Aviation Feature

Airbus A350-900 will be carrying 40 crew members and scientists will be collecting measurement dataGerman Aerospace Center (DLR) with monitoring instruments will also be on boardReason for this second flight to Falkland Islands is to rotate Polarstern crew and to pick up the research expedition team Tomorrow, Lufthansa will be departing for its second non-stop flight from Hamburg to Mount Pleasant (MPN) in the Falkland Islands on behalf of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven. This time the Airbus A350-900 will be carrying 40 crew members of the research vessel Polarstern as well as scientists from the German Aerospace Center (Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt). During the flight, the scientists will be collecting measurement data that will provide further insights on the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field in regards to aviation. Therefore, the second flight to the Falkland Islands is already contributing to science on its way to the South Pole. The Airbus A350-900 will be transferred from Munich to Hamburg at 14:30 tomorrow, and is scheduled to arrive at Hamburg Airport at 3:40 p.m. with the flight number LH9923. The same evening, LH2574 will take off for Mount Pleasant at 9:30 p.m. The aircraft with the registration D-AIXQ, christened with the name of the city of Freiburg is the newest member of the Lufthansa A350 fleet and one of the world’s most sustainable and efficient long-haul aircraft. “With the second flight to the Falkland Islands, we are not only pleased  to be able to support the AWI’s polar research expedition, but also to make an important contribution to further research into the Earth’s magnetic field,” says Thomas Jahn, Fleet Captain and Falklands Project Manager. “We have already been supporting climate research projects for more than 25 years now.” The reason for this second flight to the Falkland Islands is to rotate the Polarstern crew and to pick up the research expedition team. Since the beginning of February, a team of about 50 researchers have been collecting important data on ocean currents, sea ice and the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean, which, among other things, enable reliable climate predictions. On the way back from the research area in the southern Weddell Sea, Polarstern stopped at Atka Bay, where an additional 25 scientists boarded the ship: Specifically the summer staff as well as the winter team of Neumayer Station III, with the latter returning to Germany after more than 15 months in the Antarctic.  On 2 April, Lufthansa will be bringing AWI’s international research team and the DLR scientists back to Germany from the Falkland Islands. The landing is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on April 3 at Munich Airport with the flight number LH2575. The first flight from Hamburg to the Falkland Islands, which took place at the end of January 2021, was the longest non-stop passenger flight in Lufthansa’s history. The Airbus A350-900 arrived at the Mount Pleasant military base after flying over 13,000 kilometers in more than 15 hours. In order to make the research as climate-friendly as possible, the Alfred-Wegener-Institut will also compensate the CO2 emissions of the flight.

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Frankfurt Airport (FRA) served some 1.78 million passengers in the reporting month.The growth momentum in cargo traffic at FRA continued despite the ongoing shortage of belly capacity normally provided by passenger aircraft.The Fraport Group’s airports around the world also recorded noticeable traffic growth in June 2021. In June 2021, passenger traffic continued to recover, despite the ongoing and widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frankfurt Airport (FRA) served some 1.78 million passengers in the reporting month. This represents an increase of nearly 200 percent versus June 2020. However, this figure is based on a low benchmark value recorded in June 2020, when traffic was down amid surging COVID-19 infection rates. In the reporting month, the decline in COVID-19 incidence rates and the further lifting of travel restrictions continued to positively impact traffic demand. For the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, Frankfurt Airport again welcomed more than 80,000 passengers in a single day, recorded on two separate days in June 2021.  When compared with pre-pandemic June 2019, FRA registered another noticeable passenger decline of 73.0 percent in the reporting month. During the first half of 2021, FRA served some 6.5 million passengers. Compared to the same six-month period in 2020 and 2019, this represents a decrease of 46.6 percent and 80.7 percent respectively. In contrast, the growth momentum in cargo traffic at FRA continued despite the ongoing shortage of belly capacity normally provided by passenger aircraft. In June 2021, cargo throughput (comprising airfreight and airmail) jumped by 30.6 percent year-on-year to 190,131 metric tons – the second highest volume ever recorded in a June month at FRA. Compared to June 2019, cargo was up 9.0 percent. This robust growth underscores Frankfurt Airport’s position as Europe’s leading airfreight hub. Aircraft movements climbed by just over 114 percent year-on-year to 20,010 takeoffs and landings. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) rose by 78.9 percent to about 1.36 million metric tons in June 2021. The Fraport Group’s airports around the world also recorded noticeable traffic growth in June 2021. At some airports, traffic increased by several hundred percent – albeit based on a sharply reduced traffic level in June 2020. Passenger numbers at all of the airports in Fraport’s international portfolio were still well below the pre-pandemic levels of June 2019. Slovenia’s Ljubljana Airport (LJU) welcomed 27,953 passengers in the reporting month. At the Brazilian airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA), total traffic climbed to 608,088 passengers. In Peru’s capital, Lima Airport (LIM) welcomed 806,617 passengers in June 2021. The 14 Greek regional airports served about 1.5 million passengers in June 2021. On the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, total traffic for the Twin Star airports of Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR) rose to 158,306 passengers. On the Turkish Riviera, Antalya Airport (AYT) saw traffic grow to about 1.7 million passengers. The passenger volume at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport (LED) in Russia advanced to about 1.9 million. In China, Xi’an Airport (XIY) registered a traffic gain of 31.8 percent year-on-year to around 3.5 million passengers. In summary, both AYT and the Greek airports received almost as many passengers as our FRA home-base airport in June 2021, while twice as many passengers traveled via XIY. This demonstrates the dynamic performance of Fraport’s international airport portfolio. 

