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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 29, 2021

US travel industry should address trust gaps in price transparency, COVID-19 safety

The majority of US travelers that participated in the study said the travel industry has done well in implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures.35% of US travelers reported that they currently trust travel companies to use their personal information in the right way.The research also uncovered evidence that trust directly influences purchasing behavior. According to new independent research, the travel industry can boost global recovery by addressing consumer trust gaps in price transparency, COVID-19 health and safety measures, data privacy and information credibility. The Four Trust Gaps Price Transparency The study of 11,000 travelers across 10 countries, including 1,000 in the United States, was conducted by Edelman Data & Intelligence (DxI), the research and analytics arm of Edelman, which has studied trust for over 20 years through the Edelman Trust Barometer. In the US, it revealed the two most important factors in building consumer trust in travel agencies and travel suppliers, such as airlines, are having ‘no hidden costs’ (64%) and ‘fully flexible or refundable products’ (55%). Unfortunately, most travelers currently deem industry performance in both of these areas to be poor (67% and 61% respectively). US travelers were among the world’s most disappointed, with a significant 31 and 16 percentage point gap between importance and performance on those two points respectively. 2. COVID-19 Health & Safety The majority (52%) of US travelers that participated in the study said the travel industry has done well in implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures. Going forward, however, around half said they would like more reassurance on how robustly some measures are being enforced, in particular, improved air filtration, social distancing and managed boarding and queuing. 3. Data Privacy Data privacy was another key issue highlighted by the research. Less than four in 10 of US travelers  (35%, compared to 40% globally) reported that they currently trust travel companies to use their personal information in the right way. Globally, this was especially apparent among Baby Boomers (33%) and Gen Z (36%) respondents. When it comes to using information to personalize experiences, travelers in the US said they are most comfortable with companies using data that they have actively shared with them through one-to-one conversations (46%), past booking behavior (44%) and loyalty activity (44%). They are less comfortable, however, when information is sourced indirectly, for example, through social media activity (26%), public records like credit scores (31%) and past shopping, search and booking behavior with other companies (35%). 4. Information Credibility According to the research, the most trusted source of travel-related information that travelers in the US use when researching a trip are those perceived to have aligned interests: friends and family (73%), with the next-most trusted source of review websites coming in far behind (46%). In contrast, the least trusted are those with a clear vested interest in selling, such as social media influencers (23%) and celebrities (19%). Once again, Gen Z was revealed to be the least trusting in almost every category globally. A similar story played out when examining trust in different types of travel-related information. Customer ratings (52%) and written customer reviews (46%) are among the most trusted amongst travelers in the US. However, third-party certification (34%), photos of products such as hotel rooms provided by travel companies (37%), and third-party ratings such as hotel star systems (39%) were revealed to be the least trusted.  Enabling Retail In addition to identifying gaps in trust, the research also uncovered evidence that trust directly influences purchasing behavior. Due to COVID-19, nearly half (49%) of US travelers today, for example, were shown to prioritize trust over all other factors when choosing a travel supplier. Many travelers also stated, when trust is in place, they will consider purchasing multiple travel-related items (50%), upgrading their package (40%) and buying non-travel-related items such as credit cards (29%).
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 29, 2021

Largest order in history: United adds 270 Boeing and Airbus jets to fleet

United will increase the total number of available seats across its domestic network by almost 30% per departure and replace at least 200 single-class regional jets with larger mainline aircraft.Order expected to create 25,000 well-paying, unionized jobs at United, significantly lower carbon emissions per seat and contribute an estimated $50 billion annually towards the U.S. economy by 2026.When combined with the airline’s current order book, United expects to add more than 500 new aircraft including about one new plane every three days in 2023 alone. United Airlines today announced the purchase of 270 new Boeing and Airbus aircraft – the largest combined order in the airline’s history and the biggest by an individual carrier in the last decade. The ‘United Next’ plan will have a transformational effect on the customer experience and is expected to increase the total number of available seats per domestic departure by almost 30%, significantly lower carbon emissions per seat and create tens of thousands of quality, unionized jobs by 2026, all efforts that will have a positive, ripple effect across the broader U.S. economy. When combined with the current order book, United Airlines expects to introduce more than 500 new, narrow-body aircraft: 40 in 2022, 138 in 2023 and as many as 350 in 2024 and beyond. That means in 2023 alone, United’s fleet will, on average, add about one new narrow-body aircraft every three days. United’s new aircraft order – 50 737 MAX 8s, 150 737 MAX 10s and 70 A321neos – will come with a new signature interior that includes seat-back entertainment in every seat, larger overhead bins for every passenger’s carry-on bag and the industry’s fastest available in-flight WiFi, as well as a bright look-and-feel with LED lighting. The airline expects to fly the first 737 MAX 8 with the signature interior this summer and to begin flying the 737 MAX 10 and the Airbus A321neo in early 2023. What’s more, United Airlines intends to upgrade 100% of its mainline, narrow-body fleet to these standards by 2025, an extraordinary retrofit project that, when combined with the number of new aircraft joining the fleet, means United will deliver its state-of-the-art inflight experience to tens of millions of customers at an unprecedented pace. This order will also significantly boost United’s total number of mainline daily departures and available seats across the airline’s North American network, as well as the number of premium seats, both United FirstSM and Economy Plus®. Specifically, United expects it will have on average 53 premium seats per North American departure by 2026, an increase of about 75% over 2019, and more than any competitor in North America. “Our United Next vision will revolutionize the experience of flying United as we accelerate our business to meet a resurgence in air travel,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “By adding and upgrading this many aircraft so quickly with our new signature interiors, we’ll combine friendly, helpful service with the best experience in the sky, all across our premier global network. At the same time, this move underscores the critical role United plays in fueling the broader U.S. economy – we expect the addition of these new aircraft will have a significant economic impact on the communities we serve in terms of job creation, traveler spending and commerce.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 28, 2021

Extremely high risk: Hong Kong bans all passenger flights from UK

People who have stayed in the UK for more than two hours will be restricted from boarding passenger flights to Hong Kong.Hong Kong confirmed its first local Delta variant COVID case last week.UK flight ban comes as Hong Kong is looking to relax quarantine measures for most other countries. Hong Kong government announced on Monday that all passenger flights from the UK will be banned from flying into Hong Kong Special Administrative Region starting Thursday. As Hong Kong seeks to curb the spread of new variants of the COVID-19, SAR authorities classified the UK as “extremely high risk“ because of the “recent rebound of the epidemic situation in the UK and the widespread Delta variant virus strain there”. Under new classification, people who have stayed in the UK for more than two hours will be restricted from boarding passenger flights to Hong Kong. Hong Kong confirmed its first local Delta variant COVID case last week, ending a 16-day streak of zero local cases. New restriction is the second time that the Hong Kong government has banned flights from the UK, following a restriction imposed last December. The ban comes amid heightened tensions between the UK and China over semi-autonomous Hong Kong. The flight ban was triggered by a policy put in place by the government to prevent coronavirus variants from spreading in Hong Kong. A suspension of passenger flights is imposed if five or more passengers arriving from one place test positive on arrival for a particular coronavirus variant, or a relevant virus mutation within a seven-day period. A ban is also issued if 10 or more passengers from one place are confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus via any tests, including tests conducted during quarantine, within a seven-day period. The UK reported 14,876 people tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday, as it saw a recent surge in infections. It has confirmed more than four million cases since the pandemic began. Hong Kong, which for months imposed a 21-day quarantine for arrivals from most countries and implemented strict social distancing regulations, reported three new cases of the coronavirus on Monday. It has confirmed a total of 11,921 cases since the pandemic began. The UK flight ban comes as Hong Kong is looking to relax quarantine measures for most other countries, including the US and Canada.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·June 27, 2021

Saudia, Emirates, Etihad Airways flights to Jamaica – a Tourism Revolution?

Jamaica could become the aviation hub for the Caribbean connecting to new markets that include the United Arab Emirates, or Saudi Arabia.The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia already became a global tourism hot spot. With a little help, Jamaica could be on its way to become the center for Caribbean Tourism.Saudi Arabia has the money and connections. Jamaica is seen as a global tourism trend setter. A new winning partnership is in the making, and perhaps on fast track. A revolution Bob Marley style may have done the magic. A new era of a tourism opportunity just started in Jamaica, when the Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HE Ahmed Al Khateeb was seen with his host, the Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, HE Edmund Bartlett. Both ministers were wearing a baseball hat indicating a “Revolution.” A Travel and Tourism revolution, Bob Marley style? Saudi and Jamaica Minister of Tourism have a vision. Saudi Arabia has become the hot spot for global tourism. UNWTO opened a regional headquarter in Saudi Arabia , so did WTTC and the Global Resilience & Crisis Management Center may follow. Known for always thinking out of the box and having a global mindset the Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett was seen all smiling when he met with his Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb the Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi minister was in Jamaica for the recently concluded 66th regional meeting of the World Tourism Organization. This was an opportunity to discuss the possibility of an air link between the Caribbean and the Gulf region. Such an air link would be an opportunity for Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean to establish a never before seen opportunity to connect the Middle East, India, Africa, Asia with direct air links to the Caribbean. Jamaica could become the airline hub with feeder flights from other Caribbean countries to connect. This would not only generate new markets for the Caribbean, but also increase connectivity between island nations. Barlett said about his meeting with the Saudi Minister: “We talked about air connectivity and how to link the Middle East, the Asian market, and the areas within that side of the world. We talked about mega airlines that are in those areas. Particularly Etihad, Emirates and Saudi Arabian Airlines.” As a result the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Jamaica signed an agreement of intend. This was reported by eTurboNews on Friday. A drink (no alcohol) “The agreement that Minister Al Khateeb will bring to the table are those major airline partners, while I will be responsible for coordinating with the countries that are cooperating with us in the multi-destination tourism framework, to enable a Hub. Having such a hub in Jamaica traffic can move from the Middle East and come into our area and have a distribution from one country to the next,” he added. Bartlett thinks this possible multi-destination approach is critical to the development of tourism in the region and will broaden the market to create the critical mass that is needed to attract larger airlines and major tour operators to become interested in Jamaica and the region. It’s not only about air connectivity from gateways in the UAE, or Saudi Arabia to Jamaica. It’s the feeder flight opportunities from India, Africa, Central and South East Asia via the Gulf gateway to the Caribbean without having to worry about strict U.S. visa policies. Jamaica could become the tourism and global business hub for the Caribbean region. “For us, this is a game-changer in the making because small countries like Jamaica will never have the capacity to have large airlines like Emirates Airlines or Saudia coming to us with direct flights. However, we can benefit from these airlines coming into the Caribbean space, landing here in Jamaica but having distribution to other countries in the region,” he explained. A wining team and a final dance Al Khateeb, was also firm on strengthening connectivity between the Middle East and the Caribbean. The Saudi Minister said in Jamaica: “We discussed with my colleagues very critical topics and we are in support of creating bridges between the Middle East and the Caribbean. I thank Minister Bartlett for this opportunity and look forward to expanding the corporation for expanding the Middle East and the Caribbean,” he said. Both ministers also discussed other areas of possible collaboration, including human capital development, community tourism and building resilience within the region. Bartlett explained: “One of the key areas that we discussed was the development of resilience and crisis management, as well as sustainability as critical pillars on which the recovery of tourism must be predicated. But more so, the importance of building capacity within countries that have tourism as the driver of their economies – countries that are weakly resourced and vulnerable to disruptions. We are going to see collaboration in the building out of the resilience centre here in Jamaica and the resilience centre that is in Saudi Arabia,” said Bartlett. Currently there is no timeline on these ideas, but certainly tourism is moving forward in Jamaica and beyond – and it may not only be with North American and UK visitors only.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·June 25, 2021

