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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 23, 2021

Caribbean Tourism Guardedly Optimistic About Summer Travel

CTO countries have worked tirelessly to contain the coronavirus and reopen their economies.The Caribbean is beginning to reverse the slide which began at the end of March 2020.There is increasing evidence that pent-up demand is roaring back much earlier and at a much quicker pace than predicted. With the 2021 summer season under way, there is increasing evidence in the marketplace that pent-up demand is roaring back much earlier and at a much quicker pace than forecasters had predicted. At the same time, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is encouraged by the data from our member countries, who have worked tirelessly to contain the coronavirus and reopen their economies. Although on the surface, a 60 percent decline in the first quarter of 2021, compared to the same period last year, may not seem encouraging, a closer examination would suggest that the Caribbean is beginning to reverse the slide which began at the end of March 2020. This is being demonstrated by a decrease in the levels of decline which the Caribbean has been recording for the past fifteen months. The first quarter of 2020 was the last period of regular levels of travel, when 7.3 million international overnight visitors (tourist arrivals) visited the region. In January and February 2021, arrivals to the region declined by just over  71 percent when compared to the same two months last year. However, the 16.5 per cent drop in March 2021 compared to March 2020 is an indication of a level of reversal of the trend of declining numbers of tourist arrivals. The data collected from twelve destinations reporting tourist arrivals for April 2021 shows that each of these destinations registered growth, when compared to April 2020, when tourism activity was curtailed globally. Similarly, tourist arrivals bounced back in the destinations reporting data for May. It must be pointed out, however, that the number of stay-over visitors is still below the corresponding levels in 2019. Recent statements made by key aviation players for whom the Caribbean is an important market, have been encouraging. During our recent series of online discussions, both the CEO of British Airways, Sean Doyle, and the VP of sales for the Caribbean at American Airlines, Christine Valls, spoke of the high levels of interest in travel to the region. In fact, Ms. Valls indicated that the Caribbean has been booming for American Airlines, with an average 60 per cent load factor by late May 2021, and that the airline planned to have more daily flights to the region this summer than it did in 2019. American Airlines told the CTO this week that it added five new routes to the Caribbean this summer, with a sixth to be added in November – and will serve 35 destinations in the Caribbean. Based on these indicators, the CTO is guardedly optimistic about the prospects for summer travel, and for the rest of the year into 2022. It is recognized that any optimism must be tempered by the fact that new COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in both the UK and the US, two of the Caribbean’s major source markets. These are signs that the virus remains a major threat which can quickly reverse any progress we have made.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 23, 2021

Will Ryanair’s Bullish Summer 2022 Plans Pay Dividends?

Ryanair has placed its bets on returning demand by beginning a mammoth recruitment drive for 2,000 pilots over the next three years.Ryanair will take delivery of 50 of its new 200+ aircraft order by summer 2022.With pent-up demand for travel rising, Ryanair could be one of the best positioned airlines to absorb demand. Ryanair has set its eyes on a strong summer 2022. With the pending delivery of new aircraft and a large recruitment drive, next year looks set to pay dividends for the airline, despite some travelers experiencing depleted travel budgets. Europe’s largest low-cost airline foresees summer 2022 as its time to shine, and preparations are underway. Ryanair has placed its bets on returning demand by beginning a mammoth recruitment drive for 2,000 pilots over the next three years. Moreover, Ryanair will take delivery of 50 of its new 200+ aircraft order by summer 2022, as it prepares for its busiest post-COVID season to date. With pent-up demand for travel rising as restrictions begin to ease across Europe, Ryanair could be one of the best positioned airlines to absorb demand, and this could bear fruits for the carrier, especially with its new aircraft. The new Boeing 737-8200 aircraft will offer eight additional seats in comparison to its current 189 seat aircraft, while reducing fuel burn by 16% per seat and reducing noise/CO2 emissions, which should help lower costs further. Ryanair’s new game-changing aircraft looks set to drive its already low-cost base even lower. Reduced fuel burn per seat will reduce spend on fuel, thus giving the airline a considerable cost saving. If passed onto passengers, Ryanair will be in a strong position to reduce ticket prices, become more competitive, and step on the toes of other players. Ryanair’s new aircraft, coupled with high levels of expected pent-up demand, will likely see the carrier excel in a post-COVID environment, attracting many budget-conscious travelers that may have stated their loyalty elsewhere prior to the pandemic. A recent poll demonstrated the impact the pandemic has had on travelers’ budgets with 11% of respondents stating a reduction in travel budget post-COVID. With reduced funds, travelers who previously opted for full-service carriers will likely shift to low-cost carriers for the interim. Ryanair will be well-positioned compared to others, especially given the introduction of its new aircraft and the cost savings it can pass on to stimulate demand. Furthermore, another poll revealed price as the most important factor when selecting an airline brand. Over half (52%) of respondents selected price/value as the largest factor – which bodes well for Ryanair. The airline’s competitive position, low fares, and expansive European network will pay dividends and could see the airline as the carrier of choice for post-COVID travel. With a pay for what you require model, Ryanair will be attractive to those looking for the most basic service. It could substantially shake up incumbent players, and its bullish approach will see it win travelers to help it emerge strongly from the pandemic.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·July 22, 2021

Thailand Enacts 14-day Domestic Flights Ban

Thailand has instituted a 14-day domestic flight ban for provinces in the dark-red provinces and zones.The ban will run from July 23 through August 2, 2021, at minimum.Most new cases involve the COVID-19 Delta variant, with vaccinations not speeding up fast enough to create a herd immunity. In order to control the COVID-19 coronavirus, the flight ban was declared and strict controls are in place effective immediately. Checkpoints and screening are in place for travel between dark-red zone provinces and other areas. New COVID-19 cases have been recorded daily in the southern province of Songkhla with a new cluster of at the large Sapsin market in the Muang district. The Nakhon Songkhla municipal office closed the market for 7 days from today, July 22, through 28. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) provided an update on the newest round of COVID-19 restrictions announced for the 13 Maximum and Strict Controlled Areas or dark-red zone provinces. The new cases mostly involve the Delta variant, particularly among vulnerable groups (aged 60+ and those with underlying diseases), with most of the infections coming from home from within the family. Despite attempts to speed up vaccinations, time is still needed to build herd immunity. The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) also added Ayutthaya, Chachoengsao and Chon Buri in the dark-red zone bringing the number of provinces to 13 in addition to Bangkok, and the 5 surrounding provinces – Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, and Samut Sakhon – and 4 Southern Thai provinces – Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala. Public transport is allowed to operate at only 50 percent of the seating capacity and must apply social distancing measures. The relative authorities are to ensure there is enough transportation services, especially for people with vaccination appointments. Hotels can open per normal hours, but are not allowed to hold any meetings, seminars, or banquets. Convenience stores and fresh markets are allowed to open up until 2000 hours. All 24-hour convenience stores must close nightly between 2000-0400 hours. Ordered to close from July 23 to August 2 – or until further notice – are sports fields, public parks and botanical gardens, all kinds of competition venues, exhibition centers, meeting centers, public performance venues, learning centers and art galleries, libraries, museums, historical parks and archaeological sites, day care centers, beauty salons, hairdressers, manicure and tattoo shops, and swimming pools. Restaurants and eateries are allowed to offer take-away services only up until 2000 hours. Department stores, shopping malls, and community malls are allowed to open until 2000 hours and only for supermarkets, pharmacies and medical supplies, and vaccination centers. The night-time curfew remains unchanged between 2100-0400 hours. However, during the 7-hour period nightly, people are asked to remain at home and only to go out if necessary. Allowed to remain open under strict disease control measures are hospitals, medical facilities, medical clinics, pharmacies, shops, factories, banking and financial services, ATMs, telecommunication services, postage and parcel services, pet food shops, building materials and construction supplies stores, shops selling miscellaneous necessary items, cooking gas stores, petrol stations, and online delivery services.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 22, 2021

Emirates Launches New Dubai to Miami Flight

Emirates’ new service to Miami provides an additional access point to and from Florida.New route expands Emirates’ US network to 12 destinations on over 70 weekly flights.New service links travelers from Miami, Southern Florida, South America and the Caribbean to over 50 destinations across the Middle East, West Asia, Africa, Far East and the Indian Ocean Islands via Dubai. Emirates is connecting global business and leisure travelers with its first-ever passenger service between Dubai and Miami. The airline celebrated the launch of its new four-times-a-week service today, when the inaugural flight touched down in Miami at 11:00 AM local time.  Emirates flight EK213 was welcomed by Miami International Airport with a water cannon salute and drew an audience of passengers, aviation fans and guests to celebrate. For the first flight, the airline operated its popular Boeing 777 Game Changer, featuring spacious, ultra-modern First Class private suites with design inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.  Along with its current service to Orlando, Emirates’ new service to Miami provides an additional access point to and from Florida and expanding Emirates’ U.S. network to 12 destinations on over 70 weekly flights, giving passengers more choice and convenient connections from the Emirates network to Southern Florida. It also links travelers from Miami, Southern Florida, South America and the Caribbean to over 50 destinations across the Middle East, West Asia, Africa, Far East and the Indian Ocean Islands via Dubai.   Essa Sulaiman Ahmed, Divisional Vice President, USA and Canada said: “We are thrilled to start our long-anticipated service between Dubai and Miami for travelers. We expect that the service will be popular with our customers who are seeking new experiences as countries like the UAE and U.S. advance their vaccination drives and the world safely opens up for international travel.”  “With the greater access that the new Miami service provides, we expect it to generate high demand, enhancing business, cruising and leisure traffic and forging more economic and tourism ties between both cities and beyond. We are committed to growing our operations into the U.S. in line with increasing air travel demand and would like to thank the authorities and our partners in Miami for their support. We look forward to providing our unique product and award-winning service to travelers.” 
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·July 22, 2021

IATA questions the need for expensive PCR Tests

Regulations are conflicting and confusing. Arriving in the United States means an inexpensive and often free antigen test is fine while continuing to Hawaii, the many times more expensive PCR test is required.The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments to take action to address the high cost of COVID-19 tests in many jurisdictions and urged flexibility in permitting the use of cost-effective antigen tests as an alternative to more expensive PCR tests. IATA also recommended governments adopt recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidance to consider exempting vaccinated travelers from testing requirements.  According to IATA’s most recent traveler survey, 86% of respondents are willing to get tested. But 70% also believe that the cost of testing is a significant barrier to travel, while 78% believe governments should bear the cost of mandatory testing.  “IATA supports COVID-19 testing as a pathway to reopening borders to international travel. But our support is not unconditional. In addition to being reliable, testing needs to be easily accessible, affordable, and appropriate to the risk level. Too many governments, however, are falling short on some or all of these. The cost of testing varies widely between jurisdictions, with little relation to the actual cost of conducting the test. The UK is the poster child for governments failing to adequately manage to test. At best it is expensive, at worst extortionate. And in either case, it is a scandal that the government is charging VAT,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director-General. The new generation of rapid tests costs less than $10 per test. Provided a confirmatory rRT-PCR test is administered for positive test results, WHO guidance sees Ag-RDT antigen testing as an acceptable alternative to PCR. And, where testing is a mandatory requirement, the WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHRs) state that neither passengers nor carriers should bear the cost of testing. Testing also needs to be appropriate to the threat level. For example, in the UK, the latest National Health Service data on testing arriving travelers show that more than 1.37 million tests were conducted on arrivals from so-called Amber countries. Just 1% tested positive over four months. Meanwhile, nearly three times that number of positive cases are being detected in the general population daily. “Data from the UK government confirms that international travelers pose little to no risk of importing COVID-19 compared to existing levels of infection in the country. At the very least, therefore, the UK government should follow WHO guidance and accept antigen tests that are fast, affordable, and effective, with a confirmatory PCR test for those who test positive. This could be a pathway for enabling even unvaccinated people to access to travel,” Walsh said. Restarting international travel is vital to supporting the 46 million travel and tourism jobs around the world that rely on aviation. “Our latest survey confirms that the high cost of testing will bear heavily on the shape of the travel recovery. It makes little sense for governments to take steps to reopen borders if those steps make the cost of travel prohibitive to most people. We need a restart that is affordable for all,” said Walsh.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 21, 2021

