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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 30, 2021

Official response to COVID-19 Delta hurts air travel recovery

Total demand for air travel in August 2021 was down 56.0% compared to August 2019. This was entirely driven by domestic markets, which were down 32.2% compared to August 2019, a major deterioration from July 2021.International passenger demand in August was 68.8% below August 2019, which was an improvement compared to the 73.1% decline recorded in July.  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the recovery in air travel decelerated in August compared to July, as government actions in response to concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant cut deeply into domestic travel demand.  Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons are to July 2019, which followed a normal demand pattern. Total demand for air travel in August 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 56.0% compared to August 2019. This marked a slowdown from July, when demand was 53.0% below July 2019 levels.   This was entirely driven by domestic markets, which were down 32.2% compared to August 2019, a major deterioration from July 2021, when traffic was down 16.1% versus two years ago. The worst impact was in China, while India and Russia were the only large markets to show a month-to-month improvement compared to July 2021.  International passenger demand in August was 68.8% below August 2019, which was an improvement compared to the 73.1% decline recorded in July. All regions showed improvement, which was attributable to growing vaccination rates and less stringent international travel restrictions in some regions. “August results reflect the impact of concerns over the Delta variant on domestic travel, even as international travel continued on a snail’s pace toward a full recovery that cannot happen until governments restore the freedom to travel. In that regard, the recent US announcement to lift travel restrictions from early November on fully vaccinated travelers is very good news and will bring certainty to a key market. But challenges remain, September bookings indicate a deterioration in international recovery. That’s bad news heading into the traditionally slower fourth quarter,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.  August 2021(% chg vs the same month in 2019)World share1RPKASKPLF (%-pt)2PLF (level)3Total Market 100.0%-56.0%-46.2%-15.6%70.0%Africa1.9%-58.0%-50.4%-11.5%64.0%Asia Pacific38.6%-78.3%-66.5%-29.6%54.5%Europe23.7%-48.7%-38.7%-14.4%74.6%Latin America5.7%-42.0%-37.7%-5.8%77.4%Middle East7.4%-68.0%-53.1%-26.0%56.0%North America22.7%-30.3%-22.7%-8.6%78.6%
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 29, 2021

Alaska Airlines rolls out San Francisco Giants-themed Airbus A321

Alaska Airlines is the official airline partner of the San Francisco Giants baseball team.This is the second Alaska Airlines aircraft with livery dedicated to the San Francisco Giants.The aircraft with tail number N855VA will fly throughout Alaska Airlines’ network now through 2022. Alaska Airlines, the official airline partner of the San Francisco Giants, is taking postseason celebrations to new heights with the debut of its new Giants-themed livery. Just in time for the Giants’ upcoming playoff run, the Airbus 321 aircraft was introduced today to fans departing San Francisco (SFO) for Seattle (SEA). Alaska Airlines unveils new San Francisco Giants livery with celebration at San Francisco International Airport featuring Giants mascot “Lou Seal” “Few things are as exciting as seeing this big, colorful giant fly across our beautiful state as we go into our playoff run. My hope is that this aircraft gives Giants fans a way to feel part of the team, every time they travel,” said San Francisco Giants CEO and President Larry Baer. “Partnerships like we have with Alaska Airlines offer critical support of local community, youth and education programs like the Willie Mays Scholarship Fund and the Giants Community Fund, which in turn is helping change the lives of our youths.” This is the second livery dedicated to the San Francisco Giants. The plane, tail number N855VA, will fly throughout Alaska’s network now through 2022. The new Giants-themed livery is one of many ways guests can celebrate the team’s playoff run. Alaska Airlines just announced that fans who wear Giants’ apparel can board early for all San Francisco departing flights for the duration of the team’s postseason play. Alaska employees dedicated the plane along with a $100,000 check to the Willie Mays Scholarship Fund, in honor of the ‘Say Hey Kid’s’ 90th birthday. The fund assists in making college aspirations come true for San Francisco’s Black youth and empowers them to pursue their goals to achieve success in high school, college and beyond. Terminal 2 flyers were also treated to a surprise celebration complete with DJ entertainment on-site, prizes, giveaways and a visit from the Giants’ mascot “Lou Seal” joining in on the festivities. “Alaska has been a proud partner of the Giants since 2017,” said Natalie Bowman, Alaska Airlines managing director of brand and marketing communications. “We’re thrilled to display our Giants pride from 35,000 feet with this unique looking plane, and we wish the team the best of luck as they hopefully make a deep run in the postseason.” The Giants-inspired wrapped aircraft and early boarding are among many ways Alaska is deepening its presence in the Bay, its third largest hub. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 29, 2021

Airbus delivers first new A220 jet to Air France

The A220 is the most efficient and flexible aircraft in the 100 to 150 seat market segment today. The first Air France A220-300 will be operated on its medium-haul network from the 2021 winter season.With a range of up to 3,450 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives airlines added operational flexibility. Air France has received its first A220-300 from an order for 60 aircraft of the type, the largest A220 order from a European carrier. The aircraft was delivered from Airbus’ final assembly line in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and officially unveiled to the public during a ceremony held at Paris Charles-De-Gaulle Airport. Airbus A220 is the most efficient and flexible aircraft in the 100 to 150 seat market segment today. The renewal of the Air France single-aisle fleet with this latest generation aircraft will increase efficiency along with customer comfort and support Air France to meet its environmental goals and sustainability objectives. The first Air France A220-300 will be operated on its medium-haul network from the 2021 winter season. Currently, Air France operates a fleet of 136 Airbus aircraft. Air France is also renewing its long-haul fleet, and has already taken delivery of 11 A350s out of an order of 38. The Air France A220-300 cabin is configured in a single-class layout to comfortably welcome 148 passengers. Offering superior single-aisle comfort, with the widest leather seats, largest windows and up to 20% more overhead stowage space per passenger, the Air France A220 also features full WiFi connectivity throughout the cabin and two USB sockets at each passenger seat.  The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation geared turbofan engines. With a range of up to 3,450 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives airlines added operational flexibility. The A220 delivers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards. In addition, the aircraft noise footprint is reduced by 50% compared to previous generation aircraft – making the A220 a good neighbor around airports. As of the end of August, over 170 A220s have been delivered to 11 operators worldwide.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 29, 2021

United Airlines to fire 593 employees for refusing vaccination

United Airlines’ 67,000 US employees were ordered to provide proof of vaccination by last Monday.United Airlines however, will allow employees to keep their jobs if they have been vaccinated but failed to submit proof by the deadline.Unvaccinated workers have several weeks under the union’s current dismissal rules to undergo inoculation if they wish to stay. United Airlines ordered its 67,000 US employees to provide proof of vaccination by last Monday. Now 593 company workers are facing discharge after failing to comply with the airlines’ COVID-19 vaccination policy. “This was an incredibly difficult decision but keeping our team safe has always been our first priority,” the Chicago-based airline’s chief executive Scott Kirby and president Brett Hart said in a memo to employees. While the majority of United Airlines‘ employees complied with company’s policy, 593 workers refused to be jabbed and failed to apply for the exemption on religious or medical grounds which the firm set as mandatory in the event of failing to vaccinate.  “Our rationale for requiring the vaccine for all United’s US-based employees was simple – to keep our people safe – and the truth is this: everyone is safer when everyone is vaccinated, and vaccine requirements work,” United said in the memo. United Airlines however, will allow the staff to keep their jobs if they have been vaccinated but failed to submit proof by the deadline, or if they will be jabbed before the formal decision on the dismissals comes through. This means unvaccinated workers have several weeks or even months under the union’s current dismissal rules to undergo inoculation if they wish to stay. United Airlines announced earlier this month it would put employees who are exempt from the vaccine mandate on unpaid or medical leave from October 2. The plan was later scrapped after a lawsuit filed by six employees appealed the decision. Some 2,000 employees have so far requested the exemption.  United Airlines was the first US carrier to impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on its staff in early August. Other US airlines have been uneager to follow suit, but moved to end pay protections for unvaccinated employees who test positive for the virus. Georgia-based Delta Air Lines slapped a $200 monthly health insurance surcharge on staff who haven’t been vaccinated. Like many other airlines, United was hit hard by pandemic-induced travel restrictions, having to furlough some 36,000 employees at the height of the crisis last year.
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Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·
Aviation Feature
·September 28, 2021

Alitalia Workers are Working for Free

The tender could last several weeks, because the first binding offers must be submitted by October 4 at 2 pm, at the minimum price of 290 million euros (plus VAT).But no carrier seems interested in buying the brand at this stage.“The valuation is unrealistic,” said Alfredo Altavilla, President of ITA, the new airline, which is probably the company most interested in the brand of the old company. Base Price 290 Million To make an offer at this stage, it requires a down payment of 40 million euro. Only persons with an air transport license or AOC (Air Operator Certificate) and a net worth of at least 200 million can join the binding. If there are no offers equal to at least the base price, the commissioners will open a second round of binding offers. The call for tenders, named “invitation,” provides for a second phase if there are no suitable offers in the first phase. In this case, the commissioners “will carry out the second phase of the award with the request to all the admitted subjects to present binding offers also in reduction with respect to the offered price.” It was not said what the base price for the second round would be. The brand has a book value of 150 million in Alitalia’s financial statements. Therefore it is unlikely that it will fall below this figure. Third Round: Discretionary Choice of Commissioners If in the first as in the second phase there were more offers, it would next go to the raises, starting from the best offer, for an amount “not less than 10 million euros.” If the second round is also unsatisfactory, the procedure will be changed. “The extraordinary commissioners will then proceed with the sale of the brand without procedural constraints towards the economic operator they have identified,” said the announcement. For the third round, there would, therefore, be discretion of the commissioners. In this phase, ITA could enter, which aims to buy the brand but without fainting. “The brand will be made available to the successful bidder by December 31, 2021,” says the invitation published by the commissioners. Communication of the Commissioners For the 10,500 workers of Alitalia, there is, therefore, a long wait to get the balance of their salary for September. And it is not assured that in the end there is money. In an internal communication, the commissioners Gabriele Fava, Giuseppe Leogrande, and Daniele Santosuosso wrote to the employees: “As you know, our activities included in the aviation branch are expected to end on October 14, and, therefore, we are forced to manage the company’s finance consistently with this target, taking into account that the closure of sales on August 24 generated a substantial stop in revenues. “We are very sorry to have to inform you that the salaries of the current month will be adjusted at 50% with value on Monday, September 27, while the remaining 50% will be credited to you as soon as we have evidence of the outcome of the brand announcement, as required by the European Commission.” In fact, the law provides that the sums deriving from the sale of assets are used as a priority to support current costs, primarily salaries.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 28, 2021

Southern Africa flights now with United Airlines and Airlink

United Airlines and Airlink announce commercial agreement to help customers explore Southern Africa.New partnership provides customers with easy travel to more than 40 destinations in Southern Africa.United Airlines customers can now earn or redeem miles on United and Airlink flights. Today, United Airlines and Airlink, a South African airline, announced a new codeshare agreement that will offer customers more connections between the U.S. and Southern Africa than any other airline alliance. The new agreement, which is subject to government approval, will offer one stop connections from the U.S. to more than 40 destinations in Southern Africa. Additionally, United will be the first airline to connect its loyalty program with Airlink, allowing MileagePlus members to earn and redeem miles when they travel on Airlink flights. This new cooperation will be in addition to United’s existing partnership with Star Alliance member South African Airways. “United continues to demonstrate our commitment to Africa, starting three brand new flights to the continent this year alone including new service to Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg, South Africa,” said Patrick Quayle, vice president of international network and alliances at United Airlines. “And now through our codeshare agreement with Airlink – which is the most expansive partnership in Southern Africa – customers will be able to easily explore more bucket list destinations across the continent including easy connections to Zambia, Zimbabwe and more.” United Airlines has continued to expand its footprint into Africa, with direct service to four African destinations. Earlier this month, United announced flights between Washington, D.C. and Lagos Nigeria will begin November 29, subject to government approval. Earlier this year, United launched new service between New York/Newark and Johannesburg, South Africa and between Washington, D.C. and Accra, Ghana, which is expected to operate daily this December and January. United’s popular service between New York/Newark and Cape Town, South Africa will also resume on December 1. “North America is an important source market for our destinations. This codeshare will make it easy for our North American customers to reach the Okavango Delta, Chobe, the Kruger National Park and adjacent private game lodges, Cape Town, the Garden Route, Swakopmund and the Copperbelt, among others,” said Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster. “Similarly, the codeshare means that our customers in the 12 African countries we currently serve, will have fast and seamless access to all of United’s network.” This new codeshare will be implemented upon final government approvals.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 28, 2021

