SriLankan Airlines is "Best Full Service Airline in Central & South Asia" for third consecutive year

SriLankan Airlines collected yet another impressive accolade when it won the title of "Best Full Service Airline in Central & South Asia" for the third consecutive year at the Future Travel Experience Asia Awards 2017 in Singapore, an event that recognizes the most customer-centric airlines and airports in Asia and Oceania.

SriLankan Airlines's CEO, Captain Suren Ratwatte, said: "I am delighted to say that this award is the direct result of the extraordinary level of commitment by every member of our airline's team, both in the air and on the ground. This demonstrates a high level of long-term consistency in our standards, in terms of the products and the service that we provide. Most importantly, our commitment to quality brings great benefits to our customers, whom we take pride in delighting at all times during their journey with us."

Siva Ramachandra, Chief Commercial Officer of SriLankan Airlines, said: "Winning an important regional award once is creditable for any airline. But winning the same award three times in consecutive years points to a simply marvelous passenger experience that has been provided continuously, throughout our route network."

Over the last several weeks, SriLankan has been honoured with a series of global and regional accolades. These include a prestigious Four Star Rating from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) in the first ever global airline industry rating programme based solely on passenger feedback; "Leading International Airline" and "Best in Class" at the South Asian Travel Awards 2017; and "Innovation in Commercial Airline Cabins" at the In-flight Asia Pacific Awards.

American Airlines Airbus lands with an additional set of wings.

An American Airlines flight inbound for South Florida suffered a bird strike as it came into land at Miami International Airport yesterday. 

The aircraft operating flight AA1498 was in the latter stages of its approach to runway 09 at Miami when the incident occurred. The crew of the Airbus A319 were able to land safely after the contact with the bird despite it causing substantial damage to the nose of the aircraft. 

The aircraft taxied to the gate as normal and passengers disembarked the flight while engineers looked into the damage and saw that the bird was still stuck inside the broken nose cone of the aircraft.

Indigo Partners Order 430 Airbus A320neo's

Airbus and Indigo Partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the purchase of 430 additional Airbus A320neo family aircraft. 

The aircraft will be allocated throughout the four Indigo airlines, the ultra-low-cost airlines Frontier Airlines, JetSMART, Volaris and Wizz Air.

This mega order of 430 aircraft comprised of 273 A320neos and 157 A321neos and is worth at least $49.5 billion at the list prices. The deal was announced at the Dubai Airshow by Bill Franke, Managing Partner of Indigo Partners, and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. 

If you add these aircraft to the existing Airbus A320 Family orders make Indigo Partners one of the largest customers by order number in the world for the Airbus single-aisle aircraft family. Airlines in the Indigo Partners family previously have placed orders for 427 A320 Family aircraft.

“This significant commitment for 430 additional aircraft underscores our optimistic view of the growth potential of our family of low-cost airlines, as well as our confidence in the A320neo Family as a platform for that growth,” said Bill Franke.  “Our airlines know that a great aircraft coupled with a great business plan will create value for our customers. We look forward to bringing comfort and low fares to more passengers around the world as Wizz Air, Volaris, JetSMART and Frontier continue to expand.”

Egyptair to fly 6 787's

AerCap and Boeing announced at the 2017 Dubai Airshow that EGYPTAIR will lease six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from them.  Egyptair is the national flag of Egypt and will lease the aeroplanes from the Dublin-based AerCap, who are rather boastful about being the world's largest 787 lover, with more than 115 of the aircraft either owned or on order.

"The 787 Dreamliner has built a reputation for reliability, operational efficiency and passenger comfort," said Safwat Musallam, Chairman and CEO, Egyptair's Holding Company. "We look forward to the 787 becoming an integral part of Egyptairs' fleet as we progress our modernization and network expansion plans."

"We are pleased that Egyptair has chosen the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to power their growth and fleet modernization," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Global Sales & Market, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. 

Alaska Airlines Ending Cuba Flights

Alaska Airlines announced on Tuesday that it will end a daily flight between Los Angeles and Havana, Cuba. The last flight is planned for Jan. 22. The airline will redeploy aircraft used to serve Havana to a different market.

"Travel is about making connections, and we were honoured to have played a role in helping people make personal connections by travelling between the U.S. and Cuba," said Andrew Harrison, chief commercial officer for Alaska Airlines. "We continually evaluate every route we fly to ensure we have the right number of seats to match the number of people who want to go there."

