IAG Cargo boosts Latin American service with increased flights to Bogota and Buenos Aires

and new capacity between Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG) announces that it has increased services to Colombia and Argentina from Madrid, whilst offering daily capacity between Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires. The business now services 17 destinations in Latin America from Madrid, London and Barcelona.

IAG Cargo has particularly increased services to Colombia, with 14 flights per week now operating between Madrid and Bogota (up on the previous 10), while the three flights per week schedule into Cali is maintained. It has also increased services between Madrid-Buenos Aires from 8 to 10 flights per week, and services between London-Heathrow and Mexico City increase to 7 per week (up from the previous 5). IAG Cargo’s new service between Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires, will enable the flow of goods between the two cities, and the opportunity to fly freight across its network onto busy transatlantic trade lanes. All services utilise the Group’s wide-body aircraft.

IAG Cargo now offers capacity to nearly every destination in Latin America which it operated pre-pandemic with over 250 weekly services in total and all utilising wide-body aircraft. This service has proved particularly valuable to the automotive and manufacturing industries which utilise air freight between the regions, and to the medical sector. The extra capacity also benefits perishable exporters seeking to transport fresh produce into Europe and the UK, an important period in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

Rodrigo Casal, Regional Commercial Manager for Latin America at IAG Cargo, said: “These additional flights will provide a welcome boost to businesses trading between Europe, UK and Latin America. Additionally, we are delighted to be able to offer regular wide-body capacity between Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, on flights that feed into London and Madrid. Our global network allows customers a gateway to the world, connecting automotive freight to assembly plants in Europe, or perishables onto the supermarket shelves in the UK.”

The news of IAG Cargo’s expanded offer in the region follows strong performance in 2021, when a new route from Heathrow to Guayaquil, Ecuador was announced and increased flights to Sao Paolo, Brazil and Mexico City. Regular flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico and from Heathrow to Rio de Janiero were also re-started in 2021. 

Eligible customers seeking to book their freight with IAG Cargo can benefit from its loyalty programme – FORWARD.REWARDS and FORWARD.PLATINUM.

 

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eDreams ODIGEO sign strategic partnership agreement with British Airways and Iberia

 

eDreams ODIGEO, Europe's largest online travel company, the second largest in terms of flights globally and one of the largest European e-commerce businesses, today announced that they have signed a New Distribution Capability (NDC) agreement with British Airways and Iberia, part of IAG, one of the world's leading airlines groups.   

The strategic agreement involves all four of eDreams ODIGEO's leading travel agency brands (eDreams, Opodo, Travellink and GO Voyages) and IAG's airlines British Airways and Iberia. This will allow travellers, globally, to enjoy a modern air retailing experience for travel to 268 destinations. 

The distribution agreement between eDreams ODIGEO and British Airways and Iberia will give travellers access to a more diverse offering when booking flights in the future. Through the NDC tech, travellers all over the world will benefit from increased flexibility, more competitive fares, and new methods of travel personalisation. The NDC agreement will streamline options for customers based on user preferences and deliver an improved customer experience.

Pablo Caspers, Chief Air Supply Officer at eDreams ODIGEO: "As one of the world's largest online travel companies, we are committed to continuously enhance our product offering to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction. We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership with one of the world's leading airline groups. As a result, our customers will now benefit from an even better booking and travel experience, together with more competitive flight options. We look forward to continuing to drive forward tech innovation for our joint customers."

British Airways to launch Heathrow - Nuremberg route.

British Airways is all set to launch a new route between London Heathrow and Nuremberg, located in Bavaria, Germany.

The carrier will initially operate the route four times a week from March 27. The schedule will then increase to six flights per week schedule starting from 1 May 2022 and four times a week over the winter months. The airline has conveniently timed winter flights so that customers can connect to and from other destinations across British Airways' route network, including services to the US.

Nuremberg is Bavaria’s second largest city after Munich, and is well known for its cultural landmarks that draws visitors year round, so customers can stroll along the vibrant streets or cruise down the beautiful Danube river in the sunshine, as well as explore the spectacular Christmas markets during the festive season.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Networks and Alliances said: “After over 20 months of travel restrictions we know our customers are looking for new and exciting places to visit, so the addition of this route to our short-haul network ahead of the summer season is perfect timing for anyone who would like to plan their trips for the year ahead.

“Nuremburg offers something for everyone, ranging from sightseeing in the sunshine to exploring the German markets at Christmas, so we hope our customers take full advantage of this new destination to our network.”

