Ascend Airways starts first summer with two Boeing 737 jets flying on behalf of TUI Airways

One of the UK's newest additions to the aviation scene, Ascend Airways, is celebrating a new contract for the summer season operating flights for TUI Airways in the UK.

The Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance lease of the carrier's two Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft kicked off with the first flight on 1st May. The two jets will be based at London Gatwick for the summer and fly off to various key European and North African holiday destinations for the holiday giant TUI.   

Alastair Willson, CEO of Ascend Airways said "We are excited to commence operations for TUI Airways. We are extremely grateful for the confidence that they have shown in Ascend Airways and we are proud to have TUI Airways as our launch customer.  We will be fully focused on repaying the faith TUI"

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The new TUI deal comes hot on the heels of the fledgling airline's first-ever commercial flight, which was flown on Friday 26th April from London Southend Airport. Ascend operated the charter flight on behalf of Chapman Freeborn Airchartering Limited, also part of the Avia Solutions Group.  

Tony Carder, Commercial Director at Ascend Airways said “We are so pleased to have commenced commercial operations with our first-ever charter, operated on behalf of Chapman Freeborn Airchartering. This is a landmark day for the company, the start of an exciting journey and we are ready for a busy summer with our damp lease operations commencing in May. Today’s achievement is something the entire team of dedicated professionals at Ascend Airways can be very proud of and is the fruition of a lot of hard work over the last 9 months. Everyone has played a huge part in making this a reality.”
Neil Smith from Chapman Freeborn Airchartering said “It was a great honour and privilege to work with Ascend Airways on their first-ever charter flight. Our client was very impressed with the service from start to finish and thanks must go to Alastair Willson and the entire team, and especially the crew, at Ascend Airways for a job well done. It’s great to have another UK operator gracing our skies and we wish them all the best for the future.”

airBaltic and Bulgaria Air start codeshare deal

                               The Latvian national airline airBaltic and the flag carrier of Bulgaria – Bulgaria Air – announce the commencement of a codeshare partnership, effective as of May 8, 2024. The agreement enables both carriers to provide more flexibility to their passengers on flights between Latvia and Bulgaria and beyond.

Martin Gauss, President and CEO at airBaltic: “We are glad to enter a codeshare agreement with Bulgaria Air – shortly after the launch of our first direct route from the Bulgarian capital to our home base in Riga. This partnership benefits local Baltic travellers with access to the versatile network of Bulgaria Air and local travellers in Bulgaria can now enjoy easier access to airBaltic’s destinations in Europe. We are looking forward to a successful, long-standing collaboration together.”

Hristo Todorov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bulgaria Air: “We are delighted to partner with a great company like аirBaltic. With this codeshare collaboration, our passengers can now enjoy seamless connections between our networks, opening up new travel opportunities across Europe with direct flights from Riga to key Scandinavian destinations such as Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. These routes further strengthen our commitment to providing exceptional service and connectivity to Bulgarian passengers as a national flag carrier.”

Ronald Leitch appointed Chief Operating Officer of AGS Airports

AGS Airports Ltd, which owns and operates Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, has confirmed that Ronald Leitch has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer.

Ronald brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise in the aviation industry having worked in several senior leadership positions at both Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports.

Recently, Ronald had been Interim Chief Operating Officer at AGS Airports and had also been working as Operations Director at Glasgow Airport.

On his appointment Ronald, said: “I am truly honoured and excited to be named Chief Operating Officer of AGS Airports.

“I am eager to contribute to the group’s continued success.

“I look forward to the challenges ahead and working alongside our talented team to deliver exceptional experiences for our passengers and stakeholders.”

In his new position, Ronald will be responsible for overseeing and improving the operational performance of AGS Airports along with capital development and delivery ensuring the highest level of customer service for passengers.

Andy Cliffe, CEO of AGS Airports said: “With his strong leadership skills and strategic vision, Ronald will play a pivotal role at AGS Airports driving innovation, efficiency and growth across all three of our airports.”

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London Southend Airport to become easyJet's 10th UK base.....

London Southend Airport is celebrating after one of the biggest budget carriers, easyJet announced it will be basing three aircraft at the airport, making it the 10th UK base for the airline.

