Ethiopian GODE UGAAS MIRAAD Airport Terminal Project Receives a Grand Inauguration

Passengers in Somali Regional State of Ethiopia can now travel between  Gode and Jigjiga more Comfortably 

 

Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest airline group in Africa, is pleased to announce the finalization of Gode Ugaas Miraad Airport Terminal building and aircraft parking with taxiway construction Project. The new state-of-the-art airport terminal has been opened for service in a grand inauguration in the presence of H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed Prime  Minister of Ethiopia and H.E Mustafe Mohammed Omer President of the Somali Regional  State. 

The project which took three years for completion has unveiled a new terminal building having a total built-up area of 3,500sq, a new apron having a capacity to handle four De  Havilland Q400 or B737 aircraft at a time, ancillary buildings such as airport rescue and firefighting station, water reservoir, and parking areas among others.  

Regarding the inauguration of the new passenger terminal, Ethiopian Airlines Group  CEO Mr Mesfin Tasew said, “We are truly pleased with the launching of Gode Ugaas Miraad  Airport Terminal building and aircraft parking with taxiway construction project as it will upgrade the airport experience of our passengers travelling to/from the city of Gode. It is also a step forward in the work we do to elevate our domestic airport facilities to a higher level. The inauguration of this new terminal showcases our commitment to enhance our domestic operations alongside our international ones. Gode will neither be the only nor the last airport we will work on constructing and/or renovating. Construction of similar airport terminal is progressing well at Jinka, Kombolcha, Goba/Robe and Bahir Dar airports. It is with great honour and pleasure that  we work on these projects and play our part in our country’s tourism and socio-economic growth.”  

The new state-of-the-art airport terminal is equipped with the latest technology airport facility amenities including a solar system to allow for a smooth and convenient travel via the airport.  

Ethiopian Airlines plays a significant role in regional connectivity with its more than 22  destinations in the country. Ethiopian Airlines operates daily flights to/from Gode. Gode being the third airport in Somali Regional State next to Jigjiga and Kebridahar, passengers can travel between Jigjiga and Gode directly without having to transit via Addis Ababa.  Gode Airport has been among the airports that Ethiopian has taken a project on to enhance the facilities.  

Since the acquisition of the Ethiopian Airports Enterprise by Ethiopian Airlines Group as a Strategic Business Unit (SBU) in 2017, Ethiopian Airlines Group has taken over the administrative role including construction and renovation projects of airports in the country. 

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Jobs and apprenticeships

Apprenticeship and job vacancies in the aviation industry.

Direct Entry Pilots “not experienced”

ITA Airways, the Italian national airline born on October 15, 2021, is hhiring.  We need to bring on board qualified, motivated people with the desire to get involved with passion and initiative.

We are looking for:      Direct Entry Pilots “not experienced”

As a high-performing and motivated Direct Entry Pilot, delivering consistent operational excellence in the sky whilst maintaining our high safety standards, you will give our customers an exceptional journey.

Prerequisites

High school Diploma or Bachelor

Good level of physical fitness with a valid Class 1 EASA Medical

Good spoken and written English (Min. lvl B2 CEFR)

English ICAO level 5, Italian level 6.

Valid EASA ATPL Frozen (CPL-IR and MCC)

Eligible to live and work in the E.U.

What we offer:   Permanent contract, CCNL Trasporto Aereo.

Location:  Fiumicino, RM. Linate, MI.

Apply here.

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AW139 Rotary Co-Pilot (Offshore) Bond Helicopters 

Location: Norwich

Bond Helicopters is a Joint Venture company, co-owned by Peter Bond and the Gama Group, the Bond Helicopters brand is synonymous with Offshore Helicopters in the North Sea for decades, is delighted to be returning to the market. 

Further to the award of a fixed minimum 5+ years offshore contract for multiple aircraft with a major energy company, Bond Helicopters is recruiting UK licenced and rated AW139 Rotary Pilots for our Norwich operation.

