Cebu Pacific of the Philippines has placed a firm order with Airbus for 70 A321neo, finalising an MoU announced by the airline in July. The purchase agreement was signed in Manila by Mike Szucs, CEO of Cebu Pacific and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business at Airbus.
Mike Szucs said: “The selection of Airbus A321neo underscores our focus on operational efficiency, sustainability, and innovation, ensuring that we continue to deliver the highest standards of service while significantly reducing our carbon footprint. This milestone signals our ongoing dedication to expanding air travel accessibility and affordability, while supporting the Philippine’s broader economic growth and connectivity goals.”
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said: “The A320 Family has supported Cebu Pacific’s domestic and short-haul international network growth over the last two decades. We’re grateful to the airline for its continued endorsement of our best selling single-aisle product line. The A321neo is highly regarded for its unparalleled economics, performance and fuel efficiency. We’re confident that these additional A321neo aircraft will contribute strongly to the all-Airbus operator’s next phase of expansion as one of Asia-Pacific’s leading low cost carriers.”
Cebu Pacific operates 61 A320 Family aircraft on its extensive regional network. In addition it flies nine A330 widebodies on high density routes in the region, as well as to destinations in the Middle East. Following the latest order, the airline’s backlog with Airbus now stands at 94 A320neo Family aircraft and seven A330neo.
The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ best-selling A320neo Family, offering unparalleled range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort in the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky.
To date more than 6,500 A321neo have been ordered by more than 90 customers across the globe.
Hyatt Hotels confirmed it has completed the acquisition of the brands and most of the affiliates of pioneering lifestyle hospitality company Standard International, the parent company of The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels brands. This acquisition enhances Hyatt’s leading position in the industry’s premier lifestyle segment, building on both Hyatt’s organic growth and a series of acquisitions that quintupled the number of lifestyle rooms in Hyatt’s global portfolio between 2017 and 2023.
The 100% asset-light portfolio includes management, franchise and license contracts for 22 open hotels with approximately 2,000 rooms, including The Standard, London, The Standard, High Line in New York City, The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon and The Manner in SoHo, which made its highly anticipated debut last month with some of New York Fashion Week’s most coveted afterparties. New properties slated to open later this year include The Standard, Singapore, Bunkhouse’s Hotel Saint Augustine in Houston, and The StandardX, Bangkok Phra Arthit, offering the immersive experiences Standard International’s brands are known to deliver. The acquisition includes a robust residential business with Standard Residences under development in Miami, Lisbon, Phuket, Hua Hin, Mexico City and Tulum as well as completed Bunkhouse Residences at Hotel Saint Cecilia in Austin, TX.
Featuring the cloned voices of company pilots, Pegasus now offers in-flight announcements in Spanish, Arabic and Russian
Pegasus Airlines continues to introduce innovations to enhance its guests' travel experiences with the launch of this ground-breaking new multilingual project.
From October, flights to Spanish, Arabic, and Russian-speaking countries will feature AI-generated announcements in the respective local language, following the English version.
This feature was initially introduced on the inaugural Seville route on 24 September. During the flight, guests were greeted in Spanish before being provided with information about the route.
Pegasus Innovation Lab Launches First Project
The Pegasus Innovation Lab, which was established last year in Silicon Valley to spearhead new technologies and innovations in the aviation sector, developed this project, which harnesses AI for voice cloning and multi-language announcement systems. The system clones the voices of male and female Pegasus captains to create dynamic multilingual announcements tailored to each flight.
The announcements share details such as flight information, weather, destination, the captain's name, and flight duration, all updated via AI before take-off. With this project, Pegasus offers its guests a personalised and innovative flight experience by addressing them in their native languages.
.The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted three critical priorities for sustained progress in aviation safety as the 2024 IATA World Safety and Operations Conference opened in Marrakech, Morocco today. The industry must focus on continuously strengthening global standards, safety culture and the use of data to improve performance in the face of growing operational challenges, numerous regional conflicts and evolving cybersecurity threats.