Bahamas welcomes Frontier Airlines inaugural flight to Nassau

Frontier will operate direct flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Nassau (NAS) four times a week, starting July 2021.The Bahamas is on a path of tourism recovery and economic restoration following a devastating hurricane and the COVID-19 pandemic.A robust increase in airlift from major source markets figures as a key element in the Ministry’s overall strategy for tourism recovery. As travel continues a steady return, The Bahamas is eager to welcome back visitors with more flight options and deals this summer. Frontier will operate direct flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Nassau (NAS) four times a week, starting July 2021. During an inaugural ceremony and plaque exchange, Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, M.P. Minister of Tourism and Aviation, brings remarks to Frontier Airlines’ inaugural flight from Miami to Nassau. Photo courtesy of Kemuel Stubbs. Minister of Tourism and Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, was among the officials gathered at the Sir Lynden Airport this afternoon to greet the inaugural flight and he expressed warm words of welcome. Plaque exchange by Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar, M.P, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, and Frontier Airlines executives during a ceremony for Frontier Airlines inaugural flight from Miami to Nassau. “I am honored and excited that Frontier Airlines has decided to partner with The Bahamas, particularly at this critical juncture, as we engage on the path of tourism recovery and economic restoration following a devastating hurricane and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. I take this opportunity to extend a warm Bahamian welcome to you and to express our sincere appreciation for your partnership.” Pictured left to right at Miami Airport is Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier Airlines, and Mrs. Linda Mackey, Consul General of Bahamas Consulate Miami. Frontier Airlines presented The Islands of The Bahamas with a gift of a model of the Frontier Airlines Airplane and The Islands of The Bahamas presented a photo designed by Bahamian celebrity artist, Jamaal Rolle. The addition of Frontier Airlines to the growing number of air carriers servicing The Bahamas comes as a result of the ongoing drive by the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation and key industry partners to expand airlift to the destination.  A robust increase in airlift from major source markets figures as a key element in the Ministry’s overall strategy for tourism recovery. Bahamas welcomes Frontier Airlines inaugural flight to Nassau 6 “Frontier Airlines’ multiple flights per week provide a breath of fresh air to our tourism economy as this air link connects our destination to the hub of the Southeastern USA, including Florida, a market from which we annually attract a significant share of our visitors,” said Minister D’Aguilar. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful beaches and explore the exciting offerings of Nassau and Paradise Island.  ABOUT THE BAHAMAS Explore all the islands have to offer at https://www.bahamas.com/ or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram. More news about The Bahamas #rebuildingtravel
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·June 25, 2021

Flynas announces delay in direct flights between KSA and Seychelles

The delay relates to the capacity of the brand new A320 Neo aircraft assigned to the destination.Flynas confirmed that a project is currently underway for the aircraft to obtain ETOPS clearance following which the operation will be launched.Seychelles has welcomed around 300 visitors from Saudi Arabia since January 2021 and a significant increase is forecasted from the region once Flynas is cleared for take off. Information communicated by the Flynas’ representatives to the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority indicates that the deferment of their direct flight from Jeddah to Mahé relates to the capacity of the brand new A320 Neo aircraft assigned to the destination, affecting its payload and range. The airline has also confirmed that a project is currently underway for the aircraft to obtain ETOPS clearance following which the operation will be launched. The Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, has affirmed the destination’s support for the new flights, which was due to operate three times a week, despite the delay in the start date. “The delay in the launch of Flynas’ flights to Seychelles is only a minor setback, which we are confident they will resolve. Our plans for the market is in no way affected and we look forward to seeing them land in our islands soon.” On her part, the incoming Principal Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Mrs. Sherin Francis, commented that despite being disappointed that Flynas will not be landing in Seychelles in July as initially planned, the destination is looking forward to welcoming its passengers the moment this becomes possible. “It is regrettable that Flynas will not be coming to Seychelles as mentioned in July, but this will not stop us from continuing our work to keep Seychelles visible in the region. We anticipate that the situation will be resolved soon and that the destination will be able to welcome visitors from Saudi Arabia and the region soon,” said Mrs. Francis. The destination has recorded approximately some 300 visitors from Saudi Arabia since January 2021 and a significant increase is forecasted from the region once Flynas begins flying to Seychelles. The Flynas A320 Neo aircraft has a capacity for 174 passengers. More news about Seychelles #rebuildingtravel
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 25, 2021

Israel reimposes mask mandate just 10 days after scrapping COVID-19 restrictions

Israel’s decision to revert to the mask mandate 10 days after lifting it will be seen as a blow to the country’s government.Israel recorded 227 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday despite the nation’s successful vaccine rollout.New COVID-19 testing facility established at Ben Gurion international airport to limit the risk of new strains being imported into the country. Just 10 days after ending the COVID-19 restrictions, the Israeli authorities have reimposed a mandatory mask requirement for all public places. The decision was announced via public radio by the head of Israel’s COVID-19 response taskforce, Nachman Ash, over concerns that “infections are spreading” throughout the country, with case numbers “doubling over a few days.” “We have more cities where the numbers are rising and communities where the cases are going up,” Ash warned in his statement.  According to the government officials, Israel recorded 227 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday despite the nation’s successful vaccine rollout. Israeli health officials fear that the infectious Delta variant, first detected in India, is behind the rising case numbers, as its highly transmissible nature means it can spread rapidly among a population, putting the health of unvaccinated individuals at risk. Israel’s decision to revert to the mask mandate 10 days after lifting it will be seen as a blow to the country’s government, which has been seen as running one of the most successful vaccination programs globally, having given at least one dose to 80% of adults. However, despite the setback, Ash was clear that health officials still “hope the vaccines will protect us from a rise in hospitalization and difficult cases.”  With Israelis set to celebrate pride this weekend, the health ministry has called on citizens to, once again, wear masks in crowded, outdoor spaces. This year’s pride march through Tel Aviv is expected to have crowds of tens of thousands of people, having been canceled last year due to the pandemic. Recently appointed prime minister, Naftali Bennett, warned Israelis about a “new outbreak” earlier this week, establishing a new COVID-19 testing facility at Ben Gurion international airport to limit the risk of new strains being imported into the country. This was paired with an announcement on Wednesday that Israel would be delaying its plans to reopen the country to international tourists.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·June 24, 2021

WHO & IATA: 3rd Wave of COVID to spread faster, hitting Africa harder

How much of a chance does African aviation and tourism have to re-generate its aviation and travel industry?A third wave of COVID-19 infections is expected to hit Africa harder and may cause more damage, according to warnings by the World Health Organization (WHO).The African Tourism Board and World Tourism Network is applauding IATA and are calling for coordination, communication, and well-researched implementations to assure the future of the vital travel and tourism industry on the continent. [embedded content] How much more punishment can the African Aviation industry take?This subject and a grim prediction by the World Health Organization was the subject of today’s joined IATA WHO press briefing in Paris. COVID-19 caused 7 billion US-Dollars in losses and put 7 million lost jobs on the African Continent on hold. 8 airlines in Africa had to file for bankruptcy. Globally aviation took a 413 billion loss. According to IATA a new normal in business is not expected until 2024. Go to the next page to read all the details > >
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 24, 2021

Air France tests IATA Travel Pass on Montreal-Paris flights

 Air France becomes the first airline to introduce a pilot program for outbound flights at the Montréal-Trudeau airport.Program’s purpose is to test the International Air Transport Association’s IATA Travel Pass mobile app.This trial is free of charge for customers and offered on a voluntary basis. By adding Montreal-Paris to its flights trialing the IATA Travel Pass app, Air France becomes the first airline to introduce a pilot program for outbound flights at the Montréal-Trudeau airport digitizing negative COVID-19 test results. It is carrying out the program jointly with the Biron Health Group. The pilot program will focus strictly on outbound Air France flights from Montréal-Trudeau to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, as of June 24 until July 15, 2021. Its purpose is to test the International Air Transport Association’s IATA Travel Pass mobile application which will enable travelers to: Check up on the latest COVID-19 related entry requirements for their country of destinationHave the results of their COVID-19 test performed at partner laboratories sent directly into the appSecurely store these documents in the app so they can demonstrate to airlines and authorities that they meet the relevant entry requirements, without having to divulge further information about their personal health This trial is free of charge for customers and offered on a voluntary basis. It is open to customers traveling on Air France-operated flights with Paris as a final destination. Testing will be carried out at the Biron Health Group’s onsite facilities at the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. Eligible passengers will receive a notification a few days before departing for Paris. Testing is possible on the day of departure for travellers ages 11 and up who have not been vaccinated or have only received their first dose, as they are required to present proof of a negative PCR or antigen test result issued within 72 hours of their departure to enter France.  What steps must a traveler follow? The traveler downloads the IATA Travel Pass app available on the Apple Store and Google Play and activates it using the code transmitted by Air FranceHe books an appointment for his PCR or antigen test on the Biron Health Group website.  At the time of the test, he asks to have the result integrated directly to the IATA Travel PassAt the airport, the traveler proceeds to the Air France SkyPriority counter.  When checking travel formalities, he presents his phone instead of a printed result
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

How Norway airline Widerøe is weathering huge COVID-19 storm so well

Widerøe is primarily a domestic airline operating a fleet of Dash 8s and Embraer 190E2s on a dense route network, mainly along the west coast of Norway.For some time during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Widerøe was Europe’s busiest airline with close to 200 flights a day.Widerøe connects remote places in the country, sometimes flying very short hops of just a few kilometers and then sometimes in extreme winter conditions. But that’s not the full story. Widerøe is one of the most aggressive airlines in driving environment and environmental change. It is exploring using all electric aircraft, where it can in the network, as the Norwegian government wants the first all-electric domestic flights to take off around the middle of the decade. Read – or listen to – what Jens Flottau and Stein Nilsen talk about on the CAPA – Centre for Aviation program event here. First, they take a look at the current COVID-19 situation in aviation. Jens Flottau: Let us know how Widerøe operated during the pandemic. You had to cut back as many others did, but not as extremely as many of your [inaudible 00:03:14], right? Stein Nilsen: Yeah, that’s correct, but for us as everyone else in the travel industry, it’s been a really tough 15 months there from March 2020. But we have a very, very special network in Norway. It’s more like a public transportation system in some areas of the rural parts of Norway, especially. So of course, it has been a lot of focus on keeping a good transportation system also during the pandemic. We have in fact been flying around 70 to 80% of normal capacity, most of the periods during the last 15 months. We have been lower in very, very special pandemic situations, but around 70 to 80%, we have flown. Half of that 50% is the PSO route network in Norway, and that’s a very crucial network for the rural areas. We were asked by the ministry of transportation to keep up a high production level on that network, despite of low cabin factors to support the local communities in keeping a good transportation offer also in a very special situation. Of course, we are very glad for that support of the ministry of transportation and there is also awarded some extra compensation to us and to other operators on the PSO network in Norway. We have a small airline, Swedish airline, called Air Leap, and we have a lift transport in the northern part of Norway, also flying on the PSO network. So the government in Norway has done a lot of extra and extraordinary efforts to keep a good transportation system going through the pandemic. Jens Flottau: So you’re saying 70 to 80% of your Wideroe capacity was still in place, but can you say how much passenger numbers dropped?
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Israel sets a new alarming trend in closing tourism for vaccinated travelers

Flights from the U.S. to Israel are booked solid in July. Hotels in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for the first time have high booking rates with tourists expected to arrive from the United States.Israel made big announcements celebrating the opening of the Jewish State for tourism for vaccinated visitors. This triggered similar announcements by other countries. Today Israel Media reports that vaccinated foreign tourists are not going to be allowed into Israel before August 1. A new finding in regards to the dangerous Delta Variant delays the reopening of the country. This may again trigger a trend in other parts of the world. Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s government decided today, Wednesday, as Israel faces an increase in coronavirus cases. In addition, the obligation to wear masks indoors will be restored if the average daily cases will exceed 100 for a week. “Our goal at the moment, first and foremost, is to protect the citizens of Israel from the Delta variant which is raging in the world,” Bennett told local media. “At the same time, we want to reduce as much as possible the disruption to daily life in the country. Therefore, we decided to act as early as possible – right now – so as not to pay a heavier price later on, by taking responsible and quick actions.“It is up to us,” he said. “If we adhere to the rules and act responsibly, we will succeed together.” Vaccinated tourists were originally supposed to be allowed into the country starting on July 1. This was announced in a tourism rebuilding plan. In recent days, the country has been hit by the Delta variant, causing an increase in infections in cities such as Modi’in and Binyamina. The decision by Israeli authorities who are known to put the safety of its citizens always first may trigger a trend for other tourism destinations around the world. It may increase restrictions for arriving tourists, despite the assumption that vaccination is the golden key for the travel and tourism industry. There are currently some 554 active cases in the country. The number had recently dropped to less than 200. At its record last winter, the figure stood at over 85,000. Following the current outbreaks and the new recommendation by the authorities to vaccinate all children ages 12-15, over 7,000 shots were administered on Tuesday, the highest in over a month. Some 4,000 of them were first doses to children, about double the amount of previous days. To tackle the new outbreak, the government decided to establish a new coronavirus cabinet including Bennett, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, as well as other ministers. Earlier in the day, the Health Ministry announced that in specific situations, vaccinated or recovered individuals may be ordered to enter quarantine. According to current regulations, people who are considered fully immunized (a week after their second shot or after they recovered from the disease) are exempt from isolating if they come in contact with an identified virus carrier. However, according to a new directive signed by the ministry’s director-general Chezy Levy, the director-general, a district physician, or the head of Public Health Services will be able to demand that these individuals isolate if they were in contact with someone infected with a variant of the virus that is considered especially dangerous or with an event with an exceptionally serious morbidity effect. They also might need to isolate if they are regularly in contact with a population at high risk or not vaccinated, or if they flew on the same plane with an identified coronavirus carrier.In addition, the new directive restores the obligation to wear a mask at the airport and in medical facilities. The minister also assured that the logistical issues at Ben-Gurion Airport’s testing complex – which on Friday caused some 2,800 incoming passengers to go home without getting tested, as is required for all those who land in Israel – have been solved, and that the enforcement of travel regulations is in the process of being stepped up. Israelis who fly to countries under the travel ban – at the moment Argentina, Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa – without obtaining permission from the special governmental committee devoted to this purpose, will now be fined. More updates on https://israel.travel/
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Shanghai announces 2021-2025 tourism development plan

