Cathay Cargo brings automation and shipment visibility to postal shipments with Cathay Mail

New digital solution provides a superior customer experience for post offices

Cathay Cargo has enhanced its integrated mail platform with Cathay Mail, a refined digital solution that re-envisages the mail-shipment process, generating greater transparency for post offices and providing the track-and-trace visibility their customers expect.

With Cathay Mail, Cathay Cargo is able to provide a superior customer experience that better caters to the requirements of post offices for shipment visibility, reliability and speed.

Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “Cathay Mail highlights how we have adapted technology and digitalisation to offer real benefits to our customers. By fully integrating mail-handling functions with our cargo operations and expertise, our innovative new mail solution provides a sophisticated suite of tools and facilities to support our postal partners.”

Cathay Cargo’s refreshed “mail as cargo” solution integrates mail-handling data with air cargo systems using the PAWB – the postal air waybill. This use of electronic data interchange (EDI) technology removes much of the previous shipment paperwork and gives both origin and destination post offices, and designated operators, more visibility of shipments down to mail bag (or “receptacle”) level, allowing them to offer package-level track-and-trace visibility to e-commerce shippers.

The information also enables Cathay Cargo to manage capacity against actual volumes of mail on flights, so it can make allowances for surges in ad hoc demand, or make unused space available for other cargo.

Cathay Pacific collaborates with State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to develop Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) supply chain

Forging a strategic partnership with SPIC to support SAF production in the Chinese Mainland

Cathay Pacific has teamed up with the State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to drive the further development of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) supply chain in China. SPIC is one of the largest state-owned energy companies in the Chinese Mainland and a company with the world’s largest solar power installed capacity.

SPIC and Cathay Pacific have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering four SAF plants under SPIC. Witnessed by SPIC Chairman Qian Zhimin and Vice President Chen Haibin, Cathay Pacific Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam, and Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer-designate Alex McGowan, the MoU was signed by SPIC International Finance (HK) Co. Ltd. Chairman Yin Guoping and Cathay Pacific General Manager Corporate Affairs Andy Wong at Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong headquarters.

SPIC Chairman Qian Zhimin said: “The signing of our cooperation pact is an important milestone in SPIC’s sustainable development pursuits, and a significant contribution by a Chinese enterprise towards supporting sustainable development in the global aviation sector. We hope both parties can build on our collaboration in the certification and purchase of SAF to further cooperate in areas pertaining to the industry supply chain, project development and securing the necessary policy support.”

Air Canada Cargo’s first flight to Liege lands....

Air Canada Cargo today announced the start of operations for its Boeing 767 freighter to Liege, Belgium, connecting a key European destination to Toronto and the carrier’s extensive global network.

Flights will operate twice per week to Liege, with service increasing to three flights per week later in the year. Service will originate in Toronto and have a stop in Halifax. 

“We are pleased to begin operating our freighters to Liege, a further strengthening of the Air Canada Cargo network as we continue to expand and provide customers with reliable, year-round service. This is another important connection from a key European market with Air Canada and Air Canada Cargo’s global network through its Toronto hub,” said Matthieu Casey, Managing Director, Commercial at Air Canada Cargo.

“We are extremely pleased about the start of the new Air Canada Cargo freighter operation in Liege, being now connected to the global network of Air Canada Cargo. Liege Airport has been chosen by Air Canada Cargo as the first ever freighter-only station, which clearly shows the fast growing importance of Liege Airport as a leading European cargo hub,” said Laurent Jossart, CEO of Liege Airport.

Next month, Air Canada Cargo will start twice weekly service to Basel, Switzerland, one of Europe's premiere pharmaceutical hubs. Liege and Basel are in addition to the recent start of service to Dallas, Atlanta and Bogota as Air Canada Cargo continues to expand its freighter network.

Government completes review of airport ground operations to increase sector’s resilience

Areas set out for the aviation industry to focus on to avoid a repeat of the travel disruption seen last summer.

Ministers have agreed 10 areas for the aviation industry to focus on to address the issues with ground handling at airports seen last summer

Aim to help the aviation industry to rebuild its strength and resilience, so they can deliver for passengers for years to come

Follows an in-depth review of how the ground handling industry works and wide-ranging consultation with industry.

The government has today, set out 10 areas for the aviation industry to focus on to ensure airport ground operations get back to full capacity and avoid a repeat of the travel disruption seen last summer.

It concludes its review of the ground handling market, which the government committed to as part of its wider 22-point plan for tackling aviation disruption last June.