SAUDIA crowned the World’s Most Improved Airline in 2021

The airline wins the Skytrax award for the second time in four years and continues its upward trajectory.SAUDIA moves up 26 spots; a 55% improvement in its overall Skytrax ranking of global airlines.The award cements the airline’s status as a full scale global carrier, constantly innovating its onboard service and culinary offering. Skytrax announced today that SAUDIA is the World’s Most Improved Airline of 2021. This is the second time that SAUDIA has won this award since 2017. That year, the Saudi flag carrier impressively jumped from the 82nd to 51st position, a 40% improvement. This year, however, SAUDIA improved by a stunning 55% and is now 26th in the Skytrax ranking of global airlines. The award cements the airline’s status as a full scale global carrier, constantly innovating its onboard service and culinary offering. Being awarded this accolade award reflects the dedication to quality and performance improvements in different award categories including cabin crew, food & beverage, in-flight entertainment and more. The Skytrax award comes as yet another milestone in SAUDIA’s on-going transformation which has led to several other awards and recognitions. The airline’s stellar health safety initiatives to ensure passenger safety during the COVID-19 pandemic have attracted global accolades. With a route network of more than 95 destinations and a fleet of 145 aircraft – operating one of the youngest fleets in the world – SAUDIA is on an upwards trajectory of continued growth in international markets. Saudi Arabian Airlines Director General, His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Alomar said, “It is an honor to receive this award on behalf of the entire SAUDIA team who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the pursuit of the highest standards globally – from health and safety to the product and experience. I would also like to express SAUDIA’s deep appreciation and gratitude to The Custodian Of The Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman for their continuous support to SAUDIA, the Kingdom’s flag carrier. My congratulations also to SAUDIA’s Chairman His Excellency Eng. Saleh Al Jasser and the rest of the Board of Directors on this achievement.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 27, 2021

Canadians want to travel abroad

About four in five (78 percent) of Canadians said as things get back to normal, international travel is one of the things they’re looking forward to most.More than half of Canadians – 55 percent – said they have more of a desire to travel internationally than ever before.Less than a quarter of Canadians – 24 percent – said they are currently planning an international trip within the next six months.  The results of the latest industry survey that sheds light on the views of Canadian international travelers were released today. The findings uncovered that while the majority of Canadians who travel internationally (58 percent) remain wary about trips abroad due to the rise of the Delta COVID-19 variant, and less than one quarter plan to travel internationally in the next six months, more than two-thirds (78 percent) say international travel is one of the things they’re most looking forward to as the pandemic stabilizes. The survey also revealed that the residents of Canada are more hesitant towards international travel than their southern neighbors, with 42 percent of Americans planning trips abroad in the next six months, compared to only 24 percent of Canadians. Given the resulting limitations on travel, more than half (55 percent) of Canadians are now reporting a stronger desire to see the world than ever before. Top responses for what’s been missed most about international travel include seeing new sights (56 percent), experiencing new environments (53 per cent), disconnecting and relaxing (53 percent), and learning about different cultures (52 percent). Key Survey Findings: 87 percent of Canadians agree that international travel has provided them with some of their most cherished life memories. About four in five (78 percent) of Canadians said as things get back to normal, international travel is one of the things they’re looking forward to most.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 27, 2021

Canada to India flights on Air Canada now

Flights from Delhi, India to Air Canada’s Toronto and Vancouver Canadian hubs restart.Since service began in 2015, Air Canada has operated flights from Toronto and Vancouver to Delhi and from Toronto to Mumbai.Air Canada is planning to launch new nonstop flights from Montreal to Delhi and resume service to Mumbai as market conditions allow. Air Canada announced today the resumption of its non-stop flights to and from Delhi, India, following the lifting of the Government of Canada restrictions on non-stop flights from India. The airline’s flights from Delhi to Toronto and Vancouver resume arriving today. “People are eager to reunite with family and friends and we are very pleased to resume service immediately from India to our Toronto and Vancouver hubs following the lifting of restrictions by the Government of Canada. We continue to be focused on the growing visiting friends and relatives market, and together with the long-standing cultural and business ties between Canada and India which are expected to grow over the coming years, Air Canada remains strongly committed to this important Asia-Pacific market,” said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada. Air Canada is the leading carrier between the two countries. Since service began in 2015, Air Canada has operated flights from Toronto and Vancouver to Delhi and from Toronto to Mumbai. The airline is planning to launch new non-stop flights from Montreal to Delhi and resume service to Mumbai as market conditions allow. Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline and, in 2019, was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world. It is Canada’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network.
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Linda S. Hohnholz·
Aviation Feature
·September 24, 2021

American Airlines Meets Surge in Flight Demand for Jamaica

American Airlines confirmed it will be utilizing Boeing 787 planes on several key routes to Jamaica starting November.Daily flights between Kingston and Miami increase from one to 3 by December and 3 nonstop flights per week added between Philadelphia and Kingston.Jamaica Tourism is holding meetings with travel industry leaders across Jamaica’s largest source markets, the United States and Canada. They also pointed out that Jamaica topped the Caribbean among consumers on their expansive American Airlines Vacations platform and confirmed that they will be utilizing their new, large, wide-bodied Boeing 787 planes, on several key routes to Jamaica starting November.  Bartlett was joined by the Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Senior Strategist in the Tourism Ministry, Delano Seiveright and Deputy Director of Tourism for the Americas, Donnie Dawson. They, along with Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Chairman, John Lynch, are holding a series of meetings with a number of travel industry leaders across Jamaica’s largest source markets, the United States and Canada. This is being done to increase arrivals to the destination in the coming weeks and months, as well as, to foster further investment in the local tourism sector.  Tourism Minister, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, (3rd right) shares a moment with Kyle Mabry, Vice President, Global Sales, American Airlines (2nd right); Marvin Alvarez Ochoa, Caribbean Sales Manager, American Airlines (3rd left); Donovan White, Director of Tourism, (2nd left); Delano Seiveright, Senior Advisor and Strategist, Ministry of Tourism (left) and Donnie Dawson, Deputy Director of Tourism for the Americas (JTB). Bartlett led a meeting with senior management of American Airlines at their Headquarters in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, September 23, 2021.  The welcome news comes despite slowing global travel demand triggered by the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.  In welcome news to Kingston travelers, the airline noted that they will increase the number of daily flights between Kingston and Miami from the current position of one to three by December and also offer three nonstop flights per week between Philadelphia and Kingston.  The airlines offer nonstop services between Jamaica and the US cities of Miami, Philadelphia, New York JFK, Dallas, Charlotte, Chicago and Boston.  #rebuildingtravel
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 24, 2021

Flights to Iraq, Spain, Kenya, Slovakia resume from Russia now

Russia expands the list of countries, from which citizens will again be allowed to enter Russia by air.Iraq, Spain, Kenya, Slovakia have been added to the list of countries Russia resumes air service with.Russia’s suspension of flights to Tanzania due to the epidemiological situation in the country has been extended until October 1. In a cabinet’s decree released on the official portal of legal information, Russian government officials have announced the expansion of the list of countries, citizens of which will again be allowed to enter Russia via air travel. The list was expanded by four countries and now includes Iraq, Spain, Kenya and Slovakia. An attachment document to the government’s decree dated March 16, 2020, has been extended by the following positions: “Iraq, Spain, Kenya, Slovakia.” The decree temporarily limits the entry to the Russian Federation of foreign citizens and persons without citizenship due to the coronavirus pandemic. The attachment document determines the list of countries, from which citizens may enter Russia through air entry points. The new document was signed on September 21, 2021. The anti-coronavirus crisis center reported earlier that starting that date Russia resumed air service with Iraq, Spain, Kenya and Slovakia, as well as lifted all restrictions on air service with Belarus. Earlier, Moscow reopened flights to 53 countries. Meanwhile, the suspension of flights to Tanzania due to the epidemiological situation in the country has been extended by October 1.
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Linda S. Hohnholz·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

Hawaiian Air Flight Attendant Released After Being Punched by Passenger

The flight departed from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport bound for Hilo on the Big Island.A passenger on the flight said the incident happened near the front of the aircraft cabin.Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson said, “a passenger assaulted one of our flight attendants, who was walking the aisle, in an unprovoked incident.” The flight departed from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport bound for Hilo on the Big Island. According to Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva, “a passenger assaulted one of our flight attendants, who was walking the aisle, in an unprovoked incident.” Upon landing, State Sheriff Deputies boarded the aircraft where the 32-year-old male passenger was arrested for alleged third-degree assault against the male crew member and removed from the plane. A passenger on the flight, Bill Paris, said the incident happened near the front of the aircraft cabin. Hawaiian Air spokesperson Da Silva said, “Our flight attendant was evaluated and released from work to rest.” Hawaii US Senator Brian Schatz, who is Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, stated: “This attack is reprehensible. The assailant must be held accountable and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. There should be zero tolerance for this kind of despicable attack.” The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be investigating the incident. Unfortunately, Nothing New According to the FAA, flying during these COVID-19 days is especially stressful for crew members and passengers, especially over mask wearing. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that in the past year, there were 4,385 unruly passenger reports of which 3,199 were mask-related incidents. In another article today on eturbonews, it was reported that Federal Air Marshals are teaching flight attendants how to deal with the growing risk of passengers who become belligerent and violent, often over face-mask rules. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) instituted a face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States in February of this year, including at airports, onboard commercial aircraft, on over-the-road buses, and on commuter bus and rail systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced that fully vaccinated travelers with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the US. However, CDC guidelines still require individuals to wear a face mask, socially distance, and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

Popular Hawaii airport gets extended lease on civil life

Kawaihapai Airfield on Oahu, Hawaii, also known as Dillingham Airfield is a popular tourist attraction.Dillingham Airfield, used for glider rides, skydiving and and flying lessons, is under threat of closure.The latest reprieve buys much more time—years rather than months—to sort out a plan for the popular airport’s future. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) rallied support for Dillingham Airfield (also known as Kawaihāpai Airfield) soon after the Hawaii DOT confirmed to AOPA in April 2020 that it would move to terminate its lease of the airport property from the U.S. Army ahead of that agreement’s 2024 end date. The State of Hawaii ordered tenants to vacate the airport long used for flight training, skydiving, sightseeing, and glider operations, putting businesses and tourism resources at risk. AOPA Western Pacific Regional Manager Melissa McCaffrey led the association’s “advocacy A-team” effort to enlist local support, helping build a multi-front, grassroots campaign that garnered support among lawmakers and was joined by more than 450 individuals, earning local media coverage of the issue. Among those supporters, U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele (D-Hawaii) urged Gov. David Ige to maintain civilian use of the airfield in a March 3 letter. Kahele praised the DOT decision (announced in a September 17 letter) to revoke its intent of early termination of the land lease in a statement quoted in local media coverage of the development: “The Hawai’i DOT’s decision to revoke its notice of early termination of its lease with the Army allows for much needed continued dialogue about the future of Kawaihāpai (Dillingham) Airfield. Since taking office, my staff and I have made a concerted effort to find long-term solutions for the ongoing maintenance and operations to maximize the potential of Kawaihāpai,” Kahele said. “The Airfield is a critical economic driver for the North Shore and serves as an educational epicenter for aspiring local pilots as well as the general aviation, and skydiving communities.” State lawmakers also joined the preservation push, crafting a bill that earned strong support from AOPA that McCaffrey expressed in testimony provided in February, making a case for continued civilian use of an airport that provides $12.6 million in direct economic benefit and draws about 50,000 visitors a year while employing 130 people at 11 airport-based businesses. The FAA also urged the state to reconsider evicting Dillingham Airfield tenants in a February 1 letter to state airport officials, calling on the state to postpone the then-planned July 30 lease termination and reminding the state of its federal grant obligations. AOPA worked closely with state Sen. Gil Riviere (D-District 23) and state Rep. Lauren Matsumoto (R-District 45), the United States Parachute Association, as well as leaders of the local advocacy group Save Dillingham Airfield to persuade the DOT to extend Dillingham’s use as a civilian airfield. The growing group of supporters was disappointed when the June 30 lease termination was extended only until December, but kept the pressure on for more time to develop a sustainable long-term solution. According to McCaffrey, “This reprieve from early termination of the lease at Dillingham (Kawaihapai) Airfield gives the stakeholders an excellent opportunity to find solutions to the existing problems, and more importantly, opens the door to set the foundation for a vibrant and growing GA community for years to come.” Dillingham Airfield has military roots, having been called Mokuleia Airstrip when built by the U.S. Army a decade before the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, when a few pilots from the North Shore airfield were able to launch and confront the assault. The runway was later extended, and the airfield was renamed Dillingham Air Force Base in 1948 in honor of Capt. Henry Dillingham, a B–29 pilot who was killed in action during World War II.
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Linda S. Hohnholz·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

