Air Canada's New Signature Suite opens at Toronto Pearson

Air Canada unveiled today the Air Canada Signature Suite for its top International Business customers at its Toronto Pearson global hub. The new suite is an exclusive airport retreat where eligible premium customers can dine à la carte at a complimentary, full-service restaurant from a menu created by acclaimed chef David Hawksworth, or enjoy hors d'œuvres, champagne, fine wines and cocktails in an intimate, Canadian-designed and decorated setting.

"The Air Canada Signature Suite provides premium Air Canada customers with a luxury experience unrivalled in North America that elevates Air Canada into the ranks of leading global carriers for discerning international travellers. Customers can indulge in an à la carte meal service in the suite's complimentary restaurant or partake of fine wines, champagne and speciality cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere accented with original Canadian art and maple, marble and polished limestone finishes," said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada.

New Kefalonia Route For British Airways

British Airways announced the start of a new summer route from London's Heathrow Airport to the Greek island of  Kefalonia.

The service will operate from 15th May until 6th October 6, 2018, and will link dull old London town with some of Greece’s best beaches and the idyllic setting to Louis de Bernieres’ novel-turned-film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. Flights will depart on Tuesday and Saturdays, with return fares starting from £118 in Euro Traveller and £398 in Club Europe.

The island of Kefalonia is renowned for its picturesque beaches, traditional fishing villages and stunning scenery and Myrtos beach is one of the world’s most photographed stretches of sand. It will be the first time the airline has operated to the Greek island.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ chairman and chief executive, said: “We’re always developing our leisure offering from Heathrow so are incredibly pleased to be adding Kefalonia to our network. The launch of our new summer routes, which also include Figari in Corsica and Almeria, mean we will be flying 39 more routes in 2018 than we did in 2016 – an increase of 17 percent. We’re also further improving our schedules and increasing the number of flights to European destinations such as Ibiza, Santorini and Split.”

Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs

On Point Loyalty, announced the release of its first annual report on the Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs around the world providing the first-ever comprehensive, data-driven ranking of the value of airline loyalty programs.  The report can be accessed at 

www.onpointloyalty.com/insights.

Heading up the list is Delta Airlines, followed by American Airlines,  United comes a close third. Southwest was a surprising fourth ahead of Flying Blue, Miles and More and Avios. 

British Airways Bulk Buy Monarch's Slots At Gatwick As Level Goes To Paris

British Airways have beaten low-cost rivals EasyJet and Norwegian in the rush to snap up the slots at London Gatwick Airport vacated by the bankrupt Monarch Airlines.  

Whilst the exact number of slots and the true price paid hasn't been released or reported at the present time, it is understood to be just under £50 million. It is also believed that not all the slots will be used by British Airways, a number are expected to be allocated to Level, the new low-cost, long-haul airline IAG set up in June.

Level started flying in the summer from Barcelona to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Buenos Aires and Punta Canan, with new routes due to be announced soon. IAG also revealed today that Level's next base opening with be Orly Airport in Paris. The carrier will base two A330's at Orly and fly to Montreal, New York, Guadeloupe and Martinique from July next year, with fares starting from €99 one way, plus charges and fees.

Willy Walsh the IAG boss said: "Barcelona operation has been an incredible success. Customers love it and Level will be profitable this year. Barcelona was always a first step and today we’re delighted to launch flights from our second European city with four exciting new routes from Paris."

Route start dates - 

Flights to Montreal start on 2nd July 2018  three times per week.

Flights to Guadeloupe start on 3rd July 2018 four times per week.

Flights to Martinique start on  3rd September 3 2018 three times per week.

Flights to New York (Newark) start on 4th September 2018 four times per week.

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Southwest Airlines Breathes New Life Into Old Seat Covers! Recycling & Upcycling Masters

 Southwest Airlines announced today the expansion of Repurpose with Purpose, an initiative that upcycles, downcycles, and recycles hundreds of thousands of pounds of discarded material into useful products with the help of partner organizations. Southwest Airlines has collaborated with diverse groups throughout the United States and Mexico to repurpose leather aircraft seat covers and cushions, blankets, life jackets, aircraft engines, and billboards.

