Viking named a “World’s Best” for oceans, rivers and expeditions by the readers of Travel + Leisure in 2024 Awards

Travel + Leisure readers have voted Viking, the “World’s Best” for oceans, rivers and expeditions in the 2024 World’s Best Awards, which were announced today. Viking was once again named #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions and was again voted one of the World’s Best river lines. Viking is also rated #1 for Oceans, #1 for Rivers and #1 for Expeditions by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. No other travel company has simultaneously received the same honours by both publications—something Viking has achieved two years in a row.

Since 1995, Travel + Leisure, the largest travel magazine brand in the U.S., has invited readers to cast their vote for the World’s Best in cruising with considerations in the following features: cabins/facilities, food, service itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities and value.

“We are honoured that the readers of Travel + Leisure, who are also our loyal guests, have once again recognized Viking as a ‘World’s Best.’ Thank you to our entire Viking family around the world for delivering the experiences that make these awards possible,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “We have always done things differently, and we look forward to introducing even more guests to the Viking way of exploration in the coming years.”

US TSA stopped 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints nationwide during the first half of 2024........

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which has screened higher passenger volumes this summer and a record-breaking 3 million passengers on Sunday, July 7, intercepted 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first half of 2024. The first half of the year ended June 30 and the total represents an average 19 firearms detected per day at TSA checkpoints; more than 94% were loaded.

While the number of firearms discovered during this period last year is nearly the same at 3,251, the total number of passengers increased. TSA has screened nearly 7% more passengers during the first half of 2024 than during the same period in 2023. During the second quarter of 2024, TSOs screened more than 236 million passengers, compared to more than 221 million passengers in the second quarter of 2023.

In the first 8 days of July, which represents the third quarter and will be included in the October press release, Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) nationwide intercepted 166 additional firearms, bringing the total through July 8 to 3,435 firearms. The rate of passengers with firearms during the most recent quarter was 7.5 firearms per one million passengers, which is a slight decrease from the same period in 2023, when the rate of discovery was 7.9 firearms per one million passengers.

	Firearms at checkpoints	Firearms per day	Rate per million passengers	Percentage loaded	Total passengers screened
Q2 2024	1,768	19.4	7.5	94 %	>236 million
Q2 2023	1,745	19.2	7.9	92 %	>221 million

Leading aviation maintenance provider MRO Holdings gets investment from Bain Capital

MRO Holdings Inc, a leading provider of aircraft maintenance solutions for the global commercial airline industry, today announced that it has agreed to a strategic minority investment from Bain Capital to support the Company’s ongoing development and expansion of customer-centric initiatives. Financial terms of the private investment were not disclosed and the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

Based in Panama with customer maintenance facilities in El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States, MROH is one of the leading MRO providers in the Americas, performing approximately 10 million hours of aircraft maintenance and modifications for commercial airline customers annually. The MROH Group of Companies’ existing management team, led by Greg Colgan, will continue to lead the business alongside its existing investment partners, the Kriete family and Caoba Capital.

“This investment represents a major milestone in the Company's development and recognition of MROH's Americas strategy for aircraft maintenance,” said Roberto Kriete, Chairman of MROH. “Bain Capital’s aerospace and operational expertise will help further scale our platform, expand our capabilities through a mix of organic and strategic growth initiatives and continue MROH’s track record of delivering exceptional service for our customers.”

Brittain Resorts & Hotels appoints Brittney Jones as Chief Development Officer

Brittain Resorts & Hotels (BRH), the leading full-service hospitality management company in the Southeast, today announced the appointment of Brittney Jones to chief development officer. In her new role, Jones will oversee the expansion of BRH’s portfolio through strategic third-party management contracts, leveraging her extensive experience in business development and sales and her established industry relationships.

With a proven track record of driving results and fostering key relationships, Jones most recently was vice president of strategic partnerships with the Charleston, S.C.-based Raines Company. While there, she was instrumental in executing strategies that supported the company’s vision and expansion, significantly enhancing its market presence. Prior to assuming a position in development, she served as vice president of sales, marketing and revenue management, leading a team and supporting top-line revenue initiatives across the portfolio.

Social media sees 230% increase in fake accounts as battle against illicit content continues

New research from digital identity security specialists, ID Crypt Global, reveals that the number of fake social media accounts on TikTok has soared by more than 230% in the past year alone, serving as an unwelcome distraction to those behind the scenes who are already trying to combat content-related issues such as harassment, self-harm ideation, misinformation, and child sexual exploitation.

