Fraport AG, the publicly listed operator of Frankfurt Airport, and EnBW, the energy provider headquartered in Karlsruhe, have concluded a corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) for the supply of electricity generated by offshore wind turbines. The long-term contract guarantees Fraport 85 megawatts (MW) from the 900 MW EnBW He Dreiht wind farm in the North Sea off the coast of Germany. The CPPA comes into force in the second half of 2026, and has a term of 15 years. With the expiry of the previous subsidies under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), PPAs are becoming a key element of the energy transition: They provide developers of renewable energy projects with a reliable source of funding while helping purchasers to quickly achieve ambitious climate targets. “Long-term power purchase agreements are a market response to advancing the energy transition even without government support,” explained EnBW CEO Frank Mastiaux. “PPAs equally benefit purchasers, project developers and the climate. For us, they are the key between renewables-generated power and our major customers.”  The CPPA becomes operational in the summer of 2026. It will enable Fraport to transition a substantial portion of electricity consumption at its Frankfurt Airport home base to green energy. Fraport CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte said the agreement marked a key milestone in Fraport’s ongoing decarbonization strategy: “Renewables such as wind and solar are the focus of our climate strategy. They provide the firm foundations for a comprehensive package of measures to systematically reduce our CO2 emissions. Our clearly defined goal is to make Frankfurt Airport carbon-free by 2045. The power sourced from this new offshore wind park will play a central role. As an airport operator, we are especially reliant on a dependable, stable source of power that can be scaled up to meet our growing needs. In EnBW, we have found a strong partner. Compared with the conventional energy sources on which we have previously depended, the new CPPA unlocks potential savings of up to 80,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.” 85 megawatts of green energy from the North Sea EnBW initiated a new trend in the offshore market with the He Dreiht project in 2017. For the first time in an auction in Germany, the company secured the rights to build the 900 MW wind farm by bidding a subsidy amount of zero cents per kWh. Located about 90 kilometers northwest of the island of Borkum and about 110 kilometers west of Heligoland, He Dreiht is scheduled to go into operation in 2025. The investment decision is planned for 2023. The wind farm with around 60 turbines is currently one of the largest energy transition projects in Europe. It will also be the first to use turbines with a capacity of 15 megawatts each. By way of comparison, Germany’s first offshore wind farm, EnBW Baltic 1 built in 2011, has a capacity of 2.3 megawatts per turbine.

Qatar Airways is set to further boost its growing network with increased flight frequencies to 18 popular destinations across the globe to meet travel demand during the peak winter holiday season. This increase is part of the airline’s ongoing efforts to provide greater choice and seamless connectivity to passengers as they discover the world, via the airline’s home and hub Hamad International Airport (HIA). This includes Qatar Airways’ inaugural services to Odesa, Ukraine, which launched with three weekly flights from 9 December 2021, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with two weekly flights from 17 January 2022. The airline also recently launched direct flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 19 November 2021. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways continues to develop its schedule and network by increasing frequencies to many popular destinations across the world while adopting the strictest safety measures both on the ground and in the air, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of passengers and staff. This increase will provide even greater choice to our business and leisure passengers, who can connect seamlessly via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport, to more than 140 global destinations.” Qatar Airways network enhancements: – Abu Dhabi – Increased from daily to two daily flights from 1 December 2021 –       Algiers – Increasing from four weekly to five weekly flights from 18 December 2021 –       Bangkok – Increasing from 10 weekly to three daily flights from 17 December 2021 –       Berlin – Increasing from daily to 10 weekly flights from 16 January 2022 –       Cebu – Increased from nine weekly to 11 weekly flights from 9 December 2021 –       Clark – Increased from five weekly to daily flights from 1-31 December 2021 –       Colombo – Increasing from three daily to four daily flights from 20 December 2021 –       Copenhagen – Increasing from 11 weekly to 12 weekly flights from 18 December 2021 –       Helsinki – Increasing from daily to 10 weekly flights from 01 January 2022 –       Kuala Lumpur – Increasing from 10 weekly to 13 weekly flights from 16 December 2021 –       Kuwait – Increased from two daily to three daily flights from 20 November 2021 –       London – Increased from four daily to five daily flights from 2 December 2021 to 31 January 2022 –       Medina – Increased from four weekly to daily flights from 1 November 2021 –       Paris – Increasing from two daily to three daily flights from 15 December 2021 –       Phuket – Increasing from daily to 11 weekly flights from 16 December 2021 –       Salalah – Increasing from three weekly to five weekly flights from 1 January 2022 –       Sharjah – Increased from daily to two daily flights from 18 November 2021 –       Zurich – Increasing from daily to 10 weekly flights from 1 January 2022

Swoop this week celebrates the launch of three new inaugural flights from Toronto Pearson International Airport with the departure of new non-stop service to Los Cabos, Mexico, on December 4, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on December 5 and Kingston, Jamaica on December 8. “The launch of these three new routes demonstrates that Swoop’s accessible and affordable fares have caught on in Toronto and highlights the demand we are seeing for ultra-low fare travel across Canada,” said Bert van der Stege, Head of Commercial and Finance, Swoop. “We know Canadians are long overdue for a warm vacation or reunion with family and friends and while government-imposed travel restrictions continue to evolve, our travelers require and appreciate clarity and guidance on their upcoming travel plans.” As Canada’s leading ULCC, Swoop continues to support travelers navigate and adhere to testing requirements for travel through its partnership with Azova, a leading digital health technology platform. “Congratulations to our partners at Swoop on launching three new routes to destinations that have traditionally captured the imagination and excitement of Canadian travelers—and just in time for the cold weather,” said Craig Bradbrook, Chief Operating Officer at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. “With Toronto Pearson‘s globally recognized Healthy Airport program continually evolving to keep pace with the latest public health guidance, our valued passengers can rest assured that if they’re planning on travelling this winter, their health and safety is our top priority from curb to boarding and back again.”

Travelport and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, today extended their long-standing relationship with a renewed and expanded multi-source content distribution agreement which includes a commitment to work with Travelport in advancing its New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiatives. With this new long-term agreement, Travelport will continue to support Cathay Pacific by providing Travelport-connected agencies around the world with real-time access to search, sell, and book its content and inventory. The agreement will see the content available to agents progressively expanded, to include a larger range of fares as well as ancillaries than had previously been unavailable. Martin Xu, General Manager Sales and Distribution at Cathay Pacific said: “The longevity of our relationship is ample testament to the fruitful partnership we’ve enjoyed with Travelport over the past decades. With the expanded flight offerings, fares and ancillaries available in this new agreement, we look forward to helping agencies connected to Travelport generate even more value for their customers.” Sue Carter, Head of Asia Pacific, Air Partners at Travelport added: “We are delighted to be able to offer even more of Cathay Pacific’s content, especially as we progress with our work on NDC. Simplifying access to multi-source content, while simultaneously making it easier to sell is exactly what our new Travelport+ platform is designed to do, and we’re confident this new agreement will generate more value than ever before for Cathay Pacific and our connected agencies alike.”