By providing as many materials as possible to these groups, Southwest reduces the amount of waste it sends to landfills while also generating social and economic opportunities for communities. The Repurpose with Purpose program began in 2013, following the Evolve retrofit program, which replaced Southwest's leather aircraft seat covers at that time. The newly expanded programme, will repurpose nearly 675,000 pounds of seat covers and other discarded materials in 2017. The Repurpose with Purpose program will benefit women in indigenous communities in Mexico, as well as veterans, people with disabilities, senior citizens, victims of trafficking, and marginalized communities in the United States.

"Through our Repurpose with Purpose program, we are able to continue our commitment to living responsibly while creating a catalyst to make transformative change happen in communities throughout the world," said Bill Tiffany, Southwest Airlines Vice President Supply Chain. "It's humbling to hear the incredible stories shared from the organizations we've partnered with on this impactful program."

Special discount limited time offerSave up to 30% now. 
 

FAA and ASSURE Announce Results of Air-To-Air Collision Study

Last month, a report from Canada indicated the possible collision of a drone with a jet approaching Quebec City's International Airport. The incident reintroduced public concerns about air collisions between small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) and commercial aircraft and what it may mean to the safety of air travel.

Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is not yet able to definitively address these concerns, studies by a consortium of leading universities, through the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), have begun to bring better understanding to the physical damage associated with small unmanned aircraft – or drones – colliding midair with commercial and business aircraft.

The ASSURE research team began its research in FY 2016, using unique resources from Mississippi State University, Montana State University, Ohio State University, and Wichita State University. This research team set out to answer the question of what happens when – not if – there is a collision between a sUAS and an aeroplane.

More destinations for the new Cyprus Airways

The new Cyprus Airways announced at the start of the month the addition of six new destinations to its route network for summer 2018.

The fresh airline will operate services to Athens, Munich, Prague, Stuttgart, Verona* and Zurich from its home base of Larnaca. “Following 6 months of successful operation, we are absolutely delighted to introduce 6 new destinations on our network. We continually monitor our route network and feel that these destinations will be a popular choice for local travellers, while at the same time contribute in the increase of tourists visiting Cyprus” stated Natalia Popova, Chief Commercial Officer of Cyprus Airways.

First ATR72-600 for IndiGo

 IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, happily took delivery last week of its very first ATR 72-600.  It seems like only a few months ago the carrier and ATR announced the deal for 50 ATR 72-600s. The delivery last week represents a major step in the airline’s ambitious plan to further develop its fleet with the introduction of fuel-efficient and cost-effective ATR 72-600s, thus expanding its regional fleet network and bringing air connectivity to smaller less well served Indian airports and communities.

   

The introduction of the new ATR fleet goes in line with the Indian government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme, which aims to boost economic development, employment and tourism by connecting small and remote cities. Under this scheme, 100 new airports are expected to be created in the next three years.

The ATR 72-600 is the most popular regional aircraft in its category. Its unbeatable economics and operational versatility at small airfields make it the perfect tool to support IndiGo’s plans to build its regional network in India. The ATR 72-600s feature seat and trip costs that are respectively 10% and 20% lower than those of other in-production turboprops. They also feature the most modern cabin interiors, specifically designed for ATR by the Italian firm Giugiaro, with thinner seats, larger overhead bins and LED lighting for an optimal passenger experience. With its new ATR 72-600s IndiGo will be able to offer their passengers affordable fares, while opening new routes throughout the country, thus contributing to developing local economies and strengthening social links.

Mandarin Airlines takes delivery of its first sexy sleek shiny ATR72-600

European aircraft manufacturer ATR yesterday delivered the first of the nine ATR 72-600s to Mandarin Airlines. The ATR 72-600 will bring the regional subsidiary of Taiwan’s flag carrier China Airlines the highest standards of comfort alongside unbeatable economics. With the aircraft servicing its domestic routes Mandarin Airlines will benefit from the introduction of the market leading, versatile turboprop, allowing it to offer passengers a modern cabin with affordable prices. The ATR -600 series is a proven route opener, creating on average 100 new routes every year worldwide, and the aircraft will contribute to the expansion of regional connectivity across the island.

Besides the contract for the aircraft, ATR is also willing to provide engineering and technical support to China Airlines and its subsidiaries to set-up in-house capabilities for ATR heavy maintenance, up to C-checks.

SriLanKan Airlines and Qantas extend codeshare deal down under.

SriLankan Airlines is building on the success of its recently launched daily non-stop services to Melbourne last month by expanding its codeshare arrangments with Qantas. 