First Ever Seaplane Service Between Boston Harbor and Manhattan Announced

New scheduled service creates the fastest way between Manhattan and Boston.Flights are approximately seventy-five minutes and start August 3rd, 2021.Nonstop, weekday flights at peak hours to and from Manhattan and Boston Harbor present exclusive time savings over all other modes of transportation. A seaplane operator Tailwind Air announced groundbreaking scheduled service, creating the fastest way between Manhattan and Boston. Travelers may now enjoy a nonstop, seaplane flight directly from Manhattan’s New York Skyport (NYS) on East 23rd Street to Boston Harbor (BNH), where a dedicated, seven-minute water taxi will transfer clients to the South Boston waterfront. Flights are approximately seventy-five minutes and start August 3rd, 2021. “By offering nonstop, weekday flights at peak hours to and from Manhattan and Boston Harbor, we present exclusive time savings over all other modes of transportation, at a reasonable price premium,” CEO and Founder of Tailwind Air, Alan Ram, explains. “Our [Tailwind] service combines the accessibility of the train with the speed of a flight.” “Seaplanes and waterway access fuel our exclusive service–a game changer for travelers between these cities,” added Peter Manice, Director of Scheduled Operations, “no one else is doing this.” Bypassing the congestion of Boston Logan International as the first to fly directly into Boston Harbor, Tailwind Air is a pioneer in regional urban mobility, while using long-proven technology. New service erases the hassle and expense of commuting to an airport and lengthy check-in, security, and boarding processes. “By cutting travel times 40%-60%, Tailwind Air’s service reduces aggravation and opens up half day business trips.” Due to the eight-passenger capacity of the seaplanes, and small, efficient facilities, guests can arrive for check-in as little as ten minutes before departure. While Tailwind Air’s seaplane fleet is young, less than five-years on average, seaplane travel certainly is not. The Manhattan Skyport opened in 1936, hosting popular seaplane travel for decades. For nearly 100 years, seaplane operations have been part of the core transportation landscape of maritime cities such as Seattle, Miami, and Vancouver. “By reconnecting Boston and New York City via seaplane, we more closely unite two urban cores.” “As North America’s largest passenger operator of Cessna Caravans, Southern Airways has been pleased to partner for the past two years with one of the leading Caravan seaplane operators, Tailwind Air,” said Stan Little, Chairman and CEO of Southern Airways. “Connecting Boston and New York Harbors by air is indeed a game changer, and we are proud to be the exclusive airline codeshare partner on this venture.” Tailwind Air’s fleet of Cessna Grand Caravan EX Amphibians is piloted by experienced and highly qualified captains. Tailwind Air currently flies to and from Manhattan, Montauk, Easthampton, and Shelter Island on a regular schedule. Last week, Tailwind announced weekday commuter flights to Bridgeport, CT. The daily weekday route from Boston Harbor (BNH) to Manhattan (NYS) running through November includes:Depart:07:00am        Arrives: 08:25am (eff Aug 21, 2021)10:05am 11:30am2:10pm 3:35pm (eff Aug 21, 2021)5:20pm  6:45pmDaily Manhattan (NYS) to Boston Harbor (BNH)Depart: 08:00am Arrive:09:25am09:30am 10:55am (Eff Aug 21, 2021)2:30pm 3:55pm4:45pm 6:05pm (Eff. Aug 21, 2021) Tailwind Air plans to add additional route offerings in 2022, as well as to advance electric seaplane technology and explore innovations in urban air mobility.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 21, 2021

Domestic Tourism Continues to Rebound While International Travel Largely On Hold

World destinations recorded 147 million fewer international arrivals compared to the same period of 2020.Slight upward trend emerged as some destinations started to ease restrictions and consumer confidence rose slightly.International tourism is slowly picking up, though recovery remains very fragile and uneven. The biggest crisis in the history of tourism continues into a second year. Between January and May, international tourist arrivals were 85% below 2019 levels (or a 65% drop on 2020), most recent data shows. Despite a small uptick in May, the emergence of COVID-19 variants and the continued imposition of restrictions are weighing on the recovery of international travel. Meanwhile, domestic tourism continues to rebound in many parts of the world. The latest data shows that over the first five months of the year, world destinations recorded 147 million fewer international arrivals (overnight visitors) compared to the same period of 2020, or 460 million less than pre-pandemic year of 2019. However, the data does point to a relatively small upturn in May, with arrivals declining by 82% (versus May 2019), after falling by 86% in April. This slight upward trend emerged as some destinations started to ease restrictions and consumer confidence rose slightly. By regions, Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the largest decline with a 95% drop in international arrivals in the first five months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. Europe (-85%) recorded the second largest decline in arrivals, followed by the Middle East (-83%) and Africa (-81%). The Americas (-72%) saw a comparatively smaller decrease. In June, the number of destinations with complete closure of borders decreased to 63, from 69 in February. Of these, 33 were in Asia and the Pacific, while just seven in Europe, the region with the fewest restrictions on travel currently in place. By subregions, the Caribbean (-60%) recorded the best relative performance through May 2021. Growing travel from the United States has benefitted destinations in the Caribbean and Central America, as well as Mexico. Western Europe, Southern and Mediterranean Europe, South America and Central America saw slightly better results in May than in April. International tourism is slowly picking up, though recovery remains very fragile and uneven. Rising concerns over the Delta variant of the virus have led several countries to reimpose restrictive measures. In addition, the volatility and lack of clear information on entry requirements could continue to weigh on the resumption of international travel during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer season. However, vaccination programs around the world, together with softer restrictions for vaccinated travelers and the use of digital tools such as the EU Digital COVID Certificate, are all contributing to the gradual normalization of travel. In addition, domestic travel is driving the recovery in many destinations, especially those with large domestic markets. Domestic air seat capacity in China and Russia has already exceeded pre-crisis levels, while domestic travel in the United States is strengthening further.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 21, 2021

Internet of Things Will Have a Bigger Role in Post-Pandemic Travel

Connected applications can make tourism flows safer throughout a smart city or destination, by providing real-time warnings about crowding.Connected applications can also ease apprehensions in privately owned areas.One of the main reasons for travel and tourism sector being so slow in its recovery is ongoing health and safety fears among consumers. Internet of Things (IoT) technology can help to ease traveler concerns regarding personal health and wellbeing, while allowing travel and tourism companies to collect a wealth of data for a range of internal and external benefits. The industry experts note that this technology will have a bigger role to play in post-pandemic travel as a result. The latest thematic report, ‘IoT in Travel & Tourism’, states that wearable tech devices at airports and other transport terminals can allow travelers to practice correct social distancing procedures and keep to other health and safety compliance guidelines, which stems the spread of COVID-19 and keeps travelers feeling safe. Connected applications can make tourism flows safer throughout a smart city or destination, by providing real-time warnings about crowding. These warnings can be sent to a traveler’s mobile device through beacon technology, advising them to take an alternative route, which minimizes the risk of virus contraction during a city break. Connected applications can also ease apprehensions in privately owned areas. For example, Hilton’s ‘Connected Room’ technology allows guests to use the Hilton Honors app to manage most things they would traditionally have to do manually in a guest room. From controlling the temperature and lighting to the TV and window coverings, IoT technology allows guests to reduce the number of times they have to touch surfaces that may be contaminated. COVID-19 has decimated travel and tourism. One of the main reasons for the sector being so slow in its recovery is ongoing health and safety fears among consumers, which is reinforced by governments. According to industry experts, 85% of consumers were still either ‘extremely’, ‘quite’ or ‘slightly’ concerned about their health due to the pandemic.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 21, 2021

IATA: Passengers Confident in Onboard Safety, Support Mask-Wearing

85% of passengers believe aircraft are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.65% of passengers agree the air on an aircraft is as clean as an operating room.89% of passengers believe protective measures are well implemented. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that based on its latest passenger survey conducted in June, most air travelers are confident about the safety of air travel and support mask-wearing in the near-term. However, a majority are also frustrated with the “hassle factor” around COVID-19 protocols, including confusion and uncertainty about travel rules, testing requirements, and excessive test costs.  The survey of 4,700 travelers in 11 markets around the world shows that: 85% believe aircraft are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected65% agree the air on an aircraft is as clean as an operating room Among those who have traveled since June 2020, 86% felt safe onboard owing to COVID-19 measures: 89% believe protective measures are well implemented90% believe airline personnel do a good job of enforcing the measures Passengers strongly support mask wearing onboard (83%) and strict enforcement of mask rules (86%), but a majority also believe the mask requirement should be ended as soon as possible. “Air travelers recognize and value the safety measures put in place to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission during air travel. And they support the continuation of these measures as long as necessary, but they also don’t want the measures to become permanent. In the meantime, we all need to respect the rules and the safety of fellow passengers. It is unacceptable that unruly passenger incidents have doubled compared to 2019, and the increase in physically abusive behavior is a particular cause for great concern,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·July 21, 2021

Skyward Express Passenger Plane crashed in Kenya

A regional passenger plan operated by Skyward Express crash landed in Kenya this afternoon.Accoring to the Kenya Civil Aviation Administration all passengers escaped from the plane. No casulties are reportedThe plane crash landed at a KKenya military base in Elwak, in the remote province Mandera The small passenger aircraft operated by Nairobi-based s regional airline Skyward Express was able to crash land in Boru Hache near the Kenya- Somali – Ethiopian border. The aircraft appears to be a Dash8- Q 300 Mandera is the capital of Mandera County in the former North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is situated at around 3°55′N 41°50′E, near the borders with Somalia and Ethiopia. Skyward Express, is a private airline operating in Kenya. It serves local destinations, from its two operations bases at Wilson Airport for passengers and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for cargo. Both airports are located in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital city. The airline maintains its headquarters at Wilson Airport, within Nairobi, Kenya’s largest city and the country’s capital. Wilson Airport is located approximately 5 kilometers (3 mi), by road, southwest of the city center. The airline maintains a private building at Wilson Airport, for the exclusive use of Skyward Express staff and clients. The building is “equipped with a modern cafeteria”, among other amenities. Skyward Express was established in 2013, by two pilots; one of whom serves as the chairman of the airline, while the other serves as its managing director. Skyward Express inherited some equipment and some routes from the defunct Skyward International Aviation. With the cessation of service by Skyward International Aviation, the two licensed pilots, Mohamed Abdi and Issack Somow started Skyward Express and began commercial operations in 2013. Initially, the airline offered passenger charter and cargo service between Nairobi, Kenya, and destinations in neighboring Somalia. These services included the shipment of miraa from Nairobi to Somalia. With the acquisition of more aircraft, the airline has expanded and diversified its passenger and cargo service to include more destinations and frequencies to oil-rich northwestern Kenyan counties and the coastal tourist attractions.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·July 20, 2021

