Home

Aviation News

Latest

Aviation News

Harry Johnson·

Juergen T Steinmetz·

Aviation Feature

·July 12, 2021

Flights that are still operating on Bangkok Airways

Bangkok – Samui (roundtrip) 2 flights per day Sealed routes flights between Bangkok and Samui, that will accommodate international transit passengers (3 flights per day) Samui – Phuket (roundtrip) 4 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), these flights will be available from 16 July 2021 onwards Last week it was reported that Bangkok, the Bangkok, the City of Angels is under another COVID-19 surge. Today Bangkok Airways reacted and canceled the following domestic flights: 1. Bangkok – Chiang Mai (roundtrip) 2. Bangkok – Phuket (roundtrip) 3. Bangkok – Sukhothai (roundtrip) 4. Bangkok – Lampang (roundtrip) 5. Bangkok – Trat (roundtrip) Samui – Singapore (roundtrip) 3 flights per week (Monday, Thursday, and Sunday), these flights will be available from 1 August 2021 onwards. Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited is a regional airline based in Bangkok, Thailand. It operates scheduled services to destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam. Its main base is Suvarnabhumi Airport. Passengers who are scheduled to travel before 31 July 2021 can have fees waived for rebooking or alternatively may request a refund in the form of a travel voucher to be used for future ticketing. Passengers can make any necessary changes up to 24 hours prior to their flight. More information can be seen at www.bangkokair.com/travel-voucher (terms and conditions apply). Passengers who wish to amend their travels with no new specified travel date (open ticket) can submit their request via https://forms.office.com/r/WjcEEfQX2L within 24 hours prior to the proposed departure date. The airline will use information provided via such form in order to further accommodate passengers.  Passengers can contact the airline via the following channels; Passengers who booked their tickets through travel agencies are advised to directly contact their agents for further arrangements. Moreover, the airline encourages passengers to check announcements, orders, and travel procedures, for each destination prior to travel from the related authorities such as: The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) http://www.moicovid.com/ข้อมูลสำคัญ-จังหวัด/ Airports of Thailand www.airportthai.co.th/en/ Department of Airports www.facebook.com/DepartmentOfAirports/

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 12, 2021

Wizz Air CEO £100 Million Bonus Riles Unions

Wizz Air has been making money at the cost of transport workers for a long time.Wizz Air workers face harsh working conditions, poor remuneration, and unfair, sometimes even unlawful, practices from management side.Rewarding József Váradi with a £100,000,000 bonus for running the airline this way is inappropriate and unacceptable. The European Transport Workers’ Federation condemns the decision to pay out a £100 million bonus to Wizz Air’s CEO József Váradi as a reward for the rapid growth of the carrier. Wizz Air is a company with an infamous history of anti-social practices – unlawful dismissals, disregard of the right to organize, union busting, and social dumping, to name a few. It is no secret that Wizz Air workers face harsh working conditions, poor remuneration, and unfair, sometimes even unlawful, practices from management side. Wizz Air has been making money at the cost of transport workers for a long time. Rewarding József Váradi with a £100,000,000 bonus for running the airline this way is inappropriate and unacceptable, even more so in the midst of a pandemic that has left many aviation workers exposed to job insecurity, health and safety risks including mental health risks, excessive workload, stress, and fatigue. Rewarding the CEO on the basis of expansionism of a company, regardless of its profit, environmental footprint, the state of working conditions, respect to social and labor rights and workers’ wellbeing is utterly disrespectful not only to the workers but also to their families and society at large. The ETF calls on shareholders to rescind this bonus, and base any future bonuses for airline’s top executives on building a sustainable company with decent working conditions, decent remuneration, well-functioning social dialogue, and well-being of employees rather than solely on growth and profit based on workforce exploitation.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 12, 2021

American Airlines Passenger Tries to Open Door Midflight, Bites Flight Attendant, Duct Taped to Her Seat

