British Airways Launch Flights to Winterfell......

The Winter is coming, yes indeed the winter is coming especially to the London City Airport as a British Airways Plane of Thrones takes off for the mystical land of ‘Winterfell’.

Known in more modern, and real life, times as Iceland, this is the first time its capital city Reykjavik has had a direct air link from the heart of London.

Reykjavik is one of three new routes to European capital cities being launched by British Airways from London City this winter. Alongside three flights a day to Paris Orly Airport in France and six flights a week to Prague in the Czech Republic, the airline now serves a record 32 destinations from the Docklands.

To celebrate the launch of new twice-a-week flights to the location of some of the winter scenes in the Game of Thrones series yesterday (October 29), British Airways decided to bring a familiar face from the programme to London City.

Model Rob Dean took on the character of King of the North Jon Snow, whose home is in Winterfell, to promote the first ever flight from the airport to Iceland.

British Airways adding a little magic can make dreams come true.

British Airways stepped in to help customer, Joe Dowd on a milestone journey from Heathrow to Dublin this month. Though not a long journey, it was a very important one for 47-year-old Brentford based Joe as it was his first flight since he suffered a life-changing brain injury in 2014, which left him with significant physical and cognitive challenges. 

His wife, Liz, got in touch with the airline to tell them Joe’s story and to ask for support with his first flight. Liz explained that her husband had previously worked in banking and regularly travelled the world, but his condition had left him unable to fly. After a long period of intense rehabilitation Joe defied medics and learnt to walk again, but one of his big goals had been to fly. Joe worked hard to become strong enough to trial flying again and the couple planned a short flight to Dublin, to visit extended family in Ireland.

After receiving a heartfelt letter, British Airways stepped in to make the journey as memorable as possible for the deserving pair, with a few surprises along the way. A behind-the-scenes video captured the journey, read on for more on the story and to watch the video.

Transat selling off its Jonview Canada tourist business

Transat Inc. has signed an agreement for the sale of its wholly-owned and highly regarded business unit Jonview Canada, the country's leading incoming tour operator, for $44 million (Canadian) to Japanese multinational H.I.S. Co. Ltd.

H.I.S specializes in travel distribution globally, the transaction is subject to the approval of the Competition Bureau of Canada and to other usual conditions. It is expected to close on or around November 30, 2017. The price will be adjusted at closing.

"With this transaction, Transat has carried out the implementation of its strategic refocusing around its leisure travel operations in Canada and development of its hotel division," said Jean-Marc Eustache, President and Chief Executive Officer, Transat. "The sale of our Canadian incoming tour operator business will accelerate development of those key sectors."

WestJet celebrates travel agents with style at 2017 Travel Partner Awards

On 26th October Canadian airline WestJet announced the names of their 2017 Travel Partner Awards winners and honoured the agencies and agents who have contributed to the airline's success.

Lyell Farquharson (Vice President, Sales and Distribution) and Robert Dungan (Director, Business Development) with the winner of Top Growth Consolidator, Huntington Travel (CNW Group/WestJet)

"Our travel partners play a significant role in the success of WestJet and WestJet Vacations and our annual Travel Partner Awards are just one way of saying we value you," said Lyell Farquharson, Vice President, Sales and Distribution. "Every day, our TA partners help us deliver unforgettable travel experiences for our mutual guests, and we enjoy recognizing the dedication and support of the travel trade with this special evening."

Read on for a list of the winners.

Delta Slammed by Nevada Jury for Employment Discrimination over HIV

A Nevada Federal Jury on Friday, October 20 rendered a $1.3 million verdict under the Americans with Disabilities Act against Delta Air Lines including $800,000 in punitive damages. 

Delta was found guilty of both failing to accommodate the HIV protected disability of the Plaintiff and terminating Plaintiff on account of his disability. Back pay, front pay and legal fees to be awarded under the Federal Statute have not yet been decided. 

The jury found Delta's actions were knowing and reckless, and awarded punitive damages. The jury took approximately three and a half hours to reach a unanimous verdict after an almost 4 day trial before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II. Plaintiff was represented by Stone & Woodrow LLP of Charlottesville, Virginia, with Thatcher A. Stone and William T. Woodrow III as lead trial counsel and Nevada State Senator Richard Segerblom. 