Southwest Airlines Says Jamaica’s Flight Operations on the Upswing

Tourism executives in Jamaica are holding a series of meetings with travel industry leaders across United States and Canada source markets.The intent is to increase arrivals to the destination as well as foster further investment in the tourism sector.The strong partnership between Jamaica and Southwest Airlines is growing the nation’s tourism sector in these difficult times. Southwest is one of the largest airlines in the United States and is the world’s largest low-cost carrier airline. It operates non-stop flights between the major US international airports of Houston (Hobby), Fort Lauderdale, Baltimore, Washington, Orlando, Chicago (Midway), St. Louis, and Montego Bay. The Minister was joined in the meeting by Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Senior Strategist in the Tourism Ministry, Delano Seiveright; and Deputy Director of Tourism for the Americas, Donnie Dawson. They are holding a series of meetings with a wide range of travel industry leaders across Jamaica’s largest source markets, the United States and Canada, to increase arrivals to the destination in coming weeks and months as well as foster further investment in the tourism sector. Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett Bartlett detailed Jamaica’s successful reopening last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the establishment of the Resilient Corridors, globally recognized as COVID safe for visitors and Jamaicans alike, and the importance of the strong partnership between Jamaica and Southwest Airlines in growing the nation’s tourism sector in these difficult times. Southwest’s, Senior Director for Strategic Planning & Airline Partnerships, Steven Swan, noted that Jamaica has been “thoughtful,” “clear,” “easy to communicate with,” and boasts “good load factors.” The airline’s executives also noted that while the Delta variant of COVID-19 has caused a “dip” in domestic and international travel demand, they continue to perform well and are very confident about future growth. #rebuildingtravel 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

Doha to Almaty flights on Qatar Airways now

New service reinforces the warm relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Kazakhstan.New service will enable passengers flying to and from Almaty to enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations.The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations. Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it will launch scheduled passenger services to Almaty, Kazakhstan starting from 19 November 2021. The new service will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class. This service will enable passengers flying to and from Almaty, Kazakhstan to enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations, via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha, the State of Qatar. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are proud to bring our award-winning services to Kazakhstan, adding this unique destination to our growing network. This new service reinforces the warm relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Kazakhstan, and reaffirms our commitment to further developing trade and tourism between our two great countries.” Kazakhstan is the economic powerhouse of the Central Asia region. It is an adventurer’s paradise, with landscapes varying from snow-capped mountains to expansive deserts, rocky canyons, coniferous forests, and untouched river deltas. Visitors can also admire historical landmarks including the bright-yellow towers of the famous Zenkov Cathedral in Almaty. Flight Schedule to Almaty from 19 November 2021: Friday and Monday (all times local) Doha (DOH) to Almaty (ALA) QR 391 departs: 01:15 arrives: 08:35 Almaty (ALA) to Doha (DOH) QR 392 departs: 21:40 arrives: 23:55 The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations. Qatar Airways also features flexible booking policies that offer unlimited changes in travel dates and destinations, and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued for travel completed by 31 May 2022.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

Qatar Airways combats illegal wildlife trafficking

Qatar Airways, a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, signed the historic Buckingham Palace Declaration on 2016.Buckingham Palace Declaration aimed at taking real steps to shut down the routes exploited by traffickers of the illegal wildlife trade, to move their products.In May 2019, Qatar Airways became the world’s first airline to achieve certification to the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Assessment. Qatar Airways has extended its participation in the USAID ROUTES (Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species) Partnership, reinforcing its commitment to combat illegal trafficking of wildlife and its products. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker Qatar Airways, a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, signed the historic Buckingham Palace Declaration in 2016, aimed at taking real steps to shut down the routes exploited by traffickers of the illegal wildlife trade, to move their products. Subsequently in May 2017, the airline went on to sign the first Memorandum of Understanding with the ROUTES Partnership. In May 2019, Qatar Airways became the world’s first airline to achieve certification to the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Assessment. The IWT Assessment certification confirms that Qatar Airways has procedures, staff training and reporting protocols in place that make the smuggling of illegal wildlife products more challenging. The Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Assessment was developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with the support of ROUTES, as part of IEnvA – IATA’s environmental management and evaluation system for airlines. Compliance with the IWT IEnvA Standards and Recommended Practices (ESARPs) enables airline signatories to the United for Wildlife Buckingham Palace Declaration to demonstrate that they have implemented the relevant Commitments within the Declaration. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade threatens our global biodiversity, and poses a risk to health and safety, particularly in marginalized communities. We are taking measures to disrupt this illicit trade in order to conserve biodiversity and safeguard our delicate ecosystems. We remain committed with other aviation industry leaders to emphasize our zero-tolerance policy towards illegal trafficking of wildlife and its products, and we join the ROUTES Partnership in saying – ‘It Doesn’t Fly With Us’. We will continue to work with our stakeholders to raise awareness and improve detection of illegal wildlife activities to protect these creatures that we value.” Mr. Crawford Allan, the ROUTES Partnership Lead, welcomed the leadership Qatar Airways has shown in efforts to prevent wildlife trafficking saying: “Through its actions on raising awareness, training and including wildlife trafficking within its policies, Qatar Airways has demonstrated its commitment to the Buckingham Palace Declaration and to the goal of the ROUTES Partnership. I am proud to see that Qatar Airways is continuing these efforts and being part of a growing number of companies to say It Doesn’t Fly With Us.” The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that wildlife crime is a threat not only to the environment and biodiversity, but also to human health. Despite restricted travel, reports of illegal wildlife seizures over the past year have revealed that traffickers are still taking their chances to smuggle contraband through the air transport system. Qatar Airways recognizes that with support from the USAID ROUTES partnership, the air transport industry can move towards a greener planet that includes ecosystems and wildlife conservation, essential parts of a thriving wildlife economy with and for local communities. As an inaugural signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in March 2016 and a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, Qatar Airways has a zero-tolerance policy towards the transportation of illegal wildlife and their products. Qatar Airways Cargo launched the second chapter of its sustainability program WeQare: Rewild the Planet earlier this year, focused on transporting wild animals back to their natural habitat, free of charge. The cargo carrier’s initiative to preserve wildlife and re-wild the planet is aligned with the airline’s commitment to fight wildlife trafficking and illegal trade of wild animals and thereby protect the environment and planet Earth.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

Flights from Kazakhstan resume to 16 more countries now

Kazakhstan’s government officials announce the resumption of air service with several more countries.Kazakh carriers will increase flight frequencies to Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Germany and United Arab Emirates.Flights from Kazakhstan to Czech Republic, China, Italy, Sri Lanka, Kuwait and Azerbaijan also resume. Officials from the Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission for preventing coronavirus spread announced that Kazakhstan residents can now fly to 16 more countries, starting September 21, 2021. The commission has made a decision to increase and resume regular international air service to 16 countries worldwide with a frequency of 114 flights a week. Thus, Kazakhstan increased flights frequencies to Russia by 54, by 7 to Turkey, by 9 to the United Arab Emirates, by 5 to Uzbekistan and Germany, by 3 to the Maldives, Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee’s Telegram Channel announced. Kazakhstan resumed flight to Czech Republic, China and Azerbaijan. Besides, there will be flights from Kazakhstan to Italy twice a week, and flights from Kazakhstan to Sri Lanka and Kuwait three times to a week. Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, Air Astana, today announced the resumption of direct flights from Almaty to Male (Maldives) from 9 October 2021. Flights will be operated four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays on Airbus 321LR and Boeing 767. Air Astana has launched flights to the Maldives on December 5, 2020, and operated until May 24, 2021 before suspension due to government restrictions. According to the Ministry of Tourism of the Maldives, Kazakhstan was ranked fifth by a number of arrived tourists to Male between January and May 2021 after Russia, India, Germany and Ukraine.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

Volocopter Chengdu: New German-Chinese joint aircraft venture announced

Germany’s Volocopter teams up with Geely Holding Group to establish a joint venture in Chengdu, China.The joint venture will take charge of production and market operation of Volocopter products in the Chinese market.The joint venture plans to help promote urban air mobility in China in the coming three to five years. A new joint aircraft company, named Volocopter (Chengdu) Technology Co., Ltd., or Volocopter Chengdu for short, has been announced by Germany’s Volocopter, a specialist in the manufacture of autonomous air vehicles, and a second-tier subsidiary of Geely Holding Group. The joint venture will be located in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, and will take charge of production and market operation of Volocopter products in the Chinese market. Volocopter Chengdu also signed orders with Volocopter for 150 aircraft, including logistics unmanned aerial vehicles and manned aircraft. Air vehicles and their parts will be produced in Hubei Geely Terrafugia, a manufacturing base of Geely in China, according to the joint venture. Volocopter Chengdu will also attend the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) on September 28. “Today marks another important milestone on our journey to bring affordable electric air mobility to China, the biggest single market opportunity for the UAM industry,” said Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter. UAM refers to a new mode of urban transportation that uses electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to move people or goods within lower urban and suburban airspaces. It helps relieve the strain on increasingly congested city roads and allows people and goods to reach their destinations faster and more safely. Volocopter is currently the world’s first and only eVTOL aircraft manufacturer that has obtained design and production approval from European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 21, 2021

Canada announces extension of the flight ban from India

As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting flights to Canada from India.Everyone in Canada is advised to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada – international travel increases the risk of exposure to, and the spread of COVID-19, including infection caused by new variants.Border and public health measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves. Canada continues to take a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening the border while prioritizing the health and safety of everyone in Canada. As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 26, 2021, at 23:59 EDT. Once the restriction on direct flights expires, travelers eligible to enter Canada will be able to board direct flights from India to Canada with the following additional measures:   Travelers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada. Prior to boarding, air operators will be checking the travelers’ test results ensuring they are eligible to come to Canada, and that fully vaccinated travellers have uploaded their information into the ArriveCAN mobile app or website. Travelers who are unable to meet these requirements will be denied boarding. As a first step, on September 22, 2021, three direct flights from India will arrive in Canada and all passengers on these flights will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival to ensure that the new measures are working. After the resumption of direct flights, travelers who are eligible to enter Canada who depart India for Canada via an indirect route will continue to be required to obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a valid negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country – other than India – before continuing their journey to Canada.   Everyone in Canada is advised to avoid non-essential travel outside Canada – international travel increases the risk of exposure to, and the spread of COVID-19, including infection caused by new variants. Border and public health measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·September 21, 2021