Twenty years at London Gatwick.........easyJet celebrates anniversary

easyJet launched its first based flight between London Gatwick and Barcelona on 1st February 2002

The airline has carried over 200 million customers to and from the airport over the last two decades

easyJet has since grown significantly over the past 20 years to become Gatwick’s largest airline - 79 aircraft will operate next summer

easyJet continues to grow at the airport which is now its largest base with 1.1m extra seats for next summer and new routes for example Rijeka on the Island of Krk in Croatia - a new route and network point 

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of its base at London Gatwick airport.

The start of easyJet’s operation with a single Gatwick-based aircraft and locally employed crew began with just a handful of routes – the first being Barcelona on 1st February 2002 which was later joined by new routes to Edinburgh, Zurich, Malaga and Palma throughout the same month. Previously, flying had only been in bound from its bases in Geneva, Nice and Amsterdam.       

Since then the airline has grown to become Gatwick’s largest and also easyJet’s largest base on its entire network. The airline will operate 79 aircraft from the airport next summer and now serves over 120 routes across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

EZY813 from London Gatwick to Barcelona was the very first flight operated by London Gatwick-based crew on a Boeing 737 aircraft which departed at 11:15 on 1st February 2002 with 137 passengers onboard. Since then the airline has flown over 200 million passengers to and from the airport. easyJet now has an all Airbus A320 family fleet including the more efficient neo type which both more fuel efficient and quieter and introduced its first ever A321 neo into the fleet in 2018 which was also based  Gatwick.

easyJet flew around 19m passengers to and from the airport in 2019 and continues to grow. The airline has just added over 1.1 million additional seats on sale from the airport next for summer meaning passengers have an even greater choice of low fared flights when choosing where to take their next trip.

easyJet will also be introducing a new route for customers next summer from Gatwick. On sale later this week, Krk, the largest Island in the Adriatic sea, nestled off the coast of Croatia, is a brand new destination in easyJet’s network and will provide a unique summer holiday hotspot for customers looking to explore beyond the mainstream Mediterranean destinations.  The new route will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, starting 3rd May.

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s  UK Country Manager said:  “easyJet is delighted to be celebrating 20 years at our London Gatwick base, our largest base in the network. Over the last two decades we have remained committed to providing even more choice for our customers travelling to and from the airport, growing our operation to become Gatwick’s largest airline.

“And we remain focussed on growth at Gatwick; we recently added  over a million extra seats from the airport for next summer and new routes such as our new flights to Krk off the coast of Croatia, continuing to provide passengers with an ever-greater range of destinations all with a convenient schedule, low fares and great service for both leisure and business travellers.

“Now is a great time to book with easyJet. We are excited about our plans at Gatwick for next summer, and we can’t wait to welcome more customers back onboard.”

Stephanie Wear, Vice President of Airline Development, Gatwick Airport, said:  “easyJet and Gatwick have grown together over the last 20 years and, since that first flight to Barcelona, we have helped millions of passengers go on holiday, visit friends and family or take an important business trip.  The events of the last two years make today’s 20th anniversary of easyJet at Gatwick even more poignant and it feels fantastic that together we can once again offer our passengers the opportunity to enjoy the delights of so many destinations across Europe and beyond.”

 

American Airlines Celebrates Black History Month

American Airlines recognizes Black History Month as an opportunity to celebrate the contributions Black Americans have made to U.S. history and culture. The airline is hosting numerous events and initiatives in the air, on the ground and in our communities to celebrate Black History Month.

American understands 28 days is not enough to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans. The airline is proud to take this time to reflect on the strides American has made in better serving Black team members and customers year-round. In 2022, customers will experience more representation throughout their travel journey. American’s products and services such as Flagship Lounges, inflight dining and entertainment offerings will aim to better connect with Black travelers.

Not Just A Name is a short film launching on the ABFF

 channel via inflight entertainment.

In the air

• For more than 20 years, American has sponsored the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which recognizes Black talent and showcases quality film and television content by and about people of color in the entertainment industry. Customers can now tune into the "American Black Film Festival” channel via American’s inflight entertainment. The short film and documentary channel launches in February with four films — Postmate, Not Just a Name, Code Switch and Descended from The Promised Land: The legacy of Black Wall Street — and will continue to add more films throughout the year.
• Additionally, American will feature a Black History Month inflight entertainment channel, curated by the airline’s Black Professional Network (BPN) Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG) that pays tribute to timeless Black films and television shows that shape culture and enhance American cinema, including: Selma, Moonlight, The Princess and the Frog, Black-ish: Season 7, among many more. All inflight entertainment on American is free for customers to enjoy.
• Our domestic first-class dining experience features new, delicious offerings from brands rooted in diversity. Among the offerings are Partake, a Black-owned offering in the domestic first-class snack baskets. Partake’s founder, Denise Woodard, created the brand to make eating and sharing deliciously worry-free for those with and without food allergies.