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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.”

Delta Air Lines‘ inaugural nonstop flight offering daily roundtrip service between Boise, Idaho and Atlanta, GA began today, Friday, November 20, 2020. To celebrate the inaugural flight to the country’s busiest passenger airport in the world, several Delta executives were present, airport personnel, as well as Boise Metro Chamber CEO and President, Bill Connors. “Recruiting […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The Trevor Project: The world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young peopleThe Human Rights Campaign: An organization that works to create a world where LGBTQ+ people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every communityStartOut: A non-profit with a mission to increase the number, diversity and impact of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and amplify their stories to drive the economic empowerment of the community In celebration and support of Pride Month, United Airlines, Chase and Visa are collaborating to reward United Visa Cardmembers who donate to non-profit LGBTQ+ organizations. Between June 1 and June 30, 2021, eligible United MileagePlus Visa Cardmembers will receive five total miles for every dollar up to $1,000 in donations per eligible card made to the following organizations: The Trevor Project: The world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.The Human Rights Campaign: An organization that works to create a world where LGBTQ+ people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.StartOut: A non-profit with a mission to increase the number, diversity and impact of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and amplify their stories to drive the economic empowerment of the community. “This Pride Month, United is celebrating our year-round mission of advocating and supporting our LGBTQ+ employees and customers by spotlighting organizations that share our commitment for uplifting the LGBTQ+ community,” said Suzi Cabo, United’s managing director, global community engagement.  “We’re proud to partner with Chase and Visa to offer our valued United Visa Cardmembers a special opportunity to give back and earn rewards from us for their contributions.” Customers will receive five total miles per dollar donated from the following cards: United GatewaySM Visa Card, UnitedSM Explorer Visa Card, United QuestSM Visa Card, United ClubSM Infinite Visa Card, United ClubSM Visa Card, UnitedSM Business Visa Card and United ClubSM Business Visa. United has an ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ equality which includes a proud history of firsts.  United was the first U.S. airline to fully recognize domestic partnerships in 1999 and the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all its booking channels. United also was the first public company to be inducted into Pride Live’s Stonewall Ambassador program in recognition of the airline’s commitment to LGBTQ+ equality in 2019. Through EQUAL, the airline’s LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group, more than 2,600 members work together to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, working with members and leaders companywide to develop ways to deliver resources, education and advocacy. “To celebrate Pride Month, we wanted to reward cardmembers who donate to organizations that serve and advocate for our LBGT+ employees, cardmembers and their families: The Trevor Project, The Human Rights Campaign, and StartOut,” said Brad Baumoel, global head of LGBT+ Affairs for JPMorgan Chase. “We are thrilled to join Visa and United to offer miles for donations that support the LBGT+ community.” “Visa believes economies that include everyone, everywhere uplift everyone, everywhere,” said Kirk Stuart, senior vice president and head of North America merchant sales and acquiring at Visa. “We are committed to using the power of our network to support the LGBTQ+ community and other diverse populations in their recovery from the global pandemic and beyond. Driving engagement through strategic partnerships is an important part of our strategy to help local communities recover and thrive.”

