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2021

Year: 2021

Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 25, 2021

South African Airways returns to the skies September 23

South African Airways to resume operation in September 2021.SAA will continue to be a safe carrier and adhere to COVID-19 protocols.SAA is restarting with a formidable business case. The wait is finally over. In just under a month, the striking and familiar livery of South African Airways (SAA) will once again be visible in the skies as the airline resumes operations. The carrier has confirmed the first flights will commence on Thursday, September 23, 2021. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, 26 August 2021. Voyager bookings and Travel Credit Voucher redemption will be available from Monday, 6 September 2021. South African Airways Interim CEO Thomas Kgokol Interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo says, “After months of diligent work, we are delighted that SAA is resuming service and we look forward to welcoming on board our loyal passengers and flying the South African flag. We continue to be a safe carrier and adhering to COVID-19 protocols.” South African Airways will as an initial phase operate flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Maputo. More destinations will be added to the route network as it ramps up operations in response to market conditions. Kgokolo added, “there is a profound feeling of enthusiasm within Team SAA as we prepare for takeoff, with one common purpose -to rebuild and sustain a profitable airline that once again takes a leadership role among local, continental, and international airlines.” Notes Kgokolo, “The aviation sector is currently going through a testing period, and we are aware of the tough challenges that lie ahead in the coming weeks. We thank South Africa for the support we have received in getting us to where we are today. As we are now poised for takeoff, we see this as a major milestone for SAA and thecountry.” According to the chairman of the SAA’s Board, John Lamola, since the national carrier came out of business rescue at the end of April 2021, the Department of Public Enterprises together with the Board and the Management team have been seized with planning for the relaunching of a restructured and fit for purposeairline that South Africans can again be proud of. “The airline is restarting with a formidable business case”, says Lamola. Cuthbert Ncube, the chairman of the African Tourism Board (ATB), said upon receiving the news, that African Tourism Board is glad to see South African Airways restarting its operation and returning to the skies. The return of such a major regional and international player as South African Airways to business is essential for the tourism industry in the southern part of Africa to restart and begin its recovery from all the damage done by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 25, 2021

COVID-19 vaccination now mandatory for all Air Canada employees

Air Canada introduces new health and safety policy.All Air Canada employees and hew hires must be vaccinated against coronavirus.Under mandatory vaccination policy, testing will not be offered as an alternative. Air Canada today said it has introduced a new health and safety policy to further protect employees and customers that makes it mandatory for all employees of the airline to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to report their vaccination status as of October 30, 2021. In addition, the airline is making full vaccination a condition of employment for any individual hired by the company. Since the beginning of the pandemic Air Canada has been a leader in the adoption of science-based measures in response to COVID-19. This has included the airline being among the first to require pre-boarding temperature screening of customers, obligatory onboard mask-wearing policies and the use of testing. The decision to require all employees of Air Canada mainline, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Vacations to be fully vaccinated and report their vaccination status is another initiative to ensure the safety and well-being of all employees and customers. Under the mandatory vaccination policy, testing will not be offered as an alternative. While Air Canada will fulfill its duties to accommodate employees who for valid reasons, such as medical conditions, cannot be vaccinated, failure to be fully vaccinated by October 30, 2021 will have consequences up to and including unpaid leave or termination, except for those who qualify for accommodation. Air Canada’s policy is also in accord with a recent announcement by the Government of Canada requiring employees in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors to be vaccinated by the end of October 2021.  Air Canada remains committed to the continued development and application of new safety measures and processes as they become available that are effective and convenient for customers. Such measures are vital to the safe restart of the air transport industry which, apart from enabling Canadians to travel freely, is also an essential driver of economic activity in Canada. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 25, 2021

Fiji pushes towards tourism reopening by December 2021

Over 92% of Fiji’s target population received first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.Tourism Fiji launches new local initiative to encourage vaccination.Fijian tourism industry has widely adopted the Care Fiji Commitment. With over 92% of the target population receiving their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and over 41% now fully vaccinated, Fiji is making significant progress towards its goal of reopening by December 2021, as each vaccination brings Fiji one step closer to being able to welcome international guests to the islands once again. Fiji pushes towards tourism reopening by December 2021 “We are at crossroads of a new age of travel and tourism where resumption of international travel is pinned on a silver bullet—COVID-19 vaccine,” said Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Hon. Faiyaz Koya. “Vaccinating our target population not only ensures we keep our communities safe, but also that we are ready to welcome the world back to our shores and get Fijians back to the jobs they love.” As part of the preparations for re-opening Fiji, Tourism Fiji has launched a new local initiative to encourage all Fijians to get vaccinated and be ready for travel to resume when restrictions are lifted. It’s a simple message, but an important one: “It’s our best shot at travel: get vaccinated and get ready.”  The campaign joins in on Tourism Australia’s message to share the same support and encouragement for vaccination across Fiji. To ensure the utmost health and safety of both travelers and locals upon borders reopening, the Fijian tourism industry has widely adopted the Care Fiji Commitment; a WHO-approved standard of best-practice health and safety measures designed to align the industry to safe travel norms in a post-COVID world. Tourism operators are working to achieve 100% vaccination of all eligible staff and will receive the CFC 100% Vaccination Stamp once completed. To-date, there are 46 Fiji resorts that have achieved 100% vaccination of their staff. Additionally, Tourism Fiji North America has launched an interactive marketing campaign, called “Find Your Bula” to encourage consumers to start dreaming and planning their perfect trip to Fiji. The campaign is centered around a quiz to help travelers to find their ‘Bula’ and receive travel suggestions matching their preferences. The campaign plays off of the Fijian greeting “bula” – a term with many meanings including hello, happiness, good health, and the energy of life.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 25, 2021

British Airways returns to Budapest with London Heathrow flights

British Airways restarts London-Budapest flightsBA offers a three times weekly service between Budapest and London.British Airways to boost number of flights for upcoming winter season. Budapest Airport has welcomed the restart of BA air services to London Heathrow. Relaunching links between the two capital cities, British Airways returns to Budapest’s UK market today.   Initially offering a three times weekly service, the UK flag-carrier has already confirmed an increase to four times weekly by mid-September, a significant boost for the upcoming winter season. British Airways’ return also offers Budapest’s passengers connections to numerous long-haul flights via its hub as further markets re-open.    Balázs Bogáts, Head of Airline Development, Budapest Airport said: “The UK has been Budapest’s largest country market for many years. More notably, London has been our largest city pair by a significant volume, so it’s tremendous to welcome back British Airways to our airport and yet another indication of our recovery.”  Serving more than half-a-million passengers last month – a robust growth of 77% compared to last July – Budapest is witnessing a positive trend with the revival of numerous long-established and successful routes.  British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK based carrier, based on fleet size and passengers carried, behind easyJet. London Heathrow is a major international airport in London, England. It is one of six international airports serving the London region. The airport facility is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings.
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Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Alitalia airline: Closed for business

What are the options for these customers and what happens to their tickets that they already paid for?Customers will be given the option to replace their flight(s) with another equivalent managed by the Alitalia company by October 14, 2021.It will also be possible for customers to receive a full refund of their ticket(s). After obtaining an operating license and an aircraft operator certificate from ENAC, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority on August 18, ITA airline (Italia Trasporto Aereo), formerly known as Alitalia, is prepared for official take-off. ITA will open ticket sales starting from August 26. Binding offer okayed for Alitalia flight assets The ITA Board, which met under the chairmanship of Alfredo Altavilla, resolved to transform the non-binding offer already sent on August 16 to the Extraordinary Administration of Alitalia into binding. This offering includes 52 aircraft, a related number of slots, as well as contracts and ancillary assets from the Aviation branch to commence operations on October 15. Who will be manning customer service? The operator of the new ITA customer center will be Covisian which uses cloud technologies in collaboration with partners such as Salesforce and Amazon Web. In addition, from August 26, the site for the collection of applications from people interested in working with ITA will become operational. This will be followed by a meeting with the trade unions to start negotiations on the new employment contract. ITA to evaluate current employees for jobs ITA will start its operations with 2,800 employees. It can be read in the communication sent by the company to the trade unions in view of the start of the confrontation. The workforce “initially necessary for the start-up of the activities” is “equal, according to the Business Plan, to 2,800 employees” explained ITA, who says it is “available” to compose the workforce” also evaluating any candidates for employment presented by current Alitalia Sai employees.” The Business Plan provides that the company can “subsequently increase the initial staff” until “reaching the total maximum number of approximately 5,750 employees by 2025. Meanwhile, ITA announced that all employees will be requested to obtain the anti-COVID Green Pass. Identification of strategic aircraft supplier ITA reiterated its decision to make its fleet homogeneous over the course of the industrial plan and, to this end, to start the process of renewing the starting fleet as soon as possible, replacing it with a new generation of more efficient and environmental-friendly aircraft. The decision on the composition of the future fleet will be taken and communicated by September. ITA is also launching a new loyalty program “at the forefront in the quality of services offered to the customer, potentially integrable with those of other industrial partners” given that European regulations prevent the new company from being able to compete for the acquisition of the Alitalia MilleMiglia program. #rebuildingtravel
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Taliban: Only foreigners can leave Afghanistan from Kabul airport

Taliban won’t let Afghans to leave via Kabul airport.Taliban discourages Afghans from fleeing the country.Taliban says all foreigners must leave Afghanistan by August 31. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid announced today that the Islamist militant group would no longer permit Afghans to enter Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in an attempt to leave Afghanistan. Taliban: Only foreigners can leave Afghanistan from Kabul airport Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Taliban spokesman said Taliban will no longer allow Afghans to leave the country via Kabul airport and called on the west not to encourage the educated elite to flee. The spokesman demanded that western powers refrain from evacuating Afghanistan’s educated elite, such as doctors and engineers. Mujahid said that Taliban leaders were not in favor of allowing Afghans to leave, but reiterated that all foreigners must be evacuated from Afghanistan by August 31 and could continue to use Hamid Karzai International Airport until that deadline. Mujahid also cited the chaotic situation at the airport as a reason for Afghans to avoid it. He said the crowds around the capital’s airport should return to their homes, claiming that their safety would be guaranteed.  In the same press briefing, Mujahid claimed that people could remain in Afghanistan and promised that there would be no reprisals. He said the Taliban had forgotten conflict in the past and would let bygones be bygones. He also confirmed that the Taliban had not agreed to extend the August 31 deadline set by the US to complete their evacuation of Afghanistan.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Masks, Lederhosen, and a beer ok on new Air Canada Toronto to Munich Flights