On the ground

• American is collaborating with celebrated chefs like Tiffany Derry to create menu offerings for the Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The Top Chef fan favorite will create American customers menu items with a high-end twist to her family’s classic southern recipes. This program is in partnership with the James Beard Foundation, an organization with a mission to celebrate, support and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity and sustainability.
• Also available in Flagship First Dining, most Flagship Lounges and in Admirals Club Lounges this Summer is a new and emerging whiskey in the spirits industry: Uncle Nearest 1865 Premium Whiskey. The brand honors Nathan “Nearest” Green, a former slave, who’s credited for teaching Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey. He became the head distiller at Jack Daniel’s distillery after the Civil War.

British Airways and Loganair announce major expansion of their codeshare agreement

British Airways and Loganair have today announced a major expansion of their codeshare agreement, offering more choice and connectivity for customers travelling across the UK.

The expansion to 18 new routes will now give British Airways’ customers access to 38 of Loganair’s UK routes, meaning that customers can book onward connections from destinations across the airline’s route network, or point to point travel in the UK more easily through British Airways’ website. Customers who book onto these selected routes operated by Loganair through ba.com can also earn Avios and Tier points as part of British Airways’ Executive Club programme.

Routes now available to book include:

Aberdeen to Belfast City, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, and Southampton

City of Derry to London and Liverpool

Cornwall Airport Newquay to Manchester

Exeter to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle

Isle of Man to Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester

Inverness to Birmingham

Norwich to Aberdeen and Edinburgh

Teesside to Southampton

British Airways’ customers travelling from Aberdeen or the Isle of Man to Manchester will also now be able to connect onto British Airways’ codeshare flights on other carriers, including oneworld partners, from the northwest hub. Destinations include New York, Barbados and Orlando, allowing customers to book a single ticket with assured connections. 

The news of a codeshare expansion between the two carriers comes as Loganair celebrates its 60th birthday, making it the oldest UK airline still operating under its original name.

Loganair’s Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “We’re delighted to mark Loganair’s 60th anniversary with the expansion of our partnership with British Airways.   Today’s addition of no fewer than 18 routes is great news for connectivity to and from the UK regions, and we’re confident that the ability to enjoy Executive Club benefits and a new range of seamless flight connections when flying on selected Loganair routes will bring welcome new choice for British Airways’ customers when flying in the UK regions.   The development cements what we believe to be the longest-running relationship between two UK airlines, and it’s a partnership which will continue to deliver for customers throughout the UK.”

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Network and Alliances, said: “It is great news to be expanding our longstanding codeshare agreement with Loganair. This will create better connectivity and offer more choice for our customers between UK regions and destinations all over the world thanks to our expansive global route network and Loganair's extensive regional services."

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Alaska Airlines expands Finnair codeshare deal

Alaska Airlines and Finnair have confirmed an expansion to their codeshare deal which now enables Finnair passengers to book connecting flights through Seattle – Alaska's hometown airport – to more than 60 destinations throughout Alaska's network for travel beginning June 1, 2022. 

The codeshare flights with Alaska will be identified on Finnair's website and the carrier's other booking platforms. Finnair's new nonstop service between Helsinki and Seattle begins June 1 with flights three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) on the airline's Airbus A330 aircraft.

"We joined oneworld for the opportunity to expand partnerships with world-class airlines such as Finnair. This agreement will offer its customers and our guests amazing travel possibilities," said Nat Pieper, senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances at Alaska Airlines. "Connecting Finnair's vast network across Europe and beyond with dozens of Alaska's popular markets will bring the Continent and much of the West Coast closer together."

Since becoming a oneworld member on March 31, 2021, Alaska has added more than 250 codeshare routes, it has implemented new partnerships with member airlines Qatar Airways and Iberia Airlines, and expanded cooperation with existing oneworld partners American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qantas Airways. By this summer, Alaska and these eight oneworld airlines will offer more than 78 daily international flights from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles, enabling seamless connectivity to Alaska's comprehensive network up and down the West Coast. 

