More than 150 new job vacancies at East Midlands Airport

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is recruiting more than 150 customer-facing roles within its security, car parks and passenger services teams as the airport anticipates a strong recovery in 2022.

Following the easing of temporary travel restrictions, which were introduced in response to the Omicron variant, has delivered a boost to the travel sector, with consumer confidence rising and bookings surging according to airlines and travel firms.

The airport’s recruitment drive is in anticipation of what is expected to be a busy summer season for passenger travel. Filling vacant security officer roles is the airport’s immediate priority as new starters will need to undergo compliance training, while other vacancies will be advertised in the coming weeks.

The aviation sector was hard-hit by the pandemic. However, a strong and rapid recovery is expected, and East Midlands Airport is forecasting that passenger numbers this year will reach 75-80% of pre-pandemic levels. If achieved, 2022 will be the busiest year for passengers since pre-Covid.

The passenger airlines that serve EMA – Ryanair, JET2, TUI, easyJet, and Aurigny – connect holidaymakers to popular holiday-hotspots across mainland Europe, Eastern Europe and North Africa. The busiest months for passenger travel are April to October during which time two-thirds of annual travellers use the airport.

Customer-facing roles such as those being currently recruited to are critical not only to ensuring safety and compliance but also for making people’s experience of travel a positive one. These roles are ‘front-of-house’ and are ideal for those who enjoy interacting with customers and working as part of a team. The hours offered are also ideal for job seekers looking for a positive work-life balance from a shift pattern.

More new flights from London City Airport........expansion to route network for BA CityFlyer

Whilst British Airways may be consolidating its North American route offering at the moment, the carrier is expanding services offered from London City Airport to key European markets. 

The British Airways subsidiary  BA CityFlyer is launching four new routes across Europe as well as reinstating services to the Channel Islands. 

New routes include Luxembourg and Milan starting from 27 March and will operate daily. In June the carrier will start a weekly rotation to Thessaloniki every Saturday and from 19th June a service to Barcelona will start operating six days a week. 

Routes to Jersey and Guernsey are also returning following the launch in Summer 2021.  Flights will operate on Monday and Friday from 20 June to 2 September.  

Tom Stoddart, Managing Director of BA CityFlyer, which will operate the new services, said: “As customers start to plan their next summer getaway, we wanted to offer new routes to some of the most popular European destinations.  Conveniently accessible from London City airport, they are a great addition to our extensive network.”

The flights are all scheduled to be operated by the airline's E190 aircraft, a narrow-body, twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by the Brazilian aerospace company, Embraer. BA CityFlyer operates these aircraft to the bulk of its destinations from London City Airport. 

The aircraft is a low wing design with engines mounted below the wings which are fitted with winglets, which reduces the drag and provides increased lift and improved efficiency. The high-performance, high-efficiency engines are very quiet and the aircraft exceeds the noise and emission-related requirements established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Number in fleet 24
Passenger capacity98 (1 or 2 class)

Length                 38.7m (126 feet 1 inch)

Wingspan         28.7m (94 feet 3 inches)

Engines                 2× General Electric CF34-10E turbofans

Range                 3,334km (2,072 miles)

Seating Plan

Finnair Traffic Performance in December 2021

Photo Mikko Pylkkö

Clear improvement in passenger traffic figures, although the COVID-19 pandemic impact still visible in December; cargo continued to excel

In December, Finnair carried 602,700 passengers, which was 551.4% more than in December 2020. The number of passengers in December 2021 was 23.8% more than in November 2021 (month-on-month figures are not fully comparable as there is one fewer day in November).

The COVID-19 impact, including the strict travel restrictions imposed by several countries due to the Omicron variant, still affected all passenger traffic figures. It was particularly visible in the North Atlantic and Asian figures even though travel from both Finland and Sweden to the United States and e.g. Thailand opened in November, thereby increasing the number of passengers carried by Finnair.

The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in December by 554.4% year-on-year and by 26.8% month-on-month. Finnair operated, on average, 230 daily flights (cargo-only included), which was 206.7% more than in December 2020 and 15.6% more than in November 2021. The differences between capacity figures compared to December 2020 are explained by the longer average stage length of flights operated and by the larger gauge of aircraft operated. Finnair's traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 1,081.5% year-on-year and by 49.8% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased by 24.3% points to 54.4% year-on-year and by 8.4% points month-on-month.

Jet Edge International Receives Further Investment from KKR

$75 million in new funding to support continued business growth, adds 20 new Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft.

Jet Edge International, the Ohio-based private aviation company, has raised an additional $75 million of funding from credit funds and accounts managed by KKR. The new funding expands KKR’s total credit and equity investments in Jet Edge to approximately $265 million over the past year.