About 80 percent of Alaska's flyers to Havana visited under a U.S. allowance for individual "people-to-people" educational travel. Changes to U.S. policy last week eliminated that allowance. Given the changes in Cuba travel policies, the airline will redeploy these resources to other markets the airline serves where demand continues to be strong.

There was a new more friendly and less antagonistic approach to the political relationship between the US and Cuba under the former US President, Obama. However, with the advent of the Trump presidency relations between the two nations are again turning frosty. Alaska Airlines is following a direct request The White House made to all airlines flying to Cuba to cease those operations as soon as practically possible. 

Alaska guests who have travel booked to Havana after Jan. 22 will be rebooked on another airline at no additional cost or offered a full refund.

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Transat Celebrates 30th Birthday with new livery

There was a party atmosphere at the Transat facilities at Montréal–Trudeau airport on Monday as Canada's largest integrated tourism company celebrated its 30th anniversary in fine style by unveiling its new fleet livery. 

"I feel a great sense of pride when I look at how far we've come since November 14, 1987, when our first flight took off from Montreal bound for Acapulco," said Jean-Marc Eustache, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transat. "And our journey is far from over. While our tour operating business and our aviation operations are tried and tested, our services continue to evolve to meet the expectations of travellers today and in the future. We have plenty of innovations coming up, including the new fleet livery that we are unveiling this evening, and the new hotel division that we are about to create, all in pursuit of our goal of remaining at the forefront of the travel industry."

Throughout its 30-year history, Transat has stayed true to the vision of its founders: that of a leisure travel company open to the world. Today, Transat offers customers 60 destinations in two major markets: transatlantic (Europe and the Middle East) and South, out of 21 Canadian airports. It commercializes its flights to Canada in 13 European countries, as well as in Israel, the United States and at its Sun destinations. It boasts 5,000 passionate employees worldwide, who help brighten the every day with the joy of vacations for more 4.5 million passengers every year. And it is working to build a better future for the planet, through engagement with communities and investments in sustainable development.

"The story of Transat's growth over the past 30 years is a remarkable one," said Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier of Quebec, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, and Minister Responsible for the Digital Strategy, in her address. "Today, Transat is Canada's leading integrated tourism company, and Air Transat is the country's number one leisure carrier. Transat also attracts some 500,000 European travellers each year to Quebec and the rest of Canada, notably from France and the United Kingdom, two major tourism markets. Through its operations, this first-class employer generates substantial economic benefits for all of Quebec."

Yes,  read on for more on the new look and more photos.

225 737 Max's for flydubai.....

flydubai has signed a major order for Boeing aircraft today that has amazed the aviation world. The Gulf carrier has ordered 225 737 MAX aeroplanes with a list price of over $27 billion and is one of the largest-ever single-aisle jet orders ever. 

The deal was signed at the 2017 Dubai Airshow and includes a commitment for 175 MAX aircraft with purchase rights for 50 additional MAXs. However, despite the headlines, the deal has yet to be finalised and is still open to some negotiation. 

This new deal surpasses the flydubai's previous record order of 75 MAXs and 11 Next-Generation 737-800s which was signed at the 2013 Dubai Airshow.

Etihad Airways launches all-cargo flights at Miami Int

Just over a week ago, on 7th November the sunny Florida airport of Miami International said a cheery hello to its first weekly flight by Etihad Cargo – which is, as the name clearly suggests is the cargo division of Five-Star-rated Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.

These new scheduled freighter flights are being operated on the carriers vast Boeing 777-200F aircraft, make a stop in Columbus, Ohio before continuing to Miami, Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi. The route launch makes Miami the airline's third U.S. cargo route and fourth in the Western Hemisphere, joining Columbus, Tucson and Bogota. Etihad Cargo's entry into the Miami market now also gives MIA two all-cargo routes in the surging Middle East region.

"We proudly welcome Etihad Cargo to Miami-Dade County," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez. "Their addition to the local cargo industry brings new revenue and job creation to our community, which is already home to the busiest international freight airport in America."

Etihad Airways is the fourth carrier to launch all-cargo service at MIA this year. In February, Qatar Airways launched two weekly cargo flights from Doha and Miami, with stops in South America and Europe; Mexico-based Aeronaves TSM commenced 10 weekly flights from Cancun in March; and TACA Peru began four weekly freighter flights from five South American cities in August.

The 747 farewell tour from Delta

Gosh, there sure seems to be a lot of farewells in the aviation industry just lately, Brussel's RJ's, United's 747's  KLM's Fokker 70's,  Finnair's A340's to name but four.  And just as soon as your eyes are no longer watering and you've dried your hanky, along comes another one!   This time it is Delta that is saying 'so long and thanks for all the revenue' to their Queen of the Skies,  the 747-400's.