Shanghai will strive to achieve an annual tourism revenue of 700 billion yuan.Shanghai will focus on building itself as the first choice for urban tourism.Shanghai is looking to boost tourism consumption, especially that on high-end, digital and entertainment services and products. City officials in Shanghai, China have released a tourism development plan that lays out the growth goals, major tasks and measures for a five-year period, from 2021 to 2025. According to the plan, Shanghai will strive to achieve an annual tourism revenue of 700 billion yuan (about 108 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025, more than double of that in 2020, with the added value of its tourism industry accounting for about 6 percent of the GDP, 2.6 percentage points higher than that in 2020. “Shanghai not only aims to be a world-famous tourism destination by 2025, but will also focus on building itself as the first choice for urban tourism, an open hub for international tourism, a gateway in the Asia-Pacific region drawing tourism investment and a metropolitan city displaying latest digital development,” said Fang Shizhong, director of the municipality’s administration of culture and tourism. Underscoring the city’s historical and cultural features, the plan notes that Shanghai will dig deep into its urban tourism resources. It is also looking to boost tourism consumption, especially that on high-end, digital and entertainment services and products. Shanghai is expected to become an open international tourism hub relying on its Hongqiao and Pudong airports and Wusongkou international cruise terminal. It will also promote internationally popular exhibitions, festivals and events that highlight Chinese culture and features of Shanghai, the plan says.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Ethiopian Airlines starts operating flights with fully vaccinated crew

Ethiopian operates flights with fully vaccinated crew against COVID-19 to keep travelers safe.Ethiopian has been rigorously implementing COVID-19 precautionary measures.Ethiopian launched its own testing and isolation center. Ethiopian Airlines Group, Africa’s largest carrier, has started operating flights with fully vaccinated crew against COVID-19 to keep travelers safe in light of the pandemic. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam said “We are pleased to operate flights with fully vaccinated crew – a significant step in protecting our employees’ and customers’ health safety. We are encouraged by the increasing number of passengers travelling for business, VFR and tourism supported by the confidence of vaccination across the world. We have been squarely focused on working very hard to ensure the safety of our staff and passengers since thepandemic broke out and this is another testament to our continued commitment. We have bought and imported more than 37,000 vaccine shots for our employees and stakeholders.” Ethiopian has been rigorously implementing COVID-19 precautionary measuresincluding the launch of its own testing and isolation center and digitization of itsoperation among others. It has been at the forefront in the fight against the pandemic carrying essential medical supplies and vaccines across the globe as well as repatriating stranded people back to their home. Ethiopian Airlines, formerly Ethiopian Air Lines and often referred to as simply Ethiopian, is Ethiopia’s flag carrier and is wholly owned by the country’s government. EAL was founded on 21 December 1945 and commenced operations on 8 April 1946, expanding to international flights in 1951.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Qatar Airways expands US network to over 100 weekly flights

Qatar Airways continues to strengthen its position in connecting the United States with Africa, Asia and the Middle East.Qatar Airways announce that it will expand its U.S. services.Qatar Airways is expanding flights to several of its key global leisure destinations including Cape Town, Maldives, Phuket, Seychelles and Zanzibar. Qatar Airways continues to strengthen its position as the leading international airline connecting the United States with Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The national carrier of the State of Qatar is proud to announce that it will expand its U.S. services to more than 100 weekly flights across its 12 gateways. These increased services are in addition to the carrier also expanding flights to several of its key global leisure destinations including Cape Town, Maldives, Phuket, Seychelles and Zanzibar, providing more flexible summer holiday travel options via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport. Four U.S. gateways – Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C. – will offer double daily flights, Dallas-Fort Worth increases to 12 flights per week with Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle all growing to a daily service. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are proud to be the leading international airline providing safe and reliable connectivity to and from the United States via the only 5-Star COVID-19 Safety Rated Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport. Qatar Airways has remained committed to the United States throughout the pandemic, adding two new destinations with San Francisco and Seattle, while increasing flights across our 12 gateways to optimise connections with our growing network of over 140 destinations.  “We have also strengthened our strategic partnerships with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue enabling us to connect to more cities and airports in the United States than any other airline, providing U.S. travellers the most convenient way to travel internationally this summer. As we continue to lead the recovery of international travel, we will remain focused on providing seamless, safe and reliable connectivity to our millions of passengers and providing an unparalleled travel experience every time they choose to fly with Qatar Airways.” As travelers return to the skies with Qatar Airways, they can take comfort knowing that they are travelling with the only airline in the world that has, together with its state-of-the-art global hub Hamad International Airport, achieved four 5-Star Skytrax ratings – including the prestigious 5-Star Airline Rating, 5-Star Airport Rating, 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating and 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These achievements highlight Qatar Airways’ commitment to providing our passengers with an industry-leading experience at every point of their journey, including the highest possible level of health and safety standards that safeguard the wellbeing of our passengers both on the ground and in the air. U.S. Network Enhancements: Increase to Double Daily Flights from Doha: Chicago – increasing to double daily flights between 21 July and 26 SeptemberLos Angeles – increasing to double daily flights between 16 July and 26 SeptemberNew York – increasing to double daily flights from 29 JuneWashington D.C – increasing to double daily flights between 22 July and 26 SeptemberDallas-Fort Worth – increasing to 12 weekly flights between 11 July and 26 September Daily Flights from Doha: Houston – continued daily flightsBoston – increasing to daily flights from 3 JulyMiami – increasing to daily flights from 4 JulySan Francisco – increasing to daily flights from 29 JuneSeattle – increasing to daily flights from 28 JunePhiladelphia – increasing to five weekly flights from 6 July and daily flights from 21 JulyAtlanta – increasing to five weekly from 15 July
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 22, 2021

Qatar Airways doubles Lagos flights

Qatar Airways has increased its service to Nigeria’s financial center.Lagos flights is operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.This frequency increase will offer passengers even more flexibility. In response to high demand, Qatar Airways has increased its service to Nigeria’s financial center, Lagos, to two daily flights starting from 1 July 2021. Operated by state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class, this frequency increase will offer passengers even more flexibility to travel on board with the highest standards of hygiene measures and to enjoy a seamless travel experience on board at Hamad International Airport.  With the addition of Côte d’Ivoire on 16 June as the fourth new African destination since the start of the pandemic, Qatar Airways currently operates over 100 weekly flights to 27 destinations in Africa. Qatar Airways also operates three weekly flights from Abuja, connecting more passengers from Nigeria to the airline’s rapidly expanding network to now more than 140 destinations.  Qatar Airways Vice-President, Africa Mr. Hendrik Du Preez said: “Nigeria is a very important market to us and we will continue to offer more travel options and seamless connectivity to the largest network of destinations across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America. “After just under a year of resuming flights to Lagos and launching to Abuja, following the challenges imposed by the pandemic, it is a testament to the resilience of the African region that we have now increased our frequency to Lagos. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board to enjoy our world-class hospitality and service.”  Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C., operating as Qatar Airways, is the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 22, 2021

More cost-conscious version of Emirates could emerge post-COVID-19

Employee costs at the airline fell by 3.45% and 4.4% in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively.Amid the grounding of flights and oil market fluctuations, jet fuel costs also shrank 75.6%, to reach AED6.4 billion in 2020-21.The AED11.3 billion ($3.1 billion) injection was unprecedented in the history of Emirates. The deep impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation has been reiterated by Dubai flag carrier Emirates’ performance during the 2020-21 financial year, which included a net loss of AED20.3 billion ($5.5 billion) and a 66% revenue drop to AED30.1 billion ($8.4 billion). While the airline may still retain its market dominance given the scale of its legacy operations, the evolution of its financial position over the past decade – exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19 – suggests a more cost-conscious version of Emirates could emerge in the aftermath of the pandemic. The first signs that Emirates – like all global airlines – was headed towards a financial downturn emerged in March 2020, when its ultimate owner, the Government of Dubai, pledged an equity injection for the carrier. The AED11.3 billion ($3.1 billion) injection was unprecedented in the history of Emirates and served as a reminder of how critical – both commercially and socially – the airline’s continuity is to Dubai’s economy. Its recovery will hinge on its ability to efficiently manage its operating costs, which dropped to AED46 billion last year, from AED85.5 billion in 2019-20. After having largely weathered the global financial crisis of 2008-10 and the oil price crash of 2014-16, around 30,585 Emirates staff were laid off in 2020-21 for the first time in the airline’s history. The move consequently drove down employee costs by 35%, to AED7.8 billion, but this reduction is not a new trend. Employee costs at the airline fell by 3.45% and 4.4% in 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively, and had been in somewhat steady decline since swelling to a ten-year growth peak of 20% in 2010-11. Amid the grounding of flights and oil market fluctuations, jet fuel costs also shrank 75.6%, to reach AED6.4 billion in 2020-21 from AED26.2 billion in the previous year. Brent crude oil prices averaged $41 a barrel and largely stayed low last year, which benefited Emirates’ bottom line. However, prices are expected to average $63 a barrel this year and could raise jet fuel costs during Emirates’ 2021-22 financial year, especially if post-pandemic travel demand recovery estimates are realized. Across the Emirates group, cost reduction measures resulted in savings of AED7.7 billion in 2020-21. It is possible that further such measures will be rolled out, given the sustained impact of COVID-19, including on Emirates’ travel corridors with India and the UK.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·June 21, 2021

American Airlines compared to Jet Blue: An Executive Platinum Member has a surprising response

DOING THE RIGHT THING is very different from DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.American Airlines vs. JetBlueWhat an Executive Platinum Member of American Airlines for several years really means to the Airline? This is a bit of a rant and a long post so continue reading at your own will. But reading and sharing this might help other pet owners/lovers who plan to fly their pets one day. I just don’t want my horrible experience with American Airlines happen with other people. American Airlines turned my Frenchie, Roxie away from our flight from PBI – DFW – LAX because apparently, she is not able to stand up in the carrier while it’s closed and turn around. She is able to turn around but she does go over the top of the carrier. As far as I know, only miniature dogs and really small puppies can do that given the size of the allowable size of the carriers. I have flown Roxie with American Airlines several times and this has never been an issue. As a result I have had to cancel my flight and unable to take my flight to LA. This really put me and Roxie in a very uncertain situation at the airport. I really do not understand the rational for our rejection. American Airlines have been canceling hundreds of flights on a daily basis because of their inability to manage the surge and constantly overbooking flights. This does not seem to be happening with other airlines so it’s an indication of their incompetence. Prior to this incident, they were asking for volunteers to give up seats for money. Then they canceled my original flight two hours before the flight. Then rebooked me on a flight that lands in Burbank instead of Orange Country which is close to the house. I believe this happened because they are finding any reason to free up seats so they could fill the up the overbookings and all the flight cancellations.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·June 21, 2021

Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi: Life today is very complicated