Following the initial $150 million credit facility announced in June 2021, KKR has continued investing in Jet Edge amidst historic demand for its direct-to-consumer Reserve Membership program. Jet Edge will utilize the funding to further expand the company’s extensive Gulfstream and Challenger fleet.

“With KKR support, Jet Edge has grown the Reserve Membership program to record numbers,” comments Jet Edge International CEO Bill Papariella. “KKR’s most recent investment in Jet Edge speaks to its confidence in our mission to deliver scaled private aviation solutions with industry-leading service and new capital to support those efforts with continued fleet growth.”

Jet Edge has 20 additional Gulfstream & Challenger aircraft slated to be delivered in the first half of 2022 in addition to the 27 delivered in 2021, bringing its total fleet size to 95 aircraft.

Patrick Clancy, Director at KKR, said: “In a challenging environment, the Jet Edge team are executing on their strategy and have delivered impressive growth for the business in 2021 while maintaining a disciplined operating platform that puts their customers first. We are excited to increase our investment in order to further support the growth of Jet Edge’s fleet as they continue to expand their innovative Reserve membership and AdvantEdge product lines.”

In the past 12 months, Jet Edge has achieved 1,800% year-on-year growth in new member acquisitions. Jet Edge has solidified the company’s national footprint while providing a solid foundation to grow future membership programs.

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities.

Jet Edge is a leader in full-service global private aviation. As an integrated super-midsize and large cabin management operator and maintenance provider, Jet Edge services aircraft owners and charter flyers with a world-class operational platform and extends individual clients and corporations 365-day-a-year access to one of the most diverse and luxurious aircraft fleets in the world.

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Volotea Becomes First Navitaire New Skies Airline Operating in the Cloud

Navitaire and Volotea, the airline of Europe’s small and mid-sized cities, achieved an important milestone in their accelerated journey to the public cloud. Volotea is the first Navitaire airline customer to migrate its entire digital-first airline reservations and retailing platform, New Skies®, to Microsoft Azure. Navitaire, an Amadeus company, provides technology and business solutions to the airline industry, powering more than 60 of the world’s leading low-cost and hybrid carriers today.

For Volotea, the New Skies platform migration to Azure positions the airline to become a data-driven airline, plus enable greater innovation and higher growth via personalized digital experiences. New Skies joins Volotea’s other integrated solutions from Navitaire operating on Azure, including its Digital Platform, payments engine and SkyLedger® revenue accounting platform. Volotea is the first of Navitaire’s customers to move its Navitaire solutions portfolio to Azure.

With the successful migration of Volotea’s full New Skies platform to Azure, Navitaire delivers on its mission to leverage the cloud to enable greater innovation, scalability, security and performance. The move lets Navitaire execute key cloud strategies to improve its operational capabilities with enhanced abilities to dynamically scale, automate resiliency and unlock richer operational insights through on-demand information and optimization. Navitaire migrated its Digital Platform, NDC Gateway, rich telemetry portal and data streaming services to Azure in early 2021.

“Our goal is to enable passengers with a seamless end-to-end experience. For us, migrating New Skies to Microsoft Azure will allow Volotea to stay ahead in innovation, to improve our data-driven strategy, and ultimately to achieve best-in-class personalized digital experience to our customers,” said Alex de Jesús, Volotea’s Chief Experience Officer. “Our digital evolution roadmap aims to be more agile and improve the efficiency of our operations. By building on Navitaire’s cloud services, we are becoming more competitive in providing the best response to travelers' demands,” he added.

CDB Aviation Names Michelle Wu Head of Commercial, Greater China

CDB Aviation, a wholly-owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., announced the appointment of Michelle Wu as Head of Commercial, Greater China.

“Michelle is a seasoned aviation executive, well versed in anticipating and addressing the critical needs of airlines and leveraging market opportunities to stimulate growth, who will further entrench our comprehensive coverage within the Chinese market,” commented Peter Goodman, CDB Aviation Chief Marketing Officer.

Wu’s more than three decades of experience in aviation finance and aircraft leasing is anchored with her impressive history of transactional execution, deal origination and negotiation, as well as her vast network of connections with Chinese airlines and key aviation stakeholders.

Wu joins CDB Aviation from GECAS, where she spent a more than two-decade career holding various executive roles focused on executing marketing efforts and nurturing key airline relationships in the region. Most recently, she was Senior Vice President Marketing Commercial & Regional Manager China, leading the lease placement, extension, and sale and leaseback of more than 350 new and used aircraft and freighters. Prior to GECAS, Wu was Deputy Director of Leasing Office at Civil Aviation Administration of China (“CAAC”), where she arranged aircraft financings for CAAC affiliate airlines and, in her regulatory capacity, participated in drafting the related aviation laws and regulations in China. Wu holds an undergraduate degree from Nankai University and a postgraduate degree from the University of Limerick.