Excellent Salary 

Competitive North Sea Roster

Comprehensive benefits package 

Opportunities for professional development and advancement

Essential requirements

Current UK CPL(H) privileges with AW139 Type Rating 

Valid UK Class 1 Medical

Valid UK IFR (H) Multi Engine privileges

UK ATPL (H) theory and MCC certificate

500 total hours

500 hours multi-engine on helicopters (may include up to 10% in an approved flight simulator)

100 hours in command (may include up to 10% in a flight simulator). This may be substituted with approved alternative training criteria in accordance with IOGP OHRP

Proactive approach to service delivery and customer satisfaction

Team player, result driven and customer focused

Physically and mentally fit to undertake demands of the role

Advantageous

50 hours on AW139

SNS offshore experience

For more details and to apply, visit Linkedin here. 

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Apprentices Required at London Gatwick Airport

Applications now open

Joining London Gatwick means growing your career with the world's most efficient single-runway airport - where no two days are the same. You'll get the space and support to grow and develop with us. Together, we can succeed in creating an enjoyable and easy experience for our passengers. 

Applications for this year's Engineering Apprenticeships are now open.

Gatwick engineering team protects, maintains and repairs​ our infrastructure. From the electricity that powers us to the giant plant rooms that heat and cool the airport. 

Apprentice help keep our baggage, airfield, and safety systems in top shape. This four-year programme leads to being a qualified engineering technician. 

Do the words 'complex challenge' and 'race against time' sound exciting? Then this could be the apprenticeship for you. 

You'll need an actual or predicted GCSE Level 4/5 or above in Maths, English and a Science Subject 

Able to commit to a four-year programme 

Apply now

Joining London Gatwick means growing your career with the world's most efficient single-runway airport - where no two days are the same. You'll get the space and support to grow and develop with us. Together, we can succeed in creating an enjoyable and easy experience for our passengers. 

Applications for this year's Engineering Apprenticeships are now open

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Airport Security Officer at London Gatwick Airport 

Salary including shift pay and allowances up to £36,218 per annum full time

As an Airport Security Officer at London Gatwick, your primary goal is to work as part of a team to keep our customers and colleagues safe and secure. You will play an important role in enhancing the customer experience by providing a warm and welcoming environment.

Airport Security Officers ensure our safety and security by conducting searches, safety checks, and assisting customers and colleagues throughout their airport experience.

This is a great opportunity to start your journey with London Gatwick, many of our people have developed themselves to pursue opportunities in security leadership and other teams across the business.  The shifts for this roster are provided 2 weeks in advance, but it does provide the highest pay!  Other rosters may be available please apply and discuss your preference for hours worked at the interview stage.

What will you do?

Upon successful completion of training and National X-Ray Competency Test exams, you will:

Work collaboratively within a team and various airport departments to deliver an outstanding customer experience.

Verify documents and perform security screening and searching for both customers, colleagues and vehicles entering the security controlled areas.

Utilise colour X-Ray images in both 2D and 3D to screen customer and colleague belongings.

Assist in handling health, safety, or security incidents.

Participate in regular training sessions to maintain screening and searching competencies in accordance with the Department for Transport (DfT) regulations.

What di we need?

We are seeking people with the following qualities:

Ability to provide friendly customer service in a high-pressure environment.

Physical fitness; able to stand, sit, bend, and walk for the durations of a shift.

Fluent in written and spoken English with excellent communication skills.

Ability to multitask in a busy operational environment.

Full colour vision and hearing that meets our standards.

UK residency of three years with the right to work in the UK.

You will be required to undergo pre-employment medical, criminal record, and counter-terrorism checks.

For more details and to apply, please visit. 

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Reflecting on a fantastic year of the Aviation Council

Chief Executive Officer at London Gatwick, Stewart Wingate has shared some reflections on 2023 as the Co-Chair of the Aviation Council. 

Ahead of this month’s meeting of the Aviation Council, I wanted to thank Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom Ministers, officials and fellow industry colleagues for coming together this past year and committing their time and attention to the issues we face as an industry. The Aviation Council was formed last year by Ministers and officials following the publication of Flightpath to the Future, and particular thanks has to go to Baroness Charlotte Vere for her diligence and tenacity in getting the Council airborne. We all look forward to working with Minister Anthony Browne MP in his capacity as Chair of the Aviation Council. 

I was delighted to be asked to be Co-Chair last year to represent our industry. I passionately believe that the UK is an aviation superpower, having spent the last fifteen years as Gatwick’s CEO; seeing the best (record passenger numbers in 2019) and the worst (the Covid-19 pandemic) of the sector during that time. We are nearly back to that trajectory of growth and the decade ahead contains the promise that the UK will be a world-leading aviation sector in all aspects of the term, including sustainability and managing our environmental impacts. 