When conditions are right, consumers will come back to the air, the conditions are really the sense of safety.Passengers who are vaccinated, will likely feel safe to fly again as long as there are no government-imposed restrictions on travel.While some countries are easing restrictions, some are actually hardening restrictions on travel, so it is still a very unpredictable and very volatile situation. Peter Harbison began the interview by welcoming József Váradi, who’s the CEO of Wizz Air. Peter suggested they kick off their discussion with big picture stuff. The interview started with Wizz CEO offering an overview of Europe and of the whole COVID-19 pandemic in general. He discussed the big issues with Peter of CAPA – Centre for Aviation as he sees it coming up in the next 3 months that Wizz Air will have to face. Peter Harbison: Very warm welcome. Haven’t spoken to you for quite a while, József, but a lot happened in the meantime. Let’s kick off with big picture stuff, and what are the big issues that you see coming up in the next three months? József Váradi: Thank you, Peter, for inviting me your show. Looking at life today, I think it’s very complicated. You certainly need to look at a consumer, whether the consumer wants to fly or not. Obviously, the consumer wants to fly, there is nothing wrong with the consumer. You can see some of the markets, [inaudible 00:00:56] is really catching up. I think at the moment it is performing around 80% of its 2019 capacity levels. It’s expected to exceed a big summer capacity relative to 2019. I think what it really tells you is that when the conditions are right, the consumers come back to the air, to the franchise of flying very, very quickly and the conditions are really, the sense of safety. If you are vaccinated, I think you feel safe to fly again and two, there are no government-imposed restrictions on travel, so you can easily go. But that doesn’t really apply to Europe at this point in time. I think the consumer’s willingness to fly is totally there, it has remained intact. Actually, many of the people are just fed up with being locked down and they want to go, they want to breathe fresh air but at the same time, they are highly restricted by government-imposed restrictions. And in certain cases it’s just almost impossible to travel. Now it is slowly changing, but it is not a straight line. It is more like a roller coaster. You see some countries easing restrictions, but still today you are seeing some countries actually hardening restrictions on travel, so I think it is still a very unpredictable, very volatile and we will see how that’s going to go. We definitely got, I don’t think Europe at the level of the US, certainly not from a domestic perspective. It is still complicated. Peter: Yeah. I think comparisons with the US are probably a bit difficult because it’s probably the only market that has got back to that level, China excepted. But one of the things, József, even in the US where they’re getting back to fairly full flights and obviously there’s a lot of demand there, getting back to close to 2019 levels, yields are still very well down. They’re still down 20, 30 percent average economy yields. What is driving that? Is it just too much capacity coming in too quickly or is it just uncertainty in terms of revenue management? József: Well, I think the history of the industry is that, especially when it comes to recovery from difficult situations that is over capacity and as I said it’s hard because of the imbalance between supply and demand, you’ve seen the yield environment dragging and I think this is what you should be expecting. Pretty much everybody in the world that in the recovery phase, that will be too much capacity coming out to the market, which is probably the right thing for stimulating traffic and encouraging the consumers to come back into flying. But at the same time, from a financial, former standpoint, obviously this is going to put pressure on the industry.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 21, 2021

Non-EU countries join EU decision to ban Belarusian airlines from their airspace

Seven non-EU states join EU in banning Belarusian air carriers.EU Council at the foreign ministers level approved the fourth package of individual sanctions against 86 Belarusian individuals and legal entities.The May 23 Ryanair plane hijacking by Belarus has sent ongoing shockwaves through the international air travel industry. European Union Council’s press service issued a statement on Monday, announcing that seven non-EU countries sided with EU members’ decision to close their airspace for Belarusian air carriers. “The Council Decision decided to strengthen the existing restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus by introducing a ban on the overflight of EU airspace and on access to EU airports by Belarusian carriers of all kinds,” the statement says. “The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this Council Decision,” the press service said. “They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision,” the press service added. “The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it,” it said. Earlier on Monday, the EU Council at the foreign ministers level approved the fourth package of individual sanctions against 86 Belarusian individuals and legal entities and reached an agreement to impose economic sanctions on seven economic sectors of Belarus, including potash and petrochemicals export and the financial sector. Economic sanctions are subject to final approval at the EU Summit on June 24-25 and will become effective after that.  The May 23 Ryanair plane hijacking by Belarus has sent ongoing shockwaves through the international air travel industry. The aircraft, en route from Greece to Lithuania, was hijacked and forced to land in Minsk over a bogus bomb threat. Immediately upon forced landing at Minsk airport, Belarusian security agents boarded the plane and arrested opposition blogger Roman Protasevich wanted by Lukashenko’s regime and his girlfriend, Russian citizen Sofia Sapega.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·June 20, 2021

American Airlines Flight Cancellation Outlook

As of Sunday afternoon, 123 flights were canceled Saturday, 178 on Sunday, and 97 were canceled for MondayAmerican told ABC News that most of the cancelations are on A320 and 737 aircraft, but that it may continue to cancel at least 50 to 60 flights per day for the rest of June and 50 to 80 flights per day through July.We made targeted changes with the goal of impacting the fewest number of customers by adjusting flights in markets where we have multiple options for re-accommodation,” according to an American Airlines statement. The US economy is switching from an emergency stage of less flights operating to a stage, where more flights than before COVID-19 are needed. Major airlines, like American Airlines, are trying to make up for the year of downtown overextending possible options. It included jets more crowded, shorter turnaround time, but it also put an enormous burden on staffing and logistic issues. This now is resulting in a high number of sick calls, combined with maintenance and other staffing issues. A frustrated passenger tweeted: @AmericanAir support has refused to answer any questions or offer any sort of solution to rectify the situation – so I’m still in Miami. still waiting to get to NYC. no idea when or if I’m gonna get there. this is by far the worst travel experience I’ve ever had. A 1K member of United Airlines phrased it: Now there were some amazing @americanair employees that did their best to compensate for the terrible ones. But all in all – this is my hollow promise that I’m never flying with AA. I status with @UnitedAirlines_ and this is what I get for cheating on them.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·June 18, 2021

Hawaiian Airlines brings back flights to Tahiti

This resumption of service is following the launch of a pre-travel testing program between Hawaiʻi and French Polynesia that allows for quarantine-free travel within the two archipelagos.Hawaiian will reinstate once-weekly nonstop flying between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Tahiti’s Fa’a’ā International Airport (PPT).Flights will be conducted on the airlines’ 278-seat Airbus A330 aircraft. Hawaiian began its inaugural Hawaiʻi – Tahiti air travel in June 1987. Flights were then suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The carrier’s resumption of flights is made possible by the new pre-travel testing program established by Hawaiʻi Gov. David Ige and French Polynesia President Édouard Fritch — a result of low COVID-19 cases within the 2 destinations. “We look forward to reconnecting our islands, but most importantly, reconnecting family members who have not seen each other for over a year,” said Peter Ingram, President and CEO at Hawaiian Airlines. “We appreciate the tremendous work by the governments of French Polynesia and Hawaiʻi to open up travel between our regions.” Both Hawaiʻi and French Polynesia will implement strict travel requirements for resident and visitor safety. Those traveling inbound from PPT to HNL must complete and upload a negative test result from the Institut Louis Malardé, a state-approved testing partner, to the state of Hawaiʻi’s Safe Travels program. Guests traveling outbound to PPT from HNL will need to provide proof of vaccination and have fulfilled the government of Tahiti’s COVID-19 entry requirements prior to travel. Those not compliant will be subject to a 10-day quarantine.“Many of Hawaiʻi’s residents have family in Tahiti, and welcoming our guests from French Polynesia to Hawaiʻi is an important step in maintaining the close relationship between our two regions,” said Hawaiʻi Gov. David Ige. Hawaiian Airlines flight HA481 will depart HNL at 3:35 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7 and arrive at PPT at 9:30 p.m. Flight HA482 will depart PPT at 11:30 p.m. the same evening and arrive into HNL at 5:15 a.m. the following day.  Hawaiian’s “Keeping you safe” enhanced cleaning includes frequent disinfecting of lobby areas, kiosks, and ticket counters, electrostatic aircraft cabin spraying, plexiglass barriers at staffed airport counters, and sanitizer wipe distribution to all guests. The carrier requires all guests to complete a health acknowledgement form during the check-in process indicating they are free of COVID-19 symptoms and will comply with the company’s updated mask policy for the entirety of their journey. #rebuildingtravel
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Apolinari Tairo - eTN Tanzania·
Aviation Feature
·June 18, 2021

African Tourism Ministers resolve to strengthen tourism on continent

The UNWTO’s African member states unanimously endorsed the Windhoek Pledge on advocating Brand Africa.African ministers agree to work together to find a solution to revitalize Africa’s tourism.Under the terms of the Windhoek Pledge, members will engage both public and private sector stakeholders and local communities to build a new, inspiring narrative for tourism across the continent. African ministers have agreed to work together to find a solution for revitalizing Africa’s tourism hardly hit by COVID-19 impacts. The ministers made an announcement on Thursday in their joint communique at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Brand Africa Summit held in Windhoek, Namibia. The African ministers through the UNWTO summit pledged that African member states would work together to establish a new narrative for tourism across the continent. The pledge is meant to better realize tourism’s potential to drive recovery, they said through a joint communique. “UNWTO and its members will also work with the African Union and the private sector to promote the continent to new global audiences globally positive, people-centered storytelling and effective branding,” the UNWTO said in the communique. With tourism recognized as an essential pillar of sustainable and inclusive development for the Africa, UNWTO welcomed high-level delegates to the first Regional Conference on Strengthening Brand Africa. The conference featured participation of the political leadership of host country Namibia, alongside public and private sector leaders from across the continent. The UNWTO’s African member states unanimously endorsed the Windhoek Pledge on advocating Brand Africa. Under the terms of the Windhoek Pledge, members will engage both public and private sector stakeholders and local communities to build a new, inspiring narrative for tourism across the continent, Ministers said. The program of activities of the African Tourism Minister’s conference had included presentations, interactive discussion sessions, as well as technical visits organized by Namibia Tourism Board that hosted the event. The conference had covered five main objectives. The first objective was to leverage tourism as a cross-cutting sector with high impact on national and regional branding, to enhance the image of African destinations as the building blocks of the overall image of Africa. Second objective was to engage the public and the private sectors as well as local communities and the diaspora in promoting positive stories and experiences about Africa, developing synergies between countries to further strengthen the positioning of the continent. Third objective was to create and enhance destinations’ capacity and skills on brand development and management, marketing, including social media and storytelling, and effective communication. Fourth objective was to create compelling stories, enhance Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) capacity and competitiveness. The Fifth objective was to understand the policy framework in place for SMEs to secure loans and facilitate access to capital and leverage business performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 18, 2021

Milan Bergamo Airport inaugurates new lounge and new routes

‘HelloSky’ lounge inaugurated at Milan Bergamo Airport.Milan Bergamo Airport persists in the regeneration of its route map.easyJet has recently joined Milan Bergamo’s airline rollcall. Milan Bergamo Airport unveiled its brand-new ‘HelloSky’ lounge on 8 June, part of the Italian gateway’s development program to enhance the airport infrastructure and improve passenger experience. Incorporated as part of the new terminal expansion which opened last year, the new facility will be operated by GIS – the airport hospitality company specializing in managing lounges – a branch of the TAV Operation Services (OS). Speaking at the inauguration ceremony earlier this month, Guclu Batkin, CEO, TAV Operation Services enthused: “We have built a strong relationship with SACBO during the last three years and this cooperation has been rewarded with the GIS contract to manage the airside lounge at the airport, as part of SACBO’s expansion plan of Milan Bergamo Airport.” Batkin continued: “Our ‘HelloSky’ lounge is the outcome of an amazing partnership and I thank SACBO’s management for the continued great support, trust, and positive spirit during this development process! We strongly believe that this relationship will keep evolving and more opportunities will rise from it.” Located on the first floor, prior to passport control, the 600m² landside lounge is open to both domestic and international travelers wanting to benefit from the premium lounge. Inspired by the spirit of Bergamo, including exceptional Italian designed furniture using sustainable materials, ‘HelloSky’ includes spaces to work, relax, eat and drink as well as showering facilities and a smoking room. Batkin concluded: “Post-pandemic we expect airport lounges to be seen as exclusive zones of the airport with utmost hygiene and health considerations taken into account, therefore, we have created a comfortable safe “oasis” for our guests at Milan Bergamo!”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 17, 2021

