Air Canada partners with Elevate Aviation for ACE week to promote women in aviation

Last month, Air Canada proudly took part in the Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) week with Elevate Aviation in Edmonton, Alberta. A group of 17 women from diverse backgrounds in the Edmonton area were introduced to the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) profession by Berlyn Siscar and Carina Dung, Air Canada AMEs based in our Vancouver hub, as part as the Women Employment Skills training program.  

“The Aviation Career Exploration program is designed and built to introduce people to careers in aviation by giving them a hands-on immersive experience about various careers in aviation,” said Christine Merrick, Director, of Elevate Aviation Learning Centre. “Everybody knows what a pilot is, what a flight attendant is, but not everybody knows what an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer does and not everybody knows what a de-icing technician does, so our goal is to expand that reach and education about these careers.”  

The ACE program is not just for adults. Elevate Aviation organizes field trips for students from grade 6 to grade 12, hoping to ignite a passion for aviation in children. 

Air Canada solidified its partnership with Elevate Aviation in 2023 by signing an agreement that includes extensive support for many of their initiatives including the annual gala, the Cross Country Tour which took place earlier this year, as well as the ACE program.  

“The Air Canada partnership is very important to us. We would not be able to do this without the support of our partners in aviation. Not only the monetary support but also having professionals in the industry taking the time to come here and talk to our students, like during the ACE week. We are very grateful for that, and it does make a difference in these women’s lives,” said Christine Merrick.  

Finavia’s renovation of Kuopio Airport completed

Airport company Finavia has completed the exceptionally extensive runway and taxiway renovation of Kuopio Airport. The renovation, which cost almost EUR 20 million in total, enables the continuation of smooth and safe air traffic at Kuopio Airport.

Finavia has extensively renovated the airport area for three summers in a row. During the summer 2024 renovation, the asphalting of the runway was redone, the taxiways were widened and resurfaced and the airport lighting system was modernised.

“Over the past three years, Finavia has made significant investments in the development of Kuopio Airport’s air traffic areas. Thanks to the good planning work, the project was completed within the original budget and schedule,” says Mari Nurminen, Finavia’s Vice President responsible for Central and Eastern Finland airports.

The summer 2024 renovation project at Kuopio Airport employed about 80 people in the local area, and several local companies were involved in its implementation. Finavia’s environmental, electrical and earthworks experts were involved in the planning of the project. In addition, planning work was carried out in close cooperation with the companies and authorities operating at Kuopio Airport.

Finavia’s environmental goals guide the planning and implementation

Kuopio Airport is surrounded by water, which is why the approach lighting line used by aircraft is built in water. As part of the summer 2024 renovation, both the approach lighting line and the associated support structures were replaced according to a detailed plan. The condition of the body of water was monitored throughout the project by flying drones, among other things. With the help of a drone flying high up in the air, it has been possible to monitor that the currents do not move the soil in the renovation area in the lake away from the areas limited by filter nets.

Vietnam Airlines takes delivery of its 5th Boeing 787-10

At the end of July, Vietnam Airlines took delivery of its 5th Boeing 787-10 aircraft, which is also the 30th wide-body plane to join the carrier’s growing fleet.  The latest addition was welcomed with a grand celebration at Noi Bai International Airport. 

The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner is the largest in the 787 family with a length of over 68 metres, a payload of 56-60 tonnes and can cover a maximum distance of nearly 12,000 km. Vietnam Airlines operates the aircraft in a two-class configuration with 24 seats in Business Class and 343 seats in Economy Class.

Dang Anh Tuan, Executive Vice President of Vietnam Airlines, said:  “Being a flag carrier of Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines is committed to upgrading and expanding our fleet. We aim not only to provide the highest levels of passenger comfort but also to fulfil our mission of connecting Vietnam with the world, therefore significantly supporting economic and social development."

The Boeing 787-10 boasts a range of technological advancements and modern amenities tailored to enhance passenger experience. Highlights include a spacious cabin, comfortable seats, large overhead bin and windows, modern entertainment system, adjustable LED lighting, lower cabin altitude, cleaner air, higher humidity, improved temperature control.