Looking back at the discussion we had in that inaugural Aviation Council twelve months ago on the priorities for the year ahead – airspace modernisation; skills, recruitment and retention; and slots –I’m pleased to say we have made progress against all of these areas.

Airspace Modernisation – An Industry Working Group was formed to consider the challenges to delivering Airspace Modernisation, including areas such as resourcing and process implementation. As a direct result of this work, we hope to move forward with a new framework for delivery – the Single Design Entity – supported by a dedicated project team with open and transparent governance and engagement. If the SDE is successful, it could be used in other areas of the UK’s airspace to support accelerated delivery. We also saw a refreshed CAP1616, which will lead to a more streamlined and proportional guidance for the approval of airspace change. 

Skills, recruitment and retention – Organisations of all sizes and shapes across the sector worked hard to ensure that the airport operation, airlines and ground handlers were sufficiently trained and resourced for the busy summer season. Council members collaborated closely on improving operational performance and sharing best practise on recruiting and retaining the talent that keeps all of our airports and airlines moving. We also saw a Ground Handlers Association formed, with the immediate focus of the group on security and vetting processes in the wider context of resilience. 

Gatwick fire service spells out special message.....

George Treadwell, a crew manager at London Gatwick's Fire and Rescue Service enlisted the help of his teammates to spell out a special message to a special passenger on an Emirates Airlines A380 jet. 

 

Under the bright lights of the airport's fire station, George and the team held huge letters spelling out a special question, just as the huge double-decked passenger jet taxied by. The meticulously planned surprise was only made possible following a massive collaboration between the fire service, other airport departments and Emirates. 

 

Air101 is happy to learn, Jen said yes.  Congrats to both and best wishes for a long and happy life together. 

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JetBlue lines up two new independent directors...

JetBlue has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Icahn Enterprises L.P., a major shareholder of JetBlue, under which Jesse Lynn, general counsel of Icahn Enterprises, and Steven Miller, portfolio manager of Icahn Capital, will join the airline’s board of directors. Lynn and Miller will serve as non-voting observers to the board through JetBlue’s annual meeting of stockholders this spring, after which time they will join the board as full voting members.

Peter Boneparth, chair of the JetBlue board, said, “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Icahn Enterprises. Our board and leadership team are focusing our full attention on taking aggressive action to return to profitability and strengthen JetBlue’s foundation for the future. We welcome Jesse and Steven to the board. With their experience on public company boards, often when navigating key inflection points, they will add useful insights as we set JetBlue on a path back to long-term sustainable growth and shareholder value creation.”

India’s fastest-growing airline, Akasa Air announces operations from Doha

Akasa Air, India’s fastest-growing airline announced operations from Doha, the first international destination on its rapidly expanding network. Starting 28 March 2024, Akasa Air will operate four non-stop flights a week, connecting Mumbai with Doha, enhancing air connectivity between Qatar and India. 

Akasa Air was born with a purpose to make air travel inclusive and affordable through its commitment to quality product and service excellence. Since its inception in August 2022, Akasa Air has established a strong presence in 20 cities across India flying a record of over 7.75 million passengers and carrying over 50,000 tonnes of cargo. The launch of operations to Qatar marks the airline’s next phase of growth aimed at taking the warm and efficient Akasa experience to the world at affordable fares.

Doha, the capital city and commercial hub of Qatar, is one of the key economic engines of the Middle East region and is also known for its modern architecture and cultural heritage. There has been a notable surge in air travel demand between Qatar and India over the past few years.

Flight schedule:

Flt. number	From city (Airport)	Departure time	To city (Airport)	Arrival time	Operating days	Non- stop/ Through
		Commences March 28, 2024
QP70	Mumbai	17:45	Doha	19:40	Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday	Non-Stop
QP71	Doha	20:40	Mumbai	2:45 (+1)	Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday	Non-Stop
*Above timings are in local time for Mumbai and Doha respectively

Commenting on the announcement, Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said, “We are delighted to announce our international operations with the launch of our first destination - Doha, to our growing network. The introduction of four flights a week, connecting directly with Mumbai, a key Indian commercial hub, will cater to a diverse set of travellers from the two countries, facilitating tourism, commerce and strengthening bilateral ties.