Kenya Airways and Congo Airways to share African air routesThe agreement was signed late last weekKenya Airways customers now can access Congolese capital of Kinshasa directly from Nairobi Aiming to expand its flights to more African cities, Kenya Airways had partnered with Congo Airways to cover more routes and destinations in Africa through codesharing agreement. The deal to share African air routes was made at the time that the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) then held bilateral talks with President Félix Tshisekedi last week. The agreement, which was signed late last week will make it easier for the Kenya Airways customers to access the Congolese capital of Kinshasa directly from Nairobi then fly to other African and international routes jointly. Under such arrangement, Kenya Airways will be able to sell more seats sharing with Congo Airways, then expand its wings to cover more flight networks in Africa and outside the African continent, while offering their network coverage and markets in countries they operate. The partnership agreement was signed by Kenya Airways Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka and the Congo Airways CEO Mr. Desire Balazire Bantu, the statement from Nairobi said. The agreement was signed in Kinshasa on the last day of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s three-day state visit of Congo and which observed the two African airlines partner in aircraft maintenance other than codesharing. The two airlines had agreed to cooperate on training and sharing of excess passengers and cargo. After resuming international fights last year after six months of COVID-19 travel restrictions, Kenya Airways cancelled its flights covering several cities in Africa. Kenya Airways mostly fly tourists booked to visit the East African Community (EAC) member states of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Congo. The airline flies international flights connecting Nairobi to key African cities while  providing on transit connections to Europe, Middle East and South East Asia. 

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In the domestic Mexican market, demand continued to recoverInternational capacity decreased 16.7% versus April 2019Volaris transported 1.9 million passengers in April 2021 Volaris, the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, reports April 2021 preliminary traffic results. In the domestic Mexican market, demand continued to recover, and we capitalized on opportunities to add capacity, ending the month with 17.8% more ASMs (Available Seat Miles) than in April 2019. International capacity decreased 16.7% versus April 2019, as a result of COVID-19 related international travel restrictions. Total capacity for the month of April measured by ASMs was 107.3% of the same month in 2019. Demand measured by RPMs (Revenue Passenger Miles) was 104.6% as compared to the same month in 2019. Volaris transported 1.9 million passengers in April 2021, 3.3% higher than April 2019, and the booked load factor was 82.4%. Volaris’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Enrique Beltranena, commenting on the traffic results for April 2021, said: “Our recovery was sustained in April and we believe there is room for improvement in the trans-border US market during the following months. We are gradually seeing a better booking trend as customers make plans for spring and summer travel, especially in our core VFR and leisure segments.” For the second quarter of 2021, the Company expects to operate approximately 110% of the 2019 second quarter capacity.  The following table summarizes Volaris traffic results for the month of April 2021. April 2020VariationApril 2019VariationYTD April 2021YTD April 2020VariationYTD April 2019VariationRPMs (in millions, scheduled &charter)Domestic1,423425.5%13.1%4,67919.0%0.7%International409748.7%-17.1%1,355-12.8%-26.8%Total1,832474.4%4.6%6,03410.0%-7.1%ASMs (in millions, scheduled &charter)Domestic1,701480.2%17.8%5,73926.2%6.0%International523627.6%-16.7%1,865-2.6%-21.0%Total2,224509.2%7.3%7,60417.7%-2.2%Load Factor (in %, scheduled,RPMs/ASMs)Domestic83.7%(8.7) pp(3.5) pp81.5%(4.9) pp(4.2) ppInternational78.3%11.2 pp(0.4) pp72.7%(8.5) pp(5.9) ppTotal82.4%(5.0) pp(2.2) pp79.4%(5.5) pp(4.2) ppPassengers (in thousands,scheduled & charter)Domestic1,606478.8%6.7%5,20315.4%-5.5%International306952.0%-11.7%981-8.9%-24.9%Total1,912523.8%3.3%6,18310.7%-9.2%

