Altezza Travel wins two nominations at 2024 World Travel Awards

Altezza Travel has been named Tanzania’s Leading Tour Operator and Tanzania’s Leading Destination Management Company at the 2024 World Travel Awards. Since 1993, the awards have highlighted excellence across the global travel industry, recognizing top companies, destinations, and organizations.

Mt. Kilimanjaro, a key destination for Altezza Travel, was also named "Africa’s Leading Tourism Attraction," reaffirming the mountain's appeal as one of Africa’s most sought-after travel destinations.

Although it was their first nomination, Altezza Travel outperformed several previous winners to claim the title.

While the organizers do not disclose the voting criteria, Altezza likely won for the following reasons:

ATR optimizes inventory management with Syncron

Top regional aircraft manufacturer strengthens service capabilities with AI-driven efficiency and predictive analytics.

Syncron, a leading provider of intelligent Service Lifecycle Management solutions, today announced that ATR, the world's number one regional aircraft manufacturer, has selected Syncron's Parts Planning software to improve the reliability, accuracy, and consistency of its inventory management.

ATR, based in Blagnac, France, is known for its innovative, efficient, and low-emission aircraft, which are flown by 200 airlines in over 100 countries. Maintaining resiliency in a challenging global context, with supply chain instability across the industry, required a modern solution able to support the company's commitment to quality service. The company has returned to growth over the past year, and required a solution able to scale with its operations. ATR chose Syncron's cloud-based platform to optimize its inventory operations and further its commitment of accelerating sustainable connections to the 1,300 airports ATR aircraft serve.

Syncron's Parts Planning platform will help ATR better forecast the complex demand patterns for its aircraft parts and inventory. Using AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics, Parts Planning accurately tracks demand trends and configures advanced simulations to plan and predict parts service needs, maximizing availability, minimizing waste, and reducing carbon emissions by reducing unnecessary or rushed orders.

$6billion of losses reports Boeing...... as company faces a crossroads.......

Boeing is at a crossroads, with trust in the aerospace company all but completely eroded, relations with the workforce at an all-time low, with over 30,000 employees on strike, a mountain of debt that would cripple most firms and many products performing below the expected standard. It is perhaps not surprising that the firm posted massive losses this week as its third-quarter results were published. 

Boeing recorded third-quarter revenues of $17.8 billion, operating cash flow of -$1.3 billion and free cash flow of -$2.0 billion. Cash and investments in marketable securities totalled $10.5 billion, compared to $12.6 billion at the beginning of the quarter driven by free cash flow usage in the quarter. In October, the company entered into a new $10.0 billion short-term credit facility and now has access to total credit facilities of $20.0 billion, which remain undrawn. Its losses are around $6 billion, that's about £4.6 billion.

Last week, the company announced it was seeking up to  $35 billion (roughly £27 billion) in new funding. In July, it agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and to pay at least $243.6 million after breaching a 2021 deferred prosecution deal in relation to the two 737-MAX crashes that caused 346 lives to be lost around five years ago.

Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg believes that despite its current woes, the firm will emerge from this depressing period in its history and regain its now former glory.  He wants to put the ailing company in a new direction, to restore its reputation and market-leading position. 

The company has four new key objectives he writes: First, we need a fundamental culture change in the company.  Second, we must stabilize the business. Third, we need to improve our execution discipline on new platform commitments across the company. And fourth, while doing the first three, we must build a new future for Boeing."

It isn't all doom and gloom for Boeing,  thanks to the unfortunately tight commercial aviation industry, there are only two major aircraft makes - Boeing and European rival, Airbus. Partly because of this, Boeing has a backlog worth roughly half a trillion dollars and an equally sizable backlog at Airbus, new orders are pretty much guaranteed as passenger demand starts to climb higher than pre-pandemic levels. 

Ortberg promised that Boeing would redefine the company values,  to make leaders accountable for delivering safe, high-quality products and services. "I know culture change starts at the top. Our leaders, from me on down, need to be closely integrated with our business and the people who are doing the design and production of our products.