The report finds that staffing shortages were a major factor in last summer’s disruption, with ground handlers struggling to recruit enough staff in time for the peak travel season after coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions were lifted and facing issues with onboarding processes.

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said:  "The misery passengers faced last year when their flights were severely delayed or cancelled at the last minute was simply unacceptable.

We’ve made it clear that improvements can and must be made, so the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are working closely with the industry to build a resilient ground handler market for years to come."

BAE Systems and Heart Aerospace to Collaborate on Battery for Electric Airplane

BAE Systems, a leading aerospace and defence company, and Heart Aerospace, a Swedish electric aeroplane maker, announced a collaboration to define the battery system for Heart’s ES-30 regional electric aeroplane.

The battery will be the first of its kind to be integrated into an electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) regional aircraft, allowing it to efficiently operate with zero emissions and low noise.

“Our industry-leading solution builds on decades of expertise delivering technologies and systems needed to progress sustainable transportation,” said Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems. “We are delighted to collaborate with Heart Aerospace on the innovative battery system for its electric aeroplane.”

The program will leverage more than 25 years of BAE Systems’ expertise in electrifying large, heavy-duty industrial vehicles. Today, the company has over 15,000 power and propulsion systems operating in service across the globe. Work on the program will be conducted at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Endicott, New York.

Arnar Már back to the Executive Board of PLAY

Arnar Már has returned to the executive board of the Icelandic budget carrier PLAY.  

Arnar Már Magnússon, Captain and one of the founders of PLAY  will soon be reinstated as Managing Director of the Company's Operations Division. Arnar was managing director of the division until over a year ago when he decided to return to the captain's seat full-time. Arnar Már is one of the founders of PLAY and was CEO at the start-up stage of the airline in 2019-2021 before the company launched.

Arnar will take over the managing director position from Guðni Ingólfsson, who will retire in the near future. Gudni has been managing director of the division since March 2022.

"I'm delighted to have Arnar Már back on the PLAY executive board at this point, rested and ready to join us. Arnar has been a key player in PLAY's history, being one of the founders of the company. Arnar was a powerful member of the club's management before deciding that the skies were called and it is good to have his powers back on the PLAY executive board during this important year in the club's history. I know the operations department will be in good hands with Arnar. At the same time, I would like to thank Guðni Ingólfsson very much for his hard work during the last year during the important development period of the company. I also wish him good luck in what he does," says Birgir Jónsson, CEO of PLAY.

Cirrus aircraft launches aircraft configurator

Cirrus Aircraft has launched its aircraft configurator, a web-based digital tool, that allows customers to comprehensively explore the company's world-class SR Series and Vision Jet® then select from a rich exterior colour palette and premium leather interior to further tailor the aircraft inside a dedicated hangar. The configurator inspires people to learn more about the unparalleled aircraft product line, advanced features and invites them to make the aircraft uniquely their own. The configurator is a sleek 3D aesthetic tool that lets anyone discover, customize, save and share their favourite Cirrus aircraft and designs.

The configurator invites people to learn more about Cirrus Aircraft’s SR Series and Vision Jet, their performance, flight experience, safety features, advanced flight deck and spacious interior through realistic 360° animations of the aircraft and design experience. The web-based application provides aircraft information through product hotspots highlighting innovative technologies and standard safety features such as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®), Garmin® avionics, convenience features and more. The detailed representation of the aircraft illustrates how mechanisms work, such as how the doors open. Then customers can explore and sample various aesthetic and paint packages to personalize their aircraft.

“The aircraft configurator is another step in our evolution of delivering a connected, world-class experience for our customers,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Aircraft. “The configurator invites people to learn more about our aircraft, technology and safety systems and then design and share their dream aircraft. It’s a testament to our team’s continuous research and development of new technologies that make personal aviation more accessible.”

Cirrus Aircraft’s sales team is now equipped with a powerful digital design tool to enhance the customer buying experience by showcasing the aircraft models, safety features and design options on any mobile device in real time. The configurator is scalable and presents new integration opportunities with other mobile applications such as Cirrus IQ™. The digital aesthetic tool marks a significant milestone in creating an elevated customer experience.

Learn more about Cirrus Aircraft’s Configurator: cirrusaircraft.com/configurator.

United $5 million investment in carbon capture company Svante

United has announced this week, a $5 million investment in carbon capture technology company Svante, which provides materials and technology as part of the value chain that has the potential to convert CO2 removed from the atmosphere and from industrial emission sources into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is the latest announced investment from the new UAV Sustainable Flight FundSM, a first-of-its-kind investment vehicle that is designed to leverage support from cross-industry businesses in order to support start-ups focused on decarbonizing air travel through SAF research, technology and production.