Yep, time to end the long run of the lovely lump, the jumbo, the big bird is rapidly coming to an end, but don't worry,  there is still time to see and perhaps take part in some of the last Delta 747 flights – which are, Delta tells us, the last to be flown by any US passenger airline. 

Here are Delta's seven key things to know about the final farewells.

Delta is operating the Boeing 747-400 on daily scheduled service between its Detroit hub and its partner hub at Seoul-Incheon.

Here are the final regularly scheduled flights of the Delta 747: 

United October Stats Here

It's been a busy week for airlines reporting their October results and United was just one of many. United Airlines October 2017 consolidated traffic (revenue passenger miles) increased 1.7 percent and consolidated capacity (available seat miles) increased 3.4 percent versus October 2016. UAL's October 2017 consolidated load factor decreased 1.3 points compared to October 2016.

"Thanks to our tireless employees who go above and beyond every day to deliver a safe and reliable operation, United finished first among our competitors for mainline departure times last month – representing the largest year-over-year improvement of any U.S. carrier," said Scott Kirby, president of United Airlines.  "Last month's results represent our commitment to deliver a winning operation and reach new heights in our performance for our customers." 

The company continues to expect fourth-quarter 2017 consolidated passenger unit revenue to be down 1.0 percent to 3.0 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2016.

The stats follow in the read more section.....

Ethiopian Airlines orders two 777 cargo planes.

 Ethiopian Airlines announced an order for two Boeing 777 Freighters – the world's largest and longest-range twin-engine cargo jet – in a deal valued at more than $1.3 billion at list prices' although the actual price is said to be half that amount. 

The deal was announced at the Dubai Air Show and is a new order for two freighters. The airline also confirmed the order for two aircraft it had previously announced 'commitments' for in June. 

 "This aeroplane order will provide Ethiopian's Cargo & Logistics business with enhanced cargo capacity and better operating economics as we continue to build one of the largest cargo terminals in the world," said Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, who signed for the new aeroplanes at the 2017 Dubai Airshow. "Operating high-performance aeroplanes such as the 777 Freighter is a reflection of our commitment to expand and support the growing imports and exports of our country and the African continent."

Egypt Air and Bombardier signs deal for up to 24 CS300 aircraft

The Canadian aircraft manufacturer, Bombardier, announced earlier today that it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to 24 CS300 aircraft with EgyptAir Holding Company, of Cairo.  The deal signed at The Dubai Airshow includes 12 CS300 aircraft with purchase rights for an additional 12 aircraft.

‎Bombardier value this deal at the list price of the CS300 airliner, firm-order contract would be valued at approximately US$1.1 billion. Should EgyptAir also exercise the 12 purchase rights for CS300 aircraft, the contract value would increase to nearly US$2.2 billion.‎

In the presence of His Excellency Minister of Civil Aviation of Egypt Mr. Sherif Fathi, a press conference was held at the Dubai Airshow where Safwat Musallam, Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company and Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft celebrated the signature of the letter of intent, which opens a new chapter in the relationship between the two companies.

“It is our pleasure to have this new partnership with Bombardier, which came as a continuation of our fleet modernization strategy. We undertook a thorough evaluation process of our fleet and realized that the CS300 would fit perfectly into our business plans and growth strategy,” said Safwat Musallam.

“We selected the C Series aircraft because its excellent range will allow us to best serve domestic and regional destinations, including neighbouring Arab cities, the Middle East as well as several European destinations. This is in addition to the CS300 aircraft’s exceptional economics and outstanding cabin. We look forward to expanding our network with the CS300 and we are happy to see that the partnership announced with Airbus will bring added support to the C Series program.”

“We’re thrilled that EgyptAir selected the CS300 aircraft to renew its fleet,” said Fred Cromer. “Bombardier’s 20-year market outlook foresees demand for 450 aeroplanes in the 60- to 150-seat category for the region and this LOI confirms the need for right-sized aircraft in the Middle East. We are confident that our small single-aisle C Series is ideally suited to serve the hot temperature environments of the region and will undoubtedly provide performance and economics that will drive higher profitability.”

The Middle East Needs 3350 New Aircraft Says Boeing

The American planemaker Boeing and ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company used the public spotlight of the Dubai Air Show 2017 to 'finalise' a deal that was completed some time ago for an order of  20 additional 737 MAX 8s. These additional aircraft will take the total that ALAFCO has on the order books to 40 frames. 