With oneworld and our additional airline partners, Alaska guests can fly to as many as 1,000 destinations around the world. Flyers can also earn and redeem miles with our highly-acclaimed Mileage Plan program to fly on more than 20 oneworld and partner airlines worldwide. 

Alaska remains committed to Next-Level Care for its guests and employees by implementing more than 100 ways to maintain the highest standard of safety – from clean planes to clean air in the cabin with hospital-grade air filtration systems. For everyone's safety on board, Alaska continues to enforce the federally mandated mask policy, even for those who are fully vaccinated. 

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McLaren Racing Announces Extension to Long-Standing Partnership with Hilton

McLaren Racing and Hilton are today announcing a multi-year extension to their long-standing partnership, which has been in place since 2005. 

The relationship enables Hilton to provide unique experiences for its Hilton Honors members, and offers the McLaren F1 team a home away from home in its hotels at race locations around the world. 

By once again committing to a multi-year extension, McLaren Racing and Hilton are also able to continue developing and innovating their joint activation programme of unique content.  Most recently this included the popular “Ride to School with Lando” feature, which became one of McLaren’s top five most viewed Instagram grid videos with more than two million views. The film featured a boy being chauffeured into school by McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris after his dad won the trip via his Hilton Honors membership. 

Hilton branding will continue to be carried across the McLaren F1 race cars from 2022 onwards. 

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Hilton, a long-standing and supportive partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team.  Hilton is a global brand which excels in providing the best experiences across travel and adventure for its customers. As part of the partnership, we will continue to produce collaborative campaigns that bring together our aligned approach to travel and experience for customers and fans around the world.” 

Chris Silcock, EVP and chief commercial officer, Hilton, said, “Our partnership with McLaren allows us to offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences to our Hilton Honors members and to create authentic and engaging content. As brands, our aims align on innovation, culture and performance, so it’s exciting to be extending our long and successful partnership. We also take pride in showing our commitment to offering the warmest Hilton welcome, by providing a home away from home for the McLaren race team when they’re travelling around the globe.” 

Facts and Figures – a 16-year Partnership 

The partnership allows Hilton to provide unique experiences to Hilton Honors members, with a total of 17 million points redeemed by members in 2021 on McLaren experiences

The McLaren team stay in Hilton hotels across 13 Grand Prix race locations, including recently Hilton Doha and Jeddah Hilton Hotels

Content with McLaren drivers is popular with Hilton and McLaren audiences – the most recent feature, Ride to school with McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris has been viewed over two million times on YouTube

McLaren Racing was founded by New Zealand racing driver Bruce McLaren in 1963.  The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966, since then McLaren has won 20 Formula 1 world championships, more than 180 Formula 1 Grands Prix, the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt and the Indianapolis 500 three times. 

The team is currently contesting the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship with Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, the 2022 INDYCAR Series with Arrow McLaren SP drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, and the 2022 Extreme E Championship with Tanner Foust and Emma Gilmour.

McLaren was the first F1 team to be certified carbon neutral ten years ago and has successfully retained the Carbon Trust Standard Award, most recently in February 2021.  It was also the first team to be awarded the FIA Institute’s Environmental Award in 2013, which it has consistently maintained at three-star level.

In 2021, McLaren became a signatory to both the UN Sports for Climate Action Commitment and the UN Race to Zero pledge, signifying the team’s commitment to be a responsible global citizen combating climate change.

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Celebrate Black History Month by Supporting Black-owned and Black-led Businesses Around the U.S.

In a 2021 speech at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit, Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta called hospitality “an engine of hope and beacon of opportunity.” This is especially true for entrepreneurs looking to create careers and long-term business opportunities by investing in, managing or owning hotels.

 

Recognizing that more minority investment is needed, Hilton is supporting programs like She Has a Deal (SHaD), founded by Hilton hotel owner Tracy L. Prigmore, that helps pave the way for future minority owners through educational and financial support programs. Beginning this year, Hilton has also joined the U.S. Black Chambers (USBC), as part of our ongoing commitment to learning and growing with Black businesses. This commitment is furthered through our Hilton Supply Management Supplier Diversity Program, providing minority business groups opportunities to feature their products or services in Hilton’s corporate and managed properties.

 

To honor the Black community for its many contributions to American society and the world this Black History Month, we are proud to highlight several Black-owned hotels across the Hilton system and invite you to visit them for your next stay, and a few activities to engage in, supporting Black businesses, along the way. Many of these hotels are recognized by the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers (NABHOOD), which provides a snapshot of Black-owned and -operated hotels across the country. As the country recovers from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting these independently owned hotels and other Black-owned businesses remains critical in the year ahead.