U.S. Justice Corrupted? B737 Max Victims had no chance against Boeing

346 people died in 2019 in two Boeing 737 MAX crashes flying on Ethiopian Airlines in Ethiopia and earlier on a Lyon Air flight in Indonesia. A criminal trial against Boeing was was settled earlier this year with a deferred prosecution agreement, and it shows now why.Boeing is a Seattle-based aircraft manufacturing company with a corporate headquarter in Chicago, Illinois. Why would a criminal complaint against Boeing adjudicated in Ft. Worth, Texas? Boeing defense law firm Kirkland & Ellis made a sweet deal with the leading US Procecutor Erin Nealy Cox. Months after this Erin Nealy Cox quit her prominent government job and joined Kirkland & Ellis raising suspicion of a cooked procesution. The criminal Boeing case was meant to bring justice to the 346 families of those that died in the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes. The result of this Texas trial was that no senior Boeing executive was charged. On January 7 this year eTurboNews published an article by Paul Hudson, head of the airline consumer rights group Flyers Rights. He wrote: Boeing charged with 737 Max fraud conspiracy, to pay over $2.5 billion in fines. A report published today in the Corporate Crime Reporter revealed the details of this arrangement pointing out that the lead attorney prosecuting the case for the US Justice Department, former US Attorney Erin Nealy Cox joined the same law firm Boeing had hired to defend against the high profile case she prosecuted. Filing the case against Boeing in Ft. Worth, Texas was surprising from the beginning since Texas had no connection to any of this. According to the report, the case was settled with a deferred prosecution agreement. This was an agreement the Columbia Law Professor John Coffee at the time called — “one of the worst deferred prosecution agreements I have seen.” The Crime Reporter published a response from Michael Stumo and Nadia Milleon, who lost their 24-year-old daughter in the Ethiopian Airline crash. “We were outraged that the Department of Justice prosecutors cut a sweetheart deal with Boeing which let (former Boeing CEO) Dennis Muilenberg and the Boeing executives and board members off the hook for their criminal negligence and fraud which caused the death of Samya while they enriched themselves,” Stumo and Milleron said in a statement in response to the news. “We were confused about why the Northern District of Texas was chosen by the Justice Department given that none of the criminal behavior had anything to do with that district. Was it a compliant judge that Boeing favored? Was it compliant prosecutors that knew Boeing’s criminal defense team? This is shocking new information.” Paul Hudson of the consumer group Flyers Rights told eTurboNews the case “is an example of the revolving door where thousands of ex-government employees go to work for parties they regulated as government officers. But the revolving door is not supposed to be a conveyor belt.” Hudson concluded: “If a chief federal prosecutor joins a criminal defendant party or its defense firm shortly after representing the US government in a related criminal matter, it raises both appearance concerns and ethical issues,”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 20, 2021

United Airlines Expects to Return to Profitability in Q3 2021

United Airlines announces second-quarter 2021 financial results.United sees faster than expected revenue recovery.Airline projects positive adjusted pre-tax income in second half of 2021. United Airlines (UAL) today announced second-quarter 2021 financial results. The company now expects positive adjusted pre-tax income in the third and fourth quarters of 2021 as travel demand rebounds. The company’s second quarter performance largely exceeded original expectations as international long haul and business travel accelerated even faster than anticipated, together with continued yield improvement. Looking ahead, the company expects continued gains as more businesses return by end of summer and into 2022, with a full recovery in demand anticipated by 2023. “Thanks to the professionalism and perseverance of the United employees who have worked so hard to take care of our customers through the pandemic, our airline has reached a meaningful turning point: we’re expecting to be back to making a profit once again,” said United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby. “As we emerge from the most disruptive crisis our company has faced, we’re now focused squarely on our United Next strategy that will transform our customers’ onboard experience and help fulfill United’s incredible potential.” Second Quarter Financial Results Reported second quarter 2021 capacity down 46% compared to second quarter 2019.Reported second quarter 2021 net loss of $0.4 billion, adjusted net loss of $1.3 billion.Reported second quarter 2021 total operating revenue of $5.5 billion, down 52% compared to second quarter 2019.Reported second quarter 2021 Total Revenue per Available Seat Mile (TRASM) of down 11.3% compared to second quarter 2019.Reported second quarter 2021 operating expenses down 42%, down 32% excluding special charges (credits), compared to second quarter 2019.Reported second quarter 2021 pre-tax margin of negative 10.3%, negative 29.2% on an adjusted basis.Reported second quarter 2021 adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) margin of negative 10.7%.Raised secured financing collateralized by substantially all of United’s network of slots, routes, and gates — made up of $4 billion in a private offering of bonds, a $5 billion term loan, and a $1.75 billion revolving credit facility. This is a first of its kind financing and the largest non-merger financing transaction in airline history.Reported second quarter 2021 ending available liquidity7 of approximately $23 billion.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 20, 2021

Airbus Launches Cloud-Based Pilot Training Service

Airbus developed MATe with portability and compatibility in mind.MATe Suite is available as a standard package with optional modules and services that can be customized according to airlines’ needs.Pilots can use the service to train whenever and wherever they want. Airbus has launched the Mobile Airbus Training experience (MATe) Suite, a subscription-based service platform with a 3D interactive virtual cockpit environment for pilot recurrent and initial Type Training. Airbus developed MATe with portability and compatibility in mind. Building on the success of the Airbus Cockpit Experience (ACE) Trainer, a virtual and interactive cockpit simulator used in Airbus training centers for Flight Crew Licensing courses, the MATe solution is enabled for any type of I.T device. Pilots can therefore use the service to train whenever and wherever they want, with trainers able to monitor and follow their progress via the latest cloud technology.   Currently available for the A320 Family, MATe champions Airbus’ flight “competency-based” philosophy and Flight Training Reference (AFTR) standard. The solution, which offers multiple benefits; better knowledge retention and significant time savings on higher level training devices and simulators, has been welcomed by airlines, with agreements already signed by several customers; in Europe – Air Malta – and India’s largest passenger airline -IndiGo. MATe Suite is available as a standard package with optional modules and services that can be customized according to airlines’ needs. The solution will be available for both the A330 and A350 by early 2022.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 20, 2021

Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Develops New Solution for Airfield Pavement Control

New system to monitor airfield pavement conditions.New system will assist the airport in making timely repairs and planning longer-term maintenance. The system includes detailed information on airfield defects and repairs made. Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport has developed a modern geographic information system to monitor airfield pavement conditions and assist the airport in making timely repairs and planning longer-term maintenance.   The Interactive Pavement Damage Control System was developed following careful analysis and testing of different engineering solutions. It uses the Synchron central airport database and is a single source of data on the actual operational condition of artificial pavement for all airfield elements. The system includes detailed information on airfield defects and repairs made, including visualization of specific airfield elements, and has a module that generates reports. The system allows Sheremetyevo Airport engineers to monitor conditions on the artificial pavement and respond promptly to any deviations, thanks to a feature that visually represents the defect on the general airport map. The system also records critical information on the airfield pavement’s specific defects, including the type and nature of the defect, the defect’s exact location, the date and time the defect was detection, the defect’s dimensions, and the degree of risk presented by the defect. The system is an effective tool for technical and financial management as well as safety because it assists airport management in long-term financial planning, estimating resources needed for repair of artificial pavements and controlling terms of repair under warranty. Sheremetyevo Airport is among the TOP-5 airport hubs in Europe, the largest Russian airport in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. In 2020, the airport served 19 million 784 thousand passengers.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 20, 2021

JetBlue announces New York and Boston flights from Kansas City

JetBlue begins serving Kansas City.Flights to Boston and New York City will begin on March 27, 2022.JetBlue’s arrival to Kansas City next spring will be a boost for the region. In April, JetBlue announced its intent to begin serving Kansas City. It is now official and Kansas City will have a new airline in March 2022. Today, JetBlue published flight schedules and began selling tickets for nonstop service between Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and both Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) and New York-JFK International Airport (JFK). Flights to both markets will begin on March 27, 2022. Roundtrip flights will initially operate once per day. Schedule between New York (JFK) and Kansas City (MCI)Daily starting March 27, 2022 JFK – MCI Flight #2221MCI – JFK Flight #22223:25 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.10:20 a.m. – 2:25 p.m.  Schedule between Boston (BOS) and Kansas City (MCI)Daily starting March 27, 2022  BOS – MCI Flight #2363MCI – BOS Flight #23647:00 a.m. – 9:34 a.m.6:40 p.m. – 10:31 p.m. “Time and again when JetBlue enters a new market, we drive down fares and introduce a whole new group of travelers to our award-winning service,” said Andrea Lusso, vice president network planning, JetBlue. “We’re ready to do it again when we land in Kansas City next spring as we grow our presence in the Midwest while also building out our New York and Boston focus city networks.” “JetBlue’s arrival to Kansas City next spring will be a boost for the region and will bring more competition to two of the most popular destinations on the east coast,” said Pat Klein, director of Kansas City’s Aviation Department. JetBlue will operate new routes using new A220 aircraft.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 19, 2021

Air Canada Ready to Reconnect Canada and U.S. With Up to 220 Daily Flights

Most extensive Canada-U.S. trans-border schedule supports both countries’ economies.Air Canada’s current summer schedule includes 55 routes and 34 destinations in the U.S.Air Canada App enabling customers to securely scan, upload and validate COVID-19 test results expanded to all flights from U.S. to Canada. Air Canada today announced its current summer trans-border schedule including 55 routes and 34 destinations in the U.S., with up to 220 daily flights between the U.S. and Canada. The new schedule coincides with the loosening of restrictions on travel between the two countries as of Aug. 9, 2021, enabling fully vaccinated Americans to enter Canada for non-essential travel and the removal of quarantine hotel requirements, relaxed testing requirements allowing Canadians taking short trans-border trips for less than 72 hours to do their pre-entry tests in Canada, among other measures to ease restrictions.  “The easing of travel restrictions announced today by the federal government is an important step based on science, and we are very pleased to rebuild our Canada-U.S. network. Canada and the United States share close ties and restoring air connectivity will contribute to both countries’ economic recovery. Air Canada‘s proud tradition of being the largest foreign carrier in the U.S. is reflected in our schedule which has been developed to provide a wide range of choices for customers in both countries, appealing to Canadian customers interested in travelling to popular U.S. destinations, and to U.S. residents looking to visit and explore Canada’s spectacular sights and hospitality. Our schedule also enables convenient onward travel through our Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal hubs to and from our global destinations. We are planning to restore services to all 57 U.S. destinations previously served as conditions allow. We sincerely look forward to welcoming our customers onboard,” said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada. “We are thrilled with this announcement and look forward to welcoming back travelers from the U.S.,” said Marsha Walden, President and CEO of Destination Canada. “From our lively cities immersed in nature to spectacular wilderness and coastlines to the unique mosaic of Indigenous and global cultures, every day in Canada offers a new adventure and a chance to reconnect with what’s important. Team Canada is ready to host our American friends!”   New digital solution via Air Canada App simplifies COVID-19 related document requirements Air Canada has developed a new digital solution via the Air Canada App, enabling customers flying from the U.S. to Canada and between Canada and select European destinations to conveniently and securely scan and upload COVID-19 test results to validate compliance with government travel requirements prior to arriving at the airport.
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Mario Masciullo - eTN Italy·
Aviation Feature
·July 19, 2021