New travel industry report reveals the top travel trends of 2021, which, unsurprisingly, are all driven by the global COVID-19 pandemic. They are: US Leisure travel has led the recoveryThe paralysis of Asia Pacific continued while Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and much of Africa have proved most resilientThe Middle East started to reviveDomestic travel has been dominant, particularly in large countriesMajor European airlines have struggled disproportionatelyThere has been a relative decline in long-haul travelDoha and Amsterdam have advanced in the battle of the hubsNew variants have continued to pose a potent threat US Leisure travel has led the recovery A comparison of the world’s top destination cities, before the pandemic in 2019, and throughout 2021, illustrates the strong trend towards leisure travel leading the recovery. Several major cities have been pushed down or out of the top 20 rankings, whereas major leisure destinations, particularly for US holidaymakers, have climbed high. While Dubai remains at the top of the list (it is a major leisure destination as well as a substantial travel and commerce hub), the most notable rises include, Miami, from 18th to 5th, Madrid from 16th to 10th and new into the list, Cancun (Mexico) at 2nd, Cairo (Egypt) at 9th,  Punta Cana (Dominical Republic) at 12th, San Juan (Puerto Rico) at 13th, Lisbon at 14th, Athens at 15th, Mexico City at 16th, Palma Mallorca at 17th, and Frankfurt at 20th. The two highest risers, Cancun and Miami, are both major leisure destinations popular with US holidaymakers. Most of the new entrants lower down the list are also leading leisure destinations, popular with European holidaymakers. Doha, which entered at 7th, has done particularly well as a hub for transits. Major pre-pandemic destinations, which have fallen out of the top 20 list include ten major cities: Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Jeddah, Los Angeles and Osaka.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. ASUR, an international airport group with operations in Mexico, the U.S. and Colombia, today announced passenger traffic for November 2021 reached a total of 4.9 million passengers, 7.2% above the levels reported in November 2019, reflecting a continued overall recovery in travel demand and the rollout of vaccination campaigns in the US and gradual advances in Mexico, despite restrictions and requirements in certain countries of the world to contain the spread of the virus. When compared to pre-pandemic levels of November 2019, ASUR passenger traffic increased 5.2% in Mexico and 6.9% in Puerto Rico and 12.8% Colombia. Passenger traffic growth in Mexico and Colombia was driven by both domestic and international traffic, while domestic traffic growth more than offset passenger lower international traffic in Puerto Rico during the period. This announcement reflects comparisons between November 1 through November 30, 2021, from November 1 through November 30, 2020, and November 1 through November 30, 2019. Transit and general aviation passengers are excluded for Mexico and Colombia. Passenger Traffic SummaryNovember% Chg 2021vs 2020% Chg 2021vs 2019Year to date% Chg 2021vs 2020% Chg 2021vs 2019201920202021201920202021Mexico2,785,2771,663,7062,929,72876.15.231,047,97214,578,20425,866,85377.4(16.7)Domestic Traffic1,411,2821,049,8291,443,17237.52.315,196,2258,106,14713,517,01466.8(11.1)International Traffic1,373,995613,8771,486,556142.28.215,851,7476,472,05712,349,83990.8(22.1)San Juan, Puerto Rico779,725440,548833,26889.16.98,510,5374,331,9498,762,283102.33.0Domestic Traffic700,055421,750772,16483.110.37,610,3224,062,1308,283,897103.98.9International Traffic79,67018,79861,104225.1(23.3)900,215269,819478,38677.3(46.9)Colombia1,036,353455,4731,169,245156.712.810,880,9443,610,6669,227,477155.6(15.2)Domestic Traffic890,063396,621997,056151.412.09,234,6033,100,8997,878,717154.1(14.7)International Traffic146,29058,852172,189192.617.71,646,341509,7671,348,760164.6(18.1)Total Traffic4,601,3552,559,7274,932,24192.77.250,439,45322,520,81943,856,61394.7(13.1)Domestic Traffic3,001,4001,868,2003,212,39272.07.032,041,15015,269,17629,679,62894.4(7.4)International Traffic1,599,955691,5271,719,849148.77.518,398,3037,251,64314,176,98595.5(22.9)

United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) announced today that Matthew Friend will join its Board of Directors. Friend, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Nike, Inc., brings more than two decades of corporate finance and strategy experience to the airline’s Board. “As we emerge from the pandemic as a leader in the industry and stand ready to accelerate our business, United will benefit greatly from Matt’s deep financial acumen and stewardship of one of the leading consumer brands on the planet,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “Plus, his years of global corporate experience will help inform our effort to continue to be a force for good across the country and around the world.” “Any time we bring on a new board member, we’re focused on adding experienced leaders with skill sets and unique perspectives that will benefit United,” said Ted Philip, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “As the world reopens and travel demand continues to surge back, the United Board will benefit from Matt’s extensive global finance, strategy and business planning skills to help guide the airline as it charts a successful future.” “United has shown real leadership over the past 18 months and has worked to redefine itself in the eyes of its employees, customers and the communities it serves,” said Friend. “The airline is determined to capitalize on this momentum, and I’m thrilled to join the board at this exciting time in its history.” Friend was named EVP and CFO of Nike, Inc. in March 2020. Since then, he has helped steer Nike through a significant business transformation. Previously, Friend held the roles of CFO for Nike Operating Segments and VP of Investor Relations. He has also served as CFO of Nike Brand, Global Brands & Functions, Emerging Markets, and as VP of Corporate Strategy and Development. Friend is a member of Nike’s Executive Leadership Team and the senior management representative to the Audit & Finance Committee of the Nike, Inc. Board of Directors. Friend began his career in investment banking with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs.

Southwest Airlines Co. today announced Leadership changes and appointments within various departments of the Company.    Justin Jones is promoted to Senior Vice President Operational Strategy & Design, where he will lead the airline’s modernization and operational improvements in this newly created role. Jones previously served as the Vice President Technical Operations Planning and Performance, where he was responsible for Contract Services, Heavy Maintenance Planning, Maintenance Reliability and Records, Training, Business Intelligence, Aircraft Appearance, and Strategic Planning for Technical Operations. Jones has held a variety of performance and strategy roles throughout the Company and started with Southwest in 2001 as a Revenue Management and Pricing Analyst. With this change, Angela Marano, currently Managing Director Business Transformation, is promoted to Vice President Business Transformation, and she and her Team will move from the Finance Department to the new Strategy & Design Team. The Business Transformation Team provides a variety of services and capabilities, including Innovation/Human-Centered Design, Continuous Improvement, Emerging Trends, Data Science, and Automation. Marano has been at Southwest Airlines for 23 years, starting in 1998 in Technology and has held several Leadership roles in Technology and Corporate Strategy. Jonathan Clarkson was recently promoted to Vice President Marketing, Loyalty, & Products. Clarkson was most recently a Managing Director, overseeing general management responsibilities for the Company’s award-winning frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, as well as our partnerships. He also has responsibility for business management of Southwest’s ancillary revenue products (EarlyBird Check-In, Upgraded Boarding, Hotels, Cars, etc.) and leads the Business Performance/Data Science and Customer Insights/Testing & Optimization Teams in Marketing. Jim Dayton is transitioning to Vice President Cybersecurity and Chief Information Security Officer, following Managing Director of Chief Information Security Officer Michael Simmons’ departure from the Company. In Dayton’s new role, he will be responsible for all aspects of cybersecurity across Southwest Airlines‘ facilities, airports, and aircraft. Dayton joined Southwest in 2012 and has held several senior-level Leadership positions. In his most recent role, he had responsibility for leading the Operations portfolio within Southwest’s Technology Department and worked alongside Flight Operations, Inflight Operations, Network Operations Control, and Safety & Security to modernize many of Southwest’s most critical operational systems. John Herlihy has also been promoted from Managing Director to Vice President Technology Operations and Enterprise Initiative Delivery. Herlihy will oversee the Technical Operations Portfolio supporting Southwest’s aircraft maintenance applications and ecosystem of products. Additionally, he will lead the newly formed Enterprise Initiative Delivery Team, which is focused on the delivery of critical department-wide cybersecurity improvements and data privacy. He joined Southwest in 2017 and oversaw several major product implementations within the Technical Operations Department.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released October 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that demand continued to be well above pre-crisis levels and that the capacity constraints have eased slightly.    As comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons below are to October 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Global demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs), was up 9.4% compared to October 2019 (10.4% for international operations).  Capacity constraints have eased slightly but remain 7.2% below pre-COVID-19 levels (October 2019) (-8.0% for international operations).  Economic conditions continue to support air cargo growth but are slightly weaker than in the previous months. Several factors should be noted:  Supply chain disruptions and the resulting delivery delays have led to long supplier delivery times.  This typically results in manufacturers using air transport, which is quicker, to recover time lost during the production process. The global Supplier Delivery Time Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) reached an all-time low of 34.8 in October; values below 50 are favorable for air cargo. Relevant components of the October PMIs (new export orders and manufacturing output) have been in a gradual slowdown since May but remain in favorable territory.  The inventory-to-sales ratio remains low ahead of the peak year-end retail events such as Christmas. This is positive for air cargo as manufacturers turn to air cargo to rapidly meet demand.  Global goods trade and industrial production remain above pre-crisis levels.  The cost-competitiveness of air cargo relative to that of container shipping remains favorable. 