Following the Government of Canada’s announcement to reopen international borders on September 7, Air Canada unveiled additional detailsof its planned Munich (MUC) – Toronto (YYZ) flight schedule.The loosening of restrictions enables foreign nationals who have been fully vaccinated with the Government of Canada-accepted vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and J&J) at least 14 days prior and who meet specific entry requirements to enter Canada for non-essential travel.Germany also allows fully-vaccinated Canadians or those able to show a valid negtative COVID test to enter the Germany and the Schengen area . Wearing Lederhosen for the gentlemen and a Dirndl for the ladies when flying non-stop from the Bavarian Capital City of Munich to Toronto will be possible without raising eyebrows by Germans in other cities outside Bavaria like Frankfurt. Many people in Ontario, Canada, love the Octoberfest and picture Germans wearing dirndls, lederhosen, and german hats, seen as traditional German Bavarian Octoberfest clothing. Lufthansa has been connecting Germany and Canada with non-stop flights already, and the addition of Star Alliance partner Air Canada to relaunch its route from Munich non-stop to Toronto will add to this important leisure and business market. Munich, Frankfurt, and other European airports such as Vienna, Zurich, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris connect to Canada with direct and one-connect flights. Airlines and airports and the various alliances compete in this market. In addition, low-cost and charter carriers like Condor serve the German Canadian market from various airports in Germany and neighboring countries. The key airport in Germany remains to be FRAPORT (Frankfurt), but Munich in the Southern European State of Bavaria is the second most important hub to connect Germany with the world Almost all major airports are interconnected with the ICE Train system, allowing to connect major German cities and airports within hours and a speed exceeding 200 km/h. “As travel restrictions ease across the globe, we are committed to rebuild our international network and continue as a global carrier connecting the world to Canada. With Europeans eager to travel again to Canada, we are ready to reunite customers with their families and friends,” said Jen-Christophe Hérault, Regional Sales Manager Germany, Switzerland, Austria & Eastern Europe at Air Canada. Like all airlines, these days the excitement of Air Canada and Munich Airport is based on today’s situation. Therefore, Air Canada added to its press release: “Note that Air Canada’s commercial schedule may be adjusted as required based on the COVID-19 trajectory and government restrictions. Passengers are responsible for ensuring they meet allgovernment entry requirements, including holding the correct travel documents, visas, any required health certificates, and all other eligibility requirements for any flights they purchase. For the most current information, please visit our Information Hub or IATA’s Timatic website. Travel Policy: Book with confidence.Government requirements may change with little notice
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Tony Ofungi - eTN Uganda·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Uganda to Dubai: once they get off COVID red list

This development brings to an end the protracted 5-phased certification process that saw the carrier’s pair of A330s grounded in Entebbe.The airline now can switch between the CRJ-900 and the higher capacity A330 on services, depending on passenger and cargo demand.A330s will be used on services to London, Dubai, Mumbai, and Guangzhou once Uganda gets off the COVID-19 red list. The Acting Director General of UCAA, Fred Bamwesigye, applauded the team upon the successful completion of the process of adding the Airbus to the Mitsubishi CRJ 900 on the AOC during the handover ceremony held in Entebbe. The last phase of the 5-stage certification process followed a flight from Entebbe, Uganda, to Johannesburg, South Africa, when senior training captain Francis Barros and senior training captain Pete Thomase landed the Airbus #A330-800 series Neo on August 12, 2021, at OR Tambo International Airport. The development brings to an end the protracted 5-phased certification process that saw the carrier’s pair of A330s grounded in Entebbe, pending the AOC since the airline completed the national carrier’s order of the second of 2 A330s in February from manufacturer Airbus pending the AOC. It now gives the airline the flexibility to switch between the CRJ-900 and the higher capacity A330 on services, depending on passenger and cargo demand. According to Uganda Airlines Acting CEO, Jennifer Bamuturaki, the A330s will be used on services to London, Dubai, Mumbai, and Guangzhou once Uganda gets off the COVID-19 red list in destination countries. The continuing restrictions on travel from Uganda have seen the planned service to Dubai slip by a month to October, while that to London has now been moved to early 2022. London, Mumbai, and Guangzhou are among the top unserved point-to-point routes from Entebbe according to statistics from 2019. The Entebbe-London route had 84,000 round-trip passengers during the year, followed by Mumbai at 42,000 and Guangzhou at 29,000. That would represent a daily load of 230 passengers between Entebbe and London – 115 to Mumbai and 79 to Guangzhou. In Uganda, from January 3, 2020, to today, August 24, 2021, there have been 118,673 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 2,960 deaths, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of August 23, 2021, a total of 1,163,451 vaccine doses have been administered. #rebuildingtravel
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Not true: Ukraine denies hijacking of its plane in Kabul

Ukraine says no Ukrainian planes have been hijacked in Kabul or any other place.All Ukrainian evacuation planes have safely returned to Kiev.256 people were evacuated on three flights. According to the spokesman for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, earlier reports of a Ukrainian plane hijacked in the Afghan capital city of Kabul and subsequently flown to Iran were not true. Ukraine denies hijacking of its plane in Kabul “No Ukrainian planes have been hijacked in Kabul or in any other place. Reports of a hijacked aircraft that some media outlets are spreading are untrue,” Ukraine Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said in an interview with RBC Ukrainian news agency today. According to the Foreign Ministry official, all planes that Kiev used to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from Afghanistan have safely returned to Ukraine. As of now, 256 people were evacuated on three flights. Iranian Civil Aviation Organization Spokesman Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh, in turn, also denied reports of a hijacked aircraft. According to the Mehr news agency, he pointed out that the Ukrainian airliner made a stopover for refueling in the Iranian city of Mashhad on Monday and later headed to Kiev, where it landed at 10:50 pm local time. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Yenin claimed earlier that unidentified individuals had seized a Ukrainian plane on Tuesday and flew it to Iran. According to the official, the plane was actually hijacked.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Delta Air Lines buys 30 more Airbus A321neo aircraft

Delta Air Lines orders 30 additional Airbus A321neo jets.New order brings Airbus outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos.Delta is showing responsible leadership and casting a strong vote of confidence now in the A321neo. Delta Air Lines has ordered 30 additional Airbus A321neo aircraft to help meet the airline’s future fleet requirements. The newly-ordered aircraft are in addition to the airline’s existing orders for 125 of the type, bringing the outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos. Delta Air Lines buys 30 more Airbus A321neo aircraft “Adding these aircraft strengthens Delta’s commitment to replacing older fleets with more sustainable, efficient jets, and offering the best customer experience in the industry,” said Mahendra Nair, Delta Air Lines‘ Senior Vice President – Fleet and TechOps Supply Chain. “Delta appreciates the extensive partnership with the Airbus team in support of our strategic growth plans, and we look forward to continuing to work together throughout the recovery and beyond.” “As the industry looks to emerge from the pandemic, Delta is showing responsible leadership and casting a strong vote of confidence now in the A321neo,” noted Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. “With orders for 30 more of an aircraft that is in very high demand around the globe, our partners at Delta are underscoring the strategic role they see for the A321neo with its outstanding environmental performance for the airline’s renowned customer service and reliability for years into the future.” Delta’s A321neos will be powered by next-generation Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan engines that bring significant efficiency gains over Delta’s current, already-efficient A321 aircraft.  Equipped with total seating for 194 customers with 20 in First Class, 42 in Delta Comfort+ and 132 in the Main Cabin, Delta’s A321neos will be deployed primarily across the airline’s extensive domestic network, complementing Delta’s current A321 fleet of more than 120 aircraft. The airline is slated to receive the first of its 155 A321neo aircraft early next year. Many of Delta’s A321neos will be delivered from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. The airline has taken delivery of 87 U.S.-manufactured Airbus aircraft since 2016. As of the end of July, Delta’s fleet of Airbus aircraft numbered 358, including 50 A220 aircraft, 240 A320 Family members, 53 A330 widebodies, and 15 A350 XWB aircraft.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Munich to Toronto flights on Air Canada announced

Air Canada flies from Toronto to Munich.Toronto-Munich route will be serviced with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.Air Canada offers 3 Toronto-iunich flights per week. Following the Government of Canada’s announcement to reopen international borders on September 7th, Air Canada is pleased today to unveil additional details of its planned Munich (MUC) – Toronto (YYZ) schedule. Munich to Toronto flights on Air Canada announced The loosening of restrictions enables foreign nationals who have been fully vaccinated with the Government of Canada-accepted vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and J&J) at least 14 days prior and who meet specific entry requirements to enter Canada for non-essential travel. “As travel restrictions ease across the globe, we are committed to rebuild our international network and continue as a global carrier connecting the world to Canada. With Europeans eager to travel again to Canada, we are ready to reunite customers with their families and friends,” said Jean-Christophe Hérault, Regional Sales Manager Germany, Switzerland, Austria & Eastern Europe at Air Canada. “Our flights from Munich to Toronto conveniently connect to our flights across Canada and the U.S. at our Toronto hub. With our industry-leading CleanCare+ bio-safetyprotocols, Air Canada has your health and safety as its top priority. We know people are excited to travel, and we look forward to welcoming our customers onboard,” concluded Mr. Hérault. Air Canada is offering up to three flights per week on a 298-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring a choice of three cabins of service: Air Canada Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy class. “We are very excited about the resumption of non-stop service from Munich to Toronto and see this as an important sign for a further recovery of the transatlantic traffic,” comments Jost Lammers, CEO Munich Airport. Air Canada’s commercial schedule may be adjusted as required based on the COVID-19 trajectory and government restrictions. Passengers are responsible for ensuring they meet all government entry requirements, including holding the correct travel documents, visas, any required health certificates, and all other eligibility requirements for any flights they purchase.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·August 24, 2021

Evacuation Plane Hijacked in Kabul disappeared to Iran

An Ukrainian plane that arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday to evacuate Ukrainians has been hijacked by an unidentified group of people who flew the Ukrainian aircraft into Iran, Ukrainian Foreign minister told Ukrainian media: “Last Sunday, our plane was hijacked by other people.The plane was stolen and instead of airlifting Ukrainians, our next three evacuation attempts were also not successful because Ukrainian people could not get into the airport. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the hijackers were armed. Other evacuation flights took off with no issue. However, the deputy minister did not report anything about what happened to the plane or whether Ukraine would seek to get it back. No information was released on how Ukrainian citizens can be evacuated from Kabul onboard this “practically stolen” plane or another aircraft Kyviv could send The minister only underlined that the Ukrainian diplomatic services headed by Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba “had been working in the crash test mode” the whole week. On Sunday, a military transport plane with 83 people on board, including 31 Ukrainians, arrived from Afghanistan in Kyiv. The presidential office reported that 12 Ukrainian military personnel returned home, while foreign reporters and public figures who requested help were also evacuated. The office also added that around 100 Ukrainians are still expecting evacuating in Afghanistan.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