From Italia Trasporto Aereo Airline to Alitalia Loyalty Rewards

The CEO of the new airline, Fabio Lazzerini, confirmed at a press conference that the airline will grow to 78 aircraft in 2022.This increase will bring in 26 more aircraft of which 6 will be wide body and 20 narrow body.What will happen to Alitalia loyalty rewards when the new national airline takes off? Said Lazzerini: “From 2022, we expect to begin the introduction of the new generation aircraft in the fleet, which will progressively replace the old technology aircraft. At the end of 2025, the fleet will grow to 105 (23 wide body and 82 narrow body), with 81 new generation aircraft (equal to 77 percent of the total fleet) which will allow – in the intentions of the newco – to significantly reduce the impact environment and optimize the efficiency and quality of the offer.” THE LOYALTY CARD ITA says goodbye to the Alitalia MilleMiglia – What happens to the points on the Alitalia card? The loyalty card switch from Alitalia to ITA is planned for mid-October when Alitalia stops flying and the new ITA (Italy Air Transport) begins, which will leave only 52 aircraft. According to the new CEO, this is enough to “compete.” He said that while it is true that the other companies have larger fleets, “how many planes do they actually fly now?” Says Lazzerini, given the COVID crisis, there are few. Lazzerini explained: “To avoid spending all the Italian government money, we have chosen a gradual approach linked to the volumes of traffic expected in the coming months. If the variants do not lead to new closures, the company will increase the number of aircraft [to 78 in 2022] in step with the increase in traffic.” What happens to Alitalia’s MilleMiglia card? The European Commission decided that Alitalia Loyalty, the company that manages the loyalty program of the Italian company “MilleMiglia,” must be sold to the highest bidder through a public tender, transparent and open to all interested parties. But ITA, the new state airline, will not be able to participate in this tender as a sign of discontinuity between the 2 companies. The MilleMiglia cards in circulation will thus end up with a new owner who is not yet known and who could also operate in an area other than the aviation sector. What happens from October 15, 2021? The buyer of the loyalty program will decide how to use the prize pool of miles that the members (about 5 million) have accumulated. Since these miles are a debt for those who manage the program, it will be necessary to see how it will be “repaid.” If the new owner of Loyalty were to be, for example, a supermarket brand, it could convert those miles into shopping vouchers, Lazzerini stated.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 19, 2021

Canada to open borders to fully vaccinated travelers

Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated travelers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.All travelers must use ArriveCAN (app or web portal) to submit their travel information.All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will still require a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test result. The Government of Canada is prioritizing the health and safety of everyone in Canada by taking a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening our borders. Thanks to the hard work of Canadians, rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, the Government of Canada is able to move forward with adjusted border measures. On September 7, 2021, provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favorable, the Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated travelers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements. As a first step, starting August 9, 2021, Canada plans to begin allowing entry to American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States, and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada for non-essential travel. This preliminary step allows for the Government of Canada to fully operationalize the adjusted border measures ahead of September 7, 2021, and recognizes the many close ties between Canadians and Americans. Subject to limited exceptions, all travelers must use ArriveCAN (app or web portal) to submit their travel information. If they are eligible to enter Canada and meet specific criteria, fully vaccinated travelers will not have to quarantine upon arrival in Canada. To further support these new measures, Transport Canada is expanding the scope of the existing Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that currently directs scheduled international commercial passenger flights into four Canadian Airports: Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 19, 2021

Doha overtakes Dubai as Middle East busiest hub airport

In the first half of 2021, Doha seized and consolidated a lead over Dubai.At the start of the year, air traffic through Doha was at 77% of Dubai.Air traffic quickly reached 100% for the first time during the week commencing January 27. In the battle to be the pre-eminent travel hub in the Middle East, the latest research reveals that in the first half of 2021, Doha seized and consolidated a lead over Dubai. In the period January 1 to June 30, the volume of air tickets issued for travel via Doha was 18% higher than it was through Dubai; and that relationship looks set to continue. Current bookings for the second half of the year through Doha are 17% higher than through Dubai. At the start of the year, air traffic through Doha was at 77% of Dubai; but it quickly reached 100% for the first time during the week commencing January 27. The major factor driving the trend was the lifting, in January, of the blockade of flights to and from Qatar, which was imposed in June 2017 by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who accused Qatar of sponsoring terrorism – an accusation strongly denied by Qatar. As soon as it was imposed, the blockade had an immediate negative impact on flights to and from Doha. For example, Qatar Airways was forced to drop 18 destinations from its network. In addition, various flights through Doha suffered extended journey times, as planes had to make detours to avoid the blockading counties’ air space. The destination and its major carrier, Qatar Airways, did not respond to the blockade by cutting back; instead, it opened 24 new routes to utilize what would otherwise have been idle aircraft. Since January 2021, five routes, Cairo, Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh, to/from Doha have been reopened and traffic on other routes has grown. The reinstated routes which have made the most substantial relative contribution to visitor arrivals are: Dammam to Doha, reaching 30% of pre-blockade arrivals in the first half of 2017, and Dubai to Doha, 21%. In addition, new connections with Seattle, San Francisco, and Abidjan, were established in December 2020, January 2021 and June 2021 respectively. The major existing routes which have shown the strongest growth compared to pre-pandemic levels (H1 2021 vs H1 2019), by total number of passenger arriving in Qatar, are: Sao Paulo, up 137%, Kiev, up by 53%, Dhaka, up 29% and Stockholm, up 6.7%. There have also been notable increases in seat capacity between Doha and Johannesburg, up 25%, Male, up 21%, and Lahore up 19%.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 19, 2021

Bangkok Airways announces suspension of Bangkok – Samui flights

Passengers affected by flight suspensions may have fees waived for rebooking or may request a refund in the form of a travel voucher for future ticketing.Passengers who wish to amend their travels with no new specified travel date can submit their request online within 24 hours prior to the proposed departure date.Passengers who booked their tickets through travel agencies are advised to directly contact their agents for further arrangements.  According to the Notification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) regarding guidelines for airport operators and air operators on domestic routes during the epidemic situation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (No. 3), in order to abide by the prevention of surveillance operations in accordance with the requirements and orders of the state, Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited regrets to announce the temporary  suspension of Bangkok – Samui (v.v.) from 21 July 2021 onwards.  In addition to that, the airline would also like to announce the postponement of some of its domestic routes which were scheduled to resume on the 1st of August 2021 to until further notice. The postponed routes include: Bangkok – Chiang Mai (v.v.), Bangkok – Phuket (v.v.), Bangkok – Sukhothai (v.v.), Bangkok – Lampang (v.v.) and Bangkok – Trat (v.v.)  However, the current Samui sealed routes, flights accommodating transit/transfer international passengers, connecting from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Koh Samui (3 flights per day) will still be operated as normal. Additionally, the Samui – Phuket route (v.v.) will still be available 4 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to support the country’s Phuket Sandbox project.  Passengers affected by temporarily flight suspensions may have fees waived for rebooking or alternatively may request a refund in the form of a travel voucher to be used for future ticketing. Passengers can make any necessary changes up to 24 hours prior to their flight.  Passengers who wish to amend their travels with no new specified travel date (open ticket) can submit their request online within 24 hours prior to the proposed departure date. The airline will use information provided via such form in order to further accommodate passengers.    Passengers who booked their tickets through travel agencies are advised to directly contact their agents for further arrangements.  Moreover, the airline encourages passengers to check announcements, orders, and travel procedures, for each destination prior to travel from the related authorities such as:  The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)   Airports of Thailand Department of Airports Bangkok Airways apologizes for the inconvenience caused and the airline remains committed to the safety and hygiene of our passengers and employees as the highest priority. The airlines strictly implement surveillance measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·July 18, 2021

Transfer in Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai: Airline Passengers choice is clear

Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates are globally competing for passengers changing planes in their transit hub Doha in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE.In the battle to be the pre-eminent travel hub in the Middle East, the latest research, which has the world’s freshest and most comprehensive fight booking data, reveals that in the first half of 2021, Doha seized and consolidated a lead over Dubai. In the period 1st January to 30th June, the volume of air tickets issued for travel via Doha was 18% higher than it was through Dubai; and that relationship looks set to continue. Current bookings for the second half of the year through Doha are 17% higher than through Dubai. At the start of the year, air traffic through Doha was at 77% of Dubai; but it quickly reached 100% for the first time during the week commencing 27th January. The major factor driving the trend was the lifting, in January, of the blockade of flights to and from Qatar, which was imposed in June 2017 by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, who accused Qatar of sponsoring terrorism – an accusation strongly denied by Qatar. As soon as it was imposed, the blockade had an immediate negative impact on flights to and from Doha. For example, Qatar Airways was forced to drop 18 destinations from its network. In addition, various flights through Doha suffered extended journey times, as planes had to make detours to avoid blockading counties’ air space. The destination and its major carrier, Qatar Airways, did not respond to the blockade by cutting back; instead, it opened 24 new routes to utilize what would otherwise have been idle aircraft. Since January 2021, five routes, Cairo, Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh, to/from Doha have been reopened and traffic on other routes has grown. The reinstated routes which have made the most substantial relative contribution to visitor arrivals are Dammam to Doha, reaching 30% of pre-blockade arrivals in the first half of 2017, and Dubai to Doha, 21%. In addition, new connections with Seattle, San Francisco, and Abidjan, were established in December 2020, January 2021, and June 2021 respectively. The major existing routes which have shown the strongest growth compared to pre-pandemic levels (H1 2021 vs H1 2019), by a total number of passengers arriving in Qatar, are: Sao Paulo, up 137%, Kyiv, up by 53%, Dhaka, up 29% and Stockholm, up 6.7%. There have also been notable increases in seat capacity between Doha and Johannesburg, up 25%, Male, up 21%, and Lahore up 19%. A deeper analysis of seat capacity shows that in the coming quarter, Q3 2021, seat capacity between Doha and its neighbors in the Middle East will be only 5.6% less than pre-pandemic levels and the majority, 51.7%, of it is allocated to reinstated routes to/from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The last major factor, which has given Qatar an edge over Dubai, has been its reaction to the pandemic. During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, many routes in and out of Doha remained operational, with the result that Doha became a major hub for repatriation flights – most notably to Johannesburg and Montreal. A comparison of market share during the first half of 2021, against the first half of 2019, reveals that Doha has substantially improved its position against Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Currently, hub traffic is divided 33% Doha, 30% Dubai, 9% Abu Dhabi; previously, it was 21% Doha, 44% Dubai, 13% Abu Dhabi. Olivier Ponti, VP Insights, ForwardKeys commented: “Without the blockade, which encouraged the establishment of new routes as a strategy to replace lost traffic, perhaps we would not have seen Doha charging past Dubai. So, it seems that the seeds of Doha’s relative success were, ironically, sown by the adverse actions of its neighbors. However, one needs to bear in mind that flights through the Middle East during H1 2021 were still 81% below pre-pandemic levels. So, as the recovery gathers pace, the picture could change significantly.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 17, 2021