An “IATA Fraud Alert” email will compromise your computer

A company with a return email [email protected] is sending virus emails with the purpose to destroy travel agents computer systems.The email is designed to mislead recipients to open a malicious attachment protected with a so called pass-code. IATA did not respond. A phishing email was sent by a criminal enterprise to US travel agents affiliated with IATA, It appears this email originates from IATA, the International Air Transport Association. The email is asking receivers to open a malicious attachment and use a password provided to do so. Once a receiver includes this password, the attachment will pollute computers with a malicious script. The malicious email from iato.org (not iata.org) reads: Dear Agent, It has come to IATA’s attention that there is an ongoing fraud of hackers accessing Agents booking systems and issuing air tickets. The attacks are highly sophisticated, leading not only to huge financial loss to Agents but also breaches to the Agent’s systems. To protect yourself from these numerous attacks, we strongly recommend the attached security measures. For security reasons, use this code to open the attachment: 123 Best Regards, IATA Customer Service Anyone receiving such an email should delete it and clean the trash.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 21, 2021

10 gay-friendly travel destinations in US and around the world

Orlando, Florida is the most gay-friendly city in the USA with a large LGBTQ+ population.Palm Springs ranks second place and has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ residents in the USA.Palm Springs scores particularly highly for its safety and abundance of accommodation. As travel restrictions continue to lift, many hopeful travelers are booking trips overseas, including the LGBTQ+ community.  Unfortunately, LGBTQ+ travelers still have to be mindful of safety and legislation concerns in some destinations around the world, with homosexuality still illegal in 69 countries. To ensure the LGBTQ+ community feel safe and comfortable when traveling, industry experts have ranked destinations across the US and around the world based on factors covering their LGBTQ+ friendliness, as well as things like accommodation options and affordability, to reveal the most LGBTQ+ friendly vacation destinations.  Top 10 LGBTQ+ friendly destinations in the USA  RankCityAnti-discrimination scoreNumber of LGBT eventsSafety index scoreBars & clubs listed on Tripadvisor per 100,000 peopleNumber of hotels per 100,000 peopleAverage nightly hotel price (weekend) ($)LGBTQ+ score /101Orlando, Florida100648.07408,941$2717.102Palm Springs, California100564.14106,214$2246.293Fort Lauderdale, Florida100250.79312,473$1655.954New York City, New York1001652.737276$2135.945San Francisco, California1001042.6930213$2065.856Iowa City, Iowa100075.291581$995.837New Orleans, Louisiana100434.9250611$2095.778Tempe, Arizona100054.44103,434$1005.659Austin, Texas100463.3118345$2025.5310Missoula, Montana99066.7119269$1475.48 Orlando is the most gay-friendly city in the USA with a large LGBTQ+ population. As well as being a tolerant and accepting city (with Walt Disney World hosting annual “Gay Day” events”), Orlando has a high number of bars and clubs (40 per 100,000 people) and the proximity to Walt Disney World means there’s also a huge number of hotels in the area (8,941 per 100,000 people).
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 20, 2021

US Travel Agents: International travel rules changes long overdue

Biden Administration enables vaccinated travelers to enter the US with a negative COVID-19 test result prior to travel from early November.ASTA views these changes as a key milestone toward restarting the international travel system on which so many of its members depend.US administration’s announcement marks a key shift in managing the risks of COVID-19 from blanket considerations to assessment of individual risk. The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) issues the following statement in response to reports that the Biden administration will lift travel restrictions starting in November on inbound travelers who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus: “We welcome the Biden Administration’s announcement of long overdue changes to the myriad inbound travel restrictions that have been in place since early 2020. We view this as a key milestone toward restarting the international travel system on which so many of our members depend. “Based on news reports, the plan incorporates several of the common-sense measures we called for along with our travel industry colleagues recently, including expeditiously developing clear vaccination and testing standards, loosening entry restrictions for fully-vaccinated travelers, and aligning standards with the governments of our main outbound markets, including Canada, the EU, and the U.K. “There are bound to be challenges in implementing this program between now and November, and we (ASTA) look forward to working with the Administration and our members to resolve them as expeditiously as possible. “The travel industry as a whole will not recover from COVID until international travel restarts in earnest. Today marks a big step forward toward that goal.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 20, 2021

IATA: US reopening to vaccinated travelers is excellent news

Biden Administration enables vaccinated travelers to enter the US with a negative COVID-19 test result prior to travel from early November.Allowing access to the US for those vaccinated will open travel to the US for many who have been locked out for the past 18 months. This announcement marks a key shift in managing the risks of COVID-19 from blanket considerations at the national level to assessment of individual risk. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the decision by the Biden Administration to enable vaccinated travelers to enter the US with a negative COVID-19 test result prior to travel from early November. Importantly, this supersedes the so-called 212f restrictions which prevented anyone from entering the US if they had been in 33 specific countries including the UK, Ireland, all Schengen countries, Brazil, South Africa, India, and China within the last 14 days. Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General “Today’s announcement is a major step forward. Allowing access to the US for those vaccinated will open travel to the US for many who have been locked out for the past 18 months. This is excellent news for families and loved ones who have suffered through the heartache and loneliness of separation. It’s good for the millions of livelihoods in the US that depend on global tourism. And it will boost the economic recovery by enabling some key business travel markets,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “This announcement marks a key shift in managing the risks of COVID-19 from blanket considerations at the national level to assessment of individual risk. The next challenge is finding a system to manage the risks for travelers who do not have access to vaccinations. Data points to testing as a solution. But it is also critical that governments accelerate the global rollout of vaccines and agree a global framework for travel where testing resources are focused on unvaccinated travelers. We must get back to a situation where the freedom to travel is available to all,” said Walsh.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·September 19, 2021

Lufthansa Value is just about to increase by US$2.5 billion

The gross proceeds are expected to amount to EUR 2,140 million. The subscription price of EUR 3.58 per New Share corresponds to a discount of 39.3% on the TERP (theoretical ex-rights price). The subscription ratio is 1:1. The new shares are to be offered to the Company’s shareholders during the subscription period, which is expected to commence on September 22, 2021 and end on October 5, 2021. The rights trading is expected to commence on September 22, 2021 and end on September 30, 2021. The transaction is fully underwritten by a syndicate of 14 banks. In addition, a number of funds and accounts under the management of BlackRock, Inc. have entered into a sub-underwriting agreement for a total of EUR 300 million and have committed to fully exercise their subscription rights. All members of the Executive Board of the Company have also committed to participate in the capital increase and to exercise all subscription rights received in relation to their shares in full.  The capital increase is meant to strengthen the Group’s equity position. The Company will use the net proceeds to repay the Silent Participation I of the Economic Stabilization Fund of the Federal Republic of Germany (ESF) in the amount of EUR 1.5 billion.  Additionally, the Company intends to fully repay the Silent Participation II in the amount of EUR 1 billion by the end of 2021 and also intends to cancel the undrawn amounts of the Silent Participation I by the end of 2021.  The ESF, which currently holds 15.94% of the Company’s share capital, has undertaken to start divesting its equity interest in the Company no earlier than six months after completion of the capital increase, if the ESF subscribes to the capital increase. In this event, the divestment shall be completed no later than 24 months after the closing of the capital increase, provided that the Company repays the Silent Participation I and the Silent Participation II as intended.  The public offer of the New Shares in Germany is made exclusively through and on the basis of a securities prospectus approved by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), which will be made available, among other, on the website of the Lufthansa Group . The approval is expected to be granted on September 20, 2021. There will be no public offering outside Germany and the prospectus will not otherwise be approved by any other regulatory body. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 18, 2021

With new COVID-19 cases down, Bali may reopen to foreign tourists in October

Indonesia is moving cautiously to reopen its borders to foreign visitors after a disastrous second COVID wave.Foreign visitors my be allowed to travel to popular resort island of Bali and other tourist destinations.Indonesia’s addition of confirmed COVID-19 cases has dropped by 94.5% since a peak in mid-July Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, Luhut Pandjaitan, announced that the Southeast Asian nation may allow foreign visitors to return to the country in October. Indonesia is moving cautiously to reopen its borders following a disastrous second COVID-19 wave, flared by the Delta variant of the virus. But after a sharp slide in COVID-19 cases, foreign tourists may again be able to travel to the world-famous resort island of Bali and other parts of Indonesia popular with overseas visitors. According to the minister, the addition of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had dropped by 94.5% since a peak in mid-July. “We are happy today that the reproduction rate is below 1… It is the lowest during the pandemic and is indicating the pandemic is under control,” Luhut said. Other positive signs included the national hospital bed occupancy rate dropping below 15%, while the positivity rate, or the proportion of people tested who are positive, was at less than 5%, the minister said. Luhut said if the trend today continued “we are very confident” that Bali could be reopened by October. Earlier this week, Indonesia’s health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that reopening to foreigners also hinged upon 70% of the target population receiving their first COVID-19 shot.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 30, 2021

Flights from Doha to Medina, Saudi Arabia on Qatar Airways now

Qatar Airways flights will be operated by Airbus A320 offering 12 seats in First Class and 132 Seats in Economy Class.Passengers flying from Medina will benefit from the airline’s extensive international network across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations.  Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it will resume services to Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Medina starting 1 October 2021 with four weekly flights. The Medina services will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A320 featuring 12 seats in First Class and 132 seats in Economy Class. The resumption of services will enable passengers flying from and to Medina to enjoy seamless connectivity to over 140 destinations of the airline’s extensive global network in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas via Doha Hamad International Airport. Qatar Airways flight QR 1174, will depart from Hamad International Airport at 01:00, arriving at 03:15 to Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport. Qatar Airways flight QR1175, will depart from Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport at 04:15, and arrive to Hamad International Airport at 06:25. The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 140 destinations. Qatar Airways also features flexible booking policies that offer unlimited changes in travel dates and destinations, and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued for travel completed by 31 May 2022. Flight Schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday (all times local) Doha (DOH) to Medina (MED) QR1174 departs: 01:00 arrives: 03:15 Medina (MED) to Doha (DOH) QR1175 departs: 04:15 arrives: 06:25
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 29, 2021

More flights to Bonaire from USA on Delta, American and United now

Both Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are seeing a positive trend and booking demand for the island.United Airlines will resume flights to Bonaire from Houston and Newark in November.The Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire welcomes the return of commercial passenger flights from the US. Following the successful relaunching of flights from the US in June to the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB) is announcing the flight schedules from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines for the upcoming months. As part of our Tourism Recovery Plan, Tourism Corporation Bonaire will continue with these efforts to keep seeing a boost in visitors to the island, and of the local economy. Both Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines are seeing a positive trend, and booking demand for the island. So, this is a great opportunity to increase the number of flights to Bonaire. Currently through November 20, 2021; Delta has a weekly Saturday flight scheduled to Bonaire from Atlanta, Georgia, and this weekly flight will increase to two weekly flights on Wednesday and Saturday between November 24, 2021 -December 15, 2021. Then starting on December 18, 2021 to January 4, 2022 there will be daily flights except Tuesdays. From January 5, 2022 to April 9, 2022 there is a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday flight scheduled. American Airlines current flight schedule through November 6, 2021 is two weekly flights on Wednesday and Saturday from Miami, Florida. Starting November, 2021 through January 3, 2022 a Monday flight will be added to the itinerary. Also, there will be daily flights to Bonaire during the holiday season, from December 16, 2021 to January 3, 2022. On November 6, 2021 United Airlines is resuming its flights from both Houston, Texas with a weekly flight to Bonaire on Saturday with return flight on Sunday, and the weekly Saturday flight from Newark, New Jersey.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 29, 2021