We need to be on the factory floors, in the back shops and in our engineering labs.

We need to know what’s going on, not only with our products, but with our people.

And most importantly, we need to prevent the festering of issues and work better together to identify, fix, and understand the root cause."

One of the first key activities of the company must surely be ending the strike by nearly 33,000 of its workers. The company has already used previously deployed actions, calling each offer a 'final' one and threatening intensive layoffs and recently put another final offer to staff.  

Turkish Aerospace Industries' headquarters attacked by terrorists.

Four are confirmed dead and around 14 people have been injured in a terrorist attack at TUSAS, the Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters near Ankara this afternoon.

There are confused reports about the cause of the attack or indeed how many terrorists were involved in the attack, however, two have been shot dead at the scene, local media reports. 

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social media "A terrorist attack was carried out against the TUSAS facilities in Kahramankazan, Ankara. Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people," 

The state-owned Anadolu Agency said emergency services had been dispatched to the site, and television images showed a damaged gate and an exchange of gunfire in a car park at the office. 

Some images indicate two attackers, getting out of a yellow car, probably a taxi, carrying assault rifles and backpacks as they entered the building and started an attack with a loud explosion then taking place. 

Anadolu also said prosecutors had launched an investigation into the attack.

It is understood that TIA is a big company that is a licenced manufacturer of the F-16 fighter jets, it also plays a key role in modernizing older aircraft used by the Turkish military. The company is mostly jointly owned by the Turkish Armed Forces and a civilian arm of the national government. It also builds drones, transport aircraft and surveillance aircraft. 

Mark Rutte, NATO's new secretary general said:  "NATO stands with our ally Turkey. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and are monitoring developments closely."

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Russia for the trade summit of BRICS and meeting with President Vladimir Putin, with whom he shares a warm relationship, said: "We have four martyrs. We have 14 wounded. I condemn this heinous terrorist attack and wish mercy on our martyrs."

Social media access has been halted in Turkey at the moment, with many users trying to access sites via the use of VPNs and satellite communications devices.

Birmingham Airport reopened after security incident investigated.

Birmingham Airport will slowly get back to normal after it reopened around 16:00 today following a suspension of all operations, and buildings being evacuated after a security incident. The police have said the evacuation is a "precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers and staff."

The airport confirmed at 13:34 today that all flights had been halted due to what West Midlands Police have described as reports of suspicious vehicles on site. An airport spokesperson said:  “West Midlands Police is currently dealing with an ongoing incident on-site. Airport operations are currently impacted, and passengers should not come to the airport at this time. The Airport’s social channels will be updated as and when the situation changes. For passengers with immediate flights this afternoon they should contact their airline and check the Airport’s website for updates.”

Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and to contact their airline for more details and to rearrange travel plans. Transport for West Midlands confirmed that buses were currently not able to stop at the airport, but Birmingham International stops are being served as normal.

A passenger has told ITV News Central they have been evacuated to a hall at the NEC and there is a bomb squad on-site at the airport.

 

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#INCIDENT | Birmingham Airport is currently being evacuated following a report of suspicious vehicle.

This is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers and staff. pic.twitter.com/FG4Gbp6GAF

— West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) October 23, 2024

..

West Midlands Fire Service confirmed this afternoon it had been advised of the incident today around 12:20 and that officers are "working closely with police, ambulance, and airport staff. Local resources are on standby, ready to provide additional support if needed."

The latest update from a Birmingham Airport spokesperson: “Following a police investigation, some passengers were evacuated and we had to suspend departing flights for a couple of hours. That investigation has now concluded, and operations will slowly be returning to normal. All passengers are advised to check latest flight information from their airline.

Whilst we apologise for any inconvenience and disruption, the safety and security of everyone at the airport was our number one priority as we worked through this incident with police partners.”

Cathay Pacific releases traffic figures for September 2024

This week the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific released its traffic figures for September 2024. In the first nine months of 2024, Cathay Pacific and HK Express together surpassed the 20 million mark for passengers carried, having carried a combined total of over 21 million passengers during the period.