The agreement will see SriLankan codeshare on Qantas’ services from Melbourne to Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney in Australia as well as to New Zealand’s city of sails - Auckland. In return, Qantas will now codeshare on SriLankan’s flights between Colombo and Bangkok as well as its flights between Colombo and Hong Kong. The new codeshare starts from 18th December 2017 and flights are already on sale giving passengers greater choice.

Top-tier frequent flyers of both airlines will be entitled to a range of Oneworld alliance benefits such as the opportunity to earn and redeem miles, lounge access, additional baggage allowances and priority check-in and boarding. Member airlines of the Oneworld alliance link over 1,000 destinations in 160 countries.

All passengers are not created equal...British Airways new policy to discriminate dubbed the walk of shame

British Airways, once the worlds favourite airline, is introducing a discriminatory new boarding process, that's already been decreed by passengers as the "walk of shame."

According to British Airways overworked press office staff, “To further improve the customer journey” the airline will introduce a new boarding process from 12th December.  From that date onwards, your boarding pass will show you'll level of importance to the airline, it will be marked 1 to 5. The lower the number the more important you are and the higher up the boarding process you are.  

Of course, those high ranking frequent flyer members, business class and families with young children will still be seated first, but after that its all on the fare you've paid.  Economy passengers will no longer be equal if you've paid the least, using BA's basic economy fare, you'll be a number 5 and therefore last to board. Of course, you've got no luggage allowance with that fare type, so you'll just have your cabin baggage, but they'll be no room to put it anywhere as you'll be the last one on the flight.  Yes, BA are seeking to make an example of you as you do the walk of shame down the aisle to find a free seat. Watch as the other already comfortably seated passengers and the cabin crew sneer at you (more than they already do!) knowing that you've paid the least expensive fare.  

New cabin crew are already being schooled by the older members of the flying fraternity to look down their noses at any fourth or fifth level passengers - in true BA style. Well in fairness the cabin crew have less to do now after British Airways ended its offering of free food and drink on European flights in economy class earlier this year.  Our colleague Jason Shaw was even refused when he asked if were possible to get a glass of water so he could take his kidney medication on a BA flight to from Brussels to London last week. He was told "You should have bought something in the departure lounge." by a cabin crew member not quite in the first flush of youth, indeed he should have done he silently thought, 'a ticket on another airline'!

EU to take a tough stance against British airlines after Brexit.

Media outlets in the UK and Germany are reporting a secret report has been compiled that indicates the European Union will be taking a tough stance on the United Kingdom's aviation industry upon Brexit. 

According to the report and a presentation document, the remaining members of the European Union have already begun getting ready for the future talks between negotiators for the UK and EU. However, there is no negotiation possible according to the leaked documents that the EU is demanding that the UK abide by all existing laws, rules, conventions and agreements in place in the EU if British airlines want to continue to operate in Europe. If the UK doesn't agree on any of those points then British Airlines would simply not be allowed to operate in the say way in the EU.

The leaked papers indicate that there is no 'wiggle' room or potential for 'bespoke' arrangements for the UK's aviation scene or indeed any potential for negotiation. 

Continued growth at London Gatwick

Gatwick Airport reinforced the vital role it plays in the local, regional and national economy as it announced its interim financial results yesterday, for the six months ending 30 September 2017.

Gatwick has continued to increase its lead as the World’s busiest single-runway airport with passenger numbers +5.1% on last year. The airport has further extended its global connectivity with long-haul routes +12.4% versus the same six months last year.

Before the end of the financial year Gatwick will add further global connections to Taipei, Buenos Aires, Chicago and Austin building on new routes to Singapore, Rwanda, Seattle and Denver in the last six months. 

Gatwick’s vital role within the UK economy was demonstrated by growth on domestic routes of +5.3%, as passengers took advantage of the regional services available from the London airport best connected to the rest of the UK. 

Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick Airport, said: “Gatwick has blazed a trail in the last six months delivering record growth in passenger numbers and record-breaking new long-haul routes while also setting new standards for customer service."

“Gatwick now serves 45.5 million passengers each year and is playing a vital role for Britain. As we prepare for Brexit, it is critical that we continue to grow our long-haul links in addition to connections within the UK and Europe. Our results show significant cargo growth on the back of our ever-strengthening long-haul network."