Unvaccinated travelers from UK, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus must have 24-hour negative COVID test to enter France

France requires 24-hour negative coronavirus test for unvaccinated travelers from UK & 5 EU countries.For unvaccinated UK visitors, the deadline for a negative COVID-19 test was reduced from 48 hours before departure to 24 hours.Deadline for unvaccinated visitors from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus was reduced from 72 hours to 24. French authorities announced that unvaccinated visitors from the UK, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus will have to submit a negative PCR or antigen test for COVID-19 that was taken less than 24 hours prior to their departure before they are allowed to enter France. For unvaccinated UK visitors, the deadline for a negative COVID-19 test was reduced from 48 hours before departure to 24 hours. The same deadline for unvaccinated visitors from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus was reduced from 72 hours to 24. The change in entry requirements is set to take effect on Monday, July 19. At the same time, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that restrictions for vaccinated travelers are being lifted on Saturday.  “Vaccines are effective against the virus, especially the Delta variant,” the Prime Minister said, adding that travelers from countries on France’s so-called ‘red list’ still have to self-isolate for seven days even if they have been vaccinated. The change in France’s entry policy comes a day after the UK excluded France from its plan to allow fully vaccinated Brits avoid quarantine upon returning from ‘amber-list’ countries. People arriving from France still have to self-isolate for 10 days and get tested twice due to the prevalence of the Beta variant, formerly known as the South African variant, officials said. “We have always been clear that we will not hesitate to take rapid action at our borders to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the gains made by our successful vaccination program,” UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. French President Emmanuel Macron said this week that all health workers must be immunized by September 15, while the country’s scientists have called for mandatory vaccination of everyone. According to the government, overall, 55% of the French population has been fully vaccinated.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 16, 2021

Passenger Plane Crashes in Siberia, All 19 on Board Survive the Crash

Antonov An-28turboprop plane crashes in Russia’s Siberia.The crashed aircraft was located by Emergencies Ministry’s rescue helicopters.All 19 people on board the crashed plane survived hard landing. Russian-made Antonov An-28 twin-engine turboprop passenger plane, operated by the Siberian Light Aviation (SiLA), a small airline offering regional flights in Russia’s Siberia, went missing while flying from the town of Kedrovoye to the city of Tomsk. Shortly after disappearing from radars, the crashed aircraft was located by Emergencies Ministry’s rescue helicopters that were dispatched to search for it. According to the ministry officials, all 19 people on board the crashed plane had survived the hard landing. The plane’s captain broke his leg, but no passengers or crew members sustained serious injuries, and were now being evacuated from the crash site. According to the Siberian Light Aviation airline CEO Andrey Bogdanov believes, the engines of the crashed An-28 plane could have failed due to extreme weather conditions. Today’s crash comes less than two weeks after a similar aircraft, an Antonov An-26, crashed into a cliff in poor visibility conditions on the remote Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s Far East, killing all 28 people on board. An Antonov-28, the same type of plane that went missing over Tomsk, crashed in a Kamchatka forest in 2012, killing 10 people. Investigators said both pilots were drunk at the time of the crash. Russian civil aviation safety standards have somewhat improved in recent years but accidents, especially involving older aircraft in remote regions, are not uncommon.
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Andrew J. Wood - eTN Thailand·
Aviation Feature
·July 16, 2021

Thailand’s Koh Samui Reopens to Vaccinated International Travelers

Travelers must travel from an approved country, and they must have been in that country for no fewer than 21 consecutive days.Adult arrivals must be fully vaccinated by an approved COVID-19 vaccine no fewer than 14 days before travel date.Arrival is via Bangkok’s International Airport Suvarnabhumi and transfer to direct Bangkok Airways terminal for direct flight to Koh Samui via sealed transit route.   Koh Samui – Thailand’s second largest island and its neighboring islands Koh Phangan and Koh Tao – has opened to vaccinated international travelers without quarantine in the new SAMUI+ tourism scheme intended to kick-start the islands’ tourism industry which has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Samui+ model represents months of planning and close cooperation between the key tourism bodies of Thailand, the TAT [Thailand Association of Tourism], THA [Thailand Hotels Association], TAKS [Tourism Association of Koh Samui], government and private sector, whose representatives attended last night’s launch ceremony at the Banana FanSea Resort on Samui’s famous Chaweng Beach.      SAMUI+ Plus model – At a glance, how it works for vaccinated international visitors:  Travelers must travel from an approved country, and they must have been in that country for no fewer than 21 consecutive days.A Certificate of Entry (COE).A negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours before travel date.Adult arrivals must be fully vaccinated by an approved COVID-19 vaccine no fewer than 14 days before travel date.Travelers under 18 do not require proof of vaccination, but must travel with fully vaccinated parents or guardians and show negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test.Insurance policy covering COVID-19 expenses of at least $100,000.Arrival is via Bangkok’s International Airport Suvarnabhumi and transfer to direct Bangkok Airways terminal for direct flight to Koh Samui via sealed transit route.  Must stay exclusively at an ALQ approved hotel for the first 7 nights of their stay.May stay at an SHA+ Plus approved hotel or private villa  in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan or Koh Tao for the next 7 nights of their stay Koh Samui. All airline and hotel bookings must be pre-booked and pre-paid and include payment for the mandatory 3 x RT-PCR COVID-19 tests.   Must download and install alert applications.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 16, 2021

US Travel Welcomes Biden’s Remark on Lifting International Travel Ban to US

More information on the timing for lifting international travel bans could come ‘within the next several days.’With proper safeguards in place, studies by US Department of Defense, Mayo Clinic and Harvard University have independently concluded the safety of air travel.Each day that outdated restrictions on travel exist wreaks economic damage on our nation. U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on President Biden’s remark on reopening international travel: “We welcome the president’s remark, delivered with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, that more information on the timing for lifting international travel bans could come ‘within the next several days.’ “The science says we can safely reopen international travel now, particularly for countries that have made considerable progress toward vaccinating their citizens. With proper safeguards in place, studies by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Mayo Clinic and Harvard University have all independently concluded the safety of air travel today. “Each day that outdated restrictions on travel exist wreaks economic damage on our nation, not to mention the personal toll on individuals separated from their families and loved ones. Travel bans related to Canada, Europe and the U.K. alone cost the U.S. economy $1.5 billion every week—enough to support 10,000 American jobs. “The U.S. travel industry urges the Biden administration, in accordance with the latest science, to swiftly revise its entry policies on international travel.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

Hans Airways Signs Contract with Air Logistics Group

Hans Airways appoints Air Logistics Group as its Cargo General Sales and Service Agent.Air Logistics Group is well-positioned to be the face of the Hans Airways cargo team.The deal to provide Hans Airways with full cargo sales, marketing, online booking and customer service support across its network. UK-based start-up airline, Hans Airways has appointed Air Logistics Group as its Cargo General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) network-wide. The exclusive GSSA agreement will take effect from 1 August 2021, with the East Midlands-based supplier providing Hans Airways with full cargo sales, marketing, online booking and customer service support across its network. This news follows swiftly on the back of the airline’s recent announcement of its highly experienced team of Board members earlier in July. The new GSSA agreement is a timely development as Hans Airways prepares to launch its direct non-stop flights to India later in 2021 and as it continues its drive towards gaining its UK Air Operator Certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority. The agreement is expected to drive invaluable cargo revenues to the airline’s bottom line, particularly at a time when worldwide air freight is booming. “In Air Logistics Group, we are confident that we have chosen a partner capable of providing the selling expertise, fast response times and service levels and that the freight community will expect from Hans Airways,” comments Ian Davies, Chief Operating Officer, Hans Airways. “With experienced staff and the network to provide effective coverage of our planned routes, Air Logistics Group is well-positioned to be the face of the Hans Airways cargo team.” The deal with Air Logistics Group will not be the only contract signed by Hans Airways with an industry heavyweight in its respective field, as the carrier intends to partner with many established aviation industry names. “Our business strategy from day one has been to work with market-leading suppliers and partners, like Air Logistics Group, allowing us to build the solid and robust foundations needed to succeed. There are more agreements in the pipeline that will show that Hans Airways means business,” adds Davies. “Hans Airways is an exciting new face in the airline industry and will be operating on a vital trade route between the UK and India,” explains Stephen Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer at Air Logistics Group. “We are confident that their new service from the UK to India is just the start, and that we can build the cargo business across the Hans Airways network as it expands.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

Cayman Islands Announces Plan for Reopening to International Leisure Tourism

Beginning in early March 2020, the Cayman Islands swiftly and effectively closed its borders to international travel and cruise traffic to protect travelers and residents from the global pandemic.The new five-phase approach to reopening will continue to safeguard the Caymanian population, while also carefully allowing international visitors to enjoy Cayman Islands once again. Once the country has completed all five phases and following a thorough assessment from the Government and health officials, the Cayman Islands will celebrate its Grand Re-Opening. Those who have been dreaming of white sandy beaches, turquoise water, and bespoke luxury in the Cayman Islands can soon make their dreams a reality: the Cayman Islands has announced plans to begin safely welcoming back tourists to Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman via an intentional phased reopening approach. “Since March 2020, the Cayman Islands has been deliberate in all efforts to protect our people and visitors; from rapid and widespread testing, investing in the Caymanian workforce and implementing a phased strategy to safely reopen our shores to luxury-seeking visitors, the health and safety of our community was paramount in all decisions,” said Minister for Tourism and Transport, Hon. Kenneth Bryan. “My colleagues and I in government have worked tirelessly to develop this phased approach in preparation for the opening of our borders to international travelers – and we are pleased to announce the wait for paradise is almost over! Our guests will appreciate the impactful developments and enhancements we’ve made to the destination – surely proving that Cayman is worth the wait.” Beginning in early March 2020, the Cayman Islands swiftly and effectively closed its borders to international travel and cruise traffic to protect travelers and residents from the global pandemic and emerged from the crisis as a beacon of hope, preserving the picturesque sunrise, friendly stingray kisses, world-class cuisine, and warm Caymankindness for years to come. The new five-phase approach to reopening will continue to safeguard the Caymanian population, while also carefully allowing international visitors to enjoy the sun, sand, sea and safety of Cayman once again.  The Cayman Islands Government (CIG) has worked closely with health authorities, public sector, and private sector to develop this five-phase approach to ensure a safe and healthy experience for those working in the industry and the visitors who choose to experience the bespoke luxury that the island destination is known for across the globe. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