WestJet today announced route details for its new nonstop service to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), from the airline’s largest, global hub, Calgary International Airport. The new route provides access to London’s largest airport with close and rapid access to important destinations in London. Flights between the two global hubs are set to operate four-times weekly, beginning March 26, 2022. Details of WestJet’s service between Calgary and Heathrow: RouteFrequencyStart DateCalgary – HeathrowTuesday, Wednesday, Friday, SaturdayMarch 26 – October 28, 2022Heathrow – CalgaryWednesday, Thursday, Saturday, SundayMarch 27 – October 29, 2022 “As the airline with the most flights from Alberta, this is an important recovery milestone as we forge new connections between Canada and one of the world’s most sought-after global hubs,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. “We continue to strengthen our network, offering more options for business and leisure travelers and these investments will expedite our industry’s recovery while ensuring Western Canada builds back from the pandemic more connected than ever before.” As confidence in business and leisure travel continues to rise, WestJet‘s newest route will operate this spring on the airline’s 787 Dreamliner. WestJet’s 787 service features the airline’s Business Cabin including lie-flat pods, dining on demand and elevated Premium and Economy Cabin options. “We are committed to the expansion of our global hub in Calgary and supporting the recovery of many sectors who rely on travel and tourism,” continued Weatherill. “As the airline with the most non-stop European destinations from YYC, we are looking forward to guests benefitting from more options and increased connectivity for travel between Canada and the UK.” With the addition of Heathrow to WestJet‘s network this spring, WestJet will connect Calgary to 77 non-stop destinations throughout the year.  WestJet will also continue to offer non-stop flights between Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax to London, Gatwick.

Russian government banned flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar, Swaziland, Tanzania and Hong Kong last week, in the wake of discovery of new COVID-19 Omicron variant. By now, it is widely believed though, that Omicron strain of the coronavirus may have already been brought to Russia by tourists returning from Egypt, a claim that Russian health authorities deny. In the meantime, hundreds of Russian holidaymakers have been trapped in South Africa, unable to return home due to an almost universal ban on flights out of the region. According to Russian state-run news agency, up to 1,500 Russian citizens may still be in South Africa after Moscow abruptly halted all passenger flights to and from there over new COVID-19 strain fears. Russia’s Consulate General in Cape Town said it was trying to work out some alternative options for the evacuation of the Russian citizens, possibly involving assistance from European and other foreign airlines.  According to the consulate’s Telegram channel, up to 15 Russians will be able to fly home on a charter flight around December 1. “According to early information, the repatriation flight with the support of Ethiopian Airlines will be carried out on December 3 on the Cape Town-Addis Ababa-Moscow route,” the consulate also advised. The airfare on this commercial flight will depend on the number of passengers booked. According to some news sources, ‘several dozen’ Russian nationals have in recent days left South Africa for other countries on the continent, from where they can try to continue their journey back home. Airlines that continue to fly from South Africa have increased their fares, due to surging demand, while European Union-based carriers deny boarding to non-EU citizens.

The government of Japan announced today that a man in his 30s, who tested positive for coronavirus at the Narita International Airport, upon his arrival from Namibia on Sunday, was indeed infected with the dreaded new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. This is the first officially confirmed case on the Omicron strain infection in the country. According to the health ministry officials, the man had no symptoms when being at Narita International Airport but developed a fever on Monday, while two family members traveling with him have tested negative and are quarantined at a government-designated facility. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with cabinet members including Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto to discuss how the government will respond to the detection of the Omicron strain in Japan, which has seen a decline in COVID-19 cases. Yesterday, Kishida announced that the government will in principle ban the entry of all foreign nationals. He pledged to act quickly on concerns over the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. Ban on foreign arrivals started on Tuesday and will last for about one month, during which Japanese citizens and foreigners with resident status returning from high-risk areas are required to quarantine for up to 10 days in a government-designated facility. Japan has already taken such stricter measures on people who have recently been to any of the nine African countries – Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Japan will also suspend the recent easing of entry restrictions beginning November 8, which has allowed vaccinated business travelers to have a shorter quarantine period and started to accept entry applications from students and technical interns on the condition that their host organization agrees to take the responsibility of monitoring their movement. Starting on Wednesday, the country will also set its daily cap for arrivals at 3,500, down from 5,000. Returning Japanese citizens and foreign residents will be required to isolate for two weeks regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated. Yesterday, 82 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded across Japan, a low figure being likely a result of a drop in testings over the weekend. The previous wave of infections caused by the Delta variant in summer saw a peak at more than 25,000 daily cases.

Initial findings from a world-first study of the impact of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on both engines of a commercial jet have provided promising early results. The ECLIF3 study, involving Airbus, Rolls-Royce, German research center DLR and SAF producer Neste, marks the first time 100% SAF has been measured simultaneously on both engines of a commercial passenger aircraft – an Airbus A350 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. In-flight emissions tests and associated ground testing on the ECLIF3 program began earlier this year and have recently resumed. The interdisciplinary team, which also includes researchers from the National Research Council of Canada and The University of Manchester, plans to publish its results in academic journals towards the end of next year and 2023. Findings from the study will support efforts currently underway at Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the large-scale use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonize the industry. Aircraft are currently only allowed to operate on a 50% blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel, but both companies support the drive to certify 100% SAF use. In April, the A350 flew three flights over the Mediterranean Sea pursued by a DLR Falcon chaser plane to compare in-flight emissions of both kerosene and Neste’s hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) sustainable fuel. The team also carried out compliance tests using 100% SAF and no operational issues were experienced. In-flight emission tests using 100% SAF and a HEFA/Jet A-1 fuel blend resumed this month, while ground-based emissions testing to quantify the benefits of SAF on local air quality were also performed. The research team found SAF releases fewer particulates than conventional kerosene at all tested engine operating conditions, which points to the potential for reduced climate impact and improvement in air quality around airports. In addition, SAF has lower density but higher energy content per kilogram of fuel compared to conventional kerosene, which brings some aircraft fuel-efficiency advantages due to lower fuel burn and less fuel mass to board to achieve the same mission. Detailed analysis by the team is on-going. “Engines and fuel systems can be tested on the ground but the only way to gather the full set of emissions data necessary for this program to be successful is to fly an aircraft in real conditions,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy Program Manager at Airbus. “In-flight testing of the A350 offers the advantage of characterizing direct and indirect engine emissions, including particulates from behind an aircraft at high altitude.” Simon Burr, Rolls-Royce Director of Product Development and Technology, Civil Aerospace, said: “This research adds to tests we’ve already carried out on our engines, both on the ground and in the air, which have found no engineering obstacle to our engines running on 100% SAF. If we are to truly decarbonize long-haul air travel, then 100% SAF is a critical element and we are committed to supporting its certification for service.” The DLR Falcon chaser aircraft is equipped with multiple probes to measure emissions at cruise level down to a distance of only 100 meters from the A350 and feed them into scientific instrumentation for analysis. “SAF has been shown to have a significantly lower carbon footprint over its life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel and now we are seeing it is advantageous in reducing non-CO2 effects too,” said Markus Fischer, DLR’s Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. “Tests such as these are continuing to develop our understanding of 100% SAF, its use in flight and we are seeing positive signs for its potential in climate mitigation. We look forward to studying the data from the second series of ECLIF3 flights, which restarted with a first chase flight above the Mediterranean earlier this month.” In 2015, DLR performed the ECLIF1 campaign, investigating alternative fuels with its Falcon and A320 ATRA research aircraft. These investigations continued in 2018 with the ECLIF2 campaign which saw the A320 ATRA flying with a mixture of standard jet fuel and up to 50% HEFA. This research showed the advantageous emission performance of fuel mixtures up to 50% SAF and paved the way for the 100% SAF test flights for ECLIF3.