 

ID Crypt Global has analysed how the number of fake accounts being removed from Facebook and TikTok has changed over the past year* before looking at the types of banned and troubling content that special media platforms are battling to keep under control.

 

The data reveals that in Q1 2024, Facebook removed 631m fake accounts. This marks an annual increase of 48.1% compared to Q1 2023’s number of 426m.

 

But this significant increase is nothing compared to that recorded by TikTik. In the past year, the number of fake account removals on the platform has increased by 232.5%, including a 146.1% increase in the past quarter alone.

 

But it’s not just fake accounts that social media platforms are dealing with. In fact, dealing with fake accounts may well be distracting the platforms from another significant problem in the shape of banned or illegal content being spread like wildfire.

 

According to data from Snapchat, action was taken against more than 3.6m accounts for spreading banned or illegal content between July - December 2023 alone.

 

Delta Air Lines announces June quarter 2024 financial results

                                       Delta Air Lines today reported financial results for the June quarter and provided its outlook for the September quarter.  Highlights of the June quarter, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are on page five and incorporated here.

"Thanks to the incredible work of our 100,000 people, Delta is delivering industry-leading operational performance and best-in-class service for our customers.  We delivered record June quarter revenue and pre-tax income of $2 billion with a 15 percent operating margin.  Our people are the best in the industry, and we are pleased to recognize their efforts with more than $640 million accrued in the first half toward next year's profit sharing," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer.

"For the September quarter, we expect a double-digit operating margin and a pre-tax profit of approximately $1.5 billion.  With strong first half results and visibility into the second half, we remain confident in our full-year guidance."

June Quarter 2024 GAAP Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $16.7 billion
• Operating income of $2.3 billion with an operating margin of 13.6 percent
• Pre-tax income of $1.8 billion with a pre-tax margin of 10.6 percent
• Earnings per share of $2.01
• Operating cash flow of $2.5 billion
• Payments on debt and finance lease obligations of $1.4 billion
• Total debt and finance lease obligations of $18.0 billion at quarter end

June Quarter 2024 Adjusted Financial Results

• Operating revenue of $15.4 billion, 5.4 percent higher than the June quarter 2023
• Operating income of $2.3 billion with an operating margin of 14.7 percent
• Pre-tax income of $2.0 billion with a pre-tax margin of 13.0 percent
• Earnings per share of $2.36
• Operating cash flow of $2.5 billion
• Free cash flow of $1.3 billion
• Adjusted debt to EBITDAR of 2.8x, down from 3.0x at the end of 2023
• Return on invested capital of 13.1 percent

Financial Guidance1 

	FY 2024 Forecast
Earnings Per Share	$6 - $7
Free Cash Flow ($B)	$3 - $4
Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR	2x - 3x
	3Q24 Forecast
Total Revenue YoY	Up 2% - 4%
Operating Margin	11% - 13%
Earnings Per Share	$1.70 - $2.00

1Non-GAAP measures; Refer to Non-GAAP reconciliations for historical comparison figures

Additional metrics for financial modeling can be found in the Supplemental Information section under Quarterly Results on ir.delta.com.

Exolaunch successfully deploys satellites.........

Exolaunch Successfully Deploys Satellites on Historic Ariane 6 Inaugural Launch, Enhancing European Access to Space

Exolaunch played a pivotal part in the deployment of four satellites for its customers at ESA, NASA, and Spacemanic, marking a significant milestone for Europe's growing space industry

Exolaunch, the global leader in launch mission management, integration, and satellite deployment services, proudly announced the successful deployment of four satellites aboard Arianespace’s Ariane 6 maiden flight. The liftoff occurred on Tuesday, July 9 at 1600 GFT from the Guiana Space Centre, also known as Europe's Spaceport, in Kourou, French Guiana. Representing customers ESA, NASA, and Spacemanic, this mission highlights Exolaunch’s crucial role in broadening access to space and supporting new launch vehicle providers.

This historic launch featured ESA’s ISTSat-1 and 3Cat-4, NASA’s CURIE, and Spacemanic’s GRBBeta satellites. The successful deployment of these satellites underscores Exolaunch’s commitment to facilitating groundbreaking scientific research and technological advancements through reliable and innovative satellite deployment solutions.

ESA’s ISTSat-1, developed by students at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, aims to demonstrate ADS-B technology, validating detection capabilities and assessing antenna and receiver performance for receiving messages from commercial aircraft. 3Cat-4, a CubeSat from Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya, features a flexible microwave payload technology demonstrator with scientific objectives related to GNSS for Earth observation and AIS receiver validation.