The “odd” woman “started getting more and more agitated and very loud.”“Potential security concern” required the plane’s crew to take action.Despite the extreme measures used to restrain her, the woman reportedly yelled obscenities throughout the duration of the flight. American Airlines flight from Dallas, Texas to Charlotte, North Carolina quickly spiraled into the surreal when a female passenger started muttering to the male passenger sitting next to her that she did not want the aircraft to “fly up anymore.” According to one of the passengers on the flight, the “odd” woman “started getting more and more agitated and very loud, and the man sitting next to her, along with the flight attendants, kindly tried to console her and calm her, but nothing worked.” The emotionally disturbed woman, described as being in her 30s with green hair, reportedly bolted out of her seat and tried to rip open the plane’s door. She was quickly tackled by flight attendants, who restrained her limbs with duct tact and zip ties, according to the onboard eyewitness. Passengers sitting in rows in front of and behind the unwell woman were then asked to move out of the way so that flight attendants could duct-tape the misbehaving customer to her seat. According to one passenger, the aircraft’s pilot got on the intercom and urged people to stay in their seats as personnel dealt with a “bad situation on the plane,” without elaborating further. American Airlines later confirmed the incredible incident and defended its Hollywood-esque security measures, explaining that a “potential security concern” required the plane’s crew to take action. The air carrier also disclosed that the woman “physically assaulted and bit” one of the flight attendants.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 12, 2021

Qatar to open over 100 new hotels for FIFA 2022 World Cup

Qatar is gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Upcoming properties are part of Qatar’s strategy to diversify its offering and broaden its appeal to visitors.Qatar expands its global tourism offer in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Qatar is adding 105 new hotels and hotel apartments to its already extensive portfolio of properties, as the country gears up to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. The new properties will broaden Qatar’s appeal to a range of travelers and enhance the visitor experience, as Qatar Tourism continues its mission to turn the country into a world-leading destination. One exciting recent hotel opening is the Banyan Tree Doha, a five-star luxury property, elegantly designed by renowned interior designer Jacques Garcia. Hotel openings on this year’s horizon include, for example, the Pullman Doha West Bay, a five-star Accor property; the JW Marriott West Bay, with an eye-catching and towering exterior; and the Steigenberger Hotel, famed for its exclusive hospitality. Each of these new hotels contributes a unique amenity or experience to Qatar’s 184-property-strong portfolio, which is made up of nearly 32,000 room keys. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chairman of Qatar Tourism, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are continuing to expand our tourism offer to ensure guests enjoy the best of Qatari hospitality while being able to choose a hotel, resort or serviced apartment that accommodates to their budget and needs. These upcoming properties are part of our strategy to diversify our offering and broaden our appeal to visitors. We are pleased to expand our global tourism offer in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and provide travelers with more options to experience the very best of Qatar.” The recently opened five-star Banyan Tree Doha offers an oasis of luxury in the heart of the city. For a blend of work and play, the Pullman Doha West Bay with 375 rooms and suites and 93 apartments is due to open later this year. Those looking to soak up views of Doha’s skyline will soon be able to enjoy a stay at the 53-storey JW Marriott West Bay. Travelers looking for accommodation close to the airport will be able to book the futuristic 204-room Steigenberger Hotel Doha.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Lufthansa deploys two Airbus A321s permanently converted into freighters