From next March easyJet will have three 186-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft at the airport, creating around 130 direct jobs for pilots and crew in the UK and supporting many more indirect jobs. 

Three A320neo aircraft will be based at London Southend, with six new routes launching to popular leisure destinations for summer 2025 

The UK is easyJet’s largest market with 56% of all easyJet passengers flying to and from UK airports and this announcement comes as the airline is set to operate more UK flying than ever before this year with over 57 million seats – a 10% increase versus last year – and has launched 70 new routes from the UK, fuelled by strong consumer demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays. 

The airline already serves international routes from London Southend to popular beach and city destinations Amsterdam, Geneva, Faro, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Paris Charles de Gaulle and has flown over seven million customers from London Southend since operations began in 2012. 

The planned addition of more aircraft is already enabling the airline to launch six new routes to Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman and Antalya, Marrakech as well as Enfidha in Tunisia. easyJet holidays will be on sale from tomorrow with departures from 1 May 2025, meaning package holidays from London Southend will be available seven days a week, with flights on sale in the coming months. 

The most successful April ever for Air Serbia

During April, Air Serbia carried 303,189 passengers during its regular operations, marking the best April result since the company started in 2013 and the first time that the number of passengers exceeded 300,000 in that month. Looking back to April 2023, the Serbian national airline carried 7% more people on a total of 3,271 flights operated from Belgrade, Niš, and Kraljevo airports. So far in 2024, Air Serbia has carried more than a million passengers.

“Last year was record-breaking for us, and already at the beginning of 2024, we noticed that the trend of increasing passenger numbers continues. The results achieved so far show that all four months of the current year are more successful than the same months in 2023. The summer season has started dynamically, and everything indicates that it will continue this way,” said Boško Rupić, General Manager of Commercial and Strategy at Air Serbia.

The most popular destinations in the network of the national airline of the Republic of Serbia in April 2024, when it comes to Western Europe, were Paris, Zurich, Milan, London, Rome, and Amsterdam. In the region, Podgorica and Tivat were the most popular, while flights to Istanbul, Athens, Barcelona, and Larnaca were in the highest demand in the broader Euro-Mediterranean zone. High cabin load factors were also recorded on other Air Serbia routes.

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Last month, Air Serbia's eighth ATR 72-600 aircraft arrived at its Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport base. The new aircraft is nine years old and bears the registration mark YU-ASF. It was painted in the Serbian national airline’s livery in Toulouse, and since 10 March, it has been undergoing handover procedures and technical inspections in France. 
 Milan Malović, Chief Operations Officer at Air Serbia welcomed the aircraft on 17th April: “Our eighth ATR 72-600 has just landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. Its arrival represents a step forward in our continuous efforts to improve our regional fleet and network of destinations. With the introduction of this aircraft into service, we will contribute to even better connectivity between the countries in the Western Balkans region, providing passengers with more opportunities for fast and comfortable travel,” said
The first Air Serbia ATR 72-600 aircraft, registered as YU-ALY, landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport on 27 January 2022, the second, YU-ALW, arrived on 14 May 2022, followed by the third, YU-ALX, on 14 July 2022. The fourth ATR 72-600, YU-ALZ, joined the Air Serbia fleet on 1 December 2022, while the fifth, YU-ASA, and sixth, YU-ASB, aircraft of the same type entered the fleet on 12 January and 23 June 2023, respectively. The seventh ATR, YU-ASD, joined the Air Serbia regional fleet on 8 September 2023.

Cathay enhances lifestyle partnership to bring more perks to members travelling to Thailand

Cathay members travelling to Thailand can now enjoy seamless two-way points conversion and exclusive member offers at ICONSIAM, Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery.

Overseas Cathay members1 travelling to Thailand can now seamlessly and instantaneously convert between ONESIAM Coins and Asia Miles to enjoy even more rewards on the ground and in the air. Members from selected countries2 can also enjoy the convenience of points conversion from outside of Thailand. Previously available to members in Thailand only, the partnership was first launched by Cathay and Siam Piwat Group in August 2023.