NASA’s CURIE mission comprises two near-identical 3U CubeSats designed to explore low-frequency radio interferometry in space. These CubeSats will study solar radio bursts by maintaining a 1-3 km separation post-deployment, contributing to the understanding of heliospheric space weather and serving as a proof of concept for future space-based interferometry observatories.

SunExpress becomes VCT's European launch customer of Finlets for its Boeing 737-800 Aircraft

SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, and Vortex Control Technologies (VCT) announced SunExpress as its European launch customer for VCT's proven Finlet technology which will reduce SunExpress's carbon footprint for its Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft. VCT Finlets are a patented array of small "fins" strategically placed on the aircraft's aft fuselage which modify airflow and reduce drag, which in turn decreases fuel consumption and carbon emissions while enhancing an aircraft's range, climb performance and endurance.

VCT Finlets have so far been implemented on five of SunExpress's 737-800 aircraft in phase one of the program and have been in service since May of this year. During phase two, up to twenty-five additional 737-800 aircraft are planned to be equipped with VCT Finlets, translating to annual savings of half a million gallons of fuel, and preventing nearly 6 million kilograms (13 million pounds) of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

SunExpress Chief Operations Officer Cemil Sayar commented that "Our commitment to operational efficiency and sustainability encompasses every facet of our operations. This technology enables us to reduce fuel consumption while boosting overall performance, thereby extending an aircraft's range, improving performance, and enhancing endurance. Our partnership with VCT underscores our dedication to being environmentally responsible through operational efficiency and sustainability initiatives that contributes to lowering our carbon footprint."

"The certification of Finlets on the 737-700, 800 and 900ER is the culmination of over a decade long design effort involving wind tunnel testing, computational fluid dynamics, and comprehensive U.S. Air Force and FAA flight tests on the C-130, C-17 and 737NG aircraft," said VCT's Chief Executive Officer, Gil Morgan. "SunExpress is our first European partner in this endeavour, and we look forward to helping them achieve their operational and sustainability goals."

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JSX named number 1 domestic airline rating in Travel + Leisure’s 2024 World’s Best Awards

                                          Travel + Leisure, an essential, trusted source for travel guidance and inspiration around the globe, announced premium ‘hop-on’ public charter jet service JSX as the No. 1 Domestic Airline in the 2024 edition of the World’s Best Awards.

Led by innovation and commitment to serving the Customer, JSX’s newest award recognition serves as a powerful testament to the values of today’s traveller in search of seamless, stress-free, accessible, and time-saving air travel experiences

Each year, the readers of Travel + Leisure – the most influential travel media brand in the United States, with a total audience of over 33 million across all platforms – share their thoughts on air travel, destinations, hotels, resorts, spas, and more in their annual survey. The illustrious list – curated on reader-generated survey responses – recognizes the greatest travel brands spanning the world on all seven continents.

This recognition is a powerful testament to the experience JSX provides, as Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards are a leading barometer of the air carriers and modes of transportation, places, and companies that satisfy some of the world’s most passionate and discerning travellers. Additional information about methodology including criteria can be found here. You can see the full list of the World’s Best Winners in Travel + Leisure's August 2024 issue, on newsstands on July 19 or digitally on Apple News+.

Since 2016, JSX has amassed a reputation for joyful, simple, and reliable air travel by championing a new category of frictionless & crowd-free air travel for all, connecting Customers to must-visit destinations with ease, including Burbank (BUR), Las Vegas (LAS), Scottsdale (SCF), Dallas (DAL), Houston (HOU), Taos (TSM), Boulder (BJC), Concord/Napa (CCR), and more.

CDB Aviation celebrates delivery of Sichuan Airlines’ 200th aircraft

CDB Aviation joined a grand ceremony held at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on July 9, 2024, to celebrate the delivery of a second Airbus A330-300 Passenger to Freighter on lease to its existing customer, Sichuan Airlines.

“We are thrilled to be joining our partners at Sichuan Airlines in celebrating this significant 200th aircraft milestone in the airline’s impressive regional and international growth story,” commented Jie Chen, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer. “CDB Aviation congratulates the Sichuan Airlines team on achieving their leading position among airlines in Western China and its growing role as an international airline in both the passenger and cargo markets.”