The first ever FIFA Arab Cup will take place in Qatar from 30 November to 18 December, with Qatar Airways as the Official Airline Partner of the tournament. With 16 participating nations, fans can now look forward to the tournament. The qualifying countries have been drawn in four groups: Group A: Qatar, Iraq, Oman and Bahrain; Group B: Tunisia, UAE, Syri­­­­a and Mauritania; Group C: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine and Group D: Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon and Sudan. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “With less than a year to go until the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, this tournament will be the perfect test run for us as Official Airline and Official Partner of FIFA to prepare for the big stage. As this will be the first ever FIFA Arab Cup, Qatar will showcase the best of pan-Arab football. We want to provide a seamless primary touchpoint for fans, players, coaching staff and officials during their journey and stay here so that they can enjoy the best tournament possible.” As FIFA’s Official Partner, Qatar Airways has sponsored mega events including the 2019 and 2020 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, and will sponsor the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Qatar Airways also sponsors some of the world’s biggest football clubs including Al Sadd SC, Boca Juniors, FC Bayern München, K.A.S. Eupen, and Paris Saint-Germain. The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations. With more frequencies being added to key hubs, Qatar Airways offers unrivalled connectivity to passengers, making it easy for them to connect to a destination of their choice.

The WestJet Group today announced that Harry Taylor has officially assumed the role of interim President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The WestJet group announced Taylor as the interim President and CEO on September 15, 2021, following news of Ed Sims retirement announced on June 9, 2021. “I am honored to take on the interim role of CEO at this pivotal time for the WestJet Group, and am focused on our relentless commitment to safety above all while ensuring continuity for our recovery, as we rebuild our airlines for our guests and our people,” said Harry Taylor, interim President and CEO. “By the end of the year, we will return our entire fleet to service for the peak holiday travel season, connecting loved ones and fulfilling long awaited vacations plans. I look forward to leading our organization through this crucial phase of our recovery, while we continue our search for a permanent CEO.”  “I am extremely pleased Harry has agreed to take on this interim role,” said the WestJet Group Board Chair Chris Burley. “Our global search for a permanent CEO continues, and on behalf of WestJet and the board, we are grateful Harry has stepped up to help us through this critical transition.” Harry Taylor joined WestJet in 2015 as Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). During this time, he led the airline’s inaugural U.S. bond issue, negotiated the purchase of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing MAX aircraft, and was instrumental in the sale of WestJet to Onex. Through the pandemic, Harry led the Finance team in managing WestJet’s liquidity to ensure sustainability with little to no revenue coming in. “I want to thank Ed for his contributions to WestJet’s strategy and growth initiatives over the past four years,” said Chris Burley, Chairman of WestJet’s board of directors. “Ed has led WestJet through the worst crisis in aviation history and will see us through to the end of 2021. We owe our relative strength and stability in no small measure to Ed’s leadership and steady hand. On a personal note, we’re pleased that Ed will be able to rejoin his family in New Zealand at the end of the year.” 

United Kingdom has registered its first two cases of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 a day after the first case of the strain, which scientists suspect could be much more contagious, was recorded in Europe. Today, a spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Health announced that a woman returning from vacation in Egypt had tested positive for what is believed to be the novel variant of COVID-19. He added that the sample is being studied further, with official confirmation expected by Sunday morning. Belgian and German authorities are also officially confirming Omicron’s advent on the European continent. Coinciding with that report from the Czech Republic, Kai Klose, the social affairs and integration minister in Germany’s Hesse region, tweeted that the “Omicron variant has, with a very high degree of likelihood, already arrived in Germany.” Klose revealed that “multiple mutations typical of Omicron were found in a person coming from South Africa” on Friday night. The individual was placed in quarantine pending the complete sequencing of the virus found in their sample. Authorities in the Netherlands were facing a large number of suspected Omicron cases on Friday, when 61 people arriving in Amsterdam from South Africa tested positive for COVID-19. The travelers were taken from the airport to a nearby hotel and isolated there. The Dutch Health Ministry said samples are being studied “as quickly as possible [to see] whether they are the new variant of concern, now named ‘Omicron’.” Earlier that day, the Dutch government banned all air travel from South Africa where the new strain was first detected. Passengers on the last two flights coming in from there had to spend hours on the runway, waiting to be tested. Belgium has the dubious distinction of being the first nation in Europe to have officially confirmed a case of Omicron. The country’s health minister, Frank Vandenbroucke, announced on Thursday that the infected patient is an unvaccinated person who tested positive for COVID-19 on November 22. According to Belgium’s chief virologist, Mark Van Ranst, the holidaymaker had earlier returned from Egypt. Yesterday, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warned there was still “considerable uncertainty related to the transmissibility, vaccine effectiveness, risk for reinfections and other properties of the Omicron variant.” The EU health authorities classed the strain as a “high to very high” risk. That same day, all 27 EU member states agreed to temporarily halt air travel from seven southern African nations. The UK, US and Canada have also imposed similar restrictions.

Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced today that South Africa and six other African countries have been added to Israel’s list of ‘red’ countries. The expansion of the ‘red’ list was necessary due to the detection by South African scientists of a new COVID-19 variant in the southern Africa region, according to the PM’s Office. The variant – called B.1.1.529 – has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible, scientists told reporters at a news conference in South Africa. Following a meeting, held by Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett, seven African countries – South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini – were included in the list of “red” countries, or countries that Israelis are not allowed travelling to, unless they receive special permission from Israel’s health ministry. Israelis returning home from those countries would be required to spend between 7-14 days in a quarantine hotel after arrival. Visitors from these African countries will not be allowed to enter Israel as well, the Prime Minister’s Office said. Israel has recorded 1.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 8,000 dead since the pandemic began. According to the country’s Health Ministry, only 57% of Israel‘s population of 9.4 million is fully vaccinated.

Yesterday, WestJet, together with TELUS, trialed Trusted Boarding, a touchless process that uses safe and secure facial verification technology to verify travelers’ identity prior to boarding a flight. The trial was the first-of-its-kind in Canada and took place at the YYC Calgary International Airport.  “The travel experience is evolving to include many touchless processes and WestJet is innovating to ensure our guests’ travel journey improves to become more seamless and efficient, while prioritizing safety above all,” said Stuart McDonald, Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer. “The Trusted Boarding trial is a union between technology and WestJet that would in the future help our agents and our guests with contactless document validation.”  WestJet‘s Trusted Boarding trial demonstrated that the responsible use of biometric boarding technology provides sufficient document validation and prevents non-authorized individuals from boarding an aircraft. Trial guests boarded WestJet flight 8901 through facial verification with their digital identity wallet on Embross’ Canadian made biometric hardware and boarding application at Gate 88. The trial marked the first step towards the implementation of the technology as WestJet works with the Government of Canada to seek full approval for its use as a safe and secure alternative for future WestJet boarding at Canadian airports.  “As air travel gradually reopens, the passenger experience continues to evolve. Our groundbreaking, built in Canada solution allows travelers to enjoy a secure, touchless identity verification experience, while ensuring they are able to maintain control of their personal data,” said Ibrahim Gedeon, Chief Technology Officer, TELUS. “This level of control establishes and increases consumer trust by addressing privacy, security, and ethical data risks from the start, while providing transparency to customers.” Trusted Boarding supports a more digital Canada using Canadian innovation. It employs a self-sovereign identity ecosystem (the creation of unique, private and secure connections between two trusted parties) through a TELUS-provisioned digital identity wallet in a smartphone application for IOS and Android. It provides contactless document validation, where a facial verification scan is matched with a traveler’s documentation that has been uploaded to the app prior to boarding. Importantly, the app ensures users retain control of their personal information at all times, meaning they can securely share their verified personal credentials and revoke access when the data is no longer needed. The identity platform was developed by one37 and document integrity validation is provided by Oaro, ensuring the solution follows all data protection and privacy regulations covered under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