Cathay continues to expand its lifestyle offerings and provide members with more ways to earn and use Asia Miles wherever they are in the world. The partnership with Siam Piwat spans across four popular shopping malls in Thailand under the Siam Piwat Group, namely ICONSIAM, Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery. Cathay members can enjoy:

• Convenient two-way instant points conversion
• Exclusive mall benefits and ONESIAM SuperApp privileges, including discount codes and bonus points (applicable until 31 July 2024 or for the first 10,000 redemptions)
• Exclusive tourist privileges, including gift cards and special offers from more than 100 participating stores (applicable until 31 July 2024).

On top of shopping and dining at these malls, ONESIAM Members, too, can convert their ONESIAM Coins to Asia Miles and use their miles for flights, hotel stays, and many more exciting lifestyle and travel rewards from Cathay’s extensive network of more than 800 partners worldwide. More details of this partnership can be found on Cathay’s website.

AirAsia Philippines sees strong H2 2024 with more Filipinos willing to spend on travel

AirAsia Philippines is looking forward to a stronger beginning for the second half of 2024 until the end of the year as more Filipinos are willing to spend for their trips.

A recent study by travel platform Klook revealed that more than 70% of Filipinos are willing to spend more on airline tickets, accommodations and activities this year. While domestic travel remains a popular quick getaway, 76% of Filipinos said they are ready for international travel this year.

The World’s Best Low-Cost Airline and Klook have recently partnered for the promotion of popular tourist attractions in Japan.

AirAsia Philippines’ Q2 load factor meanwhile showed that 78.9% or over 1 million Filipino travelers have already booked their flights for immediate travel until June 2024, to international destinations such as Taipei Bangkok, Narita, Osaka, and Incheon. 

Therapy dogs paws-itively delight passengers

Therapy dogs interact with passengers and staff as part of Mental Health Awareness Week

Passengers travelling through London Stansted who are having a ruff day have been able to take advantage of the therapeutic benefits of cuddling a therapy dog to relieve anxiety.

The airport has teamed up with a trio of four-legged friends and their handlers from national charity, Pets As Therapy, to offer de-stressing services in the departure lounge to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

Bella the black Labrador, Sammy the Samoyed and Cato the Chow Chow, who are trained to ease tension and stress in people, were very much in demand as passengers stopped by to enjoy a stroke and a cuddle.

Stephanie Putt, London Stansted’s Accessibility Manager, said:  “Bella, Sammy and Cato were very special guests and there was no doubt that their presence caught the attention of many passengers. Having the therapy dogs as part of our customer service team was wonderful, and they provided a unique experience for passengers travelling though London Stansted. We are also pleased to offer our colleagues new ways to support their mental health at work, so it was also good for the dogs to meet our terminal security team.”

Cessna Citation Ascend advances with successful certification tests and extensive flight testing

Textron Aviation announced the continued advancement of the Cessna Citation Ascend program following the successful completion by the prototype aircraft of numerous certification tests and more than 350 flight test hours. The Citation Ascend business jet was unveiled during the 2023 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) and the aircraft is expected to enter into service in 2025.

The newest Citation is designed to bring a new cockpit, improved performance and a more luxurious cabin to the midsize business jet market. The aircraft’s state-of-the-art avionics including autothrottle, high payload capacity and impressive range offer customers reduced pilot workload and the ability to do more and go farther.

“With the prototype aircraft’s successful completion of rigorous certification tests and over 350 flight test hours, we are confident in the development progress of the Citation Ascend,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president of engineering & Programs. “The success of the program to date highlights the skill and commitment of our teams in designing and delivering the best aviation experience for customers.”

VINCI Airports inaugurates the first phase of terminal expansion works at Monterrey International Airport

 OMA, of which VINCI Airports is the main shareholder, which holds 13 airports in Mexico, inaugurated the first phase of a 400 million euros investment program at Monterrey International airport.

This delivery is a major milestone of a 5-year expansion program that will bring a significant step in the ongoing expansion of Mexico. The overall objective is to increase by 50% the Monterrey airport passenger service capacity, providing close to 18 million passengers annually. This program has been designed to provide a seamless and enhanced experience for all travelers through: • 70 check-in desks, self-service and bag-drop facilities • 10 000 sqm of commercial plaza at the heart of the building,  • A next-generation and more efficient security check for departing passengers, • An integrated and automatized baggage handling system,  • Two piers for additional seating areas and boarding gates, • New and expanded baggage reclaim areas both national and international.