Medium-haul aircraft are used as freight-only aircraft on continental routes in Europe.Aircraft receive cargo doors to enable containers to be transported on the main deck as well.Freighter aircraft will be operated by Lufthansa CityLine. Lufthansa Cargo is investing in the expansion of its cargo capacities. From the beginning of 2022, the company will offer its customers additional capacity in Europe by permanently converting Airbus 321 passenger aircraft into freighters. For this purpose, the twin-engine medium-haul aircraft will receive large cargo doors to enable the transport of containers on the main deck as well. Initially, the conversion of two Airbus aircraft is planned. These aircraft will be operated by Lufthansa CityLine on behalf of Lufthansa Cargo. They will be stationed in Frankfurt. The growth for cross-border eCommerce shipments is forecast at around 20% per year for the next five years. Consumers expect ever shorter delivery times for their ordered goods. This is also increasing the demand for air freight connections within Europe. “Lufthansa Cargo wants to offer customers in the eCommerce segment fast intra-European connections. With the converted A321s, we are meeting our customers’ growing demand for same-day solutions and further strengthening our dense network of global connections as well as our product offering,” said Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo. “The selected aircraft type can transport 28t per flight, significantly larger cargo volumes than in the short-haul bellies of passenger aircraft. In addition to forwarders, integrators and postal operators, eCommerce providers will be customers for this offering,” von Boxberg added. “With more than 60 years of experience in European air transport, Lufthansa CityLine stands for reliable and efficient operations as an important partner in the Lufthansa Group. Flexibility in operations and speed in identifying and implementing new opportunities are the foundation of our business. We want to use these qualities to serve Lufthansa Cargo and its customers,” says Steffen Harbarth, Managing Director of Lufthansa CityLine. The Airbus A321s (A321P2F) converted to freighters offer a payload of 28 tons with a range of 3,500 kilometers. The conversion allows the use of standardized cargo pallets on the main deck as well. The twin-engine Airbus A321 is one of the most versatile aircraft in its class and enables very efficient continental operations.

Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Hawaii Tourism door wide open

This was announced at a press conference that just concluded at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.The state confirmed that Hawaii’s efforts are not being done in coordination with federal authority guidelines.Travelers vaccinated in the US or its territories may participate in the program starting on the 15th day after second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Travelers vaccinated in the U.S. or U.S. Territories may participate in the exception program starting on the 15th day after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine — or starting the 15th day after they’ve received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. When asked by eTurboNews, it was made clear that vaccination passes are not accepted by foreign authorities. Hawaii-bound travelers will need to upload one of three vaccination documents to a Safe Travels Hawaii account they set up, prior to traveling to the islands. One of the following documents must be uploaded: A CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card.VAMS (Vaccination Administration Management System) printout.DOD DD Form 2766C. The Safe Travels digital platform will ask for an online legal attestations on its website to confirm the uploaded documentation is true and accurate.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

IATA launches global Mobility Aids Action Group

As airlines rebuild, the industry is eager to build a more inclusive restart.Action Group will be the first of its kind aimed at tackling issues around the safe and secure transport of mobility aids.With aging populations in countries around the world, travelers with disabilities will be a growing customer segment for airlines. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the launch of a global Mobility Aids Action Group to examine and improve the transport journey of mobility aids, including wheelchairs, with the objective of improving the handling of this vital equipment for travelers with disabilities. The Action Group will be the first of its kind aimed at tackling issues around the safe and secure transport of mobility aids—an issue of huge importance to a growing number of travelers. It will also provide advice and recommendations to airlines and other stakeholders concerning the establishment of policy, process and standards related to the handling and transport of mobility aids. “Every year, thousands of wheelchairs are transported safely by air. However, damage or loss is still occurring. And when it does, it is devastating to the passenger as these devices are more than equipment—they are extensions of their body and essential to their independence. We acknowledge that we are not where we want to be on this as an industry. This is why we want to do something about it on a global level, not through setting up a talking shop, but by bringing the key groups together to take practical action,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA. Uniquely, the Mobility Aids Action Group will involve the full range of stakeholders impacted by this issue, including accessibility organizations (representing travelers with disabilities), airlines, ground service providers, airports and mobility aids manufacturers. It will be the first time a mobility aids manufacturer will be invited to participate in an IATA task force. “This is the beginning of a new day where the accessibility community has a seat at the table. The challenge of transporting assistive devices faces airlines across the globe and having IATA create this action group shows how committed the industry is to solve one of the largest accessibility topics,” said Eric Lipp, Founder and Executive Director of the Open Doors Organization (ODO).