ALAFCO is a Kuwait-based global provider of commercial aircraft leasing options to airlines and originally announced this deal back at the Paris air show. "Our customers rely on fuel-efficiency, reliability and low operating costs to be successful and the 737 MAX aircraft will meet the needs of our customers, and support ALAFCO's future growth," said Adel A. Albanwan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, ALAFCO. "We have had success with the 737 family in the past and are confident the 737 MAX will continue to help grow our business."

Air China Announces Launch Of New Los Angeles-Shenzhen Service

In less than a month Air China, a Star Alliance member carrier will be adding to its three daily Los Angeles-Beijing flights with a new route that connects Southern California's Silicon Beach to China's own Silicon Valley.  

From 7th December the new service will operate three times a week nonstop between Los Angeles (LAX) and Shenzhen (SZX).  This new route is going to be flown by the airlines Dreamliner Boeing 787-9  aircraft and is the first direct service from Los Angeles to what China says is their '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, Vice President and General Manager of Air China North America 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.

Dr. Chi added, "At no time is the connectivity between these two cities more needed than it is now when China's homegrown tech companies with headquarters in Shenzhen are expanding their presence and direct investments in the United States. This new service offers more options for business and leisure travellers to Shenzhen and Hong Kong which is only 19 miles away.

Goodbye A340

We've seen a raft of airlines retiring certain aircraft types over the last few months, this last week has been no exception. This occasion it was the turn of Finnair saying a final farewell and Näkemiin to the four-engines long-haul classy lady, the Airbus A340.

The A340 has enjoyed a long history with the Finnish carrier and allowed them to open up log routes to Asia and whilst the A340 carries a larger load than its twin-engine sister aircraft A330, it also consumes more fuel and therefore is more expensive to operate.

Finnair has now given up all the seven of its A340-300 aeroplanes it had in its fleet and now been replaced with the new sexy sleek and shiny A350. Finnair has ordered a total of 19 of the new Airbus A350 XWB aircraft from the European manufacturer and so far has taken delivery of 11 aircraft.

Finnair’s last A340 aircraft (LQE) swayed its white wings as a goodbye when it took off towards its new home Tarbes and back to Airbus’s ownership. A special thank you celebration was held for the employees to mark the occasion and the retirement of the beauty. 

It is, in the words of Finnair, the end of an era. 

An End Of Era farewell video follows. -

Delta again wins Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality from Human Rights Campaign

It's a veritable cornucopia of rainbow smiles over at US mega airline Delta, because for the second straight year, Delta has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Delta joins the ranks of 609 major U.S. businesses which also earned top marks this year.

Corporate Equality Index" I'm fortunate to work for Delta," said Billie Ashton, the Transgender Advocacy Chair on the Delta Employee Equality Network (DEEN) Steering Committee and an MSP-based ramp agent, who recently celebrated 32 years with the company. "I think having a perfect CEI is a very powerful thing for the company to accomplish. It solidifies the corporate message of being truly inclusive. I'm proud of DEEN for raising awareness and of Delta for making it happen. "

SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines October Stats

SkyWest, last week reported 154,479 block hours in October 2017, compared to 159,241 block hours in October 2016, a decrease of 4,762 or 3.0%.  The net decrease was consistent with SkyWest's fleet transition plan to improve the mix of aircraft in its fleet by adding new E175 aircraft while reducing its 50-seat jets.

The year-over-year net change was primarily driven by approximately 11,600 additional block hours from its E175 aircraft and a decrease of approximately 16,300 block hours from its other aircraft types.

Southwest Airlines Demonstrates Continued Commitment To Equality By Earning Top Marks In 2018 Corporate Equality Index

The ultra low cost US favourite Southwest Airlines proudly announced last week that it received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Southwest Airlines joins the ranks of more than 600 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year. This is Southwest's third consecutive year with a rating of 100 percent.

For the third consecutive year, Southwest Airlines earns 100 percent on Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 

16th Annual Scorecard on LGBTQ Workplace Equality

"Southwest Airlines is proud to be recognized for our continued commitment to equality by being named as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for the third year in a row," said Ellen Torbert, Southwest Airlines' Vice President Diversity and Inclusion. "At Southwest Airlines, we put People first, and we're proud to have a work environment where our Employees can come as they are and have their unique perspectives celebrated." 

Air Canada Develops Virtual Reality Experience to Showcase its Unique Dreamliner Offering

Travellers can fly, dine and play virtually on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from the comfort of their chair they've announced this week. 