United expects busy start to summer travel season

United plans for the busiest Memorial Day weekend ever with three million expected passengers – a 10% increase over 2023

United's mobile app can save travellers up to 30 minutes on average at the airport with features like mobile check-in, bag drop shortcut, live flight updates, terminal wayfinding, self-service rebooking and more

                      United is ready for its busiest Memorial Day holiday ever – with a record-setting three million travellers expected to fly between May 23-28, up nearly 10% compared to last year. To help fliers navigate the crowds and jumpstart their summer vacations, United has dozens of features in its mobile app to help travellers skip lines, breeze through security, navigate to their gates, quickly check their bags and more – saving travellers up to 30 minutes on average* at the airport.

"Whether you're a road warrior or fly just once a year, the United app is a game-changer that saves you time and makes the overall experience of flying United even better," said Linda Jojo, United's Chief Customer Officer. "With an uptick of leisure travel over the summer months, we've found that customers who travel with the app not only save up to 30 minutes on average during their day-of travel experience, but they also feel informed and empowered about their flights, especially as they're flying into new or unfamiliar airports for their summertime vacations."

United continues to release new innovations in its mobile app to help travellers prepare for their trips – offering more transparency, saving time and reducing stress.

Here are the top ways the United mobile app can help fliers travel on easy mode:

• Find live, personalized flight notifications for details such as countdown to boarding, gate number, seat, bag tracking and more right on your phone screen. United is the first and only U.S. airline to support Live Activities for iPhone, and the live updates have helped millions of travellers since last year especially during peak travel times.
• Request your desired seat with the new seat preferences feature in the mobile app if your preferred seat type isn't available at the time of booking your flight. Travellers who use this tool are moved automatically into their preferred seat, on average, 35% of the time. United is the first and only U.S. airline offering this option.
• Receive automatic rebooking assistance during flight disruptions directly in the app. When travel doesn't go as planned, customers will get alternate travel options automatically served to them in the app. Saving travellers about 15 minutes in line on average, the tools help them get back on their way more quickly after a flight disruption or cancellation. Plus, only United offers Agent on Demand – allowing customers to scan a QR code or use the United app to video chat, text or call a customer service representative instead of waiting in line at the airport. In 2023, Agent on Demand helped more than 1.6 million travellers avoid lines at the airport and get fast help in the app.

Air France-KLM announces the successful issuance of new bonds for a total aggregate amount of €650 million

Air France-KLM announces the successful issuance of new bonds for a total aggregate amount of €650 million.

Air France-KLM (the “Company”) has successfully placed new bonds today, for a total nominal amount of €650 million with a 5-year maturity and a coupon of 4.625% (the “New Notes”) under its Euro 4,500,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme. The New Notes are expected to be rated BBB- by Fitch and BB+ by S&P.

Strong investor demand, with an orderbook above €2.8 billion that covered c.4.3x the size of the bonds, is a testament to investors’ confidence in Air France-KLM.

The Company announced on 13 May 2024 the launch of a tender offer to repurchase the following two series of existing notes in cash:

€750,000,000 1.875 per cent notes due 16 January 2025 (ISIN: FR0013477254) (of which €750,000,000 is currently outstanding) (the “2025 Notes”); and

€500,000,000 3.875 per cent notes due 1st July 2026 (ISIN: FR0014004AF5) (of which €500,000,000 is currently outstanding) (the “2026 Notes” and, together with the 2025 Notes, the “Existing Notes”).

The proceeds of the New Notes will be used to refinance part of the existing debt of the Company by purchasing all or part of the Existing Notes and for general corporate purpose.

An application will be made for the New Notes to be admitted to trading on Euronext Paris.

Norwegian and Strawberry agree on jointly owned loyalty company

Norwegian and Strawberry have agreed on a joint platform for their 10-million-member strong loyalty programmes Norwegian Reward and Strawberry. Following the initial announcement in June last year, the arrangement has now been fully agreed and the jointly-owned company is up and running.