“Safety is aviation’s main priority. Over 4.4 billion travellers flew safely in 2023 despite an increasingly complex operating environment. To progress even further, we must prioritize global standards—implementation and continuous modernization. We must also continue to cultivate a safety culture with an emphasis on collaboration and strong leadership. And we must utilize the rapidly growing capabilities of data analysis to better understand risks and drive innovation. Together, these are a winning strategy to make our safe industry even safer,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
In response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, American Airlines is donating 10 million AAdvantage miles to Airlink, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that brings critical aid to communities in crisis. These miles will help Airlink connect emergency responders and relief workers to the most urgent need.
American has also partnered with the American Red Cross to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene. To support relief efforts, please visit redcross.org/aa to make a donation. Customers who donate through American’s dedicated Red Cross website will earn AAdvantage® bonus miles as a token of appreciation for their generosity.
"We are proud to join forces with Airlink and the Red Cross to deliver critical aid to those affected by Hurricane Helene," said Ron DeFeo, American’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. "At American Airlines, it is our purpose to care for people on life’s journey, and we are committed to helping communities in times of need."
Earlier this year, American was named a Mission Leader by the American Red Cross, joining an elite group of the most generous donors giving more than $3 million annually to help alleviate suffering in the face of emergencies. Additionally, American has been a member of the Annual Disaster Giving Program — a group of forward-thinking donors who provide support in advance of disasters — since 2014.
Air Astana, in partnership with Airbus, is enhancing the efficiency of its long-haul flights by installing additional fuel tanks on the Airbus A321LR and enabling non-stop flights over long-haul distances without the need for technical stopovers.
Starting on 4th October 2024, the airline is resuming non-stop flights on the Almaty to London route, which has been operating with a technical stop in Aktau since March 2022. With the new modifications, the route will become fully non-stop and more comfortable, reducing the overall flight time by 1.5 hours to 9h 35m. This will make it one of the longest narrow-body routes in the world.
This modernisation is a key component of Air Astana's long-term strategy to enhance operational efficiency. It incorporates all necessary technical and safety aspects, providing passengers with more comfortable conditions for long-haul flights and improving the airline's operational performance.
.
The Airbus A321LR is a long-range version of A321neo, with increased maximum take-off weight and associated design modifications. The aircraft is configured with 16 Business Class seats and 150 Economy Class seats. The specification of the Business Class flat beds, Economy Class slim seats, and other cabin amenities will ensure that passengers experience the very highest standards of comfort and service.
Parts of the U.S. are still feeling nearly triple-digit temperatures, but the American team is well underway with training to prepare for deicing season, which officially started yesterday, 1st October. Because every minute counts when it comes to getting an aircraft out on time, American’s specially trained deicing teams work to free aircraft of snow, ice or frost in an average of nine minutes.
Each year, long before the first leaves start changing colours, American conducts deicing training to ensure thousands of team members can do this important work thoroughly and safely — helping customers get on their way. Just as a car must defrost before heading out on the roads, an aircraft needs to deice before taking to the skies.
Gene Herrick, American’s Manager of Deicing at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), helps lead American’s largest deicing location and one of the busiest deicing operations in the world, deicing upwards of 10,000 flights at ORD in one season. Like other airlines, American follows deicing guidelines published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transport Canada (TC) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
The deicing process continues to get more efficient thanks to the introduction of new procedures, such as electronic spray records and tracking tools introduced last year. This season at ORD, the team is able to deice eight narrowbody aircraft at once — doubling capacity from last year at the central deicing facility.
"This season, we’re new and improved,” Gene said of the increased capacity. “But our number one goal for the deicing team is the same: safety of our passengers and team.”
It can take anywhere from 60 to a few hundred gallons of deicing fluid per aircraft, depending on how much snow or ice has accumulated. Each aircraft is sprayed either at its gate or at a centralized deicing pad, depending on the airport. In addition to deicing American aircraft, the deicing team at ORD also lends a hand to our oneworld partners by providing deicing services for their aircraft.
The length of time it takes to deice an aircraft is dependent on how much frost, snow or ice has accumulated. While team members would like to deice as quickly as possible, everything is done with the safety of customers and team members as the number one priority.
