JetBlue launches Bost - Paris transatlantic service

JetBlue has expanded its transatlantic offering with a new service between Boston and Paris.  Flights will operate daily on JetBlue’s Airbus A321 Long Range (LR) aircraft with 24 redesigned Mint Suite seats, 114 core seats and the sleek and spacious Airspace cabin interior. The A321 - offering the range of a wide-body but with the economics of a single-aisle aircraft- allows JetBlue to effectively disrupt the transatlantic market with the airline’s award-winning service and low fares. In addition to Paris, JetBlue offers daily service to London, Amsterdam, and most recently initiated seasonal service to Dublin from Boston.

“The response to our New York-Paris flight has been overwhelming and we’ve been looking forward to adding a daily flight from Boston as well,” said Dave Clark, head of revenue and planning, JetBlue. “Boston customers have not had a lot of choices when flying to Paris, so we are more than happy to step in with affordable fares and an incredible onboard experience to shake things up and finally bring some real competition into this market.”

“JetBlue has been a great partner to Logan for many years and we are excited that they are launching Boston - Paris,” said Massport’s Interim CEO and Director of Aviation Ed Freni. “This new flight gives our passengers even more choice to visit Europe and all the sights across the Atlantic.”

In addition, JetBlue plans to add a second daily flight from New York’s JFK to Paris starting on June 20th.

Samarkand International Airport reports 55% increase in autumn-winter passengers as impressive growth record continues.

Samarkand International Airport (SKD) has reported continued growth during the autumn-winter period (AWP) season, with more than 491,000 passengers (+55%) using the airport between 29 October 2023 and 30 March 2024.  And in the first three months of 2024, 294,000 passengers have used the ultra-modern airport terminal, a 39% increase on the same period of 2023. 

Passenger numbers at SKD have previously more than doubled in each of the past two years, following the opening of the airport’s state-of-the-art terminal facility at the beginning of 2022. Passenger volumes topped one million for the first time at the end of 2023. 

Airport management company Air Marakanda reported a big increase in the number of carriers using SKD for the first time during the 2023/24 AWP season – namely Red Wings, SunExpress, Humo Air, Ural Airlines, Qazaq Air and Centrum Air. New routes now connect Samarkand with Izmir, Jeddah, Kazan, Tashkent, Turkestan and Yekaterinburg. 

SKD also welcomed the launch of Air Samarkand, the first carrier to base itself at the airport. After beginning with a charter flight programme, Air Samarkand commenced scheduled services to Istanbul on 21st March, and is soon expected to launch to other new destinations.

 

The airport has also seen low-cost carrier Pobeda increase flight frequency to Moscow from 4 to 9 times a week, while Uzbekistan Airways has increased its Moscow services from 4 to 5 times a week, and to St. Petersburg to 3 times weekly. Utair introduced twice weekly services to Saint Petersburg, Qanot Sharq Airlines doubled flight frequency to Jeddah to four rotations a week, and the regional carrier Silk Avia increased flights to Tashkent to a weekly service. 

easyJet celebrates the opening of its new base in Alicante

easyJet, Europe's leading airline, is celebrating the opening of its new base at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, a step that further strengthens its presence in Spain, where it now has 4 bases.

 

easyJet, Europe's leading airline, has this week celebrated the opening of its new base at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, a step that further strengthens its presence in Spain, where it now has 4 bases. The first flight operated by Alicante based aircraft and crew took off on Sunday 31 March at 6.00 am to Glasgow with Captain Daniel Ankerso in command.

The airline has allocated three aircraft of the A320 family at Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, generating around 100 direct jobs for pilots and crew. The opening of this new seasonal base, which will be operational from March to October, consolidates easyJet's position in Spain, with 19 aircraft based in the country and around 900 people employed on local contracts.

In addition to the economic boost that this announcement means for Alicante, the new base will allow easyJet to explore unserved markets and support existing key traffic flows. easyJet recently announced 10 new connections from Alicante, bringing its route network to 22 destinations and connecting it with key cities in Europe, such as Amsterdam, Geneva, Prague, and Nantes, among others. Since the first route between Alicante and London Stansted in 1999, the airline has carried more than 30 million passengers to/from Alicante and has positioned itself as the 2nd airline in terms of international connections.

All in all, easyJet offers 1.5 million seats (capacity) in Alicante this summer season, an increase of around 10% compared to the same season in 2023. 