IATA: Global air cargo demand growth outpaces capacity

Global demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs), was up 7.7% compared to August 2019 (8.6% for international operations).The pace of growth slowed slightly compared to July, which saw demand increase 8.8% (against pre-COVID-19 levels).Cargo capacity recovery paused in August, down 12.2% compared to August 2019 ( 13.2% for international operations). In month-on-month terms, capacity fell by 1.6% – the largest drop since January 2021.  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released August 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that demand continued its strong growth trend but pressure on capacity is rising.  Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General 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 August 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Global demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs), was up 7.7% compared to August 2019 (8.6% for international operations). Overall growth remains strong compared to the long-term average growth trend of around 4.7%. The pace of growth slowed slightly compared to July, which saw demand increase 8.8% (against pre-COVID-19 levels). Cargo capacity recovery paused in August, down 12.2% compared to August 2019 ( 13.2% for international operations). In month-on-month terms, capacity fell by 1.6% – the largest drop since January 2021.  Economic conditions continue to support air cargo growth but are slightly weaker than in the previous months indicating that global manufacturing growth has peaked: The August manufacturing output component of the Purchasing Managers Indices (PMIs) was 51.9, indicating a short-term boost to demand if those orders are shipped by air. This was a decline from 54.4 in July.  The August new export orders component of the PMIs was favorable for air cargo, despite being less supportive than in the previous months. Expansion continued at the global level, however, there was contraction in emerging economies.  The inventory-to-sales ratio remains low ahead of the peak year-end retail season. This is positive for air cargo, however further capacity constraints put this at risk.  “Air cargo demand had another strong month in August, up 7.7% compared to pre-COVID levels. Many of the economic indicators point to a strong year-end peak season. With international travel still severely depressed, there are fewer passenger planes offering belly capacity for cargo. And supply chain bottlenecks could intensify as businesses continue to ramp up production,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.  
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 29, 2021

South African Airways and Emirates partner on South Africa-Dubai flights

Emirates and South African Airways have been working towards increasing alignment across products and services.The agreement includes SAA coded and Emirates-operated routes between South Africa and Dubai on a single ticket.Emirates will also place the SAA code on major trunk routes between South Africa and Dubai. With South African Airways (SAA) resuming operations, Emirates has been working closely with SAA to reactivate its long-standing partnership which aims to improve the customer experience and provide more value to travelers when flying on both carriers. The move also helps cement SAA’s standing and position and will build growth momentum as the carrier initially restarts flights to six African destinations. Emirates and SAA have been working towards increasing alignment across products, services and reactivation of synergies between loyalty programs, and will be initially kicking off with a reciprocal commercial arrangement. The agreement includes SAA coded and Emirates-operated routes between South Africa and Dubai on a single ticket, enabling travelers to seamlessly check-in their bags to their final destinations from October 1. Emirates will also place the SAA code on major trunk routes between South Africa and Dubai. Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline, remarked on the revival of the partnership: “The partnership between Emirates and South African Airways builds on our shared commitment to providing customers more schedule choices and increased connectivity across Africa and through our growing network. We value our nearly 25 years of successful partnership with SAA and we are working hard to take more positive steps forward to continue to grow our relationship and provide our customers with even more connectivity in the future.” SAA’s Interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo says, “As SAA starts to rebuild, the long-standing partnership with Emirates is both valued and critical to our future growth plans. We share the same vision of seamless, efficient, and excellent customer service with connectivity to multiple destinations. We are confident this partnership will lead to the addition of more route and destination options, particularly across Africa as we both recognize the economic, trade and tourism potential the continent has and our key role as enablers.” In the coming months, plans are underway to expand cooperation and solidify the partnership even further on more domestic and regional points in Africa as South African Airways expands its operations, while Emirates will also reciprocally add more options for SAA customers to connect to select destinations within its network on one itinerary. The Emirates SAA partnership started in 1997, and over the last ten years more than a million passengers have flown across the joint network of both airlines, which grew to 110 destinations prior to the pandemic. With the restoration of the SAA partnership, Emirates’ footprint across South and southern Africa offers customers more options across the continent.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 28, 2021

American Airlines to codeshare with IndiGo on India flights

India’s largest airline announces a codeshare agreement with American Airlines on domestic routes.Code-sharing allows an airline to sell seats on a flight operated by its partner, so that it can fly passengers to destinations it does not serve.American Airlines is launching a new service between New York and India’s capital Delhi next month. As American Airlines is preparing to launch new service between the USA and India, it announced a code sharing deal with India’s largest carrier IndiGo. The codeshare agreement, announced today, is expected to commence in October, and will see American Airlines‘ code on 29 of IndiGo’s domestic routes in India. Code-sharing agreement allows air carriers to sell seats on flights operated by their partner airlines, so that they can fly their passengers to destinations they do not serve. The code-sharing deal with IndiGo, which is India’s largest airline by number of passengers carried, and which is owned by InterGlobe Aviation, requires approval of U.S. and Indian government authorities, American Airlines said. American Airlines is launching a new service between New York City and India’s capital Delhi next month, and between Seattle, WA and the city of Bengaluru early next year. American Airlines, Inc. is a major American airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the world’s largest airline when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passenger mile. IndiGo is an Indian low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 59.24% domestic market share as of August 2020.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 28, 2021

New travel patterns: Soaring travel expenses and unvaccinated travelers

Travel expenditure increased by a whopping $330 per trip due to COVID-19-related entry requirements.58 percent of Americans that traveled abroad this summer were not vaccinated, according to the research.47% of millennials refused to travel because of high costs, while 25% were scared to travel with unvaccinated children. Eighteen months after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, countries have reopened borders to travelers. A recent survey found new and emerging travel trends, with travel becoming more expensive and uncertain than ever. The survey analyzed data from more than 3,500 travelers who traveled abroad to understand these new travel patterns amongst Americans. Travel expenditure increased by a whopping $330 per trip due to COVID-19-related entry requirements, and so has the uncertainty, with 41% of travelers actively involved in travel communities related to their journeys. Additionally, 58% of American travelers were unvaccinated, with the most common destinations being Mexico (37%), Greece (19%), Dominican Republic (12%), Bahamas (11%), and Aruba (13%), and Costa Rica (8%). Major Survey Results 58% of Americans that traveled abroad this summer were not vaccinated. As countries reopened their borders, non-vaccinated travelers returned to the same travel patterns as before COVID-19. Old travelers are on the rise with a quarter being 50+. Amongst other demographic shifts, 47% of millennials refused to travel because of high costs, while 25% were scared to travel with unvaccinated children. Florida is the hub for unvaccinated travelers: 20% of unvaccinated American travelers live in Florida. The top 4 U.S. states by active COVID-19 cases also led the pack for most outbound travel amongst unvaccinated Americans. Florida accounted for most outbound unvaccinated tourists, followed by Texas, New York, and California. Traveling is inefficient: Each traveler spends more than 5 hours determining entry requirements and filling out paperwork. In addition, 23% of travelers saying they contacted either their airline, hotel,” or travel platform to understand the entry requirements with airlines call waiting times running into hours. The New Normal This survey highlights the inefficient processes set in place by governments. While it’s understandable that requirements exist to keep COVID-19 at bay, countries must streamline the process. As countries look to revamp tourism, they underestimate the impact of fast, efficient systems and clear, easy-to-understand processes have. Countries have introduced a range of requirements to enter, making it more expensive to travel than ever. On average, the extra cost adds up to $330 per traveler and constitutes COVID-19 visas, travel insurance, and COVID-19 tests. In addition, 79% of travelers expressed frustration at the lack of disclosure by hotels & airlines on the added costs of traveling, only to discover them much later when the cancellation was not an option. A COVID-19 visa, also known as a health visa, is a new visa that travelers need to get. While they’re electronic, the approval is not instant. Authorities review each application; they can only be submitted a few days before the trip and are not free.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·September 28, 2021

Wow! Better book your Lufthansa flight from Europe to the United States now

About a week after the planned end of U.S. travel restrictions, Lufthansa Groupairlines are experiencing a further boom for flights to the United States. On certaindays in the last week, flights across the Atlantic increased three-fold over theweek before. Demand in the last week on certain routes almost reached pre-crisislevels. Flights with SWISS from Zurich and Lufthansa from Frankfurt to New Yorkand from Frankfurt and Zurich to Miami had the highest bookings from both leisureand business travellers.In Premium Economy, Business and First Class more tickets to the USA were bought than in the same period in 2019. Lufthansa Group is meeting this boom in pent-up demand by launching additionalflights to the USA on short notice. Lufthansa and SWISS, for example, will be offering a combined total of three daily flights to Miami on short notice starting inNovember. There is very strong demand for flights to the USA for the coming December. Newbookings in the past week for this month were as high as they were for 2019 forthe same time period. Flights to New York – traditionally in high demand duringthe Christmas season – have already been bolstered with additional connections.The airlines of the Lufthansa Group are offering up to 55 weekly connections toNew York from their various European hubs in Austria, Belgium, Germany andSwitzerland in December. A further short-term expansion of services is currentlyunder consideration. Alone to New York and Chicago, Lufthansa Group airlines offer more daily connections from Europe in November than flights to the entire Asia-Pacific region.Lufthansa Group expects that the opening of the U.S. to vaccinated EU travelerswill be a signal for other countries and regions to make international air travel easier again and roll back travel restrictions. Additional flights also within GermanyLufthansa Group is also increasing German domestic flights to its European hubsas demand for U.S. flights continues to soar. For example, compared with July,Lufthansa is increasing its domestic German flights by 45 percent from starting inOctober. This means, among other things that as of October there will be nine instead of six daily flights from Frankfurt to Berlin. Flights from Frankfurt to Hamburg will increase from six to eight flights daily. The situation is similar for Munich:The current five daily connections to Berlin will be increased to seven starting inOctober; instead of six daily flights from Munich to Hamburg, there will be up to11 daily flights in the future. And also starting in October, Lufthansa will again operate hourly flights from Hamburg and Berlin to its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich in the morning and in the evening. With the flight schedule expansion, more connections are available throughout theday. This means business travelers who often want to fly in the morning or theevening will benefit from an improved flight schedule as will other travellers.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 27, 2021

Airlines about to get rich off your expiring flight credits

Airlines are sitting on $10 Billion of unused ticket value and now time is running out for them.When COVID-19 interrupted everyone’s travel plans. airlines expanded their cancellation and rebook policies.Many travelers who changed or cancelled flights have travel credits issued from airlines that may be rapidly expiring. Though airlines took a hard hit in 2020, many are about to make a lot of money from travelers’ expiring flight credits.  According to the reports, air carriers are sitting on $10 Billion of unused ticket value and now time is running out. When COVID-19 interrupted everyone’s travel plans, airlines expanded their cancellation and rebook policies. A lot of people who changed or cancelled flights have travel credits issued from airlines that may be rapidly expiring. Here’s how to check for and use your travel credits before it’s too late.  Find Your Old Emails If you cancelled a flight, you were likely sent a confirmation email with details regarding your travel credit. A good way to narrow the search is to type the name of the airline in your inbox search bar, and sift through there. Emails will often include “travel credit” or “reservation” in the subject line.  Create a Profile with the Airline Once you’ve located your email, there should be instructions for how to log onto the airline’s website and rebook with your travel credit. From there you will also be able to check how much credit you have and when it will expire. Call the Airline’s Customer Service Team This option may require an hour or two on the phone.  If you are unsure of whether or not you have credit to use it may be best to talk to an airline customer service representative.  With your name and original confirmation number, you will be able use the credit that you have left.  Remember Once your travel credit expires, there’s no getting it back.  If you cancelled or changed any flight in the past two years, be sure to claim your unused ticket value before it is too late. So far, United Airlines was the only major US airline to have extended the value of unused tickets to Dec 31, 2022.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 27, 2021