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Russia ends restrictions on flights to Egypt’s Red Sea resorts

A decree banning flights by Russian air carriers to Egypt’s resorts destinations was enacted in 2015.In its most recent version, the decree allowed only regular flights to Cairo and official flights to Egypt.On April 23 2021, Russian and Egyptian presidents agreed to resume flights between Russian cities and Egypt’s Red Sea resorts. A 6-year-old edict banning air service by Russian airlines to Egyptian Red Sea resort destinations has been annulled on Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. In its most recent version, now annulled by Putin, the decree allowed only regular flights to Cairo and official flights to Egypt. It also contained a recommendation to tour operators and travel agents to refrain from selling tourist products providing for air travel to Egypt, except for Cairo. These restrictions are null and void. Air traffic between Russia and Egypt was halted in November 2015 after a Russian passenger jet had crashed over the Sinai Peninsula killing 224 people. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) qualified the incident as an act of terrorism. In January 2018, Putin signed a decree allowing to resume scheduled passenger flights to Cairo, but charter flights to Egyptian resorts remained restricted. On April 23 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt agreed to resume flights between Russian cities and Egypt’s Red Sea resorts.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Aviation Workforce Training essential for post covid

36% of survey respondents have already moved their focus to distance / e-learning.85% of survey respondents said that online learning including virtual classrooms will play an important role in the recovery.As aviation rebuilds, topics such as sustainability and digitalization will gain in importance. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released research on the training requirements for the aviation workforce as the industry starts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. The Aviation Workforce Training essential for post covid operation is seen as essential According to a global survey of some 800 human resources (HR) leaders in the aviation industry responsible for learning and development, right-skilling existing workers and ensuring that new hires from outside aviation can quickly acquire the necessary skills will be key to successfully building the post-pandemic workforce. To achieve this, training programs will need to be adapted, with around half the HR respondents stating that their top priority is to assess available workforce skills and map these against their organization’s competency requirements. This will form the basis for the required training curriculums. The pandemic had already forced many airlines and other companies in the value chain, like ground service providers, to assess what overall skills their employees possessed to adapt to new operational requirements. A case in point was the need to load cargo in cabins of passenger aircraft repurposed to carry cargo only. As demand for air travel recovers, companies will be bringing back employees but will also be hiring from outside the industry. Results from the survey show that the topics of safety, operations, security, and economic disciplines have been identified as the main areas where training will be required to master the current situation. Safety was highlighted as particularly critical for airlines, ground service providers and airports. “IATA has been providing training for aviation professionals for nearly 50 years. The technical nature of our industry, coupled with stringent requirements defined by the regulators, drive the necessity for standardized training across the sector. Given the fact that the COVID-19 crisis forced many companies to either completely halt or drastically scale down training, we will continue to adapt our portfolio to ensure that we can contribute to the industry’s restart,” said Frédéric Leger, Interim Senior Vice President, Commercial Products and Services at IATA & Cargo Network Services (CNS) President. IATA started a number of initiatives to assist in aviation workforce training.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Airline in China see stable Recovery

China’s aviation industry reported 245 million passenger trips in the January-June period.The air-cargo volume rose 24.6 percent year on year to 3.743 million tons during the period.The aviation sector’s investment in fixed assets reached 43.5 billion yuan (about $6.72 billion) in the first half of the year. According to the latest data released today by Civil Aviation Administration of China, Chinese civil aviation sector gradually recovered from the impact of COVID-19 in the first half of 2021. The country’s aviation regulator’s data shows that China’s aviation industry reported 245 million passenger trips in the January-June period, up 66.4 percent year on year, equivalent to 76.2 percent of the volume during the same period of 2019. The transportation volume recovered quarter by quarter, and in the second quarter, passenger trips on domestic flights returned to the pre-epidemic level. The air-cargo volume rose 24.6 percent year on year to 3.743 million tons during the period, up 6.4 percent compared with the same period of 2019. The aviation sector’s investment in fixed assets reached 43.5 billion yuan (about $6.72 billion) in the first half of the year, up 8.5 percent year on year, said the administration. More on China’s airline industry click here