“We're waiting for the first snowflake to fall, whether it happens in October or it happens in December,” Gene said. “We're ready.”
Did you know?
Two types of fluids are part of the process: Deicing fluid is used when frost, snow or ice is already present on the aircraft. It’s orange and heated to 140 degrees. Anti-icing fluid is preventative. It’s green and keeps ice from penetrating and adhering to critical and lifting surfaces, such as the wings. Glycol is the key ingredient in both fluids.
Deutsche Aircraft, a leading manufacturer of regional aircraft, has announced a partnership with Weerts Group, a pan-European logistics and real estate infrastructure developer, for the construction of its state-of-the-art Final Assembly Line (FAL) for the D328eco aircraft. This collaboration is a significant achievement in the development of the D328eco programme and reinforces Deutsche Aircraft's commitment to innovation and sustainability.
The OEM broke ground for the Final Assembly Line at Leipzig/Halle Airport in May 2023. Frame conditions have since been laid and the official start of construction was announced during ILA 2024 in June. In the meantime, the ground field side has been completed and handed over. The FAL is set to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2025, as Weerts Group takes over the construction. With a total area of 60,500 square meters, the facility will contain the FAL, Flight Readiness Hangar, Logistics Centre, and Administration Building, creating a comprehensive infrastructure to support the production of the D328eco.
The new Final Assembly Line will incorporate cutting-edge technologies and processes, ensuring a 100% digital and paperless production environment. Automated and driverless transport systems will streamline operations, while automated parts and tool storage will enhance efficiency. The production line will be tailored specifically to the D328eco, optimising process flows, and utilising energy-efficient battery-powered tools.
F-35B Lightning stealth fighters from 809 Naval Air Squadron, supported by their counterpart RAF Squadron 617, The Dambusters, have joined HMS Prince of Wales in the North Sea for a month of training – a key stepping stone for the squadron and the ship as both gears up to take part in an eight-month global deployment in 2025.
The fifth-generation jets made the short flight from their base at RAF Marham to the flattop where, over the coming weeks, some personnel will learn the art of operating from an aircraft carrier, while others will regenerate skills which have faded while working away from the sea.
For Commander Nick Smith the embarkation of the F-35Bs, supported by some 200 engineers, technicians, armourers, logistics and security experts, chefs, and meteorologists among others, joining the 65,000-tonne warship is a milestone moment for the squadron, which only formed at the end of last year as the second of two UK front-line F-35B squadrons.
“This is a big moment for 809 Naval Air Squadron, a vital building block to working up with the carrier strike group in preparation for the deployment next year,” said Commander Smith.
“To be the commanding officer of a squadron with such a proud heritage is a huge privilege. We are still in our infancy forming as an F-35B squadron, so joining a carrier for the first time is truly a milestone.”
As with the two other Lightning formations based at Marham, 617 and 207 Squadrons, it draws its personnel roughly 50/50 from the RAF and Fleet Air Arm.
For three in every five personnel in 809 NAS – pilots, but especially their vital supporting ground crew – this is their first time at sea.
“For me, it’s about forging one team, embracing everything from operating from the flight deck to arming and maintaining the F-35s in the hangar.”
F-35 pilot Lieutenant Commander Armstrong said that while the Lightning was generations ahead of the Harrier which preceded it, operating it from a carrier remained a challenge.
Air Transat and CF Montréal celebrate their partnership with the introduction of an exclusive new livery featuring the soccer Club's logo. This unique design now adorns one of Air Transat's Airbus A321LR aircraft, symbolizing the ongoing collaboration between these two Montreal institutions.
“At Air Transat, we are delighted to add a new dimension to our partnership with CF Montréal thanks to this livery. By flying this aircraft throughout our network, which spans four continents, we are helping to position Montreal as a must-see destination on the international stage, while raising the profile of our partner outside the country,” mentioned Xavier Szwengler, Vice President of Marketing and Loyalty at Transat.
This project marks an important milestone in the collaboration between Air Transat and CF Montréal, which began in 2024. Driven by a shared passion for soccer – a universal and unifying sport – this partnership fully reflects the airline's values of diversity and dynamism. It also offers a unique opportunity to raise Montreal's profile on the international scene, highlighting its role as a cultural and sporting hub.