European travel sentiment soars with vaccines and EU digital COVID ID rollout

70% of respondents have travel plans in the next six months, with half wishing to visit another European country.The majority of Europeans surveyed (72%) intend to travel between June and September, while another 16% are eyeing autumn travel.Quarantine requirements and sudden changes of rules remain major concerns for Europeans. As Europe opens up after months of lockdowns and restrictions, interest in travel has risen distinctly, with two-thirds of Europeans intending to take a trip by the end of November 2021. Only 15% remain uncertain, and 15% are not willing to travel. This is according to the latest research on “Monitoring Sentiment for Domestic and Intra-European Travel – Wave 7” by the European Travel Commission (ETC), which provides timely insights on the short-term travel intentions and preferences of Europeans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The speedy progression of COVID-19 vaccinations in Europe coupled with the recent introduction of the EU Digital COVID Certificate and the upcoming summer season are boosting Europeans’ travel spirit. 70% of respondents are already making travel plans for the next six months, up from 56% in February 2021 and also at the highest point since August 2020. Over half (57%) of Europeans feel much more optimistic about planning trips in the coming months thanks to vaccination rollouts, while 25% are neutral and 18% remain unconvinced. Notably, in many cases, inoculation has a direct impact on travel arrangements, with 54% intending to book a trip once they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.  Similarly, the recent EU actions to coordinate rules and revitalize travel across the bloc are already showing positive results. The introduction of the EU Digital COVID Certificate has received a wide acceptance among Europeans: 57% of respondents feel that the certificate will facilitate the planning of their next trip, while only 18% express the opposite opinion.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 17, 2021

Almost half of Brits plan a holiday in Spain this summer

48% of Brits would consider taking a holiday to Spain this summer.Similar numbers would consider travelling to other hot spot ‘amber’ destinations. Three quarters of Brits are prepared to be vaccinated in order to travel internationally. New research has found that almost half (48%) of Brits would consider taking a holiday to Spain this summer, with almost two thirds – 64% – saying that they are considering it in the 18-34 age group and 52% of those aged 35-54. Other top destinations being considered by Brits this summer are Italy and Portugal both at 46%; while 45% are considering Greece and 42% are thinking about a holiday in France. Outside of Europe, 37% of respondents said that they would contemplate a holiday to the USA this summer. All these destinations are currently rated as amber by the British government. This means COVID-19 tests and self-isolation are required by travelers on return to the UK. With many destinations also requiring vaccination passports for entry, almost three quarters (74%) of Brits claimed they are prepared to complete a full vaccination program in order to travel internationally this summer. Based on the current amber requirements for a ten-day home quarantine plus testing, 41% of Brits said that they would be willing to undertake this in order to travel internationally. Half of the respondents (50%) claimed that they would be willing to complete a quarantine for five days as well as the required COVID-19 tests, whilst just 19% are prepared to fulfil an enforced hotel quarantine for ten days at the cost of £1,750 (the current requirement for red list countries). The great news is that as expected, there is still a huge appetite for international travel this summer. It’s clear from our research that the vast majority of Brits are willing to be fully vaccinated in order to travel internationally. It’s reassuring to hear today that the U.K. government is planning to make overseas summer holidays a reality for fully vaccinated Britons.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 29, 2021

Alaska Airlines launches codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways

Alaska launched its partnership with Qatar Airways on December 15, 2020, with the ability for our Mileage Plan members to earn miles on Qatar Airways flights.On March 31, 2021, Alaska officially joined oneworld and expanded its partnership with Qatar Airways.In the coming months, Alaska’s guests will be able to book travel on Qatar Airways flights between the U.S. and Qatar and beyond. As Alaska Airlines expands its global reach with our oneworld partners, we proudly announced today the launch of a codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways, a fellow member of the alliance, that further strengthens the partnership between the two airlines and provides travelers with exciting and convenient options. Beginning July 1, the agreement allows passengers on Qatar Airways to book travel and easily connect to more than 150 routes throughout Alaska’s network. On the West Coast, Qatar Airways has nonstop service connecting its main hub in Doha to three of Alaska’s primary gateway cities – Los Angeles with twice daily flights, and daily flights at San Francisco and Seattle – allowing for seamless connectivity. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this evolving partnership with Qatar Airways, one of the world’s premier airlines,” said Ben Minicucci, Alaska Air Group CEO. “As international air travel resumes, it’s important to provide our guests with easier, more convenient travel options to get out and see distant places again. Qatar Airways’ nonstop flights from our hubs in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles to Doha and points beyond offers our guests tremendous opportunities to visit nearly any country they want.” “We are proud to advance our commercial cooperation with Alaska Airlines and we welcome the newest member of the oneworld alliance to Qatar Airways’ list of strategic partners,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker. “This agreement, combined with our existing partnerships, will help consolidate our presence in the region and provide Qatar Airways passengers travelling to and from our 12 U.S. gateways with access to the most comprehensive network of seamless connections across the United States.” Alaska launched its partnership with Qatar Airways on December 15, 2020, with the ability for our Mileage Plan members to earn miles on Qatar Airways flights. On March 31, 2021, Alaska officially joined oneworld and expanded its partnership with Qatar Airways to provide elite benefits reciprocally, including preferred seat selection; priority check-in, security and boarding; lounge access and extra baggage allowance. Qatar Airways has been a member of oneworld since 2013. In the coming months, Alaska’s guests will be able to book travel on Qatar Airways flights between the U.S. and Qatar and beyond to their favorite destinations in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 29, 2021

Americans warned against all travel to Russia

US citizens warned not to travel to Russia under any circumstancesAmericans specifically advising against visits to Russia’s southern regions like Chechnya and disputed Crimea.US officials caution against travel due to “harassment by Russian government security officials”. The United States Department of State has advised US citizens to avoid traveling to Russia under any circumstances, warning that Americans could be kidnapped, arrested, tortured and jailed on trumped-up charges. A new US travel advisory, issued on Monday, gives Russia the same danger categorization as Afghanistan, Uganda and Syria. As well as specifically advising against visits to Russia’s southern regions like Chechnya and disputed Crimea, US citizens are now being told to avoid Russia altogether. The statement cites “terrorism” as one reason for US tourists to steer clear of Russia. In addition, the US officials caution against travel due to “harassment by Russian government security officials” and “arbitrary enforcement of local law.” The officials warn that “spurious charges” have been leveled against Americans, and that religious workers, as well as government personnel, could be at risk. At the same time, Washington’s new travel advisory cites its limited ability to provide support to US citizens from its embassy in Moscow. In April, the diplomatic mission announced it would reduce its staff numbers by around 75% after it was banned by Russia from employing locals as part of a decree signed by Putin in response to “unfriendly acts,” rules imposed by Washington. As a result, the US embassy in Russia will no longer “offer routine notarial services, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, or renewal passport services for the foreseeable future,” its envoys said. In 2018, the US closed its consulate in St Petersburg and, in December last year, shuttered its offices in both the Ural city of Ekaterinburg and the Far East capital of Vladivostok. The decision, which Washington said came as part of a dispute over diplomatic representation, left America with no diplomatic representation in Russia outside of Moscow.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 28, 2021

Russia resumes US, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Jordan, Ireland, Cyprus, and North Macedonia flights

This decision of the headquarters means that Russian airlines may resume flights to these countries.Russian airlines have announced they were ready to resume flights only to Italy, Bulgaria, and Cyprus.Flights between Russia and those countries was suspended in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Russian authorities announced today that as of June 28, Russia formally resumed air traffic with the United States, Italy, Belgium, Bulgaria, Jordan, Ireland, Cyprus, and North Macedonia. Flights between Russia and those countries was suspended in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to resume the flights was made by the operational headquarters for the fight against coronavirus on June 18. At the same time, the number of quotas for flights to a number of countries is expanding. This decision of the headquarters means that airlines may resume flights to these countries. At the moment, Russian airlines have announced they were ready to resume flights only to Italy, Bulgaria, and Cyprus. The operational headquarters has agreed to open flights from Moscow to Washington and New York twice a week (that is, both the Russian carrier and the foreign one will be able to operate two flights each). Flights from Moscow to Brussels (four times a week), from Moscow to Dublin (two flights), from Moscow to Rome and Milan (two flights), from Moscow to Venice and Naples (four flights), from Moscow to Larnaca (four flights), from Moscow to Paphos (three flights). The authorities also approved resumption of flights between Russia and Bulgaria: Sofia, Varna, Burgas are open for flights both from Moscow and from the regions (from Moscow – four flights a week, from regions – one). For the time being, Russian carriers are in no hurry to actively borrow the granted quotas. At the moment, Aeroflot announced plans to open flights from Moscow to Sofia and Burgas in July, it is planned to operate four flights a week. Also, the operational headquarters agreed to increase flights to Vienna, Azerbaijan, Yerevan, Qatar, Belgrade, Helsinki, Zurich. Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Geneva are also open for flights. Most of all, the quota for flights to Greece has been expanded. In addition to increasing the frequency of flights from Moscow to Athens, the headquarters opened flights from Moscow and the regions to Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu, and Rhodes.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 25, 2021

Sustainable Aviation Fuel now available to airlines at Cologne Bonn Airport

Cologne Bonn Airport is one of the first German airports where Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is now available for all airlines.First flight fueled with Neste MY SAF was a cargo flight early June operated by ASL Airlines on behalf of Amazon.Employing Sustainable Aviation Fuel is another important step towards our long-term goal of CO2-neutral flight. Neste, a provider of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), has set up a supply of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Cologne Bonn Airport. By doing so, Neste is helping to meet increasing levels of demand from air freight and corporate customers at Cologne Bonn Airport. AFS, the leading provider for aviation fueling services in Germany, supports Neste to serve this market. The first flight fueled with Neste MY SAF was a cargo flight early June operated by ASL Airlines on behalf of Amazon. As a forerunner in sustainability, Cologne Bonn Airport is one of the first German airports where Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is now available for all airlines. Since Cologne is a major cargo hub in Germany, the availability of SAF will provide global shippers the opportunity to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by their air freight. The first customer to benefit from this opportunity was Amazon. “We are proud to be able to offer our airlines sustainable alternative aviation fuels. We are already using numerous technical innovations at Cologne Bonn Airport – from solar panels and LED technology to innovative building services and alternatively powered vehicles and equipment on the apron. Employing Sustainable Aviation Fuel is another important step towards our long-term goal of CO2-neutral flight,” explains Johan Vanneste, President & CEO of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. “Despite the challenging business environment, the aviation industry, and the cargo sector in particular, is showing increased commitment to invest in sustainable aviation fuel in order to offer lower-carbon fuels to its customers,” says Jonathan Wood, Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste. “We are really pleased to welcome Cologne Bonn Airport to the growing network of airports with SAF availability, and look forward to making further progress in reducing aviation-related greenhouse gas emissions.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 25, 2021

El Al Israel Airlines launches direct flights to Casablanca and Marrakesh

El Al flies to Morocco today.Israir will start direct flights between Tel Aviv and Marrakesh on July 25.Arkia will launch service from Tel Aviv to Marrakesh on August 3 Israeli flagship air carrier El Al Israel Airlines announced today the launch of two direct flight routes to Morocco, the first of their kind between the two countries. El Al’s Israel-Morocco service will commence on July 25. El Al Israel Airlines will conduct flights between Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport and the Moroccan cities of Casablanca and Marrakesh. El Al’s launch of direct routes to Morocco follows the normalization agreement signed between the two countries in December 2020. The airline said flights to Morocco would take about five hours on each direction. “Morocco offers a winning combination of breathtaking desert landscapes, historic cities, impressive architecture, colorful markets, fine food and warm hospitality,” El Al stated. Also on July 25, the second largest airline in Israel Israir will start direct flights between Tel Aviv and Marrakesh. The third largest Israeli airline Arkia will launch the same route on August 3.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 25, 2021

Lufthansa resumes its premium North American and Asian flights from Munich Airport

