SWISS names Airbus A220 after Viamala region

As part of its recent 20th-anniversary celebrations, SWISS is currently naming 20 of its aircraft after Swiss tourist regions. 

Following a competition, the Viamala region in Canton Graubünden has won one of the coveted spots. The naming was conducted in the SWISS hangar at Zurich Airport, with top skier Gino Caviezel performing the honours. The passengers on the first flight of the newly-named aircraft enjoyed a special surprise, too.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is currently naming 20 of its advanced Airbus A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft after Swiss tourist regions as part of its recent 20th anniversary celebrations. To these ends, the company teamed up with Switzerland Tourism last December to launch a contest inviting the country’s various tourist regions to compete for the honour, with three such namings to win. With its creative video entry, the Viamala region in Canton Graubünden was among the lucky winners.

“I am delighted that the multi-faceted Viamala tourist region will now have its name carried on one of our Airbus A220s,” says SWISS Head of Regional Sales Switzerland Marco Willa. “With all its extensive history, this wonderful region is an ideal choice, and a perfect ambassador for all of Switzerland’s natural beauty.”

Airbus A220-100 HB-JBF was formally named ‘Viamala’ at a ceremony in the SWISS hangar at Zurich Airport. The naming was performed by top Swiss skier Gino Caviezel, whose roots are in Viamala, in the presence of Viamala Tourism Director Patric Berg, SWISS Head of Regional Sales Switzerland Marco Willa and further invitees.

The first flight of the newly-named ‘Viamala’ was from Zurich to Dresden. And its passengers were in for a particular surprise: free entry to the breathtaking Viamala Gorge, courtesy of the Viamala region.

Boeing Business Jets announce new president

Boeing has named Joe Benson as president of Boeing Business Jets (BBJ), the company’s industry-leading VIP jet division that brings the best of commercial aviation into the realm of personal air travel. Benson oversees sales, support and operations for Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ portfolio of business jets operated by heads of state, VIP, corporate and charter customers.

“I am honoured to lead BBJ and continue our decades-long history of building the most capable and reliable business jets on the market,” said Benson. “As we look to the horizon, we are well-positioned to meet the strong business aviation demand by providing our customers an unrivalled travel experience and best-in-class economics.”

Benson’s experience and industry relationships ensure strong leadership continuity for customers. Most recently, he served as BBJ’s deputy to the president and business director, leading key sales campaigns and business operations. He succeeds Erika Pearson, who was recently named vice president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Sales and Marketing in Southeast Asia & Oceania.

Loganair launches London Heathrow Airport - City of Derry Airport service

Saturday 6th May 2023 was a proud and momentous day for the management and staff at City of Derry Airport, and the entire Northwest region, as the first service in history between City of Derry and London Heathrow Airport took to the skies. The new service operated by Loganair, who have a long-standing partnership with the Airport spanning over four decades, is now available three times per day. This not only provides frequent air access to one of the world’s leading transport hubs, but also offers a fast and convenient gateway for international outbound travel and inbound tourism opportunities via the Northwest.

The launch was celebrated at the Airport with special guests; Cllr Sandra Duffy, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Anna Doherty, CEO of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, James Kilgore, Vice President of Causeway Chamber of Commerce, Shane Grant, Board Member at Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce, and Ciaran Doherty, Head of Regions at Tourism NI.

The passengers on the inaugural outbound London Heathrow service received some VIP treatment with the provision of some complimentary refreshments and goodies to get their trip off to a best start, and the first inbound passengers also received a truly memorable ‘Welcome to the Northwest’ with a water cannon salute to celebrate the inaugural arrival from London Heathrow!

Steve Frazer, Managing Director at City of Derry Airport, expressed his delight at the launch: “The take off of Loganair’s new service between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow Airport is a significant milestone for us. Gaining international hub access is a substantial step in the economic and strategic growth of the region and our vision for the future of the Airport.

“In terms of outbound travel, London Heathrow truly opens a ‘Gateway to the World’, as passengers are now able to book single ticket connections to and from City of Derry Airport via London Heathrow to 119 destinations across 56 countries.