“This unique livery is more than a visual representation, it is a celebration of our partnership with Air Transat,” said Eric Nadeau, Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer of CF Montréal. “It reflects the synergy between our two organizations. We are thrilled to see our Club's colours soar through the sky on the wings of such a respected airline. This initiative will reinforce our visibility and reach our supporters in a different way. We hope that the passengers who will have the opportunity to fly aboard this customized aircraft will feel the same pride.”
The new-generation Airbus A321LR aircraft features spacious cabins, state-of-the-art in-seat entertainment systems and is recognized as the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class.
Founded in Montreal 36 years ago, Air Transat is a leading travel brand voted 2024 World's Best Leisure Airline by passengers at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. Its program offers access to international destinations, mainly in Europe, the Caribbean, the East coast of the U.S, South America and North Africa. Air Transat is recognized for its excellent customer service. By renewing its fleet with the most energy-efficient aircraft in their category, Air Transat is committed to a more sustainable travel industry. Based in Montreal with major hubs in YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ), it has near 5,000 employees with a common purpose to bring people closer together.
Founded in 1992 and having completed its first season in 1993, CF Montréal is a professional soccer club playing in MLS since 2012. It has won the Canadian Championship five times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021) and reached the final of the Concacaf Champions League in 2015, as well as the quarter-finals in 2009 and 2022. CF Montréal plays its home games at Stade Saputo, a soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of 19,619.
In 2010, the organization established the CF Montréal Academy, a soccer training centre with over 100 players. CF Montréal was the first professional club in North America to offer a sports-study program. The Club's development structure also includes U13 and U14 Pre-Academy teams. The Club's network of Partner Clubs (CIP) and regional programs also enable the Club to reach nearly 1,000 additional U8 to U12 players. The women's program was introduced to the Club's Academy on May 31, 2023.
Through the Montreal Impact Foundation, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, CF Montréal is deeply involved in the community. Its mission is to organize and support activities to improve the quality of life of children and families from underserved communities. In particular, it provides sports facilities to promote physical activity and social integration.
Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), announced adjustments to its network in anticipation of stronger demand during the Northern Winter season.
From November 2024, extra weekly ftights will be mounted to Chiang Mai and Hanoi, increasing services from l Oto l l times weekly and five to six times weekly respectively.
From December 2024, services to Perth will increase from 13 to 14 times weekly. Services to Melbourne will also increase from 12 to 13 times weekly, and subsequently to twice daily from January 2025. In addition, three more weekly ftights will be mounted to Seoul (lncheon) via Taipei, making it a daily service. Similarly, services to Tokyo (Narita) via Taipei will also increase from 12 to 14 times weekly.
Within Southeast Asia, Scoot will be increasing ftights to destinations operated by the Embraer El 90-E2 aircraft. These include Davao, which will increase from seven to nine times weekly, as well as Balikpapan and Makassar, which will each increase from three to four times weekly.
Air Astana will be launching new services from Atyrau in western Kazakhstan to Dubai on 26th October 2024, as well as from Astana to Abu Dhabi on 30th October 2024 and from Almaty to Abu Dhabi on 12th December 2024. Each of the services will be operated twice a week using Airbus A321neo and Airbus A321LR aircraft.
These new winter season services to the Middle East will add to the existing 20 services a week from Almaty and Astana to Dubai and six services a week from Almaty and Shymkent to Saudi Arabia.
“Air Astana is delighted to further boost its presence in the Middle East, with new services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi reflecting the rapid growth in business and leisure traffic between Kazakhstan and the region. In particular, the introduction of a new Atyrau to Dubai service will contribute to wider economic development in western Kazakhstan by enhancing connectivity with important business and tourist centres in the Gulf,” said Yerbolat Baisalykov, Senior Vice-President of Revenue Management and Commercial Planning, Air Astana. “Passengers will also have the opportunity to combine visits to Abu Dhabi and Dubai on one trip, with the possibility of flying from Kazakhstan to one Emirate and returning from the other.”