“We have ambitious plans to build on these results to reach 50 million passengers per year and beyond which will further set the standard for a single runway airport. This will be done while continuing to deliver the best passenger experience which is at the heart of everything we do at Gatwick. This was illustrated this month when Gatwick was crowned ‘Airport of the Year’ at the National Transport Awards and the ‘UK’s Best Airport’ at the Airport Operators Association Awards.

“We are currently preparing our full submission to the Government’s re-opened National Policy Statement consultation. We are planning future submissions to support the Aviation Strategy in which we will detail the plans we have to continue to make best use of the airport’s existing facilities.

“Gatwick is ready to play an increased global role for Britain as we grow. Gatwick is prepared to build our financeable and deliverable second runway scheme so that Britain can reap the benefits of greater global connectivity faster.”

German court: Kuwait Airways can refuse Israeli passengers

A German court ruled Thursday that Kuwait’s national airline didn’t have to transport an Israeli citizen because the carrier would face legal repercussions at home if it did.

The Frankfurt state court noted in its decision that Kuwait Airways is not allowed to have contracts with Israelis under Kuwaiti law because of the Middle Eastern country’s boycott of Israel.

The court said it didn’t evaluate whether “this law makes sense,” but that the airline risked repercussions that were “not reasonable” for violating it, such as fines or prison time for employees.

An Israeli citizen, who was identified in court papers as Adar M., a student living in Germany, sued Kuwait Airways after it cancelled his booking for a flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok that included a stop-over in Kuwait City.

New UK routes for Primera Air. low cost flights but don't forget the fees for extras

Primera Air, the transatlantic low-fares and high-fees airline are going to launch two daily services from Birmingham to Malaga and Palma from 14th May. The airline is also going to be offering daily services to Malaga and Alicante from London Stansted airport starting 23rd April.

The airline says the flights will be operated by Boeing 737-800 with 189 all economy seats with ticket prices starting at just £35 one way. However on top of that would be fees for meals £11.99, drinks £2.50 for a coffee or a can of coke or just water, selecting a seat - minimum £12.99, luggage from £24.99 and a £9 transaction fee to even make the booking.

Primera Air president and owner Andri Mar Ingolfsson said: “We see a stable and high demand for our transatlantic flights from Birmingham and London to New York, Boston and Toronto. It has encouraged us to introduce more flights to leisure destinations in Spain that historically has been our core product and service in which we have an extensive experience. Flights to Mallorca, Alicante and Malaga will improve the leisure flight schedule for travellers to already beloved destinations.”

Flights New York and Boston from the UK will start operating at the start of April next year with fares starting at £99 one way.  There are still some £99 outbound flights available to New York (Newark) from Stanstead, if you're very lucky, we searched on 23rd at 21.26 and couldn't find a single one. Remember, these prices are the baseline fare only and you'll have to add tax to the cost (£154 return)  Next to consider is the fees that Primera charge you:  

Transaction fee  £9
Seat selection    £19.99 - £44.99
Meal                  £29.99 - £59.99
Luggage            £24.99
Drinks               £2.50 (from)

We looked at a New York trip out 22 April return 05 May.  

Primera Air £373.94  (STN - EWR -STN)

Virgin £403.21 (LHR-EWR-LHR)

Iberia  £373.97 (LHR - EWR - LHR) Operated by British Airways

United £364.01 (LHR -EWR - LHR)

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Air China halts North Korea flights as tension mount

The isolation of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea or North Korea as most of us know it, has reached new heights as the Chinses state-owned airline Air China has put a halt on all flights between Beijing and North Korea from Tuesday.  The airline cites a lack of demand for the suspension of air services - including humanitarian supplies and comes as UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs start to take effect on the North Korean population.  

Many see Air China's actions as a direct response to the US President Donald Trump’s decision to add Pyongyang to a list of governments that support terrorism despite this being denied by the local authorities, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said he had no information.

The suspension of Air China's operations leaves only Air Koryo - the national airline of North Korea, as the only airline with regularly scheduled service from the North to the outside world. Its regular destinations include Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang and Dandong in China and Vladivostok in Russia.

Beijing has supported UN curbs on North Korean exports designed to increase pressure on Kim Jong Un to drop his pursuit of nuclear and missile technology but has argued against measures that might harm the country’s public. However, cutting off flights from Beijing greatly impedes the import of humanitarian and medical supplies to North Korea.  