Cathay Pacific carried a total of 1,816,908 passengers in September 2024, an increase of 17.8% compared with September 2023. The month’s revenue passenger kilometres(RPKs) increased 18.4% year on year. Passenger load factor decreased by 2.3 percentage points to 81.4%, while available seat kilometres (ASKs) increased by 21.7% year on year. In the first nine months of 2024, the number of passengers carried increased by 28.4% to a total of 16,553,713, against a 34.2% increase in ASKs and a 27.8% increase in RPKs, as compared with the same period for 2023.

The airline carried 133,079 tonnes of cargo in September 2024, an increase of 10.9% compared with September 2023. The month’s cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) increased 4.9% year on year. The cargo load factor decreased by 2.4 percentage points to 58.7%, while available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 9.3% year on year. In the first nine months of 2024, the tonnage increased by 9.9% to a total of 1,103,576 tonnes, against an 8.9% increase in AFTKs and a 3.4% increase in RFTKs, as compared with the same period for 2023.

Travel

Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau said: “Following the end of the busy peak summer months for leisure travel, September marked the shift to the outbound student travel peak. Student traffic to the United Kingdom continued to rise ahead of the start of the new school year, with our outbound flights from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom achieving high load factors.

“Although September is typically a quieter month for leisure travel, demand picked up towards the end of the month coinciding with the National Day ‘Golden Week’ holiday period. We saw significant demand from Hong Kong to cities in Japan as well as Bangkok, and from the Chinese Mainland to destinations in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Europe around the holidays.

“September also marked the start of the business travel peak season and there was a notable increase in demand for our premium cabins driven by various events, conferences and exhibitions, most notably the Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. This resulted in September having the highest premium cabin load factor of any month so far in 2024.

Cargo

Airlines for Europe has serious concern on new Italian measures to protect air passengers

Ryanair's new mouthpiece, Airlines for Europe, is expressing serious concern about the recently adopted measures by the Italian Transport Authority (Autorità di Regolazione dei Trasporti, ART) on new standards that air carriers must adhere to with respect to customers’ complaints. These measures will significantly extend the responsibility of carriers while also contradicting provisions from Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. 

The new standards adopted by ART open the right to compensation to any person who “intends to use” air transport services, impose obligations on specific channels to enable passengers to submit claims and the content they must provide, settle deadlines for airlines to reply to complaints within 30 days or 60 days depending on the case and impose automatic compensation of 10% to 20% of the flight ticket in case of delay or due to a lack of reply from the carrier or due to a reply that is not “sufficiently motivated.” 

A4E says EU law holds primacy for passenger rights measures, a principle which must be respected. In addition, these new Italian standards conflict with the EU Commission proposal on passenger rights in respect of  

(i) improvement of the information provided to passengers at the time of booking and following disruptions regarding their rights;  

(ii) quality of service; 

(iii) adoption of a common form for requests for reimbursement and compensation.  

The next generation of Cessna Citation Business Jets unveiled.

Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and M2 Gen3

Textron Aviation is showing off the future of flight it believes with the next generation of its legendary Cessna Citation lineup.  The new Cessna Citation M2 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and CJ4 Gen3 feature the revolutionary Garmin Emergency Autoland technology. The Citation CJ4 Gen3 features new, next-generation Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics for intuitive, seamless control for pilots. Currently under development, the CJ4 Gen3 is expected to enter into service in 2026, with the M2 Gen3 and CJ3 Gen3 following in 2027.

Unveiled ahead of The National Business Aviation Association — Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, the Citation Gen3 aircraft brings new levels of confidence and an elevated experience to pilots worldwide. Attendees will enjoy access to a new Citation CJ3 Gen3 mockup and CJ4 Gen3 cockpit mockup debuting during the show at the company’s static display at Henderson Executive Airport.

“Today we unveiled the future of flight and the next generation of Cessna Citation light jets — the M2 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and CJ4 Gen3 — to carry on the iconic legacy of the trusted Citation brand while introducing cutting-edge advancements and technology,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO. “With the inclusion of revolutionary Garmin Emergency Autoland technology, as well as all-new Garmin G3000 PRIME avionics in the CJ4 Gen3, these aircraft promise to elevate the flying experience.”