Steve Johnson named vice chair and chief strategy officer of American Airlines

American Airlines confirmed this week that Stephen Johnson has been named Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer. In this expanded role, Johnson will lead and help shape American’s strategic efforts and initiatives across the enterprise and have responsibility for American Eagle and American Airlines Cargo.

"This is part of our long-term plan to continue strengthening our senior leadership team,” said American’s CEO Robert Isom. “Steve has served as an incredible leader and a trusted advisor to our airline over the past three decades, and to me personally throughout my first year as CEO. He will continue to guide our strategy, our focus on the economy and its impact on our business, and our corporate development, working closely with our board and senior leadership team. And I know our Regional and Cargo teams will excel under Steve’s leadership as those businesses continue to evolve and continue to provide outstanding service to customers throughout our global network.”

Following the retirement of Derek Kerr, Johnson will have responsibility for the airline’s cargo and American Eagle regional operations, with a focus on developing new strategies for those businesses. Heather Garboden, American’s Senior Vice President of Regionals and Cargo, will report to Johnson in his new role.

First C295 for India completes its maiden flight

The first C295 for India has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a significant milestone towards its delivery by the second half of 2023. The tactical aircraft took off from Seville, Spain, on the 5 May at 11.45 local time (GMT+1) and landed at 14.45 after 3 hours of flight. 

“This first flight represents a significant accomplishment for the first Make in India aerospace programme. With the Indian Air Force set to become the largest operator of the C295 in the world, this programme exemplifies our commitment to improve the Indian Air Force (IAF) operational capabilities,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

India acquired 56 C295 aircraft in September 2021 to replace the (IAF) legacy AVRO fleet. The first 16 aircraft will be assembled in Seville, Spain, and delivered to the customer in ‘fly-away’ condition. The following 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by the Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies. 

easyJet heading to Istanbul from Manchester next month.

easyJet will launch a new route to Istanbul in Turkey from Manchester next month, just in time for summer. This will be the first time the airline will operate to the Istanbul Airport in Turkey’s largest city, which becomes the 156th destination on easyJet’s extensive short-haul network spanning Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Seats are on sale now at easyJet.com and via the mobile app, with fares from £51.99.*
Departing for the first time on 9th June, flights will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, providing a direct connection for customers from the North-West to this unique and iconic city, in addition to existing popular services from Manchester to Antalya and Dalaman.
Istanbul joins other destinations Bodrum, Antalya, Dalaman and Izmir on easyJet’s Turkey network and promises to offer customers something uniquely different.  Straddling two continents, and famously known as the city where East meets West, easyJet’s newest destination boasts a rich history and will offer customers a variety experiences; from the old city which reflects cultural influences of many historic empires, to world-famous landmarks like the Blue Mosque, while bargain hunters can stroll the iconic Grand Bazaar.

Ethiopian Skylight Hotel opens.....

Africa’s largest hotel Gets a Grand Opening

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest aviation group in Africa, holds a grand opening of the largest hotel on the African continent as it inaugurates the second phase of the Ethiopian  Skylight Hotel. Ethiopian Airlines opened the first phase of Ethiopian Skylight Hotel back in January 2019. With the new extension, the hotel now has a total of 1,024 modern rooms and suites with different room types including fully equipped apartments suitable for long and short-staying guests. 

The hotel also incorporates meeting and event facilities which can accommodate from  small to up to 5000 guests, 19 food and beverage outlets including Ethiopian, Italian,  Arabian and Asian restaurants, coffee houses, bars, recreational facilities and spots for  sips or hand-crafted cocktails with a panoramic view of the airport and the city. 

Regarding the grand opening of Ethiopian Skylight Hotel’s second phase, Ethiopian  Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew said “We are truly pleased to be standing here today on the grand opening ceremony of Ethiopian Skylight Hotel’s second phase as we will now have an even greater facility to accommodate guests. Above all we are thrilled with the accomplishment as it takes our contribution to Ethiopia’s tourism sector a step higher. The hotel is suitable to accommodate both business and leisure events and stays. Skylight Hotel has been providing a wide range of luxury experiences to its guests and with the completion of the second phase more five-star facilities and experiences will be available. With Skylight Hotel having more than 1000 rooms  and several other facilities, we can now proudly say that we have the largest hotel in the African  continent”

Located in the diplomatic capital of Africa, Addis Ababa, home to UNECA and AU  headquarters, Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, stands within a prime location at just 5 minutes’ walk from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. The hotel is built to be a suitable space for both business and social event gatherings.  