The airline aims to be 100% green by reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 100% by 2050, without relying on traditional carbon offsets. To date, United has invested in the future production of over three billion gallons of SAF - the most of any airline in the world.1

"Carbon capture technology has the potential to be a critical solution in the fight to stop climate change and has the added benefit of helping us scale the production of SAF," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "And at United, we're building on that approach by investing in both companies that can capture CO2 and others that can turn it into fuel. There's no question that this carbon utilization is in its infancy today, but as a leader in sustainable flying, we must help build the foundation to deploy this technology of the future as expediently as possible. This is truly a global imperative, and United's investment in Svante reflects our dedication to making sustainable travel a reality."

Horseshoe Las Vegas celebrates its grand opening on the Las Vegas Strip

A legendary casino brand has returned to the Entertainment Capital of the World, but this time, on the Las Vegas Strip.

On Friday, March 24, Horseshoe Las Vegas honoured the rich history and legacy behind the Horseshoe name while celebrating its future and the culmination of a year-long transformation during its official grand opening.

To commemorate the occasion and to bring great luck, gaming icon Jack Binion, whose family opened the original Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas, presented a special horseshoe from his family’s ranch to Caesars Entertainment leadership. The celebration also included showgirls adorned in original costumes from Jubilee! and confetti cannons signifying the next chapter for Horseshoe.

The Horseshoe Casino was started by a gambler for gamblers in 1951. As the brand expanded to markets across the country over the years, Horseshoe has stayed true to its heritage, holding on to the thrilling spirit of no-limit betting. Caesars Entertainment now operates 10 Horseshoe properties throughout North America.

“The arrival of Horseshoe on The Strip marks a significant moment for Caesars Entertainment, the Horseshoe name and the entire destination,” said Jason Gregorec, SVP and General Manager of the property. “Not only are we excited for guests to experience the redesigned resort and its latest offerings, but we are also proud to reintroduce the historic gaming brand to Las Vegas.”

China Eastern Airlines kicks off busy summer 2023 season

As the largest Shanghai-based airline, China Eastern Airlines (CEA) has restarted multiple flights to and from Gimpo International Airport (GMP), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Macao International Airport (MFM), and Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA). It offers check-in, boarding, reception, ticket sales, baggage tracking and other one-stop services at Terminal 1 of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

CEA has resumed the flight between Chengdu and Phuket since March 28, which are scheduled on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. A single trip takes around four hours.

CEA operates 426 international flights and 186 regional flights per week during the 2023 summer season. Each week, the company operates 612 flights, including 56 flights from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) to international destinations as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. In particular, 7 flights are scheduled from SHA to GMP each week, 10 to TSA, 18 to MFM and 21 to HKG.

Every week, there are 192.5 international and regional round-trip flights operated by CEA taking off from the Shanghai Pudong International Airport on average. In particular, 134.5 heads for international destinations and 58 for regional destinations.

50 years later: A trailblazer paved the path for women on the flight deck

In 1972, Bonnie Tiburzi wrote to every major airline carrier in the United States asking for a job, and every single airline turned her down, except for one. In March of 1973, American Airlines offered Bonnie a position as First Officer — making her the first woman to fly for a major commercial airline at the early age of 24.

Bonnie bravely broke barriers in the male-dominated profession and paved the path for women aviators to follow. As we celebrate 50 years since she started flying for American, we honour the women that inspired her and those she has inspired to take the controls on the flight deck.

14 million miles and counting: Delta celebrates most-travelled customer

Among Delta’s most frequent travellers, there are the Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion Members. There are people who have travelled 1, 2 and even up to 13 million miles on Delta jets. But there is one customer who holds the travel bragging rights trump card: Todd O., Delta’s first and only 14 Million Miler. 

Read that again: 14. Fourteen. FOURTEEN million miles, flying with Delta. Even more astounding: Todd leapt from 13 to 14 million miles in only 18 months. “Let’s not call it an ‘accomplishment,’” Todd laughed when congratulated and thanked for his loyalty to Delta, agreeing that the word “milestone” might be a more apt word for his achievement. “The only thing I do is sit in a seat!” 

Todd’s humility is rooted in a deep appreciation of Delta’s operational excellence, reliability and the close bonds he’s forged with Delta people. “The people at Delta are special,” he said. “I admire the frontline teams.” 

“Everyone who works at the Delta Sky Club knows him,” said John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Operations Service Manager Ikrame Elaouane.  