Air Canada claims to be the first Canadian airline to use virtual reality technology to simulate the experience of flying on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner designed for travel agents and potential customers. Through a fully immersive, interactive experience, users can explore all three cabins of service offered on board the aircraft, including enjoying a virtual International Business Class meal complete with wine in an Executive Pod.

"Air Canada is always developing new ways to enhance the customer experience and to engage partners such as the travel agent community, which plays a key role in helping our customers select the travel options best suited to them. Virtual reality enables us to familiarize thousands of travel agents and potential customers with Air Canada's offerings through the magic of an interactive, virtual tour," said Duncan Bureau, Vice President, Global Sales at Air Canada. "We have already seen an increase in bookings since we began using this technology."

WestJet Score Record Load Factor

 WestJet has announced its October 2017 traffic results with a record load factor of 81.7 percent, an increase of 2.0 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 4.5 percent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 1.9 percent over the same period. The airline flew a record 2.0 million guests in October, a year-over-year increase of 9.4 percent or approximately 169,000 additional guests.

"We are very pleased with our fifth consecutive month of record load factors, as we also flew a record number of guests in October," said WestJet President and CEO Gregg Saretsky. "My sincere thanks go out to our over 13,000 WestJetters for their continuing passion and commitment as we transition into the busy holiday season."

Copa's 3rd quarter income is over $100 million.

Copa Holdings,  announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2017 (3Q17) on Wednesday showing a net income of US$103.8 million for 3Q17 or earnings per share (EPS) of US$2.45, compared to net income of US$74.0 million or earnings per share of US$1.75 in 3Q16.

The 'Game Changing' new 777 interiors for Emirates

One of the leading airlines on the global aviation scene has unveiled its completely refreshed interiors for its Boeing 777 aircraft which include the highly anticipated First Class private suites. 

Emirates has spent a long time and a vast amount of money to create an on-board environment that the airline believes is a 'game changer'.  The Dubai based airline has employed a floor to ceiling sliding doors and sleek design features inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class for its new First Class suites that, we're told, take luxury and privacy to the next level. Each of these new suites enjoy up to 40 square feet of personal space and are fully-enclosed and exude class and sophistication. 

It isn't just the first class cabin and product that has benefits from Emirates multi-million revamp, the whole of the internal fixtures on the latest Emirates 777's has had a face-lift and renovation. Business and Economy Class cabins, all along the walkways, in the washrooms and galleys have all seen a dramatic change, even the in-flight entertainment systems in all cabins has been revamped and enhanced. 

The President of Emirates Airlines, Sir Tim Clark, was positively glowing about the new interiors at the launch and its clear to see why, they are absolutely amazing and further evidence that Emirates leads the way in on-board passenger comfort.

 “The in-flight experience is the heart of our brand and service proposition. The new 777 interiors that we are unveiling today is part of Emirates’ ongoing investment to continually raise the bar and exceed our customers’ expectations. Aside from our new fully enclosed private suites, Business Class features our latest fully-flat leather seats with personal minibars, Economy Class seats have adjustable full leather headrests, and the in-flight entertainment system has been upgraded for all cabin classes. Throughout the aircraft, our customers will see modern and airy cabins, with painstaking attention to detail evident in design touches such as the textured wall and ceiling panels, lighting features, and more.” Sir Tim Clark said in Dubai upon the unveiling of the new refreshed cabins. 

Read on ad we'll take a look around....

Large 787 order for Boeing from Emirates and 5 more for Azerbaijan Airlines

Fantastic opening to Dubai Air Show 2017

The Dubai Air Show has kicked off with a spectacular flypast by the UAE aerobatic display team and an Emirates A380.  The Dubai Air Show, one of the leading airshows of the world also launched with a flurry of orders for commercial aircraft. One of the first announced from Boeing was an order from Emirates for 40 787-10 Dreamliners, it is a deal which includes the aeroplanes and related equipment, is valued by Boeing at $15.1 billion at current list prices. Although, thanks to discounts, tax breaks and US Government subsidies the price is much much less. 

The Dubai based Emirates has rapidly grown to become one of the worlds biggest airlines as well as the largest Boeing 777 operator in the world. They will be the first airline to receive the new 777X due in 2020. The 787-10 will both complement the Emirates 777 fleet as well as replacing some of the older models. It is said to have a 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat and emissions than the aircraft it replaces.