Lufthansa is reactivating five Airbus A340-600 offering First Class.Lufthansa Airbus A350-900s to offer First Class as of summer 2023.Commencing in summer 2022, the A340-600 will fly from Munich primarily to in North American and Asian destinations. Munich Airport is Europe’s only 5-star hub for years and is popular among Lufthansa passengers, globally, not only as the gateway to Bavaria, but as a leading, premium airport offering an inspiring travel journey. Now as the global travel industry is returning to prior levels of activity, Lufthansa is strengthening its premium services from Munich Airport and will again offer First Class on selected routes. This means, Lufthansa is temporarily reactivating five Airbus long haul A340-600 aircraft with four flight classes, including the award winning First Class with eight seats. Commencing in summer 2022, the A340-600 will fly from Munich primarily to in North American and Asian destinations. The decision to reactivate these aircraft is due to growing premium demand, for business as well as leisure travel. In late summer 2023, the first Airbus A350-900, offering First Class, will join the fleet and take off from Munich, bolstering the premium offering at Lufthansa’s 5-star hub. Before the pandemic began, the Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 fleet consisted of 17 aircraft, 12 of which are in the process of being sold. A further five aircraft are currently not for sale and will be temporarily reactivated and sold at a later date. Lufthansa continues to invest in the modernization of its fleet. This past May, the Group purchased 10 additional state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft: five Boeing 787-900s and five A350-900s. The first ones will be operating this winter. In this year alone, Lufthansa is taking delivery every month of a new, fuel-efficient Airbus aircraft from the A320neo family. Delivery of 107additional aircraft Airbus A320neo aircraft is planned up to 2027.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 24, 2021

JetBlue resumes nonstop flights from San Jose to New York City

Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on JetBlue nonstop now.New York City is a timely and welcome addition to San José’s returning JetBlue service.The returning service comes exactly two weeks after JetBlue resumed flights between Mineta San José and Boston Logan International Airport. Officials at Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) today announce the return of JetBlue’s nonstop service to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).  The red-eye flight operates four times weekly, on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday. Tonight’s scheduled departure leaves San José at 10:50 PM aboard an Airbus A321 aircraft and is set to arrive tomorrow in New York at 7:22 AM (EST) after approximately 6 hours of flight time. The flight represents JetBlue’s second long-haul service resumption at SJC since temporarily discontinuing service at the Airport in April 2020 due to COVID-19. “New York City is a timely and welcome addition to San José’s returning JetBlue service,” said John Aitken, Mineta San José International Airport Director. “The warmer weather and relaxing COVID restrictions are bringing more people through our terminals, and we’re very happy to now offer this popular, nonstop link between Silicon Valley and the New York Metro Area. This is a good indication that we are moving in a positive direction, and we applaud the JetBlue team for responding to demand by making this investment here.” The returning service comes exactly two weeks after JetBlue resumed flights between Mineta San José and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on June 10th, signaling the welcome return of long-haul air travel for Silicon Valley.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 24, 2021

Qatar Airways launches new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with new Business Class Suite

Qatar Airways continues to strategically invest in twin-engine aircraft.New Business Class Suite is equipped with sliding privacy doors, wireless mobile device charging and a 79 inch lie-flat bed.Arranged in a herringbone pattern, in a 1-2-1 configuration, each suite has direct aisle access with a sliding door to ensure the ultimate in privacy and comfort.  Qatar Airways will launch its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner passenger aircraft, featuring its eagerly awaited new Business Class Suite, on a number of key routes to Europe and Asia, starting with its Doha to Milan service on Friday 25 June 2021. The ultramodern aircraft is scheduled for services from Doha to Athens, Barcelona, Dammam, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid and Milan and has a total passenger capacity of 311 seats – 30 Business Class Suites and 281 seats in Economy Class. Crafted with the unique Qatar Airways design DNA and appealing to the most discerning of travelers, the new Adient Ascent Business Class Suite embodies a contemporary design that is truly personal, spacious and functional, allowing you to relax in your own private sanctuary. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al-Baker, said: “In-line with our commitment to offering our passengers an unparalleled travel experience, we are pleased to introduce this much-anticipated Business Class Suite on Qatar Airways’ newest wide-body aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 which will debut onto a number of key routes within our network. “The new Business Class Suite sets yet another industry standard with a uniquely private experience for premium passengers travelling with us, which is becoming increasingly valuable during this pandemic, while showcasing Qatar Airways’ 5-star standards of excellence and Qatari hospitality that are quintessential on all of our flights. “Our passengers deserve the best and I am confident that they will appreciate the larger Dreamliner variant for its unmatched comfort in the sky. Passengers can rest assured that its responsible impact on the environment fully aligns with our ambition to achieve the highest levels of sustainability.” Arranged in a herringbone pattern, in a 1-2-1 configuration, each suite has direct aisle access with a sliding door to ensure the ultimate in privacy and comfort. Passengers seated in adjoining center suites can slide the privacy panels away at the touch of a button to create their very own enclosed private space.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 24, 2021

Switzerland opens its borders to vaccinated Gulf tourists

Strong demand anticipated from Gulf Cooperation Council countries visitors with crystal-clear lakes, outstanding natural beauty, fresh air and outdoor activities enticing visitors.New ruling allows GCC residents, who have been vaccinated with EMA and WHO approved vaccination, entry into Switzerland without any pre-travel PCR test or quarantine on arrival. Gulf tourists were responsible for approximately one million overnight stays per annum in Switzerland pre-pandemic. Tourism officials in the Canton (state) of Graubunden, also known as Grisons, in Switzerland are gearing up for a busy summer as the Swiss government prepares to open its borders on 26 June to visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries who have been fully vaccinated. The new ruling, which was ratified on Wednesday 23 June, now allows GCC residents who have been vaccinated with a European Medical Agency (EMA) and WHO approved vaccination, such as Pfizer or Sinopharm (up-to 12 months after vaccination), entry into Switzerland without any pre-travel PCR test or quarantine on arrival. “Switzerland and the Graubunden region in particular have always been favorite holiday destinations for tourists from the Gulf and with the re-opening of the borders, we look forward to welcoming them again this summer. “This year in particular, the fresh air, outstanding natural beauty, mild climate and healthy outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and sailing make it the perfect destination for family pursuits,” said Tamara Loeffel, Head of Business Development, Visit Graubunden. And according to official sources, in the years prior to the pandemic, Gulf tourists were responsible for approximately one million overnight stays per annum in Switzerland, with daily expenditure of around US$ 466 per day each. Many of the GCC visitors are leisure tourists, travelling mostly during the summer months. Residents from the UAE and Saudi Arabia make up the bulk (70%) of the tourist arrivals to Switzerland from the GCC, with Kuwait and Qatar accounting for over 10% with the balance coming from Bahrain and Oman.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Airbus launches A320 fuselage equipping project in China

Airbus A320 fuselage equipping project launched in Tianjin.The project is a new milestone in China-Europe cooperation.Completed fuselage will be sent to Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line Asia in Tianjin for the final assembly of the aircraft. Airbus and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) announced a join launch of an A320 fuselage equipping project in Tianjin in northern China. The project is the extension of Airbus‘ supply chain in China, marking a new milestone in industrial cooperation between Airbus and China, said the European aerospace giant. “The project is a new milestone in China-Europe cooperation, and a further step forward of Airbus’ localization and vertical integration here in,” said Michel Tran Van, chief operating officer of Airbus China. He added that the project demonstrates the manufacturing capability of Chinese aviation players and Airbus’ long-term commitments to China. The Airbus A320 fuselage equipping project was undertaken by AVIC Xi’an Aircraft International (Tianjin) Corporation (AVIC XAT), a subsidiary of the AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry Group Co., Ltd. The completed fuselage will be sent to the Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line Asia in Tianjin for the final assembly of the aircraft. The first delivery is expected to be completed in the third quarter this year, reaching a monthly production capacity of equipping 6 fuselages by 2024 and meeting the production speed of Airbus Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, according to AVIC XAT.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

San Diego International Airport commits to 100 percent clean, renewable energy

San Diego International Airport’s enrolls into SDCP service.SDCP will provide 100% renewable, 100% carbon-free energy to San Diego International Airport.San Diego International Airport is the busiest single-runway commercial airport in the United States. San Diego Community Power (SDCP), the not-for-profit community choice energy program, announced San Diego International Airport’s (SAN) enrollment into its service and SAN’s decision to opt-up to the Power100 service level. SDCP will provide 100% renewable, 100% carbon-free energy to SAN, who continues to be a leader in environmental stewardship for the travel industry and region. The airport served 25 million passengers in 2019, making it the busiest single-runway commercial airport in the United States. “Having the opportunity to work with San Diego Community Power enables us to reach our goal of 100 percent renewable electricity well before our planned timing of 2035,” said Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President and CEO. “SDCP’s ability to provide reliable, zero-carbon energy at competitive costs is a game-changer for us and everyone in the region.” Environmental stewardship is a hallmark of operations at SAN. The Airport Authority instituted one of the first sustainability policies for a major airport in the United States and is committed to building and operating SAN in a manner that promotes the region’s prosperity and protects its quality of life. “We are thrilled to partner with the Airport Authority to advance our shared vision of a cleaner, healthier region,” said SDCP Board Chair and Encinitas Councilmember Joe Mosca. “They are a great role model for organizations and businesses that are committed to saving money, our environment, and reinvesting in our local community.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Czech Republic welcomes back US travelers

Under COVID-19, The Czech Republic uses a traffic light system for entry requirements from different countries.US citizens can travel within the Czech Republic for up to 90 days as a tourist without any visa required.KN95 or FFP2 masks are required to enter shops, airports, all public transportation, post offices, and taxis or ride shares. It’s one of those moments we’ve all been waiting for! As of June 21, 2021 US citizens are allowed to return to the Czech Republic under the same rules that applied before the pandemic. That means US citizens can travel within the Czech Republic for up to 90 days as a tourist without any visa required. Under COVID-19, The Czech Republic uses a traffic light system for entry requirements from different countries. Citizens, permanent residents, and long-term residence holders from low-risk (green) countries—including the United States—can enter the Czech Republic with no test or quarantine required. There are still limits on other countries that are classified as medium, high, very high, and extreme risk. Limits range from entry bans for non-essential travel (such as tourism and visiting friends) or different levels of testing and quarantine. One important note: this green, low-risk status applies to entering the Czech Republic, but does not apply to the whole EU or Schengen area. US travelers should check any individual requirements for each country they want to visit. Once on the ground in the Czech Republic, there are some rules to know. Green, low-risk entry status allows US travelers to enter the country. There are additional steps for things like eating at a restaurant (indoors and outdoors), entering a museum, attending a public event, or checking into a hotel. For all the experiences that make a vacation memorable, travelers will need to show one of the following: a negative PCR test less than 3 days olda negative antigen test less than 24 hours oldsingle-dose vaccines: proof of 14 days past dose, within the last 9 monthsdouble-dose vaccines: proof of 22 days after 1st dose, within the last 90 daysdouble-dose vaccines: proof of 22 days after 2nd dose, within the last 9 monthsmedical proof of recovering from COVID-19 in the last 180 days Travelers should also check with specific airlines for testing, facemasks, and other requirements, especially if connecting through other countries. Individual companies may have different requirements. It may help to carry printed information and extra resources (e.g. masks) to help navigate your journey smoothly. Tourists will also want to pack some specific masks for the Czech Republic. KN95 or FFP2 masks (also called “respirators”) are required to enter shops, airports, all public transportation (including platforms and stops), post offices, and taxis or ride shares. Cloth or other face masks are necessary for outdoor environments where social distancing is not possible. These rules apply to everyone, including low-risk (green) vaccinated travelers. So sure, there are still a few hoops to jump through, but most of all, we’re excited that travel is back! “We’ve been waiting for this for so long,” says Michaela Claudino, director of Czech Tourism USA & Canada. “We hope that tourists can take the time to see the famous sights, but also get to know some of the Czech Republic’s hidden gems. One look at the incredible architecture, culture, food, drinks, and fun will make your trip worth the extra effort.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 23, 2021