Asked for comment, Stone said, "the jury of eight Nevada citizens listened, paid attention, and then made a decision. Plaintiff's team is extremely pleased with the jury and their result." Segerblom said, "the verdict is likely to be the largest verdict for employment discrimination in Nevada history."  Delta was represented by Scott Mahoney of the Las Vegas office of Fisher and Phillips and Kelly Giustina, a Delta lawyer. Stone & Woodrow LLP is a plaintiff's boutique that focuses on civil rights and aviation related personal injury. Thatcher A. Stone is adjunct faculty at the UVA Law School.

Aircraft Evacuation Sling For Wheelchair Users?

ADAPTS  today announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for the world's first affordable and portable emergency evacuation sling for wheelchair users on an aerolane. Simultaneously, A Disabled Passenger Transfer Sling (ADAPTS), will be demonstrated for the first time at the Abilities Expo in San Mateo, Calif. this weekend.

United Airlines Resumes Seasonal Service to New Zealand

United Airlines has announced that its seasonal service between San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand will resume on Sunday, 29th October.  United Airlines and Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand have launched a new microsite, available at united.com/airnz, that provides information on both carriers as well as destination inspiration and tips related to travel to New Zealand and the U.S. United will operate its SFO-AKL route six days per week from October 29 through December 17 and then daily through March 22, 2018.

"Together with our Joint Venture partner Air New Zealand, United is excited to provide customers with convenient travel options between the U.S. and New Zealand," said John Gebo, senior vice president of alliances for United. "New Zealand's summer season is a popular time for travellers to enjoy New Zealand, and we are pleased to offer the larger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and the all-new United Polaris business class seat for our customers travelling between San Francisco and Auckland."

Finnair transforms its booking experience with Amadeus’ newest digital retailing API

Finnair is partnering with Amadeus to make travel bookings easier and more flexible for customers across all of its online platforms. The Finnair website and the Finnair mobile app account for one quarter of the company’s sales, forming the single most important sales channel for the airline.

The new technology brings flexibility to Finnair’s online retailing experience, allowing booking flows to be adapted to what works best for the traveller

“We want to make the shoppin

g experience more intuitive and enjoyable for our customers,” says Jaron Millner, Vice President of Direct Business at Finnair. “The Amadeus Digital API gives us the flexibility we have been looking for, and allows us to develop the booking experience together with our customers to find the booking and shopping flow that works best for them.”

Ethiopian Airlines welcomes its first 787-9 Dreamliner

Ethiopian Airlines celebrated the delivery of its first Boeing 787-9, which it is leasing the Dreamliner through an agreement with AerCap.

Ethiopian's newest 787 touched down in Addis Ababa following an epic non-stop delivery flight from Boeing's Everett facility in Washington state. It was a total distance of 8,354 miles or 13,444 kilometres. 

Ethiopian is now the first airline in Africa to operate the 787-9 further cementing the carriers tradition of 'firsts'. They were the first African carrier to fly the 787-8 in 2012, and they similarly introduced the 777-200LR, 777-300ER and 777 Freighter top the continent.

More pictures and details follow.

Southwest Airlines reported its third quarter 2017

Southwest Airlines reported its third quarter 2017 results yesterday:

Gary C. Kelly, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are very pleased to report another quarter of strong profits and margins, particularly considering the impact of the unprecedented natural disasters. As a result of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and the earthquakes, we cancelled 5,000 flights which reduced revenues by approximately $100 million in third quarter 2017. Our People's efforts to provide humanitarian flights, supplies, and financial assistance to Coworkers, Customers, and the communities impacted were truly heroic. Our hearts continue to go out to those impacted. During the quarter, our Employees also managed the retirement of the remaining Boeing 737-300 (Classic) fleet and simultaneous introduction of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 into our fleet. With the launch of the MAX, we were excited to announce our intention to serve Hawaii, which is another exciting milestone for Southwest. I am grateful to our Employees for these significant accomplishments and their extraordinary efforts during these operational challenges."

Jazz takes the safest title!