For availability and reservations on Vietnam Airlines please see here.

Turkish Airlines increased its passenger capacity by 7.7% in the second quarter of 2024, carrying 22.1 million passengers

Turkish Airlines increased its passenger capacity by 7.7% in the second quarter of 2024, carrying 22.1 million passengers and recording a Profit From Main Operations of 591 million USD.

Despite ongoing global geopolitical tensions, bottlenecks in aircraft production, and engine problems, Turkish Airlines continued its growth uninterruptedly thanks to its agility and extensive flight network, carrying a total of 22.1 million passenger in the second quarter of the year. According to data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), while global passenger capacity in the second quarter of 2024 has just reached pre-pandemic levels, our Incorporation exceeded 2019 passenger capacity by 38% as one of the leading airlines in the industry amid intensifying competition.

Through its operations at Europe's largest air cargo facility, Smartist, Turkish Cargo captured a significant share of the accelerated e-commerce growth in the second quarter of this year. Additionally, it provided a major alternative for shippers who did not want to be affected by the disruptions in the Suez Canal. As a result, Turkish Cargo increased the amount of cargo carried in the first six months of 2024 by 32% annually and became the third-largest air cargo carrier in the world, as reported by IATA figures.

Delta extends corporate priority benefits to LATAM Airlines

The new benefits will be available on LATAM flights beginning this month, offering corporate travellers even more reasons to choose Delta and its partners for their travel needs. 

Delta Air Lines is expanding its Global Corporate Priority benefits program to include LATAM Airlines, further enhancing the travel experience for business customers. This initiative marks another milestone in Delta's commitment to offering unparalleled service and benefits to corporate travellers worldwide. 

Since becoming the first U.S. global airline to align benefits globally for its corporate customers with Air France and KLM in 2018, and subsequently with Aeromexico and Virgin Atlantic in 2019, Delta continues to lead the way in providing seamless and enhanced travel experiences for business travelers.  

Corporate passengers traveling on Delta and LATAM flights between South America and the U.S. on their travel day will enjoy exclusive benefits such as: 

Priority Boarding: Corporate travellers will be prioritized according to each carrier's boarding process.  

Denied Boarding Prioritization: If every confirmed passenger cannot be accommodated on a flight, corporate travelers receive priority status in involuntary denied boarding situations.   

Downgrade Prioritization: In the unlikely event we cannot accommodate every ticketed passenger in a cabin of service, corporate travelers take priority over nonbusiness travelers of comparable status.   

Priority Service Recovery: Corporate travelers will be prioritized above other passengers during rebooking for flights and seats when loyalty status and booking class are the same.   

This expanded Global Corporate Priority benefits program builds on Delta's Corporate Priority program, initially launched in 2014. Inspired by feedback from hundreds of Delta customers and its partners' joint corporate customers, the program has been continually refined to meet the evolving needs of business travelers. 

"We are thrilled to extend our Global Corporate Priority benefits to LATAM Airlines, offering our corporate customers even more value and convenience," says Luciano Macagno, Delta’s Managing Director for Latin America, the Caribbean and South Florida. "This expansion is a testament to our commitment to providing superior service and benefits to our business travelers, ensuring they receive the best possible travel experience." 

The new benefits will be available on LATAM flights beginning this month, offering corporate travellers even more reasons to choose Delta and its partners for their travel needs. 

DELTA-LATAM 

The expansion of the Global Corporate Priority benefits program is a key component of the broader Delta-LATAM Joint Venture. This partnership aims to enhance connectivity and provide a seamless travel experience for passengers travelling between North and South America. 

Delta-LATAM is the leading airline partnership for travel between the U.S./Canada and South America. The Joint Venture between the two award-winning airlines is transforming travel between the two continents by offering an improved customer experience for its passengers and cargo customers through benefits such as the joint accumulation of miles/points in frequent flyer programs and faster connections to access more than 300 destinations through the partner hubs in Atlanta, Miami, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Bogota, Lima, Santiago, and Sao Paulo. The joint venture applies to select markets between North and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay).  