Javier Gándara, easyJet's country director for Southern Europe, commented:  "With more than 30 million passengers carried since 1999, Alicante was one of the most popular destinations in our network that did not yet have a base, until now. Opening our fourth base in Spain in Alicante confirms our commitment to this region and is an opportunity to further expand and consolidate our operations in the country.”  As Gándara explains, "the seasonal base model allows us to perfectly adapt to the needs of the market, boosting existing flows and giving us the opportunity to explore underved markets in the future that would have previously been inaccessible. Today we are particularly excited to be here in Alicante, to celebrate the beginning of our operations from the new base and to introduce easyJet, its business models and its values to the local community.”

American Airlines, Make-A-Wish® and Disney host Wish Flight in support of 28 children battling critical illnesses.

American Airlines, Make-A-Wish and Disney will grant the wishes of children battling critical illnesses in celebration of World Wish Month. On April 17, 28 wish families will board the Wish Flight and fly on a one-of-a-kind, chartered plane from Dallas-Fort Worth to Orlando, Florida, to fulfill their wishes to go to Walt Disney World Resort®.

American recently hosted a special wish reveal celebration at its Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters with local wish families. Team members came together to cheer on the wish kids with congratulatory signs, refreshments and photo stations as the children learned about the extraordinary Wish Flight they will be taking in April.

Wish Flight will be full of unforgettable experiences, beginning with a pre-flight celebration at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, complete with a breakfast bar and a special send-off by WishMakers who make wishes possible. The party will continue with an epic inflight experience and magical moments provided by American, sending these wish kids and their families off on a trip that will be sure to transform their lives.

n addition to interactive games, the flight will feature a special snack menu and surprise moments including live entertainment. The chartered Wish Flight will land at Orlando International Airport, and families will be welcomed by WishMakers cheering their arrival.

Air Canada and Jane Goodall Institute of Canada Spotlight Illegal Wildlife Trade and Biodiversity Challenges

Building on its partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada (JGIC), Air Canada is launching a new initiative to spotlight illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and its impact on global biodiversity. In collaboration with JGIC and involvement from Dr Jane Goodall herself, the awareness campaign will showcase animals endangered from IWT on the airline's in-flight entertainment welcome screens, social media and more during Earth Month, along with a special message from Dr Jane Goodall.

"Air Canada plays an important role in protecting biodiversity around the world and I've been proud to see Air Canada team up with The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada to bring more awareness to this issue. Their significant commitment to not only fighting the illegal wildlife trade through their policies and procedures, but using their platform to educate on this very important issue is commendable," said Bella Lam, Chief Executive Officer at the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada.

Air Canada launches new awareness campaign across its in-flight entertainment, social media and more to raise awareness of illegal wildlife trade

Preserving wildlife has been a component of Air Canada's environmental and sustainability efforts to "Do More"

Aeroplan to launch a points match week in support of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada from April 22-28

Air Canada is first airline globally to showcase conservation documentaries onboard from Age of Union

"At Air Canada, our belief is while much of what we do to reduce our environmental footprint is about leaving less, we also need to do more to improve our planet's fragile ecosystems. As a global airline, we can use our platform to bring more awareness to the illegal wildlife trade and how that affects overall biodiversity. To further support this important work, all Aeroplan points donated to The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada for one week following Earth Day will be matched by Aeroplan. We are also honoured to celebrate Dr Goodall's 90th year by supporting her birthday tour across Canada to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards," said Valerie Durand, Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Sustainability at Air Canada.

Hilton Acquires Majority Controlling Interest in Sydell Group to Expand NoMad Hotels Brand Worldwide

Hilton has announced it has acquired a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group (“Sydell”) to expand the NoMad Hotels brand from its existing London flagship location to high-end markets around the world. The addition of NoMad to Hilton’s brand portfolio marks the global hospitality leader’s entry into the fast-growing luxury lifestyle hotel market with a meticulously designed brand defined by exceptional food and beverage, interior design and service. 

Over the last decade, Sydell, led by founder Andrew Zobler, has created seven dynamic lifestyle brands, with award-winning hotel concepts including NoMad, The Line, Freehand and The Ned. Sydell will be responsible for design, branding and management of the NoMad brand while Hilton will lead all development. The NoMad brand will be fully integrated into Hilton’s commercial platforms, including Hilton Honors. All NoMad properties will remain independently owned.  

Hilton projects that as many as 100 NoMad properties will be developed globally over time, with approximately 10 already in advanced stages of discussion with Sydell.  

Chris Silcock, President, Global Brands and Commercial Services said: "Adding NoMad to our growing brand portfolio will create new offerings for guests seeking unique luxury experiences in some of the world’s most desirable locations."

“Adding NoMad to our growing brand portfolio will create new offerings for guests seeking unique luxury experiences in some of the world’s most desirable locations,” said Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton. “By pairing an already proven brand concept that’s ready for expansion with the power of Hilton’s commercial engine, we are accelerating our ability to drive growth in the luxury lifestyle segment.  