Qatar Airways: Operating losses down, earnings up in 2020/21

2020/21 financial results reveal a decrease in operating losses compared to the previous financial year.An increase in EBITDA reflects the Group’s strength, resilience and commitment during the most challenging and extraordinary 12 months in its history.A combination of our Qatar Airways Cargo division and the Group’s commercial adaptability have been at the core of this recovery. Qatar Airways Group has today published its Annual Report for 2020/21, covering a challenging year with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing extensive loss of traffic and revenues as part of a pattern seen across the global aviation industry. Despite the difficulties, Qatar Airways Group proves that rising to the challenge is nothing new for the airline and its subsidiaries, projecting the Group’s strength, resilience, and commitment. Qatar Airways Group reported a net loss of QAR14.9 billion (U.S.$4.1 billion), of which QAR8.4 billion  (U.S.$2.3 billion) is due to a one-time impairment charge related to the grounding of the airline’s Airbus A380 and A330 fleets. Despite the difficulties posed by the ongoing pandemic, the Group’s operating results demonstrated its resilience during the crisis, with the reported operational loss at QAR1.1 billion (U.S.$288.3 million) 7 percent less compared to 2019/20. Furthermore, the Group achieved a significant improvement in EBITDA, which stood at QAR6 billion (U.S.$1.6 billion) compared to QAR5 billion (U.S.$1.4 billion) the previous year. A combination of our Qatar Airways Cargo division and the Group’s commercial adaptability have been at the core of this recovery. The flexibility and ingenuity of the Group’s commercial strategy played a pivotal role in significantly increasing its market share, enabling the business to expand its focus from its mission of ‘getting people home’ at the height of the pandemic, to playing an industry-leading role in rebuilding passenger confidence in the safety of air travel during the most critically-adverse market conditions in the history of commercial aviation. Whilst, the Group’s freight division, Qatar Airways Cargo, maintained its position as the world’s largest cargo carrier and grew its market share during 2020/21. During the pandemic’s peak, Cargo more than tripled its daily services, operating a record 183 flights in one day during the month of May 2020.  Cargo has also overseen a 4.6 percent rise in freight tons handled over the previous fiscal year (2019/20), with 2,727,986 tons (chargeable weight) handled in 2020/21. This increase in freight handled, as well as a significant increase in cargo yield, also saw the carrier’s cargo revenues more than double. Despite enduring one of the most difficult years in the Group’s history, based on strong commercial fundamentals, the airline has rebuilt its network from a low of 33 destinations to more than 140 destinations today. The airline continued to identify new markets, launching nine new destinations – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Abuja, Nigeria; Accra, Ghana; Brisbane, Australia; Harare, Zimbabwe; Luanda, Angola; Lusaka, Zambia; San Francisco and Seattle, U.S.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 24, 2021

More Pegasus UK to Turkey flights now as Turkey reopens

As Turkey reopens, Pegasus Airlines offers more flights from London Stansted and Manchester.Pegasus flies to sunshine destinations including Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Izmir, Istanbul and more in Turkey and beyond.In light of the new announcement putting Turkey back into the amber list, Pegasus is seeing strong growth in its bookings to Turkey from England. As summer turns to autumn, fly away for some golden sunshine, sandy beaches and crowd-free sightseeing. Following the announcement that Turkey moved onto England’s amber list on 22 September 2021, leading low-cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, has expanded its schedule and its number of direct flights from London Stansted and Manchester to Turkey and beyond. Pegasus has reinstated direct flights to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport from London Stansted, with twice-daily flights departing at 14:40 and 00:05 from London Stansted Airport, and returning from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 11:35 and 21:00.  Flights are now on sale from £49.99 one-way.  Five-times weekly direct flights are now also operating from Manchester Airport to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, departing at 12:50, with returning flights departing from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 09:45 (local times apply).  One-way fares from Manchester are on sale now from £74.99.  Both routes offer excellent onward connections across Pegasus’ network of 36 destinations in Turkey, including to the popular coastal resorts oozing culture and relaxation, such as Bodrum, Dalaman and Antalya – as well its 83 other international destinations. Pegasus Airlines’ expanded schedule includes five-times weekly direct flights from 21 October between London Stansted and Izmir, on Turkey’s Aegean coast, with flights departing at 12:55 from London Stansted, and returning flights departing Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport at 10:05 (local times apply). Direct flights to Izmir are on sale now from £59.99.  Pegasus will also be launching direct flights between London Stansted and Antalya for the winter season on 20 October.  Pegasus Airlines CCO, Güliz Özturk said: “In light of the new announcement putting Turkey back into the amber list, we’re seeing strong growth in our bookings to Turkey from England, and in response to this growing demand and desire for autumn travel, we’re delighted also to be expanding our flight program from London Stansted and Manchester to Turkey, with excellent connections across our network of 119 destinations in 44 countries – meaning travelers will have a lot more choice with our flexible booking options this autumn and winter. We’re planning to further increase the number of our flights from England later in the autumn if demand continues to rise, and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming our guests back on board as travel begins to reopen again.” As well as an extensive network in Turkey, Pegasus Airlines also flies to 119 destinations in 44 countries, including destinations such as Dubai, Tel Aviv and Sharm el-Sheikh, offering both low-cost direct flights and seamless connectivity on one of Europe’s youngest fleets. Pegasus’ highest priority is health and safety, with comprehensive Covid-19 safety measures in place including masks required on board.  Pegasus was also one of the first low-cost airlines in the world to trial the IATA health-related certification Travel Pass app and the airline offers contactless boarding and bag-drop with Express Kiosks in Turkey.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 24, 2021

Boeing to build a new type of drone in Australia

Boeing unveiled plans to build a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle military aircraft in Australia.Boeing’s new military drone uses artificial intelligence to operate in tandem with manned aircraft.Boeing has selected Toowoomba city in Queensland as the final assembly point for its unmanned Loyal Wingman planes. US aerospace giant Boeing has announced that it is planning to build its new unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft in Australia. According to Boeing, it has selected Toowoomba city in Queensland state as the final assembly point for its new type of drone military aircraft. The first test flights were completed earlier this year. The announcement comes a week after the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia announced a new security alliance that will supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The deal was condemned by China and has heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. According to Boeing Defense Australia, the development of the new aircraft is going according to plan. New UAV uses artificial intelligence to operate in tandem with manned aircraft and was conceived, designed and developed in Australia. It’s the first military combat aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia in half a century. Boeing Australia is currently developing six of the aircraft in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force. No orders have been confirmed yet, says Boeing, but the Australian government seems confident and happy about the Loyal Wingman’s capabilities. New drone will be built in a facility at Wellcamp Airport, which is owned by Wagner Corporation. Wagner chairman John Wagner said he hopes a defense and aerospace precinct at the airport will attract more companies in similar fields. The project is expected to create 300 jobs during construction of the facility and 70 ongoing operational and production positions. Queensland State Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the announcement was “fantastic news” and represents the first time Boeing has set up a facility of this type outside North America.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

A New COVID Reality when Flying in the U.S. is 20 years in Federal Prison for Hijacking or Mask Violations

Forget social distancing when boarding a domestic flight in the United StatesPassengers objecting to current regulations and scream out while on a flight may be procecuted under the Partriot Act facing 20 years in Federal PrisonUS flight attendance are being trained by the same people who train prison guards- not much of a de-escalation attempt. The friendly skies in the United States may not at all be as friendly as they were in the good old PAN AM times. Federal Air Marshals are teaching flight attendants how to deal with the growing risk of passengers who become belligerent and violent, often over face-mask rules. Restrictions that are commonly enforced on international flights including middle seats open, social distancing on airplanes, vaccination rules, are not usually in force for US domestic flights. Many domestic passengers in the United States refuse to follow the rules of mask-wearing due to political, religious, and some for health reasons. This is causing a great number of incidents, that are reported to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Flying in the age of COVID-19 is stressful for passengers and crew and resulted in 3199 mask-related incidents reported to FAA. Considering only 4385 unruly passenger reports were filed in a year, this is a very high number. To get passengers under control it’s been discussed in the house to punish passenger-related incidents of the same severity as highjacking. The Patriot Act was put in place in the United States in response to terror attacks, not in response to a complaining passenger. Violating the Patriot act comes with a 20 year of Federal Prison sentence. Paul Hudson, president of Flyers Rights has been an outspoken advocate for Passengers Rights and says enough is enough. Comment by FlyersRights.org to the House Aviation Subcommittee on the Increase in Number of Airline Incidents The recent increase in violent incidents in air travel is a serious issue in need of solutions. The subcommittee hearing would benefit from hearing the passenger’s perspective. FlyersRights.org submitted a rulemaking petition to the Department of Transportation in August 2020 to mandate mask-wearing in air travel. FlyersRights.org has been the leading organization advocating for Covid mitigation measures to make air travel safer.  According to the latest FAA data, mask-related reported incidents account for 73% of all incidents reported by crewmembers in 2021. At the same time, non-mask-related incidents are down, and the FAA has more than doubled the number of its investigations. FlyersRights.org proposes the following solutions to reduce the number of mask-related disturbances on airplanes: Implement the yellow card system where a passenger is given a written warning and the ability to send a written complaint to the pilot or airline as means of de-escalationEnsure flight attendants themselves comply with and more consistently enforce the mask rulesAllow greater ease of obtaining legitimate health and disability exceptions to the mask ruleImplement greater covid mitigation measures, including social distancing, and temperature checks. Social distancing must be enforced not only on the airplane, but at the gate, during the boarding process, and at security checkpoints.Reevaluate the TSA mask mandate extensions with a public notice and comment process The airlines have crammed passengers on a smaller number of flights with no social distancing, no middle seat blocking, no capacity limits, no temperature checking, and no covid testing. While some passengers oppose masks for political reasons, others see the lack of other common-sense safety precautions taken by the airlines (social distancing, middle seat blocking, temperature checks) and the lack of consistent enforcement on passengers and flight attendants. Prosecution for a battery is needed when these incidents become violent. However, it would be a severe escalation and a gross infringement on civil liberties to invoke the Patriot Act’s felony “interference with flight crew members and flight attendants”, intended for hijackers, to threaten a passenger with up to 20 years in prison. FlyersRights.org has advocated for a mask rule as well as other health measures to protect passengers and crew members. While most flight attendants enforce the mask rule as best as they can under the circumstances, many flight attendants do not attempt enforcement and themselves violate the mask rule. FlyersRights.org would not attribute the actions of a small minority of flight attendants to the entire group. However, just as enforcement action must be taken against passengers who refuse to wear a mask, action must be taken against these flight attendants who violate the mask rule or who make no effort to enforce the rule. Not only will this help curb the dozens of abhorrent passenger incidents, but it is also vital for the continued health of all passengers and flight crew throughout the pandemic [1] ≈
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

Hispanics spent $113.9 billion on domestic travel in 2019

Most Hispanic travelers (85%) have visited the country/territory of their family heritage, with 15% returning more than once a year and 22% returning yearly.Fifty-seven percent agreed they are more likely to visit a destination that embraces Hispanic cultures and celebrates Hispanic business and cultural contributions.The top three domestic destinations for Hispanic overnight travelers are California (21%), Texas (15%) and Florida (14%). New study that identifies the needs, concerns and behaviors of Hispanic travelers in the United States was released today. The “Vistas Latinas: A Landmark Study on U.S. Travelers of Hispanic Descent” report, whose name means Latin viewpoints, is the first travel research of its kind to examine the attitudes, opinions and sentiment of travelers from the United States’ fastest growing demographic group. Vistas Latinas is also the first study to assess the spending power of U.S. Hispanic travelers, finding they spent $113.9 billion on domestic leisure travel in 2019 and accounted for 13% of all domestic leisure travel that year.  Hispanic Travelers & Representation America’s Hispanic population is a melting pot of rich cultures, so it is important to note that travel experts have used an innovative approach to fielding the survey to mirror the distribution of the Latino population in the United States, and as such provide actionable insights based on where Hispanic travelers live and where their travels might take them.  Of those surveyed for Vistas Latinas – most said they were born in the United States (83%) and a majority indicated their parents were also born in the U.S. Half of respondents indicated their family originated from Mexico, while a quarter of respondents surveyed said they were of Caribbean heritage (Puerto Rican, Dominican or Cuban).  Key findings include: The vast majority – 80% of Hispanic travelers – prefer to identify as Hispanic, while 25% prefer Latino/Latina and 3% prefer the term Latinx (respondents could choose more than one preferred term).  Fifty-seven percent agreed they are more likely to visit a destination that embraces Hispanic cultures and celebrates Hispanic business and cultural contributions. Fifty-two percent of respondents said they are more likely to visit a destination if they see Hispanic representation in the destination’s advertising and/or marketing materials. Hispanic travelers are predominantly consuming all forms of media in English.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 23, 2021