Air Astana will resume flights from Almaty to New Delhi, the capital of India, on 16th December 2021, with three services a week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft. Departure from Almaty on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays is scheduled for 07:50 and arrival in New Delhi at 11:10, with return flight at 12:20 and arrival in Almaty at 16:40. All times local, with a flight time of 3 hours and 50 minutes in each direction. Air Astana offers convenient connections for passengers travelling from Kyiv, Bishkek, Istanbul, Tbilisi and Baku. Travel Information / Entry Requirements All passengers travelling to New Delhi including children need to fill in New Delhi airport online form. Passengers over 5 years of age additionally need to upload results of PCR test with a negative result obtained within 72 hours before arrival. Prior to boarding on departure and again after arrival, passengers will undergo a thermometric test procedure. In the case of any symptoms of coronavirus being detected, passengers will be sent to a medical facility. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated passengers are required to take a COVID-19 test on arrival and repeat it at the end of a seven-day home quarantine period. Fully vaccinated passengers are exempted from PCR test on arrival and from home quarantine. Air Astana 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.

Air Canada’s first dedicated Boeing 767-300ER freighter aircraft was put into service today and operated its inaugural flight from Toronto to Vancouver. Originally scheduled to first fly to Frankfurt, Air Canada Cargo deployed the aircraft early to provide capacity where needed. “Our first freighter is being deployed earlier than initially planned in order to provide additional cargo capacity needed into and out of Vancouver to meet ongoing demand as a result of the flooding that disrupted British Columbia’s transportation network. The freighter is planned to operate 12 trips between our Toronto and Vancouver cargo hubs. Our teams have also worked extremely hard over the last several days to get our freighter into service early to aid in the transport of goods to Vancouver,” said Jason Berry, Vice President, Cargo, at Air Canada. Prior to its first freighter operation, Air Canada and Air Canada Cargo had boosted cargo capacity by 586 tons into Vancouver from Toronto, Montreal and Calgary in November to allow for the transport of more critical supplies to and from British Columbia. The first freighter aircraft is currently planned to operate between Toronto and Frankfurt for the remainder of 2021, in addition to the flights to Vancouver. In 2022, primarily out of Toronto, it will also serve Miami, Quito, Lima, Mexico City and Guadalajara. With additional airports including Madrid, Halifax and St. John’s planned when the second aircraft is delivered in the first half of 2022. The Boeing 767-300ER freighters will allow Air Canada Cargo to offer five different main deck configurations, increasing the overall cargo capacity of each aircraft to nearly 58 tons or 438 cubic meters, with approximately 75 percent of this capacity on the main deck.

Unless you’re stranded at an airport with a spa, an arcade, a rotating art exhibit, or live music — yes, those airports exist — long layovers can be dreadful. So rather than spend endless hours or days inside a crowded airport, why not take a mini excursion in the city? Ahead of the busy holiday travel season, travel industry experts ranked 56 of the largest U.S. cities served by large- and medium-hub airports to determine 2022’s Best and Worst Cities for Layovers. The analysts looked at each city’s share of delayed and canceled flights, including average departure delay times. They also searched for cities that are easy to navigate, especially from the airport, and offer plenty of fun things to do and see without breaking your bank. Check out the five best (and five worst) cities for layovers below, followed by surprising findings from our report. 2022’s Best Cities for LayoversRankCity1Portland, OR2Boise, ID3Anchorage, AK4New York, NY5Honolulu, HI 2022’s Worst Cities for LayoversRankCity52Cincinnati, OH53Durham, NC54Newark, NJ55Detroit, MI56Fort Worth, TX

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for governments to follow World Health Organization (WHO) advice and immediately rescind travel bans that were introduced in response to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Public health organizations, including the WHO, have advised against travel curbs to contain the spread of Omicron. WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant states that: “Blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. In addition, they can adversely impact global health efforts during a pandemic by disincentivizing countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data. All countries should ensure that the measures are regularly reviewed and updated when new evidence becomes available on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Omicron or any other variants of concern.” Time-Limited Science-Bases Measures  The same WHO advice also notes that states implementing measures such as screening or quarantine “need to be defined following a thorough risk assessment process informed by the local epidemiology in departure and destination countries and by the health system and public health capacities in the countries of departure, transit and arrival. All measures should be commensurate with the risk, time-limited and applied with respect to travelers’ dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as outlined in the International Health Regulations.”  “After nearly two years with COVID-19 we know a lot about the virus and the inability of travel restrictions to control its spread. But the discovery of the Omicron variant induced instant amnesia on governments which implemented knee-jerk restrictions in complete contravention of advice from the WHO—the global expert,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

In its latest report, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said that in 2020, when the spreading COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of many borders, the total number of international airline passengers worldwide plunged by up to 74%, compared to 2019. ‘Collapse,’ ‘unprecedented decline in history,’ and ‘stagnation’ were the terms used by the ICAO to describe the current state of global air travel, as the aviation industry marks its annual International Civil Aviation Day today. COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic drop in global air travel, with airlines losing $371 billion in gross passenger operating revenues as they were forced to reduce the number of seats on offer by 66%. Global airports lost over 60% of passenger traffic and more than $125 billion in airport revenues last year, compared to the pre-pandemic 2019. For 2021, the ICAO predicts a moderate recovery in domestic travel, while international travel looks set to remain stagnant. The agency says the actual figures for this year will depend on the duration and magnitude of the outbreak and containment measures, the degree of consumer confidence in air travel, and economic conditions, among other factors. But with the new and potentially more vaccine-resistant Omicron variant spreading around the world, and countries introducing new restrictions, the future of civil aviation looks uncertain. The ICAO actively monitors the economic impact of the pandemic on civil aviation and publishes reports and forecasts on a regular basis. Before the pandemic, global airlines carried over four billion passengers a year, supported over 65 million jobs, and generated $2.7 trillion in global economic activity, according to UN estimates. International Civil Aviation Day was established by the UN in the 1990s to commemorate the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (also known as Chicago Convention) on December 7, 1944.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly advises against any travel to nations on its ‘Level 4’ COVID-19 risk countries. “Avoid travel to these destinations,” CDC instructs. In fact, the CDC generally recommends avoiding any international travel at all until a person is fully vaccinated. But if a person still “must” travel, the CDC strongly recommends they are fully vaccinated before the trip. As a result, Americans are now advised against traveling to some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations after they were added to the list of ‘very high’ COVID risk places. France, which was the world’s top travel destination in the times before the COVID-19 pandemic, has just landed on the CDC ‘stop list.’ That’s after the European nation that once hosted tens of millions of tourists a year was assigned the highest COVID-19 risk level. And France was not the only tourist hotspot to hit the list on today. It was accompanied by a popular safari destination – Tanzania – the sunny Mediterranean island of Cyprus, and also Jordan, the Middle Eastern nation housing a popular ancient archeological site and tourist attraction of Petra. A total of seven nations have been added to the list, including the tiny European states of Andorra and Liechtenstein as well as Portugal. Now, almost all of Europe is designated as a ‘very high’ risk destination by the CDC among a total of 80 nations on that list. The countries falling into this category have reported more than 500 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the past 28 days. The only exceptions are Spain and Italy – another two of the world’s most popular tourist destinations – as well as Sweden, Finland, and Malta. But don’t just rush to pack your bags, since these nations are all designated as ‘high’ risk destinations and the CDC would like to see any person fully vaccinated before traveling there.