Offering pilots and passengers unparalleled peace of mind

With the addition of Garmin Emergency Autoland to the M2 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and CJ4 Gen3, the entire Cessna Citation light jet lineup brings even greater peace of mind to the journey, for both pilots and passengers. All three new aircraft include fully integrated Garmin Autothrottles to provide exceptional levels of protection and effortless precision at every stage of flight. In addition, Runway Occupancy Awareness gives enhanced visibility of runway obstacles and potential runway incursions, and Advanced 3D SafeTaxi displays runways, FBOs and hangars to more easily navigate airports.

“Adding the Garmin Emergency Autoland system to our entire Citation light jet family lineup represents a monumental leap in aviation technology,” Draper said. “As the world's first certified system of its kind, Autoland offers not just an advancement in automated flight capabilities but a profound enhancement in passenger and pilot peace of mind. The system stands as a guardian against loss of control following pilot incapacitation, offering automated emergency communications and landing when needed and providing unparalleled peace of mind to pilots and passengers.”

After certification of the Gen3 aircraft, customers who own a Citation M2 Gen2 with autothrottles or CJ3 Gen2 aircraft will receive a service bulletin about the opportunity to incorporate Garmin Emergency Autoland into their aircraft.

2024 Big Book of Airline Data shows revenues up 32% to $918 Billion

IdeaWorksCompany releases 105-page report filled with passenger traffic, revenue, employment, and frequent flyer membership data for 239 carriers. 

IdeaWorksCompany, a foremost consultant on ancillary revenue, frequent flyer programs, and airline retail, has released the 5th edition of its annual data compendium: The Big Book of Airline Data by IdeaWorksCompany. 

The new edition provides a world of data for individual airlines, regional compilations, airline alliances, employment data, and frequent flyer membership totals. The collection of data allows for interesting comparisons; here is a summary of global results for 2023:

Asia & Pacific airlines experienced the year-over-year traffic growth of 116.2%; the region also has the largest share of global traffic at 32.1%.

Canada and US airlines remain the world’s largest revenue producers with a 29.4% share of global airline revenue. However, Asia & Pacific had the highest year-over-year growth of airline revenue at 80.9%. 

The airline industry continued its march out of the pandemic with record-breaking results during 2023 as evidenced by these annual airline traffic and revenue estimates from IdeaWorksCompany:

The Big Book is filled with statistics from all over the wide world of travel; here are a 

few examples from 2023: 

Latin America airlines had the lowest level of airline traffic growth at 16.9% compared to 2022, with 8% of global traffic. 

Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliances generated an estimated revenue of $525 billion, which represents a dramatic increase of 27% from 2022.  Star is the largest revenue producer with $216.3 billion.  These alliances generate almost 60% of total global airline revenue. 

Ryanair Group is the largest low cost carrier with more than 183.7 million passengers, with more than 4 out of every 100 passengers choosing the airline.  Indigo is a distant 2nd with 106.4 million passengers.  

Low cost carriers carried 29.8% of global traffic, but their low fares only generated 17.3% of global revenue. 

American Airlines was the largest employer among the 120 airlines which disclose total employment.  The carrier ended 2023 with 132,100 employees. 

Global airline employment is estimated by IdeaWorksCompany to be nearly 2.3 billion people. 

Delta SkyMiles is likely the world’s largest frequent flyer program with 130 million members, based upon the 56 airlines found to disclose program 

membership. 

US major airlines had total revenue of $264 per passenger; traditional airlines, $253; and low cost carriers, $126 (total airline revenue includes passenger fares, ancillary revenue, and other sources, such as cargo). 

The global airline industry, just 4 years from the pandemic, is poised to break $1 trillion in revenue for 2024.    

The Big Book relies upon a number of sources and methods to determine the results for each company.  Most often this consists of financial documents at company websites, while for others the sources include press releases, and industry articles.  The Big Book of Airline Data is released on an annual basis.