Washington, D.C.

Known for its history, art, music, fashion, and of course, brunch, Washington, D.C., like many other U.S. metropolitan cities, allows you to sample a variety of Black-owned businesses all in one spot. Did you know that the world’s oldest continuously operating soul food restaurant is located in the District? Or that go-go music, a sub-genre of funk music created by D.C.’s Black community, was named the official music of D.C. in 2020? It’s no surprise that the nation’s capital is also home to a variety of Black-owned businesses. D.C.’s strong Black history can be felt in every aspect of the city, and recent years have seen a shift with the community reclaiming its roots. Come shop, eat or party in the nation’s capital to celebrate Black History Month, but also be sure to make your trip an educational one by visiting one of the city’s many Black-owned bookstores or drop by the nation’s largest museum dedicated to African-American history and culture to learn about the history of Black entrepreneurship and its impact on American society.

Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington, D.C. Downtown is located in the heart of the nation’s capital. Owned by RLJ Lodging Trust, a publicly-traded real estate investment trust founded by Black Entertainment Television (BET) Founder Robert L. Johnson, this hotel is located close to many area attractions, including the Capital One Arena (home of the NHL's Washington Capitals), the White House, the Washington Monument, and the Smithsonian museums.

ICAO Council discusses Report on Fact Finding into Ryanair flight FR4978 and its forced diversion and bomb threat.

 

In the first meeting of its 225th Session on 31st January, ICAO Council member States considered the ICAO Secretariat’s Report on the Fact-Finding Investigation into the events surrounding the diversion of Ryanair flight FR4978 on 23 May 2021.

Also taking part in the discussions were official representatives of non-Council States considered to have a special interest in the proceedings namely, the Republic of Belarus, Lithuania, Poland and Ireland.  

A point of convergence from States’ discussions included the Council’s appreciation to the ICAO fact-finding investigation team for the exhaustive analysis undertaken and the high quality of the report it produced.

The Council expressed concern at the gaps in information provided by Belarus and the inconsistencies contained in the evidence available at the time of the investigation in relation to crucial aspects of the factual reconstruction of the events, and highlighted that the bomb threat against FR4978 was deliberately false and had endangered the safety of an aircraft in flight.

The Council further recalled that communicating false information which endangers the safety of an aircraft is an offence under the Montreal Convention, and in this connection, strongly condemned such practices.

In light of some newly emerging information relating to the FR4978 events and timeline, the Council requested the ICAO investigation team to continue its work with a view to establishing the missing facts, including in connection with the related ongoing criminal and other investigations, and to report to it any further findings.

Additionally, the Council called upon all Member States and other relevant stakeholders, to continue to collaborate with the ICAO investigation, and requested the President of the Council to eventually forward the final Fact Finding Investigation Report to the United Nations Secretary-General.

A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created by governments in 1944 to support their diplomacy on international air transport matters. Since that time, countries have adopted over 12,000 standards and practices through ICAO which help to align their national regulations relevant to aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, enabling a truly global network to be realized. ICAO forums also provide opportunities for advice and advocacy to be shared with government decision-makers by industry groups, civil society NGOs, and other officially-recognized air transport stakeholders.

Air101: New ICAO Health Master List boosts efficiency and security of health document authentication for travellers and border authorities

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This summer budget airline Norwegian will start flights between Manchester and Trondheim

Norwegian launches flights between Manchester and Trondheim 

Norwegian is pleased to announce that from 15thAugust the carrier will add a twice weekly direct flight between Manchester and Trondheim in Norway from only £66.90 one way.

There has never been a better time to visit the vibrant food scenes of Trondheim and the Trøndelag region as they celebrate being recognised as Europe’s Region of Gastronomy throughout 2022.

For a truly unforgettable gastronomic experience Trondheim boasts three Michelin Star restaurants, Fagn, Credo and Speilsalen. Europe’s Region of Gastronomy tittle also recognises the abundance of farm shops and local producers that can be found throughout this renowned part of Norway.

For travellers wanting to see Trondheim from a different perspective then a 2-hour urban kayak trip along the Nidelva river offers unrivalled views of the historic city and its renowned architecture. Visitors to the region can also experience the full Viking way of life on a five-day trip, including three days of hiking in Trollheimen, guided by local experts. The hiking route is famous for its wild nature and encompasses many cultural heritage sites dating back to the ice age.