Jazz Aviation has been named among Canada's Safest Employers 2017 taking gold in the Transportation category at Canada's Safest Employers Awards.  The winners were announced at a gala event in Toronto, Ontario earlier this week. 

"Safety is, and always has been, our top priority at Jazz," said Colin Copp, President, Jazz. "Our common goal is the pursuit of safety excellence at all levels within Jazz. This shared focus allows us to learn, develop, grow and mature as a safe organization."

Jazz's safety culture is top of mind every day. Jazz is successful through its employees taking ownership of safety, without compromise. The dedicated local workplace committees advance safety for all Jazz employees, and healthy and robust safety reporting exists across the organization. Jazz's dynamic internal audit program works by identifying risks, process enhancement opportunities, and procedural changes – all with the goal of constantly striving to further advance safety.

British Airways beating the low-cost airlines at their own game!

The UK's British Airways has this week announced a new range of fares less than £40! The carrier, battling hard against the legion of European low-cost airlines is offering more of the rock-bottom fares than ever before from Heathrow this winter.  Some of the deals are even less than thirty quid!

These routes include Luxembourg (from £27), Palma (from £28), Malaga (from £30) and Bilbao (from £30).  It’s the first time in the airline’s history that the company has offered such low fares on 40 of its winter short-haul routes from Heathrow, a firm demonstration of the carrier’s commitment to affordable travel.

 Adam Daniels, British Airways’ chief commercial officer, said: “The bulk of our routes from Heathrow now have fares available for under £40 each way, which means that for less than £80, our customers can get to Europe and back for a holiday. At British Airways we offer great value for money with extensive flight schedules, centrally located airports, award-winning facilities from Terminal 5, generous baggage allowances, modern cabins and a truly British service style. British Airways is also the most punctual, major short-haul airline in London.”

Finnair becomes first non-Chinese airline in the world to collaborate with Chinese JD.com

Finnair will start a collaboration with JD.com, also known as Jingdong, one of the leading e-commerce companies in China. Finnair will be the first non-Chinese airline to open a flagship store for online flight bookings on the JD Travel platform, in the beginning of 2018. The collaboration also includes promotions and loyalty member partnerships.  

As a travel service platform for one of China´s largest online retailers, JD Travel benefits from JD.com’s 258.3 million customer base. Through partnering with Finnair, JD Travel will deepen its foothold in the international travel market.

Argentinian authorities back Norwegian start-up

Norwegian Air Argentina was on Wednesday night granted concessions to operate 153 routes from Argentina by the Argentine National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC). These concessions came as a result of the application and consultation of 156 routes.

The Norwegian Group established its Argentinian subsidiary in January 2017. Norwegian plans to have a considerable operation in Argentina that includes both domestic and international flights. The global expansion of the Norwegian group is continuing at pace and indicate the group's desires to be a truly global player on the aviation scene.

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Finnair’s expansion to reach all-time high during this winter season

The fantastic Finn's at Finnair are really flying high with an expansion programme to reach all-time high during winter season – new routes opening to India, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Lapland 

Finnair is poised to enter the largest expansion in its history during the upcoming winter season. With its fast-connecting hub in Helsinki, Finnair offers one of the most reliable and convenient networks linking several key destinations in Europe with Asia and North America.

Finnair’s growth strategy will be in full swing during the winter season with 20 intercontinental destinations, over 100 destinations in Europe and a significant increase in capacity for Lapland destinations.

Finnair is opening new routes to Goa, India on November 1, to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on November 5, to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on November 30 and to Havana, Cuba on December 1.

United's App to Offer Boarding Passes for Partner Airlines

United Airlines today announced a new enhancement to the United app that will allow customers to receive boarding passes when connecting to 19 airline partners on their smart phones, a feature which no other U.S. carrier currently offers. This functionality will be available for customers travelling on United who are making an onward connection on another carrier and will improve the functionality of United's award-winning app, which is relied on over 500 million times a year by customers.

"As we continue to make improvements to the United app, we found that simply allowing our customers to access boarding passes for their entire itinerary within the same app made a big difference," said Kate Gebo, chief customer officer at United. "Our partnerships with Star Alliance carriers and other partner airlines can take our customers to over a thousand destinations around the world, and we're excited to be the first U.S. carrier to provide customers with this convenience when connecting to partners."