Lufthansa rescue mission for Afghanistan in full swing

Since one week, more than 1,500 people have been flown to Germany from Tashkent on twelve flights.Lufthansa care team looks after the protection seekers after arrival.More flights planned in the coming days. For the past week, Lufthansa has been setting up an airlift to fly refugees from the Central Asian state to Germany. An Airbus 340 long-haul aircraft is used in each case. So far, the daily flights have brought to Frankfurt a total of more than 1,500 people. Lufthansa has flown over 1,500 Afghan refugees safely to Germany Upon arrival in Frankfurt, a Lufthansa support team assists the new arrivals with food, drinks and clothing, and provides initial medical and psychological care. For the many children now landing in Frankfurt, a play and painting corner have been set up and toys donated. Lufthansa will continue to operate additional flights from Tashkent in the coming days in coordination with the German Foreign Office. Lufthansa had been contracted by the German government to assist with evacuation of Afghan refugees with its chartered Airbus A340 aircraft. The German flag carrier’s aircraft aren’t flying into Afghanistan but instead collecting people removed from the country by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) to Doha, Qatar and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

Big fine for Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet, Volotea punishment of disabled Passengers and children

According to ENAC, these low-cost airlines are continuing to charge extra to those traveling with children or the disabled.An emergency measure went into effect on August 15, 2021, preventing a supplemental charge for seats to be together.EasyJet has immediately responded stating that the accusation and fine is unfounded. Low-cost airlines, according to ENAC, are guilty of “continuing to charge supplements for the allocation of seats close to carers of minors and the disabled.” “From the first checks carried out,” ENAC noted, these companies “have defaulted: they have not yet, as prescribed and confirmed by the administrative judge, changed the IT and operating systems, and at the time of bookings, they continue to request a supplement to the cost of the air ticket for the assignment of seats close to the carers of minors and disabled people, except, if necessary, reimbursement.” For this reason, the Authority “has started the procedure to impose sanctions” against the 3 carriers. The fines – as reported by Corriere della Sera – will be “commensurate with the non-fulfillment” and “can range from a minimum of 10,000 euros to a maximum of 50,000 for each single dispute.” The free allocation of seats to minors and people with reduced mobility close to their parents and/or carers is guaranteed by an emergency measure issued by ENAC and has been in force since August 15, 2021. EasyJet immediately replied with a statement, affirming “that it has acted in full compliance with the regulations in force and that the initiation of the procedure to impose the sanction is totally unfounded.” The company, he recalls, “allocates seats for families jointly, which means that children under 12 and people with reduced mobility are seated next to an accompanying adult at no additional cost.” The authorities imposed the elimination of the surcharge for these passengers on July 17, 2021. Then the TAR postponed the entry into force of the measure until after August 15. Now the deadline has passed, but those who ask to have a seat next to a minor or disabled person accompanying them are still being charged for the supplement.
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Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

Aviation Authority slaps 35,000 euro fine on Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet, Volotea

According to ENAC, these low-cost airlines are continuing to charge extra to those traveling with children or the disabled.An emergency measure went into effect on August 15, 2021, preventing a supplemental charge for seats to be together.EasyJet has immediately responded stating that the accusation and fine is unfounded. Low-cost airlines, according to ENAC, are guilty of “continuing to charge supplements for the allocation of seats close to carers of minors and the disabled.” “From the first checks carried out,” ENAC noted, these companies “have defaulted: they have not yet, as prescribed and confirmed by the administrative judge, changed the IT and operating systems, and at the time of bookings, they continue to request a supplement to the cost of the air ticket for the assignment of seats close to the carers of minors and disabled people, except, if necessary, reimbursement.” For this reason, the Authority “has started the procedure to impose sanctions” against the 3 carriers. The fines – as reported by Corriere della Sera – will be “commensurate with the non-fulfillment” and “can range from a minimum of 10,000 euros to a maximum of 50,000 for each single dispute.” The free allocation of seats to minors and people with reduced mobility close to their parents and/or carers is guaranteed by an emergency measure issued by ENAC and has been in force since August 15, 2021. EasyJet immediately replied with a statement, affirming “that it has acted in full compliance with the regulations in force and that the initiation of the procedure to impose the sanction is totally unfounded.” The company, he recalls, “allocates seats for families jointly, which means that children under 12 and people with reduced mobility are seated next to an accompanying adult at no additional cost.” The authorities imposed the elimination of the surcharge for these passengers on July 17, 2021. Then the TAR postponed the entry into force of the measure until after August 15. Now the deadline has passed, but those who ask to have a seat next to a minor or disabled person accompanying them are still being charged for the supplement.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

Lufthansa has flown over 1,500 Afghan refugees safely to Germany

Since one week, more than 1,500 people have been flown to Germany from Tashkent on twelve flights.Lufthansa care team looks after the protection seekers after arrival.More flights planned in the coming days. For the past week, Lufthansa has been setting up an airlift to fly refugees from the Central Asian state to Germany. An Airbus 340 long-haul aircraft is used in each case. So far, the daily flights have brought to Frankfurt a total of more than 1,500 people. Lufthansa has flown over 1,500 Afghan refugees safely to Germany Upon arrival in Frankfurt, a Lufthansa support team assists the new arrivals with food, drinks and clothing, and provides initial medical and psychological care. For the many children now landing in Frankfurt, a play and painting corner have been set up and toys donated. Lufthansa will continue to operate additional flights from Tashkent in the coming days in coordination with the German Foreign Office. Lufthansa had been contracted by the German government to assist with evacuation of Afghan refugees with its chartered Airbus A340 aircraft. The German flag carrier’s aircraft aren’t flying into Afghanistan but instead collecting people removed from the country by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) to Doha, Qatar and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

Barbados tourism rebounds with record July arrivals

10,000 airline passengers arrived to Barbados.Barbados tourism industry records a major tourism milestone in July.Barbados tourism sees a positive turn for the industry ahead of 2021/2022 winter season. Barbados recorded over 10,000 air passenger arrivals after months of being hard-hit by a global pandemic.  For the first time since December 2020, the local tourism industry has recorded a major tourism milestone with the latest statistics from the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) suggesting a positive turn for the industry ahead of the 2021/2022 winter season. During the period July 2021, some 10,819 visitors traveled to Barbados. This total represented a significant increase of 6,745 visitors when compared to the corresponding period of July 2020. The United States (US) came out on top as they copped a 43.3% market share, while the United Kingdom (UK)contributed 34.4% of business with 3,722 arrivals for the reporting period.  This occurred after Barbados was added to the UK COVID-19 Green watchlist. Barbados has been fortunate to be placed on this list for the second time since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. For the same period, Caribbean arrival figures stood at 1,391 and 390 arrivals from Canada.  This  represented an increase in arrivals from both markets year on year. Interim CEO of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) , Craig Hinds, described the achievement as a step in the right direction after the tireless efforts, on and off scene, to re-build the tourism product. He stated that “Barbados has, and continues to weather this COVID-19 storm, but while this period has been difficult for the industry, the BTMI is so pleased to see the recent sprouts of positive growth. This growth is a direct result of the excellent sales and marketing efforts in our overseas markets through campaigns like our “Sweet Summer Savings” promotion, as well as maintaining strong partnerships with our airline, cruise and tourism partners.” In July, BTMI teamed up with Sandals Resort as they brought fifteen United States radio stations from eleven cities to Barbados to give listeners a chance at winning a four-day/three-night vacation to Sandals Resort in Barbados. The radio stations broadcasted live from Sandals Royal Barbados and included tourism officials led by Sen. the Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport. The promotion, which was also supported by American Airlines, reached over 4,000,000+ listeners. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

Direct flights from Nur-Sultan to London Heathrow resume on Air Astana

Air Astana resumes flights from Kazakhstan to the UK.Air Astana operates Airbus A321LR on London route.London route will operate with on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Air Astana resumes direct flights from Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan to London Heathrow on 18th September 2021, initially with two frequencies per week on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Flights will be operated by the latest Airbus A321LR aircraft, with the flight time being 7 hours and 15 minutes outbound to London and 6 hours and 30 minutes on the return to Nur-Sultan. Passengers travelling to Kazakhstan are required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior to entering the country.  Air Astana is the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, based in Almaty. It operates scheduled, domestic and international services on 64 routes from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and from its secondary hub, Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport. Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport is an international airport in the Akmola Region, Kazakhstan. It is the primary international airport serving Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan. Heathrow Airport, originally called London Airport until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow, is a major international airport in London, England. It is one of six international airports serving the London region. The airport facility is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 23, 2021

In flames: Huge fire breaks out at Kabul Airport

Fire reported at Hamid Karzai International Airport.Huge cloud of smoke rising over the airport.The security situation at the airport remains fragile. Massive fire has apparently broken out at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan, amid ongoing chaotic evacuation with thousands of people desperate to get out of the country. In flames: Huge fire breaks out at Kabul Airport News of the blaze broke on Monday evening local time. Little is known about the fire’s severity or origin, but videos posted to social media show a hazy cloud of smoke rising from the airport, which has been the focal point of US and Western evacuation efforts for the past week. The security situation at the airport remains fragile, with US and allied troops working to evacuate thousands of their own civilians and Afghan refugees from Kabul. Hours before the fire broke out, US and German troops got into a gun battle with unknown assailants, in an exchange of fire that left one Afghan soldier dead. At least 20 people have died at the airport over the past week, a NATO official said. It is unclear at time of writing whether the fire is impacting flights to and from the airport. Flights were departing the airport non-stop over the weekend, with the Biden administration claiming to have evacuated around 11,000 people in 36 hours. However, thousands more remain in Kabul, and the likelihood of the US and its allies meeting their August 31 deadline for total withdrawal is now in question. The Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan just over a week ago, has warned of “consequences” if the deadline is not met.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·August 22, 2021

