 airports from 95 countries each year. Approximately 4,000 air passengers are interviewed at Helsinki Airport every year for the survey.
In the ASQ survey, air passengers evaluate 30 different service categories, including guidance, customer service, check-in, shopping and dining.
For the past years, Finavia has been renewing Helsinki Airport's service and restaurant selection as part of the airport's extensive development programme. The departures hall, arrivals hall and security control have also been updated.
A Memorandum of understanding signifies a major step towards safely integrating remotely piloted cargo aircraft to meet the growing demand for air freight.
Inmarsat has announced a collaboration with Reliable Robotics, a leader in safety-enhancing aircraft automation systems, to support the safe, secure and efficient integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems into the US National Airspace System and airspace worldwide.
Inmarsat’s Velaris satellite communications service provides connectivity between remote pilots and aircraft for airspace access, including voice and digital communication links with air traffic control. By using existing certified airframes and commercial satellite networks, this new operating model can be brought to market quickly, without costly infrastructure, to expand the operational range for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS).
Automation and remotely piloted aircraft could be key to supporting the future growth of freight volumes and alleviating the pressure on stretched supply chains, particularly for time-sensitive deliveries. Reliable Robotics is driving the industry forward with the automation of cargo aircraft to increase safety, improve efficiency and open up more routes to regional airports. However, automated aircraft technologies must be highly reliable and achieve required global certifications and regulatory safety approvals to gain access to airspace.
Digitally-connected flights to and from Italy will be available from this summer, as ITA Airways rolls out the European Space Agency (ESA) and Inmarsat’s ground-breaking Iris data link technology to the cockpits of its full aircraft fleet, contributing to airspace modernisation in Europe.
ITA Airways will be the first full service carrier in Europe to join Iris. The programme enables aircraft to fly more fuel-efficient routes by providing digital satellite communications to complement VHF data link, which is nearing a capacity crunch in congested airspace. Without fast and reliable data links between aircraft and the ground, air traffic managers cannot unlock the 8-10% reduction in CO2 emissions identified by EUROCONTROL from improved Air Traffic Management (ATM). Iris will allow ATM players to better anticipate and collaborate to maximise airspace use, reducing the impact of disruptions for passengers while reducing emissions.
The Italian national carrier will equip its full fleet of new Airbus A320neo and A330neo aircraft deliveries with Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband-Safety (SB-S), the award-winning platform flying on more than 230 aircraft globally, which powers Iris. Its aircraft will also play a significant role in Iris demonstration flights, which will take place across European airspace supported by 14 Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) during 2023.
PLAY Airlines has announced plans to launch a new service between Glasgow and Iceland beginning Friday 26 May.
With flights scheduled four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, Glasgow will now be fully connected to PLAY's North American routes.
PLAY currently operates flights to Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York in the United States, as well as Toronto in Canada.
Passengers can enjoy a comfortable journey on the Airbus A320neo with 180 seats, and this summer, PLAY's fleet will consist of 10 Airbus A320/321neo, with an average age of approximately 2.5 years.
PLAY's motto is "Pay less, PLAY more," which means that customers can enjoy a cost-effective flight and have more to spend on their destination's fun activities. Furthermore, with a nearly 90% on-time performance rate in 2022, PLAY prioritizes passenger safety, providing a safe, reliable, and comfortable journey that doesn't break the bank.
Seabury Solutions, a market leader in providing Information Technology solutions for the aviation industry, announced today the recent addition of Bahamas national airline, Bahamasair, to its growing base of Alkym customers.
Bijoy Mechery, Seabury Solutions CEO & President commented: "At Seabury Solutions, we are committed to delivering the best solutions for our customers, and we understand the challenges they face when transitioning away from legacy systems. Our team's extensive industry expertise and flexible approach allow us to efficiently execute database conversions and meet our customer's specific needs and timelines. We look forward to working with Bahamas Air and helping them achieve their business goals."
“We are thrilled to welcome the most recent addition to our expanding customer network in North America. The time dedicated to truly understanding a client’s requirements and continuous development in state-of-the-art software has been at the forefront of why so many of our customers have selected our MRO/M&E system,” commented Seabury Solutions VP, Head of Sales & Marketing, Carlos Bianchi.
Wipro’s new product will underpin Menzies’ cargo technology transformation to improve business efficiencies, employee experience, and customer service through increased automation.
Wipro Limited, a leading technology services and consulting company, announced that it has been selected by Menzies Aviation, the world’s largest aviation services company, to transform its air cargo management services.
The partnership will help fortify Menzies’ position as the leading cargo handler in the market, enabling the company to grow its services and use of new technologies. It will also accelerate competitiveness while keeping customers, partners, employees, and the environment at the center of this transformation.
Wipro’s revolutionary cargo handling product was architected using cloud-native technologies and will address all of Menzies’ needs, as well as those of the broader air cargo industry. It was developed to improve business efficiencies, enhance employee experience and customer service through increased automation, and provide critical business insights with best-in-class security.
This product will provide greater visibility of cargo location to both Menzies and its customers, support scanning technology for cargo and documentation, and integrate directly with customers’ operating systems, resulting in increased transparency and real-time-tracking. It will also enable new technologies developed for warehouses of the future including robotics, autonomous vehicles and true paperless environments.
Flights for easyJet’s winter 2024 schedule are now on sale with seats to 125 destinations from the UK available to book between 1 December 2023 and 23 March 2024 Customers can book early to get the best fares for next winter from the UK to the slopes of Europe or winter sun destinations including Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Sharm El Sheikh, Geneva and Innsbruck Millions of seats across hundreds of routes across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East are now available from just £26.99*
Thousands more packages now available with easyJet holidays easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has put its winter 2024 schedule on sale today meaning millions of seats across 138,000 easyJet flights between 1 December 2023 and 23 March 2024 including over 70,000 flights to and from the UK, are now available so customers have the opportunity to book early and get the best fares for next winter.
With flights to 125 destinations to choose from across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from 21 UK airports, customers have an unrivalled choice when looking to book their next winter getaway, whether its enjoying Christmas markets, hitting the slopes, or chasing the winter sun.
Flights for next winter are now available to book at easyJet.com and via the mobile app, including:
London Gatwick to Innsbruck from £32.99* and to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura from £38.998
London Luton to Geneva and Innsbruck from £32.99*
Bristol to Geneva and Innsbruck from £26.99* and to Gran Canaria from £35.99*
Manchester to Geneva from £29.99* and to Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura from £35.99*
Liverpool to Geneva from £26.99* and to Lanzarote from £29.99*
Belfast to Geneva from £26.99*, and to Tenerife and Lanzarote from £32.99*
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