“We are very happy to strengthen on our relationship with CDB Aviation and appreciate Jie Chen and his team for their continued hard work in bringing the second A330 P2F aircraft to Sichuan Airlines,” said Zuyi Shi, Chairman of Sichuan Airlines. “The aircraft is a superb addition to our cargo fleet, providing us with more widebody freighter capacity and enhancing our operational capabilities to meet the rapidly expanded market demand. This will further ensure our airlines’ sustainable growth in the long term.”

“CDB Aviation values our strong and long-standing relationship with Sichuan Airlines, and we are grateful for the confidence the airline has placed in our international leasing platform. We look forward to supporting Sichuan Airlines’ future growth,” concluded Chen.

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BAE Systems delivers advanced radar warning receivers to protect U.S. Air Force Aircraft

BAE Systems is delivering AN/ALR-56M Advanced Radar Warning Receivers to the U.S. Air Force to help protect C-130J Super Hercules aircraft missions under contracts worth $133 million with the Defense Logistics Agency. The company has delivered more than 1,700 radar warning receivers for F-16 Fighting Falcons and C-130Js over three decades, providing situational awareness and self-defense capabilities that have proven themselves in combat by saving lives and enhancing mission success.

“The AN/ALR-56M has shown what it can bring to the fight, and it is keeping these critical aircraft relevant against evolving threats in contested battlespaces,” said Lindsay Gallagher, Tactical Aircraft Electronic Warfare Systems director at BAE Systems. “56M is a critical part of the fleet’s electromagnetic warfare capabilities. As a global leader in defence electronics, we are working hard to keep the F-16 and C-130J survivable and relevant for decades to come.”

The AN/ALR-56M provides broad-spectrum, long-range threat detection, and adaptive filtering to isolate threat signals in dense signal environments. The system provides timely warning about modern search, acquisition, and tracking radars, and reliable threat response capabilities – allowing pilots to engage or evade threats and enabling freedom of maneuver in the battlespace.

Alaska Airlines expands winter travel options to launch 18 exciting new sun and ski routes

Alaska Airlines has decided to enhance its winter schedule with the launch of 18 new nonstop routes to key sunny international destinations and some wonderful winter wonderland retreats. Included in the raft of new routes are a number from Sacramento and Kansas City. 

Kirsten Amrine, vice president of network planning and revenue management at Alaska Airlines said:  "We’re thrilled to offer convenient connection for guests across our network with this expansion – whether checking destinations off their bucket lists or setting off to their favourite winter getaways, we’ve put together an exciting range of options from tropical destinations across Mexico to the most popular ski slopes in North America."

New Winter Routes in Order of Start Date:

*Frequency varies—see AlaskaAir.com for the latest schedule information

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Delta, Riyadh Air sign strategic agreement to expand connectivity and premium travel options across North America, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond

Delta Air Lines, the world’s leading premium airline, and Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's innovative new full-service global carrier, have signed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with the goal of introducing a broad range of benefits for customers travelling between North America, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and destinations beyond.

The partnership will open new destinations for Delta customers, including future nonstop service on Delta between the U.S. and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. It will provide leisure travellers with a new region of the world to explore while creating new opportunities for business travellers to Riyadh, a G20 capital city, plus destinations beyond.

It will also offer Delta’s leading North American network for Riyadh Air customers, offering convenient access to hundreds of destinations in the U.S. and beyond with Delta’s famous reliability and elevated service.

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“We look forward to enjoying a very warm and productive relationship with Delta Air Lines, one of the largest and most successful airlines in the world. Riyadh Air and Delta Air Lines share common goals and pursue the highest standards in many areas including guest experience, loyalty, and sustainability, built upon great networks and strong connectivity,” said Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas.
The agreement envisions a long-term relationship, subject to regulatory approvals, that includes interline and codeshare connectivity, as well as a deeper partnership encompassing loyalty, customer experience, digital transformation and broader aviation services such as maintenance, repair and overhaul services, ground handling and training. In the future, the airlines intend to explore an immunized joint venture to further expand the partnership and allow collaboration on network planning and growth in the region. Both airlines are committed to driving the best sustainability practices throughout their operations as they transform the future of travel.
The partnership will open new destinations in Saudi Arabia and beyond for Delta customers, including future nonstop service on Delta between the U.S. and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. It will provide leisure travellers with a new region of the world to explore while creating new opportunities for business travellers to Riyadh, a G20 capital city, plus destinations beyond. And it will offer Delta’s leading North American network for Riyadh Air customers, offering convenient access to hundreds of destinations in the U.S. and beyond with Delta’s famous reliability and elevated service.