The value proposition to both the members and partners has been improved compared to what was originally envisioned. The structure of the joint venture has been changed such that a majority of the loyalty programme value remains within Norwegian and Strawberry respectively, and Norwegian will not recognize the initial accounting gain previously announced. In the new setup, Norwegian and Strawberry will each hold 50 percent ownership of the joint company from start. Final closing of the transaction took place today, with a market launch targeted for the second half of 2024. Following this revised transaction structure, the agreement with the financial service partner Avida will be revised to support the structure of the joint venture.

London Stansted sets new passenger and cargo records in first month of summer season

London Stansted’s positive start to 2024 continued into April, as record volumes of both passengers and cargo passed through the airport.

Stansted welcomed 2.48 million passengers during the month to record its busiest ever April, beating the previous high set in 2019 by more than 90,000 passengers, and an increase of 5.5% on April 2023.

The 12-month total to the end of April stood at 28.64 million passengers, an increase of 10.8% on the previous year.

London Stansted’s cargo operation, which provides London and the East of England business communities with convenient access to Europe, USA, the Far and Middle East, also experienced a record-breaking month as more than 27,000 tonnes of freight passed through the airport in April, the highest monthly total ever. 

This global connectivity is vital to the business ecosystem, particularly in the Greater Cambridge area, supporting businesses in a wide range of sectors to trade globally, as well as facilitating international e-commerce.

Operational performance in April remained resilient, with 98% of departing passengers passing through security in 15 minutes or less, and with an average queue time of three minutes during the main departure peaks.

 Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:   "April was another very strong month for London Stansted with both passenger and cargo numbers hitting new highs, thanks to our extensive passenger route network, the efficiency and simplicity of the airport’s operation and the global connectivity provided by our cargo carriers.

“The Easter holidays at the start of the month were particularly busy, but thanks to the dedication and teamwork shown by colleagues right across the airport, we were able to deliver a smooth airport journey for our passengers.

Schiphol, KLM and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee satisfied with May holiday

Schiphol, KLM and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee look back on the May holiday with satisfaction. All three praise the joint efforts and cooperation that ensured travellers had a pleasant journey.

'A top performance by everyone who works at the airport'

Patricia Vitalis, Executive Director Airport Operations at Schiphol said "It's fantastic to see that all our joint efforts helped the May holiday to go smoothly. Thanks to the good flow of travellers, many of them will have probably not even realised how incredibly busy it was. We were well prepared, but so were our travellers. I am proud of all the employees who contributed to this great result. We've made a good start to the holiday season and I'm looking forward to the summer."

Maarten Stienen, COO & Managing Director at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said "The May holiday is becoming an increasingly popular time to go on holiday among Dutch people. Our aircraft were full. Thanks to the efforts of all KLM employees, as well as those working for Schiphol, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and LVNL, we were able to give passengers a pleasant journey from the airport. This was our first peak moment before the busy summer holidays. I am pleased with how it went, and I am confident we will have a good summer."

80+ routes, seamless travel and endless Delta adventures this summer.....

As summer approaches, Delta is primed for a bustling start with nearly 3 million customers set to take flight during the Memorial Day period, May 23-27 – a 5% increase from last year.  

And with its largest international schedule to date in operation, Delta’s latest travel enhancements will ensure a top-notch experience while whisking customers to their favourite travel destinations worldwide. 

Elevating the travel experience..... 

Delta, frequently recognized for operational excellence, reliability, and innovation, has recently rolled out several enhancements to ensure every journey is as smooth as a summer breeze. 

New this season, customers departing from Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, LaGuardia and New York-JFK can opt-in for Delta Digital ID within their SkyMiles profile to expedite the security process. Passengers can look forward to a seamless boarding experience with Delta's new numbered boarding system aimed at providing more clarity to the boarding sequence. 

Delta also recently debuted the most comprehensive update since 2019 to its Fly Delta app with Fly Delta 6.0, introducing a suite of improvements aimed at enhancing efficiency and empowering travellers to manage their trips with ease. This includes an all-new Help Center view, always-available access to boarding information and connectivity to our Virtual Assistant. Quickly following in early summer, customers will also soon be able to utilize their Delta SkyMiles credentials from their Fly Delta App to seamlessly connect to Delta Sync Wi-Fi onboard. 