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Joby applies for certification in Australia

Joby Aviation has formally applied for its revolutionary aircraft to be certified for use in Australia, the company confirmed this week. The application to Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (“CASA”) for the validation of an FAA (“Federal Aviation Administration”) type certification builds on a bi-lateral agreement between the U.S. regulator and CASA, and it lays the groundwork for the introduction of quiet, emissions-free air taxis in Australia.

“We’re incredibly excited about the potential for air taxis to offer new and more sustainable ways to travel around Australia’s global cities,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby. “With commercial powered-lift operations already considered in CASA's regulatory frameworks, we’re pleased to be working with Australian authorities using a regulatory path to market that is actively being pursued by numerous countries around the world.”

Joby’s electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph, offering high-speed mobility with a fraction of the noise produced by helicopters and zero operating emissions.

Merlin kicks off KC-135 in-flight data collection with SNC for the United States Air Force

Merlin, a developer of safe, autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, has announced this week that together with its partner, global aerospace and defence leader SNC, it recently conducted the first three test flights in Merlin’s ongoing KC-135 Stratotanker test program at the Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base. 

From 22 July, Merlin and SNC were granted a temporary military flight release by the United States Air Force (USAF). The team conducted real-time data collection and analysis to inform the Merlin Pilot’s integration design and flight control tuning for military aircraft.

The flights support an ongoing agreement with Air Mobility Command (AMC) and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) to design, integrate, test, and demonstrate aspects of the Merlin Pilot on the KC-135. Merlin engineers also joined USAF pilots on data collection flights at MacDill Air Force Base in May 2024. The flights helped the team better understand crew workload drivers for military use cases. Together, these milestones signify Merlin’s progressive system design and integration work to achieve its goal of an in-flight demonstration of the Merlin Pilot in the next year, as well as support broader product alignment to help inform the planned Next Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS).

“Autonomous capabilities are essential to increasing operational capacity for the USAF and enhancing national security, emphasizing the importance of these data collection flights to properly inform the integration design ahead of flight demonstrations,” said Matt George, CEO and founder, Merlin. “Over the last few months, we’ve achieved important milestones on the KC-135 that allow us to strengthen the relationship between the pilot and the aircraft as well as enhance safety and operational efficiency aboard a vital military aircraft. These are foundational and critical steps that get us closer to advancing and scaling autonomous capabilities across the USAF’s fleet.”

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Turkish Technic and Citilink sign a component support agreement

Turkish Technic, one of the largest maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) companies worldwide, has recently signed Component Support Agreement with Citilink, a leading budget airline in Indonesia.

This new Component Support agreement covers Citilink’s Airbus A320 fleet. This cooperation will allow Citilink to benefit from Turkish Technic’s component support and solution services including component pooling, repair, overhaul, modification, home base kits and logistics services.

Turkish Technic has been providing component support and solution services to Citilink for many years. Turkish Technic also added landing gear overhaul services to the list of services it provides for operator, solidifying the long-standing partnership further.

Commenting on the agreement Mikail Akbulut, CEO of Turkish Technic, said: ‘‘This agreement is a testament to Citilink's trust in our expertise and capabilities. We are excited to consolidate our long-standing partnership with our comprehensive component support services for their Airbus A320 fleet. We are confident in our ability to continue providing reliable and high-quality component services for the operator. We thank Citilink for trusting us as their solution partner over the years and look forward to many more successful years together.”

Avelo Airlines to introduce a new route between Wilmington and Atlanta

Plus the return of three popular Florida destinations 

The fledgling carrier, Avelo Airlines is adding a new route from Wilmington Airport to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Plus it has confirmed the return of three popular Florida destinations and a second-based aircraft coming back to Wilmington Airport. This expansion enables Avelo to significantly expand its convenient, affordable and reliable air service in the Delaware Valley.

Beginning early November, Avelo will operate these routes twice weekly utilizing Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. Specific route information and start dates below. 

Last month, Avelo announced nonstop service to Charlotte / Concord, N.C. (USA) and Central Florida’s Orlando / Lakeland (LAL), bringing the total number of routes at ILG to 13.

Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy said, “Avelo is proud to be the Philadelphia / Delaware Valley region’s airline of choice and continue growth at ILG with a new route to Atlanta, the return of Daytona Beach, the Palm Beaches and Sarasota-Bradenton and adding back our second based aircraft. Our Customers tell us they love the convenience, affordability and reliability of flying Avelo at ILG. I appreciate the support Avelo has received from community leaders across the state and send special thanks to our awesome ILG Crewmembers who make it all happen.”

China Eastern starts flights between Beijing and Xi'an with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China C919 jets

China Eastern Airlines has started operating flights between Beijing and Xi'an of Shaanxi province with the C919 regional jet. This marks the fifth commercial regular flight operated by China's first self-developed narrow-body jet, reported China Daily.

China Eastern has expanded its Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China C919 fleet to seven and operates them on various routes between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and Beijing, Chengdu, Xi'an and Guangzhou. 

As of Saturday, the C919 fleet has conducted 3,133 commercial flights, safely carrying nearly 420,000 passenger trips.

Taylor on Strings: A free open-air classical concert on 13 August

City String Ensemble to play over a dozen innovative interpretations of famous Taylor Swift songs

Just days before Taylor Swift returns to Wembley Stadium for her August concert dates, Wembley Park presents an enchanting open-air concert featuring some of her most famous songs.

Taking place at The Sound Shell in Wembley Park’s Samovar Space from 6.30pm on Tuesday 13^th August, the dynamic string quartet, City String Ensemble, will deliver their innovative interpretations of more than a dozen Taylor Swift hits at the one-off ‘Taylor on Strings’ event. 

Wembley Park – Northwest London’s renowned entertainment district – has already hosted hundreds of thousands of Swifties for the superstar’s June concerts at Wembley Stadium. Now, fans will be treated to an exquisite evening of original performances of her songs. Tickets are free but must be booked online in advance as spaces are limited.

“We are excited to bring our unique interpretations of Taylor Swift's music to life at Wembley Park,” comments Sophie Poteratchi, Founder and Violinist of City String Ensemble. “This concert offers an opportunity for Swifties to experience Taylor’s music in a more intimate setting - with our signature style of bringing each song to life with string instruments.”

London-based City String Ensemble began as a quartet but has grown into a dynamic string orchestra. The classically trained musicians are renowned for their innovative interpretations of contemporary and classical music. Formed at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the group released its debut EP, ‘Twenty Twenty,’ in 2020, followed by further releases in 2021 and 2022. Live performances span genres including modern pop, anime soundtracks and classical favourites.

The enchanting interpretations delivered by City String Ensemble at ‘Taylor on Strings’ will include Love Story, Fortnight, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Anti-Hero, Shake It Off, Cruel Summer and many other famous Swift songs.

MAG launches Little Book of Travel Tales in time for the school summer holidays!

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has launched its latest Little Book of Travel Tales to entertain young travellers this summer. 

 The book will be handed out by airport colleagues across terminals at Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports over the summer holiday period.  

It was created as part of a World Book Day competition earlier this year, which was held at schools surrounding all three airports, with schoolchildren given the chance to share their stories with passengers. 

Seven schools were involved in submitting their stories with themes including flights, aircraft, holidays and working at the airport. In addition to 13 different stories, the book includes puzzles, activities and a holiday diary.  

 The book has been published as part of MAG’s newly launched ‘Little Flyers Club’. The Club, set up for MAG’s young travellers, is made up of five animated characters – Jet, Porter, Casey, Carrie and Finn. With a dedicated webpage on all of MAG’s airport websites, parents can access both digital and print-out activities for their children (London Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands). The Club aims to educate and entertain children about travel and aviation as they fly off for their holidays. Young people can also find the characters as they travel through the airport and pose for a photo with their favourite. 

Ethiopian MRO Services to set up ATR aircraft maintenance and training capabilities

ATR, the world’s number one regional aircraft manufacturer, and Ethiopian MRO Services, a world-class maintenance and training provider, part of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, announced the signature of a Letter of Intent aimed at developing Ethiopian MRO Services’s ATR aircraft maintenance and training capabilities. This strategic agreement marks a significant milestone in expanding ATR’s presence in Africa and the Middle East, enabling enhanced support to local operators and fostering market growth.