Hainan Airlines' Beijing-Chicago transoceanic passenger flight using biofuels lands successfully

At 12:55 am on November 21, 2017, local time, the maiden voyage of Hainan Airlines flight HU497 successfully landed at Chicago O'Hare Airport after spending 12 hours and 40 minutes in the air. The landing signalled the success of its first transoceanic passenger flight using biofuels on the Beijing-Chicago route, providing a solid demonstration of Sino-US cooperation in terms of environmental responsibility.

The ceremony in celebration of the success of the maiden flight was held on the parking apron at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, with flight partner Boeing and media journalists jointly witnessing the important moment.

To highlight the resolve to discover and deploy sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions, the Hainan Airlines flight not only used biofuels for the passenger flight, but also invited passengers to participate in fun yet informative interactive activities, and promote the "green travel-carbon offset" public interest project jointly launched by Hainan Airlines and the China Green Carbon Foundation. In addition, a series of events focused on educating the general public on how to engage in environmentally responsible travel were also launched. 

The story continues-

Profits slump for El Al

El Al Israel Airlines announced today its third quarter of 2017 results which show a good performance but a dramatic fall in profits.

The Company's revenues in the first nine months of 2017 amounted to approx. USD$ 1,585 million which compares favourably to USD$ 1,578 million in the first nine months of last year, but profits have taken a nose dive. Operating profit in the first nine months of 2017 amounted to approx. USD 62 million, compared to profit before tax of approx. USD$ 118 million in the first nine months of last year;

Profit before tax in the first nine months of 2017 amounted to approx. USD 47 million, compared to profit before tax of approx. USD 106 million in the first nine months of last year;

Net profit in the first nine months of 2017 amounted to approx. USD 35 million, compared to a profit of approx. USD 83 million in the first nine months of last year;

Corporate travel community ranks Delta No.1 U.S. airline for historic 7th consecutive year

Delta Air Lines earned the top overall score for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year in the Business Travel News (BTN) Airline Survey, sweeping all ten categories and improving on the scores achieved in 2016. 

“Thank you to all the corporate travel managers that voted Delta the top airline for a seventh consecutive year. It truly is a recognition of the great work of all Delta’s 80,000 employees, who strive each day to deliver an industry-leading customer experience both on the ground and in the air, across the globe,” said Steve Sear, Delta’s President — International and Executive Vice President — Global Sales. “This distinction is also a credit to our worldwide airline partners who really are an extension of our team.” 

SalamAir Launch Doha Flights

Today the new Omani low-cost carrier SalamAir launched flights from Muscat to Doha’s Hamad International Airport. The airline operates a fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft featuring an all economy cabin of 174 seats.

This new airline commenced operations on 30th January this year and has welcomed over 400,000 passengers since that date.  “Since its launch, SalamAir has been committed to delivering on three key promises, to offer travellers in Oman and across the region a safe and reliable budget travel alternative, to represent Oman and promote its tremendous tourism potential and alternatively contribute to the economic growth of the Sultanate,” said Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir. “With the launch of our eighth destination, I am proud to say that we are taking one step closer to achieving what we envision for the airline by increasing connectivity to thriving tourism, commercial and economic hubs in the region.”

The airlines CEO went on to explain that as a young airline, SalamAir enjoys the advantage of flexibility which allows it to shift and adapt its services to cater to demand. To date, all SalamAir destinations have been determined by what guests want and as a result, the airline operates successful destinations including Salalah, Suhar, Dubai, Medina, Jeddah, Sialkot and Karachi.

The new Doha service will operate 5 times a week and the inaugural flight was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute followed by a press conference and warm friendly smiles! 

Allegiant Announces Tentative Flight Attendant Contract Agreement With Transport Workers Union

Allegiant yesterday announced that the company and the Transport Workers Union (TWU), representing Allegiant flight attendants, have reached a tentative agreement on the first collective bargaining agreement between the parties. The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by the Allegiant flight attendants, and results of the vote are expected before the end of December. Allegiant currently employs 1,150 flight attendants.

Skyscanner Predicts Savings For Black Friday & Cyber Monday

 Skyscanner, the global travel search engine, has taken a data deep-dive to scope out the destinations that are top-of-mind for travellers and the deals they can expect once the Thanksgiving hangover has subsided. More than 100 million Americans braved the cyber waves last Black Friday and Cyber Monday, exceeding all online shopping forecasts, and Skyscanner is anticipating a record-breaking 2017.