The following airline partners' boarding passes are now accessible through the United app, with more partners to be added in the near future:

Norwegian reports a result of £94million and passenger growth for the third quarter

The rapidly expanding and popular airline Norwegian has reported positive third-quarter results for 2017.   

The lower-cost carrier saw a net result of 1 billion NOK (£94million), an improvement of 4 percent compared to the same quarter previous year. The load factor increased to 92 percent. The passenger development has been positive in all of Norwegian’s key markets, with a significant growth in the U.S. and Spain.

The third quarter was characterised by strong international passenger growth and a high load factor, as well as fleet growth- and renewal. The company carried 9.8 million passengers, an increase of 14 percent compared to the same quarter previous year. The US and Spain reported the highest increase in the number of passengers, 79 percent and 25 percent respectively. The load factor increased to 91.7 percent and the capacity growth (ASK) was 25 percent.

Hong Kong Airlines celebrates launch of Embrace the World and Cadet Pilot Programme

Hong Kong Airlines has launched the 2017/18 edition of "Embrace the World", having held the annual Awards Presentation and Kick-off Ceremony. The strong comeback of the student sponsorship scheme was reinforced by the unveiling of the airline's inaugural Cadet Pilot Programme.

"Embrace the World" rewards students with outstanding achievements with free air tickets to give them the opportunity to travel and explore the world. So far, more than 2,000 students have benefitted from the programme.

Officiating guests included the Under Secretary for Transport and Housing, Dr So Wai Man, as well as the chairmen of the programme's collaborators - Hong Kong Island School Heads Association, Kowloon Region School Heads Association and New Territories School Heads Association. 

Experience The Northern Lights

Norwegian is now making it even easier for travellers to experience the Northern Lights, as a number of winter routes in the Arctic Circle return just in time for the start of the natural phenomenon.

As well as direct routes from London Gatwick to Iceland and Tromso returning at the end of October, Norwegian has added additional frequency to the direct route to Finnish Lapland – giving passengers more choice and flexibility when travelling to experience the Aurora Borealis.

Norwegian has increased frequency on the popular direct route from London Gatwick to Lapland’s capital Rovaniemi. Returning on the 30th October, the low-cost airline has added an additional weekly frequency on a Wednesday, perfect for passengers looking to experience the Northern Lights in Finland. Norwegian is the only UK airline to offer a direct flight to Lapland’s capital Rovaniemi, offering three-weekly flights, with fares starting from £39.90 one-way.

SWISS expand route network for summer 2018

SWISS is to further expand its route network in its 2018 summer schedules with attractive new destinations served from Zurich. New flights will be introduced to the French cities of Bordeaux and Marseille; service will be resumed to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine; and SWISS will also offer summer service for the first time to Wroclaw in Southern Poland.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will offer travellers from Zurich services to four attractive new destinations in its 2018 summer schedules.

New flights to Bordeaux, Marseille, Kiev and Wroclaw

SWISS will offer 12 weekly services to Bordeaux in Southwest France from the end of next March onwards. The first such flight will operate on 26 March. The new services will consist of two daily flights on Mondays to Fridays and single daily Saturday and Sunday flights. Bordeaux lies in a popular tourist region that is famed for both its wines and its extensive cultural attractions. The region is important in economic terms, too, and has become particularly prominent in recent years in the field of future technologies such as molecular sciences and space research.

Air China To Start New Los Angeles-Shenzhen Service

Expanding Air China's reach into North America!  

Air China is expanding its reach into the North American region by adding to the three daily Los Angeles-Beijing flights they operate with a new route that connects Southern California's Silicon campus to China's own Silicon Valley starting 7th December 2017. The three times weekly nonstop service between Los Angeles and Shenzhen will be operated by the airline's newest Boeing 787-9. It will be the first direct service from Los Angeles to China's City of the Future.

"With China as Los Angeles' top trading partner, we are committed to growing and strengthening the economic and cultural ties between the two. The new nonstop Los Angeles-Shenzhen service brings together two of the world's leading technology and innovation hubs," Dr. Zhihang Chi, Air China's Vice President and General Manager stated.