Johannesburg to Cape Town flight on South African Airways now

After months of preparations, South African Airways resumes both domestic and regional Africa service.South African Airways’ first scheduled flight takes off from Johannesburg to Cape Town on September 23.Flights are also set to start to five African capitals – Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Maputo. Following months of preparation after exiting business rescue, South African Airways (SAA) resumes both domestic and regional Africa service. The carrier’s firstscheduled flight is an early morning take-off from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg to Cape Town International on September 23 and is one of three return flights per day between the two cities. Flights are also set to start to five African capitals – Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka, and Maputo. SAA’s Interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo says, “This week is a proud and significant one for SAA and its staff as well as all South African citizens. Our journey back to the skies has not been easy and I pay tribute to our dedicated workforce in all areas of the business all of whom have and are putting in long hours ahead of this day. People in every facet of the business want nothing more than for SAA to succeed and for us to build a new airline based on safety and exemplary customer service.” Kgokolo says while South African Airways has big ambitions it’s overriding ethos will be one of responsible and prudent fiscal management and a commitment to transparency. “We restart this business with a new vision of pride in the brand and one that has been inculcated into every staff member. Our first order of business is to service ourstart-up routes efficiently and profitably and then look to expanding the network and growing our fleet, all depending on demand and market conditions.” SAA’s Board Chair John Lamola says, “SAA’s return will provide more market equilibrium in terms of ticket pricing. Since the carrier went into and then out of business rescue there has been less local capacity and that means tickets have become more expensive. Our return to the skies will mean more competitive pricing and will enable more South Africans to fly.” Lamola says SAA’s return to the skies is also a major economic enabler, particularly with its strong focus on cargo flights. “Economics aside, there is also the pride factor. Seeing SAA’s tail colors on international tarmacs is not only positive for South Africa but the rest of the continent.” SAA’s Interim Executive: Commercial Simon Newton Smith says, “We are in many ways, a metaphor for the country; it has not always had the easiest history, but it is resilient, its people are rightfully proud and it’s a country never to be underestimated. Our job is to show the world that South Africa is rebounding and starting the journey to a full and better recovery. We’re re-starting humbly but with big ambitions.” SAA’s Chief Pilot Mpho Mamashela says “All of us who are going to be at the front of the plane in coming weeks and months fully understand the new vision of SAA and we are proud to be part of this new era. We are determined to be absolutely perfect and to make South Africans proud.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

Northern Pacific Airways to fly new Boeing jets between the US and Asia

Northern Pacific Airways agrees to purchase its first six Boeing 757-200 aircraft.Northern Pacific Airways completed the transaction to meet part of its initial fleet requirements.The first new Boeing 757-200 aircraft within this purchase will be delivered to Northern Pacific Airways immediately, This week, Anchorage-based Northern Pacific Airways, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FLOAT Alaska LLC, agreed to the purchase of its first six aircraft—Boeing 757-200s. The airline completed the transaction to meet part of its initial fleet requirements. The first aircraft within this purchase will be delivered immediately. The airline intends to offer service between points in the U.S. and Asia, via Anchorage, Alaska. The acquisition of the Boeing 757-200s is the first step in Northern Pacific‘s business plan. Prior to entering service, the aircraft will undergo a full C-level maintenance check by Certified Aviation Services LLC (C.A.S.), a leading maintenance, repair and overhaul (M.R.O.) firm in San Bernardino, California. The Alaska-based carrier intends to continue enlarging its fleet as it prepares for passenger flights. The best in class Boeing 757-200 is powered by twin 36-600 Rolls-Royce RB211 underwing turbo engines for a maximum takeoff weight of 255,000 lbs. The plane can transport over 200 passengers to their destination’s each flight, with a range of 3,915nm/-7,250km per fueling. The single-aisle plane is less costly to fly than its wide-bodied counterparts, yet has a range greater than other aircraft of similar size. Over the duration of their manufacturing program, more than 1,049 Boeing 757-200s were delivered. The aircraft is well suited for point-to-point, long-haul flights, and has enough space to accommodate each passenger’s carry-on. “Northern Pacific is proud to introduce these powerful aircraft as the foundation of our fleet,” said Rob McKinney, Northern Pacific’s Chief Executive Officer. “The Boeing 757-200 will help us achieve operational savings and efficiencies while offering our customers a rewarding travel experience.” Northern Pacific Airways (NP) plans to offer flights between points in the U.S. and points in East Asia by connecting through Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska. FLOAT Alaska LLC, headed by Rob McKinney CEO, is the parent company of Ravn Alaska, Northern Pacific Airways, FlyCoin, and other Alaska-based ventures. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

Airbus announces its first eco-wing prototype

‘Wing of Tomorrow’ reaches a key milestone with the assembly of its first full-size wing prototype.Airbus’ new program will enhance understanding of wing manufacturing and industrialization.Three full-size prototype wings will be manufactured in total under the ‘Wing of Tomorrow’ program. ‘Wing of Tomorrow’, a major Airbus research and technology program, has reached a key milestone with the assembly of its first full-size wing prototype. The Wing of Tomorrow program will not only test the latest composite materials and new technologies in aerodynamics and wing architecture but, importantly, explore how wing manufacturing and industrialization can be improved to meet future demand as the sector emerges from the pandemic. Three full-size prototype wings will be manufactured in total:  one will be used to understand systems integration; a second will be structurally tested to compare against computer modelling, while a third will be assembled to test scaling-up production and compare against industrial modelling. Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer, said: “Wing of Tomorrow, a crucial part of Airbus’ R&T portfolio, will help us assess the industrial feasibility of future wing production. High-performing wing technology is one of several solutions – alongside sustainable aviation fuels and hydrogen – we can implement to contribute to aviation’s decarbonization ambition.  Wing of Tomorrow is also an example of how large-scale industry collaboration will be critical to achieving our sector’s agenda for a more sustainable future.”  Wing of Tomorrow, part-funded by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute, is a fully transnational Airbus program involving global partners and teams across Airbus’ European sites, including Bremen in Germany, where the ‘Wing Moveables’ team is based. The three wing demonstrators will bring together more than 100 new technologies to explore new manufacturing and assembly techniques with the goal of making aviation more sustainable. Sub-assembly of the complex wing cover took place at Airbus’ Filton site, England, having been manufactured at the National Composite Centre in Bristol. The wing cover and a major component from GKN Aerospace – the Fixed Trailing Edge – were delivered to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Wales, facility on Airbus’ wing-production plant in Broughton, Flintshire, for assembly to begin.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

Plane with 6 people onboard disappears in Russia’s Far East

Russian Emergency Ministry’s Antonov An-26 aircraft disappeared from flight radars near Khabarovsk.The aircraft had a flights crew of six people on board and was performing a technical flight.Searches are complicated by the darkness and unfavorable weather, according to the ministry press service. Press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry confirmed that its An-26 plane disappeared from flight radars 38 kilometers (23.5 miles) from the Khabarovsk city airport, around the territory of Khekhtsir Nature Reserve in the Khabarovsk region in Russia’s Far East. The aircraft had a flight crew of six people on board and was performing a technical flight, according to the press service. “At 11:45 Moscow time, the Crisis Management Center of Russia’s Emergency Ministry in the Khabarovsk region received a message that Antonov An-26 aircraft disappeared from flight radars 38 km from the Khabarovsk city airport, presumably in the area of Khekhtsir Nature Reserve. According to preliminary data, there was a flight crew of six people aboard,” the press service said, adding that the plane was performing a technical flight. “Searches are complicated by the dark time of the day and unfavorable weather conditions,” the ministry added. More than 70 rescuers and a reconnaissance helicopter had deployed to the suspected crash site. Accidents involving dilapidated aircraft in Russia’s wild and remote Far East are still very common. In August, eight people were killed when a Mi-8 helicopter, with 16 people on board, crashed into a lake on the volcanic Kamchatka peninsula due to poor visibility. In July, an airliner with 22 passengers and six crew members on board crashed as it was about to land in Kamchatka, leaving no survivors. The Antonov An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl) is a twin-engine turboprop civilian and military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the Soviet Union from 1969 to 1986. The An-26 is also manufactured without a license agreement in China by the Xian Aircraft factory as the Y-14, later changed to be included in the Xian Y7 series.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 22, 2021

IATA announces speakers for World Air Transport Summit in Boston

The International Air Transport Association announced the program and speakers for the World Air Transport Summit (WATS).World Air Transport Summit (WATS) will be held in conjunction with the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Boston, USA, 3-5 October.Session topics include addressing the challenge of climate change, safely reconnecting the world during COVID-19, diversity and inclusion in aviation, collaborating with value chain partners, and air cargo. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the program and speakers for the World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which is being held in conjunction with the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Boston, USA, 3-5 October. “I’m very excited that the World Air Transport Summit will again take place as a live event for the first time since June 2019. Virtual forums are no substitute to the value created when people meet face to face. As we plan for the industry recovery from COVID-19 and address critical climate change issues, the in-person discussions and debates among the industry’s top leaders and stakeholders will be particularly significant,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Session topics include addressing the challenge of climate change, safely reconnecting the world during COVID-19, diversity and inclusion in aviation, collaborating with value chain partners, and air cargo. The always popular CEO Insight Debate will return, moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest, anchor of Quest Means Business. Aviation’s response to climate change will top the agenda. The keynote address will be delivered by Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School, Tufts University and former special representative of the UN Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All. Kyte previously was the World Bank Group vice president and special envoy for climate change, leading the run-up to the Paris Agreement. This will be followed by a panel of key stakeholders focused on sustainability including: Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus  Stanley Deal, Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes  Annie Petsonk, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, US Dept. of Transportation Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, KLM Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, LanzaTech
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 21, 2021

Airbus and Air France target most energy efficient flights

Launched in February 2021, ALBATROSS is a large-scale initiative of major European aviation stakeholder groups led by Airbus.ALBATROSS follows a holistic approach by covering all flight phases, directly involving all relevant stakeholder groups.Starting from September 2021, live trials will involve around 1,000 demonstration flights, showcasing mature operational solutions with potential fuel and CO2 emission savings. Airbus, Air France and DSNA, the French Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), have begun working towards the development of “most energy efficient flights”, following their inaugural demonstration flight from Paris to Toulouse Blagnac on the day of the Airbus Summit event. The aircraft flew an optimized trajectory, marking the first of a series of trials planned during 2021 and 2022 within the framework of the Single European Sky ATM Research Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) “ALBATROSS” project. Launched in February 2021, ALBATROSS is a large-scale initiative of major European aviation stakeholder groups led by Airbus. It aims to demonstrate, through a series of gate-to-gate live demonstration flights across Europe, the feasibility of implementing most energy efficient flights in the short term, by combining several R&D technical and operational innovations.  “ALBATROSS” follows an holistic approach by covering all flight phases, directly involving all relevant stakeholder groups (such as airlines,  ANSPs,  network managers, airports and industry) and addressing both operational and technological aspects of aviation and Air Traffic Management (ATM). Many solutions will be put into practice during the flight demonstrations, from new precision approach procedures to continuous climb and descent, a more dynamic management of necessary airspace constraints, sustainable taxiing and  sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) usage.  Thanks to the transmission of four-dimensional trajectory data, ATM will be able to optimize and better predict an aircraft’s trajectory, thereby enabling it to immediately and concretely reduce a flight’s environmental footprint. Starting from September 2021, these live trials will involve around 1,000 demonstration flights, showcasing mature operational solutions with potential fuel and CO2 emission savings. First results are expected to be available in 2022. The ALBATROSS partners are Airbus, Air France, Austro Control, DLR, DSNA, Eurocontrol, LFV, Lufthansa, Novair, Schiphol, Smart Airport Systems, SWEDAVIA, SWISS, Thales AVS France and WIZZ AIR UK. The funding of the project is provided by the EU under the Grant Agreement No 101017678.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 21, 2021