Finnair partners with Juneyao Air on Helsinki-Shanghai route and beyond

Finnair and Juneyao Air enter into a joint business partnership.The two carriers will cooperate commercially on flights between Helsinki and Shanghai.Finnair and Juneyao Air currently operate 2 flights per week between Helsinki and Shanghai and will increase frequencies as soon as pandemic situation allows. Finnair and Shanghai-based Juneyao Air will enter to a joint business partnership on 1 July 2021, where the two carriers will cooperate commercially on flights between Helsinki and Shanghai as well points beyond in China and Europe.  Finnair and Juneyao Air started a codeshare cooperation in July 2019, when Juneyao Air launched its Shanghai-Helsinki route. The joint business further deepens the partnership, providing corporate and leisure customers with more flexible routing options, attractive fares and enhanced benefits for frequent flyer members. Finnair’s and Juneyao’s customers will benefit from more consistent customer policies for example with baggage allowances, integrated customer care and enhanced frequent flyer award point accrual across the two airlines. Finnair customers will benefit from improved connectivity to a network of 57 destinations in China from Juneyao’s Shanghai Pudong hub, and Juneyao customers will enjoy better access to Finnair’s extensive network of 65 European destinations via its Helsinki hub. Finnair and Juneyao Air currently operate 2 flights per week between Helsinki and Shanghai and look forward to increasing frequencies as soon as the pandemic situation allows. In 2019, Finnair and Juneyao Air both operated daily flights between Helsinki and Shanghai.    “Finnair is all about offering the best connections between Europe and Asia”, says Topi Manner, Chief Executive Officer at Finnair. “This is a true win-win partnership, which will enable Finnair and Juneyao customers to enjoy vastly improved access to our joint network. It is also testament to Finnair’s steadfast commitment to China as a strategic market. We look forward to working closely with our friends at Juneyao, to build an even stronger bridge between China and Europe through our Shanghai and Helsinki hubs.”  “We are honored to formalize this strategic partnership with Finnair to offer our customers a wider range of products and quality services, provide more flexible flight choices, and seamless travel experiences. The joint business with Finnair will allow Juneyao Air to further strengthen its market in Europe, which is an important strategy in our global expansion as it significantly increases Juneyao Air’s presence in an aviation market set to become the ‘high-value carrier’”, said Zhao Hongliang, Chief Executive Officer at Juneyao Air.   Juneyao Air launched its route from Shanghai to Helsinki in July 2019, and since then both Finnair and Juneyao have been codesharing on each other’s Helsinki-Shanghai services and on selected connecting flights from Helsinki to Europe and from Shanghai to other destinations in China. A reciprocal agreement for Finnair Plus and Juneyao Air Club frequent flyer members was also implemented in August 2019, allowing customers to earn and redeem miles and points throughout each partner’s entire network.  
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 22, 2021

Etihad Airways launches flights to Vienna, Austria

Etihad Airways announces new Vienna flights this summer.The service will operate twice weekly using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from 18 July 2021.Austria is currently open to nationals and residents of Austria and residents of Schengen-member states, business travelers and students. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, will launch flights to Vienna this summer. The service will operate twice weekly using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from 18 July 2021. The new service has been conveniently timed to arrive early morning in Vienna to provide travelers between the UAE and Austria an ideal weekend getaway. Travelers visiting Vienna will enjoy centuries old culture and breathtaking scenery. The Austrian capital has been consistently voted the world’s most livable city. Austria is currently open to nationals and residents of Austria and residents of Schengen-member states, business travelers and students. To simplify the travel experience and provide additional peace of mind, Etihad Airways recently launched Verified to Fly, allowing guests to validate their Covid-19 travel documents before arriving at the airport. Travelers who use Verified to Fly can enjoy fast track check-in at the airport by going to the dedicated Verified to Fly desk for a quicker and smoother experience. Flying to, from, and via Abu Dhabi is supported by the airline’s fully redesigned sanitization and safety program, Etihad Wellness, which ensures the highest standards of hygiene are maintained at every stage of the customer journey. Etihad Airways is the second flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Abu Dhabi International Airport. Etihad commenced operations in November 2003. It is the second largest airline in the UAE after Emirates.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 22, 2021

Russian air carriers resume Turkey flights

Russia restarts scheduled and charter passenger air service to Turkey.Russian airlines can fly to Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum.Russian flag carrier Aeroflot plans to increase the frequency of flights from twice a week to two flights a day. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency announced today that ten Russian air carriers have resumed scheduled and charter passenger flights to Turkey. There were 78 flights, including 54 charter flights, planned for the first day of the full resumption of air traffic between Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey. According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, currently,12 Russian airlines have permits to fly to Turkey. They can fly to five Turkish cities: Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, federal regulator said. The airlines can operate flights to Turkey from 32 Russian cities. “On June 22, 78 regular and charter flights will be operated, of which Russian airlines will operate 54 flights. Aeroflot, Royal Flight, Smartavia, Azur air, Ikar, Yamal, Nord Wind, Pobeda, Red Wings, S7, Rossiya are scheduled to fly today,” the Federal Air Transport Agency said. 12 Russian air carriers received “more than 160 permits for international passenger and/or cargo transportation to seven cities in Turkey”, following the decision of the Interdepartmental Commission on Airline Access to Air Transportation. From Tuesday, June 22, Russia and Turkey have fully resumed air traffic, which was limited in mid-April due to a new wave of the pandemic in Turkey. From June 25, Russian flag carrier Aeroflot plans to increase the frequency of flights from twice a week to two flights a day. Also, from June 25, the national airline will launch flights from Moscow to Antalya, Dalaman and Bodrum. Moreover, Aeroflot did not rule out a further increase in the number of flights to Turkey, depending on demand and flight load.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 22, 2021

Guam’s Air V&V Program ready for takeoff

Air V&V program has officially been approved by Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and the Department of Public Health and Social Services.The program captures a unique demographic of travelers around the world that are tired of waiting to get vaccinated in this pandemic.Prior to arrival in Guam, program participants must book their package with one of the participating hotels. The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) announced that the Air V&V (vaccination and vacation) program has officially been approved by Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS). “I want to thank Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio, DPHSS Director Art San Agustin, and Acting Chief Public Health Officer Chima Mbakwem for clearing the way for us to market Guam as the U.S. destination of choice when it comes to encouraging US expats and non-US citizens to travel to our island to get vaccinated and spend their vacation time with us,” said Carl T.C. Gutierrez, GVB President and CEO. “This program captures a unique demographic of travelers around the world that are tired of waiting to get vaccinated in this pandemic. This will give a shot in the arm to our tourism industry through this unique and valuable service, offering more opportunities to put our people back to work and get our economy roaring again.” Non-US citizens welcomed With the support of Chairman Milton Morinaga and the GVB Board of Directors, GVB worked with the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association, Physicians Advisory Group and its chairman Dr. Hoa Nguyen, Col. Mike Cruz and the Guam Surgeon Cell, and DPHSS to get the program ready for the island’s source markets, as well as other countries. Guam can now officially welcome US citizens living abroad, green card holders, and also non-U.S. citizens to avail of vaccination and vacation deals. Protocols for Air V&V Prior to arrival in Guam, program participants must book their package with one of the participating hotels. The hotel will assist in scheduling the vaccination and PCR appointments for Air V&V participants. All international travelers must provide a negative PCR test before boarding their flight to Guam. Upon arrival, participants of the Air V&V program will receive a COVID-19 test to ensure they are able to receive the vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) the following day from the comfort of their hotel room. If they choose Moderna or Pfizer, their second dose will be scheduled. While in Guam, they must undergo a 7-day quarantine at a self-paid facility upon arrival to Guam. They would have the option to take a PRC test on Day 6 of quarantine and if they test negative for COVID-19, they will be released. It is also required they register with Sara Alert for monitoring up to 14 days, and download the Guam COVID Alert App. As part of the program, they will also get a PCR test no more than 72 hours prior to departure. Participants will depart Guam with their vaccination record card and vaccination health authority record. Packages offered for travel In collaboration with Guam’s medical community, travel trade, and hotel partners, all-in-one packages have been developed to offer interested travelers. The travel packages include transportation to and from the airport, three COVID-19 tests, the administration of two doses of the vaccine, health monitoring, and digital vaccination records. Air V&V packages can be booked directly with the following hotels: Dusit Thani Guam Resort, Grand Plaza Hotel, Guam Reef Hotel, Hotel Nikko Guam, Hyatt Regency Guam, LeoPalace Resort, Lotte Hotel, Pacific Islands Club, Royal Orchid Hotel, and the Tsubaki Tower.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 21, 2021

Chorus Aviation Inc. announces election of Directors

Chorus’ proxy circular provided for 10 nominees to the Board of Directors.Total number of shares represented by shareholders present in person and by proxy at the meeting was 60,142,910 million.Holders of the requisite number of shares voted in favor of all items of business. Chorus Aviation Inc. announces the results of the vote on the election of directors at its virtual annual meeting of shareholders held on June 21, 2021. The total number of shares represented by shareholders present in person and by proxy at the meeting was 60,142,910 million and represented 33.85% of Chorus’ issued and outstanding shares with voting rights. Holders of the requisite number of shares voted in favor of all items of business. Chorus’ proxy circular provided for 10 nominees to the Board of Directors. Detailed results of the vote for election of directors are set out below. NomineeVotes For% ForVotes Withheld% WithheldKaren Cramm59,072,20498.22%1,070,7061.78%Richard D. Falconer56,251,20093.53%3,891,7106.47%Gail Hamilton56,416,52193.80%3,726,3896.20%R Stephen Hannahs59,563,03999.04%579,8710.96%Sydney John Isaacs59,035,22398.16%1,107,6871.84%Alan Jenkins56,341,26093.68%3,801,6506.32%Amos Kazzaz56,232,12493.50%3,910,7866.50%Marie-Lucie Morin55,709,66592.63%4,430,2457.37%Joseph D. Randell56,224,88393.49%3,918,0276.51%Paul Rivett59,641,81099.17%501,1000.83% Chorus is pleased to welcome Ms. Gail Hamilton, Mr. Alan Jenkins and Mr. Paul Rivett to its Board of Directors. Ms. Hamilton was a partner with both KPMG and Ernst & Young providing audit and business advisory services to a variety of organizations, including several within the aviation industry. Mr. Jenkins has over 20 years’ senior executive and board experience in the aircraft leasing, specialty finance, aviation, transportation, and financial services sectors. In addition to co-founding NordStar Capital (a recent investor in Chorus), Mr. Rivett previously served as the President of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited where in 2016, he was responsible for the firm’s $200 million investment in Chorus that served as the seed capital for our regional aircraft leasing business. Chorus is a global provider of integrated regional aviation solutions. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chorus is comprised of Chorus Aviation Capital a global lessor of regional aircraft, and Jazz Aviation and Voyageur Aviation. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 21, 2021

Travel restrictions to ease July 5 for fully vaccinated Canadians

Changes fall far short of Government’s own Expert Panel Report.Canada’s major airlines call for a comprehensive re-start plan to re-open borders and end to piecemeal announcements.Unlike many other countries, Canada has yet to provide a clear restart plan Canada’s major airlines noted today’s announcement by the federal government that on July 5th at 11:59 pm EDT fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents will be exempt from hotel quarantine and mandatory 14-day quarantine.  But the industry repeated its plea that Canada desperately needs a clear and comprehensive re-start plan for international travel, and an end to one-off piecemeal announcements concerning quarantine and border policy changes.  “Easing quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadians and eligible travelers is a step in the right direction, but falls far short of the recommendations provided by Health Canada’s Expert Advisory Panel report released last month.  The government continues to refuse to provide Canadians with a clear and comprehensive restart plan outlining how measures from the report will be adopted.  While other countries like France have already changed their measures to welcome Canadian travellers, we still have no plan or clear timeframe in Canada,” said Mike McNaney, President and CEO of the National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents Canada’s largest airlines (Air Canada, Air Transat, Jazz Aviation, and WestJet). The Health Canada Advisory Panel report, prepared by experts in epidemiology, virology as well as advanced data analytics, is a data and science-based review that calls for a variety of changes to travel and border measures including elimination of quarantine for fully vaccinated travelers, elimination of hotel quarantine for all travelers, reduction of quarantine for partially vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers, and the use of rapid antigen testing.  While Canada has reached a vaccination target of 75% / 20%, today’s announcement did not substantively address these measures. McNaney also noted that the government’s requirement that children under the age of 18 who are not fully vaccinated must adhere to a 14-day quarantine runs counter to the approach taken by other countries. “The government repeatedly states it is working with our international partners and following science, yet pursues initiatives such as mandatory quarantine for minors that is completely out of step with other jurisdictions. In fact, the policy directly contradicts the recommendations issued jointly on June 17 by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency” he said.  “Unlike many other countries including our G7 partners, Canada has yet to provide a clear restart plan outlining when and how major travel and border restrictions will be removed, in particular for fully vaccinated travelers from foreign countries, and how the Panel’s recommendations will be adopted.  As vaccination programs increase rapidly and jurisdictions around the world provide consumers and industry with a clear path forward, we must do the same. Countries that successfully implement a science and data – based testing and quarantine policy will not only protect public health, they will also drive their overall domestic recovery and take jobs and investment from countries that do not.   We must get moving now”, concluded McNaney.  
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·June 20, 2021