SAS List of new domestic and international destination cities

SAS increases the flights from its main Scandinavian cities Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Bergen to important destinations in its network to further improve connectivity for travelers. SAS will now be serving all its domestic destinations in Norway and Sweden when the Arlanda-Sundsvall route is reopened in September. The number of flights on SAS to important destinations for airline passengers in Europe will increase.  A rising interest in weekend trips and city breaks to European cities makes SAS resume its routes to Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence, Krakow, and Prague. There is also an increasing number of flights to warmer Mediterranean destinations in southern Europe and the Canary Islands to meet the growing demand from holidaymakers.  SAS will be flying more direct routes from the Scandinavian capitals to several US destinations from September onwards and will also be present in Asia on routes from Copenhagen to Tokyo and Shanghai.  SAS continues to bring in new and fuel-efficient aircraft and has one of Europe’s most modern fleets. The new aircraft has 15–30% lower fuel consumption, compared with the aircraft they replace. The new state-of-the-art aircraft will give SAS customers a more pleasant, comfortable, and sustainable way of traveling.  SAS is connecting Scandinavia with the world serving the following destinations: StockholmCopenhagenOsloBergenGothenburgAalborgAltaAlicanteKalmarAarhusAalborgCopenhagenKirunaFaroe IslandsAarhusOsloLuleåBergenBardufossStavangerMalmöGothenburgBergenStockholmRonnebyOsloBillundTrondheimSkellefteåStavangerBodøÅlesundSundsvallStockholmCopenhagenUmeåTrondheimHarstad/NarvikKristiansandVisbyAberdeenHaugesundAlicanteÄngelholmAlicanteKirkenesOsloÖstersundAmsterdamKristiansandAlicanteAthensLakselvStavangerAmsterdamBarcelonaLongyearbyenAberdeenAthensBerlinMoldeAlicanteBarcelonaBolognaStavangerBergenBergenBostonStockholmCopenhagenBerlinBrusselsTromsøOsloBillundChaniaTrondheimTrondheimBrusselsChicagoÅlesundÅlesundCopenhagenDublinAlicanteDublinDusseldorfAmsterdamTrondheimDusseldorfFaroAthensAlicanteEdinburghFlorenceBarcelonaBergenFaroFrankfurtBerlinBodøFrankfurtGazipasaBrusselsCopenhagenGazipasaGdanskChaniaOsloHelsinkiGenevaDublinStockholmKrakowHamburgDusseldorfTromsøLarnacaHelsinkiFaroÅlesundLas PalmasKrakowFrankfurtLisbonLarnacaGazipasaLondonLas PalmasGdanskMalagaLondonKyivMaltaLos AngelesLas PalmasManchesterMalagaLondonMiamiManchesterMalagaMilanMiamiManchesterNapelsMilanMiamiNew YorkMunichMilanNiceNapelsNew YorkOsloNew YorkNicePalma de MallorcaNicePalma de MallorcaParisPalma de MallorcaParisPragueParisReykjavikRomeReykjavikRomeSplitRomeSplitTallinnSan FranciscoTenerifeShanghaiThessalonikiSplitTrondheimTenerifeVilniusTokyoVeniceGothenburgVilniusAlicanteWarsawCopenhagenWashington DCFaroZurichLas PalmasMalaga
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·August 22, 2021

Emirates new healthy brother in South Africa is called Cemair

Emirates Airlines calls it a move to support the ramp-up of operations after boosting its passenger services to South Africa. Emirates has signed an interline agreement with Cemair that opens up connections to six more destinations in South Africa through the airline’s gateways of Johannesburg and Cape Town. The partnership between Emirates and Cemair also includes a couple of leisure points exclusively served by Cemair.This marks the first partnership between both airlines and Emirates’ fourth airline partnership in South Africa. Since Emirates resumed flights from Dubai to Johannesburg in September, the arrangement between Emirates and Cemair includes the convenience of single ticket itineraries with onwards booking and baggage transfers from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Margate, Durban, Hoedspruit, Plettenberg Bay, George, and Sishen. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “We are proud to partner with Cemair and commence our interline agreement. The new Cemair links provide our customers with even more possibilities to travel smoothly across many of South Africa’s most popular leisure points, in addition to the added benefit of connectivity to Cemair’s exclusively served points Margate and Plettenberg Bay. Connecting our networks solidifies our commitment to offering our customers even more travel opportunities, especially for those wanting to experience South Africa’s existing favorites, as well as travelers plotting new itineraries. We look forward to working together and strengthening our relationship.” Miles van der Molen, Chief Executive Officer of CemAir said: “We are delighted to partner with Emirates Airline, a name synonymous with quality and elegance. Our interline agreement provides our customers with convenience and savings as they can now seamlessly connect from our flights to the vast global network of this iconic airline.” As we continue our expansion during the post-Covid recovery period we realize that now more than ever partnerships are key to our success. Working with market leaders like Emirates Airline is a further demonstration of our commitment to our customers to provide the best service and value.” Customers can book their travel on emirates.com, Emirates sales offices, and travel agencies. Emirates boosted its operations to/from South Africa earlier this month and is presently operating 14 flights a week into South Africa via its gateways Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. The airline continues to safely rebuild its global network, connecting customers to and through Dubai to over 120 destinations. The airline has been expanding its footprint across South and Southern Africa through enriching its interline and codeshare partnerships with South African Airways, Airlink, Cemair and Flysafair, driving more connectivity options that provide greater benefits for its customers, whilst supporting the recovery of the travel and tourism industry. CemAir Ltd is a privately owned airline operating in South Africa which services popular tourist destinations and important business towns, as well as leasing aircraft to other airlines across Africa and the Middle East. The airline is based in Johannesburg Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of the African Tourism Board welcomes the new partnership between Dubai-based Emirates and South Africa based CemAir
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·August 22, 2021

Samui to Phuket now again on Bangkok Airways

Bangkok Airways announces the resumption of Samui – Phuket (v.v.) Starting from 25 August 2021 onwards, Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited will resume its direct services between Samui and PhuketBangkok Airways is resuming this service in order to facilitate passengers as well as to support Thailand’s re-opening projects which are Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus Model.  The resumed services between Samui and Phuket will be operated by an ATR72-600 aircraft, starting with three flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The outbound flight PG253 departs Samui airport at 11.25hrs. and arrives at Phuket airport at 12.25hrs. The inbound flight PG254 departs Phuket airport at 13.00hrs. and arrives at Samui airport at 14.00hrs.  Passengers traveling to and from the two cities are required to present a medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected (done by RT-PCR technique and issued no more than 72 hours before traveling) and proof of vaccination. Additionally, passengers are also required to strictly follow guidelines issued by Phuket provincial office and Surat Thani provincial office, more information about requirements can be checked at https://www.gophuget.com and https://healthpass.smartsamui.com Moreover, the airline needs to extend the temporary suspension of in-flight meal service and temporary closure of its passenger lounges until further notice. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 21, 2021

Allegiant announces new nonstop Key West flights

Allegiant to launch flights from Asheville Regional Airport to Key West on November 18.Allegiant to start service from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport to Key West on November 19.Allegiant will use Airbus A319 aircraft on new Key West routes. Allegiant will add nonstop service from North Carolina’s Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) to Key West International Airport (EYW) beginning November 18, and nonstop service from Florida’s St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) to the island city beginning November 19. Allegiant announces new nonstop Key West flights Allegiant plans to serve Key West twice weekly and on varying days on each of the new routes, using Airbus A319 aircraft. “Key West is one of the most sought-after destinations in the U.S. right now,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue and network planning. “We expect it to be an even bigger draw for leisure travelers seeking an affordable, convenient vacation spot for warm winter getaways.” In June, Allegiant added twice-weekly nonstop service to Key West on Airbus A319 aircraft from Nashville International Airport (BNA), Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). “We’re thrilled to welcome North Carolina visitors from the Asheville region and our Florida neighbors from Tampa–St. Pete as this new service will help to remove cars from traveling the Overseas Highway,” said Richard Strickland, director of airports for the Florida Keys’ Monroe County.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 20, 2021

European transport union demands minimum working standards within Lufthansa

Unions want decent working standards within Lufthansa Group.Lower standards of working conditions violate labor rights.Internal competition within Lufthansa could be solved by enforcement of collective agreements. Defining the minimum standards of working conditions for the people working across all of the Lufthansa Group is the first step to stop the ongoing social dumping actions the German air company is shamefully, but consciously, tolerating outside its mainline carriers. European transport union demands minimum working standards within Lufthansa Group In a recent letter addressed to the Chairman of Deutsche Lufthansa, Mr. Carsten SPOHR, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) condemns ‘’the lower social and labor standards for workers’’ approach, which Lufthansa Group management continue to tacitly implement in its Eurowings Discover operation. The Group believes that such actions are the only immediate and possible solution to face the current economic pressures of the market, which the ETF rejects. According to the ETF’ affiliates  – Kapers (Switzerland), Vida (Austria), Aircrew Alliance and ver.di (Germany) and B.United (the Czech Republic) – this solution is generating a so-called “internal group cannibalism”, and supports a race to the bottom approach.  Meanwhile the lower standards of the working conditions imposed so far by most of the low-cost airlines in Europe grossly violate the fundamental labor rights, and the group is racing to a similar faith. This is why the European Transport Workers Federation and its affiliates imperatively ask for this model not to be considered as a blueprint for the new entities, such as it is the case in Eurowings Discover, the newest airline company who started to operate within Lufthansa Group last month. Instead, we consider the internal competition within Lutfhansa Group could be rather solved by the enforcement of collective agreements inclusively at Eurowings Discover, and this enforcement model should then further be implemented also across all its European operations. The unions representing the Lufthansa Group’ workers and the ETF – representing 5 million of transport workers within Europe and beyond – are of opinion that the very first step into this direction would be: restarting the social dialogue in all carriers where this is not active, including Eurowings Discover andfinding the common ground for setting up minimum standards regarding the labor conditions for the thousands of workers of Lufthansa Group who currently do not have a collective agreement. Eoin Coates, Head of Aviation at ETF declares: ’’Crucially, both workers and employers need to come out of this crisis together, and therefore we must engage in social dialogue early to ensure the smooth creation of any new entities and the transition through any necessary change processes with fairness and openness at the core of such discussions.’’ ETF and its affiliates within the Lufthansa Group imperatively ask the management teams of all airline companies operating within the Lufthansa Group to restart the social dialogue with the representative unions in a coherent, efficient and permanent way. This would be a clear signal that Lufthansa Group is actually taking concrete steps towards changing the completely wrong direction the group is taking by deciding to drive down social and labor standards for its workers in new companies.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 20, 2021