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 9, 2021

Aviation Workforce Training essential for post covid

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 9, 2021

China’s airline industry sees stable recovery

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 9, 2021

IATA: Training essential to post-pandemic aviation workforce

36% of survey respondents have already moved their focus to distance / e-learning.85% of survey respondents said that online learning including virtual classrooms will play an important role in the recovery.As aviation rebuilds, topics such as sustainability and digitalization will gain in importance. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released research on the training requirements for the aviation workforce as the industry starts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. According to a global survey of some 800 human resources (HR) leaders in the aviation industry responsible for learning and development, right-skilling existing workers and ensuring that new hires from outside aviation can quickly acquire the necessary skills will be key to successfully building the post-pandemic workforce. To achieve this, training programs will need to be adapted, with around half the HR respondents stating that their top priority is to assess available workforce skills and map these against their organization’s competency requirements. This will form the basis for the required training curriculums. The pandemic had already forced many airlines and other companies in the value chain, like ground service providers, to assess what overall skills their employees possessed to adapt to new operational requirements. A case in point was the need to load cargo in cabins of passenger aircraft repurposed to carry cargo only. As demand for air travel recovers, companies will be bringing back employees but will also be hiring from outside the industry. Results from the survey show that the topics of safety, operations, security, and economic disciplines have been identified as the main areas where training will be required to master the current situation. Safety was highlighted as particularly critical for airlines, ground service providers and airports. “IATA has been providing training for aviation professionals for nearly 50 years. The technical nature of our industry, coupled with stringent requirements defined by the regulators, drive the necessity for standardized training across the sector. Given the fact that the COVID-19 crisis forced many companies to either completely halt or drastically scale down training, we will continue to adapt our portfolio to ensure that we can contribute to the industry’s restart,” said Frédéric Leger, Interim Senior Vice President, Commercial Products and Services at IATA & Cargo Network Services (CNS) President.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 8, 2021

Russia ends restrictions on flights to Egypt’s Red Sea resorts

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 8, 2021

Lufthansa introduces IT solution for sustainable travel and mobility offers

The new IT solution enables companies to integrate sustainable offers for customers into their product portfolio.The platform supports achieving CO2 reduction targets and accelerating the transition to sustainable mobility.Companies can simply integrate the Squake interface into their own online portals. Customers are increasingly demanding sustainable travel and mobility offers. At the same time, companies are also looking for ways to achieve their sustainability goals. The Lufthansa Innovation Hub now addresses this growing demand with a new solution. With Squake, the Lufthansa Group‘s central digitalization unit launches a CO2 compensation platform aimed at companies from the entire travel, mobility, and transport industry. By using an application programming interface (API) companies can now easily calculate and offset the CO2 emissions of the services they offer. The new solution permits them to develop individual sustainable products that are optimally tailored to the needs of their customers. “The travel and mobility market is urgently looking for effective solutions to increase sustainability. Our answer to this is the climate tech startup Squake, which helps companies accelerate their development of sustainable products,” says Christine Wang, Managing Director Lufthansa Innovation Hub. “With Squake, we are able to make our offsetting expertise accessible beyond aviation. It is only possible to achieve sustainability in the long term if we work together, which is why we rely on cooperation within the market and between the participating companies. Our vision for Squake is that it will provide a ‘green-tech backbone’ for travel and mobility.” Here’s how Squake works When customers of an online travel agency (OTA) book a trip using different modes of transport, e.g. rental car, flight, ferry, bus, the platform automatically calculates the CO2 emissions of the entire trip. Customers can then offset the calculated emissions during the booking process. Companies can simply integrate the Squake interface into their own online portals. This means they can immediately offer “green rates” or make their entire offering CO2-neutral. The first European startups from the travel management, shared mobility, and logistics sectors are already successfully using the service. “Profitability and sustainability have to work together,” says Dan Kreibich, project lead of Squake. “We help companies come up with sustainable offerings in the shortest possible time that are precisely tailored to their target groups. We’re convinced that sustainable products contribute to sales growth.” Broad portfolio of certified climate protection projects for CO2 compensation Companies can choose from a broad portfolio of high-quality climate protection projects to compensate the CO2 emissions of their travel and mobility offers. These projects are certified to the highest industry standards, such as the Gold Standard or the Plan Vivo Standard, and have undergone a corresponding auditing process. The portfolio includes energy or solar projects as well as innovative technologies that extract CO2 directly from the atmosphere (“direct air capture”) and the use of sustainable fuels. Project partners include renowned climate protection organizations such as myclimate as well as innovative technology partners such as Climeworks or GoodShipping. In the future, Squake would like to focus in particular on innovative technologies and continuously expand its services to its partners. Companies can opt for those projects that fit their own sustainability goals and corporate philosophy.