“Coupled with our recently announced exclusive partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and our planned acquisition of the Graduate Hotels brand, Hilton is leading the hotel industry with the addition of innovative new luxury and lifestyle offerings that meet changing guest needs and add new opportunities for owners to join our system,” Silcock said.

Each NoMad hotel added to Hilton’s network will provide a uniquely local luxury experience that makes guests feel like residents of some of the world’s most sought-after neighborhoods. NoMad Hotels are both grand and intimate, fun and elegant, and classic and playful, creating a unique blend of luxury and lifestyle experiences throughout the stay with special touches like unique local art collections featured in each guest room. 

Air Cargo Demand Maintains Double-Digit Growth in February

                                       The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global air cargo markets showing continuing strong annual growth in demand. 

•    Total demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 11.9% compared to February 2023 levels (12.4% for international operations). This is the third consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year demand growth. 

•    Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 13.4% compared to February 2023 (16.0% for international operations). This was largely related to the increase in international belly capacity accompanying growth in passenger markets (29.5% year-on-year increase), which far exceeded international capacity on freighters (3.2% year-on-year increase).

"February’s demand growth of 11.9% far outpaced the 0.9% expansion in cross-border trade. This strong start for 2024 could see demand surpass the exceptionally high levels of early 2022. It also shows air cargo’s strong resilience in the face of continuing political and economic uncertainties,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Several factors in the operating environment should be noted:

•    Global cross-border trade increased by 0.9% in January. 

•    In February, the manufacturing output Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) climbed to 51.2, indicating expansion. The new export orders PMI also rose to 49.4, remaining slightly below the 50 threshold that would indicate growth.

•    February year-on-year inflation dropped to 2.8% in the EU while rising to 2.8% and 3.2% in Japan and the US respectively.  After four months of deflation, China reported a 0.7% increase in inflation year-on-year—a positive development amid concerns over China's economic slowdown.

Half of people can’t spot a deepfake, so whose job is it to stop them from spreading?

Research from digital identity security specialists, ID Crypt Global, reveals that half of the UK doesn’t know what deepfakes are, and only one in five make efforts to ensure they’re not spreading fake news, insisting that social media platforms are responsible for rooting about fake images and videos.

With deepfake technology pushing to the forefront of the news cycle in the lead up to elections both here and in the US, ID Crypt has commissioned a survey of 1,221 members of the UK population to find out if they know what deepfakes are, whether they think they could spot a deepfake out in the wild, and whose job it is to ensure that fake news isn’t easily spread online. 

The survey kicks off by revealing that almost half (47%) of the UK population is still unfamiliar with the term ‘deepfake’ and what it means.

As such, more than half of respondents (53%) are unaware of whether or not they’ve ever encountered a deepfake image or video online, while half of those who say they have encountered a (55%) only know so because it was included in a news story that was reporting on deepfakes. 

When asked what their biggest concerns about deepfake technology are, the most common answers are fraud and identity theft (32%), and the spreading of fake news or misinformation (31%). 

Despite the important elections coming up in both the UK and US, only 10% say they’re concerned about deepfakes manipulating political discourse or events.

easyJet trying to help the nation find their wings.....

easyJet ‘pilots’ talking billboard and aptitude test in new pan-European recruitment campaign to find the next generation of pilot

New nationwide online pilot aptitude test shows people if they could have what it takes to become an airline pilot

• With more than 90% of airline pilots being men, the campaign targets female audiences to encourage more women to join the profession
• Innovative new ‘talking billboard’ features a real-life easyJet pilot to provide insights on the career and debunk myths about the job
• easyJet is looking for 200 aspiring pilots to join its Generation easyJet Pilot Training Programme this spring and hundreds in the coming years with the aim of tackling stereotypes and encouraging more people to consider a career in aviation

A new nationwide pilot aptitude test has been launched today by easyJet to encourage Brits to find out if they have what it takes to become a pilot, following new research revealing half of Brits (50%) don’t know what qualifications are needed to become an airline pilot and learn to fly a commercial jet.

The online test assesses some of the key skills required to become an airline pilot and has been designed to encourage more people to consider the career. With no prior aviation knowledge or flying experience required, easyJet is giving people the opportunity to test their aptitude for some of the key skills needed to be an airline pilot, like sense of direction and reaction speed.

To launch the campaign, easyJet is also ‘piloting’ a talking billboard - featuring a real-life easyJet pilot strapped to a billboard in Central London today.