Nigeria is the latest country to be added to the UK’s travel ‘red list’ on today. The red list means that the only people allowed to enter the UK from them are UK or Irish nationals and residents. Anyone returning from red-list nations has to self-isolate for 10 days at their own expense in a government-approved hotel. All 11 states on the list located in Africa. In today’s interview to the BBC on Monday, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom decried Britain’s travel restrictions, enacted to counter the spread of new Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. Nigeria’s representative in the UK, Sarafa Tunji Isola, condemned the targeted approach taken by the UK government that limits travel to and from some African nations, calling it a “travel apartheid.” Great Britain‘s decision to impose restrictions on Nigeria was announced on Saturday, with the British government citing how the ‘vast majority’ of Omicron cases in Britain have been linked to ‘overseas travel from South Africa and Nigeria.’ Nigeria’s Isola is the latest foreign official to denounce the restrictions, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres having also used the term “travel apartheid” last week while speaking to reporters in New York. The UN chief claimed that travel restrictions, such as those imposed by the UK, are “not only deeply unfair and punitive”, but are ultimately “ineffective.” Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo also criticized countries for imposing restrictions on African nations, calling the measures “instruments of immigration control.” UK minister Kit Malthouse refuted the allegation, stating that the use of the phrase “travel apartheid” is “very unfortunate language.” Defending the restrictions, he argued that they are helpful in giving British health officials “a little bit of time” to “work on the virus and assess how difficult it’s going to be.” The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care has also stood by the restrictions, noting that the government will continue to keep the potential risk posed by individual countries and territories under review as regards what levels of precaution are required.

Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions (Eve), an Embraer company, and Sydney Seaplanes, a leader in the transition to sustainable aviation, today announced a partnership that will lay the foundation for new electric air taxi operations in Greater Sydney. With the partnership, Sydney Seaplanes has placed an order for 50 of Eve’s electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL), with progressive deliveries expected to commence from 2026. The new partnership accelerates the progress towards 100% of greater Sydney’s local tourism and commuter flights coming from zero emission electric aviation. “This is an exciting development for Sydney Seaplanes. Sydney needs a post-COVID lift and what better way to do that than by developing high-tech and zero carbon jobs that support transport, tourism and the vibrancy of this wonderful city. Eve’s eVTOL technology will integrate seamlessly with our electric amphibious fleet to deliver a range of tourism and commuter journeys. Subject to community consultation, we expect some flights will operate from our iconic Rose Bay aviation terminal in Sydney Harbour. This service will have widespread appeal which will allow us to open new routes beyond the Harbour and throughout the greater Sydney region,” said Aaron Shaw, CEO of Sydney Seaplanes. “We are pleased to support Sydney Seaplanes as they seek to bring new mobility solutions to Sydney. The Greater Sydney market offers significant potential for scaled Urban Air Mobility operations, to make the most of the iconic beauty of Sydney Harbour and to improve the efficiency of movement to complement existing transport modes. Eve will support this new partnership with comprehensive solutions for aircraft operations including air traffic management solutions, maintenance, training, and other services,” said Andre Stein, President & CEO of Eve Urban Air Mobility. Benefitting from a startup mindset and backed by Embraer‘s more than 50-year history of aircraft manufacturing and certification expertise, Eve unveils a unique value proposition by positioning itself as an ecosystem partner by offering a suite of products and services with the highest levels of safety standards. Eve’s human-centered, eVTOL design combines disruptive innovation and a simple and intuitive design. In addition to the aircraft program, Eve is harnessing the expertise of both Embraer and Atech, a subsidiary of the Embraer Group, in providing globally recognized air traffic management software to create the solutions that will help safely scale the UAM industry going forward.

American Airlines recently inaugurated its 28th destination in Mexico with the launch of its Miami (MIA) to Chetumal (CTM) route, continuing its Mexico expansion plan for 2021. The new route has twice-weekly frequency on Wednesdays and Saturdays on the aircraft Embraer 175, with capacity for 76 passengers: 64 seats in the main cabin and 12 seats in business class. RouteFrequencyTimeAircraftMIA-CTMWednesdays and Saturdays10:50 a.m.Embraer 175CTM-MIAWednesdays and Saturdays1:50 p.m.Embraer 175 “American has a commitment of almost 80 years of service in Mexico, and we’re proud to close this 2021 inaugural flight from Miami to Chetumal,” said José Maria Giraldo, Director of Operations for Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Ecuador for American Airlines. “We’re excited to be able to open the doors of Chetumal to more travelers from the United States and the World.” The opening ceremony was attended by the Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, Carlos Manuel Joaquin Gonzalez, who said, “this pioneering flight in the state capital will benefit the entire southern region and expand its tourism offering, contributing to our goal of strengthening the economy and development of this region.”  Dario Flota Ocampo, director of Quintana Roo Tourism Board, said “we appreciate the interest that American Airlines has always shown to support the tourist destinations of the Mexican Caribbean, we hope this route will help generate traffic in both directions so that it is mutually beneficial and continues for a long time to come.”  “This year American celebrates 40 years of service in the state of Quintana Roo, operating from Cancun, and today with our new service in Chetumal, we will offer better access to tourists who wish to visit the state capital, as well as the tourist destinations of Bacalar and different surrounding archaeological zones,” said Vicky Uzal, commercial director at American Airlines for Mexico. American Airlines currently operates over 750 weekly flights to 28 destinations in the country, including two destinations in Quintana Roo: Chetumal (CTM) and Cancun (CUN).

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) reminds about the possibility to use regular flights between Ukraine and Israel despite the new quarantine restrictions that apply when entering the territory of the State of Israel. Currently, anyone who has been in the red zone for the past two weeks must be isolated in a state-funded COVID-19 hotel before receiving a negative PCR test at Ben Gurion International Airport. The passenger may then complete a period of complete isolation (14 days) or 7 days subject to an additional negative PCR test on the seventh day of isolation. In addition, on flights on this route, the airline has also introduced special promotional fares for tickets between Tel Aviv and Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Zaporizhia and Lviv. Ukraine International Airlines strongly advises to closely monitor the update of rules and epidemiological restrictions of a destination country. Ukraine International Airlines PJSC, often shortened to UIA, is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Ukraine, with its head office in Kyiv and its main hub at Kyiv’s Boryspil International Airport.

Placing the highest total bid of 7.25 billion euros, Fraport AG and its partner TAV Airports Holding won today’s auction for the new concession to operate Antalya Airport (AYT), the gateway to the Turkish Riviera. A percentage of 25% of the bidding price is payable up front within 90 days after closing of the concession contract. The existing concession for Antalya Airport – managed by the Fraport and TAV joint venture – expires at the end of 2026.  The agreement for the new concession is expected to be signed within the first quarter of 2022, pending approval of the Turkish competition and airport authorities. Fraport-TAV’s mandate as the concessionnaire will include operations of the passenger terminals and other “landside” infrastructure, such as retail areas, public parking, and passenger screening. The operational period for the new 25-year concession will begin in early 2027 (after expiration of the existing contract). Under the agreement, infrastructure projects will have to be completed before the operational period of the new concession begins. These projects include the expansion of Terminal 2 and the domestic terminal, as well as creating new facilities for VIP/CIP passengers. Commenting on the successful bid for the new AYT concession, Fraport AG’s CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte said: “We delivered a convincing bid backed by our many years of successfully operating and developing Antalya Airport as one of the world’s premier tourism hubs. Together with our partner TAV, we look forward to continuing this dedication to customer service, innovation and operational excellence in the decades to come.” Fraport AG has been active in Antalya for more than two decades. Since 1999, Fraport has successfully secured Antalya’s position as one of the leading tourist gateways in the Mediterranean region for visitors from across Europe and around the world. With numerous airlines and an extensive route network, AYT has become Turkey’s second busiest airport outside of Istanbul.  In 2019, Antalya Airport reached an all-time record of more than 35 million passengers. Due to the global pandemic, traffic dropped by nearly 73 percent year-on-year in 2020 to about 9.7 million travelers. However, traffic started rebounding in 2021 – particularly since the summer – to about 20 million passengers for the January-to-October period.