Customers looking to live their best life this summer will enjoy the Miami and LaGuardia (May 15) Delta Sky Club expansions and the much-anticipated Delta One Lounge in New York-JFK, making its debut in June 2024. 

The WestJet Group boosts Calgary's global connectivity through enhanced Winter 787 Schedule

The WestJet Group has announced significant enhancements to its transoceanic and leisure travel offering with its winter 787 schedule, revealing expanded year-round service between Calgary International Airport (YYC) and Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) and an increase to daily connectivity between Calgary and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle International (CDG) and London Heathrow International (LHR) Airports. As The WestJet Group continues to fortify its position as Canada's leisure travel champion, the airline is also enhancing its 787 presence on popular leisure routes with service between Canada, Mexico and Hawaii.

"Our 787 winter schedule reflects the growing demand for year-round international options for business and leisure travellers from our global hub in Calgary to Asia, Europe, and North America," said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. "We will continue to strategically position our Dreamliners to provide the best global access between Western Canada and the world."

Year-round service to Tokyo, Unlocked

Building on the existing summer seasonal service, WestJet is investing in year-round service between Calgary and Tokyo. The service enhancement is a strategic milestone for the airline, bringing more visitors to Alberta and strengthening global tourism opportunities, while preserving Calgary's position as the most connected mid-sized city in North America. Through WestJet's longstanding codeshare agreement with Japan Airlines guests will also have access to seven destinations beyond Tokyo.

Airbus Helicopters to support Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale helicopter fleet

Airbus Helicopters to support Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale helicopter fleet

 

Airbus Helicopters and Babcock have been awarded a contract to support 48 EC145s operated by the French Ministry of Interior. The 12 year contract that starts this year was signed with the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé), the organisation in charge of maintenance for aircraft operated by the French government.

“The Sécurité Civile and Gendarmerie Nationale play a key role in safeguarding our communities in France. We are proud to have signed this contract, which demonstrates their confidence in us and strengthens our partnership." said Romain Trapp, Airbus Helicopters’ Executive Vice President Customer Support and Services. “We measure our responsibility in guaranteeing that their EC145s are available 24/7 for their critical missions".

The contract covers the 33 EC145s operated by the Sécurité Civile and the 15 EC145s operated by the Gendarmerie air forces that are spread across 41 bases in France, including five bases in French overseas territories. The contract covers technical support (including industry technical representatives working on site), supply of spare parts, logistics solutions (transport of spares and stock management), technical data management and software support. 

Pegasus launches direct route from Edinburgh to Istanbul

Pegasus Airlines continues to expand its international network with direct flights connecting Istanbul and Edinburgh

Pegasus, one of Europe’s leading low-cost airlines, is launching an exciting new route between Istanbul and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. The new direct flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Edinburgh Airport are launching on 27 June 2024.

 

Flights are scheduled for twice a week, departing on Thursdays and Sundays from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Edinburgh Airport at 11.40 local time and on the same days at 15.30 local time from Edinburgh Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. The flights will be year-round on A320/A321neo aircraft.

Onur Dedeköylü, Pegasus Airlines' Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), added: “We are delighted to be launching new regular scheduled flights connecting Istanbul and Edinburgh as the summer season starts.  Pegasus Airlines is proud to connect such vibrant and popular destinations, offering a unique experience to all who fly with us.”

Operating one of the youngest fleets in Europe, Pegasus Airlines has a growing network of 137 destinations: 35 in Türkiye and 102 international destinations.

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Incorporated in 1990, Pegasus was acquired by ESAS Holding in 2005 and adopted the low-cost business model. As Türkiye’s leading low-cost airline, Pegasus believes that everyone has the right to fly and offers its guests the opportunity to travel with good-value fares and young aircraft through its low-cost model. In 2018, Pegasus adopted the motto Your Digital Airline and carries its guests to 137 destinations, 36 in Türkiye and 102 on its international network. Pegasus operates connecting flights between Türkiye and Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia via Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. 