According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), the majority of Chinese investment into the United States originates from Guangdong Province which covers Shenzhen and Guangzhou.  

Extra flights from Norwegian between Dublin and Copenhagen

Norwegian has put on sale extra flights between Dublin and Copenhagen in November to help football fans planning to travel to the World Cup qualifying match between Ireland and Denmark on Saturday 11th November. The extra flights are selling fast but fares are currently available from €112 one way / €240 return.

Norwegian already offers three-weekly flights between Dublin and Copenhagen, and extra flights have also now been arranged on Friday 10th and Sunday 12th November to allow more passengers to travel to and from the Danish capital. 

In the days leading up to the big game, the existing services and extra flights available to book now at www.norwegian.com/ie include:

LATAM go Gogo

Gogo one of the leading global providers of broadband connectivity products and services in the aviation industry have confirmed it has been selected by LATAM Airlines Brazil to provide in-flight connectivity with its 2Ku technology on 100 of the airlines A320 aircraft.

"We have selected the most modern and innovative in-flight internet technology available in order to offer a unrivalled and diverse onboard experience to our passengers in Brazil.  The new service will complement LATAM Entertainment, our wireless entertainment system, and will provide our passengers with the freedom to choose how they want to enjoy their journeys," said Jerome Cadier, CEO of LATAM Airlines Brazil.

Pobeda Airlines & Split Scimitar® Winglets Milestone

Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) announced today that Russia's Pobeda Airlines will be the largest operator in the Russian Federation of its latest Split Scimitar Winglet technology.  Pobeda Airlines intends to install the Winglets on its fleet of Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft beginning this week.  Aviation Partners' latest Winglet design, the Split Scimitar Winglet, uses existing Blended Winglet technology but adds new aerodynamic Scimitar tips and a large ventral strake, further increasing the efficiency of the aeroplane.

Ash Carter Joins Delta

Delta Air Lines’ Board of Directors announced yesterday Ash Carter as its newest member, effective immediately. Carter is Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School and an Innovation Fellow at MIT. He served as U.S. Secretary of Defense from 2015 to 2017.

Powdair connecting the UK with Sion this winter.

Powdair will be connecting eight British, European and Swiss airports with Sion, Switzerland from December 2017, including Southampton.

With its own dedicated mainline railway station, Southampton Airport is a great gateway to the South East of England. The main line to London Waterloo takes just 66 minutes, whilst the historic city of Winchester is just 15 minutes away. Southampton Airport Parkway station is just a 60-second walk from the terminal, from where reliable, frequent trains whisk you into the centre of Southampton in a mere seven minutes.

The coastal city of Southampton is often referred to as the ‘cruise capital’ of the world, playing host to over four million visitors per year. The city centre itself includes an impressive cultural offering, from museums, music venues and art galleries to award-winning parks and the general hustle and bustle of a diverse city with fantastic shopping facilities. Maritime history is a big deal in Southampton and no visit is complete without a visit to the SeaCity Museum. Here you’ll find an interactive model of the Titanic, which departed from the city in 1912. Nearby the Solent Sky Museum features vintage aircraft such as the iconic Spitfire.

Read on for the current schedule and more details about Sion - 

Hainan Airlines Launches First Non-Stop Service between New York and Chengdu and Chongqing in Western China

Hainan Airlines, a division of the HNA Group and mainland China's only Skytrax Five-Star airline, this week begins two new routes between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Chinese cities of Chengdu and Chongqing. In conjunction with the route launches, Hainan Airline's parent-company, HNA Group, is supporting a series of New York City events including Lincoln Center's Fall Gala, the China Institute's Blue Cloud Gala and the Asia Society's Game Changer Awards.

Services to Chongqing commence on October 21 and to Chengdu on October 27 from JFK's Terminal 4. Each route will operate twice weekly on Hainan Airline's fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. With a capacity of over 60,000 passengers per year, it is the only non-stop service offered between New York City and China's rapidly growing Sichuan province. Chongqing to New York will be Hainan Airlines' longest flight route—nearly 7573 miles.