“We are very pleased to announce this additional route between Manchester and Trondheim. UK visitors from Manchester will now have easy direct access to this beautiful Nordic region and we look forward to welcoming customers on board from 15th August”. Said Magnus Thome Maursund, Executive Vice President Network, Pricing and Planning of Norwegian.

Petra Sestak, General Manager of Explore Trøndelag commented: “We are looking forward to welcoming visitors from Manchester, especially in such an important year for the region. Often called Norway`s food capital and Home of Nordic Flavours, the vibrant city of Trondheim is rightly emerging as one of the most interesting culinary destinations in Northern Europe. However, those visiting the region will discover it has so much more to offer, whether that be cultural tours, activities such as hiking, cycling and skiing or opportunities to simply relax and enjoy Norway’s great outdoors."

During the summer Norwegian will also increase services between London Gatwick to Trondheim to five flights a week with one-way fares starting from £58.30.

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IATA Welcomes ICAO Health Master List Critical Enabler of One ID

 The International Air Transport Association welcomed the creation by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of a global directory of public keys required for authentication of health credentials. The directory—called the Health Master List (HML)—will make a significant contribution to the global recognition and verification (interoperability) of government-issued health credentials.

A public key enables third parties to verify that a QR code displayed on a health credential is authentic and valid. The HLM is a compilation of public-key certificates signed by ICAO and regularly updated as more health proofs are issued and new public keys are required. Its implementation will ease the global recognition of health credentials outside of the jurisdiction in which they were issued. 

“For international travel today, it is critical that COVID-19 health passes can be efficiently verified outside of their country of issuance. While the keys for verification are available individually, the creation of a directory will significantly cut complexity, simplify operations and improve trust in the verification process. We encourage all states to submit their public health keys to the HLM,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director-General.

The sharing of public keys used to perform this verification does not involve any exchange of or access to personal information. 

The HML is available on the ICAO website. All states can upload their public keys and download those of other governments. 

Through a pilot project associated with the HML, private sector providers of solutions for governments to verify health credentials will also be able access these keys. This will help facilitate the broadest coverage of health certificates in their offerings as international travel continues to ramp-up. IATA will participate in this pilot program to support the deployment of the IATA Travel Pass.

A Step Forward for One ID

New ICAO Health Master List boosts efficiency and security of health document authentication for travelers and border authorities

​Benoit Poletti, Chief Executive Officer, INCERT Public Agency, of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg (left), and ICAO Deputy Director of Aviation Security and Facilitation, Sylvain Lefoyer, on the occasion of the signing of the INCERT-ICAO Health Master List agreement.

ICAO has published its first Health Master List, a new data resource for States and aviation stakeholders to aid in the more efficient and secure authentication of traveller health certificates, including vaccination and test result certificates. 

In support of WHO recommendations, ICAO has embarked on an innovative Public Key Infrastructure collaboration with the Luxembourg State Agency, INCERT. The aim of the partnership is to address the urgent need for improved trust and processing of health documentation internationally during the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond.

“The presentation of documentation related to COVID-19 health interventions has become commonplace since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many States originally issued health proofs appropriate for domestic and/or regional use cases,” commented ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar. “The result was a variety of different national or regional formats being deployed, and proliferating travel restrictions due to low levels of confidence among State border, immigration and health authorities in the validity of travellers’ health documents.”

The majority of health proofs issued globally, including the ICAO Visible Digital Seal for non-constrained environments (VDS-NC), include some form of digitally-signed barcode, with verification of the barcode requiring knowledge of the associated public key. 

Qatar Airways Signs Order for GE9X Engines

Qatar Airways today announced a new order for GE9X engines as part of its global launch order of up to 50 Boeing 777-8 Freighters. The commitment includes 30 GE9X engines and four GE90-115B engines, plus GE TrueChoice™ services. This order is in coordination of Qatar Airways’ agreement for 34 firm 777-8 orders with an additional 16 purchase right options, and an additional order of two Boeing 777 Freighters.

The total value of the order with GE is more than U.S.$6.8 billion list price, including spare engines and a TrueChoice™ services agreement to cover the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the engines.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “With our status as the world’s largest airfreight carrier, Qatar Airways has ambitious plans for the future of its cargo operations.

“As operators of the Boeing 777 family, including the global launch customer of Boeing’s 777-8 Freighter aircraft, we are delighted to have GE as our partners and these contracts for GE engines further cement the strong relationship between Qatar Airways and GE.