The newly discovered Omicron strain of the coronavirus has forced many states to urgently close their borders to some or all foreign arrivals. In an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 Omicron variant into their territories, 33 countries around the world have announced outright travel bans or enhanced travel restrictions of various degrees by now. The degree of border control severity varies from country to country, with China, Israel, Morocco and Japan closing their borders entirely, while other states only tightening COVID-19 testing protocols at the border. Complete Foreign Arrivals Bans China – China already had stringent border controls in place, with only citizens and resident permit holders allowed into the country. Israel – Israel banned foreigners from entering the country for 14 days. Israeli citizens will be able to come back to the country but will need to quarantine, even if fully vaccinated. Japan – Japan closed its borders to non-citizens for one month, this includes foreign exchange students and those travelling for business. Morocco – Morocco canceled all incoming flights for two weeks.

Qatar Airways will add Tashkent, Uzbekistan to its global network with twice weekly flights. The first flight from Doha to Tashkent will take off on 17 January 2022, operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 120 seats in Economy Class. The new service will enable passengers flying to and from Tashkent to enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, India and the U.S., via Hamad International Airport in Doha. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We see tremendous growth potentials in Central Asia and this new service to Tashkent will serve to boost trade opportunities and attract tourists wanting to discover this beautiful destination. Passengers from Tashkent will now have access to more than 140 destinations when travelling with the World’s Best Airline via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport.” Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan lying at the core of the ancient Silk Road, will become Qatar Airways’ newest destination in 2022 and the latest addition to its network in Asia. It is the largest city in Central Asia, offering visitors panoramic views, varied cuisine and plenty of places to see and discover. Flight Schedule Doha – Tashkent (All times in local) Monday and Friday Doha (DOH) to Tashkent (TAS)         QR377            Departs: 18:55            Arrives: 00:30 +1 Tuesday and Saturday Tashkent (TAS) to Doha (DOH)         QR378            Departs: 01:50            Arrives: 04:00

InterCaribbean Airways announced services from Georgetown (GEO), Guyana to Barbados (BGI), with connecting flights to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD), Antigua (ANU), Grenada (GND), Dominica (DOM), and St Lucia (SLU).  An onward flight via Barbados to Antigua, will continue to Providenciales and connect onwards to Havana, Cuba. With these new routes and well-timed flights that connect to onward flights to the United Kingdom, the USA, and Canada, we look forward to welcoming customers from across the world. interCaribbean expects to connect Georgetown to additional Caribbean points in the very near future to deliver on a truly connected Caribbean with interCaribbean Airways. Flights are scheduled to begin operations on December 17, 2021 in time for the holiday season with 12 weekly flights planned to operate between Georgetown and Barbados. Minister of Public Works, Juan A. Edghill welcomed the airline to the Guyana market at a ceremony hosted at Dukes Lodge in Georgetown on November 5, 2021. Minister Edghill said there is insufficient connectivity between Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean, and the Guyana government is therefore pleased with the additional airline joining its friendly skies. In announcing the service at a launch event in Georgetown attended by Ministers, Diplomats based in Guyana, and members of the business community. According to Mr. Gardiner, “With the open-for-business efforts of this government, we were able to put everything in place, and we are here to make the announcement, and make the service a reality from December 17.”

InterCaribbean Airways has been serving Antigua from Tortola since 2015 with up to double daily flights with AM and PM departures, connecting to Europe and USA/Canada bound flights as well as connection Antigua with onward flights to 8 other onward cities. Now, interCaribbean Airways is pleased to announce new Antigua service with two new nonstop Jet service (ERJ145) destinations, connecting Antigua (ANU) with Barbados (BGI) with an initial two weekly flights, as well as nonstop service from Antigua (ANU) to Providenciales (PLS). The Barbados flight continues immediately onwards to newly announced Georgetown (GEO), Guyana with 2 hours of flying and a short transit time. The same connection point in Barbados offers onward also to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD), St Lucia (SLU) and Grenada (GND). For the first time the Eastern Caribbean can now experience jet service between Antigua and Barbados, and onwards to Georgetown, making this the fast flight connection in the region. New nonstop service to Providenciales (PLS), Turks and Caicos Islands, offers an immediate onward connection to Havana (HAV), Cuba as well as Nassau (NAS), Bahamas, and Kingston (KIN), Jamaica. Travelers can now jet between Antigua and Havana in less than 4 hours of flying time giving the fastest connection the market has seen. Schedule Antigua- Barbados-Antigua Flight JY 797 departs Antigua 2.30pm arrives Barbados 3.35pm (Wednesday and Saturday) Flight JY 792 departs Barbados 12.10pm, arrives Antigua 1.15pm Schedule Antigua-Providenciales-Antigua Flight JY 794 departs Antigua 1.45pm arrives Providenciales 2.45pm* (Wednesday and Saturday) Flight JY 795 departs Providenciales 10.30am, arrives Antigua 1.30*pm * 1-hour time difference in winter between Antigua and Providenciales Flights are scheduled to begin operations from the week of December 17, 2021 in time for the holiday season and making Antigua more connected with the region than ever before.

A dramatic incident unfolded at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on board a flight that was set to depart for Spain at around 6pm on Sunday. Just as the plane was about to take off, Dutch military police boarded the aircraft and removed a married couple who fled a quarantine hotel for suspected COVID-19 Omicron strain carriers in the Netherlands. The identities of the detained couple were not released, and it is unclear whether they were infected or just being held in quarantine as a precaution. The military turned them over to health officials to be sent to another quarantine facility. The Netherlands is on high alert after over a dozen cases of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant were discovered among airline passengers – before all 27 EU member states agreed to temporarily ban travel from seven southern African nations on Friday. All recent arrivals into the Netherlands from South Africa, as well as from Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, have been required to be tested and quarantined until their results are known, even if they are vaccinated. Some 61 out of a total of 624 passengers tested positive for COVID-19, so the Dutch National Institute for Health (RIVM) warned that “the new variant may be found in more test samples.” “We will control whether they keep to those rules,” Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge declared on Sunday, just hours before the escape attempt.

European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen, today, urgently called for all air travel to and from countries with reported cases of the new COVID-19 strain to be canceled until government and health officials have a better understanding of the risk the new virus variant poses. Denmark, Morocco, the Philippines and Spain have become the latest nations to impose travel restrictions on all non-essential travel to South Africa and neighboring states, joining the growing list of countries with curbs over ‘super mutant’ COVID-19 strain. The European Union’s announcement came after Denmark and Spain joined other European nations in limiting travel to the region, while, internationally, Morocco and the Philippines took similar steps to restrict movement to a group of countries deemed at risk. Germany has declared South Africa a “virus variant area,” the country’s health minister Jens Spahn wrote on Twitter. It means “airlines will only be allowed to transport Germans” from the country. All arrivals would be required to quarantine for 14 days, even if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered, Spahn added. The Dutch authorities made a similar move, announcing a ban on flights from South Africa to the Netherlands from midnight. Italy and Czech Republic were also quick to follow other European nations in imposing restrictions.  Rome has banned entry to all arrivals from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini. Prague has also said that non-nationals who recently visited South Africa won’t be allowed into Czechia. Later in the day, France said that it was suspending flights from southern Africa for at least 48 hours, with Health Minister Olivier Veran announcing that all those who recently arrived from the region are going to be tested and monitored closely. French Prime Minister Jean Castex revealed that talks among EU leaders on how to respond to the new strain, which so far hasn’t been diagnosed on the continent, are going to take place “over the next hours”. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the large number of mutations in the newly-discovered variant raises serious concerns over how it will impact diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccinations. The UK also restricted air travel to and from South Africa and its neighbors, with the country’s Health Security Agency saying that “this is the worst variant we have seen so far.” Countries beyond Europe have also been worried about the new variant, with Malaysia, Japan, Singapore and Bahrain imposing restrictions on travelers from the southern Africa region. Israel also placed a ban on arrivals from southern Africa but then expanded that ‘red zone’ to almost the whole continent, only excluding some north-African nations.