The full report is available at https://ideaworkscompany.com/reports/

Where your story takes off, a celebration of travel enriching lives with unforgettable stories.... WestJet

WestJet ushers in a new era with the launch of a comprehensive brand platform and fully integrated campaign, anchored by a new tagline—Where Your Story Takes Off.

As the airline returns to its roots, following an updated business strategy, WestJet's commitment to helping guests write memorable stories is driven by a history of care and celebrated hospitality, delivered each day by a passionate team of WestJetters.

The new platform underscores the transformative power of travel, celebrating the countless stories that pass through a WestJet flight.

In fact, nearly nine out of 10 Canadians, 89 per cent acknowledge that travel has given them some of their most cherished memories and WestJet is committed to enriching these moments. As Canada's friendliest airline, WestJet recognizes its role in positively and meaningfully impacting its guests.

"Whether you're taking off for a big bucket list trip or returning home to see your kids after travelling for work, WestJet plays an important role in enabling all the everyday, and life-changing stories that our guests carry with them, and that was the inspiration for the new platform," Jennifer Callegaro, Director of Marketing, WestJet.

This campaign was born from the insight that although every guest on a flight may be going to the same destination, they're not going to the same place. Recognizing this uniqueness is a fresh way to break through and celebrate WestJet and the role of WestJetters in meaningfully connecting guests to their most treasured stories.

The campaign takes flight with over 50 unique travel stories featured in television, online video, premium digital social placements, and an extensive range of high-impact billboards across the country. 

Jay Antflick, Cabin Crew Member at WestJet, who was featured in the spot, says, "We have a big role to play in getting our guests to the people, places, and moments that matter most to them. I love that the new commercial doubles down on what WestJet has always done well: championing our guests' stories and I'm honoured to be a part of those special memories."

Start your next travel story with WestJet.

.  

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Hydrogen Aviation Has to Be Done Properly or Not at All

IDTechEx’s report, “Sustainable Future Aviation 2025-2045: Trends, Technologies, Forecasts”, finds that hydrogen is likely to be a main contender for decarbonizing the aviation industry. The report finds that the hydrogen commercial airliner market will exceed US$20 billion in 2045. However, the technology used on the planes and the source of the hydrogen needs to be considered carefully before the industry can celebrate significant carbon reductions. If done incorrectly, hydrogen planes could be worse for the environment than existing jet fuel-powered planes, reports Dr James Jeffs, Principal Technology Analyst at IDTechEx.

Caption: Hypothetical example of carbon footprint of different hydrogen sources compared to jet fuel for one hour of flight in a H₂ICE and a hydrogen fuel cell powered Boeing 777-9. Source: IDTechEx

 

There are three key issues and choices that aerospace companies will be considering when it comes to the development and operation of hydrogen-powered commercial airliners:

 

1. Whether to use traditional jet engines adapted to run on hydrogen or a fuel-cell electric powertrain
2. Whether to use cryogenically cooled liquid hydrogen or pressurized hydrogen gas
3. What the source of the hydrogen should be, also referred to as its color.

 

The consequence of these decisions will impact the carbon footprint of operating a hydrogen airliner, the potential range of the airliner, and, therefore, its ability to replace jet fuel-powered routes. Making the wrong decisions at each stage could be the difference between a genuine impact on reducing GHG emissions from the aviation industry and hydrogen planes becoming a green-washing exercise.

 

Hydrogen internal combustion vs hydrogen fuel cell

 

Hydrogen internal combustion or H₂ICE will likely be very appealing to existing engine suppliers like Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, and Rolls-Royce. It uses largely the same design and componentry as existing jet-turbine engines with relatively minor changes to the fuel system and injectors to make them suitable for hydrogen. It would also be appealing for Boeing and Airbus, as operation and maintenance will look very similar to the existing model. The drawback is that jet engines won’t be as efficient as a fuel cell electric powertrain. In fact, the fuel cell plane will get approximately 50% more range for the same amount of hydrogen. Another way of looking at it is that the H₂ICE plane will generate 33% more carbon for the same journey length as the fuel-cell electric plane, assuming both are using a non-carbon-neutral hydrogen source. In fact, the efficiency difference is so great that a fuel-cell-powered plane would get about 50% more range than a H₂ICE plane for the same amount of hydrogen. Another way of looking at it is that the fuel-cell plane will have a 33% lower carbon footprint if both are fuelled with a non-carbon-neutral hydrogen source.