IATA's Predictions.....

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects 7.8 billion passengers to travel in 2036, a near doubling of the 4 billion air travellers expected to fly this year. The prediction is based on a 3.6% average Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) noted in the release of the latest update to the association’s 20-Year Air Passenger Forecast.

“All indicators lead to growing demand for global connectivity. The world needs to prepare for a doubling of passengers in the next 20 years. It’s fantastic news for innovation and prosperity, which is driven by air links. It is also a huge challenge for governments and industry to ensure we can successfully meet this essential demand,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Big order for Boeing from Singapore Airlines

Boeing and Singapore Airlines formally announced a deal for 20 777-9s and 19 787-10s, during a ceremony at the White House yesterday.

The deal, worth $13.8 billion at current list prices, but thanks to discounts, tax breaks and dodgy deals for presidential access, the true value of the order is just under $6 billion. While the American manufacturer is happy to accept tax breaks, government support and allegedly fabricated military deals that only seem to exist on paper and in Boeing account, they don't like t when other manufacturers get support from governments. The on-going battle with Bombardier has raised up a notch with the American manufacturer actively lobbying US Senators on the issue. So Far this year Boeing has spent over $7 million on lobbying and 'hospitality' for senators and government officials this year alone. 

The signing ceremony was witnessed by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, included CEO Goh Choon Phong Singapore Airlines'  and Boeing Commercial Airplanes' President & CEO, Kevin McAllister. Peter Seah, Singapore Airlines' Chairman, and Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific & India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes and other members of the airline and Boeing also were in attendance.  Boeing are now strong supporters of President Trump, despite some turbulence at the start of his tenure in The White House.  Boeing is even taking a lead out of Trump's playbook and conducting important communications to attack rivals over Twitter.  

At the deal signing, Donald Trump said it would create 70,000 jobs in the US, then warned the Singapore delegation, “Otherwise we’ll cancel the order,”  Although, no-one is quite sure where those 'new' jobs would be created or if that total includes jobs that already exist.  

Silk Way West Airlines partner with ACL Airshop

Silk Way West Airlines, one of the fastest growing cargo carriers in the world, has confirmed a multi-year ULD (Unit Load Device) agreement with ACL Airshop, a leading international service partner for outsourced ULD management and customized logistics solutions, commencing November 1, 2017. This alliance extends the long-standing business relationship between the two companies; ACL Airshop has been a service partner with other airline units of Silk Way Holding for almost 10 years.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) launches a new Brand Equity campaign - Experience the Heart of the Filipino

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the national flag carrier of the Philippines and Asia's first airline. As PAL continues to strengthen its brand story of delivering heartfelt customer service, it launches a new Brand Equity campaign poised to win over foreign leisure travellers from international markets with the theme: "Experience the Heart of the Filipino".

With a rich 76-year history, PAL boasts of many 'firsts' -- including being the first airline in Southeast Asia to cross the Pacific on July 31, 1946, the first to operate to Europe via a DC-4 service to Rome and Madrid, and the first to introduce the world's first fully-flat sky beds aboard the B747 jumbo jets, among many others.

Alaska Airlines pledges additional $1 million to support STEM education in rural Alaska

Alaska Airlines has renewed its partnership with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) to provide a brighter future for middle school students from rural communities across the state of Alaska.

The second, three-year $1 million grant brings Alaska Airlines' total investment in ANSEP to $2 million. Over the next three years, funds will help transport nearly 2,000 Alaska students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades to Anchorage to attend ANSEP's award-winning Middle School Academy education program at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

The arrival of the first Airbus A350-900 for Air Mauritius

Air Mauritius has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft, opening a new chapter for the Indian Ocean carrier. The aircraft, leased from AerCap, was delivered during a ceremony held in Mauritius last week 

The Mauritian airline based airline has chosen a very comfortable two class layout with a total of 326 seats comprising 28 in Business Class and 298 in Economy Class. 

The A350-900 equipped with Air Mauritius’ latest cabin products including new seats, an all-new in-flight entertainment system and in-flight connectivity will offer passengers unparalleled levels of comfort and convenience. 