Qantas has opened a new pilot training facility at Brisbane Airport, with the capacity to train up to 900 pilots a year.

Qantas has opened a new pilot training facility at Brisbane Airport, with the capacity to train up to 900 pilots a year.

Located adjacent to Brisbane Airport, the Qantas Group Flight Training Centre is home to four state-of-the-art aircraft simulators – Boeing 737, 767F and 787 Dreamliner and Dash-8 Q400 – as well as a Q400 flight training device, all used by pilots to complete their four annual sessions of simulator training and specialised training when moving to a new aircraft type.

The simulators were relocated from Sydney to make way for a major road project and were dismantled, transported by road and re-installed at the new Brisbane centre over a four-month period.

With the majority of Qantas’ pilots based in the three eastern states, the Brisbane centre, along with expanded facilities in Melbourne and a new flight training centre to be developed in Sydney, will provide significant cost savings through training pilots at their home base.

The Brisbane facility will provide reoccurring training for the airline’s 500-plus Queensland-based pilots as well as pilots from other states and many of the new pilots who will join the Qantas Group in the years to come.

The facility also has a commercial dimension to it and will be open to other airlines in the Asia Pacific region to train newly recruited pilots, upskill pilots to new aircraft types and allow experienced pilots to maintain their ongoing training.

EL AL Israel Airlines Relaunches Boston to Tel Aviv Flights

EL AL Israel Airlines, Israel’s national carrier, has announced the return of their non-stop service from Boston’s Logan Airport to Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv. EL AL had operated this route from 2015 until mid-2020 when it halted the flight due to Covid-19. With international travel returning, and travel to Israel in great demand, relaunching the Boston route is a priority. This flight will service Boston as well as the entire New England region.

Flights will begin on Sunday, March 27, 2022, and will operate twice weekly, on Sundays and Thursdays from Terminal E at Logan. Prior to the pandemic, EL AL flew thousands of passengers from Boston to Tel Aviv annually.

The route will be operated by EL AL’s new, Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet which has three classes of service: Economy, Premium and Business.

EL AL’s all-new, Boeing 787 Dreamliner features the latest and most modern amenities including Business Class with lie-flat seats, gourmet meals, an extensive choice of wines and beverages, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi for the duration of the flight. EL AL also offers a Premium Class with oversized, comfortable seats with extended legroom and all the amenities of Business Class.

EL AL’s CEO, Avigal Soreq, stated, “We are so excited to return to Boston’s Logan Airport. Our previous Boston flights were very attractive to travellers from across the US and we know this will be very convenient for Bostonians and transiting travellers.”

Passengers from outside of the Boston area can benefit from EL AL’s codeshare agreement with JetBlue which allows them to seamlessly travel from many cities such as Baltimore, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington to Tel Aviv via Boston, all the while collecting Matmid Frequent Flyer points.

EL AL also offers an interline agreement with American Airlines that allows passengers to schedule flights from across the US to TLV through Boston.

“EL AL has been a great partner to Logan for many years and we are excited that they are relaunching their Tel Aviv - Boston service,” said Massport’s Director of Aviation Ed Freni.

Boston - Tel Aviv

Flt LY16

Departs 20:30

Arrives 13:50*

Tel Aviv - Boston

Flt LY15

Departs 00:50

Arrives 05:30

* following day

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Air Travel Recovery Driven by Vaccine Distribution and Lack of Restrictions

During 2021, the recovery in air passenger volumes strengthened globally as vaccine distribution expanded and travel restrictions receded according to DBRS Morningstar group.

The recovery has been led by domestic leisure travel supported by high household savings, a desire to travel following a prolonged period of living in one's primary residence, and the removal of most travel restrictions.

Even with the surge in global Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) cases following the Delta and Omicron variants in the last quarter of the year, passenger volume data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicates that air travel demand continued to recover through year-end supported by the desire of vaccinated people to travel to see loved ones during the holidays or to simply have some time away.

“As a result of the steady but uneven recovery in passenger volumes, airlines have become more confident in their expectations of a full recovery in aviation travel over the medium-term, which has supported demand for aircraft and is a positive for aircraft lessors,” said David Laterza, Senior Vice President, Head of Non-Bank FIG – Global FIG.

Report here.

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Delta Cargo receives top honours for excellent service in 2021

After marking its 75th anniversary and celebrating the best revenue year in its history in 2021, Delta Cargo was honoured as the Domestic Airline of the Year by the Airforwarders Association.  