Lufthansa passengers will be offered a third gender option during the booking process.Lufthansa is the latest major air carrier to announce such ‘change,’ joining Air Canada and Japan Airlines.Lufthansa spokesman said that all internal and crew communication would be made “gender equitable” too. Airline passengers boarding a Lufthansa flight in the near future will no longer hear “Meine Damen und Herren” or “ladies and gentlemen,” a spokesman for the airline announced today. Lufthansa will scrap the traditional “ladies and gentlemen” greeting to passengers in favor of a gender-neutral alternative such as ‘dear guests,’ or ‘good morning/evening.’ Lufthansa is the latest major air carrier to announce such ‘change,’ joining Air Canada and Japan Airlines. Additionally, Lufthansa passengers will be offered a third gender option during the booking process, alongside “male” and “female.” The change will be rolled out gradually on Lufthansa flights, as well as flights by Swiss, Austrian, Brussels and Eurowings, which are subsidiaries of Lufthansa. Lfthansa Group said that the change is a response to a “discussion that is rightly being held in society” over gender, and came from a desire “to value all guests on board.” Though announced today, the change has been in the works for nearly a month. A Lufthansa spokesman said in June that all internal and crew communication would be made “gender equitable” too. Air Canada was the first airline to drop traditional politeness for modern sensitivities when it replaced “ladies and gentlemen” with “everyone” back in 2019. Like Lufthansa, it also introduced a third gender option on its booking site. Japan Airlines followed in 2020, but only applied the change to its English-language announcements. Not only is Japanese society less receptive to Western-style wokeness (same-sex marriage, for example, is not legal there), the most commonly used Japanese-language greeting is already gender-neutral.

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 12, 2021

Heathrow: Closure of Transatlantic Flights Costing UK £23 Million a Day

European countries that have supported their aviation sectors throughout the pandemic are seeing the fastest growth as they emerge from the pandemic.Passenger traffic from Heathrow to the US is down by around 80%, whereas in the EU, which has reopened unilaterally with the US has seen traffic recover to only around 40% down.Getting Britain trading again with the rest of the world is critical to the Government’s plans for a Global Britain post-Brexit. Heathrow passenger numbers are still nearly 90% down on pre-pandemic 2019 passenger numbers, and much lower than EU rivals. European countries that have supported their aviation sectors throughout the pandemic are seeing the fastest growth as they emerge from the pandemic. Both Schiphol and Frankfurt have surpassed their 2019 cargo volumes, growing by 14% and 9% respectively compared to 2019, whereas cargo tonnage at Heathrow, the UK’s biggest port is still down 16%. Almost all air cargo is carried in the hold of passenger planes, and UK travel restrictions are limiting trade compared to our EU rivals. The closure of Britain’s transatlantic links is costing the UK economy at least £23 million a day. Passenger traffic from Heathrow to the US is down by around 80%, whereas in the EU, which has reopened unilaterally with the US has seen traffic recover to only around 40% down. Britain’s long held competitive advantage on transatlantic trade is at risk if borders remain closed. Getting Britain trading again with the rest of the world is critical to the Government’s plans for a Global Britain post-Brexit. Heathrow alone has the potential to facilitate a £204 billion trade bonanza benefitting British businesses in every corner of the country, creating opportunities for the entire aviation sector and strengthening the UK’s trade network – but only if Ministers move to reopen trade as soon as possible. The announcement that double-vaccinated UK residents will no longer be required to quarantine when returning from amber list countries from the 19th July is a great step forward. However to kickstart Britain’s economic recovery, the Government must reopen travel to fully vaccinated people from more countries, particularly our key trading partners like the US. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Heathrow are working together to demonstrate that 100% vaccination status can be carried out at check in, and there is no reason why Government should not approve this for passengers from the US and EU from the 31st of July. Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye said: “While it’s fantastic news that some double-vaccinated passengers will no longer need to quarantine from amber countries, Ministers need to extend this policy to US and EU nationals if they want to kickstart the economic country. These changes will be critical for exporters who are losing out to EU rivals and families who have been separated from loved ones. We have all the tools to safely restart international travel, and now is the time for Global Britain to take off!”