EU: New Hong Kong entry rules threaten its international status

Hong Kong toughens entry requirements for foreign travelers.Reducing mandatory quarantine time is no longer possible.Hong Kong recognizes Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. Frederic Gollob, President of the European Chamber of Commerce (ECC), said new tough rules for entering Hong Kong could undermine the city’s status as an international business and financial center. EU: New Hong Kong entry rules threaten its international status “We believe the city should open earlier, otherwise this new quarantine regime could make many in the international community question whether they want to remain locked down in Hong Kong at a time when the rest of the world is relaxing,” ECC head said. This week, the Hong Kong authorities again tightened the rules for entering the country. In particular, the possibility of reducing the quarantine period in the presence of a serological test for antibodies was canceled. When boarding a flight for Hong Kong, the travelers must present a vaccination certificate, a negative test result for COVID-19, submitted no earlier than 72 hours before departure, as well as a reservation at one of the government-recommended hotels where quarantine measures are allowed. The Hong Kong government has also officially placed Russian-made Sputnik V on the list of coronavirus vaccines recognized in this Special Administrative Region of China. Now, the mandatory quarantine for residents of the city jabbed with the Russian-made vaccine, will be reduced from 21 days to 14 days.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·August 19, 2021

As COVID-19 variants escalate, face masks on airplanes are changing

Did you know that each airline has the ability to determine not just if a face mask must be worn but also what kind of face mask must be worn when onboard a flight?Do you know the difference between an N95 and a fabric mask versus say a valve-free FFP2?Most people wear fabric face masks, so what would you wear if masks made out of fabric is banned? More and more airlines are starting to ban face masks made out of fabric, citing that they are not a quality barrier against the spread of COVID-19, especially in light of the extreme surge of new cases every day around the world due to the Delta variants. They are instead requiring surgical masks, N95 masks, valve-free FFP2 masks, or FFP3 respirator masks. So far, Lufthansa, Air France, LATAM, and Finnair have banned fabric face masks as well as masks that have exhaust valves. Think about it. A mask with an exhaust is like a car with an exhaust. It’s fine for the driver (or in this case the wearer), but what about everyone outside that exhaust? A mask is not a mask is not a mask. This week, Finnair became the latest carrier to ban fabric face masks onboard, accepting only surgical masks, valve-free FFP2 or FFP3 respirator masks, and N95 masks, the company tweeted. Airlines requiring medical masks – at least 3 layers thick – are Air France and Lufthansa. LATAM will also allow KN95 and N95 masks. And as an extra precaution, for passengers connecting in Lima, they must double up and add on another mask. The reason for that is because right now Peru has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world. In the United States, most airlines allow cloth face masks but have banned certain other types of face coverings like bandanas, scarves, ski masks, gaiters, balaclavas, masks with holes or slits of any kind, masks with exhaust valves, or even cloth masks if they are only made from one single layer of material. Some people are into wearing plastic face shields, but in the case of United Airlines, they say that’s not enough coverage and still requires a face mask on top of the face shield. On American Airlines, they do not allow masks that are connected to tubing or battery-operated filters. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had issued a mandatory face mask requirement when traveling on all public transportation, including airplanes and in airports, in January 2021. This mandate was due to expire on September 13, 2021, however, with the new surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta Variants, the mandate has been extended to run through January 18, 2022.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 19, 2021

France sets up evacuation flights from Kabul to Paris via Abu Dhabi

France sets up air bridge to evacuate people from Afghanistan.French evacuation flight to fly from Kabul to Paris through Abu Dhabi.French to evacuate ‘thousands’ from Afghanistan. French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune said today that France is establishing an air bridge to evacuate ‘thousands’ of people from Kabul, Afghanistan to Paris. France sets up evacuation flights from Kabul to Paris via Abu Dhabi “Currently, in order to provide evacuation, France is creating an air bridge between Kabul and Paris with planes that will fly through Abu Dhabi,” Beaune said. “At this moment, we don’t have an exact figure of how many people will be evacuated from Afghanistan to France. In any case, it is clear that we are talking about several thousand people in need of protection,” he added. The secretary of state said that France “had begun evacuating Afghans back in May in order to protect 600 people who worked for it.”  “To date, three French military planes have already evacuated approximately 400 people. These are mostly Afghans who need urgent protection. Generally, most of these Afghans worked for various French agencies,” he said. According to Beaun,France “treats the reception of the Afghans on its territory with full responsibility.” “In recent years, we have given the green light to 10,000 requests for refuge from Afghans. For several years already, France has been in first place throughout Europe in terms of granting asylum to Afghans on its territory,” the official added. “We will continue this practice. No quantitative restrictions exist in this sphere. The practice of receiving the Afghans on French soil will also continue after the air bridge with this country ceases to exist,” the secretary of state assured.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 19, 2021

Turkmenistan opens its airspace for Afghanistan evacuation flights

On August 15, Taliban entered Kabul and established full control over city.Western countries are evacuating their nationals from Afghanistan.Turkmenistan allows Afghanistan evacuation flights to pass through its airspace. The press office of the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan issued a statement today announcing that Turkmenistan’s government has made a decision to open the country’s airspace to evacuation flights flying foreign nationals out of Afghanistan. Turkmenistan opens its airspace for Afghanistan evacuation flights “As is known, some countries have started to evacuate their citizens located in Afghanistan. In this situation, fulfilling its international commitments, including those arising from international humanitarian law, Turkmenistan will provide its airspace for the carriage of these persons by the planes of foreign states,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement said. On August 15, the Taliban radical militant group entered Kabul without any resistance and established full control over the Afghan capital within several hours. President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani has fled the country, allegedly taking $169 million of state treasury money with him. Since then, Afghanistan’s Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself as the country’s caretaker president, calling for armed resistance to the Taliban. Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staff.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 19, 2021

El Al relaunches Budapest to Tel Aviv flight

El Al returns to Budapest Airport.Israeli flag carrier resumes Tel Aviv services from Budapest.Budapest-Tel Aviv flights will operate four-times weekly. Budapest Airport’s route network resumption continues with the return of the Hungarian gateway’s airline partner, El Al Airlines. El Al relaunches Budapest to Tel Aviv flight Relaunching links to Tel Aviv, the Israeli flag carrier will once again significantly expand the airport’s operations to the Middle Eastern country. Re-opening its connection between Budapest and the city on the Mediterranean coast today, the carrier will operate a four-times weekly service on the 2,165km sector. Balázs Bogáts, Head of Airline Development, Budapest Airport said: “We’re so pleased to see El Al return – Budapest is one of the top destinations for Israeli travelers, so we know this service will be in high demand. Budapest has a large Jewish community and, indeed, The Great Synagogue of Budapest is the second largest synagogue in the world. We are, therefore, confident that El Al’s resumption of services from Tel Aviv will be popular both with tourists and with travelers who are visiting friends and relatives.”  El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve over 50 destinations, operating scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights within Israel, and to Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, and the Far East, from its main base in Ben Gurion Airport.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 19, 2021

Blocking airline funds threatens industry recovery

Governments are preventing nearly $1 billion of airline revenues from being repatriated. Airlines will not be able to provide reliable connectivity if they cannot rely on local revenues.It is critical for all governments to prioritize ensuring that funds can be repatriated efficiently. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged governments to abide by international agreements and treaty obligations to enable airlines to repatriate close to nearly $1 billion in blocked funds from the sale of tickets, cargo space, and other activities. Blocking airline funds threatens industry recovery “Governments are preventing nearly $1 billion of airline revenues from being repatriated. This contravenes international conventions and could slow the recovery of travel and tourism in affected markets as the airline industry struggles to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Airlines will not be able to provide reliable connectivity if they cannot rely on local revenues to support operations. That is why it is critical for all governments to prioritize ensuring that funds can be repatriated efficiently. Now is not the time to score an ‘own goal’ by putting vital air connectivity at risk,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.  Approximately $963 million in airline funds are being blocked from repatriation in nearly 20 countries. Four countries: Bangladesh ($146.1 million), Lebanon ($175.5 million), Nigeria ($143.8 million), and Zimbabwe ($142.7 million), account for over 60% of this total, although there has been positive progress in reducing blocked funds in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe of late.  “We encourage governments to work with industry to resolve the issues that are preventing airlines from repatriating funds. This will enable aviation to provide the connectivity needed to sustain jobs and energize economies as they recover from COVID-19,” said Walsh.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 19, 2021

IATA Travel Pass recognizes EU and UK digital COVID certificates

IATA oks EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and UK NHS COVID Pass. Handling the European and UK certificates through IATA Travel Pass is an important step forward.Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and UK NHS COVID Pass can now be uploaded into IATA Travel Pass as verified proof of vaccination for travel.  IATA Travel Pass recognizes EU and UK digital COVID certificates Travelers holding an EU DCC or UK NHS COVID Pass can now access accurate COVID-19 travel information for their journey, create an electronic version of their passport and import their vaccination certificate in one place. This information can be shared with airlines and border control authorities who can have the assurance that the certificate presented to them is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it.  “COVID-19 vaccination certificates are becoming a widespread requirement for international travel. Handling the European and UK certificates through IATA Travel Pass is an important step forward, providing convenience for travelers, authenticity for governments and efficiency for airlines,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations Safety and Security.   Harmonization of Digital Vaccine Standards  Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation, avoid unnecessary airport queues and ensure a smooth passenger experience. IATA welcomes the work done by the EU Commission in developing, in record time, the EU DCC system and thereby standardizing digital vaccine certificates across Europe.  Building on the EU DCC success, IATA urges the World Health Organization (WHO) to revisit its work to develop a global digital vaccine standard. “The absence of a global standard makes it much harder for airlines, border authorities and governments to recognize and verify a traveler’s digital vaccination certificate. The industry is working around this by developing solutions that can recognize and verify certificates from individual countries. But this is a slow process that is hampering the restart of international travel.  “As more states roll out their vaccination programs, many are urgently looking to implement technical solutions to provide vaccine certification for their citizens when they travel. In the absence of a WHO standard, IATA urges them to look closely at the EU DCC as a proven solution that meets WHO guidance and can help to reconnect the world,” said Careen.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 18, 2021