"Emirates' orders today will be delivered from 2022, taking the airline well into the 2030s. Some of these will be replacements so that we maintain a young and efficient fleet, and others will power our future network growth. We see the 787 as a great complement to our 777 and A380 fleet, providing us with more flexibility to serve a range of destinations as we develop our global route network," said His Highness Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group. "It has always been Emirates' strategy to invest in the most advanced and efficient aircraft, and today's orders reflect that. Today's announcement also speaks to our confidence in the future of aviation in the UAE and the region."

Read on for details of the Azerbaijan order...... 

International passenger numbers up 12 percent for Aeromexico in October

 Grupo Aeromexico passenger numbers up 4.5 percent in October.  The expanding airline reported its October 2017 operational result last week which showed positive growth in all areas.

Grupo Aeromexico transported 1 million 751 thousand passengers in October 2017; a 4.5% year-on-year increase. International passenger numbers increased by 12.0%, while domestic passenger numbers increased by 1.0%.  Demand, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs), increased by 14.1%, year-on-year. Aeromexico's capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), increased by 13.4%, year-on-year.  Aeromexico's October load factor was 81.0%, an increase of 0.4 p.p. compared to October 2016.

The return of WorldAirways?

The World could soon be seeing World again!  777 Partners, a US based investment firm, announced this week that it has acquired the intellectual property of World Airways, Inc., the iconic US airline known for its worldwide operational capabilities,  and is planning to re-launch World Airways ("World") as a low cost, long haul airline flying state of the art Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Initial funding for certification and aircraft acquisitions is being provided by 777 Partners. Discussions are underway with Boeing for an initial order for up to ten (10) 787-aircraft.

Ed Wegel, Founding CEO of World commented, "World has a rich and storied history dating back to 1947. It was once the world's largest independent charter airline, and served the US military and other clients with great distinction for many years."

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we will remember them.

Remembering those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Concorde Room gets a revamp at Terminal Five.

British Airways Revamps Concorde Room. 

British Airways has revamped its flagship Concorde Room at Heathrow Terminal 5, taking inspiration from the very best of British Design.

The refurbishment to the airline’s exclusive lounge included re-upholstering iconic pieces of furniture, and adding new feature pieces to the room, all of which are illuminated by hand-blown glass lighting with bone linen shades and ochre silk linings.

The terrace, which is so popular with travellers thanks to its position overlooking the runway, features luxurious sofas and new elegant loungers.   

FlyBe Emergency Landing in Belfast

A FlyBe Bombardier Q-400 made a dramatic emergency landing today at Belfast International Airport at 1.2-0pm this afternoon following a nose gear problem.

Southwest Airlines October Stats

The popular kings of low-cost air travel, Southwest Airlines Co. reported its October and year-to-date preliminary traffic statistics earlier this week which show positive growth.

The Company flew 10.7 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in October 2017, an increase of 1.9 percent from the 10.5 billion RPMs flown in October 2016. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 1.7 percent to 12.4 billion in October 2017, compared with October 2016 ASMs of 12.2 billion. The October 2017 load factor was 85.8 percent, compared with 85.7 percent in October 2016. Based on these results and current trends, the Company continues to expect its fourth quarter 2017 operating revenue per ASM (RASM) to increase in the range of up slightly to 1.5 percent, as compared with fourth quarter 2016.

The stats follow-

Finnair adds capacity to Stockholm, expands cooperation with Swedish regional airline BRA

The fantastic Finnair will be adding connections to Stockholm’s Bromma airport, and further extend its cooperation with the Swedish regional airline BRA, the airline confirmed this week.

With the new frequencies, Finnair boosts capacity between Bromma and Helsinki by a whopping total of 40%, offering up to 7 connections per day between both cities.  The new connections to Stockholm’s convenient downtown airport further enhances  Finnair’s offering for the Swedish market, which is one, it is fair to say,  of Finnair’s key markets. Finnair also flies to Stockholm Arlanda airport with up to 8 connections a day.

Starting from January 2018, BRA will operate an additional afternoon flight for Finnair from Bromma in Stockholm to Helsinki and back during the weekdays, offering Swedish customers an additional connection to Finnair’s extensive Asian network. Finnair will also operate an additional morning flight from Helsinki to Bromma five days a week, and an evening flight from Bromma to Helsinki six days a week, giving Finnair customers an improved schedule and quick transfers to BRA's regional network in Sweden via Bromma. BRA offers connections from Bromma to Malmö, Umeå, Sundsvall, Växjö, Visby, Ängelholm, Halmstad, Ronneby, Östersund and Trollhättan.