Construction of phase two of the project had been ongoing while the hotel’s services were open and available for guests through the first phase of Ethiopian Skylight facility.  It is also to be recalled that Ethiopian inaugurated a Five-Star In-Terminal Hotel which is set to take passengers' transit experience at Ababa Bole International Airport to a whole new level with 97 modern and luxurious rooms, a restaurant, a meeting space, and other facilities within the airport Departure Terminal 2 back in September 2022 which is managed under Ethiopian Skylight Hotel.  

May marks start of busy summer getaway from Bournemouth Airport

Bournemouth Airport is marking the start of its busy summer schedule of flights this week with the arrival of a second based aircraft from Ryanair and the start of TUI’s full summer schedule.

New twice-weekly flights to Carcassonne in France with Ryanair were officially launched on Monday and travel brand TUI begins flying to six destinations this week (Corfu, Zante, Kefalonia, Menorca, Rhodes, and Crete).

Europe’s biggest airline Ryanair has based a second aircraft at Bournemouth Airport this year and has introduced three new routes – Carcassonne, Edinburgh, and Venice in 2023. It now offers 120 weekly flights to 19 destinations from Bournemouth Airport, which is a 30% increase on 2022.

In March, Ryanair kicked off its new schedule to Edinburgh and restarted its seasonal flights to Budapest, Palma, and Girona, followed by Murcia and Gran Canaria in May and Zadar in June. In December, the airline launched its new service to Venice, flying three times a week.

During the month of May, TUI will officially start its main summer schedule with a total of nine services getting underway. This comes soon after the operator’s recent announcement that it would be increasing capacity by 33% at Bournemouth Airport next year, with a second based aircraft and new flights providing 60,000 extra seats.

40 years of connecting Hong Kong and New Zealand.......

Cathay Pacific marks 40 years of 

New Zealand connectivity

Cathay Pacific celebrated 40 years of services between Hong Kong and New Zealand.  

On 4 May 1983, a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-200 aircraft touched down in Auckland for the first time, marking the airline’s inaugural commercial flight to New Zealand. The state-of-the-art aircraft, fitted with 35 First Class, 36 Business Class and 337 Economy Class seats, helped to connect millions of Kiwis to the rest of the world.  

At the controls of the first flight was New Zealander Captain Ian Steven, then a senior check captain with the airline. 

Forty years later, the Hong Kong-Auckland service remains very important to the airline, which currently operates three flights per week on the popular route.  

Dominic Perret, Cathay Pacific’s Regional General Manager for Southeast Asia & Southwest Pacific, welcomed the 40-year anniversary and reiterated the airline's commitment to New Zealand.  

“This is a significant milestone for us. New Zealand is a market that has played an integral role in our history and remains as important as ever,” says Perret. 

“We’re grateful to the many passengers who have flown with us over the past 40 years and for the fantastic working relationship we have with our joint alliance partner, Air New Zealand. Long may it continue.” 

Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand have a relationship that goes right back to 1983. Originally there was also a third operator in the mix, Papua New Guinea flag carrier Air Niugini. The route operated as a tripartite agreement with the three airlines and involved a brief stopover in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, before carrying on to Hong Kong’s famous Kai Tak Airport. 

The airport holds a special place in aviation history for its dramatic and challenging approach, with pilots having to navigate sharp turns and high-rise apartment blocks where passengers were able to see directly into residents’ flats. Similar to Wellington or Queenstown airports, clear visibility and gentle winds were essential for a smooth landing. The airport finally closed in 1998 after the build of Chek Lap Kok, what is now known as Hong Kong International Airport, was completed.  