Nonstop San José to Chicago flights return on American Airlines

American Airlines restarts San Jose-Chicago service.American Airlines to use Boeing 737-800 aircraft of San Jose-Chicago route.San Jose airport continues to require the wearing of masks. Officials at Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) announced that daily nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)  resumes on American Airlines today. The expanded service between Silicon Valley and The Windy City operates four times weekly, Tuesday through Friday. Nonstop San José to Chicago flights return on American Airlines The flight departs San José at 1:07 PM PST aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, arriving in Chicago approximately 4.5 hours later at 7:40 PM CST. “It is a pleasure to welcome American Airlines’ service to Chicago,” said John Aitken, Director at Mineta San José International Airport. “While this is another positive indication of recovery, we celebrate with the understanding that travelers must remain diligent about health and safety. We congratulate our partners at American for this forward step and thank them for continued investment in Silicon Valley.” While the return of nonstop service to major cities represents a positive sign of travel recovery, with COVID levels on the rise in some states, the Airport continues to require the wearing of masks and encourages travelers to continue to practice social distancing. Chicago-O’Hare returns to American’s air service roster at SJC following the airline’s suspension of service in 2020 due to decreases in travel demand related to COVID-19. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) is Silicon Valley’s airport, a self‐ supporting enterprise owned and operated by the City of San Jose. The airport, now in its 71st year, served nearly 15.7 million passengers in 2019, with nonstop service across North America and to Europe and Asia.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 18, 2021

Aeroflot cancels all Bangkok flights due to danger in Afghanistan airspace

Russian flag carrier suspends Bangkok air services.Aeroflot avoids Afghanistan’s airspace, axes Thailand flights.Thailand approves Russian vaccination certificate for tourist entry. Russian flag carrier Aeroflot canceled flights to the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, due to the danger in the airspace of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. It is no longer possible to purchase a ticket from Moscow to Bangkok for September or October of this year on the Aeroflot website. Bangkok flight reservations are only open until August 21, 2021. Ironically, the Thai authorities announced today the imminent permission has been granted for Russian tourists for entering Thailand with a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination with Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. Previously, travelers without certificate of COVID-19 vaccination by one of globally-recognized Western vaccines, like Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZenica, had to go through a mandatory two-week quarantine. Currently, the skies over Afghanistan are extremely dangerous due to the Taliban terrorist movement, which has seized power in the republic. On Sunday, August 15, Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, fell to Taliban attack. Now there is an utter at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, as crowds of local residents who are trying to fly out of the country, to escape Taliban rule. The flights out of Kabul are very sporadic and are on and off constantly as Taliban periodically ‘suspends’ all flights out of the city.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 18, 2021

2021 tourism revenues less than half of pre-pandemic levels

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the biggest market contraction in history.Lockdown rules to curb the spread of the virus, led to thousands of canceled vacations, and closed hotels.The total revenue losses the travel and tourism market is expected to witness this year are colossal. The countries across the globe have started preparing for summer 2021 early at the beginning of the year to revive travel to their territory and enable tourists to visit safely. 2021 tourism revenues less than half of pre-pandemic levels Total lockdowns in the first months of 2021, increased testing capacity, and even complete bans on non-essential arrivals, especially from countries with virus mutations, have all been parts of these efforts. However, it still wasn’t enough to stop mounting losses caused by the pandemic’s direct impact on tourism and other sectors closely linked to it. According to the latest industry data, the global travel and tourism revenues are projected to reach only $385 billion in 2021, less than half pre-COVID-19 levels. Cruise and Hotel Industry the Worst Hit, Combined Revenues Plunged by $258 billion The COVID-19 triggered the biggest market contraction in history, as countries across the globe imposed lockdown rules to curb the spread of the virus, leading to thousands of canceled vacations, and closed hotels. Although many of them lifted off travel restrictions and reopened for the 2021 summer season, the total revenue losses this market is expected to witness this year are still colossal. In 2020, the revenues of the entire sector plummeted by nearly 60% YoY to $298.5 billion, revealed the latest data. Although this figure is expected to grow by almost 30% to $385.8 billion in 2021, that is still $351 billion less than before the pandemic struck. The cruise industry remains the worst-hit sector of the global travel and tourism market. In 2021, the global cruise revenues are set to reach only $6.6 billion, or 76% less than in 2019. The hotel industry follows with a $132.3 billion in revenue and 64% drop in two years. Although millions of tourists decided to go on a vacation in the 2021 season, statistics show the combined revenues of the two sectors will remain $258 billion below the pre-pandemic levels.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 18, 2021

Travel and tourism deal-making activity down almost 7% in July

Deal activity in the travel and tourism sector still remains inconsistent.June showed some signs of recovery following a decline during the past few months.The rebound in deal activity could not be sustained for long. A total of 69 deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions [M&A], private equity, and venture financing) were announced in the global travel and tourism sector during July 2021, which is a decline of 6.8% over 74 deals announced during the previous month. Travel and tourism deal-making activity down almost 7% in July Deal activity in the travel and tourism sector still remains inconsistent. While June showed some signs of recovery following a decline during the past few months, the rebound in deal activity could not be sustained for long with July again reversing the trend. This could be attributed to prevailing travel restrictions and unfavorable market conditions for the sector in some countries. The announcement of private equity and M&A deals decreased by 58.3% and 4.7% during July compared to the previous month, respectively, while the number of venture financing deals registered a growth of 21.1%. Deal activity remained at the same level in key markets such as the USA, the UK and China, while India and Australia witnessed an improvement in deal activity. Meanwhile, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands experienced a decline in deal activity in July as compared to last month.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 18, 2021

Leisure travel is a safe bet for Air France

Betting on leisure travel could help Air France to recover quicker.Airline must focus on high-volume leisure routes.Travelers looing to escape their lockdown locations. Air France’s bet on leisure routes could catalyze a quicker recovery for the carrier as outbound leisure travel in France increased to 74.3% in 2020, despite restrictions severely reducing the total number of outbound trips. Leisure travel is a safe bet for Air France The industry experts note that, with business travel demand suppressed, the airline must focus on serving high volume leisure routes and upsell premium cabins to high budget travelers to support a strong recovery. Pre-pandemic, outbound leisure travel from France accounted for 72.1% of international trips in 2019. The increase in 2020 highlights that leisure demand is likely to be one of the most prevalent reasons for travel in the immediate recovery period as travelers look to escape their lockdown locations. Furthermore, industry experts forecast that outbound leisure trips from France will see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9% between 2021 and 2025, reaching 34 million international leisure trips by 2025. This shows the potential the leisure market holds and that Air France’s focus on leisure routes will put the carrier in a stronger position. The introduction of Muscat, Zanzibar, and Colombo, as well as more flights to Miami and Papeete (Tahiti), all leisure-focused destinations, reaffirm the carrier’s bet on leisure travel’s strong rebound. Air France has announced the extension into winter of what are typically summer-only flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Seville, Las Palmas, Palma de Mallorca, Tangier, Faro, Djerba, and Krakow. By extending these routes to typically warmer destinations in winter (other than Krakow), Air France is reaffirming its expectation that familiar, leisure-focused destinations will be in demand. A live poll showed that 41% of global respondents will likely opt for international trips to the same destinations they used to visit pre-COVID when restrictions ease. Given that these routes were available pre-COVID, they could benefit from the increased desire among travelers to visit familiar destinations. This is a smart move by Air France as it benefits from additional revenue by satisfying the current market sentiment. According to a live poll, 28% of global respondents have revealed that their travel budget has increased either ‘slightly’ or ‘a lot’ since the start of the pandemic. These consumers should be a prime target for Air France’s long-haul business class. The carrier’s focus on some luxury-orientated long-haul leisure destinations this winter will present ample opportunity to upsell the business class experience to leisure travelers, especially those with a higher budget. Pre-COVID business travelers were the backbone of premium revenue, but with demand down, leisure travelers must be the prime target. Business class should be promoted by Air France as a luxury start and/or end to a holiday. By upselling to leisure flyers, the carrier could mitigate against the loss of business demand, protecting against the loss of revenue.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 17, 2021

US Travel: Federal mask mandate extension makes sense

US travel mask mandate extended through January 2022.US Travel issues statement on TSA extension of the mask mandate.universal wearing of masks is an effective safeguard against spreading the virus and boosts public confidence in traveling. U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the Transportation Security Administration’s extension of the mask mandate through January 2022: “Extending the federal mask mandate for travel makes sense for the current health environment and has the travel industry’s full support. US Travel: Federal mask mandate extension makes sense “The universal wearing of masks in airports and on airplanes, trains and other forms of public transportation is both an effective safeguard against spreading the virus and boosts public confidence in traveling—both of which are paramount for a sustained economic recovery.”
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·August 17, 2021

African Tourism Board told Air France, we love you!

Air France is looking optimistically in expanding its outreach to Africa when the national carrier of France introduced its 2021/2022 winter scheduleAIr France will be expanding its global network to Zanzibar, Seychelles Maputo and BanjulAfrican Tourism Board Chairman applauds this move Air France, stylized as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. With the COVID-19 travel and tourism to Africa remains a challenge. Showing the confidence Air France is indicating for Africa will create confidence in the industry and hopefully among potential visitors. Paris-Banjul on Air France Air France will start service to Banjul, the Capital City of The Gambia in West Africa.Paris- Banjul will be operated on an Airbus A330 with 224 seats. It includes 36 spaces in business class, 21 premium Economy and 167 Economy seats. The Gambia is a small West African country, bounded by Senegal, with a narrow Atlantic coastline. It’s known for its diverse ecosystems around the central Gambia River. Abundant wildlife in its Kiang West National Park and Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve includes monkeys, leopards, hippos, hyenas, and rare birds. The capital, Banjul, and nearby Serrekunda offer access to beaches. Service is supposed to start on October 31. Paris- Maputo on Air France Also starting on October 31is Air France’s new service to Maputo, Mozambique. This new route to Maputo will be operated on a large Boeing 777-300ER offering First Class, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. Mozambique is a southern African nation whose long Indian Ocean coastline is dotted with popular beaches like Tofo, as well as offshore marine parks. In the Quirimbas Archipelago, a 250km stretch of coral islands, mangrove-covered Ibo Island has colonial-era ruins surviving from a period of Portuguese rule. The Bazaruto Archipelago farther south has reefs which protect rare marine life including dugongs.  Paris- Abidjan on Air France AF704 will be operating between Paris Charles de Gaulle via Banjul to Abidjan in Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast recently hosted African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube and is on an expansion course to develop tourism in this West African nation. Côte d’Ivoire is a West African country with beach resorts, rainforests, and a French-colonial legacy. Abidjan, on the Atlantic coast, is the country’s major urban center. Its modern landmarks include ziggurat like, concrete La Pyramide and St. Paul’s Cathedral, a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross. North of the central business district, Banco National Park is a rainforest preserve with a hiking trail. Paris- Zanzibar on Air France Already on October 18, Air France will connect Paris with the holiday island in Tanzania, Zanzibar. This service will be operated with a stop in Nairobi, Kenya on a Boeing 787-9 Tourism in Zanzibar includes the tourism industry and its effects on the islands of Unguja and Pemba in Zanzibar a semi-autonomous region in the United Republic of Tanzania Paris – Seychelles on Air France Seychelles Tourism already announced and is excited to welcome an A330-2200 service from Paris to this French and English speaking Indian Ocean tourism paradise. Service originally started in 2019 and was interrupted due to COVID-19. This service will start on October 23. African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube told eTurboNews, he was excited about this expansion of the Air France network to Africa. Ncube feels this is a very positive development African Tourism has been waiting for.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 17, 2021