“Our top-notch Cargo team emerged as industry innovators during a tumultuous time while serving a crucial role in the global supply chain, as they consistently ensured customers could get their shipments wherever they needed to go.” said Rob Walpole, V.P. - Delta Cargo. “This has been a big year for us, and as we continue to grow, I’m confident that we’ll keep providing the same best-in-class service to all our customers.” 

The award was announced at the Air Cargo Conference in New Orleans on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Even as the airline industry experienced challenges in 2021, cargo businesses realized new opportunities to contribute in impactful ways. Whether transporting life-saving pharmaceuticals, organs for transplant or seasonal produce – Delta Cargo guarantees world-class service for every customer and plays a vital role in Delta's future. 

The Domestic Airline of the Year distinction is awarded each year to the cargo carrier with high marks in: 

Best on-time performance 

Customer service 

Issue resolution 

Lowest damage rate 

Best claims handling 

Technical support 

Service options 

Flown as booked 

Overall value 

“Over the past year, the Delta Cargo team has provided predictable and reliable service to the freight forwarding industry,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director of The Airforwarders Association. “The Airforwarders Association membership congratulates Delta Cargo on achieving this significant honor, and we remain thankful for Delta’s dedication to our mutual success.” 

For the Delta Cargo team, even bigger goals are on the horizon for 2022 and beyond. The division will continue to focus on delivering for their customers, people and financial stakeholders as they innovate in best-in-class technology, operations and more. 

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CDB Aviation Completes Deliveries of Seven 737 MAX Aircraft to Brazil’s GOL

CDB Aviation, announced today the delivery of the last of seven Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. Brazil’s largest domestic airline.

The aircraft, configured with a 186-seat layout, incorporating both GOL+Conforto and GOL Premium class seats, were delivered from the lessor’s order book with Boeing as part of the lease agreements originally signed with the carrier in 2020.

“Our teams worked side-by-side to execute leases and deliver all these aircraft in very adverse conditions throughout the pandemic. GOL is a great customer that has all our trust,” pointed out Luís da Silva, CDB Aviation’s Head of Commercial, Americas. “The 737 MAX is expected to transform GOL’s fleet, providing significant efficiency gains, while supporting deeper penetration into existing markets and new opportunities for expansion.”

"The delivery of this last aircraft in a package of seven 737 MAX 8s from CDB Aviation marks a milestone in GOL history, our MAX fleet reaching twenty-four aircraft with this delivery. This accelerated fleet transformation plan ensures we can serve our customers better, with more comfort and environmental responsibility,” said Celso Ferrer, GOL’s COO. “The MAX being a key component in the company’s goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, as this aircraft consumes 15% less fuel, produces 16% fewer carbon emissions, and 40% less noise, and has a greater flight range than the next generation aircraft.”

“GOL has been at the forefront of the industry, making investments during the pandemic in the modernization of their fleet and accelerating expansion plans in anticipation of the strong recovery of air travel in the post-pandemic environment,” contended Peter Goodman, CDB Aviation’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Our commercial team remains steadfast in finding ways to support customers’ unique needs, enabling them to remain competitive and tap into growth opportunities.”

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easyJet launches new recruitment drive for 1000 pilots

A parent, a former gymnast and DJ are the stars of a new easyJet recruitment campaign, encouraging people from all walks of life to train to become an airline pilot.

For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, easyJet is re-opening its pilot training programme. To support future growth opportunities, the airline is recruiting over 1000 new pilots over the next five years.

The new ad campaign, featuring multi-talented, real-life easyJet pilots, aims to highlight that everyone has the potential to turn their skills and passions towards becoming an airline pilot.

Mother of two, Captain Iris de Kan, is seen in one of the ads with 5-year-old daughter Kiki. The ad serves to communicate that those with incredible multi-tasking skills could make for excellent pilots. While many parents wish they had eyes in the back of their head, it’s a common misconception that 2020 vision is required to become an airline pilot.

Former gymnast and now Senior First Officer with easyJet, Nina Le is featured performing a split leap on the tarmac, showcasing her fantastic reactions and hand-eye coordination - key skills for aspiring pilots.

easyJet Senior First Officer Aaron Moseley, a former resident DJ, transitioned from the club decks to the flight deck by training to become a pilot for easyJet seven years ago. His hands-on practical skills have enabled him to switch records for runways.

The new recruitment ad campaign is part of easyJet’s efforts to find the next generation of easyJet pilots, with a continued focus on encouraging more women to become an airline pilot to address the gender imbalance in the industry.