BOC Aviation has entered into a finance lease transaction involving four Airbus A320NEO aircraft with IndiGo

BOC Aviation has entered into a finance lease transaction involving four Airbus A320NEO aircraft with IndiGo. The aircraft are all powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines. All four aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2024.

“We are pleased to be closing another four finance leases with IndiGo. We continue

to work closely with our long-time customer to support its expansion strategy as it builds a fleet of latest technology fuel-efficient aircraft,” said Steven Townend, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, BOC Aviation. “This is our first transaction in the year of the dragon, and it sets the tone for the year as we continue growing our fleet by investing in latest generation aircraft and partnering with high quality customers.”

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Hawaiian Holdings Stockholders approve of takeover by Alaska Air Group

Hawaiian Holdings, the parent of Hawaiian Airlines has confirmed this week that its stockholders have voted to agree to the takeover by the Alaska Air Group.  To save face, the management is calling it a merger and advised that the substantial majority of the holders of Hawaiian’s stock voted in favour of the merger, according to preliminary results from the special meeting held on Friday. Hawaiian will file the final voting results, as tabulated by an independent inspector of elections, on a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Stockholder approval of our transaction with Alaska is an important milestone toward combining our airlines,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram. “Together, we will bring stronger competition to the U.S. airline industry, deliver more value to our guests and the communities that we serve, and provide greater job opportunities for our employees.”

The transaction remains subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals, along with other customary closing conditions. Hawaiian and Alaska continue to expect to complete the transaction within 12 to 18 months of the announcement of the transaction, which occurred on 3rd December 2023.

Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

TRU Simulation celebrates 10 years of innovation in flight simulation

TRU Simulation + Training has revealed that as it marks a decade of success in the aviation simulation industry, the company is rebranding to simply “TRU Simulation.” The new brand and logo reflect TRU’s shift away from providing pilot training experiences to a more targeted focus on designing, manufacturing and maintaining state-of-the-art, high-fidelity flight simulators to address the vital need for accurate and true-to-life pilot training tools.

TRU Simulation Inc., an affiliate of Textron Aviation Inc., is a Textron Inc. a company that designs, manufactures and delivers high-fidelity training devices and full-motion simulators for civil and defence customers.

“We are thrilled to celebrate TRU Simulation’s 10th anniversary, a significant milestone that showcases our commitment to excellence in advanced aviation simulation. We owe our success to our loyal customers and dedicated employees who have been instrumental in shaping our journey. Their trust and support have allowed us to deliver cutting-edge training tools that empower pilots to navigate the skies confidently,” said Jerry Messaris, vice president and general manager, TRU Simulation. “As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in our mission to provide safe, realistic and cost-effective simulators that meet the evolving needs of the aviation industry.”

Originally formed out of three legacy aviation companies, TRU Simulation has evolved since its founding in 2014 to address unique simulator needs for a wide range of customers. TRU prides itself on customizing simulator devices to meet specific customer needs while meeting or exceeding all regulatory requirements.

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Air Canada Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Air Canada Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Air Canada has just released details of its fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results, which show record full-year operating revenues of $21.833 billion, reflecting strong demand for air travel and Full-year operating income of $2.279 billion.

Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results

The following is an overview of Air Canada's results of operations and financial position for the fourth quarter 2023 compared to the fourth quarter 2022.

• Operating revenues of $5.175 billion increased $495 million or 11 per cent on an operated capacity growth of over 9 per cent year over year, close to the guidance provided in Air Canada's news release dated October 30, 2023.
• Operating expenses of $5.096 billion increased $388 million or 8 per cent. The increase was due to higher costs in nearly all line items reflecting higher operated capacity and traffic year over year, including higher wages, salaries and benefits. The increase was partially offset by lower aircraft fuel expense on a jet fuel price decline.
• Operating income of $79 million, with an operating margin of 1.5 per cent, improved $107 million.
• Adjusted EBITDA of $521 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin* of 10.1 per cent, improved $132 million.
• Net income of $184 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.41 compared to a net income of $168 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.41.
• Adjusted net loss* of $44 million and adjusted loss per diluted share of $0.12 compared to an adjusted net loss of $217 million and adjusted loss per diluted share of $0.61.
• Adjusted CASM* of 14.25 cents compared to 13.68 cents, an increase of 4.1 per cent driven by higher salaries, wages and benefits expenses, higher maintenance costs and general inflationary pressures on certain line items.
• Net cash flows from operating activities of $985 million increased $338 million.
• Free cash flow of $669 million increased $349 million. 