India wants UK to scrap quarantine for vaccinated Indians

Fully vaccinated visitors from India still required to go to 10-day COVID-19 quarantine.The Covishield vaccine was developed jointly by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and is manufactured by Serum Institute of India.Britons vaccinated in the UK with the same Indian-made jabs are not required to quarantine. The United Kingdom has announced that it will relax COVID-19 pandemic curbs for fully vaccinated foreign visitors starting early next month. But the list of countries with approved vaccines does not include India, despite the country using a locally made version of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK, and it causes some political unease and threats of reciprocal retaliation from Indian officials. The Covishield vaccine, developed jointly by the Oxford University and AstraZeneca and manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, is not recognized by the United Kingdom under the new rule despite being technically identical to the doses given to millions of Britons. The AstraZeneca vaccine makes up most of the doses given to Indians to date. A smaller number have taken an indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech, which is not in use in the UK. India’s foreign minister has urged the British government authorities for an “early resolution of quarantine issue” with Indians visiting the United Kingdom still being required to quarantine even if they are fully vaccinated. New entry rules, that come into effect in October, have angered many Indians, who branded the decision as discriminatory. Britons vaccinated in the UK with the same Indian-made jabs are not required to quarantine. “Urged early resolution of quarantine issue in mutual interest,” Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a tweet today after a meeting with his British counterpart Liz Truss in New York, where both are attending the United Nations General Assembly. Britain’s move could also lead to retaliation from New Delhi, with an Indian government official saying it was likely to take reciprocal steps if the issue is not quickly resolved. “The basic issue is that, here’s a vaccine – Covishield – which is a licensed product of a UK company manufactured in India of which we have supplied five million doses to the UK at the request of the government,” India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters in New Delhi. Calling the non-recognition of Covishield “a discriminatory policy”, he said negotiations were under way with the UK over the new requirements. “But if we don’t get satisfaction we would be within our rights to impose reciprocal measures.” The British High Commission in New Delhi said the UK was working with India to resolve the issue. The rule, that mandates 10 days of self-isolation for travelers arriving from India, also apply to many other countries using Covishield, including most African ones.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 21, 2021

Rotterdam The Hague to Milan Bergamo flights on Transavia now

Transavia commences link to Rotterdam The Hague Airport from Milan Bergamo Airport.Rotterdam is a major logistic and economic center and an important addition to Milan Bergamo’s network.For a new airline partner to recognize the potential of the market is a noteworthy sign of Lombardy’s capacity and increasing demand. Milan Bergamo Airport has announced the commencement of Transavia’s link to Rotterdam The Hague, marking the addition of the third new airline to the Lombardy gateway in recent months. Launching a three-to-four times weekly service to the second largest city in the Netherlands next summer, the Dutch low-cost carrier will significantly increase Milan Bergamo’s route map to north-west Europe. Giacomo Cattaneo, Director of Commercial Aviation, SACBO says: “Home to the largest port in Europe, Rotterdam is a major logistic and economic center and an important addition to our network. For a new airline partner to recognize the potential of the market is a noteworthy sign of Lombardy’s capacity and increasing demand.” Joining Milan Bergamo’s established service to Eindhoven, the launch of Transavia’s link to Rotterdam will give the Air France-KLM group carrier a 30% share of the airport’s Dutch network. Now offering close to 300 flights to the Netherlands next summer, the Lombardy region will have vital connections to Europe’s seventh largest economy by GDP. Marcel de Nooijer, Transavia CEO, says: “We are confident looking forward to the summer of 2022 and are pleased with the addition of our new connection with Milan Bergamo. This enables us to continue to respond to the wishes of our passengers who want to discover new destinations. This summer we have seen that the Dutch are keen to travel again, for example on a holiday or to visit family. We see that the bookings for this autumn are picking up and we also have high expectations for winter. We hope to carry this momentum through to the summer of 2022.”  Rotterdam The Hague Airport (formerly Rotterdam Airport, Vliegveld Zestienhoven in Dutch), is a minor international airport serving Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second largest city and The Hague, its administrative and royal capital. It is located 3 NM (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north northwest of Rotterdam in South Holland and is the third busiest airport in the Netherlands. Orio al Serio International Airport, branded as Milan Bergamo Airport, is the third busiest international airport in Italy. It is located in the municipal territory of Orio al Serio, 3.7 km southeast of Bergamo in Italy.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 20, 2021

USA to end travel ban for vaccinated foreign visitors

United States will allow fully vaccinated foreign visitors to enter the country via air travel only.Travel policy changes announced today will not affect the restrictions along the land borders of the United States.Thousands of foreign travelers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be able to enter the US starting Novemner. The White House pandemic coordinator, Jeff Zients, announced today that the United States will end travel restrictions on foreigners who are fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, reopening the USA to thousands of international visitors starting in November of this year. According to Zients, the changes in travel policy will only apply to air travel and will not affect restrictions along the land border. US Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant issued the following statement today on the Biden Administration’s decision to ease foreign travel restrictions to the United States: “The U.S. Chamber is pleased that the Biden Administration plans to lift the current COVID-related international travel restrictions in November. Allowing vaccinated foreign nationals to travel freely to the United States will help foster a robust and durable recovery for the American economy.” U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on today’s announcement that restrictions on international air travel will be lifted for vaccinated individuals: “The U.S. Travel Association applauds the Biden administration’s announcement of a roadmap to reopen air travel to vaccinated individuals from around the world, which will help revive the American economy and protect public health. “This is a major turning point in the management of the virus and will accelerate the recovery of the millions of travel-related jobs that have been lost due to international travel restrictions. “The U.S. Travel Association expresses its deep appreciation to the President and his advisors – in particular Commerce Secretary Raimondo, who has been a tireless advocate – for working with the industry to develop a plan to restart international travel and safely reconnect America with the world.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 20, 2021

COVID-19 furlough ends at worst time for UK tourism

The end of furlough couldn’t really have come at a worse time of year for the UK travel industry.Although UK domestic recovery is on track for a 2022 rebound, the industry must navigate the normally tough winter period first.Striking a balance will cause headaches for many travel firms – especially those heavily reliant on international travel. With the UK’s furlough scheme set to end this month, the travel companies will be forced to cut costs in order to survive the winter. Travel and Tourism industry experts warn that such measures may well include redundancies. The end of furlough couldn’t really have come at a worse time of year for the UK travel industry. The tough winter season is upon us, and cost-cutting measures will be essential for survival. Unfortunately, this means redundancies are likely, as this is one of the easiest ways to save money. Industry analysts forecast UK domestic travel to rebound to 2019 levels during 2022, when it will reach 123.9 million trips. However, international outbound trips will take longer and will not return to pre-COVID levels until 2024, when they will hit 84.7 million trips. Although domestic recovery is on track for a 2022 rebound, the industry must navigate the normally tough winter period first. Without sufficient demand, revenues will continue to be suppressed and companies will struggle. A fine balance must be struck between redundancies and future agility. Industry experts also point out the dangers of dropping employee numbers to UK travel companies, If companies begin making employees redundant, they are less able to respond to sudden upticks in demand. Striking a balance will cause headaches for many travel firms – especially those heavily reliant on international travel. The quickly changing nature of travel restrictions may see a sudden spike in demand for certain destinations at short notice. If a firm is understaffed, it could miss out on much-needed revenue. Conversely, retaining too many staff could result in costs spiraling out of control. Extending the furlough scheme for the travel industry could buy time for the sector until demand begins to strengthen. However, the prospect is slim.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 18, 2021

India ups its airlines’ capacity to 85% of pre-COVID levels

Indian government relaxes COVID-period restrictions on the country’s domestic air carriers.Indian airlines will now be allowed to operate at 85 percent of their pre-pandemic capacity.Indian domestic airlines will also be allowed to set their own fares for tickets beyond 15 days of the booking date. India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation raised the cap on domestic air carrier capacity today, enabling Indian airlines to operate at 85% of their pre-COVID-19 capacity instead of current 72.5%. Indian civil aviation authority also changed the price cap formula, allowing domestic airlines set their own fares for tickets beyond fifteen days of the booking date. Until today’s adjustments, the price caps were applicable on tickets up to 30 days from the booking date. The changes announced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation will allow Indian air carriers to operate more flights and will push up passenger loads with the onset of the national festive season next month. India’s domestic air traffic has increased 34% to 6.7 million in August on a sequential basis on the back of an increase in capacity to 72.5%. Increased vaccination and relaxed COVID-19 testing requirements have helped too. Industry-wide seat occupancy too rose to over 70% last month. The relaxation of flight capacity and easing of the pricing restrictions comes after several rounds of negotiations between India’s Civil Aviation Ministry and CEOs of Indian airlines. The move to cap capacity and fares severely divided the industry with Ronojoy Dutta, CEO of India’s largest airline IndiGo, calling to remove government interference over price and capacity, saying this prevents airlines from making commerce-based decisions. Operators of the country’s largest airports —Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore — have urged the government to end the caps on capacity and price as this is obstructing the return of passengers and badly hurting the revenues of India’s mostly privately owned airports.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·September 17, 2021

Business travel seen as a perk in post-COVID US

Over a third of US workers say the best business ideas happen when they are traveling on business.Only 26% of US workers think that face-to-face meetings are dead.74% of US workers think business travel and in-person meetings are needed for the future of business. Over half (53%) of US workers think their industry needs in-person meetings to survive, a new study has found. The survey of 1,000 US workers investigated attitudes towards work meetings and business travel. It revealed that only 26% of workers think that face-to-face meetings are dead, with the remaining 74% believing in-person meetings are key for the future of business. Over half (53%) say it’s easier to trust in-person sales over online, with a further 64% saying the key to trust is human contact. As well as increased trust when meeting in person, the survey highlighted how traveling to in-person meetings is more productive – 60% of US workers said they do more preparation for in-person meetings than they do for virtual meetings. The survey looked at overall attitudes to business travel, finding that most workers are eager to return to traveling for work. 41% said they see business travel as more of a perk since the pandemic, with 40% saying business travel will be important to them when looking for a new job. It highlighted how younger generations are eager for business travel, with over half (54%) of 16-24-year-olds saying business travel is more of a perk since the pandemic, compared to just 13% of over 55s. As well as wanting more in-person experiences, the younger generations find travel more inspiring. Over half (53%) of Gen Z say the best business ideas happen while traveling, compared to less than a fifth (18%) of over 55s. Workers are productive and less stressed when they travel for business. Only a quarter (25%) said they feel more stressed when working during a business trip, with 32% saying they feel no different and the remaining 43% feeling less stressed when they work while traveling. The study also looked at expensing habits, highlighting what people feel comfortable expensing when they travel for work. It found people are most comfortable expensing food, with 83% saying they’d claim back for a meal in a restaurant. This drops when looking at room service, with only 57% feeling comfortable expensing something they’d ordered to their room. Just over a quarter of workers (26%) would feel comfortable expensing alcohol on its own, with men more comfortable than women (16% vs 8%) and Gen Z and millennials more comfortable than over 55s (36% vs 9%). Food remains top of the list when looking at workers’ priorities when traveling. 72% want to go out for dinner during a business trip, with 69% wanting to stay in a nice hotel and over half (55%) wanting to visit local tourist attractions. Visiting a gym is less popular (24%), while over a third (39%) want to go on a night out when traveling for business. Analyzing industries, it was found HR are the biggest party animals, with 56% saying a night out is a priority when visiting somewhere new for business. After over a year of remote and blended working, there has been much discussion around whether home or the office is the most beneficial to employees. Many US workers saying business travel is more of a perk now than ever. In fact, 34% said they have their best business ideas when traveling for work, showing just how inspiring getting out into the world and meeting work contacts in person can be. While the convenience of being able to jump onto a Zoom call for less-essential meetings can and should be recognized, usually the best ideas, the best relationships – and the best results – happen when people travel and meet face-to-face.
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