“I look forward to working alongside my colleagues, tapping into my intricate market knowledge and relationships, to deepen our customer relationships and seek further growth opportunities in China,” commented Michelle Wu, the newly appointed Head of Commercial, Greater China.

Patrick Hannigan, CDB Aviation’s Chief Executive Officer, concluded: “CDB Aviation’s ongoing growth and success in the marketplace will continue to be driven by a priority focus on China and its significance as a critical aviation market. Michelle is a leader of the highest calibre and joins our best-in-class team of leasing and finance leaders who deliver on the strength of our brand as a global, full-service lessor. Our team remains focused on our long-term vision by working with airline customers, our shareholder, and other stakeholders to support the industry recovery while building for the future.”

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4AIR Enables 250,000 Carbon-Neutral Flight Hours in First Year to Curb Private Jet Travel’s Impact on Climate Change

4AIR programs offset or reduce private jet emissions of carbon dioxide and other climate-changing pollutants

Since inception, 4AIR has helped offset more than 1 million metric tons of CO2

All offset credits from flight activity of 4AIR partners support many of the world’s most impactful forestation and clean energy projects.

4AIR, the first and only rating system focused on comprehensive sustainability in private aviation, today announced that, since launching in January 2021, it has helped private jet owners, operators and passengers voluntarily offset or reduce more than 1 million metric tons of CO2 through the use of verified carbon offsets and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), dramatically reducing the private aviation industry’s impact on the climate. 

In total, 4AIR programs have:

Facilitated more than 250,000 carbon-neutral flight hours, reducing the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by jets during flight;

Offset more than 80,000 emissions-neutral flight hours, accounting not only for CO2 but also for non-carbon emissions that affect the climate such as soot, water vapor and contrails;

Made possible more than 125 million carbon neutral flight miles, the equivalent of 262 round trips to the moon.

“Climate change is the greatest sustainability challenge we face, and it is critical that we do everything we can to offset or reduce emissions of CO2 and other pollutants that affect the climate,” said 4AIR President Kennedy Ricci. “Our goal is to help aviation stakeholders become part of the solution to climate change, and the strong response to our programs during 2021 convinces us that aviation is willing to be a leader in the sustainability space.”

During its first year, 4AIR launched increasingly progressive ratings programs to promote sustainability through carbon neutrality via carbon offsets, emissions neutrality via offsets and actual emissions reduction through measures such as SAF. Its programs have attracted participation from stakeholders across the private aviation spectrum. These include some of the world’s most prominent fractional, jet card and charter travel providers as well as aircraft management companies, corporate flight departments, individuals, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), airports and fixed base operators (FBOs).

Other 4AIR initiatives during 2021 included:

ZEVA Successfully Completes Historic First Test Flight

ZEVA, a pioneer in zero-emission electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft transportation, successfully achieved its first untethered, powered, controlled flight test for its full-scale ZEVA ZERO flying wing airframe utilizing its eight zero-emission electric motor-driven propellers. The major milestone for the Tacoma-based startup was captured in this new video in rural Pierce County, Washington, on Sunday, January 9th, 2022 as part of its rigorous test program to achieve FAA airworthiness certification.

The zero-emissions electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft reaches critical milestone, flying untethered in its first series of taxiing tests

The uncrewed ZEVA demonstration aircraft completed four flights, totalling more than four minutes of controlled hovering, simulated taxiing manoeuvres at slow speeds, and limited vertical climb manoeuvres. Its compact airframe is designed for a single pilot and is small enough to fit in a standard automobile parking space. The vehicle is projected to cruise at speeds of up to 160 mph with a range of up to 50 miles, optimizing point-to-point travel.

“This is a huge inflection point for ZEVA as we join an exclusive set of proven flying eVTOL platforms, and a testament to the relentless hard work and ingenuity of our entire team over the past two and half years,” said Stephen Tibbitts, CEO and Chairman of ZEVA. “We are dissecting our learnings from our critical first taxiing flight, which is a direct result of the support we’ve received from our investors and community, leading us to bring in additional talent to spearhead this historic moment. We are eager to continue to our next stage of hover flight testing on our road to certification and eventual autonomous flight allowing anyone, not just pilots, to access zero-emission point-to-point travel.”

Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. Prices $425 Million Convertible Senior Notes Offering

Virgin Galactic Holdings, announced the pricing of its offering of $425 million aggregate principal amount of 2.50% convertible senior notes due 2027 (the “notes”) in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The issuance and sale of the notes are scheduled to settle on January 19, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. Virgin Galactic also granted the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date when the notes are first issued, up to an additional $75 million principal amount of notes.

The notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of Virgin Galactic and will accrue interest at a rate of 2.50% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1 of each year, beginning on August 1, 2022. The notes will mature on February 1, 2027, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Prior to November 1, 2026, noteholders will have the right to convert their notes only upon the occurrence of certain events. On and after November 1, 2026, noteholders will have the right to convert their notes at any time at their election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. Virgin Galactic will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its common stock or a combination of cash and shares of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “common stock”), at its election, based on the conversion rate. The initial conversion rate is 78.1968 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $12.79 per share of common stock. The initial conversion price represents a premium of approximately 27.5% over the last reported sale price of $10.03 per share of Virgin Galactic’s common stock on January 13, 2022. The conversion rate and conversion price will be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events.

Loft Orbital signs agreement with Airbus to procure more than fifteen Arrow satellite platforms

Industry first: Loft Orbital signs agreement with Airbus to procure more than fifteen Arrow satellite platforms

Tangible proof of What’s Next in Space: the entire space ecosystem working together to deliver the best space possible

Airbus has been contracted to supply space start-up Loft Orbital with more than fifteen satellite platforms derived from the Airbus Arrow platform.  Arrow is the foundational satellite platform of the OneWeb constellation. There are 394 Airbus Arrow platforms in orbit for the OneWeb constellation and a further 254 are being produced to complete the 648 spacecraft required by OneWeb. With this acquisition, Loft Orbital confirms its intention to make the Airbus Arrow platform a true workhorse enabling its service business model.

Loft Orbital offers a true end-to-end service enabling customers to rapidly deploy and operate their payloads on reliable high-performance satellites at an unprecedented simplicity and affordability. Loft Orbital has also contracted Airbus to modify the Arrow platform to make it suitable for a wider range of longer lifetime missions and applications. Loft Orbital has offices both in the USA and France, being based in the heart of Silicon Valley in San Francisco, and in the European space capital Toulouse, and intends to continue rapidly growing its French presence following this contract relationship with Airbus.

Airbus previously benefitted from public support to develop the Arrow platform and OneWeb pilot line in Toulouse.

Bruno Le Maire, French minister for the Economy, Finances and the Recovery, said: “This groundbreaking contract between start up Loft Orbital and global space leader Airbus is a very good news. It demonstrates the uptake of New Space companies in France and the synergy across the space ecosystem for developing industry wide innovation. It also testifies the speed at which the French space ecosystem is growing, with start-ups, SMEs, and large groups working together to provide world-class solutions, and fully validates the ongoing government strategy and initiatives to develop a vibrant and growing next space innovation ecosystem. I am very pleased that the project presented by Loft with the support of Airbus relies on French suppliers, more than 60% of the value being created in France.”

BOC Aviation lists its operational transactions for the fourth quarter and 2021

BOC Aviation Limited has announced its operational transactions for the fourth quarter and year
as of 31 December 2021.

Robert Martin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased to achieve robust performance in 2021 in a challenging operating environment. During the year, we took delivery of 52 aircraft and sold 26 owned and managed aircraft, ending the year with a total fleet of 521 aircraft. Our fleet remains one of the industry’s most attractive, with a young average age of 3.9 years and long average remaining lease term of 8.3 years. Looking ahead, our portfolio positions us well to serve the growth and replacement requirements of our airline customers.”

 

Transactions Summary 

 

·       A total fleet of 521 aircraft owned, managed and on order1

·        An average aircraft age of 3.9 years and an average remaining lease term of 8.3 years for the 380 owned aircraft fleet, both weighted by net book value

·        Order book of 104 aircraft1

·        Executed a total of 42 transactions in the fourth quarter of 2021 and 160 in 2021:

·          Took delivery of nine aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2021, and 52 in total in 2021 (including seven acquired by airline customers on delivery)

·          Sold 12 owned aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2021, which brought the total number of owned and managed aircraft sold during the year to 26

·          Signed 21 lease commitments in the fourth quarter of 2021, bringing the total for 2021 to 74

·        Customer base of 86 airlines in 38 countries and regions in the owned and managed portfolios

·       Managed fleet comprised 37 aircraft, with two single-aisle aircraft off lease. A signed lease is in place for one of the single-aisle aircraft, scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2022

·        Owned aircraft utilisation at 98.5%, with five single-aisle and five twin-aisle aircraft off lease. Signed leases are in place for all five twin-aisle aircraft, scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2022

 

British Airways launches latest sale. 750,000 tickets for £39

British Airways has today launched a short-haul flash sale with up to 750,000 seats available to destinations across Europe and the UK for £39 or less, with the lowest flights being just £28 each way.

This limited time offer is available on short-haul flights from Heathrow, as well as the airline’s services from Gatwick when it returns to short-haul flying from the airport on 28 March.