Edelweiss landed an Airbus A340 at KIA on October 9, 2021, reigniting the aviation tourism sector in Tanzania.The aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute and several Tanzanian officials.The inauguration of Edelweiss is seen as a vote of confidence in Tanzania as a safe destination for business, particularly leisure tourism, thanks to health and safety protocols in place. Edelweiss, a sister company of Swiss International Air Lines and a member of the Lufthansa Group, has a nearly 20 million customer base across the world. On October 9, 2021, a maiden Edelweiss Airbus A340 landed at KIA, a major gateway to Tanzania’s northern tourism circuit, with 270 tourists from across Europe on board, essentially gracing the tourism high season. The airplane was greeted with a water cannon salute after having successfully touched the JRO’s runway at 8:04 a.m. East African Time, as Cabinet Ministers responsible for Works and Transport as well as from Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof. Makame Mbarawa and Dr. Damas Ndumbaro, respectively, along with Tanzania UNDP Country Resident Representative, Ms. Christine Musisi; Switzerland Ambassador, Dr. Didier Chassot; and Lufthansa Group General Manager Southern and Eastern Africa, Dr. Andrea Shulz led the crowd to cheer on the historic landing of the aircraft. “The inauguration of Edelweiss is a vote of confidence in Tanzania as a safe destination for business, particularly leisure tourism, thanks to health and safety protocols in place to ensure that air travel remains safe and doesn’t spread the Coronaviruses globally,” Prof. Mbarawa said amid the cheers from the floor. He added: “The Edelweiss offers a critical link to the key Tanzania northern tourism circuit with the fastest growing hub in Europe in today’s aviation industry and other metropolitan cities across the world, breathing a new life to our tourism, a key economic industry.” Natural Resources and Tourism Minister, Dr. Damas Ndumbaro, said the Edelweiss offering 2 weekly connections from Zurich, Switzerland, to Tanzania was not only a shot in the arm for ailing tourism but also a clear sign of growing confidence for the travel industry in the country’s COVID-19 measures. Edelweiss will be flying from Zurich to Kilimanjaro and on to Zanzibar every Tuesday and Friday from now until the end of March. The route will be operated with an Airbus A340. The aircraft offers a total of 314 seats – 27 in Business Class, 76 in Economy Max, and 211 in Economy. Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss, said: “As Switzerland’s leading leisure airline, Edelweiss flies to the most beautiful destinations worldwide. With Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, we now have 2 new holiday destinations on offer, which perfectly complement our range on the African continent and enable our guests from Switzerland and Europe to enjoy unforgettable travel experiences.” Didier Chassot, Switzerland’s ambassador to Tanzania, was delighted when the first flight landed: “We are very happy that a Swiss airline is again connecting Switzerland and Tanzania directly. This decision by Edelweiss shows how highly attractive Tanzania – mainland and Zanzibar – remains for Swiss people. It also shows growing confidence in the efforts by Tanzania to address the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic with the necessary resolve and transparency, which we very much welcome.” The Edelweiss direct flight to KIA has, among other factors, been possible thanks to a trinity partnership from the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP), Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO), and the government through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. “I’m very grateful to witness some of the fruits of our partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and TATO in boosting tourism recovery in Tanzania. Congratulations to the Government of Tanzania, to TATO, and to the Swissair management team for all the hard work that has led us to this day,” UNDP Country Representative, Ms. Christine Musisi, told the audience at the flight reception function. Ms. Musisi said that she recalled at the height of global lockdowns in April 2020 when UNDP led the UN rapid social-economic impact assessment of COVID-19 to Tanzania, it was clear from this study that tourism was the hardest hit economic industry in the country. With an 81 percent drop in tourism, many businesses collapsed resulting in significant revenue loss, a loss of three-quarters of jobs in the industry, be they tour operators, hotels, tour guides, transporters, food suppliers, and traders. This severely affected the livelihoods of many, especially the micro, small and medium enterprises, unprotected workers, and informal businesses that comprise mostly youth and women. “We thank the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism for trusting UNDP as a collaborative partner in preparing the comprehensive COVID-19 recovery and sustainability plan for the tourism industry,” she explained. Ms. Musisi quickly added: “We also thank TATO for their leadership in the multi-stakeholder engagement that led to the joint tourism recovery project we are implementing and which has contributed to opening this route and through various measures, working towards re-opening markets in Europe, [the] Americas, and the Middle East.” “I believe that this is just the beginning of our journey in building back better a tourism industry that is inclusive, resilient, and prosperous,” Ms. Musisi concluded. With the introduction of twice-weekly flights by Edelweiss, the UNDP boss said she was buoyant that Tanzania would not only reclaim but also increase, the share of the tourism market in Europe and Northern America. TATO CEO, Mr. Sirili Akko, expressed his profound gratitude to Edelweiss and UNDP, saying their support came at the darkest moment in the tourism industry’s recent history caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impacts. A tourist, Mr. Amer Vohora, said: “Edelweiss finally flying back to Tanzania is a long time coming, a fabulous direct flight that’s super convenient and very comfortable with perfect service, as I will need to fly back often to visit the Edelweiss Coffee Estates. I’ll be booking my return flight as soon as I get back.” #rebuildingtravel