There is more on this story - 

Bombardier's CS300 off to Dubai Air Show

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has confirmed they will be showing off the sexy sleek and super comfortable at the 2017 Dubai Airshow next week.

Yes, the Canadian Manufacturer will be attending the show between 12th and 16th November with a CS300 resplendent in the livery of airBaltic, the event will also help mark the first year of service for the jet.

“We are very proud to bring a C Series in airBaltic’s livery at this year’s Dubai Airshow, and to celebrate alongside airBaltic the recent launch of the new route between Riga and Abu Dhabi with a CS300 aircraft,” said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “We are thrilled to see our CS300 aircraft exceeding performance targets and opening up new opportunities for our operators.”

Bombardier will also display a Q400 aircraft in the colours of Falcon Aviation, a super-midsize Challenger 650 jet and the business aircraft we'd love to own, an ultra-long-range Global 6000 aircraft.

GOL's October Numbers

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, known for short as GOL, Brazil's number one airline, announced its preliminary air traffic figures for the month of October, 2017.                                                                      

The total volume of GOL departures increased by 0.5% and the number of seats was up 0.3% in October, resulting in an increase in supply of 1.9%. GOL's load factor was 80.6% in October 2017, 4.6 p.p. up over the same period of 2016, due to a growth in demand of 8.1% in the period.

In the domestic market, volume of departures and the number of seats increased by 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively over October 2016. In addition, GOL increased its supply by 1.7% in October over the same period the year before, while demand grew by 9.1%. GOL's Load factor was up 5.5 p.p. in comparison to the same month of the previous year, achieving 81.4%.

In October, GOL's international market supply and demand rose by 3.9% and 0.3, respectively, reducing load factor by 2.7 p.p. in relation to the same period of 2016.

A decade of aloha: Alaska Airlines Foundation donates $100,000 to nonprofits in Hawaii

 The Alaska Airlines Foundation is awarding $100,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations in Hawaii, as part of a special donation to celebrate Alaska Airlines' 10th anniversary of service to the Islands. Funds will support 10 programs working to better the lives of youth in the local community and provide education and workforce development programs across the state.

The Alaska Airlines Foundation presented $10,000 grants to 10 nonprofit organizations in honor of the airline's 10th anniversary of service to the Hawaiian Islands. Organizations were honored by Alaska Airlines employees at a community reception at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki on Nov. 6. 

Delta completes inaugural A350 service to Tokyo

Another mini milestone for the XWB aircraft from Airbus occurred earlier last week when Delta’s inaugural A350 flight from Detroit to Tokyo landed at Narita International Airport early last Tuesday, 31st October.

Aircraft 3502 was welcomed by a water cannon salute and drew in a large audience of passengers, aviation fans and employees. Within three hours of landing, the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 was ready for its first return flight from Japan to the United States.

Before the departure of Flight 276 from Tokyo to Detroit, Delta hosted a celebratory event with the flight passengers, reporters and employees. Drinks and mini cupcakes were served to the crowd while they enjoyed live music provided by a string quartet.

“Delta is investing billions of dollars in its aircraft and airport facilities to provide better products and services to our important customers. The A350 aircraft is among these investments, and this Narita – Detroit flight is the first route Delta has deployed for the latest aircraft,” said Masaru Morimoto, Delta’s Vice President – Japan, Micronesia and the Philippines. “Please enjoy your flight and our latest products, such as the Delta One Suite and Delta Premium Select.”

ANA's Myanmar Hopes Dashed

All Nippon Airways is walking away from its Myanmar plans after their application for an air operator’s certificate gets rejected by local authorities.

ANA had planned to operate a joint venture airline in the Southeast Asian country with a local property and banking backed investor Golden Sky World.    The ANA group were going to take a stake of 49 percent in the air carrier that had plans to focus on international routes.  Many see the country ripe for a massive growth in international air transportation following the recent opening of the once closed military ruled nation. 

This is not the first disappointment for ANA in the country, the first attempt to break into the local air travel market took place in  2014. However,  it halted a plan to take a 49 percent shareholding in Asian Wings Airways after local competition seemed to make such an investment too risky.

Speaking to the media, ANA's local representative Sammy Aramaki said “We can’t find a reason,” for the Myanmar's governments refusal of the licence application. “The management can’t wait for any longer,” he said, the application had been put in last May and an answer was expected no later than August. 

Number crunching for Hawaiian Airlines October Stats

Hawaiian Airlines, announced its system-wide traffic statistics for the month of October a little earlier this week along with its current year to date figures. 