Popular destinations in the sale include*:

• Heathrow to Barcelona, from £30 each way
• Heathrow to Jersey, from £34 each way
• Gatwick to Malta, from £34 each way
• Gatwick to Milan, from £29 each way
• Gatwick to Nice, from £28 each way
• Heathrow to Palma de Mallorca, from £28 each way
• Heathrow to Prague, from £33 each way
• Gatwick to Venice, from £30 each way

Colm Lacy, British Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said “As we begin the new year, we are excited to launch our short-haul flash sale to popular holiday hotspots. With fantastic savings to be had, customers need to book fast to make the most of these offers. Whether it be for a short break or a long-anticipated holiday to visit friends or loved ones, we have a wide array of domestic and European destinations for our customers to choose from.”

This flash sale offer coincides with the current British Airways and British Airways Holidays sale, which is running until 25 January. This includes flights and holiday packages to destinations in Europe, such as Palma de Mallorca, Prague and Venice, from £119pp when you book before 25 January.

Customers booking with the airline can do so with absolute confidence thanks to the airline’s flexible booking policy, book by 17 January with the option to change later. British Airways Holidays’ customers also have access to a range of additional flexible booking options, as part of the company’s Book with Confidence policy.

On short-haul services, the airline’s Speedbird Cafe is available for pre-purchase in Euro Traveller featuring a gourmet range by Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kerridge. In Club Europe British Airways serves a selection of delicious meals including full British breakfast, lunch, traditional afternoon tea and dinner, depending on the flight time.

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Delta reports adjusted pre-tax loss of $3.4 billion in 2021

Delta Air Lines today reported financial results for the December quarter and full year 2021 and provided its outlook for the March quarter 2022.  Highlights of the December quarter and full year 2021 results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are on page five and are incorporated here.

"2021 was a year like no other for Delta, with significant progress in our recovery supported by growing brand preference, enabling us to be the only major U.S. airline to deliver profitability across the second half of the year," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer.  "As always, our people drove this success, which is why we were happy to announce this morning a special profit-sharing payment for all eligible employees."

"While the rapidly spreading omicron variant has significantly impacted staffing levels and disrupted travel across the industry, Delta's operation has stabilized over the last week and returned to pre-holiday performance," Bastian said.  "Omicron is expected to temporarily delay the demand recovery 60 days, but as we look past the peak, we are confident in a strong spring and summer travel season with significant pent-up demand for consumer and business travel."

December Quarter 2021 Financial Results 

Adjusted pre-tax income of $170 million excludes a net impact of $564 million primarily in equity method losses, mark-to-market adjustments on investments and special profit-sharing payment

Adjusted operating revenue of $8.4 billion, which excludes third-party refinery sales, was 74 percent recovered versus December quarter 2019 on capacity that was 79 percent restored

Total operating expense decreased $833 million compared to the December quarter 2019. Adjusted for costs from third-party refinery sales, total operating expense decreased $1.9 billion or 19% percent in the December quarter 2021 versus the comparable 2019 period

Remuneration from American Express in the quarter was $1.2 billion, up 11 percent compared to the December quarter 2019

At the end of the December quarter, the company had $14.2 billion in liquidity, including cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and undrawn revolving credit facilities

Full Year 2021 Financial Results 

Adjusted pre-tax loss of $3.4 billion excludes a net benefit of $3.8 billion from items primarily related to the Payroll Support Programs (PSP), partially offset by equity method losses, debt extinguishment charges and special profit-sharing payment

Generated a pre-tax profit of $1.1 billion in the second half of 2021. Excluding PSP, mark-to-market adjustments, equity method losses and debt extinguishment charges reported an adjusted pre-tax profit of $386 million in the second half of 2021

Adjusted operating revenue of $26.7 billion, which excludes third-party refinery sales, was 57 percent recovered versus full year 2019 on capacity that was 71 percent restored

Total operating expense, which includes $4.5 billion of benefit related to PSP, decreased $12.4 billion compared to 2019. Adjusted for the benefits related to PSP and costs from third-party refinery sales, total operating expense, adjusted decreased $10.9 billion or 27 percent versus 2019

Remuneration from American Express for full year 2021 was $4.0 billion, 98 percent restored compared to full year 2019

Invested $2.9 billion back in the business and reduced financial obligations by $7 billion, including fully funding the pension plans on a Pension Protection Act (PPA) basis

The company had total debt and finance lease obligations of $26.9 billion with adjusted net debt of $20.6 billion at the end of December 2021

Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services Avails Online Air Cargo Booking Platform

Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, Africa’s largest network operator has launched a  new feature that enables customers to make online reservations for their cargo.  

The platform enables customers check flight schedules, space availability, loadability of  freight and make real-time booking of their shipment in single and convenient way on cargobooking.ethiopianairlines.com. 

Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services is rolling out the online booking subsequent to its introduction of the mobile application to heighten its customer’s experience. The Mobile  App which is available for Android and IOS, brings convenience to customers with a  real-time update through a range of self-service features. On the Mobile App, customers can check flight schedule, submit enquiry, receive notifications when the shipment is ready, book charter flights and track shipments. 

Ethiopian Airlines GCEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam said “We are pleased to offer our customers with convenience in their experience of air cargo booking. We are committed to start walking the long walk of taking out paper from entire air cargo process by digitalizing the logistics value chain. Taking out paper from logistics value chain is not only a convenient and hassle-free service for customers but also it delivers more efficient operational excellence and achieves long term sustainability goals. Our online booking platform will be crucial in empowering direct cargo customers and forwarders with reliable access to our cargo capacity inventory. Besides, our cargo  division has proved to the world that it is a genuine partner in times of dire need by delivering lifesaving PPE’s (Personal Protective Equipment) and hundreds of millions various vaccines to all  major continents of the world.”  

Ethiopian provides its customers with fully automated cargo service using the latest technologies for data, information and market intelligence with 100% e-AWB from its main hub in Addis Ababa. Ethiopian Airlines has transformed its cargo operations and provides fully automated cargo service with one of the latest Cargo IT systems by  adopting the latest aviation systems and technologies. 

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Finnair cutting February schedule.....

The omicron coronavirus variant and flu season has led to a significant increase of sick leave among staff at Finnair and its partners. To cope with the resource challenges, Finnair is now reducing its traffic programme for the month of February by around 20% and offering other flight options to its customers. These flight cancellations will enable Finnair to operate a more flexible schedule and adapt to the expected rise in sick leave across different functions at Finnair and its partners. 

“Staff sick leave is now significantly impacting Finnair and airports in Finland as well as throughout the world. We aim to meet these resourcing challenges through the cancellation of flights, to avoid last-minute changes and better manage our customers’ expectations. This will give customers more time to prepare for flight schedule changes and adjust their travel plans if needed,” says Ole Orvér, Chief Commercial Officer at Finnair. 

"We are sorry for the inconvenience and disruption this may cause to our customers. However, reducing our traffic programme is necessary to better offer a smooth travel experience in the face of the expected resource challenges,” Orvér continues. 

The majority of the cancelled flights are on routes where Finnair operates multiple daily flights, so many customers will be offered an alternative flight on the same day. These destinations include, for example, services to Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris and Rome. 

BA CityFlyer expanding European routes from London City Airport.

Whilst British Airways may be consolidating its North American route offering at the moment, the carrier is expanding services offered from London City Airport to key European markets. 

The British Airways subsidiary  BA CityFlyer is launching four new routes across Europe as well as reinstating services to the Channel Islands. 

New routes include Luxembourg and Milan starting from 27 March and will operate daily. In June the carrier will start a weekly rotation to Thessaloniki every Saturday and from 19th June a service to Barcelona will start operating six days a week. 

Routes to Jersey and Guernsey are also returning following the launch in Summer 2021.  Flights will operate on Monday and Friday from 20 June to 2 September.  

Tom Stoddart, Managing Director of BA CityFlyer, which will operate the new services, said: “As customers start to plan their next summer getaway, we wanted to offer new routes to some of the most popular European destinations.  Conveniently accessible from London City airport, they are a great addition to our extensive network.”

The flights are all scheduled to be operated by the airline's E190 aircraft, a narrow-body, twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by the Brazilian aerospace company, Embraer. BA CityFlyer operates these aircraft to the bulk of its destinations from London City Airport. 

The aircraft is a low wing design with engines mounted below the wings which are fitted with winglets, which reduces the drag and provides increased lift and improved efficiency. The high-performance, high-efficiency engines are very quiet and the aircraft exceeds the noise and emission-related requirements established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Number in fleet 24
Passenger capacity98 (1 or 2 class)

Length                 38.7m (126 feet 1 inch)

Wingspan         28.7m (94 feet 3 inches)

Engines                 2× General Electric CF34-10E turbofans

Range                 3,334km (2,072 miles)

Seating Plan

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Cirrus Aircraft unveils the 2022 G6 SR Series

Cirrus Aircraft has revealed the 2022 G6 SR Series featuring a refined aircraft design with reduced drag for increased fuel efficiency, Cirrus IQ™ mobile app updates and the freedom to pair premium Xi aesthetic options. The 2022 G6 SR reaches all new levels of sophistication, performance and customer convenience.

“The model year 2022 G6 SR is refreshed to seamlessly sync with your life – taking you further, keeping you connected and distinguishing your style in the air and on the ramp. This latest update to the G6 embodies our passion for continued innovation and commitment to design,” said Ivy McIver, Director of the SR Series Product Line. “We are excited to continue introducing more people to personal aviation and empowering their Cirrus Life story.”