US travel mask mandate to be extended through mid-January 2022

US government to extend public transportation mask mandate.US travelers are required to wear masks on planes, trains, busses.Current TSA transportation mask mandate expires on September 14, 2021. According to the latest report, US government is planning to extend the public transport mask mandate for travelers on airplanes, trains and buses and at airports and train stations through January 18, 2022. US travel mask mandate to be extended through mid-January 2022 The current TSA transportation mask mandate runs through September 13, 2021 and requires the use of face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation. It requires face masks to be worn by all travelers on airplanes, ships, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares and at transportation hubs such as airports, bus or ferry terminals, train and subway stations, and seaports. All major American air carriers were informed of the planned extension on a call with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today, and a separate call with aviation unions is planned for Wednesday, the industry sources say. US public transportation mask mandate has been the source of numerous problems, primarily aboard the airlines, where some passengers have refused to wear masks. The Federal Aviation Administration said on today that it has received reports from airlines of 2,867 passengers refusing to wear a mask since January 1, 2021. The CDC in June made a minor tweak to its rules, saying it would no longer require travelers to wear masks in outdoor transit hubs and in outdoor spaces on ferries and buses. According to CDC officials, the transit mask mandates have been effective in address ingongoing COVID-19 risks.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 17, 2021

Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board

Plane crashes near Moscow.New Russian military transport plane burns and crashes on first flight.No survivors in Moscow plane crash. New Russian transport plane has crashed during a test flight as it attempted attempted to land at the Kubinka air base just outside of Moscow, killing all three people on board. Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board The plane missed the landing stripe by 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) and exploded upon its collision with the ground. [embedded content] Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board According to preliminary data, the crash was caused by a fire in the right-wing engine of the plane. The plane’s developer, United Aircraft Corporation, has confirmed the accident, saying that before the prototype plane crashed, the aircraft’s right engine went on fire, causing the Il-112V to tilt to the right side. The aircraft began to lose speed before flipping over and falling to the ground near Kubinka air base. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) reported that the plane was piloted by chief pilot of the Ilyushin Aircraft Company, 1st-class test pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolai Kuimov, 1st-class test pilot Dmitry Komarov and 1st-class test flight engineer Nikolai Khludeyev. Rostec, the parent company of the United Aircraft Corporation, announced that it would create a commission to investigate the accident, noting that it is still in its experimental stage. According to a source in the law enforcement, the bodies of all three crew members of Russia’s latest Ilyushin Il-112V plane have been recovered. An aviation industry source said that the crew of the lyushin Il-112V were trying to save the plane until the very last moment and steered the aircraft away from residential buildings. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 17, 2021

Travel plans: Where Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X clash and where they align?

Gen Z is the most adventurous generation with more than half (51%) planning international trips and 37% domestic.Gen X is more hesitant with 33% not having traveled to another city in more than a year.Safety remains top of mind across all generations, with a little more than half of respondents from each generation saying it is their top concern surrounding travel plans. New study reveals American travel is at the top of everyone’s mind, although generations are divided in their approach to travel plans. There are certain elements of travel and planning Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X agree on – safety concerns, the annoyance of budgeting and a desire for more outdoor adventures. Travel plans: Where Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X clash and where they align? However, there are divisions amongst these groups – how far they are looking to go, frequency of travel, budget and what they are willing to spend more money on for their trips. As Americans Look Forward to Travel, Millennials and Gen X Stay Closer to Home While Gen Z Looks International Americans have been in quarantine awaiting the day travel restrictions ease and they can begin planning getaways again. The majority of respondents across generations (70%) have started planning their vacations, but where people are going varies.Gen Z is the most adventurous generation with more than half (51%) planning international trips and 37% domestic.The top international cities for U.S. travelers include San Juan, Dubai, Cyclades and Paris.Gen Z travelers can make the most of their favorite overseas destinations with unforgettable experiences such as a bioluminescent bay boat and hot springs tour in San Juan, desert safari in Dubai, volcanic islands cruise in Cyclades and a French macarons baking class in Paris.Nearly half of Millennials (48%) and more than half of Gen Xers (61%) are planning to stay domestic. 35% of Millennials and 20% of Gen Xers are looking to go international.Gen Z and Millennials have been taking advantage of travel restrictions lifting – 37% of Gen Zers and 34% of Millennials traveled to another city in the last month. On the other hand, Gen X is more hesitant with 33% not having traveled to another city in more than a year. All generations are most looking forward to traveling to the beach – ranking it first, above mountains, cities and countryside. The desired beaches of Miami and San Diego are likely what landed those locations in the top four U.S. cities for Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X.In addition to the beach, Gen Z and Millennials are also excited to explore new cities – the places they plan to visit within the U.S. include New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and San Diego.Gen X is looking to plan a visit to New York City, Miami, San Diego and Washington, D.C.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 17, 2021

Taliban halts all flights from Kabul International Airport

Taliban cancels all departures from Kabul airport.Kabul International Airport departures “temporarily suspended”.All flights were recommended to not fly over Afghanistan. Taliban representatives announced today that the departure of all flights from Kabul International Airport was “temporarily suspended” until further notice. Taliban halts all flights from Kabul International Airport According to local reports, Taliban units have come in direct proximity to the airport and fired several warning shots to disperse the people that have flocked there. Earlier, all commercial flights from the Kabul airport were cancelled, while all transiting planes were recommended to reroute and not fly over Afghanistan. On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the situation in the airport was calming down. On August 15, the Taliban moved into Kabul and imposed full control over the city in a matter of hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down, as he said, to avoid bloodshed and fled the country. Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staffers.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

Scary? Air India A320 Flight from Delhi to Kabul

“Airspace over Afghanistan is declared closed, so no aircraft can operate there. Our scheduled flight to Kabul also cannot go,” an Air India spokesperson said.Yesterday, Air India Flight 243 departure from Delhi to Kabul at 8:50 am India time was slightly delayed when it left with 40 Afghan passengers on an Airbus A320.It’s a 2-hour, 5-minute flight to neighboring Afghanistan. After crossing the border on AI 243 on August 15 and the approach was expected to start, the Air India plane was ordered to hold and circle at 16,000 feet altitude for another 90 minutes before it was allowed to land. Landing can sometimes be delayed due to poor air communication in Afghanistan airspace. As Indians celebrated Independence Day on Sunday, August 15, the Taliban was creating chaos and horror in taking over Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The people of Kabul were left in a state of panic as news broke that the Taliban had surrounded the city that day. The Afghan government was fleeing the country, and the city itself was in turmoil. Air India 243, a Star Alliance flight operated by Air India, was carrying 6 crew members and 40 passengers from Delhi to Kabul without knowing if they were going to be allowed to land even after they reached Kabul airspace. The plane was ordered to circle the sky for no apparent reason. For the next 90 minutes, Air India circled the sky at an altitude of 16,000 feet. The Air India flight had departed with extra jet fuel. The experienced pilot knew that there might be a delay in landing due to poor flight communications in Kabul airspace at times. Like the India plane, 2 more foreign planes were flying without permission to land. In addition to the Taliban taking over the city, operating an aircraft over Kabul is a bit of a challenge. Kabul airport is often “busy and tedious” pilots say. During this time of the year, flying into the city poses an extra challenge: the winds are strong and gusty. The 160-seat aircraft was piloted by Captain Aditya Chopra. Permission was finally granted at 3:30 pm local time for the plane to land. Little did the passengers and crew know, however, that the political situation in Kabul was deteriorating. Even after the plane landed, none of the crew left the cockpit, which is usually common in Kabul. After a wait of about an hour-and-a-half, the Air India flight boarded 129 passengers and departed for Delhi again. The plane was carrying India embassy staff, Afghan government officials, at least two Afghan MPs, and a senior adviser to former President Ashraf Ghani. A passenger said that he could see people at the Kabul airport in despair trying to leave. On Monday, Air India had a scheduled flight for Kabul from Delhi at 8:50 am. It first was delayed to 12:50 pm and subsequently suspended following the closure of airspace in Afghanistan after a NOTAM – Notice to Airmen, an official notice containing information on flight operations, was issued. Some passengers on the plane recounted that they could “sense the tension on the ground,” but it was not clear what it was all about. There were soldiers skirting the runways. There was also a roar of air activity: C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft and Chinook helicopters were flying in and out. And they saw civilian airplanes belonging to Pakistan (PIA) and Qatar Airways parked on the tarmac.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

Alaska Airlines brings in 12 new Boeing 737-9 jets

Alaska Airlines is accelerating its fleet growth.Alaska Airlines exercising options early on 12 Boeing 737-9 aircraft.Option aircraft are now firm commitments for 2023 and 2024. Alaska Airlines announced today it is accelerating its fleet growth by exercising options early on 12 Boeing 737-9 aircraft. The option aircraft are now firm commitments for 2023 and 2024. This additional commitment brings Alaska’s total firm 737-9 order to 93 aircraft, five of which are currently in service. Alaska Airlines brings in 12 new Boeing 737-9 jets Alaska Airlines announced a restructured agreement with Boeing in December 2020 to acquire 68 Boeing 737-9 aircraft between 2021 to 2024, with options for another 52 deliveries between 2023 and 2026. This year, the airline has exercised 25 of the options, including 13 planes in May. As part of this transaction, Alaska will add 25 options to backfill the ones that have been exercised. “We are excited to accelerate Alaska’s growth, building on our solid financial foundation that enabled us to weather the pandemic,” said Nat Pieper, Alaska Airlines senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances. “These aircraft are a prudent, long-term investment in our business that we can make while simultaneously maintaining our strong balance sheet.” Deliveries2021202220232024TOTALOriginal Firm Order1231131268May Option Exercise––9413August Option Exercise––10212TOTAL1231321893 “Boeing continues to be a terrific partner for Alaska. We began flying our first 737-9s this past spring, and we’re extremely pleased with the operational, financial and environmental performance of the aircraft,” said Pieper. “The planes are exceeding our expectations – from how quiet the engines run to the greater range they provide – and our guests love them.” Alaska’s 737-9s are configured to carry 178 guests with 16 First Class seats and 24 Premium Class seats, which provide the most premium legroom of any other U.S. airline. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