London Stansted gears up for UEFA European Championships - Euro 2024 - with 10 routes to Germany

In just over a month's time, London Stansted will be welcoming thousands of football fans travelling to Germany for the UEFA European Championships.

The airport serves ten German destinations, and all the tournament’s host cities are just a short flight away and easily accessible via public transport.

On June 16, England will play Serbia in Gelsenkirchen, which is about an hour from Dortmund and Cologne, both of which you can reach directly by flying with Ryanair from Stansted.

After that, the three lions will travel to Frankfurt to play Denmark and Cologne to play Slovenia. And if they make the next round, knockout games could take place in Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Munich.

Even Scotland fans can take advantage of Stansted's unrivalled European route network as they can jet down from Edinburgh and Glasgow and pick up flights to the tournament.

Memmingen is hour's train ride to Munich for their first game against the hosts on June 14. While flights to Cologne for the Swiss game on June 19, and Baden-Baden for Hungary on June 23 in Stuttgart are also available from the airport.

Whether you are looking for a last-minute flight to soak up the atmosphere or are lucky enough to have managed to get a ticket, here's how to get to each host city from London Stansted.

Delta CEO receives honorary PhD and delivers Georgia Tech 2024 Commencement Address

This past Saturday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian received an honorary doctorate degree and delivered the commencement address at Georgia Institute of Technology’s McCamish Pavilion. 

Before Bastian addressed the graduates, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera presented him with an honorary degree — the most significant honor a university can bestow upon an individual for their significant contributions to a specific field or society in general.

“One thing that I think tested all of us was the unprecedented pandemic we had to go through,” said Cabrera. “I haven’t met a better leader during those very, very difficult years than Ed Bastian. Not only for what he was doing at Delta, but because of the example that he was setting for the rest of us. And that’s why we’re honouring Ed today.” 

After receiving his degree, Bastian gave advice to the bachelor’s and master’s students as they begin the next step of their journeys. 

“You are stepping into a world that needs you, more than ever,” said Bastian. “Your energy, passion, creativity, and hope. Our world is ready to be led by those who don’t run from their fears but lead through them.” 

Delta Air Lines and The Delta Air Lines Foundation have a long history of supporting Georgia Tech. Delta is a sponsor of Georgia Tech Athletics and has a close association with the Engineering School through their co-op program.  

Bastian served as the fourth speaker of five that celebrated the almost 6,000 Georgia Tech graduates. Other commencement speakers included Professor Baratunde Cola, Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene, entrepreneur Chris Klaus and McKinsey & Company Managing Partner Tiffany Burns.    

To watch his complete speech, view the video below. Bastian's portion begins at 1:16:12.

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Summer season starts strongly for UK’s largest airports group

Traffic across MAG was up 8% year-on-year in April

5.2m passengers travelled through all three airports

Manchester and London Stansted once again saw record monthly passenger volumes

The total for the Group was equal to 101% of traffic seen in April 2019

MAG saw 5.2m passengers pass through its airports in April, up 8% year-on year as the Group marked the beginning of its summer season.

The figures across MAG – which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports – were equal to 101% of passenger numbers seen in April 2019.

London Stansted and Manchester Airports once again recorded record months, serving 2.5m and 2.4m passengers respectively, up 5.5% and 10.9% year-on-year. London Stansted’s traffic was equal to 104% of passengers served in April 2019, and Manchester’s was 101%.

East Midlands Airport saw close to 330,000 passengers pass through its terminal across the month, up 5% year on year, and equal to 83% of traffic in April 2019.

Operational performance across the Group remains consistently strong, and in March 100% of passengers at all three airports passed through security in 15 minutes or less.

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Passengers:

	Manchester	London Stansted	East Midlands	MAG
Rolling 12-month total to April 24	28,973,445	28,643,725	4,093,017	61,710,187
12-month total % change year-on-year	+13.5%	+10.8%	+20.6%	+12.7%
April’ 24 total	2,413,783	2,480,894	327,972	5,222,649
April’ 24 % change year-on-year	+10.9%	+5.5%	+5.0%	+7.9%

Cargo:

	Manchester	London Stansted	East Midlands
April 2024 total tonnes	6,532	27,097	28,576
April 2024 % change year on year	+20.9%	+23.3%	-0.1%

Southwest Airlines reports annual progress in sustainability and corporate citizenship

Southwest Airlines Co. launches its annual corporate citizenship reports, the One Report and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Report, highlighting the carrier's work across its corporate citizenship initiatives. The integrated reports provide a snapshot of financial; corporate social responsibility (CSR); environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) reporting; and DEI priorities at Southwest Airlines®.