Now in its sixth generation with over 8,000 aircraft delivered, the SR Series leads the market as the best-selling, high-performance, single-engine piston aircraft for 20 years in a row and provides seamless luxury, exceptional performance, intelligent connectivity and unparalleled safety features.

“The new G6 SR Series is a testament to our devotion to constantly enhance both comfort and safety features across our product lines,” said Zean Nielsen, CEO of Cirrus Aircraft. “In 2022, we are poised to continue as the market leader in personal aviation and streamline the flying experience with the G6 SR Series aircraft.”

Air Astana restarting flights from Almaty

Air Astana has offered a brief updating on the resumption of flights from Almaty following the days of unrest and violence on the streets of Kazakhstan.

The airline will be gradually restarted from 13 January in addition to fully reestablished flights to/from Nur Sultan.

A limited and revised schedule has been published on its website, along with details of various repatriation flights. Latest updates on our flights (airastana.com)

Passengers with reservations will be contacted by Air Astana,  they advise that if your flight is scheduled to depart between now and 19 January 2022, you may either rebook your tickets free of charge for any date until 28 February 2022 or get a full refund.

According to local media, the Kazakhstan authorities have arrested nearly 1700 people in the last 24 hours or so because of the unrest that erupted across the country over the last ten days. This takes the total to around 12,000 detained for alleged involvement. 

Heavily armed soldiers lead by Russian forces as part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are currently guarding various key sites including airports, military sites, power plants in and around Almaty and other locations around the country. 

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New cargo airline from Reliable Robotics

Reliable Robotics, a leader in automated aircraft systems, has announced the appointments of David DeRose as Director of Finance and Lee Tomlinson as Director of Operations to the company’s fully-owned airline subsidiary in preparation for its first commercial cargo flights. 

DeRose and Tomlinson join Jeff Drees, Director of Cargo Strategy, to begin cargo services this year. Reliable Robotics will continue to grow its airline team and operational experience as part of a phased certification approach to bring its Remotely Operated Aircraft System and services to market.

Today commercial aircraft typically fly through larger hubs, while many rural and remote communities are not serviced regularly. Reliable Robotics is building a remotely piloted system that has the capability to land on almost any airstrip, enabling point-to-point deliveries to underserved regional airports. Once the system is certified for commercial use, cargo operators will be able to expand direct routes to more locations and gain the flexibility to fly more frequently with remotely piloted aircraft. The versatile system can be adapted to almost any aircraft, including new electric and hybrid-electric propulsion platforms.

"We are working with leading cargo carriers eager to integrate remotely piloted systems into their fleets," explained Jeff Drees, Director of Cargo Strategy for Reliable Robotics and former Co-owner and Chief Commercial Officer of Ameriflight. "By demonstrating crewed air cargo delivery first, we will build a solid foundation for the transition to remotely operated flights."

BA axing some US flights......

The UK's British Airways is putting some of its U.S. bound services on hold due to poor sales, the airline confirmed this week. 

BA is axing Baltimore from 17 January, Nashville from 16 January and New Orleans from 15 January with affected passengers being offered a full refund or free date changes.  Current plans will see the routes reintroduced to the schedule during April or May, although the carrier wouldn't guarantee this on Wednesday, 

An airline spokesperson apologised to customers whose travel plans had been affected and blamed the lack of numbers on the coronavirus and indicated more changes were possible due to lack of demand and its dynamic scheduling policy.  

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Supply Chain Disruptions Halve November Air Cargo Growth

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air cargo markets showing slower growth in November 2021. Supply chain disruptions and capacity constraints impacted demand, despite economic conditions remaining favorable for the sector.  As comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons below are to November 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs*), was up 3.7% compared to November 2019 (4.2% for international operations). This was significantly lower than the 8.2% growth seen in October 2021 (9.2% for international operations) and in previous months.   Capacity was 7.6% below November 2019 (-7.9% for international operations). This was relatively unchanged from October. Capacity remains constrained with bottlenecks at key hubs.    Economic conditions continue to support air cargo growth, however supply chain disruptions are slowing growth. Several factors should be noted: ​​​​​​ Labor shortages, partly due to employees being in quarantine, insufficient storage space at some airports and processing backlogs exacerbated by the year end rush created supply chain disruptions. Several key airports, including New York’s JFK, Los Angeles and Amsterdam Schiphol reported congestion.   Retail sales in the US and China remain strong. In the US retail sales were 23.5% above November 2019 levels. And in China online sales for Singles’ Day were 60.8% above their 2019 levels.   Global goods trade rose 4.6% in October (latest month of data), compared to pre-crisis levels, the best rate of growth since June. Global industrial production was up 2.9% over the same period.    The inventory-to-sales ratio remains low. This is positive for air cargo as manufacturers turn to air cargo to rapidly meet demand.    The recent surge in COVID-19 cases in many advanced economies has created strong demand for PPE shipments, which are usually carried by air.   The November global Supplier Delivery Time Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) was at 36.4. While values below 50 are normally favorable for air cargo, in current conditions it points to delivery times lengthening because of supply bottlenecks.