SWISS reports CHF 78.4 million operating result for the first-quarter period and goes debt free

SWISS has recorded an exceptionally strong start to 2023, and reports an operating result of CHF 78.4 million for the first-quarter period. Total revenues for the first three months of the year amounted to CHF 1.1 billion, some 55 per cent above their prior-year level. SWISS transported over three million passengers in the period. 

The company benefited in particular from high schedule stability, an improved cost base and its strong home Swiss market. Ensuring maximum reliability in its flight operations will continue to be a key SWISS priority for the months ahead. The company was also able to repay all its loan financing from the Lufthansa Group in the first-quarter period, and is thus now debt-free.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has reported an exceptionally strong earnings result for the seasonally weak first quarter of the year. For the first three months of 2023 the Swiss airline achieved an operating result of CHF 78.4 million (Q1 2022: CHF -47.4 million). Total revenues for the period amounted to CHF 1.1 billion, up some 55 per cent on the prior-year period (Q1 2022: CHF 712 million).

“Our lower cost base following our restructuring in 2021 and the high reliability of our flight schedules again served as key factors in this strong earnings performance,” says SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert. “Our first-quarter result is a clear confirmation that SWISS is structurally sound and was able to take further full advantage of a favourable market environment. People’s keen desire to travel continues to generate a strong demand for flights, while our industry’s overall capacities remain reduced following the corona years.”

As it had in 2022, the particular constellation of supply and demand resulted in reduced availabilities of low-fare tickets. This in turn had a positive impact on yields. The strength of its home Swiss market also proved a particular benefit to SWISS.

SWISS’s cargo business made a further major contribution to overall earnings for the period, though no longer at the record levels seen in the past few years. This is partly because the company operated substantially fewer cargo-only flights in the first-quarter period.

SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert on the Q1 results 2023

 

Volaris gets a brand new Airbus A321neo featuring Cabin Flex

Leasing giant CDB Aviation, part of the China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co. has confirmed the delivery of the first of two Airbus A321neo aircraft fitted with Airbus’ Cabin Flex  (“A321NX”) to its long-standing customer, the leading Latin American airline Volaris.

This delivery is part of the lease agreements signed with the airline in 2021, which includes 13 aircraft. CDB Aviation expects to deliver the second A321NX by the end of 2023, with an additional three A321neos and two A320neos slated for delivery throughout 2023 and 2024.

“We’re thrilled to be celebrating with the Volaris team this inaugural delivery of a GTF-powered A321NX from our orderbook,” said Luís da Silva, CDB Aviation’s Head of Commercial, Americas. “With the latest technologies that improve efficiency and sustainability, this aircraft is ideally suited to expand the reach of Volaris’ market-dominant domestic brand to markets in North and Latin America.”

“We appreciate the ongoing partnership with our colleagues at CDB Aviation in meeting the needs of our fleet renewal strategy that will ensure our airline’s sustainable growth in the long term,” commented Holger Blankenstein, Volaris’ Executive Vice President. “With one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets in the Americas, our team remains committed to bringing the region’s passengers the best flying experience and the most modern technology aircraft.”

Cathay Pacific launches 'Cathay' - e-envisaged travel lifestyle magazine

‘Cathay’ – a magazine that is a true reflection of lifestyle through a travel lens, encompassing every pillar of Cathay’s premium travel lifestyle proposition

The Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific has introduced a fully reimagined travel lifestyle magazine for its customers, designed to bring them inspirational content whether they are in the air or on the ground.

Titled “Cathay”, the re-envisaged magazine exemplifies Cathay’s evolution into a premium travel lifestyle brand, with sections dedicated to our home hub of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, as well as travel and holidays, wellness, dining and shopping.  

Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “We know that our customers want and expect to be able to enjoy a travel lifestyle magazine when they fly with us, and we are delighted to reintroduce a refreshed publication that encapsulates everything we want to bring them, every day – inspiration, delight and discovery.

“Our purpose is to move people forward in life by connecting them to meaningful people, places and experiences. Through the content we share, we want Cathay to become a brand that people refer to on a daily basis, for inspiration and advice on the premium travel lifestyle.”

The theme of the first issue is “Reconnection”, as Cathay focuses on reconnecting Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the Chinese Mainland with the world. The stories in this issue encapsulate the sense of connection through a wide range of approaches. The magazine launches with a series of inspiring travel covers of stunning aerial views of cities, each of which inspires more travel.