Sabre and Virgin Australia renew global distribution agreement

Sabre Corporation a software and technology provider and Virgin Australia have a renewal of their global distribution agreement.  Under the renewed agreement, Sabre will continue to distribute Virgin Australia flights and services through the Sabre GDS marketplace, I will ensure that hundreds of thousands of Sabre-connected agencies will continue to have access to Virgin Australia’s great value products and services.   “Although international borders remain largely closed at the moment, there is a lot of pent-up demand and positivity in the domestic market,” said David Orszaczky, General Manager Digital, and Distribution, Virgin Australia. “We’re committed to creating an ecosystem that delivers great value for customers and ensuring our agency partners can help deliver the many travel experiences we offer in their preferred channel.”   “We are thrilled to reaffirm our longstanding collaboration with Virgin Australia at this important time for the carrier and for the travel industry,” said Rakesh Narayanan, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific, Travel Solutions, Airline Sales. “Our renewed agreement provides certainty to the travel industry that Virgin Australia’s travel agency content will continue to be available on the Sabre GDS as well as being testament to the commitment of both Virgin Australia and Sabre to providing rich content through our global distribution network.”  
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 19, 2021

Nine people killed in Russia plane crash

The plane belonged to a local chapter of the DOSAAF paramilitary sport group.The aircraft hit the ground with its wing and overturned.Two crew members and seven parachutists were killed, nine people in total. Nine people were killed and several were injured after a twin-engine Let L-410 aircraft crash-landed in Kemerovo Region in Russia’s southwestern Siberia. Nineteen people were on board the plane – 2 pilots and 17 skydivers. The plane belonged to a local chapter of the DOSAAF paramilitary sport group and was making its fourth flight of the day when suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff. The pilots attempted to land the plane, but the aircraft hit the ground with its wing and overturned, chief of Kemerovo DOSAAF said. “According to my information, two crew members and seven parachutists were killed, nine people in total,” the official stated. It remains unclear what caused the fatal engine failure as the plane was in good technical condition and had performed three flights that day.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 18, 2021

Largest jet in Boeing 737 MAX family completes successful first flight

Boeing’s 737-10 today completed a successful first flight.Today’s flight was the start of a comprehensive test program for the 737-10.Boeing will work closely with regulators to certify the airplane prior to its scheduled entry into service in 2023. Boeing’s 737-10, the largest airplane in the 737 MAX family, today completed a successful first flight. The airplane took off from Renton Field in Renton, Washington, at 10:07 a.m. and landed at 12:38 p.m. at Boeing Field in Seattle. “The airplane performed beautifully,” said 737 Chief Pilot Capt. Jennifer Henderson. “The profile we flew allowed us to test the airplane’s systems, flight controls and handling qualities, all of which checked out exactly as we expected.” Today’s flight was the start of a comprehensive test program for the 737-10. Boeing will work closely with regulators to certify the airplane prior to its scheduled entry into service in 2023. “The 737-10 is an important part of our customers’ fleet plans, giving them more capacity, greater fuel efficiency and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle airplane,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Our team is committed to delivering an airplane with the highest quality and reliability.” The 737-10 can carry up to 230 passengers. It also incorporates environmental improvements, cutting carbon emissions by 14 percent and reducing noise by 50 percent compared to today’s Next-Generation 737s. As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 18, 2021

South Korea to become third largest outbound Asia-Pacific source market by 2025

International departures from South Korea were growing steadily prior to COVID-19.The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 saw levels of both domestic and outbound travel decline significantly.Over 80% of outbound travel from South Korea is typically focused within the APAC region. Outbound tourism from South Korea is not forecast to surpass pre-pandemic levels until 2024, when departures are projected to reach 29.6 million. However, South Korea is forecast one of the highest growth periods from 2020–2025 in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40% and 30.2 million traveling outbound by 2025. This would make South Korea the third largest source market out of the APAC region going forward. Latest industry report, ‘Tourism Source Market Insight: South Korea (2021)’, found that international departures from South Korea were growing steadily prior to COVID-19 (CAGR 2016-19: 8.7%). Engaging with this source market through social media and technology integration could prove highly beneficial in a post-pandemic environment. Heavy workloads and pressure from superiors have made South Koreans reluctant holiday makers in the past, inadvertently affecting both domestic and international travel. Government initiatives to urge more leisure time and decrease working hours in 2018, however, did have an impact and saw yearly increases in both domestic (YoY +44.7%) and international travel (YoY +8.3%). The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 naturally saw levels of both domestic (YoY -70.6%) and outbound (YoY -80.6%) travel decline significantly. However, high spenders when traveling and with a large desire for alternative travel experiences, mean South Korea could be a viable market opportunity for various destinations in a post-pandemic environment. Over 80% of outbound travel from South Korea is typically focused within the APAC region, spurred by proximity and general ease of travel. The US is also a primary destination for this source market. This is likely spurred by factors such as the opportunity for sun and beach, city breaks and gastronomical experiences, which were identified as the top three most typically taken holidays in 2019, according to recent consumer survey. Technology also plays a part in travel preferences as 71% of South Korean respondents identified as ‘always’, ‘often’ and ‘somewhat’ being influenced by ‘how digitally advanced/smart a product/service is’ in Q1 2021 consumer survey. The same survey also revealed that 51% are spending more time online in general; this was higher than any other country surveyed (total countries surveyed: 42), suggesting technological dependence has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Opportunities to attract South Korean tourists largely revolve around the integration of technology into the traveler experience. Social media, app engagement and translation services will only heighten the visitor experience.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 17, 2021

US Travel: States reopening vital for return to pre-pandemic economy and livelihoods

Lifting of COVID restrictions in several of the largest U.S. states removes critical barriers The ability to safely gather for business purposes has never been more important to economic rebuilding.Companies that continue to restrict business travel will delay their own economic recovery. U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement: “The lifting of COVID restrictions in several of the largest U.S. states removes critical barriers to the return of our pre-pandemic economy and livelihoods. “States with delayed reopenings must recognize they’re at a competitive disadvantage to those open for business, requiring focused efforts to encourage the safe return of both business and leisure travelers. Similarly, companies that continue to restrict business travel and attendance at in-person professional meetings and events will delay their own economic recovery and give their competitors an edge. “In-person professional meetings and events, which support business growth and provide invaluable relationship-building opportunities, have been slow to return due to confusing and conflicting guidelines. But a new evidence-based analysis from public health scientists at The Ohio State University clears up any uncertainty and shows that these meetings can now be safely conducted. “Emerging from the pandemic, the ability to safely gather for business purposes has never been more important to economic rebuilding. Employers and employees alike benefit from in-person meetings. I urge business leaders across the country to take cues from the experts and lead the way, with confidence, in ushering business back through business travel and participation in professionally managed events.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 17, 2021

Alaska Airlines launching new flights and adding more routes

Alaska Airlines keeps growing in Boise where it’s long been the largest carrier.From Idaho’s capital, Alaska Airlines now flying to Chicago and Austin.Alaska Airlines starts new service to Pullman-Moscow and Phoenix. Boise is booming! And Alaska Airlines keeps growing in the dynamic city where we’ve long been the largest carrier. We’re flying our guests in Idaho’s Treasure Valley to the places they’re eager to visit. Starting today, we’re launching daily nonstop service between Boise and Chicago O’Hare, and Boise and Austin. Also today, we’re announcing new nonstop flying between Boise and Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport in Washington, and Boise and Phoenix. “Our guests are showing us how excited they are about our new service to Chicago and Austin from Boise with strong bookings throughout the summer months,” said Brett Catlin, vice president of network and alliances at Alaska Airlines. “Our new year-round route bridging Boise and Pullman-Moscow will offer a crucial link to that area’s two major universities, and the seasonal nonstop to Phoenix is another terrific way to quickly escape to sunshine and warmth in the desert this winter.” As vaccination rates rise, so does the quest to travel again. Families and friends want to see each other face-to-face and share a hug – not another video call. We’re adding new routes and more flights to make those connections easier. This winter, we’ll have up to 30 daily nonstop departures from Boise to 14 destinations on Alaska and our sister carrier Horizon Air. We already have more nonstop destinations and more daily departures from Boise than any other airline. Our commitment to Boise Airport and our guests only becomes stronger. Newly added flights StartDateEndDateCity PairDepartsArrivesFrequencyAircraftAug. 17—Boise –Pullman-Moscow11:10 a.m.11:15 a.m.5x/WeeklyQ400Aug. 17—Pullman-Moscow –Boise11:55 a.m.1:34 p.m.5x/WeeklyQ400Nov. 19April 18Boise – Phoenix10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.DailyE175Nov. 19April 18Phoenix – Boise1:10 p.m.4:15 p.m.DailyE175 “The Boise Airport is grateful that Alaska Airlines continues to improve connectivity for residents of the Treasure Valley,” said Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp. “With Idaho’s vast rural geography, regional flights are an important link in our transportation system. I’m confident the nonstop service to Pullman-Moscow matches the needs of our community, and I’m thrilled Alaska is connecting two important regions of the state again.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·June 17, 2021

Lufthansa’s Eurowings Discover granted Air Operator Certificate

Air Operator Certificate issued by the German Federal Aviation Authority on June 16, 2021.Inaugural flight on July 24 from Frankfurt to Mombasa with onward flight to Zanzibar.Additional destinations in the 2021 summer flight schedule: Punta Cana, Windhoek, Las Vegas and Mauritius. Now it is official: Just in time for the current steep rise in demand for holiday bookings, the Lufthansa Group‘s new leisure airline is ready for take-off. With the issuance of its operating license and Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the German Federal Aviation Authority, the young start-up airline Eurowings Discover has successfully completed the final stage on its way to independent flight operations. The certificate was issued by the German Federal Aviation Authority on June 16.  “The timing could not be better. People can finally travel again and we are all set to fly them to the world’s most beautiful destinations,” explains Wolfgang Raebiger, CEO of Eurowings Discover. “We have built an airline in just one year – an ambitious goal that we have achieved with the great support from the entire Lufthansa Group, a motivated team and in close cooperation with the German Federal Aviation Authority. We wish to express our sincere gratitude to everyone.” Eurowings Discover is also the first airline ever in Germany to receive an unlimited permit under a new aviation law requirement known as partial CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization). Inaugural flight to Mombasa with onward flight to Zanzibar The Lufthansa Group’s newest airline takes off on July 24 from its home base in Frankfurt am Main for its inaugural flight to Mombasa with onward service to Zanzibar. In August, the flight schedule will be filled with further attractive long-haul destinations: Thus, in addition to two weekly frequencies to Mombasa/Zanzibar, starting in August there will also be three flights a week to Punta Cana and five flights a week to Windhoek. In October, Eurowings Discover will also be flying three times a week to Las Vegas and Mauritius. In the 2021 winter flight schedule, Bridgetown, Montego Bay and Varadero will be added with three weekly frequencies each. In addition, the flight program will be expanded from November to include short- and medium-haul flights to the Canary Islands, Egypt and Morocco. Before the start of long-haul operations at the end of July, Eurowings Discover plans to operate selected continental flights as wet lease for Lufthansa Group airline Air Dolomiti (EN) from mid-July in order to gradually ramp up operations and ensure a smooth start on long-haul routes. Its fleet will consist of a maximum of eleven aircraft in total this year and will grow to 21 aircraft by the middle of next year (10x Airbus A320 and 11x Airbus A330). All aircraft are coming from to the Lufthansa Group fleet pool. Thanks to full integration into the Lufthansa feeder network, travelers will benefit from end-to-end booking processes and seamless transfer traffic. All flights can already be booked on lufthansa.com – currently under Lufthansa flight number (LH). The shift to Eurowings Discover flight number “4Y” is scheduled for the week of the inaugural flight.
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