China Tourism Reports 2.36 Billion Domestic Trips in First Half of 2021

Domestic tourism revenue stood at 1.95 trillion yuan – up by 208% year on year.83.6% of interviewed residents are willing to travel in the third quarter, almost equal to the level before COVID-19.78% of surveyed traveling company entrepreneurs have confidence in the tourism market in the second half of 2021. According to the report released by the China Tourism Academy (CTA), Chinese travelers made 2.36 billion domestic trips in the first half of 2021 – a 153% increase from the same period last year. China‘s domestic tourism revenue stood at 1.95 trillion yuan (about $301 billion) in H1 2021 – up by 208% year on year. China‘s tourism industry welcomed a fast recovery in the first half of 2021. Domestic trips and tourism revenue had recovered to about 77% and 70%t, respectively, of the level of the first half of 2019. Both tourists and tour operators displayed strong confidence. According to the CTA, 83.6% of interviewed residents are willing to travel in the third quarter, almost equal to the level before COVID-19, and 78% of surveyed traveling company entrepreneurs have confidence in the tourism market in the second half of 2021. The report expects China to receive about 2.6 billion domestic trips and 2.24 trillion yuan in tourism revenue in the second half of 2021, or 88% and 76%, respectively, of the level of the same period of 2019. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

Approved Vaccine Inconsistency Could Delay International Travel Restart

The lack of international coordination to agree on a list of approved vaccines, is creating yet another major stumbling block for the restart of international travel.Reports of holidaymakers facing obstacles to entry have been on the rise, with some even being prevented from boarding their flights to destinations.The failure of countries to agree on a common list of all approved and recognized vaccines is a concern. The restart of international travel could be seriously delayed without worldwide reciprocal recognition of all approved COVID-19 vaccines, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The global tourism body, which represents the global private Travel & Tourism sector, has issued its warning following concerns tourists face being turned away at the borders because countries don’t have a common list internationally recognized and approved COVID-19 vaccines. This comes just days after a number of British holidaymakers, who had been administered the Indian Covishield batch of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, were rejected entry into Malta despite the drug being chemically identical to the UK-made vaccine. Over the past few weeks reports of holidaymakers facing obstacles to entry have been on the rise, with some even being prevented from boarding their flights to destinations. WTTC believes that once again, the lack of international coordination to agree on a list of approved vaccines, is creating yet another major stumbling block for the restart of international travel. This comes despite most vaccines have secured the approval of the World Health Organisation (WHO) or Stringent Regulatory Authorities (SRAs), such as the UK’s the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Food and Drug Administration in the US, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Reports of travelers being turned away because they have the ‘wrong’ vaccine batches or ‘unrecognized’ vaccines have fueled concern from consumers, deterring them from booking and thereby damaging the already struggling Travel & Tourism sector.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

Ethiopian Airlines and Liege Airport Extend Partnership Agreement

Ethiopian Airlines Cargo and Logistics Services has been working with Liege airport for its freighter operations between Africa and Europe.In collaboration with Liege Airport, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services has been providing fast and secure cargo transportation service across Europe and beyond for 15 years.In the future a dedicated cargo hub can be established in Liege North, for which Ethiopian was the launch customer to start with. Ethiopian Airlines Cargo and Logistics Services and Liege Airport have announced that they have renewed their long standing partnership agreement until 2026. Liege Airport, Belgium’s largest cargo airport and the 6th largest cargo airport in Europe, will continue to be Ethiopian Airlines cargo hub serving as a freighter gateway between Africa and Europe for the next five years. Ethiopian Airlines Cargo and Logistics Services, Africa’s largest cargo network operator, has been working with Liege airport for its freighter operations between Africa and Europe. Ethiopian Airlines Cargo and Logistics Services Acting Managing Director, Mr. Enquanhone Minyashal said “We are glad to have renewed our partnership agreement with our long-standing partner airport at a time when we are registering tremendous growth in our cargo destinations and capacity. In collaboration with Liege Airport, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services has been providing fast and secure cargo transportation service across Europe and beyond for the last 15 years of successful cooperation. In the next five years, we will work to transform our freighter operation to serve Europe better with our renewed commitment with Liege Airport. As the largest pan African carrier, Ethiopian Airlines will continue to strengthen its partnership with Liege Airport to boost its freighter operations between Africa and Europe.” Steven Verhasselt, VP Commercial of Liege Airport said “First of all, Liege Airport would like to congratulate Ethiopian Airlines and all its staff and partners a very happy 75th birthday. It is with great pride that we are part of the Ethiopian’s success story for almost 15 years and LGG will continue to be Ethiopian Airline’s cargo hub in Europe. Looking back from the start to where we are today, Ethiopian has already operated 15,000 freighter flights into LGG, approaching an incredible 1 million tons of cargo carried. Still, Steven Verhasselt highlights, this is the past and can be considered as a very impressive start. Today, we celebrate the future. Ethiopian and LGG have renewed their partnership agreement that not only confirms the European Cargo hub in LGG for the next 5 years but also states that Ethiopian will become much more than an airline flying into LGG. In the future a dedicated cargo hub can be established in Liege North, for which Ethiopian was the launch customer to start with. We are very much looking forward to this next step that will help Ethiopian to serve its customers even better. More than ever, LGG will be the hub for Ethiopian and the main freighter gateway between Africa and Europe.” According to the African Airlines Association’s (AFRAA) report, Ethiopian has been ranked first by passenger and cargo traffic in 2020. Ethiopian carried 500 thousand tons of freight and 5.5 million passengers through its main hub, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

SriLankan Airlines Resumes Moscow – Colombo Flights from Domodedovo Airport

SriLankan Airlines is going to run one regular weekly flight on Saturdays.The arrival time to Domodedovo is 4:30 a.m., the departure time – 7:15 p.m.The service will resume starting from July 31, 2021. The national air carrier of Sri Lanka, SriLankan Airlines, is resuming flights from Moscow Domodedovo Airport to Colombo starting from July 31, 2021. Domodedovo is the only airport of the Moscow Aviation Hub from which passengers can fly directly to this destination. The air carrier is going to run one regular weekly flight on Saturdays. The arrival time to Domodedovo is 4:30 a.m., the departure time – 7:15 p.m. “This is a significant air link for SriLankan Airlines as we connect to the largest country in the world which is also known as one of the greatest cultural and historic destinations. This operation would offer a new and easy travel path in connecting the Russian Federation and surrounding countries. We are eagerly awaiting to welcome Russian visitors in Sri Lanka and passengers onboard our flights to Russia”, stated SriLankan Airlines CEO Vipula Gunatilleka. Previously this air carrier and Domodedovo cooperated from 2011 to 2015, the passenger traffic amounted to 115,000 passengers. “Currently Colombo is seen as a very unique destination for the Moscow Aviation Hub”, noted the director of Moscow Domodedovo Airport Andrey Pavlov. – The arrival of SriLankan Airlines on the Russian market will open many opportunities for tourist development of our countries. We are sure that our previous successful experience of partnership will allow us to effectively work in the future”. SriLankan Airlines became the first carrier in the South Asian region to receive the ‘Diamond’ rating from the Airline Passengers Experience Association (APEX) and SimpliFlying, a standard received for the extra safety measures and comprehensive hygiene precautions adhered to since the onset of the global pandemic. SriLankan Airlines is an award-winning airline with a firm reputation as a global leader in service, comfort, safety, reliability, and punctuality.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 15, 2021

Explore the Fascination of Frankfurt Airport

New multimedia Visitor Center that will open soon in Concourse C of Terminal 1.The popular airport tours will also resume in early August.“Smart windows” use virtual reality to supplement the apron panorama with real-time data on parked aircraft. Frankfurt Airport is gaining another attraction: a new multimedia Visitor Center that will open soon in Concourse C of Terminal 1. The new facility puts the fascinating world of Germany’s largest airport at visitors’ fingertips. It’s an opportunity for airport fans of all ages to explore the aviation business with all of their senses. How about slipping into the role of marshaller and guiding a jet into its parking position? You can do it here! Or hurtling through the winding tunnels of the airport’s automated baggage conveyor system? Just put on a virtual reality headset and start the exhilarating Motion Ride! The exhibition’s centerpiece, The Globe, also lets you playfully experience worldwide aviation in action – and learn about the important role that Frankfurt Airport plays in it. The path through the exhibition spanning 1,200 square meters is indicated by glowing overhead stripes that precisely match the paths used by giant aircraft to take off and land. Right at the start, a 55-square-meter model of the Airport City (at a scale of 1:750) invites guests to embark on a virtual voyage of discovery. This detailed replica of the entire airport and its 400-odd buildings can be interactively explored using an iPad. Over 80 digital points of interest deliver a wealth of interesting information in the form of texts, videos and 3D animations. “Smart windows” use virtual reality to supplement the apron panorama with real-time data on parked aircraft. Engrossing stories about zeppelins and the Berlin Airlift can also be enjoyed during a trip back in time. “The Globe”, a gigantic interactive LED wall comprising 28 monitor screens, visualizes all ongoing flights between FRA and other points worldwide in real time. It’s an impressive way to experience the enormous web of global connections and the complexity of international aviation. The popular airport tours will also resume in early August. The Starter Tour lasts 45 minutes and includes live narration to provide a fascinating stream of figures, data and facts on the airport and its activities. The 120-minute XXL Tour provides a more extensive look behind the scenes. Guests get to watch ground handling operations, takeoffs and landings while passing close to aircraft, and also catch glimpses of the new fire station number 1 and the construction project to build the new Terminal 3 in the south of the airport. The perfect way to round out an excursion to the airport is to enjoy the view from the popular Visitors’ Terrace. This platform at Terminal 2 provides a bird’s-eye perspective of planes from around the world landing and taking off and the bustling activity on the airport apron. To celebrate its reopening, admission is free of charge for a limited time – to cap the number of visitors at any given time, however, it is necessary to reserve a time slot. Reservations are required for all of the facilities and can be made in the ticket shop at www.fra-tours.com. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible to do so on site. During the summer school holidays in the German state of Hesse, guests of the Visitor Center can park free of charge in FRA’s public parking facilities: simply take a ticket when driving in and get it validated at the entrance of the Visitor Center. Also for day trippers, Frankfurt Airport is always a worthwhile destination – naturally while complying with the current rules to prevent infection. Important to know: like the Visitors’ Terrace, the multimedia Fraport Visitor Center can also be booked for holding events of all kinds. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 14, 2021

Before Taking Off to Your Holiday Destination: Shop and Dine at Frankfurt Airport!