 

Fuel-cell electric planes will also have their challenges, and if left unsolved, could make them unviable in the first place. One of the key challenges is the longevity of the fuel cell. IDTechEx’s report “Sustainable Future Aviation 2025-2045: Trends, Technologies, Forecasts” finds that Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) are the most likely flavor of fuel cell to be used in hydrogen planes. Its main advantage is its power density over other fuel cell types. However, it also has a very short life expectancy compared to other technologies and compared to jet turbine engines. It is likely that the fuel cell could require replacing as often as every 18 months, increasing downtime and maintenance costs for the airlines. IDTechEx’s full report goes into further detail on the balance and compromises between H₂ICE and fuel-cell electric options, including total cost of ownership, potential ranges achievable, and carbon footprint differences.

RAF Mildenhall honour guard, an overseas perspective.

In the heart of the English countryside, a dedicated group of individuals at the Royal Air Force Mildenhall Honor Guard stands ready to uphold a long-standing tradition. With meticulous precision and unwavering dedication, they prepare to perform a ceremony that embodies the essence of honour, respect, and military excellence. As the sun casts its golden rays upon the racetrack, the crowd witnesses a captivating display of military precision and timeless tradition, writes Aidan Martinez, Airman 1st Class. 

According to the U.S. Air Force Honour Guard website, the ceremonial guardsman is an individual of good reputation, having integrity, ethical conduct and exhibiting standards which merit respect.

All branches of the U.S. Department of Defense have an honour guard - guards assigned to a ceremonial duty. The base honour guard is composed of five flights: colours, body bearers, firing party, training flight, and the drill team.

“We have a base honour guard creed that outlines what’s expected of us,” said Tech. Sgt. Cody Salzman, 67th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron specialist noncommissioned officer in charge. “We wear the uniform properly and proudly and perfect all movement throughout every drill and ceremony. We take pride in representing the U.S. Air Force and Team Mildenhall, so we try to do our best to be prepared and perform.”

At RAF Mildenhall, honour guardsmen gather for practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays for several hours every week. In the U.S., Airmen are typically dismissed from their primary duty for months at a time to solely perform honour guard duties. At overseas installations, Airmen split up their time between their primary duty and honour guard obligations.

“Juggling my job and being part of the base honour guard can be difficult sometimes when volunteering for ceremonies on weekends, but it is also rewarding since I get to take part in ceremonies and events I would not think to be a part of,” said Airman 1st Class Andres Sanchez, 727th Air Mobility Squadron air freight technician.

The base team consists of Airmen who volunteered to participate in the honour guard while also fulfilling their primary duty.

“In the U.K., it's just really good to see how they look at the Air Force because we're representing the Air Force,” Senior Airman Ricardo Potik, 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron material management. “It's just nice to see how they are welcoming us here and how they enjoy seeing us perform.”

Ceremonies taking place in the U.S. consist of four guardsmen carrying the Air Force flag and the U.S. flag and beside them two members with rifles. However, overseas, there is a fifth guardsman who carries the host nation's flag.

RAF Rivet Joint makes landmark journey

An RAF Rivet Joint has been the first to complete a surveillance journey from NATO’s most southerly point in the Mediterranean to the Barents Sea in the high north, supported by the United States Air Force.

An RAF Rivet Joint has been the first to complete a surveillance journey from NATO’s most southerly point in the Mediterranean to the Barents Sea in the high north, supported by the United States Air Force.

A noteworthy achievement with the aircraft launching from Souda Bay, in Greece, and transiting through multiple NATO partners’ airspace, including its newest member, Finland, up to the Barents Sea, prior to recovering to its home base; RAF Waddington.