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Qatar Airways joins IATA’s Turbulence Aware Platform

Safety and environmental sustainability as its top priority.It is the first and largest turbulence data contributor in the Middle East.Sharing data on turbulence could help the airline industry cut carbon emissions. Qatar Airways and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Qatar Airways will become the first airline in the Middle East to join the IATA Turbulence Aware platform. IATA’s Turbulence Aware helps airlines mitigate the impact of turbulence, a leading cause of passenger and crew injuries and higher fuel costs each year, by pooling and sharing anonymized turbulence data from multiple participating airlines and thousands of daily flights. The real-time, accurate information enables pilots and dispatchers to choose optimal flight paths, avoiding turbulence and flying at optimum levels to maximize fuel efficiency and thereby reduce CO2 emissions. Qatar Airways was the first Middle Eastern airline to participate in the Turbulence Aware initiative when it was launched as a pilot project in December 2018. Turbulence Aware has since expanded into a fully operational platform with over 1,500 reporting aircraft sharing real-time turbulence data. With today’s announcement Qatar Airways has equipped 120 aircraft with the Turbulence Aware platform, with plans to expand to the rest of its fleet. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “With safety and environmental sustainability as our top priority, we show our commitment towards responsible flying. We continue to innovate as one of the world’s leading airlines by adopting this new solution that combines technology and big data for more efficient flight planning not only to ensure a smooth journey, but also to reduce fuel burn, in turn lowering our carbon emissions. To make flying safer and more sustainable, the airline industry must leverage such digital innovations, and work together to share turbulence data for more precise forecasting.”

Harry Johnson·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021

Finnair launches nonstop Miami, Bangkok and Phuket flights from Stockholm

Finnair opens nonstop flight route from Arlanda, Stockholm to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand.Finnair opens nonstop flight route from Arlanda, Stockholm to Miami in the United States.All three routes will be operated with an Airbus A350 aircraft. Finnair opens non-stop flight routes from Arlanda, Stockholm in Sweden to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand and Miami in the United States for the winter season 2021/2022. All three routes will be operated with an Airbus A350 aircraft offering a smooth and modern travel experience. “We are excited to meet the travel needs of our Swedish customers with a nonstop service from Arlanda to Thailand and Miami, which are among the top winter holiday destinations for Swedes”, says Ole Orvér, Chief Commercial Officer, Finnair. “The new flights will strengthen our offering in the Swedish market.” As of October 22, Finnair flies from Arlanda to Bangkok five times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. From November 28, the weekly frequencies will be increased to seven and flights are operated from Monday through Sunday until April 22, 2022. Flights from Arlanda to Phuket will be operated on Sundays as of October 24. An additional frequency will be added Thursday as of November 4th and for Tuesdays as of November 30. Flights to Phuket will be operated until April 21, 2022. Flights from Arlanda to Miami will start with two weekly frequencies, on Wednesdays and Saturdays as of October 23. From November 29, flights will be operated also on Monday and Friday until April 22, 2022. Finnair flies to Bangkok, Phuket and Miami also from its home base Helsinki Airport.

Juergen T Steinmetz·

Aviation Feature

·July 11, 2021