Historically, Black Friday is a peak time for search and to book travel. After analyzing data from the site's more than 60 million monthly users, Skyscanner found that in 2016, the average domestic flight price (US to US) was $610, while the average international flight price (The US to International) was $1,500. For Black Friday in 2016, the average ticket price for flights booked on that day was $320, while international was $780. Therefore, based on this historical data there is potential for a nearly 50 percent savings for flights booked on Black Friday. 

To that end, Skyscanner took a close look at the top five destinations that are most popular in terms of searches and exits from Skyscanner.com around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The results were unanimous, with Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami and New York leading the charge, and fortunately, attractive savings for each of these destinations:

Delta One service, amenities take flight in select long-haul domestic markets

Delta is launching its Delta One experience on key long-haul domestic routes, starting April 1, 2018, with select flights between the following markets:

Boston and Los Angeles

New York-JFK and San Diego, Seattle

New York-JFK and Las Vegas, starting May 1, 2018

Delta One will also become the premium offering April 1, 2018, on the following routes with one scheduled daily flight each:

Atlanta and Honolulu

Minneapolis and Honolulu.

Delta One will be offered during strategic flight times on select routes as the airline works to customize the service offering to align with times when customers are seeking the Delta One experience, which includes flat-bed seats, elevated amenities and a refined dining experience. First Class service may be available on alternate flights on the route.

The expansion of domestic Delta One comes with an industry-leading perk: Starting April 1, 2018, Delta Sky Miles Medallion Members will be eligible for unlimited day-of-departure Complimentary Upgrades to the Delta One cabin on all domestic flights, including Hawaii. This is the airline’s latest move to simplify its SkyMiles program while making it more rewarding for customers.

10 new routes for United

United Airlines today announced it will offer customers more opportunities to travel from five of its U.S. hubs to 10 cities in California, Florida, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas beginning in April 2018. Additionally, the airline announced it will optimize its O'Hare International Airport (ORD) schedule to provide shorter connection times and more options for customers connecting through Chicago.  

"We continue to focus on making United the first choice for customers when planning their domestic and international travel," said Grant Whitney, United's vice president of Domestic Network Planning. "Our new daily services connect customers to important business markets and our new seasonal summer routes provide more customers with convenient access to enjoy our National Parks."

Bombardier Predicts Latin America’s 60- to150-seat aircraft Fleet Will Double by 2036

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft’s Market Forecast 2017-2036 for Latin America predicts that overall traffic is expected to grow 5.1 percent annually and intra-regional traffic to grow slightly more than the world average at 5.6 percent annually over the next 20 years.

Total deliveries in the 60- to 150-seat marked segment to Latin America are expected to number 1,050 aircraft or eight percent of total world deliveries of 12,550 aircraft. Latin America deliveries will consist of 500 large regional aircraft (60 to 100 seats) and 550 small single-aisle aircraft (100 to 150 seats), which will double the size of the current fleet.

“With its dispersed population, the application of smaller-gauge aircraft is necessary in order to develop well-connected networks around the region. Our main strategic growth driver will be the intra-regional connectivity, particularly targeting the smaller communities, which are currently not being served, said Alex Glock, Vice President, Sales, Latin America and Caribbean, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. We are the only manufacturer who can offer a unique portfolio of choice for the complete 60- to 150-seat market segment, in order to address the Latin America’s specific market needs,” he added.

More on this story

Embraer KC-390 arrives in the United States for a series of flight trials

The new Embraer KC-390 multi-mission military transport and tanker jet will start a series of flight trials in the United States as part of its flight test campaign for certification. The aircraft left Brazil last Saturday headed for Embraer´s facility in Jacksonville, Florida.

For the next two to three weeks, the aircraft will be performing tests in the avionics systems, measurement of external noise and operations with cross-wind. 

"The KC-390 sets new standards in the market and the flight test campaign is progressing extremely well matching the aircraft design goals," said Jackson Schneider, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. "We are very satisfied with the maturity that this product has already reached and fully confident that its certification will be achieved as scheduled."

Boeing and Avolon Deal

Over the weekend Boeing  and leasing company Avolon seem to have finalized an order for 75 737 MAX aircraft. The deal is broken down to 55 MAX 8s and 20 MAX 10s and options for a further 20  MAX 8s.

The agreement, announced as a memorandum of understanding at the 2017 Paris Air Show, is valued at nearly $11 billion at list prices including the 75 firm and 20 option aircraft.

Delta, Korean Air joint venture granted approval by US regulator

On Friday last week, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air took a significant step in the creation of their trans-Pacific joint venture with approval of the joint venture by the US Department of Transportation.   

The DOT approval reflects the consumer benefits that will be created by the new joint venture. The two carriers will deepen their relationship, offering customers in the U.S. and Asia an enhanced and expanded flight network as well as more compelling travel options. The airlines have also applied for approval for the joint venture from the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

“We thank the DOT for approving this world-class partnership, which will create more choices, frequencies and destinations for customers traveling between the key markets in the U.S. and Asia,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to offering our customers the leading customer experience across the Pacific, with seamless connections, world class facilities and amenities on the ground and in the air, as well as substantial frequent flyer benefits.”

Hawaiian Airlines Celebrates Delivery of A321neo Powered by PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ Engines

 Hawaiian Airlines last week marked delivery of its first Airbus A321neo aircraft, powered by revolutionary Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, with a ceremony at its headquarters at Honolulu International Airport. The airline will be the first GTF operator to utilize the aircraft's 180-minute Extended Range Operations (ETOPS) certification, as well as the first airline in the United States to fly the GTF-powered Airbus A321neo.

"We've been powering aircraft at Hawaiian since 1929 and we appreciate the continued confidence in Pratt & Whitney," said Chris Calio, president, commercial engines at Pratt & Whitney. "From the Wasp-powered Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker to the PW4000-powered Boeing 767 to the GTF-powered A321neo, we're honoured to continue the tradition."

Air China Takes Delivery of First A320neo Powered by PurePower Geared Turbofan Engine

Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today announced Air China has taken delivery of its first A320neo family aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney's PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) engine. This aircraft is the first A320neo to be delivered to a Chinese operator from the Airbus Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Tianjin, China. The delivery comes after Pratt & Whitney recently announced a definitive agreement with Air China Limited and Shenzhen Airlines for 60 A320neo family aircraft, powered by the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine.  The contract with Air China includes a 15-year EngineWise™ Fleet Management Program.

KPMG allowed to sell Monarch's slots

When Monarch Airlines went bust in October many airlines expressed an interest in buying the collapsed airlines slots at Luton and Gatwick airports.  Those little allocations of runway time were perhaps one of the airlines most valuable assets, running with an estimated value of around £60 million.

The carriers administrators KPMG had initially lost a High Court battle to be able to sell the Monarch’s airport slots earlier this month. However, they appealed and confirmed yesterday that the appeal to sell those high-priced slots had been won.

KPMG said in a statement “We are delighted with the ruling and are very grateful to the court for dealing urgently with both the initial hearing and our appeal. We will now progress the slot exchange transactions we have underway, whose buyers will be announced at completion".

 

Whilst the ability to sell the slots is significant,  there is still no news on when or how much creditors will get back. "We must stress there will be no immediate distributions to any creditors; indeed our statutory proposals to creditors summarising the status of the administrations have not yet been published," he said, but added: "The significance of today’s ruling for both the airline and restructuring industries cannot be underestimated".

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Wataniya Airways to add 25 A320neo Family aircraft

Golden Falcon Aviation, the exclusive aircraft provider of Wataniya Airways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 25 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft. The agreement was signed earlier this week at the Dubai Airshow 2017 by Dr. Hamad Al-Tuwaijri, Chairman of Golden Falcon Aviation, and John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft in the presence of Ali Al Fouzan, Chairman of Wataniya Airways.

Airline to upgrade its fleet with fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft

Wataniya Airways resumed operations in July 2017 and currently operates a fleet of two A320ceo aircraft serving several destinations in the Middle East and Europe from its home base in Kuwait. The A320neo Family will contribute to the airline’s strategic vision to become the fastest growing and leading airline in the country.

Alexa help me with my Air Canada booking.......

Air Canada is offering customers additional convenience by becoming the first Canadian airline to develop a skill for Amazon's popular voice service, Alexa. Devices with Alexa will use machine learning and artificial intelligence to respond to spoken questions about such things as fare quotes and the status of Air Canada flights.

"Advances in innovative and new technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing have great promise to deliver more convenience for our customers," said Mark Nasr, Vice President of Loyalty and eCommerce at Air Canada. "We're thrilled to be working with artificial intelligence start-up RozieAI to launch this capability so that customers across Canada can access AC services quickly and simply, using their voice."

WestJet, Air France and KLM launch reciprocal frequent flyer redemption

WestJet, Air France and KLM today announced the redemption phase of their reciprocal frequent flyer agreement. Flying Blue Miles can now be redeemed for WestJet flights and WestJet dollars can now be redeemed for flights within the Air France and KLM global network.

The announcement comes on the heels of the airlines' successful launch of the earn phase of the reciprocal frequent flyer agreement and further complements their long-standing codeshare cooperation.

"We are very proud to be partnered with airlines of the caliber of Air France-KLM," said Ed Sims, WestJet Executive Vice-President Commercial. "This is a fantastic step for our WestJet Rewards members and reflects our commitment to expand WestJet's network reach and offer Canadians the world. We also look forward to continuing to welcome Flying Blue members on board to experience the growing WestJet network and caring guest experience."

Wizz Air Announces order for 146 Airbus A320neo's

Wizz Air,  the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe announced yesterday that, following a competitive selection process, it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for the purchase of a further 146 Airbus A320neo family aircraft!

The low-cost carrier will be taking 72 A320neo and 74 A321neo with the deliveries due to start during 2022. The airline expects to receive the bulk of the aircraft between 2025 and 2026, following on from the delivery of the 110 Airbus A321neo aircraft ordered by Wizz Air in 2015. 

Two A330neo's for Air Senegal

Air Sénégal, the national carrier of Senegal has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for two A330neo aircraft, which is the new re-engined version of the best-selling A330 widebody airliner. The A330neo will benefit the airline’s growth and business expansion in the future. The agreement makes Air Sénégal the first airline in Africa to select the A330neo.

The agreement was announced during a signing ceremony at the Dubai Airshow in the presence of Maimouna Ndoye Seck, Minister of Air transport and Development of Infrastructure, Senegal. Air Senegal will launch operations in 2018, the airline plans to use the A330neo to develop its medium and long-haul network with the aircraft offering cutting-edge technology along with more efficient operations.

CDB Aviation confirms order for 90 A320neo Family Aircraft

Dublin based CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC (CDB Aviation) announced a firm order for 90 A320neo Family aircraft during the Dubai Airshow 2017 yesterday. The agreement was reached in two steps: an original purchase agreement signed in 2014 for 45 A320neo Family aircraft, which remained undisclosed to date, and the firming up of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) announced at the 2017 Le Bourget Paris Airshow in June 2017 for an additional 30 A320neo and 15 A321neo aircraft.

“By confirming today’s order for 90 A320neos, we have doubled our overall order position for the aircraft family. CDB Aviation is now well positioned with a leading order book for the latest technology narrowbody aircraft to realize our aggressive fleet growth plan and further strengthen our ability to serve airline customers around the world with narrowbody fleet requirements,” said CDB Aviation President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Chang. “Our business model is grounded in our unmatched access to competitive funding, our industry-leading global team, and the large order book associated with strong strategic OEM partnerships.”

Frontier Airlines to triple its fleet with 134 A320neo's

The budget-priced airline with the funky furry tail's Frontier Airlines has announced its intent to order 134 A320neo Family aircraft from Airbus, which will triple the size of the carriers fleet over the next 10 years.

The deal is valued at a list price of more than $15 billion, will expand Frontier’s order book to more than 200 aircraft and also means more than five thousand new, highly skilled jobs for the US. This order forms part of the single largest Airbus order announcement ever made - a 430 aircraft order valued at a $49.5 billion list price by Indigo Partners who own Frontier Airlines.

The announcement came yesterday during a busy day at The Dubai Airshow.“Today’s announcement further strengthens our long-standing relationship with Airbus,” said Barry Biffle, president and chief executive officer for Frontier Airlines. “The A320 Family aircraft paves the way for us to continue to grow and modernize our fleet while helping us deliver on our mission to provide affordable travel across America. By 2026, we will be in a position to deliver Low Fares Done Right to more than 50 million passengers a year.”

“Frontier has been a great partner since 2001. We are happy to share in this historic announcement with them as they continue to grow, and to be part of their future,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “Airbus offers efficient aircraft that is a basis for their growth, and we are particularly proud to start delivering Frontier aircraft from our U.S.-based Mobile, Ala., production facility next year.”