The cooperation would cover the development of Ethiopian MRO Services’s maintenance capabilities for ATR aircraft types and the establishment of a local spares’ stock to reduce response time for ATR operators in the region. It would also explore collaborative ways to train new ATR pilots with the Ethiopian Aviation University, the most modern aviation guru.

With its extensive aircraft maintenance and repair capability, an international network for seamless spare parts delivery, multiple hubs across the continent, and an aviation training university, Ethiopian MRO Services is a key player in the aftermarket and the ideal local partner to cater to the needs of the 36 airlines operating 131 ATR aircraft across Africa and the Middle East. 

Air Europa Cargo partners with cargo . one to propel its global digital sales

Air Europa Cargo and cargo . one today unveiled a global partnership that brings the popular Spanish carrier’s cargo capacity to the leading platform for digital air cargo bookings. cargo.one will soon launch Air Europa Cargo’s services to its substantial global community of freight forwarders. Air Europa Cargo has turned its attention to cargo.one as a fully digital, truly global platform partner to improve visibility of its offers, reduce its cost of sale and guarantee customers a robust and user-friendly booking experience.

Building on more than 30 years of air transport experience, Air Europa Cargo offers the forwarding industry flexible and reliable capacity, with 130 cargo destinations spanning Europe, North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Middle East and Africa. The airline leverages hubs in Madrid and Barcelona and offers forwarders particularly strong Latin American connectivity. Its modern fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 737 aircraft enable both large and varied load capacity.

In the coming weeks, thousands more freight forwarders will be able to secure Air Europa Cargo capacities digitally, using the most high quality, user-friendly experience on the market. The cargo.one platform equips forwarders with rapid access to supply, as well as cutting edge tools for winning and processing shipments. Forwarders can soon discover, quote and book Air Europa offers for general cargo, perishables and pharma shipments up to 1.5 tons.

Jordi Pique Dalmau, General Manager, Air Europa Cargo, comments, “Our extensive cargo services have evolved greatly and now is the ideal time to broaden our global reach and digital growth by working with cargo.one. The partnership enables us to apply the latest digital best practices and double-down on the valuable strategic gains from digital distribution”.

Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one, adds, “We are delighted to take Air Europa Cargo’s digital sales to the next level and expand its digital footprint to many more forwarders across the world. In preparation for Peak Season, it makes every sense for Air Europa Cargo to enhance its booking experience and build new sales muscle for all its relevant markets.”

Norwegian group with record of 2.85 million passengers in July

In July, Norwegian had 2,526,093 passengers while Widerøe had 331,035, totalling 2,857,128 for the group. For Norwegian, this represents a passenger growth of 9 percent from July last year and the highest number of passengers since 2019. Unit revenue equalled the record figure from July last year.

“I am very pleased with the incredible job all our colleagues have been doing during the busiest travel month of the year. Their hard work is reflected across all our numbers, including a record high number of passengers who have chosen to travel with the group. For Norwegian, I am particularly pleased that we that we delivered an improved load factor versus last year while at the same time increasing capacity by 10 percent. We are excited to see a solid booking momentum for August and further into the autumn season,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

Norwegian’s capacity (ASK) was 4,068 million seat kilometres, up 10 percent from the same period last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) was 3,763 million seat kilometres, an increase of 10 percent from July 2023. Load factor increased by 0.1 percentage point from July 2023 to 92.5 percent, an increase of more than 8 percentage points from the previous month. In July, Norwegian operated with a regularity, meaning share of scheduled flights taking place, of 99.5 percent. The punctuality, meaning share of flights departing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, was 67.6 percent, down 5.6 percentage points from July last year. However, 93 percent of all flights arrived within 60 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. During July, European air space was heavily congested with several air traffic control (ATC) restrictions. This resulted in a lower than usual punctuality across European airlines. The airline operated an average of 87 aircraft in July.

Strong month for Widerøe

Widerøe delivered strong traffic numbers for the month of July with a significant improvement from last year. Load factor for the regional airline increased by 4 percentage points compared to July last year, resulting in a load factor of 83.5 percent.