Full Year 2023 Financial Results

The following is an overview of Air Canada's results of operations and financial position for the full year 2023 compared to the full year 2022.

• Operating revenues of $21.833 billion increased $5.277 billion or 32 per cent on approximately a 20 per cent growth in operated capacity. The capacity increase was in-line with the guidance provided in Air Canada's news release dated October 30, 2023.
• Operating expenses of $19.554 billion increased $2.811 billion or 17 per cent. The increase was primarily due to increases in all line items reflecting higher operated capacity and traffic year over year, including, higher salaries, wages and benefits. It also reflects the impact of a favourable maintenance cost adjustment of $159 million that was recorded in the first quarter of 2022.
• Operating income of $2.279 billion, with an operating margin of 10.4 per cent, improved $2.466 billion.
• Adjusted EBITDA of $3.982 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA margin* of 18.2 per cent, improved $2.525 billion, at the high end of the guidance provided in Air Canada's news release dated October 30, 2023.
• Net income of $2.276 billion and diluted earnings per share of $5.96 compared to a net loss of $1.7 billion and diluted loss per share of $4.75.
• Adjusted net income of $1.713 billion and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $4.56 compared to an adjusted net loss of $988 million and an adjusted loss per diluted share of $2.76.
• Adjusted CASM of 13.49 cents compared to 13.21 cents in 2022, a 2.2 per cent increase driven by higher traffic and selling costs correlated to higher revenues, higher labour costs, a favourable maintenance cost adjustment recorded in 2022, and inflationary pressure on certain line items. This was within the guidance range provided in Air Canada's news release dated October 30, 2023.
• Net cash flows from operating activities of $4.320 billion increased $1.952 billion.
• Free cash flow of $2.756 billion increased $1.960 billion.
• Net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio* was 1.1 at December 31, 2023, an improvement from 5.1 as at December 31, 2022, due to the increase in adjusted EBITDA and a $2.9 billion reduction in net debt. 

"Air Canada produced very strong results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023, delivering on its key financial goals and strategic priorities. For the full year, we had record operating revenues of $21.8 billion, up 32 per cent from 2022 as demand for air travel remained strong. Annual operating income was $2.3 billion; a $2.5 billion improvement from the previous year. Our adjusted EBITDA was nearly $4 billion; more than twice that of the full year 2022. 

These results stem from the effective management, hard work and customer-centric approach of everyone at Air Canada. I thank the entire team for their dedication as we safely transported more than 46 million passengers in 2023. The focus on operational improvements was evident as, even with the growth in traffic and ongoing supply chain challenges, our key operational metrics and customer satisfaction improved year over year," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.

Air Lease Corporation Announces Fourth Quarter & Fiscal Year 2023 Results

Air Lease Corporation, one of the global leaders in aircraft leasing and management has just released details of its financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2023.

Air Lease Corporation is a leading global aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. Air Lease Corporation and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing new commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions.

“Fourth quarter and full-year performance at ALC was very strong. With the exception of the benefit of tax reform in 2017, we achieved record revenues and profits for the 4th quarter, with net income increasing 56% and revenues increasing 19% over the prior year’s quarter. Similarly, for the full year 2023, we enjoyed record revenues, aircraft sales, and total assets which exceeded $30 billion for the first time. Looking forward, the commercial aircraft supply/demand backdrop remains highly favourable for our current fleet and our $22 billion forward orderbook scheduled to deliver over the next 4-5 years,” said John L. Plueger, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of the Board.

Fourth Quarter 2023 vs. Fourth Quarter 2022

Our total revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2023 increased by 19% to $717 million as compared to the three months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in total revenues was primarily driven by the continued growth in our fleet, an increase in sales activity and higher end-of-lease revenue. During the three months ended December 31, 2023, we recognized $59 million in gains from the sale of eight aircraft. We also recognized $60 million in end-of-lease revenue related to the return of seven aircraft. During the three months ended December 31, 2022, we recorded approximately $28 million in gains from the sale of six aircraft1.

Norwegian delivered a record strong operating profit of NOK 2,232 million for 2023

European airline Norwegian Air Shuttle has just released details of its fourth quarter and preliminary full-year results for 2023, which show the carrier achieved an operating profit of NOK 2,232 million, the highest in company history. 