Readers of Cathay can look forward to content across the magazine’s dedicated sections.

Hong Kong & the GBA showcases what is new and thrilling in our extended home market.

Explore (Travel and Hotels) is a celebration of the joy of travel and the travel lifestyle, providing content exploring destinations across our route network that makes customers want to book a flight.

Dining brings together all aspects of one of the most important aspects of lifestyle, showcasing food and beverage across the Cathay route network, and highlighting must-book restaurants, cutting-edge chefs as well as lifestyle rewards and retail offers.

Wellness covers all aspects of mindful travel, wellness and sustainability – plus how Cathay can help customers live a healthier, better life.

Shopping is a lavishly shot section of the magazine, which directs readers to must-have products available through the Cathay shop.

The Cathay Way speaks to how we do what we do, whether that be an insider’s look at our fleet, our achievements, our safety and hygiene, or the benefits of the Cathay membership programme and how members can maximise their earning and burning potential.

Inflight Entertainment provides intelligent and engaging writing about our inflight entertainment, giving customers a look into the extensive onboard library of new Hollywood releases, Asian cinema classics, award-winning TV boxsets, the latest albums, podcasts, games and HBO Max.

The Cathay magazine is printed using eco-friendly vegetable oil ink on environmentally responsible and ethically produced paper certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Once we replace the magazines, we ensure that they are properly recycled by our contractors.

Norwegian latest results .....

Norway's largest airline, the budget carrier Norwegian reportedly carried nearly 1.7 million (1,672,455)  passengers during the month of April with its aircraft 83% full on average. 

The airline flew 71 aircraft during the month and appeared to operate well with around 83 percent of flights departing on time or within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.  

“We are satisfied with this month’s traffic figures. April is the first full month of our summer schedule with more routes and higher frequencies to our many destinations across the Nordics and Europe. We are particularly pleased with the continued strong booking momentum ahead of the summer season,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

“We are very happy to see that an increasing number of passengers choose to fly with Norwegian and I look forward to welcoming new and old passengers onboard in what looks like will be the strongest summer ever for Norwegian. We recommend that customers who need to travel on specific dates and to particular destinations book tickets as soon as possible, as our planes are quickly filling up during the busiest travel periods”, said Karlsen.

Exeter Airport is gearing up for the start of a busy summer season during May, with flights to seven destinations taking off

Exeter Airport is gearing up for the start of a busy summer season during May, with flights to seven destinations taking off with the UK’s leading travel brand TUI.

Tui Holidays

Twice-weekly services to Corfu, Dalaman, Menorca, and Zante began this week as well as flights to Crete and Rhodes, which operate once a week.  This will be followed by a twice-weekly service to Antalya, Turkey from Saturday 27 May. In addition, operator TUI began flying to Paphos and Majorca in March, and April respectively.

New flights to Faro in Portugal are being launched by Ryanair on 4 June, complementing its year-round flights from Exeter to Alicante and Malaga in Spain.

In total, there are 25 destinations in nine countries being offered from Exeter Airport in 2023/24.

TUI has 12 destinations from Exeter this year with summer flights to Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and Turkey.

Last month TUI announced that it would be creating an additional 15,000 seats from Exeter in 2024 with an increased frequency of flights and new services to Heraklion and Zakynthos.

These new offerings will bring Exeter Airport’s weekly flight count with TUI to 20, covering five regions, making TUI the largest operator at the Airport. 

Stephen Wilshire, managing director of Exeter Airport, said: “As we mark the start of a busy summer season, we are excited to offer our passengers an increasing number of destinations available to book from Exeter Airport. We are proud to have TUI as our largest operator and we are delighted that Ryanair is also adding new flights to Faro this year, meaning there is even more choice for holidaymakers wanting to travel from their local airport. We very much look forward to a successful summer season ahead.”

In March, Skybus began operating its seasonal flights to the Isles of Scilly from Exeter, which run through to 16 October.

World leaders and royalty arrive in the UK ahead of King Charles III coronation.