There’s a broad range of attractive offerings at FRA, from leading German and international brands to locally popular proprietor-led shops and restaurants.Brands including Boss, Falke, Llyod, and Gant beckon with summer discounts and glimpses of the new winter collections.You’ll also find an extensive selection of beauty products in the new Duty Free store opened by Frankfurt Airport Retail GmbH & Co. KG in the non-Schengen transit area of Pier B in Terminal 1. Welcome back to Frankfurt Airport! More and more people are longing to travel again, and passenger volumes at the airport are expanding as a result. Numerous shops and restaurants are also reopening to serve them, and will be ready to welcome you in Terminals 1 and 2 right on time for the start of the summer school holidays in the German state of Hesse on July 16. “Finally we’re able to offer our passengers a full range of shopping and dining opportunities again,” says Anke Giesen, Fraport AG’s executive board member responsible for retail and real estate. “Together we’re gradually returning to normality after the the pandemic-induced dry stretch. And we have every reason to look ahead with optimism.” There’s a broad range of attractive offerings at FRA, from leading German and international brands to locally popular proprietor-led shops and restaurants. In Terminal 1, passengers and visitors can visit the “Shopping Boulevard” and “Shopping Avenue” malls. Brands including Boss, Falke, Llyod, and Gant beckon with summer discounts and glimpses of the new winter collections. You can also head for one of seven recently reopened Travel Value and Duty Free shops to find an exquisite perfume or gifts for your loved ones at home, or any of a wide range of other attractive products. How about a tasty latte macchiato before taking off? The teams of some 80 cafés and restaurants are overjoyed to be serving guests again. If you wish to dine inside a restaurant, you need to present evidence that you are fully vaccinated or recovered or have recently tested negative. However, all foods and beverages can also be ordered to take away. The Food Plaza on the top level of Terminal 2 offers guests a breathtaking view of the action out on the airfield and airport apron.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 14, 2021

Lufthansa Flies 76,000 People From Frankfurt Airport on First Vacation Weekend

With 192 destinations, the airline offers even more flight destinations from Frankfurt this summer.Lufthansa offers more than 1,800 weekly connections, 55 percent of the connections from pre-Corona times.Comprehensive hygiene protection concept, which the Lufthansa Group introduced at the beginning of the pandemic, continues to ensure safe flying. Start of the vacations in Hesse: 76,000 people take off on vacation with Lufthansa from Frankfurt Airport on the first vacation weekend. With 192 destinations, the airline offers even more flight destinations from Frankfurt than in the summer of 2019 and, with more than 1,800 weekly connections, 55 percent of the connections from pre-Corona times, with a rising trend. At the same time, many states continue to require additional documents such as test or vaccination certificates. For this reason, Lufthansa recommends that its passengers obtain information in advance and arrive at the airport on time. Those who are worried about not having the right certificates for the trip can have them checked by a Lufthansa Service Center on selected flights up to 72 hours before departure. These can include proof of tests, survived COVID-19 disease and vaccinations. Confirmations of digital entry applications can also be checked. This ensures in advance that the required documents are available. Lufthansa recommends that its guests continue to carry the original printed certificates with them on the trip, in addition to the digital proof. Which documents are necessary and where COVID-19 tests can also be made for the return journey can be found on the Lufthansa website. For return travel to Germany, antigen self-tests using the video-ident procedure are now also accepted and can also be purchased online. For a relaxed trip, Lufthansa recommends using the wide range of online services for check-in and baggage check-in. At Frankfurt Airport, passengers can check in their baggage free of charge at the existing drive-through from now until the end of the vacations. This is conveniently possible from 23 to two hours before departure, if required also directly combined with a drive-through COVID test.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 14, 2021

IATA Urges States to Follow WHO Guidance on International Travel

Do not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a mandatory condition for entry or exit.Remove measures such as testing and/or quarantine requirements for travelers who are fully vaccinated or have had a confirmed previous COVID-19 infection within the past six months.Ensure alternative pathways for unvaccinated individuals through testing so that they are able to travel internationally. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on states to follow new guidance on travel from the World Health Organization (WHO). The guidance recommends a “risk-based approach” to implementing measures related to COVID-19 and international travel. It will be presented to the WHO COVID-19 International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Thursday 15 July. Specifically, WHO recommended that governments: Do not require proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a mandatory condition for entry or exit. Remove measures such as testing and/or quarantine requirements for travelers who are fully vaccinated or have had a confirmed previous COVID-19 infection within the past six months. Ensure alternative pathways for unvaccinated individuals through testing so that they are able to travel internationally. The WHO recommends rRT-PCR tests or antigen detection rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) for this purpose. Only implement test and/or quarantine measures for international travelers “on a risk-based manner” with policies on testing and quarantine regularly reviewed to ensure they are lifted when no longer necessary. “These commonsense, risk-based recommendations from WHO, if followed by states, will allow for international air travel to resume while minimizing the chance of importing COVID-19. As WHO notes—and as the latest UK testing data proves—international travelers are not a high-risk group in terms of COVID-19. Out of 1.65 million tests carried out on arriving international passengers in the UK since February, only 1.4% were positive for COVID-19. It’s long past time for governments to incorporate data into risk-based decision-making process for re-opening borders,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 14, 2021

IATA: Tax is Not the Answer to Aviation Sustainability

Aviation is committed to decarbonization as a global industry.Sustainable Aviation Fuels which reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel.Aviation’s near-term vision is to provide sustainable, affordable air transport for all European citizens with SAF-powered fleets, operating with efficient air traffic management. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that the reliance on taxation as the solution for cutting aviation emissions in the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ proposal is counter-productive to the goal of sustainable aviation. EU policy needs to support practical emission reduction measures such as incentives for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and modernization of air traffic management.  “Aviation is committed to decarbonization as a global industry. We don’t need persuading, or punitive measures like taxes to motivate change. In fact, taxes siphon money from the industry that could support emissions’ reducing investments in fleet renewal and clean technologies. To reduce emissions, we need governments to implement a constructive policy framework that, most immediately, focuses on production incentives for SAF and delivering the Single European Sky,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. Comprehensive Approach Achieving aviation decarbonization requires a combination of measures. These include: Sustainable Aviation Fuels which reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. Insufficient supply and high prices have limited airline uptake to 120 million liters in 2021 — a small fraction of the 350 billion liters that airlines would consume in a ‘normal’ year. Market-based measures to manage emissions until technology solutions are fully developed. The industry supports the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) as a global measure for all international aviation. It avoids creating a patchwork of uncoordinated national or regional measures such as the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, that can undermine international cooperation. Overlapping schemes can lead to the same emissions being paid for more than once. IATA is extremely concerned by the Commission’s proposal that European States would no longer implement CORSIA on all international flights. Single European Sky (SES) to reduce unnecessary emissions from fragmented air traffic management (ATM) and resulting inefficiencies. Modernizing European ATM through the SES initiative would cut  Europe’s aviation emissions between 6-10%, but national governments continue to delay implementation.  Radical new clean technologies. While it is unlikely that electric or hydrogen propulsion could have a significant impact on aviation emissions within the EU ‘Fit for 55’ timeframe of 2030, the development of these technologies is ongoing and needs to be supported. “Aviation’s near-term vision is to provide sustainable, affordable air transport for all European citizens with SAF-powered fleets, operating with efficient air traffic management. We should all be worried that the EU’s big idea to decarbonize aviation is making jet fuel more expensive through tax. That will not get us to where we need to be. Taxation will destroy jobs. Incentivizing SAF will improve energy independence and create sustainable jobs. The focus must be on encouraging the production of SAF, and delivering the Single European Sky,” said Walsh.  
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 14, 2021

Air Astana Returns to Profit

The two brands, Air Astana and our LCC FlyArystan, have both performed well on domestic routes.Passengers carried by Air Astana Group increased by 91% to 2.97 million.Whether the recovery will be sustainable will come down to a race between COVID variants and vaccine take-up. Kazakhstan’s Air Astana Group has registered a net profit of US$4.9 million for the first six months of 2021, recovering from a loss of US$66.2 million for the period January to June 2020. Passengers carried increased by 91% to 2.97 million, of which 2.5 million were carried on domestic routes, an increase of 125%. Commenting on the turnaround, President & CEO Peter Foster ”The two brands, Air Astana and our LCC FlyArystan, have both performed well on domestic routes. Strong market growth and a preference for air travel over long rail journeys have transformed Kazakhstan into the world’s fastest growing domestic market, with 31% passenger growth over 2019, undoubtedly stimulated by FlyArystan’s ultra-low fares.” FlyArystan was launched in May 2019. Whilst international capacity remains at 45% of the level of 2019, Foster pointed out that “higher yields on regional routes, coupled with high demand on ‘lifestyle’ routes to The Maldives, Red Sea, Montenegro, Dubai, Turkey, Georgia and Sri Lanka, have also contributed to the turnaround, assisted by regular cargo charters on our converted Boeing 767”. Foster cautioned on guidance for the remainder of the year however. “COVID case numbers are again moving in the wrong direction in Central Asia and many of the countries to where we are flying. Whether the recovery will be sustainable will come down to a race between COVID variants and vaccine take-up.”     Air Astana is a joint venture owned by the Samruk Kazyna Wealth Fund (51%) and BAE Systems PLC 49%). It presently operates 36 aircraft of which 10 A320s are operated by FlyArystan.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 13, 2021

United Airlines: Electric Aircraft Set to Take Flight by 2026

Electric aircraft set to take flight under new agreements with United Airlines Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mesa Airlines and Heart Aerospace.United Airlines signs agreement to acquire 100 of Heart Aerospace’s ES-19 aircraft, a 19-seat electric airliner that has the potential to decarbonize regional air travel.United Express regional partner, Mesa Airlines, also signs agreement to acquire 100 of the electric aircraft. United Airlines Ventures (UAV) announced today it, along with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) and Mesa Airlines, has invested in electric aircraft startup Heart Aerospace. Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-19, a 19-seat electric aircraft that has the potential to fly customers up to 250 miles before the end of this decade. In addition to UAV’s investment, United Airlines has conditionally agreed to purchase 100 ES-19 aircraft, once the aircraft meet United’s safety, business and operating requirements. Mesa Airlines, United’s key strategic partner in bringing electric aircraft into commercial service, has also agreed to add 100 ES-19 aircraft to its fleet, subject to similar requirements. UAV is building a portfolio of companies that focus on innovative sustainability concepts and create the technologies and products necessary to build a carbon-neutral airline and reach United’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals. With this new agreement, United is deepening its bold commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 100% by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets, as well as enabling the growth of Heart Aerospace and participating in the development of aircraft that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flying. “Breakthrough Energy Ventures is the leading voice of investors who are supporting clean-energy technology creation. We share their view that we have to build companies who have real potential to change how industries operate and, in our case, that means investing in companies like Heart Aerospace who are developing a viable electric airliner,” said Michael Leskinen, United’s Vice President Corp Development & Investor Relations, as well as UAV’s President. “We recognize that customers want even more ownership of their own carbon emissions footprint. We’re proud to partner with Mesa Air Group to bring electric aircraft to our customers earlier than any other US airliner.  Mesa’s long serving CEO, Jonathan Ornstein has shown visionary leadership in the field of electric-powered flight.” UAV and BEV are among the first investors in Heart Aerospace, demonstrating confidence in Heart’s design and creating potential for Heart to fast track the ES-19 introduction to market as early as 2026. “Aviation is such a critical piece of our global economy. At the same time, it’s a major source of carbon emissions and one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize,” said Carmichael Roberts, Breakthrough Energy Ventures. “We believe electric aircraft can be transformational in reducing the emissions of the industry, and enable low cost, quiet and clean regional travel on a broad scale. Heart’s visionary team is developing an aircraft around its proprietary electric motor technology that will allow airlines to operate at a fraction of the cost of today and has the potential to change the way we fly.”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 13, 2021