The firm says its liquidity position improved to NOK 9.5 billion at year-end, which means shareholders will get a dividend of about 60 øre per share. 

For the full year of 2023, the operating margin was 9 percent, also a record high for the company. For the fourth quarter of 2023, the company delivered an operating profit (EBIT) of NOK 328 million. Profit before tax (EBT) amounted to NOK 1,804 million for the full-year of 2023 and NOK 208 million for the quarter. The Norwegian fleet comprised 87 aircraft at year-end, of which 20 aircraft were the latest 737 MAX 8 aircraft. 

“I am thrilled to announce that Norwegian achieved all-time high profits for 2023. Our loyal customer base continued to grow, and we are grateful for their trust in us. Colleagues across the entire company have worked tirelessly to ensure operational excellence, ranging from the planning of our network and services to everyday execution,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

More passengers, higher load factor

Norwegian had 4.7 million passengers in the quarter, up from 4.6 million passengers in the fourth quarter of 2022. Production (ASK) was 7.1 billion seat kilometres, while passenger traffic (RPK) was 6.0 billion seat kilometres. Compared to the previous quarter, capacity was down 32 percent as the company reduced its production to match seasonally lower demand during the winter period. The quarterly load factor was 84.4 percent, up three percentage points from the same period the previous year.

Punctuality, share of flights departing on schedule, was 81.5 percent, down from 82.3 percent in the same period the previous year. While punctuality fell in December as winter weather condition impacted operational performance at key airports, the airline managed through relentless efforts to ensure that close to all passengers made it home for the festive period. Cirium, the global aviation consultancy named Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY) Europe's most on-time airline in October and the fifth most punctual airline for 2023. It also ranked the airline as Europe’s top performer on regularity.

Widerøe acquisition completed

In January, Norwegian completed the acquisition of Widerøe, a regional carrier in Norway with a fleet of 48 aircraft, predominately turboprops. The acquisition of Widerøe will enable the linking of complementary route networks, create significant operational synergies, and provide Norwegian with additional diversification through Widerøe's substantial public service obligation (PSO) operations.

New Eurowings designed gate at Dusseldorf Airport

Eurowings passengers travelling to Berlin and Hamburg enjoy faster access to security checks and shorter distances to the gates at Dusseldorf Airport with ‘Wings Express’. In addition, the flights are always positioned at the same, nearby gates in Pier A so that only a few steps are required for boarding even after the security check. 

From now on, this is also visible from the outside at gate A25: this gate, branded in Eurowings design, is located just a few meters behind the security checkpoints and is reserved for Eurowings flights to Berlin and Hamburg. Travellers who have already checked in online in advance can reach their flight within 40 minutes.

Stuttgart Airport: new Senator Comfort Area

From now on, waiting will be even more comfortable for Miles & More passengers with Senator status at Stuttgart Airport: Whether travelling on business or on holiday, the new Senator Comfort Area offers free snacks and drinks at every seat, as well as power sockets at every seat and a view on the apron that invites you to linger. It is located in the security area of Terminal 3, level 4 near gate 310 and is available exclusively to all authorized passengers on Lufthansa Group flights between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. every day.

Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

Record breaking January at London Stansted

London Stansted kicked off 2024 with another strong passenger performance to record the airport’s busiest-ever January.

Stansted welcomed 1.95 million passengers in January 2024, up 6.9% on the same month last year, and beating the previous best of 1.93 million passengers set in January 2019.

The number of passengers using London Stansted in the 12 months ending January 2024 reached 28.1 million, an increase of 14.8% on the previous year.

The top three most popular countries during the month were Spain, Italy and Poland, while the busiest routes were Dublin, Istanbul and Edinburgh.

Operational performance in January remained strong, with 99% of departing passengers passing through security in 15 minutes or less, and with an average queue time of under four minutes during the main departure peaks.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:  “I’m really pleased we were able to deliver yet another the strong passenger performance last month, welcoming more passengers in January than ever before at London Stansted, and coming hot on the heels of a record-breaking December.

I’m also delighted our passengers continue to experience a smooth and efficient security operation when flying from the airport, which we aim to maintain as we welcome more passengers when they head off on half-term breaks this month, and as we build-up to what we anticipate will be a very busy Easter next month.