The Air and Space Commander, Air Marshal Marshall emphasised the significance of the journey: "This is a landmark moment and demonstrates the UK’s unwavering commitment to NATO."

The RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft from 51 Squadron, forms part of the RAF’s Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Force and has the ability to hoover up a huge amount of data which on-board crew analysts can quickly process, exploit and then disseminate high-priority information to air and ground units in real-time. 

These aircraft are based on the old Boeing 707 airliners with different engines, the first RC135W - ZZ664 was delivered to the RAF on 12 November 2013. It entered operational service during the early part of 2014, taking part in Operation Shader against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The RAF has three of these aircraft, the second ZZ665 arrived in September 2015. The third ZZ666 was delivered in June 2017 and was most recently seen in the skies returning to its home base of RAF Waddington after completing a mission near the border of Ukraine. recently in the skies over Romania  

It is unclear when these near-vintage aircraft will be retired, as this keeps being extended, Boeing currently has a contract to support the aircraft until 2035 at a minimum cost of £970 million. The four-engined jets will be just a little over 70 years old at that time and definitely nearing the very end of serviceability. 

U.S. F-35B Lightning II aircraft lands on Japanese destroyer for the first time.......

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F-35B test jet begins sea trials with Japanese multi-functional destroyer in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

A U.S. F-35 Lightning II aircraft landed aboard Japan’s Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) for the first time on 20th October, off the southern coast of California to begin developmental test aboard the allies’ largest ship.

A test pilot flew a specially instrumented F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the 5th-generation air system and touched down about 3:15 p.m.

Sea trials will leverage the ship’s recent modifications to conduct fixed-wing aircraft operations. Changes to the Kaga included painting its flight deck with heat-resistant material that tolerates the F-35B’s vectored-thrust engines, installing lights for nighttime operations, and reshaping the flight deck’s bow from a trapezoid to a rectangular shape, reports Michael Land.

The trials will also pave the way for allies’ increased ability to operate in conjunction with each other.

“This test is essential for strengthening Japan's defence capabilities and is of utmost importance. We will do our best to achieve good test results together with the ITF,” said Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Capt. Shusaku Takeuchi, commanding officer, JS Kaga. “This test does not merely enhance the capabilities of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. It also improves the interoperability between Japan and the U.S., strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

The F-35 is detached from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS Pax River), Maryland. It joins a test team from the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF), who embarked the ship in San Diego.

In addition to F-35 test pilots, the Pax ITF team includes aircraft maintainers, flight test engineers, flight test control engineers, flight deck personnel, logisticians, and others, with support from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

"We are proud to be part of this joint effort to test the compatibility of F-35B aboard JS Kaga,” said Seth Dion, Pax ITF team lead. “Our team has prepared meticulously for this mission, and we are committed to working closely with our allies to achieve our shared goals and strengthen our partnership."

The sea trials are scheduled to take approximately three weeks.

JS Kaga set sail from its homeport at Kure Naval Base, Japan, in early September.

 

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Trip . com's IATA GoGlobal accreditation strengthens its recognition across the airline industry.

Trip . com has received the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) GoGlobal accreditation, the gold standard for travel agency validation and a milestone that recognises Trip . com's ability to operate and work with global airlines across multiple markets. 

IATA GoGlobal Certification

IATA's multi-country accreditation (also known as GoGlobal) is highly regarded and well-recognised as an accreditation model within the Passenger Sales Agency Rules. It recognises that the company has met rigorous global standards for handling international travel services within aviation, including ticketing and sales. Achieving IATA GoGlobal accreditation brings greater credibility and recognition to Trip.com, and helps simplify interaction with global airlines.

Building on a Strategic Partnership

This achievement follows Trip.com's recent entry into IATA's Strategic Partnership Programme, strengthening relationships with key industry stakeholders. The decision to join was driven by Trip . com's commitment to enhancing customer experience and staying at the forefront of product development and new technologies in the travel industry.