Highlights from the annual reports include:

• The Nonstop to Net Zero sustainability strategy and updated environmental sustainability goals.
• Details on the launch of Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures.
• Information about the transport of a record 137 million revenue passengers in 2023.
• How the carrier creates an environment of Belonging while investing in its People.
• Overview of the investments in Customer Experience improvements, such as upgraded WiFi fleet-wide1, digital bag tracking, larger bins, in-seat power, free same-day standby2, and enhancements to Southwest's Rapid Rewards program which make it easier for customers to achieve Tier Status3.

New features bring benefits to hundreds of thousands of EMA passengers

More changes have been put in place to improve the passenger experience at East Midlands Airport ahead of the spring bank holiday and the busy summer ahead.

The improvements come as latest figures show that 328,000 passengers used the airport just last month, building on the success of the last financial year which saw overall passenger numbers top four million for the first time since the pandemic.

Stylish modern seating has been installed in the departure lounge, along with a tree sculpture which provides customers with charging points. The new-look seating area, providing extra customer seating, is just around the corner from a brand new JD Sports store which has opened in the largest retail unit in the terminal. The smaller unit that JD Sports vacated will be home to The Yard from later this month, a new bar offering more choice as travellers start their holidays.

More than 500 new trolleys are also available for customer use, while revolving front doors into the check-in hall and anti-backtrack doors into the arrivals hall have been replaced and upgraded. New and improved customer wi-fi is scheduled to come on stream across the terminal next month.

These improvements come on top of the refurbished Castle Rock Bar & Kitchen, with its enhanced dining areas and larger bar with extra tills to speed up service, while the toilet facilities nearby have been improved to a high standard. New baby changing facilities, Changing Place toilets and a new prayer room have all also opened in the departure lounge recently.

In April, Finnair carried 905,200 passengers. This was 4.2% more than in April 2023.

The number of passengers increased year-on-year, also cargo figures improved

The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in April by 3.9% year-on-year as additional narrow-body capacity was deployed by Finnair after the wet lease outs to British Airways ended in March 2024. If wet lease outs are included, capacity increased by 5.9% due to the co-operation with Qantas. Finnair's traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 1.6%. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) declined by 1.6% points to 72.5%. The distance-based reported traffic figures do not take into account longer routings caused by the airspace closure as they are based on Great-Circle distance in accordance with the industry practice.

The ASK increase in Asian traffic was up by 0.4% year-on-year. The North Atlantic capacity decreased by 14.6%. In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 14.1% as majority of the increase in narrow-body capacity was allocated to Europe and new routes, such as Wroclaw. The Middle Eastern capacity declined by 7.4% mainly due to cancelled flights to Israel. The ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 17.5% due to the additional narrow-body capacity.

RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 2.0% year-on-year but decreased in North Atlantic traffic by 3.0%. They increased by 2.8% in European traffic and by 2.7% in domestic traffic. In Middle Eastern traffic, RPKs were down by 1.4%.

In April, the PLF was 74.8% in Asian traffic, 73.3% in North Atlantic traffic, 71.7% in European traffic, 68.7% in Middle Eastern traffic and 67.3% in domestic traffic.

Passenger numbers in Asian traffic increased by 1.2% year-on-year but decreased in North Atlantic traffic by 3.4%. They increased by 6.4% in European traffic and by 1.1% in domestic traffic but decreased by 3.8% in Middle Eastern traffic.

The total cargo tonnes increased by 9.6% year-on-year in April due to growth in Europe and Middle East. Revenue cargo tonne kilometres increased by 4.1%.

In April, 74.9% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (86.1%). On-time performance was mainly impacted by severe weather conditions.

Traffic statistics for May 2024 will be published on Thursday 6 June 2024.