The year ahead looks really exciting for everyone connected with London Stansted, and the millions of passengers who will continue to take advantage of the extensive choice, great value and convenience we are able to offer.

We have a host of new routes launching this year, including Royal Jordanian’s new service to Amman next month, British Airways flights to Nice, Florence and Ibiza plus new routes from Ryanair, Jet2.com and Sun Express.   

And we will also continue driving forward our investment plans to transform the airport experience and operation. This will include the opening of a new EV charging forecourt, the commencement of work on our 14.3MW solar farm as well as finalising design details of our terminal extension ahead of the first phase of construction later in the year."

Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

UK to supply thousands of drones as co-leader of major international capability coalition for Ukraine

The UK and Latvia will jointly lead a capability coalition, which will see thousands of drones supplied to Ukraine, including first-person view (FPV) drones, which have proven highly effective on the battlefield.

Ukraine will receive thousands more drones as Defence Secretary Grant Shapps announced yesterday. that the UK will co-lead a major drone capability coalition with Latvia for Ukraine.

As part of the coalition, the UK will scale up and streamline the West’s provision of “first person view” (FPV) drones to Ukraine. FPV drones have proven highly effective on the battlefield since Russia’s full-scale invasion, providing their operators with situational awareness to target enemy positions, armoured vehicles, and ships with explosive ordnance.

By creating a competition to produce these drones at scale and at an affordable price point, the UK will leverage the strength of Western industry. This is the first project to be launched from the £200 million drone package announced by the Prime Minister in January this year. It will see the UK order thousands of FPV drones for Ukraine, including from UK manufacturers, providing a boost to the industry and delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: "The UK continues to do all we can to give Ukraine what it needs – upping our aid to £2.5bn this year and committing £200m to manufacture drones, making us Ukraine’s largest drone supplier.

Today, we’re going even further. I’m proud to announce that the UK and Latvia will co-lead an international coalition to build Ukraine’s vital drone capabilities. Together, we will give Ukraine the capabilities it needs to defend itself and win this war, to ensure that Putin fails in his illegal and barbaric ambitions."

The Defence Secretary also met his NATO counterparts on Thursday to review progress on support for Ukraine, NATO’s new warfighting plans, ramping up defence production capacity and preparations for the NATO Summit in Washington in July, where leaders will mark the Alliance’s 75th anniversary.

The UK continues to play a leading role in NATO, contributing to all operations and missions, committing almost all our Armed Forces under the NATO Force Model, and offering a full spectrum of capabilities.

With Eurowings and ChatGPT to an affordable dream holiday......Tour operator brand Eurowings Holidays goes live with AI-supported travel advisor

Eurowings goes ChatGPT: Eurowings Holidays, the tour operator brand of Germany's largest leisure airline, has gone live with an artificial intelligence (AI) powered travel advisor called “Holly”. It is the first online travel advisor that not only provides travel ideas tailored towards individual preferences within a very short time, but also enables the immediate booking of complete package holidays via the Eurowings Holidays website in the same step – a first in German tourism. The AI tool takes personal preferences into account and compares them with billions of flight and hotel combinations.

On the Eurowings Holidays website (German only), interested parties can now find tailor-made holidays that take special requests such as food preferences, sporting activities, excursion ideas or physical limitations into account right from the start. The more the digital travel consultant learns about their customers' wishes, the lower the risk of being disappointed on holiday. The technology finds exactly the travel package that best suits the preferences entered. The Eurowings Holidays AI travel advisor also takes, for example, hotel reviews into account, and immediately checks whether suitable adventure excursions or car hire offers are available.

Faster to the right destination with artificial intelligence

Eurowings CEO Jens Bischof: “We know that many travellers find the search for the right holiday destination time-consuming and tedious. With the digital travel advisor from Eurowings Holidays, the often complex path to the perfect holiday takes a shortcut and is radically simplified. Learning AI software recognises patterns and personal preferences for the benefit of our customers. Eurowings Holidays is thus increasing the quality of tourist offers and makes them much more individualised. We are delighted that we are taking on a pioneering role with these new-generation travel offers.”

The AI travel advisor “Holly” has been developed by the Hamburg-based start-up Honeepot. “The technology used ensures that customer data is fully protected and never passed on,” emphasises Honeepot CEO Torsten Ostmeier.