The European Commission (EC), the executive branch of the European Union, issued a proposal today, recommending that all UE member-countries only allow in vaccinated, recovered, or essential travelers (like truck drivers) from outside of the European bloc, as of March 2022. Prospective visitors would need to prove that they were last vaccinated no more than nine months before entry, a move that essentially makes booster shots mandatory for most travelers. Under proposed new rules, visitors would need a booster shot every nine months. The EU currently recommends that member states allow in travelers from a list of just over 20 countries with “a good epidemiological situation.” Travelers from these locations ​​– which include Canada, New Zealand, and the UAE – are allowed into the EU with either a vaccine certificate, proof of recovery, or proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Under the new rules, this list would be done away with, and individual travelers allowed in based on their vaccination or recovery status alone. Currently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved vaccines by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Janssen. Russia’s Sputnik-V is under review by the agency, as are shots by Sanofi-GSK and China’s Sinopharm.  Under the new proposal, the European Union would grant entry to travelers vaccinated with shots approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), but not the EMA. This would clear anyone jabbed with SInopharm, Sinovac, and two Indian-made vaccines to enter, as long as they provide a negative test result as well as proof of vaccination. The Commission’s proposal will need to be cleared by the European Council, and if passed it will apply to every EU country except Ireland, which is not a member of the border-free Schengen Area. About 67% of EU citizens are currently vaccinated against COVID-19, though individual countries have seen different uptake rates. However, even in Ireland, which has the highest vaccination rate in the bloc at 93%, weekly new cases of the virus have tripled since the beginning of October, and the Irish government is considering fresh restrictions on daily life. “It is evident that the pandemic is not yet over,” European Commissioner Didier Reynders said on Thursday, adding that “the travel rules need to take into account this volatile situation.”

The East African Community (EAC) has launched the EAC Regional and Domestic Tourism Media Campaign set to publicize national and regional tourist attraction sites and services, aiming to stimulate and develop intra-regional travel. Launched this week, the “Tembea Nyumbani”, or “Visit Home” campaign seeks to attract East African citizens to travel in their own countries, then around the region, in an effort to revive domestic and regional tourism across the East African region, amid the COVID -19 pandemic. The campaign is set to run for three weeks, from December 1, 2021. It is part of implementation of the EAC Tourism Marketing Strategy and EAC Recovery Plan supported by German Development Agency, GIZ. EAC Secretariat launched the campaign at its headquarters in Northern Tanzania tourist city of Arusha. Tourism contributes significantly to the economies of EAC Partner States and pre-pandemic, contributed 10 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 17% export earnings and 7% in jobs creation. COVID-19 pandemic saw the sector affected negatively with international tourism arrivals in East Africa dropping by about 67.7%, to an estimated 2.25 million arrivals in 2020 compared to 6.98 million in 2019. EAC Secretary General Dr. Peter Mathuki had encouraged tourism private sector players to extend affordable packages to East Africans so as to entice them into taking advantage of the holiday offers available during the upcoming festive season. “With preferential entry fees and rates now extended to EAC citizens, it is timely for East Africans to explore the diverse cultures, take on adventure safaris and visit exotic beaches amongst other opportunities the region has to offer”, Dr. Mathuki said during the media launch held at the EAC headquarters in Arusha mid-this week. Dr. Mathuki further noted that EAC has developed an EAC Pass that integrates and validates COVID-19 tests and vaccination certificates for EAC Partner States to ease travel across the region. The Tembea Nyumbani campaign is being undertaken by the EAC in collaboration with the East African Tourism Platform that represents the tourism businesses across the region.  Through the campaign, hoteliers and other tourism service providers are being encouraged to promote affordable packages to the EAC citizens. On his part, EAC Director in charge of Productive Sectors, Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana noted that the EAC is making strides in ensuring the Single Tourist Visa is adopted by all EAC Partner States. “The Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management during their Extra-ordinary meeting held in July this year had recommended that the Secretariat to convene a multisectoral meeting comprising key sectors such as Tourism and Wildlife, Immigration and Security to develop a framework for introduction of the Single Tourist Visa by all the Partner States,” he said. Mr. Havugimana noted that the meeting will be convened in early 2022, adding that once fully adopted the Visa will ease travel by foreign tourists across the entire region. Further, EAC Principal Tourism Officer, Mr. Simon Kiarie, noted that EAC projects that with aggressive tourism efforts both at the regional and national levels; the region will be able to receive about 4 million tourists in next year.  “The tourism sector’s recovery has been on an upward trajectory and we expect that by the year 2024, we will receive about 7 million tourists compared to 2.25 million tourists recorded in 2020”, he noted.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited Orlando International Airport in Florida Wednesday and met with aviation leaders to discuss implementing aircraft flight scheduling technology developed by the agency that will soon improve dependability for passengers – which is especially important during peak travel times like the Thanksgiving holiday.  In September, the technology that was tested during NASA’s Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) was transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Large airports across the country – including Orlando International – will soon implement the technology. Nelson discussed the technology transfer with Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO Phil Brown. “NASA’s partnership with the FAA is constantly delivering for the American people, improving the efficiency of the commercial airline industry for the environment and passengers across the country,” Nelson said. “Our flight scheduling technology, which makes it possible for personnel to better coordinate the movements of aircraft while they’re at the airport, will soon help ensure more passengers get off the ground and home for the holidays faster and more efficiently than ever before.” NASA and the FAA completed nearly four years of surface operations research and testing to calculate gate pushbacks through time-based metering at busy hub airports, so that planes can roll directly to the runway to take off and avoid excessive taxi and hold times, reducing fuel use, emissions, and passenger delays.  “As we deploy this software, the travel experience gets better for passengers all the while aviation’s emissions decrease. It’s a win-win,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “NASA remains a critical partner in the FAA’s efforts to build a sustainable aviation system.” The FAA plans to deploy NASA’s surface metering technology initially to 27 airports, including Orlando International, as part of a larger investment in airport surface management technology called the Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) program. Improved efficiency and shifting departure wait time from the taxiway to the gate saves fuel, reduces emissions, and gives airlines and passengers more flexibility in the period prior to leaving the gate.   “The anticipated rollout of the updated TFDM in 2023 aligns with our projections for returning to pre-pandemic passenger traffic the same year,” Brown said. “These updates should result in a smoother experience for the traveling public and enhance ‘The Orlando Experience’ we strive to offer every day at our world-class airport.” NASA’s ATD-2 team first put their aircraft scheduling technology to the test with real-world users in September 2017 at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. By September 2021, the integrated arrival and departure system (IADS) tools had saved more than 1 million gallons of jet fuel. Those savings were made possible by reducing jet engine run time, which also decreases maintenance costs and saved airlines an estimated nearly $1.4 million in flight crew costs. Overall, passengers were spared 933 hours in flight delays and saved an estimated $4.5 million in value of time.