Saudi Arabia’s World Defense Show to generate thousands of jobs plus SAR700 million economic impact, according to EY report

Founded by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Saudi Arabia’s inaugural World Defense Show is set to have a major impact on the Kingdom’s local economy, according to a report by consultancy Ernst & Young (EY) –generating thousands of jobs plus an economic impact of SAR 700 million.

As Saudi Arabia looks to localize 50% of its military expenditure under national Vision 2030 objectives, the event – taking place in Riyadh from 6-9 March 2022 under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – will unlock opportunities for international exhibitors and visitors to be part of the Kingdom’s growth.

World Defense Show is a display and demonstration of integrated and innovation-driven defense solutions, set to serve as the global stage for defense interoperability. The inaugural World Defense Show will take place biennially starting March 2022 in Riyadh - Saudi Arabia, to showcase the latest in interoperable defense solutions. The event will be held in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s key leadership, international delegations and prominent industry decision makers from around the world. To learn more about the show, visit www.worlddefenseshow.com

According to the EY analysis, which considered factors ranging from daily visitor spend to imports and exports, World Defense Show will create SAR 700 million of economic activity by 2030.

The figures also suggest that 4,825 Saudi-based jobs will be directly supported by the show in sectors including hospitality, construction and transport.

World Defense Show will demonstrate Saudi Arabia’s defense ecosystem and capabilities, featuring local entities like show founder General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Ministry of Defense, Ministry of National Guard, Ministry of Interior, Presidency of State Security and WDS Strategic Partner Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI).

With the vast majority of exhibition space allocated across the 800,000 sqm purpose-built venue, the event has attracted overwhelming interest from the global defense industry.

Multinational firms and start-ups across air, land, sea, space and security are set to exhibit and demonstrate their latest assets and technologies in an optimal networking environment for collaboration and innovation. 

Registration for industry professionals is available now through the World Defense Show website. All vetted international attendees will receive a complimentary multi-entry visa to Saudi Arabia – valid for one year – to facilitate progress and developments in the Kingdom’s defense industry post-show.  

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American Airlines and Aer Lingus launch new codeshare deal

The U.S. mega carrier American Airlines has signed a new codeshare deal with the Irish contingent of IAG Aer Lingus this week. This new deal will increase connectivity between the U.S and Europe for customers, American will place its code on Aer Lingus flights between London Heathrow (LHR) and Dublin (DUB). Customers can also book codeshare flights on Aer Lingus from DUB to Amsterdam (AMS); Birmingham, UK (BHX); London Gatwick (LGW) and Manchester, UK (MAN); and from LHR to Belfast City, Northern Ireland (BHD); Cork, Ireland (ORK) and Shannon, Ireland (SNN).

“We are excited to extend our relationship with our newest joint business partner, Aer Lingus, with this codeshare agreement,” said Anmol Bhargava, American’s vice president of Alliances. “Through our trans-Atlantic joint business, customers have more choices to key destinations in Europe and now, Ireland.”

Additionally, customers travelling with Aer Lingus will now be able to book codeshare travel on American Airlines flights from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Albuquerque, New Mexico, (ABQ); Nashville, Tennessee (BNA); Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW); Los Angeles (LAX); Seattle (SEA); San Francisco (SFO); San Jose, California (SJC) and Tucson, Arizona (TUS).

Further expansion of the codeshare is also planned in the near future.

Reid Moody, Aer Lingus’ Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, said: “After almost two years of restricted travel we know that demand for dream vacations, business travel, and reconnecting families and friends in 2022 and beyond will be stronger than ever. We are delighted that through the codeshare agreement with American Airlines, Aer Lingus customers will be able to avail of greater connectivity options and more seamless travel between the U.S. and Europe via our Dublin hub, which also has the added benefit of US Customs & Border Protection (CBP) pre-clearance located in Dublin. Last week’s decision by the Irish Government to remove pre-departure COVID-19 test requirements for double-vaccinated passengers is more welcome news for those planning to travel. We look forward to extending our warm Aer Lingus welcome to more and more customers in the months ahead.”

Aer Lingus joined the Atlantic Joint Business (AJB) between American, British Airways, Iberia and Finnair last year. The AJB has brought significant benefits, such as lower fares and easier journeys to more destinations with better aligned schedules and frequencies, to millions of passengers since its launch in 2010.

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