The new partnership comes as large-scale, ongoing investments in the Kingdom are transforming it into a popular and attractive destination for both leisure and business travellers. Travel is central to the nation’s long-term economic growth plan, with an $800 billion investment in the tourism sector that includes development of luxury resorts on the Red Sea, the opening of the Diriyah and al-Ula historical sites to visitors, and the hosting of the 2030 Riyadh Expo.
Riyadh Air, which will begin operations in 2025, is committed to building a premier carrier for customers travelling to and from the Middle East, with its base of operations in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Delta, which will mark its 100th anniversary next year, is the most-awarded U.S. airline with an industry-leading global network and an unrivalled reputation for outstanding customer service and operational excellence.
“It’s fitting that Riyadh Air will begin its journey the same year that Delta launches our second century of flight,” Bastian said. “We’ll have many opportunities to learn from each other and become better airlines for our mutual customers, our employees, our investors and our communities as we fly forward together.” -

Saudi Arabia orders four additional Airbus A330 MRTTs

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ordered four additional Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the Royal Saudi Arabia Air Force (RSAF).

The first of these aircraft will enter into conversion at the beginning of 2026; they will enter into service and join the RSAF in 2027 to carry out air-to-air refuelling and transport missions.

"This new order demonstrates the high level of customer satisfaction with the A330 MRTT”, said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. "This is the third contract signed by Saudi Arabia for the A330 MRTT, making the RSAF one of the largest MRTT operators in the world".

The contract also includes a logistics support package with spare parts, training services and service support for the new four aircraft.

All the RSAF A330 MRTT are configured with hose and drogue pods, boom system and also refuelling receptacles, which allows the A330 MRTT to be refuelled from boom-equipped tankers.

Industrial cooperation

As part of this contract, Airbus signed in January 2024 an Industrial Participation (IP) agreement with GAMI (General Authority for Military Industries) for the development and growth of the industrial ecosystem in the region in support of Vision 2030, a Saudi government programme that aims to diversify the country’s economy.

This agreement also includes the transfer of technology and know-how of the RSAF A330 MRTT to local companies. SAAMS, the joint venture created between SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries) and Airbus, will be the main vehicle for industrial localisation.

The A330 MRTT is the most capable new-generation tanker and transport aircraft with a 90% market share outside the USA with 82 orders from 15 countries in Europe, Asia, America and Oceania.

A330 MRTT | Military Aircraft | Airbus Defence

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Hawaiian Airlines announces early exchange results of its private exchange offer for its outstanding 5.750% senior secured notes due 2026 and consent solicitation

Hawaiian Airlines, this week announced that Hawaiian Brand Intellectual Property, Ltd., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and HawaiianMiles Loyalty, Ltd, an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, have released the early exchange results for their previously announced offer to exchange any and all of their outstanding 5.750% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 held by Eligible Holders, as defined below, for the Issuers’ 11.000% Senior Secured Notes due 2029 and cash.

In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Issuers are soliciting consents to the adoption of certain amendments (the “Proposed Amendments”) to the indenture governing the Existing Notes. Eligible Holders who tender their Existing Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer must also deliver Consents to the Proposed Amendments. Eligible Holders may not deliver Consents to the Proposed Amendments without also validly tendering their Existing Notes. 

As of the previously announced Early Exchange Time of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 9, 2024, according to information provided by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the Information and Exchange Agent for the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation, $1,110,278,214 aggregate principal amount (or approximately 92.5% of the outstanding principal amount) of the Existing Notes had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the Exchange Offer. Consummation of the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation is conditioned upon the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Exchange Offer Materials (as defined below), including Eligible Holders validly tendering and not validly withdrawing at least $1,140,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes (the “Minimum Participation Condition”), provided however, that (i) if Eligible Holders shall have validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at least $800,000,000, but less than $1,140,000,000, aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes, the Issuers may accept for exchange such Existing Notes in their sole and absolute discretion and shall have the right to waive the Minimum Participation Condition without extending the Withdrawal Deadline or Expiration Time and (ii) if Eligible Holders shall have validly tendered and not validly withdrawn less than $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes, the Issuers shall not accept for payment such Existing Notes and the Issuers shall not have the right to waive the Minimum Participation Condition. In addition, the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation may be terminated or withdrawn at any time, in the Issuers’ sole and absolute discretion, subject to compliance with applicable law.