The test and ad are part of a new first-of-its-kind pilot recruitment campaign from the airline, ahead of the opening of its 2024 Pilot Training Programme in the coming weeks. The airline’s pilot training programme takes aspiring pilots with little to no flying experience to operating a commercial passenger jet in around two years with its intensive, industry-leading training course.

India's fledgling airline FLY91to use IBS Software to offer dynamic and competitive airfares.

FLY91, is India's youngest regional airline, with a simple mission to make air travel accessible to travellers across the nation, has partnered with IBS Software to power its commercial operations. IBS Software has created a reservation experience designed to deliver a simple, efficient and cost-effective experience, to attract and retain customers.

By implementing IBS Software's modern omni-channel iFly Res commerce platform, FLY91 will not only create a compelling user experience powered by the platform's rich set of APIs and flexible rules engine, but also deliver dynamic pricing. These real-time dynamic and personalised pricing capabilities are a vital tool in delivering the most cost-effective fares and ensuring pricing is competitive with alternative modes of transport.

Additionally, access to an API-driven ecosystem gives FLY91 the ability to open its services and routes connecting tier 2 (population of 50,000 to 100,000) and tier 3 (population of 20,000 to 50,000) cities across India to interline partners, providing international and domestic airlines with a solution to last-mile coverage to smaller destinations that are traditionally poorly or underserved by existing carriers.

Avolon and Cebu Pacific agree sale and lease back deal on four Airbus A330neo jets....

This deal supports Cebu’s expansion and transition to a new fleet

Widebody delivery slots expected to be sold out to 2030 by year-end

 

One of the leading global aviation finance companies, Avolon confirmed this week that it has done a sale and leaseback deal with the Philippines low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific for four new Airbus A330neo aircraft.

The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in late 2024 with the final delivery planned in 2026. The new aircraft will support Cebu’s expansion of its route network in Asia and the Middle East and its goal to transition to a fuel-efficient, new technology fleet with lower carbon emissions. Compared to the previous generation A330ceo, the A330neo has an increased range of range of over 13,300km (7,200 nautical miles) and 25% lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Cebu has been an Avolon customer since 2012 and Avolon already has 11 aircraft on lease to the airline: five A320ceos, three A320neos, and three A330neos.

Avolon continues to experience strong customer demand for its aircraft and orderbook given the undersupply of new aircraft. The widebody production recovery is lagging behind narrowbodies resulting in a tighter market and longer wait times for twin-aisle aircraft. Avolon’s 2024 Outlook: New Horizons paper forecasted that the remaining delivery slots from manufacturers for widebody aircraft will be sold out to 2030 by the end of this year.

Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Avolon commented: “The Cebu team is doing a fantastic job expanding the airline’s operations and we are delighted to use our balance sheet to support the addition of four new A330neos to their fleet. With the continuing recovery of air travel in Asia we look forward to further opportunities to support customers on sale and leaseback transactions, or through our order book, as the availability of widebodies out to 2030 continues to tighten.”

Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer, Cebu Pacific commented: “These new A330neos support our goal of transitioning to a more fuel-efficient fleet and will support our continued expansion of routes both in and to the Middle East. We appreciate Avolon’s continued support of our growth strategy as we further strengthen our position as one of Asia Pacific’s leading low-cost carriers.”

 

British Airways has increased capacity to Barbados.....

The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc has welcomed the newest aircraft in the British Airways fleet, to the island, the 787-10 Dreamliner.  BA will use the jets to operate the route from London for the summer 2024 season.

Barbados welcomes increased British Airways

capacity to the island

The inaugural British Airways 787-10 Dreamliner flight to Barbados took place on Sunday 31 March, 2024 and increases capacity by 10 percent.  The four-class aircraft features an exclusive eight seat First class cabin, the airline’s newest business class seat the Club Suite, in a 48-seat forward-facing cabin, while the World Traveller Plus cabin will offer 35 seats and BA's economy World Traveller cabin with 165 seats..

Cheryl Carter, Director, UK for BTMI said: “We are truly honoured that British Airways has chosen to deploy its prestigious Dreamliner 787-10 aircraft to Barbados. This shows BA’s confidence in the robust passenger demand for travel between the UK and Barbados. We eagerly anticipate welcoming passengers to our beautiful island paradise, and are delighted with the enduring partnership we share with BA.”

Neil Chernoff, British Airways Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, said: "As British Airways celebrates its 70th year of connecting London and Barbados, we are thrilled to be increasing capacity on the route with a larger aircraft and the launch of a new double daily service from Heathrow. This is a testament to the popularity of the route from a leisure and business perspective, and its importance as a link for visiting friends and relatives. Our commitment to this special destination remains as strong as ever, and we are proud to offer unparalleled connectivity and convenience for our customers."