This A350-900 is the first of six to be delivered to Air Mauritius. Four will be purchased directly from Airbus and two leased from AerCap. The carrier will deploy the aircraft on its expanding route network connecting Mauritius with Asia, Africa and Europe.

Hong Kong Airlines Might Buy Boeing....

According to George Liu, the Chief Marketing guru of Hong Kong Airlines, the carrier is considering introducing Boeing 787 Dreamliners for long-haul operations to take on Cathay Pacific head on.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post Mr Liu said “To fly long haul, we have to introduce new aircraft. Right now we are still all-Airbus, but ... if we are talking to Boeing about 787s ... that [is a] possibility.”
“We have always been talking to Boeing and Airbus about possibilities,”

Of course, Mr Liu is biased towards the American competition crushing manufacturing giant having spent 12 years as a Boeing employee and a former Boeing director.

Is the airline about to erase its cost-effective advantage?

Meet The Youngest Etihad Pilot, Captain Adam

Do you remember that video of a little 6 year-old boy in the cockpit of an Etihad Airways jet describing various intricate details of the cockpits instrumentation and operational procedures? 

It took place on an Etihad flight from Morocco to Abu Dhabi  and went viral after the pilot of aircraft,Captain Samer Yakhlef, loaded the video of the boy on social media. After gaining the parents permission of course. Over six million folk have seen that video now and been amazed at the knowledge demonstrated during the short clip.

Well, now that little lad, Adam Mohammad Amer, has been back in the cockpit, this time not just as a visitor, but at the controls, as one of the pilots. 

Read on to find out how Captain Adam did when he was an Etihad pilot for the day.......

Alaska says goodbye to the combi

The combi 'Milk Run' came to an end on Wednesday of this week after decades of providing an invaluable service for numerous communities in rural Alaska.

Alaska Airlines have been operating the Boeing 737-400 Combis for a number of years on many routes in the state. These aircraft feature a passenger cabin in the rear of the aircraft, currently configured with 72 passenger seats. In the front is a cargo cabin that can take a number of full-size freight pallets. Over the years these aircraft have transported a large variety of cargos, from household items to horses, bags of flour to baby reindeer.

Malaysia Airlines Names New CEO

The Board of Directors of Malaysia Aviation Group have announced Captain Izham Ismail as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) designate with immediate effect, taking over the role vacated by Mr Peter Bellew.

Currently, Captain Izhamt is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will take up his new role 1st December 2017 and has been integral to the airline’s massive ongoing turnaround effort. As COO, he was responsible for the operations division, which includes flight and airport operations as well as engineering. He led the restructuring of the engineering division for more efficient and leaner operations and was also responsible for the airline’s fuel savings initiative

Finnair extends its code-share partnership with British Airways in Europe, including the new non-stop flights to Lapland

Finnair and British Airways are extending their current partnership with several new code-shares flights within Europe, they announced this week.

British Airways will place its codes on several of Finnair’s European destinations including the new non-stop flights from London Gatwick to Kittilä and Ivalo, which will begin operating for the winter season on December 12 and 14 respectively. Finnair will place its codes on British Airways flights between London Heathrow and Tallinn, Copenhagen and Gothenburg. The new code-shares aim to increase the connectivity for both carriers through their respective Helsinki and London airport hubs.

“The extension of our code-share agreement with British Airways is great news for our customers as it will give them more opportunities and flexibility to choose from when booking their travel,” says Philip Lewin, Head of Partnerships and Alliances at Finnair.

“We are delighted to offer our customers yet more choices of destinations between Japan and Europe with Finnair as part of our joint partnership with JAL and Iberia, and additionally the opportunity to fly direct to Lapland from London Gatwick this winter,” says Rishi Kapoor, Head of Alliances at British Airways. 

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KLM to codeshare with AtlasGlobal

Starting  29th October KLM will be entering into a codeshare agreement with AtlasGlobal. Based on cooperation, KLM and the Turkish airline will jointly offer 14 weekly flights between Amsterdam and Istanbul Atatürk Airport. 