South African Airways announces new Interim Executive

Simon Newton-Smith named new SAA Interim Executive: Commercial.Simon Newton-Smith joins SAA executive team in Johannesburg.Simon Newton-Smith is a seasoned aviation professional with global track record. South African Airways (SAA) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of airline industry veteran, Mr. Simon Newton-Smith, in the position of SAA Interim Executive: Commercial. South African Airways announces new Interim Executive Simon joins the South African Airways’ executive leadership team in Johannesburg, South Africa with an extensive international airline background having previously joined SAA in 2000 and served as Vice President, Sales in North America, where he led the sales, trade support, group and pricing departments. He also held key leadership position with Virgin Atlantic Airways as Vice President, Sales in North America and Country Manager in South Africa, and with Qatar Airways in Doha as Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategy. South African Airways’ Interim CEO, Thomas Kgokolo, describes Simon as a seasoned aviation professional with a global track record of driving profitable revenue and adding customer value in a competitive, complex and rapidly evolving sector. Simon also adds significantly to the strength of our diverse and highly experienced executive team – all of whom are now primed and ready to take SAA forward. He brings a wealth of experience that will be a tremendous benefit to SAA and our customers and travel trade partners throughout the world. “I am thrilled to be joining SAA as it begins a new chapter in South African aviation history. This is a carrier with a rich and envied pedigree the world over and I along with the executive team will work tirelessly in our efforts to welcome back passengers, grow revenue and deliver profits”, says Mr Newton-Smith.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

Jamaica welcomes 1 millionth visitor since start of COVID-19 pandemic

The one millionth passenger to arrive in Jamaica in the midst of COVID-19 was showered with gifts upon her arrival.Among the welcome gifts was a voucher, valid for one year, entitling the entire family to a 4-day 3-night all-inclusive vacation at Royalton.In the last quarter, tourism in Jamaica  has increased by 5,000% in arrivals. Daynel Williams, accompanied by four family members, exuded abundant joy as she was ushered out of the line of arriving passengers on JetBlue from New York yesterday (August 15), to be met by a team of officials, headed by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett. She was showered with gifts and heartfelt congratulations on being the millionth visitor since Jamaica reopened its borders to international air travel on June 15, 2020. All borders were closed in March 2020, cutting off all arrivals as the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, began to take its toll. Cuddling a baby in her arms while an infant held onto her dress, Mrs. Williams was almost speechless but managed to repeat “Oh God!” as she tried to contain her joy as Minister Bartlett told her that as the millionth stopover visitor, she was now the center of international attention, facing several media representatives jostling to get close up shots of her and her family. Her mother-in-law, Jennifer Williams, a Jamaican from Oracabessa, St Mary, was overwhelmed with joy as she was moved to tears. “I’ve been travelling back and forth to Jamaica for over 30 years now and this has never happened; I am so excited, I feel like crying.” She did allow a few tears of joy to flow while adding, “I’m so elated, I’m very, very happy. I can’t express how I feel.” Among the welcome gifts was a voucher, valid for one year, entitling the entire family to a 4-day 3-night all-inclusive vacation at Royalton, presented by Regional Director of Sales for Blue Diamond Resorts International, Kerry-Ann Quallo Casserly. Speaking to the significance of the occasion, Minister Bartlett said: “This is a milestone in the tourism annals, never before, within a year and one month have we ever had one million stopover visitors coming to our country.” Prior to COVID-19 it took Jamaica close to 20 years to record its first million arrivals in a year. However, up to 2019, just before the pandemic hit, stopover and cruise arrivals combined, exceeded 4 million. Since the reopening of borders on June 15, last year, tourism has earned US$1.5 billion and just over 50,000 of the 130,000 workers who were laid off, are now back on the job. The Sangster International Airport alone has accounted for 5,000 of its 7,000 jobs being restored. Mr. Bartlett said in the last quarter, “tourism increased by 5,000 percent in arrivals” and earnings also increased significantly, “so we have no doubt as to the impact of tourism on Jamaica’s economic recovery program.” Among the welcome party along with Minster Bartlett and Mrs. Casserly, were Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association President, Clifton Reader; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MBJ Airports, Shane Munroe and President and CEO of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, Audley Deidrick.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

North American inbound tourism spend declined by 74.1% in 2020

Total international arrivals to the region declined 67% year-on-year in 2020.Region’s inbound expenditure declined by 74.1%.Forecasts for inbound tourism expenditure suggest it will not surpass pre-pandemic levels until after 2025. Destinations across North America (USA, Mexico and Canada) are at different stages of tourism development. However, one common factor is that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have been hard felt for each respective tourism economy. North American inbound tourism spend declined by 74.1% in 2020 The latest ‘Tourism Destination Market Insight: North America (2021)’ report found that total international arrivals to the region declined 67% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in 2020 and inbound expenditure by 74.1%. North America’s forecast recovery follows the general global travel consensus that domestic tourism will recover first (2022), but international arrivals will not recover until 2024. Forecasts for inbound tourism expenditure, however, suggest this will not surpass pre-pandemic levels until after 2025. COVID-19 can still be identified as the greatest threat to growth within the travel sector, and in North America this is no different. The loss of inbound tourist spending in 2020 (-74.1%) to USA, Mexico and Canada was significant. The latest forecast suggest this is not expected to fully recover until after 2025, and this will be one of the greatest factors affecting economic recovery for the region over the next few years. One of the major benefits of inbound tourism is spending, which can boost economic revenues, stimulate employment and act as a catalyst for infrastructure development. Each destination does hold a strong domestic tourism offering, but this cannot be relied upon alone to offset the collapse of international travel. Travel to North America from other destinations worldwide can be expensive. Recent survey found that 23% of global respondents have reduced their household budgets in the past year and 27% have ‘somewhat’ reduced them. Reduced budgets mean less expenditure on recreation affecting the ability to travel. Budget constraints are going to be more important in purchasing travel experiences over the next few years, which could jeopardize North America’s tourism recovery in comparison to other regions worldwide. Due to proximity, connectivity and competing low-cost carrier (LCC) operators, travel between the US, Canada and Mexico can be relatively low-cost, spurring travel across the destinations. Intraregional travel will be vital in North America’s tourism recovery. Each destination already relies heavily on neighboring destinations as important sources for economic income. From vast natural landscapes including coastal areas, national parks and mountain ranges to bustling cities full of cultural landmarks, North America benefits from a strong tourism offering. Therefore, there is a wide range of pull factors that lures visitors worldwide for leisure and business. In addition to attractive destinations to visit, its sizable VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market is also a strong feature. Collaboration between destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and government bodies will be vital to ensure economic relief for the region going forward.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

Russia resumes flights to Czech Republic, Dominican Republic and South Korea

Russia will end restrictions imposed on scheduled commercial and charter passenger flights from Russian Federation to the Dominican Republic, the Czech Republic and South Korea on August 27, the country’s anti-coronavirus crisis center announced in a statement today. Russia resumes flights to Czech Republic, Dominican Republic and South Korea “Following discussions and considering the epidemiological situation in certain countries, the decision was made to lift restrictions on international regular and non-regular (charter) flights from Russian airports to the Dominican Republic, South Korea and the Czech Republic starting from August 27, 2021,” the statement reads. Additionally, international flights from Surgut International Airport are resuming on August 27. According to the Russian anti-coronavirus crisis center, the number of regular flights from Russia to Hungary, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will be increased starting with August 27. The number of Moscow-Budapest flights will be boosted from four to seven a week, while one flight a week will be permitted from several other cities. The number of flights from Moscow to Larnaca and Paphos in Cyprus will also reach seven, while other Russian cities will have four flights a week. Seven flights a week will be operated from Moscow to Bishkek and Dushanbe. Moreover, several Russian cities will be cleared to have one flight a week to the Kyrgyz capital, the Tajik capital, Khujand and Kulob. The air travel with Hungary and Cyprus was reinstated in June after being severed due to the pandemic. Flights between Russia and Tajikistan resumed in April and with Kyrgyzstan back in 2020.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

Gulf Air resumes flights from Bahrain to Moscow Domodedovo Airport

Flights from the air hub to Bahrain will be operated weekly on Saturdays and Mondays.On Saturdays, arrival in Domodedovo is at 14:05, departure is at 14:50.On Mondays, arrival is at 07:10, departure is at 08:00. From August 14, 2021, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain resumed regular flights from Moscow Domodedovo Airport. Gulf Air resumes flights from Bahrain to Moscow Domodedovo Airport Flights from the air hub to Bahrain will be operated weekly on Saturdays and Mondays. On Saturdays, arrival in Domodedovo is at 14:05, departure is at 14:50*. On Mondays, arrival is at 07:10, departure is at 08:00*. Gulf Air and Moscow Domodedovo Airport have been cooperating since 2014. In September 2017, the flights were increased to be daily due to the success of the route. In March 2019, flights to Bahrain were discontinued because of the closure of international air traffic due to Covid-19. Since the beginning of its partnership with Domodedovo Airport, Gulf Air has performed 2,732 take-off and landing operations and transported 180,000 passengers on the specified route. Bahrain route is unique for the Moscow aviation hub, this air line provides a wide range of various destinations of one of the largest route networks in the Middle East. Gulf Air is a state-owned airline and the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, the airline operates scheduled flights to 52 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Its main hub is Bahrain International Airport. * departure / arrival time is indicated in Moscow time
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·August 16, 2021

Seven killed in Kabul airport chaos as all commercial flights cancelled

Desperate Afghan civilians interrupt military evacuation.Some of the people killed had clung to a US military transport plane as it took off.US troops struggled to hold back the crowds overnight, and reports surfaced of gunfire and stampeding breaking out. Seven Afghan civilians have been killed at Kabul airport mayhem, including some people who fell from a departing American transport aircraft, and all flights out of the Afghan capital have been interrupted by crowds on the runway, US officials in Kabul report. Throughout Sunday night, US troops brought in to protect the evacuation of American diplomats and workers struggled to keep hordes of desperate Afghans off the runway at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport, now the only lifeline between Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the outside world. Seven killed in Kabul airport chaos as all commercial flights cancelled Some of the people killed had clung to a US military transport plane as it took off, but fell to their deaths shortly after takeoff plunging to their deaths. Commercial flights out of Kabul were suspended on Sunday, but droves of desperate Afghans crowded onto the airport’s single runway regardless, in a last-ditch bid to catch a flight out of the Afghan capital. American troops struggled to hold back the crowds overnight, and reports surfaced of gunfire and stampeding breaking out.
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