It’s not unusual for Todd to go out of his way to spend time with Delta people at the JFK Delta Sky Club, even going so far as to help those ambassadors and his fellow customers when he sees people in need, Elaouane said. “He’s very humble and very sweet.” 

NATO orders another Airbus A330 MRTT

NATO Support and Procurement Agency orders additional Airbus A330 MRTT

NATO orders an additional Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), increasing the MRTT Fleet to 10 aircraft. This announcement follows Belgium’s decision to increase its number of hours in the programme with an additional 1,100 flight hours per year. The Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) provides strategic transport, air-to-air refuelling and medical evacuation capabilities to its six participating nations: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Norway. These Nations signed the Memorandum of Understanding that enables them to share costs proportionally according to the national commitment of flight hours per year.

“Since the arrival of the first aircraft in 2020 and especially since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the MMF is protecting European sovereignty and showing its capabilities as a multirole tanker,” said Jean Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space. “With this new order, NSPA has already acquired one out of four optional MRTTs requested beyond the nine aircraft contracted earlier, demonstrating the level of customer satisfaction.”

MMU already operates seven A330 MRTTs and reached Initial Operational Capability ceremony on March 23rd. Full Operational Capability is expected in mid-2024.

Amsterdam unleashes new British hate campaign

A new campaign by Amsterdam City Council is designed to keep tourists away rather than to attract them to the vibrant and once delightful city. 

The mainly digital programme includes videos, banner ads, comments and other online activity is aimed directly at discouraging young men aged 18 - 35 from the UK from heading to the city.

The new hate campaign forms part of an effort to clean up Amsterdam's reputation as a party city where anything goes and anything is available including sex and drugs. 

In one of the unusually blunt videos supposedly British tourists are shown handcuffed by police, being fingerprinted and having their mugshots taken. In another British males are seen being frogmarched to a police station and behind bars. 

Using personally targeted advertising processes the ads will be shown to certain demographics from the UK searching for things like 'cheap Amsterdam hotels' 'Stag party' and others. 

The online ads, highlighting the risks associated with the excessive use of drugs and booze, will be triggered when people in Britain tap in terms like - stag party, cheap hotel or pub crawl Amsterdam.

In the gentrification of central Amsterdam, the city council is in the process of moving the city's red-light area to an industrial erotic or sex zone outside the main area of the city. The city is also ushering in a much stricter code for the sex trade operators. 

Legal brothels and bars are being forced to close earlier and a ban on tourists smoking cannabis in the traditional red light district is scheduled to come into force in May. Local police have been told to only target tourists with the new rules and to be particularly harshly dealt with.

Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki who originally wanted to completely ban British tourists but was forced to back down said  "Visitors will remain welcome but not if they misbehave and cause a nuisance" 

The city believes that driving away British tourists will also drive away the street drug dealers that locals have complained about in recent times.  However, in a recent survey, 77.3 percent of male Dutch high school students have smoked/used cannabis products before their 17th birthday. 

The message is clear.......Amsterdam hates British tourists and says stay away......

HK Express receives first A321neo

Airbus has announced the successful delivery of its first Airbus A321neo to the low-cost carrier HK Express, a member of Cathay Pacific Group based in Hong Kong.

This milestone marks the first of 16 A321neo aircraft for HK Express and features the airline’s latest livery, with vibrant shades of purple and white. In addition, the aircraft’s winglets and empennage spots an “e” shaped journey symbol, which evokes the start of a pleasant journey with HK Express.

"We are thrilled to welcome the first A321neo to our fleet," said Mandy Ng, CEO of HK Express. "As an operator of the A320 Family, we are confident in the A321neo’s game-changing ability to provide more capacity with greater sustainability. At HK Express, the A321neo is key in our efforts to reduce our impact on the environment."

“Airbus is proud to extend our relationship with the Cathay Pacific Group, and this new delivery represents a new milestone in our long relationship. The A321neo’s performance and efficiency will allow HK Express to expand its network while reducing its carbon footprint,” said Anand Stanley, President Airbus Asia-Pacific.

HK Express’ A321neo is powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines and can seat up to 236 passengers in Airbus’ award-winning Airspace cabin, which brings unique lighting displays, more personal space and a sleek design to improve passenger experience.

HK Express is an all-Airbus operator, with its current fleet comprising 27 A320 Family aircraft, including 11A321ceo, 10 A320neo, five A320ceo and its first A321neo.

The A321neo is part of the A320neo Family, which incorporates new generation engines and Sharklets, together delivering more than 20 percent fuel and CO2 savings, as well as a 50 percent noise reduction. 

To date, the A320neo Family has received more than 8,600 firm orders from over 130 customers worldwide.