Priority Pass Named "Official Airport Lounge Partner" for Hong Kong, China Delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

                                       Collinson, a global leader in the provision of airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement solutions, and owner and operator of Priority Pass, the world's original and market-leading airport experiences programme, announces its partnership with the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), which sees them become the Official Airport Lounge Partner for the Hong Kong, China Delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Paris 2024).

In a commitment to supporting Hong Kong, China athletes, Collinson will be providing one-year complimentary Priority Pass digital memberships with four complimentary airport lounge and travel experiences visits per membership for the athletes of SF&OC National Sports Associations (NSAs). Present to witness the agreement signing were Timothy Fok, President of SF&OC, Edgar Yang, Honorary Secretary General of SF&OC, Dr. Brian Stevenson, Chef de Mission of the Hong Kong, China Delegation to Paris 2024 and Vice-President of SF&OC; and Todd Handcock, Global Chief Commercial Officer and Asia Pacific President, Collinson; and Ian Lee, Managing Director, North Asia, Collinson.

"The development of sport in Hong Kong SAR has come a long way, witnessing remarkable achievements in both regional and international competitions; in particular, the recent historic wins at the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games. To further encourage this success, we are extremely proud to partner with SF&OC to support their athletes heading to Paris," said Todd Handcock, Global Chief Commercial Officer and Asia Pacific President, Collinson. "As athletes are increasingly required to travel internationally, it often results in travel fatigue and jet lag[1]. By providing them with access to Priority Pass airport lounges and travel experiences globally, we hope that they can "switch off", enjoy a better rest before their flights and arrive at their destinations feeling more refreshed and focused on achieving their best on the world stage."

Korean Air completes order for 33 Airbus A350s

                                                        Korean Air has become a new customer for the A350 Family following the signature of a firm order with Airbus for 33 aircraft. The order covers 27 A350-1000s and six A350-900s. 

Offering the longest range of any aircraft, the A350 will be able to operate any of the airline’s current intercontinental routes with a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to previous generation aircraft. The additional range of the A350 will also enable the carrier to evaluate new long haul destinations. 

“The A350’s exceptional range, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort make it a great fit for our global network,” said Jason Yoo, Chief Safety and Operating Officer and EVP at Korean Air. “We are confident that the introduction of the A350 to our fleet will drive operational efficiencies and elevate the overall travel experience for our passengers.”

Benoit de Saint Exupéry, EVP Sales, Commercial Aircraft, Airbus said: “This order from Korean Air is another major endorsement for the A350 as the world’s long range leader. The airline will benefit from new levels of efficiency across its operations, with significantly reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The A350 will also be the perfect platform for the carrier to take its in-flight product and world class service to new heights. We thank Korean Air for its ongoing confidence in Airbus and its products, and look forward to seeing the A350 flying in the carrier’s iconic livery.”

The A350 Family is the world’s most modern widebody product line and is firmly established as the world’s long range leader, with passenger versions able to fly up to 9,700 nm / 18,000 km non-stop. Powered by latest generation Rolls-Royce engines, the airframe uses 70% advanced materials such as composites, titanium, and modern aluminium alloys to create a lighter and more cost-efficient aircraft. All of which results in an average reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of around 25% compared with similar sized previous generation aircraft.

At the end of February, the A350 Family had won 1,240 orders from 59 customers worldwide.

Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

Rocket Lab prepares to launch mission for KAIST and NASA to deploy satellites to two separate orbits

Rocket Lab USA has set the launch window for its next Electron launch.

The ‘Beginning Of The Swarm’ mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand during a 14-day launch window that opens on April 24th. Electron will carry two satellites for two separate customers: NEONSAT-1, an Earth observation satellite for the Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3).

The launch will broadcast live at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream

The primary payload for this mission, NEONSAT-1, is an Earth observation satellite with a high-resolution optical camera designed to monitor for natural disasters along the Korean Peninsula by pairing its images with artificial intelligence. NEONSAT-1 is the first satellite developed under the NEONSAT program by SaTReC and KAIST, Korea’s leading university in science and technology, which developed and operated Korea’s very first satellite KITSAT-1 more than 30 years ago. Other NEONSAT satellites are planned to be launched in 2026 and 2027 to build out the NEONSAT constellation. The program is a collaboration across multiple Korean academic, industry, and research institutions including SaTReC in KAIST, which is leading the program’s system design and engineering; the SaTReC Initiative, a Korean satellite manufacturer that has successfully developed seven previous remote sensing satellites for low Earth orbit; and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which is managing the mission’s ground segments and technology supervision for the NEONSAT program. NEONSAT is funded by the Koren government’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT).