Top 50 Megahubs of 2018

London Heathrow Airport tops the list of the latest OAG Megahubs International Index of 2018, by quite some margin. On the busiest day for aviation in 2018, there were 66,000 possible international connections between flights arriving and departing within a six-hour time window at the London airport.

The OAG’s Megahubs International Index goes beyond the size of an airport’s route network and measures the number of connections possible within a specific time frame and the relative attractiveness of each airport as a connecting point for scheduled air passengers.  The top 50 most connected airports in the world as measured by the highest ratio of scheduled connections to the number of destinations served.

While Heathrow heads the list by quite some way, it is the only UK airport that makes it into the top fifty, although London Gatwick makes it into the top 25 low-cost megahubs at number 23, unsurprisingly the most dominant airline there is easyJet.

The second place in the 2018 OAG Megahubs International megahubs index is the Illinois airport of Chicago O’Hare (ORD) which has moved up the Megahubs index and is ranked in 2nd place this year. The airport has more potential international connections on the busiest day but these are spread across a greater number of destinations.

Coming in third and fourth are the European hubs of Frankfurt and Amsterdam Airport, while at number five on the list is an airport that might surprise some people is the Canadian airport of Pearson in Toronto.  

Macao the new destination for Hong Kong Airlines

Hong Kong Airlines adds Macao to network  with new TurboJET codeshare

Hong Kong Airlines adds Macao to network 

with new TurboJET codeshare

One of the major entertainment destinations in Asia, Macao is being added to the rapidly growing network of  Hong Kong Airlines as the company announced it has signed a codeshare agreement with ferry services company, TurboJET.

The new partnership, which is the first of its kind for Hong Kong Airlines, will see TurboJET add the airline's "HX" code onto its multiple daily ferry services between SkyPier at Hong Kong International Airport and Macao Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal.

Spirit Airlines expands Florida operations with services from Jacksonville

The US ultra low-cost carrier, Spirit Airlines is growing in its home state of Florida with the addition of Jacksonville.

Starting on 20th December the budget airline will operate a nonstop daily service from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).   

Jacksonville will become Spirit’s 69th destination and joins the carriers other Florida stations of Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa and West Palm Beach. “We are so proud to be expanding service once again right here in the Sunshine State to my hometown of Jacksonville,” said Laurie Villa, Spirit Airlines’ Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.  “Beyond a proud military presence, the Jacksonville area offers beautiful warm beaches, amazing golf courses, lively festivals, sporting events, and family-friendly attractions that will no doubt be a draw for our Guests.  As we continue to expand, we want to make sure we continue to serve our neighbours with ultra-low fares right here in our home state.”

“It is with great excitement and anticipation that we welcome Spirit Airlines to Northeast Florida,” said Steve Grossman, Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. “Their arrival means more low fares for the Jacksonville community.”.

(photos Spirit Airlines) 
  

Hopes for a buyer for Small Planet increase

The administrators of the small German charter airline, Small Planet Airlines have told the media they are hopeful of a deal from prospective purchasers after a debt restructuring process has been completed.

The administrator told the Reuters news agency that there was a good chance of a deal for the insolvent company that has a fleet of 9 aircraft and employs nearly 400 people.  “Talks are going on with investors, and they are now being intensified under new conditions,” Joachim Voigt-Salus, the administrator told Reuters.

Small Planet, mainly operates flights to the top Mediterranean holiday destinations carrying holidaymakers and tourists and filed for insolvency earlier this week in a bid to keep the flying programme operational while a buyer could be found.

The airline had massive debts, however, “Now the question is whether we can cut these liabilities through the insolvency process so that a new investor can take off again with Small Planet.”  Voigt-Salus said. 

This only affects the German Small Planet Airlines, not the Lithuanian parent company, the Small Planet Group. 

Delta Air Lines donates $500,000 for Florence relief

The US airline, Delta has announced it will contribute $500,000 to the American Red Cross to aid in the relief efforts in the Carolinas and surrounding areas as a result of Hurricane Florence, which made landfall in North Carolina last week. The slow moving system dumped record amounts of rain leaving behind severe flooding and widespread destruction.   

"Delta stands in support of the people affected by Hurricane Florence," said Tad Hutcheson, Delta's Managing Director of Community Engagement. "We are grateful to have partners like the American Red Cross and to be able to contribute to experts that specialise in disaster response  year-round and can help  provide immediate assistance to those in need."   

Delta customers can support the relief efforts for Florence by donating through Delta's customer microsite, created in partnership with the Red Cross. Donations will go toward immediate relief needs for those affected by Hurricane Florence. 

(Image Delta Air Lines)

Qantas boss Alan Joyce to become Oneworld's Chairman

The Governing Board of the Oneworld global airline alliance announced today that it has nominated Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce to serve as its Chairman for the next two years.

Mr Joyce fills the position vacated by Finnair's CEO Pekka Vauramo, who is leaving the company and the industry as he takes up a new role at the top of  Finland’s Metso Corporation.

As oneworld Governing Board Chairman, Alan Joyce will chair its Board meetings, oversee alliance governance and work closely with oneworld CEO Rob Gurney and the central alliance team. The oneworld Governing Board comprises the CEOs of all the alliance’s member airlines – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines, alongside Qantas.  

Alan Joyce said: “As a founding member of oneworld, we are pleased the alliance has evolved over time to deliver greater value to more customers worldwide and expand its joint network.  I look forward to serving as Chairman of the Governing Board and working with our oneworld partner airlines as the alliance reaches the 20th anniversary of its launch.

“On behalf of all of us at oneworld, I thank Pekka Vauramo for his leadership of the alliance and wish him all the best in his new endeavours.”

The worlds first Boeing 777-200 is now a museum piece

On Tuesday, US plane manufacturer Boeing and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific announced they were donating the first-ever Boeing 777 aeroplane to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona, which is one of the world’s largest facilities devoted to celebrating aerospace and aviation.

The iconic aircraft registered B-HNL flew from Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong home to Tucson, Arizona on 18th September and now will be displayed permanently at the museum alongside more than 350 other notable aircraft.

Boeing first flew the 777-200 aircraft on 12th June 1994, it continued as a test aircraft for several years before it joined the Cathay Pacific fleet in 2000 operating across the airlines its global network.  

Qatar Airways reports massive losses.

Doha based Qatar Airways has just endured the most challenging year in its 20-year history and blames a mega loss of 252 million riyals on the diplomatic and physical blockade by four of its Arabic neighbours. 

The mega airline has been banned from flying to Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain since 2017, halting 18 of its popular high revenue routes as well as the four nations closing their airspace to Qatar Airways flights.  

To counterbalance the loss of those routes, Qatar Airways has opened 14 new routes during the last fiscal year, (24 in total since the start of the blockade) which come with launch costs and the necessity to establish market presence, which resulted in an overall net loss of 252 million as detailed in the airlines' recent annual report, issued earlier this week. 

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive,  Akbar Al Baker, said: “This turbulent year has inevitably had an impact on our financial results, which reflect the negative effect the illegal blockade has had on our airline. However, I am pleased to say that thanks to our robust business planning, swift actions in the face of the crisis, our passenger-focused solutions and dedicated staff, the impact has been minimised – and has certainly not been as negative as our neighbouring countries may have hoped for.”

New cargo aircraft...

Ryanair cabin crew in Belgium reject latest offer

Ryanair staff in Belgium are still on schedule for strike action at the end of the month after the most recent offer from the Irish airline has been turned down by unions.

The union representing cabin crew for the low-cost-high-fee airline based in Belgium confirmed on Wednesday that it had turned down the latest offer from the carrier and the strike due to take place on 28th September would go ahead. 

Most Ryanair staff are hired and employed on Irish contracts, rather than in the local countries or regions in which they are based, which has angered many staff. Ryanair had offered Belgium based cabin crew to follow beligian employment laws from March 2020. However, according to union representatives say that around half of the Belgium staff would not benefit from this as they have been employed under contract from another company, Crewlink. 

Speaking to the Reuters news agency, a spokesperson for the CNE union said “It’s a deception on the part of Ryanair,” The offer was an “unacceptable” attempt to divide cabin crew in order to give extra time to avoid strikes in a divide and conquer process that has been effective for the airline in other locations. 

Azerbaijan Airlines heading back to Geneva

Azerbaijan Airlines has advised that it will resume flights between Baku and Geneva from 30th October this year. 

The flights are to be part of the carriers joint charter programme for the classic transportation scheme, which includes free baggage and hand luggage and meals on board. The flights depart from terminal 1 of Heydar Aliyev International Airport.

Geneva, the second most populous and the largest city in Switzerland is a popular tourist and business destination. It is home to one of the worlds leading banking centres along with a significant scientific hub. The city is located between the mountains of Jura and the Alps and as such is a gateway to many tourist destinations. The pearl of the city is its Lake Leman with a beautiful lakefront and luxurious hotels around that offer year-round hospitality. 

Extra Delta flights for Consumer Electronics Show in January

The US air carrier, Delta, has said it will offer two flights between Shanghai and Las Vegas this January surrounding the Consumer Electronics Show, opening up additional choice for customers in China and the US attending the annual global event. 

The flights will operate as through flights, sharing the same flight numbers as Delta's existing daily Atlanta-Shanghai service. 

The Delta onboard experience will be on Boeing 777-200LR aircraft featuring 37 lie-flat seats with direct aisle access in Delta One, 36 seats in Delta Comfort+ and 218 seats in the main cabin featuring a nine-abreast seating layout. Every seat has personal in-flight entertainment on demand. The aircraft is also equipped with satellite-based Wi-Fi and power ports at every seat.

18% rise in summer passenger numbers for airBaltic

The rapidly expanding Latvian based airline airBaltic transported an impressive 2 770 047  or 18% passengers more during the first eight months of 2018 than in the same period last year over its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East. 

During August 2018, 440 562 passengers or 14% more than last year travelled with airBaltic. In addition in summer season, airBaltic carried +18% more passengers, marking this period as a record for the airline.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “This was the strongest summer in the history of the airline, successfully continuing the sustainable growth path the company has taken. While performing more flights to a wider variety of destinations, we still are aiming to achieve our world-class internal targets for both punctuality and regularity.”

First flight for ANA's first Airbus A380

 First ANA A380 takes to the skies

The skies around Toulouse saw another jolly green giant take to the air yesterday as the first A380 for All Nippon Airways successfully completed its maiden flight.

The double-decked passenger jet rolled off the final assembly line (FAL) in Toulouse, France and departed the city for a flight to Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft is now being prepared for cabin installation and painting in the airline’s special A380 livery.

ANA placed a firm order for three A380s in 2016, becoming the first customer for the superjumbo in Japan.  The first delivery is scheduled early 2019, and the A380 will initially be operated on the popular Tokyo-Honolulu route.

Non paying passenger found on Thai Airways flight

A non-fare paying passenger was found on a Thai Airways Boeing 777 flying from Hokkaido, Japan, to Bangkok, last month.

However, this stowaway didn't take up much space or consume the contents of the business class bar on the quiet! It just seemed to be enjoying the adventure, scurrying around the airline's magazines and in-flight safety briefing cards.

Filmed by one of the passengers on the flight, this little stowaway was a large dark red cockroach that popped out of a magazine pouch, just after the in-flight snack was served.  As the UK's Daily Mail reported.

It is not known when or where the little critter boarded the jet, but it is most likely to have arrived on the aircraft in Thailand and had perhaps become immune to Thai Airways usual pesticides. The airline apologised for the little interloper and promised that its cleaning staff would double check the seat pockets for insects during the usual between flight cleaning. The carrier also said that it would introduce a different more powerful bug spray.

This particular Boeing 777 has since had a deep clean during its scheduled maintenance the airline reports, so hopefully, no other passengers will have to share their seat pitch with another non-fare paying creature.  

British Airways to launch new route to Kos

The UK's British Airways has confirmed the launch of a new route to the island of Kos from London Gatwick Airport. 

The flights are scheduled to operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 15th May until  26th October 2019, with fares starting at £70 one-way in economy. The new Kos flights will be served by a mixture of A319 and A320 aircraft from Gatwick’s South Terminal.

Adam Carson, British Airways’ Managing Director for Gatwick, said: “Greece is incredibly popular with our customers, so we’re excited to add another sunshine route to our growing network, giving holidaymakers even more choice of destinations at competitively low prices. From Gatwick, we fly to more than 50 short-haul destinations and 70 long-haul and our wider network continues to expand as we add in new routes designed to appeal to both leisure and business customers.”

 BA already operates 11 Greek routes,  Athens, Santorini, Rhodes, Skiathos, Thessaloniki, Zante, Mykonos, Kefalonia, Kalamata, Crete and Corfu. 

(Photos British Airways) 

Three new Bombardier Q400s for Philippine Airlines from Chrous

Chorus Aviation from Canada has confirmed this week that is placing three Bombardier Q400 turboprops with Philippine Airlines on a long-term lease basis.  

The new Q400s are scheduled for delivery to Philippine Airlines during the latter part of this year and are the first leasing transactions in the fast-growing Southeast Asia region for the Halifax based Chorus Aviation.  The company's president, Steven Ridolfi said: "Philippine Airlines is a celebrated airline with a long and renowned history as the flag carrier of the Philippines, and we are very proud to count them amongst our customers."

PAL President & Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista said, "We are very pleased to form this working partnership with Chorus Aviation Capital and we look forward to building business ties with them. By joining their growing portfolio of aircraft lessees, Philippine Airlines will be able to further grow its domestic market. New aircraft help us to build new air links and increase flight frequencies on routes that are vital to national commerce."

United Airlines changes boarding policy

Today, one of the largest US airlines changes its boarding procedures designed to give passengers less wait time, more gate space and less stress.

Sarah Murphy, is the vice president of United Airlines Global Operations Strategy, Planning and Design department, "The boarding process was one of the top areas customers told us they wanted improved," she said today as the new boarding method comes into force around the world. "We listened to customers and employees as we tested a variety of processes on thousands of flights until we found a better boarding process that results in less time spent waiting in lines, improved communication and a better way to recognise our premier customers while balancing out the number of passengers in each boarding group."

Singapore Airlines pilot over the limit to fly

Passengers in Melbourne waiting for a Singapore Airlines flight to Wellington and then on to Singapore had a longer wait than expected after one of the flight crew was found to be over the alcohol limit to fly.

Passengers waiting for the SQ247 report being told that the pilot was 'under the weather' first and claim that Singapore staff lied to them.  

A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines Karl Schubert told media that the flight had been cancelled because “an operating crew member was deemed unfit to fly". The Australian “Civil Aviation Safety Authority officials undertook a random drug and alcohol test of all crew prior to them starting their pre-flight checks,” 

“The pilot in question did not pass the test due to having a higher than suitable blood alcohol limit. The pilot in question was stood down and has been suspended from all duties effective immediately."

The pilot in question has returned to Singapore and an investigation by officials from both Singapore and Australia has started. "We will also work closely with the Australian and Singaporean authorities to ensure they are supplied the information they require.” the spokesperson said.

Delta Air Lines 757 aborts take-off following smokey engine

The crew of a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 had to abort take-off at the weekend after smoke was spotted pouring out of one of the engines.

The aircraft was operating flight DL1658 from San Francisco to Detroit and had taxied to the runway ready to depart. However, shortly but aborted shortly after. Some of the 229 passengers on the flight took to social media to exclaim concern. However many were complimentary regarding the Delta crew that kept them informed and transferred them to another aircraft.

My view pic.twitter.com/ohj88qdeDv

— Michael Owen Smith (@OhThatMikeSmith) September 17, 2018

A Delta spokesperson advised that the "Crew of Delta flight 1658 from San Francisco to Detroit elected to suspend the takeoff out of an abundance of caution due to an indication of an issue with one of the Boeing 757's engines. After the incident, the aircraft returned to the terminal. Passengers were put on another plane shortly after and returned home safely. No one was hurt."

Frontier Airlines heading to Portsmouth

News has reached the Air101 office that the US carrier with the funky fury animals upon its aircraft tails is heading to Portsmouth.

When we saw this on our twitter feed, we were at first a little puzzled, could the ultra-low-cost carrier be stretching its wings and crossing the Atlantic to little old Portsmouth in Hampshire? Then of course we realised that couldn't be true, for Portsmouth Airport closed its doors in the early 1970's and is now little more than a memory!

Of course, Frontier Airlines isn't flying to Portsmouth, Hampshire in the UK, it will, however, be flying in an out of Portsmouth International Airport, in New Hampshire in the USA. The carrier will be operating a service between Portsmouth and Orlando, Florida.  The new service is due to start on 7th December this year and could be the start of more services from the airline at the airport. "With 200 planes on order, we have to put them somewhere, so we're hoping to extend services here at Portsmouth." William Evans a senior manager at Frontier said at a press conference to launch the route. 

Frontier will become the second commercial airline offering flights from Portsmouth to Florida, as  Allegiant Airlines already operates flights to Florida as well as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

Beer on tap mid flight..........Lufthansa celebrates Oktoberfest

Fresh draft beer available on board again after 50 years to celebrate Oktoberfest 

“Leberkäse”, pretzels, white sausage available in Lufthansa Lounges during Oktoberfest

The German carrier, Lufthansa is going back in time to help visitors celebrate the forthcoming Oktoberfest. The popular airline will be serving draft beer on flights as well as members of the crew donning traditional Bavarian costumes – just in time for Munich’s Oktoberfest. 

Lufthansa has a tradition of getting cabin crew to wear traditional Bavarian costumes on selected flights from Munich instead of their uniforms. Additionally, this year Lufthansa is bringing beer kegs on board to serve fresh draft beer to customers as this year’s special treat on these flights. 

Lufthansa traditional costume flights taking off from Munich to New York, Singapore and Shanghai 

Some members of the carriers cabin crew have participated in developing an exclusive Oktoberfest menu for Business Class customers, that pairs perfectly with the fresh draft beer. This year, the first Lufthansa traditional costume flight will be taking off from the Bavarian capital on 19th September and going to New York (Newark). 

Love can cost you your job at China Eastern Airlines

Love can cost you a lot, including your job if you work for China Eastern Airlines!

Back in May, a flight attendant for the airline was working on a China Eastern flight, when around 30 minutes into the flight, the attendant's boyfriend gets down on one knee and proposes to her.  Her answer seems obvious as the pair embrace and kiss and the passengers in the cabin applauded.

 Love is in the air, you might think, but this happy union that sounds a little like a fairytale, but this one doesn't have a happy ever after.   Last week, the cabin crew member was fired by China Eastern Airlines, according to local media Asia One, in a letter. 

The airline issued her a termination notice because they say her actions - in accepting a marriage proposal caused her to “neglected passenger safety” and that the “private romantic behaviour caused turmoil among passengers” and was “extremely irresponsible for the safety of passengers”.

In a video, shared widely on local social media, passengers can be seen filming the proposal and applauding the happy couple and the fasten seatbelt sign is off. Therefore it is unclear how the cabin crew member had put passenger safety at risk. Video below.

Major development on the cards for China Southern Airlines

A Major development programme is on the cards for China Southern Airlines, the company's boss has revealed at the World Routes conference today.

Tan Wangeng, the chief executive officer at China Southern told the gathering in Guangzhou, that his airline is planning to boost its fleet to more than 2000 aircraft before the end of 2034. He also confirmed the major full-service carrier is looking at ways in which to work with a number of low-cost carriers in the region.

Local media is reporting that Tan said the plan was for China Southern to increase fleet numbers to 1000 by 2020 - the airlines current fleet is over 780 aircraft. The number of aircraft, both passenger and cargo will then rise to 2000 between 2020 and  2035.  According to Tan Wangeng there will be 200 million tourists from China by 2020 which would give the carrier a mass of opportunities.

Alaska Air August Results

Alaska Air Group has reported its August and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis for its mainline operations and for its regional subsidiary Horizon Air and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

Award for LATAM

LATAM Airlines Group was named in the 'World' category of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for a fifth consecutive year, earlier this week.

The DJSI World comprises the leading 10% of companies in the 'S&P Global Broad Market Index' in terms of sustainability, based on an annual independent assessment of economic, social and environmental criteria. LATAM is the only airline group in the Americas listed in this category. 

"Businesses have to think and act sustainably to deliver value both today and in the long-term for customers, shareholders, partners and the communities in which they operate. For LATAM for example, this means advocating sustainable tourism and supporting relief efforts in the event of natural disasters in the region," said Enrique Cueto, CEO, LATAM Airlines Group. "To be recognized as one of the world's leading airline groups in this field for a fifth year running is the culmination of a company-wide commitment to incorporating sustainable practices into every aspect of how we operate.".

(Photo LATAM aircraft welcomed to Lisbon Airport - LATAM)

New lounge unveiled at Saskatoon International Airport

The Canadian airline Air Canada unveiled its newest Maple Leaf Lounge at Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport (Skyxe) a little earlier this week.

The lounge can host up to 40 passengers at a time in an elegant space showcases Canadian design and art, including work by two Saskatchewan artists, Shawn Evans and Holly Friesen.  "We are excited to welcome Air Canada and Star Alliance eligible customers to our new Maple Leaf Lounge at Skyxe, which has been created to enhance the overall travel experience for our premium customers," said Andrew Yiu, Vice President, Product at Air Canada. "Showcasing contemporary Canadian design and artwork, and drawing on the pastoral landscape of Saskatchewan, the lounge is decorated with maple wood screen walls, Canadian-made furnishings and Canadian materials. Customers will be warmly received and enjoy a calm environment in which to work or relax before an Air Canada or Air Canada Express flight."

Turkish Airlines scores its highest ever load factor in August and unveils new uniforms

The national airline of Turkey, Istanbul based Turkish Airlines, recently released its latest stats for the month of August which showed the airline scored its biggest ever load factor in its history with 85.6%. 

Some of the key results for August 2018 included the news that the airline carried some 7.6 million passengers, up by around 2.4% over the same month last year. Total Load Factor improved by 1.3%, with a minimal increase of 0.5% in capacity (Available Seat Kilometre), while international load factor increased to 85.3%, domestically the carrier took the loads to 87.6%.

In August, Africa, Far East, Domestic Lines and N. America showed load factor growth of 3.1 points, 2.3 points, 2.2 points and 2.1 points, respectively.  Cargo and mail volume continued the double digit growth trend and increased by 21%, compared to the same period of 2017. Main contributors to the growth in cargo/mail volume, are N. America with 32% increase, Europe with 24% increase, Far East with 22% increase and Middle East with 18% increase.  

Read on for details of Turkish Airlines new stylish fresh uniforms.

More transatlantic routes for Dublin based Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus, the Irish airline that is part of IAG, has announced another two new destinations in North America for summer 2019.

The airline says it will operate direct services from Dublin to Minneapolis-St. Paul and Montreal, Canada, starting in July and August next year. 

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota joins Montreal as the 14th and 15th North American destinations to Aer Lingus’ expanding transatlantic network. 

The summer flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul will commence in July 2019 and will operate with daily direct service from Dublin, Ireland on Boeing 757 aircraft. Winter service will operate four times per week.

In August, Aer Lingus will launch flights to Montreal’s Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport with daily direct service from Dublin. The service will be reduced to four times a week during the winter period. The service is scheduled to be flown by Airbus A321 neo long-range aircraft.

Since joining IAG in 2015, Aer Lingus has launched eight new direct transatlantic services between Dublin and Los Angeles, Newark, Hartford, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and now Montreal and Minneapolis-St. Paul, marking the largest ever transatlantic expansion in the airline’s history.

More flights from Stanstead says Jet2

The UK holiday airline, Jet2 will be increasing schedules and seats from London Stanstead Airport for summer 2019 the company has revealed this week.

The airline and holiday company is planning to base extra aircraft and adding another 100,000 seats from London Stansted, following strong demand from passengers and holidaymakers from the South and South East of England.

This airline says it will now base 12 aircraft at London Stansted next summer, the addition of a new aircraft means another 100,000 seats are going on sale from the Essex airport. That means total seat capacity at Stansted next summer will be over  1.85 million, an increase of 24% on Summer 18.

Jet2 advise they will operate to 36 different destinations during Summer 2019 from Stanstead including the Canary Islands, Cyprus, Turkey, Portugal, the Balearic Islands, and Mainland Spain.

The first Airbus A220-100 in Delta colours rolls out of the paint shop.

Another milestone in the development of the Airbus A220, formerly known as the Bombardier CSeries took place this week with the first Airbus A220-100 in Delta Air Lines colours rolling our the paint shop.

Larry Cato, a programme manager on Delta’s Fleet Management team, was onsite for the occasion. “There’s nothing like seeing years of planning come together in the shape of a freshly painted aircraft,” Cato said. “It’s a major milestone for the future of our fleet.” as the aircraft came out of the paint shop at the A220 assembly line in Mirabel, Quebec.

In total, the painting process took nine days to complete and used 200 rolls of masking tape and 165 gallons of paint and can be seen in a delightful time-lapse video. The new regional single-aisle jet that continues to surprise with its performance and comfort looked resplended in the Delta livery. 

Boston will be a new direct destination for Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines has confirmed it will be starting a new service to Massachusetts from 4th April next year.  "There is nowhere on Earth like Hawai'i, and we are bringing our islands closer than ever to Boston with nonstop service," said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram. 

"Hawaiian is a unique airline because we have represented Hawai'i for nearly a century while flying people to, from and between the Hawaiian Islands. Each one of our routes starts or ends in the Aloha State. We look forward to sharing our warm hospitality with our New England guests whose vacation starts the minute they check in and step onto our plane."

The carrier will begin its five-day-a-week service on 4th April and at 5,095 miles, the route will become the longest regularly scheduled domestic route in US history.  The flight will be operated by the carriers fleet of Airbus A330 jets, offering superior comfort incorporating flowing curves evocative of the winds and the ocean, Hawaiian's spacious first-class cabin features 18 lie-flat leather seats that transform into 180-degree beds at a roomy 20.5 inches wide and 76 inches long. Aligned in a 2-2-2 configuration, the cabin feels roomy and expansive. 

Emotional support animals have a negative effect on travel - says US flight attendents

     

                 

Emotional support animals allowed on US flights continue to have a negative impact on air travel according to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) following a new national survey of US flight attendants released today.

The survey found that over 98% of all respondents had crewed a flight with at least one emotional support animal onboard during the last two years. 

"The rampant abuse of claiming a need for emotional support animals in air travel is negatively impacting all passengers. It's a safety, health, and security issue," said Sara Nelson, AFA President. 

The report detailed that 61% of the responding flight attendants reported working on a flight where an emotional support animal caused a disruption in the cabin; 53% of the disruptions included aggressive or threatening behaviour by the animal.  Examples include a dog snapping at a flight attendant's heel when they walked by or in another case an animal bit a flight attendant while they attempted to set a beverage on the tray table. Flight attendants also reported repeated barking, snapping, and lunging at crew members, passengers, and even children.

Jetstar Asia increases flight frequency to Okinawa

The only airline providing direct scheduled services between Singapore and Okinawa, Jetstar Asia has confirmed it will add an additional flight to the route to cope with increased demand.

The additional return service to Okinawa (Naha) will start from 15 November 2018, ahead of one of the busiest time of the year, the year-end school holidays, increasing the schedule from three to four flights a week. 

Since Jetstar started the route to Okinawa (Naha) a year ago, the carrier has welcomed thousands of passengers on the route.  "We understand how important low fares are to families over the holiday season and the additional service, as well as exceptional onboard service, will bring greater value to them." Says CEO of Jetstar Asia, Mr Bara Pasupathi.

Joon to head to Quito from May 2019

Starting on 14th May next year, the Air France network is expanding thanks to its airline exclusively for millennials, Joon, will be heading to Quito Ecuador, from the group's main hub of  Paris-CDG.

Passengers will be able to travel between the two capitals by Airbus A340 in the comfort of the new long-haul travel cabins, with 30 seats in the Business cabin, 21 seats in the Premium Economy cabin and 227 seats in the Economy cabin. 3 weekly flights will be offered starting at €299 including tax one way.

Flight schedules (in local time):

AF210: leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 13h10, arrives in Quito at 18:05;

AF211: leaves Quito at 19h50, arrives in Paris at 13h50 the following day.

Flights operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the summer season2.

New route to Dallas Fort Worth for Air France from Paris

Air France has announced new international service between its main hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport.  The airline will operate up to five weekly flights beginning 31st March 2019, utilising Airbus A330 aircraft on the direct route.

"We're pleased to welcome Air France back to DFW Airport and bring more international flight service to the Dallas Fort Worth region," said Sean Donohue, chief executive officer at DFW Airport. "The new flights from Air France offer customers another convenient way to get to Europe for business connections or tourism."

Air Peace of Nigeria orders more Boeing aircraft

The US planemaker Boeing has announced today that Air Peace of Nigeria has made an order for ten 737 Max 8 aircraft during a signing ceremony in Lagos.

Air Peace already operates Boeing 737s between major cities in Central and West Africa. The airline, which recently added Boeing 777s to its fleet, is looking to soon launch its international flight operations.

"We are excited to add the 737 MAX to our fleet as we expand our network to offer more destinations and serve more passengers," said Allen Onyema, Chairman and CEO, Air Peace Limited. "The fuel efficiency and superior operating economics of the 737 MAX will ensure that the aircraft will play a major role in growing our business in the years to come."

"Africa is a growing market for commercial airplanes and we are proud that airlines like Air Peace are selecting Boeing aircraft to be part of that growth," said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing for The Boeing Company. "This order reflects the strong demand that we are seeing for the 737 MAX as airlines choose the aeroplanes superior performance and reliability.".

(Photo 737 Max 9 from Boeing)

Third quater results for Transat A T

The Canadian Transat A.T. Inc. group, one of the largest integrated tourism companies in the world has released its results for the third quarter which ended on 31st July 2018.

"Like most of our competitors, we're affected by rising fuel prices, which impacted our summer results as we had forecasted in mid-June. Prices always take a certain time to adjust. We are still confident that we will meet our long-term targets, while Air Transat was just named the world's best leisure airline by Skytrax," stated Jean-Marc Eustache, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transat.

"During the quarter, we opened our hotel division's headquarters in Miami and identified attractive opportunities, some of which should materialize soon.".

Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport records its busiest ever summer.

PortsToronto, owners and operators of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, confirmed earlier this week, that it experienced its busiest summer on record with 817,171 passengers arriving and departing through the airport from June to August 2018. Both Porter Airlines and Air Canada contributed to the high passenger numbers, which were a combination of leisure and business travellers.

More than 817,000 Passengers passed through Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport from June to August!