The service from Atyrau to Dubai will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Saturdays, with a flight time of 4 hours; the service from Astana to Abu Dhabi twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with a flight time of 5 hours 1o minutes and the service from Almaty to Abu Dhabi twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays, with a flight time of 4 hours 55 minutes.
STM Charters, the air charter experts at Short’s Travel Management, and CommuteAir are teaming up to transform air charter travel in collegiate athletics with a unique offering that fills the gap between small regional jets and larger narrowbody aircraft. This new partnership will utilize CommuteAir’s 76-seat Embraer E170 to deliver customized travel solutions for college sports teams, raising the standard of service for athletic programs looking for a high-quality, cost-effective charter option.
“We are excited to partner with CommuteAir on their E170 charter offerings,” said Kevin Ross, Vice President, of STM Charters. “As the leader in collegiate athletic charters, we know this is an aircraft our clients have been clamouring for. Combining Short’s expertise in managing athletic travel with CommuteAir’s focus on providing safe, reliable, and comfortable air transportation will be a huge win for our customers.”
Short’s Travel Management and its internal air charter experts, STM Charters, are known for their personalized approach, combining extensive industry knowledge with operational expertise to provide seamless, full-service travel management solutions for athletic programs throughout the country. Annually, STM Charters oversees more than 2,500 charter flights for nearly 115 colleges and universities, while collectively, Short’s Travel provides tailored travel solutions for nearly 250 different athletic departments.
“We’re confident that STM’s deep market expertise and strong relationships, paired with CommuteAir’s distinctive product and 35 years of experience providing safe, reliable air service, will deliver an exceptional experience for our customers,” said Rick Hoefling, CommuteAir’s President and CEO.
The UK's Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed today that British forces had played a part in fighting off a barrage of missiles dispatched from Iran towards Israel.
Healey said: "British forces have this evening played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
I want to thank all British personnel involved in the operation for their courage and professionalism.
The UK stands fully behind Israel's right to defend its country and its people against threats."
There have been further details released, however, indications are that at least two UK fighter jets were scrambled and intercepted and destroyed four or more missiles or projectiles. Radar monitoring stations indicate that between 180 and 189 missiles were launched towards different areas of Israel.
The British foreign secretary David Lammy spoke with his Iranian counterpart hours before Iran's missile attack according to sources at the FCDO. Lammy is said to have urged restraint during the conversation with Abbas Araqchi. At the same time, The Israeli Defence Force were in action in Lebanon and bombing various areas.
Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it"
Currently, Israel has launched bombs in Beirut and its forces are expanding operations in many areas in Lebanon.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says the US "intercepted multiple missiles" launched by Iran at Israel. "We condemn this outrageous act of aggression by Iran, and we call on Iran to halt any further attacks, including from its proxy terrorist groups."
Riyadh has become Emirates’ first GCC destination to welcome the refurbished Emirates Boeing 777, offering passengers the all-new Business Class cabin and highly acclaimed Premium Economy seats.
The newly refurbished aircraft will operate on the EK 819/820 daily service which departs Dubai at 0710hrs, with a scheduled arrival in Riyadh for 0805hrs. The return flight departs from the Kingdom’s capital at 0940hrs and reaches Dubai at 1235hrs.
The four-class Emirates Boeing 777 offers 24 Premium Economy seats arranged in a 2-4-2 layout with 6-way adjustable headrests for added comfort and space – making it an ideal choice for both business and leisure travellers. The upgraded Business Class cabin offers more privacy, with 38 seats in a spacious 1-2-1 configuration, and direct aisle access, a mini-bar and multiple charging ports, among other thoughtful features.
The aircraft also features 6 First Class gamechanger suites offering the very best in luxury. The refreshed Economy Class cabin has 256 ergonomic seats with leather headrests that can be adjusted vertically.
Emirates aircraft fitted with Premium Economy will reach 48 by the end of this year, and will serve 27 destinations including Dubai, using Emirates’ fleet of B777s, A380s, and A350s.
Emirates currently operates 72 weekly flights to all four gateways in Saudi Arabia, including 3 daily flights to Riyadh, on a mixed fleet of B777s and A380s.