Hawaiian is the world's most punctual airline as reported by OAG, has led all US carriers in on-time performance for each of the past 13 years, yes 13 years 2004-2016 as advised by the US Department of Transportation. Consumer surveys by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure have ranked Hawaiian among the highest of all domestic airlines serving Hawai'i.

The airline is 88 years old and is Hawai'i's biggest and longest-serving airline, offering non-stop service to Hawai'i from more US gateway cities than any other airline - 11 at last count. They also have services from Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa and Tahiti. Hawaiian also provides approximately 170 jet flights daily between the Hawaiian Islands, with a total of more than 250 daily flights system-wide.

The figures follow -

Singapore Airlines Profits Triple

Singapore Airlines confirmed on Tuesday that its second-quarter net profit had nearly tripled following stronger than expected operating results.

The stylish and award winning airline earned $190 million (Singapore Dollars) which equates to approximately $139.26 million US, in the three months to 30th September. A massive jump fro last years total of $65 million. 

Singapore Airlines is currently undertaking a three plus year transformation plan which is designed to make the carrier more cost efficient and competitive as it goes forward to 2020.  One of the big recent projects was unveiling its new Airbus A380 offering with a completely enhanced on-board cabins and services. 

Singapore Airlines has been finding trading difficult recently with increased competition from low-cost carriers in the region as well as those full service airlines from the middle east and the carrier posted a surprise fourth quarter loss in May. 

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Second And Third Weeks Of November The Best Time To Book Hotels For The December Holidays According To TripAdvisor

Hotel Pulitzer Barcelona

When is the best time to book for the best deals?  A question most travellers have asked time and time again, but until now there has never been a considered answer.  But, now according to TripAdvisor booking at this time can save you up to 40 percent verses the peak rates.

TripAdvisor, the site that helps find the latest reviews and lowest prices, today announced the "Best Time to Book" for the Holidays report, revealing that 6th - 18th November is when travellers can consistently find the lowest hotel rates on hotels for the last two weeks of December.

TripAdvisor analyzed historical hotel pricing data to identify the time periods offering the lowest rates on hotels for the holidays in popular destinations around the world. The "best time to book" is when hotel prices were consistently less than the destination average.

Best Time to Book a Hotel for the Holidays –  6th - 18th Nov. 

For a hotel in the U.S., travellers booking during the optimal period of 6th to 18th November can save 18% compared to early year peak rates. Travellers planning to stay in a hotel in Europe can book during this window to save 21% compared to peak and for hotels in Asia, travellers can get 12% off versus highs.

Allegiant October Results

Allegiant Travel Company released their preliminary passenger traffic results for October 2017 earlier this week with some positive results in a very difficult trading period.  

"During our earnings call on October 25, 2017, we called out 3 to 3.5 percentage points of a TRASM headwind due to the impacts of Hurricane Irma in Florida and the mass shooting in Las Vegas," stated Lukas Johnson, senior vice president, commercial.  "At the time of the call, Florida had recovered but Las Vegas was still pacing below its previous trends.  But each week since, we have seen meaningful recovery in the Las Vegas market, and now believe demand has normalized to the levels seen before the tragic event of October 1."

Full Results - 

Cabin crew, doors to automatic...... this is a sliding story

"Cabin crew, doors to automatic and cross-check please." We've all heard that on a flight before take-off, but what the heck does it all mean?  Well, thanks to a video from British Airways we now know it is all to do with arming the door's emergency slides, just in case something happens and we all need to make a hasty exit from these mechanical birds taking us to far-off ports.

While it is exceptionally rare for the slides to be deployed, there can save lives in exceptional circumstances. 

All but the very smallest of commercial aircraft are fitted with a number of them. They are there to ensure passengers and crew can, in the event of an emergency, get off the aircraft quickly and safely.  As aircraft doors are often quite high above ground level, these huge inflatables can be up to 14 metres which is around 46 feet, in length.  Most also double as extra-long life rafts in the unlikely event of a water landing, or ditching as it's often called. Yet, whilst these slides may never get used or even seen by passengers' eyes, they do form part of the aircraft's crucial safety equipment and it can't take off without them!

British Airways has created a short behind-the-scenes video, giving access to rarely seen regular tests on its evacuation slides.

British Airways licensed engineer Peter Dyer explains in the video that every British Airways aircraft is fitted with evacuation slides, and these systems are checked on an almost daily basis. The airline’s highly trained engineers also frequently ‘blow’ the slides to ensure they work properly.