Irish ultra-low-cost carrier opens its 16th Italian base.Budapest Airport establishes a twice-weekly link to the business and cultural center of northern Italy.Ryanair’s latest link to Turin becomes Budapest’s 16th connection to Italy. Securing another new route, Budapest Airport has confirmed it is among Ryanair’s first routes to be served from the ultra-low-cost airline’s new Turin base. As the Irish carrier opens its 16th Italian base, the Hungarian gateway has established a twice-weekly link to the business and cultural center of northern Italy, to launch on 2 November. “Not only are we proud to announce another new route in today’s climate, but our new link to Turin is also among Ryanair’s – Europe’s largest airline – first routes from its new Italian base,” enthuses Balázs Bogáts, Head of Airline Development, Budapest Airport. “Our priority continues to be able to offer our passengers an expanding selection of great places to visit. To announce a brand new destination shows we wish to continue to deliver a combination of attractive routes and good services,” adds Bogáts. Ryanair’s latest link to Turin becomes Budapest’s 16th connection to Italy, the ULCC itself now serving 11 Italian destinations from Hungary’s capital city including Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Milan Bergamo, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Rome, and Treviso. Ryanair DAC is an Irish ultra low-cost airline founded in 1984. It is headquartered in Swords, Dublin, with its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. It forms the largest part of the Ryanair Holdings family of airlines, and has Ryanair UK, Buzz, and Malta Air as sister airlines. Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, formerly known as Budapest Ferihegy International Airport and still commonly called just Ferihegy, is the international airport serving the Hungarian capital city of Budapest, and by far the largest of the country’s four commercial airports.

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Sine Draco Aviation Development Ltd. (“Sine Draco”) today announced the induction of the prototype A321-200 airplane at Ascent Aviation Services in Tucson, Arizona, for conversion from passenger to cargo configuration. The airplane will be designated the A321-200 SDF with FAA Supplemental Type Certificate approval anticipated in the 3rd quarter 2022.  The Sine Draco A321-200 SDF passenger to freighter conversion offers the optimal economic solution for the next generation narrowbody freighter.  The conversion includes the installation of a 142-inch-wide by 86-inch-high main deck cargo door, Class E main deck cargo compartment with fourteen container positions and Ancra International cargo handling system.  The lower cargo compartments can also accommodate ten containers, with the A321 being the first airplane type in the narrow body freighter class with this capability.“Induction of the Sine Draco prototype A321-200 SDF for conversion is a significant milestone for our program,” says Sine Draco’s Chief Executive Officer, Alex Deriugin. “All major components are in production and scheduled, engineering drawings and technical documentation are in the last stages of completion, and parts and tooling are arriving at the Ascent facility daily.  The prototype airplane induction is the culmination of Sine Draco Engineering, Operations and Supply Chain teams hard work in close cooperation with our industry partners.”Ascent Aviation Services will be performing the conversion of the airplane by completing the touch labor, modification planning and inspection requirements. A partial heavy maintenance check was recently completed on the prototype airplane and will be completed during the modification.  Ascent will also provide maintenance and flight line support during the ground and flight test program following conversion.Dave Querio, President and CEO of Ascent Aviation Services says, “the induction of the prototype Sine Draco A321-200 SDF aircraft into its modification phase is a clear reflection of all the hard work expended on a daily basis by the professionals at both Sine Draco and Ascent.  I congratulate the entire Sine Draco team for meeting this milestone. All of us here at Ascent are honored to be a part of your success and excited to advance to the next phase of the modification program.”

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