"Cooperating with AtlasGlobal serves to strengthen KLM’s network in the region, offering passengers more transfer options and, in time, a greater number of destinations in Turkey.Turkey is an important destination for business and leisure passengers. AtlasGlobal is a particularly reliable partner, delivering a good product. " Said Barry ter Voert, Senior Vice President Europe KLM

Ethiopian and ASKY

The leading African airline, Ethiopian has finalized arrangments with flight partner ASKY Airlines, to resume services to and from the West African cities of Monrovia, Freetown and Banjul effective November 1, 2017.

Regarding the service resumption, Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, Mewolde GebreMariam said, “Air connectivity is a vital component and key driver of economic development. As an indigenous African Airline, we have always been committed to connecting African states together and with the rest of the world through the efficient and seamless network. In line with our multi-hub strategy in Africa: one brand with multiple products, we are proud of the successful partnership with ASKY and we have been successfully serving the needs of passengers travelling within, to and from West and Central Africa through our Lomé hub. The addition of Free Town, Monrovia and Banjul in our vast inter African network would provide travellers from these cities added convenience to seamlessly connect to more than 100 international destinations via Ethiopian global network in five continents. Moreover, in addition to these cities, Accra will be able to connect to Ethiopian flights to Newark in Lomé, giving Ghanaian travellers convenient connectivity to the New York triState area.”

The First E190-E2 Goes to Wideroe in April 2018

The Brazillian aircraft manufacturer Embraer confirmed yesterday that the very first E190-E2 will be delivered to Widerøe, the aircraft’s launch operator in April of next year. 

The announcement was made at a special press briefing in Athens, Greece, during the annual general meeting of the European Regional Airline Association (ERA – www.eraa.org). Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, will begin revenue service with the aircraft shortly afterwards.

“Since the program was launched, the first half of 2018 has been our target, and now we are making good on this commitment. This was only possible thanks to the excellence of our engineering process due to our unique experience in certifying 12 new aircraft in the last 17 years,” said John Slattery, President & CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “From the beginning, the E2 program has been, and remains on time, on budget and better than the initial specification. We’ll deliver to the market a mature and robust aircraft.”

Alaska Airlines expands San Diego service with new nonstop flights to Albuquerque

 Alaska Airlines continues to expand service for San Diego guests with the addition of new daily nonstop flights to Albuquerque starting Oct.18. The new route is Alaska Airlines' sixth new nonstop destination to launch from San Diego since August, as the airline continues to expand along the West Coast. Alaska Airlines will have 45 peak day flights to 29 nonstop destinations from San Diego by the end of 2017.

"We continue to invest in our San Diego focus city, with nine new nonstop destinations in 2017," said John Kirby, Alaska's vice president of capacity planning. "Whether travelling to Boston for business or Hawaii for pleasure, San Diego travellers will love our convenient schedules, affordable fares and award-winning loyalty program."

Norwegian launches new sustainability initiative

In collaboration with the Global Climate Institute Norwegian will plant 7000 trees in the UK and Spain – one for every person working at the company. Later this year, the airline will plant tens of thousands of trees in other parts of the world.

Norwegian has launched another initiative to its sustainability work – Plant for the Planet. As one of the first airlines in the world Norwegian will plant trees to benefit the environment, which will be done in partnership with the Global Climate Institute. Trees are of immense importance to the global climate as they sequester carbon.

Initially Norwegian will plant one tree for every person working at the airline – 7,000. These trees will be planted in the UK and Spain which are important and growing markets for Norwegian. Later this year Norwegian will plant tens of thousands of trees in other parts of the world.

Amsterdam is Delta's first European destination for its A350

The American airline Delta has announced the schedule for its new flagship, the Airbus A350-900 aircraft, It will operate one of four daily flights between Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, with effect from 31st March 2018. It means Amsterdam will become the first trans-Atlantic destination for Delta's new A350 aircraft.

The airline will also deploy the technologically advanced A350 on Detroit-Shanghai service beginning 19th April 2018.

With the addition of Amsterdam, Delta will fly five international routes from Detroit using the A350. The first aircraft is scheduled to enter service later this month between Detroit and Tokyo-Narita on 30th Oct. with service to Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai starting 18th Nov. 17th Jan and 19th April respectively.