ICAO greenlights Qatar’s proposal to control its own airspace

Qatar to establish its own Flight Information Region in its airspace.Qatar to withdraw from an agreement signed with Bahrain, under which it had delegated its air navigation services.The proposal represents one of the sovereign rights of the State of Qatar. Qatar announced today that the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) gave preliminary approval to country’s proposal to control its own airspace, months after settling a row with its Gulf neighbors. According to Qatari officials, the UN body has given its consent ‘in principle’ to let Qatar establish its own Flight Information Region (FIR) in its airspace. ICAO’s decision was in response to a request from Qatar to withdraw from an agreement signed with neighboring Gulf state of Bahrain, under which it had delegated its air navigation services. A three-year rift with group of neighboring Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia had highlighted the flaws in the deal, which left Qatar completely reliant on access to airspace controlled by other countries. The ICAO “agreed, in principle… with the establishment of a Doha Flight Information Region (FIR) and Doha Search and Rescue Region (SRR)” at talks last month, Qatar’s transport and communications ministry said in a statement. It would “include Qatar’s sovereign airspace and, to optimize safety and efficiency of the regional airspace, other contiguous airspace over the high seas”, it added. Qatar’s proposal also covered “its intention to withdraw from the current arrangement whereby it has delegated to Bahrain the provision of air navigation services over its sovereign territory”. “The proposal represents one of the sovereign rights of the State of Qatar and demonstrates the huge investments made by Qatar to develop its air navigation system,” Qatar’s Transport Minister Jassim Al-Sulaiti said in the statement.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 13, 2021

Delta Air Lines adds 36 used Airbus and Boeing jets to fleet amid rising travel demand

The pandemic provided Delta with unique business opportunities to add newer generation aircraft at attractive prices.Delta to add add 29 used Boeing 737-900ERs and 7 used Airbus A350-900s to fleet.Widebody fleet renewal is instrumental to Delta’s recovery, and will help position Delta for sustained profitability and future growth. Delta Air Lines has entered into agreements to add 29 used Boeing 737-900ERs and lease seven used Airbus A350-900s as it continues to streamline and modernize its fleet. The 36 additional aircraft will improve fuel efficiency and enhance the customer experience, while supporting Delta’s fleet renewal strategy focused on simplification, scale, size and sustainability. “These aircraft are an investment in Delta’s future,” said Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian. “As we look past the pandemic, Delta’s disciplined, innovative approach to fleet renewal positions us for growth as travel demand returns, while enhancing the customer experience and supporting our sustainability commitments.” The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to simplify Delta’s fleet and accelerate retirements of 18 widebody 777s, and the MD-88 and MD-90 narrowbody fleets, all of them older and less efficient. The pandemic also provided unique business opportunities to add newer generation aircraft at attractive prices. Widebody fleet renewal is instrumental to Delta’s recovery, and will help position Delta for sustained profitability and future growth. As Delta’s flagship aircraft, the A350 provides a world-class customer experience, enhances cargo capacity, reduces unit costs and contributes to a more sustainable future. The next-generation A350s burn 21 percent less fuel per seat than the 777s they replace. Improved fuel efficiency is paramount to Delta’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon emissions and its Flight to Net Zero. The acquisition of 29 narrowbody 737-900ERs also complement Delta’s existing fleet. Delta will lease the A350s through AerCap and purchase 27 of the 737-900ERs from funds managed by Castlelake, L.P., while the remaining two 737-900ERs will be financed from funds also managed by Castlelake, L.P. Both transactions are subject to closing conditions. Deliveries of the aircraft will be completed by the first quarter of 2022, and they will enter service after modifications are completed. In addition to the seven A350s that are part of this announcement, Delta currently has 15 A359s in service and 20 on order. The addition of the 29 737-900ERs will bring the total to 159 in its fleet. The agreement follows Delta’s decision in April to exercise options on 25 additional A321neo jets, which will start to deliver next year. Those aircraft offer the lowest seat costs in Delta’s fleet.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 13, 2021

Fraport June 2021 Traffic Figures: Recovery in Passenger Numbers Continues

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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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 13, 2021

Lufthansa no longer welcomes ‘ladies and gentlemen’

Lufthansa passengers will be offered a third gender option during the booking process.Lufthansa is the latest major air carrier to announce such ‘change,’ joining Air Canada and Japan Airlines.Lufthansa spokesman said that all internal and crew communication would be made “gender equitable” too. Airline passengers boarding a Lufthansa flight in the near future will no longer hear “Meine Damen und Herren” or “ladies and gentlemen,” a spokesman for the airline announced today. Lufthansa will scrap the traditional “ladies and gentlemen” greeting to passengers in favor of a gender-neutral alternative such as ‘dear guests,’ or ‘good morning/evening.’ Lufthansa is the latest major air carrier to announce such ‘change,’ joining Air Canada and Japan Airlines. Additionally, Lufthansa passengers will be offered a third gender option during the booking process, alongside “male” and “female.” The change will be rolled out gradually on Lufthansa flights, as well as flights by Swiss, Austrian, Brussels and Eurowings, which are subsidiaries of Lufthansa. Lfthansa Group said that the change is a response to a “discussion that is rightly being held in society” over gender, and came from a desire “to value all guests on board.” Though announced today, the change has been in the works for nearly a month. A Lufthansa spokesman said in June that all internal and crew communication would be made “gender equitable” too. Air Canada was the first airline to drop traditional politeness for modern sensitivities when it replaced “ladies and gentlemen” with “everyone” back in 2019. Like Lufthansa, it also introduced a third gender option on its booking site. Japan Airlines followed in 2020, but only applied the change to its English-language announcements. Not only is Japanese society less receptive to Western-style wokeness (same-sex marriage, for example, is not legal there), the most commonly used Japanese-language greeting is already gender-neutral.
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Juergen T Steinmetz·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

Flights that are still operating on Bangkok Airways

Bangkok – Samui (roundtrip) 2 flights per day Sealed routes flights between Bangkok and Samui, that will accommodate international transit passengers (3 flights per day) Samui – Phuket (roundtrip) 4 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday), these flights will be available from 16 July 2021 onwards  Last week it was reported that Bangkok, the Bangkok, the City of Angels is under another COVID-19 surge. Today Bangkok Airways reacted and canceled the following domestic flights: 1. Bangkok – Chiang Mai (roundtrip)  2. Bangkok – Phuket (roundtrip) 3. Bangkok – Sukhothai (roundtrip) 4. Bangkok – Lampang (roundtrip) 5. Bangkok – Trat (roundtrip)   Samui – Singapore (roundtrip) 3 flights per week (Monday, Thursday, and Sunday), these flights will be available from 1 August 2021 onwards. Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited is a regional airline based in Bangkok, Thailand. It operates scheduled services to destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam. Its main base is Suvarnabhumi Airport. Passengers who are scheduled to travel before 31 July 2021 can have fees waived for rebooking or alternatively may request a refund in the form of a travel voucher to be used for future ticketing. Passengers can make any necessary changes up to 24 hours prior to their flight. More information can be seen at www.bangkokair.com/travel-voucher (terms and conditions apply).  Passengers who wish to amend their travels with no new specified travel date (open ticket) can submit their request via https://forms.office.com/r/WjcEEfQX2L within 24 hours prior to the proposed departure date. The airline will use information provided via such form in order to further accommodate passengers.    Passengers can contact the airline via the following channels;  Passengers who booked their tickets through travel agencies are advised to directly contact their agents for further arrangements.  Moreover, the airline encourages passengers to check announcements, orders, and travel procedures, for each destination prior to travel from the related authorities such as:  The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)    http://www.moicovid.com/ข้อมูลสำคัญ-จังหวัด/  Airports of Thailand www.airportthai.co.th/en/ Department of Airports www.facebook.com/DepartmentOfAirports/ 
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

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

European countries that have supported their aviation sectors throughout the pandemic are seeing the fastest growth as they emerge from the pandemic.Passenger traffic from Heathrow to the US is down by around 80%, whereas in the EU, which has reopened unilaterally with the US has seen traffic recover to only around 40% down.Getting Britain trading again with the rest of the world is critical to the Government’s plans for a Global Britain post-Brexit. Heathrow passenger numbers are still nearly 90% down on pre-pandemic 2019 passenger numbers, and much lower than EU rivals.  European countries that have supported their aviation sectors throughout the pandemic are seeing the fastest growth as they emerge from the pandemic. Both Schiphol and Frankfurt have surpassed their 2019 cargo volumes, growing by 14% and 9% respectively compared to 2019, whereas cargo tonnage at Heathrow, the UK’s biggest port is still down 16%. Almost all air cargo is carried in the hold of passenger planes, and UK travel restrictions are limiting trade compared to our EU rivals.  The closure of Britain’s transatlantic links is costing the UK economy at least £23 million a day. Passenger traffic from Heathrow to the US is down by around 80%, whereas in the EU, which has reopened unilaterally with the US has seen traffic recover to only around 40% down. Britain’s long held competitive advantage on transatlantic trade is at risk if borders remain closed.  Getting Britain trading again with the rest of the world is critical to the Government’s plans for a Global Britain post-Brexit. Heathrow alone has the potential to facilitate a £204 billion trade bonanza benefitting British businesses in every corner of the country, creating opportunities for the entire aviation sector and strengthening the UK’s trade network – but only if Ministers move to reopen trade as soon as possible. The announcement that double-vaccinated UK residents will no longer be required to quarantine when returning from amber list countries from the 19th July is a great step forward. However to kickstart Britain’s economic recovery, the Government must reopen travel to fully vaccinated people from more countries, particularly our key trading partners like the US. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Heathrow are working together to demonstrate that 100% vaccination status can be carried out at check in, and there is no reason why Government should not approve this for passengers from the US and EU from the 31st of July. Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye said: “While it’s fantastic news that some double-vaccinated passengers will no longer need to quarantine from amber countries, Ministers need to extend this policy to US and EU nationals if they want to kickstart the economic country. These changes will be critical for exporters who are losing out to EU rivals and families who have been separated from loved ones. We have all the tools to safely restart international travel, and now is the time for Global Britain to take off!”
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

Wizz Air CEO £100 Million Bonus Riles Unions

Wizz Air has been making money at the cost of transport workers for a long time.Wizz Air workers face harsh working conditions, poor remuneration, and unfair, sometimes even unlawful, practices from management side.Rewarding József Váradi with a £100,000,000 bonus for running the airline this way is inappropriate and unacceptable. The European Transport Workers’ Federation condemns the decision to pay out a £100 million bonus to Wizz Air’s CEO József Váradi as a reward for the rapid growth of the carrier. Wizz Air is a company with an infamous history of anti-social practices – unlawful dismissals, disregard of the right to organize, union busting, and social dumping, to name a few. It is no secret that Wizz Air workers face harsh working conditions, poor remuneration, and unfair, sometimes even unlawful, practices from management side. Wizz Air has been making money at the cost of transport workers for a long time. Rewarding József Váradi with a £100,000,000 bonus for running the airline this way is inappropriate and unacceptable, even more so in the midst of a pandemic that has left many aviation workers exposed to job insecurity, health and safety risks including mental health risks, excessive workload, stress, and fatigue. Rewarding the CEO on the basis of expansionism of a company, regardless of its profit, environmental footprint, the state of working conditions, respect to social and labor rights and workers’ wellbeing is utterly disrespectful not only to the workers but also to their families and society at large. The ETF calls on shareholders to rescind this bonus, and base any future bonuses for airline’s top executives on building a sustainable company with decent working conditions, decent remuneration, well-functioning social dialogue, and well-being of employees rather than solely on growth and profit based on workforce exploitation.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

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

The “odd” woman “started getting more and more agitated and very loud.”“Potential security concern” required the plane’s crew to take action.Despite the extreme measures used to restrain her, the woman reportedly yelled obscenities throughout the duration of the flight.  American Airlines flight from Dallas, Texas to Charlotte, North Carolina quickly spiraled into the surreal when a female passenger started muttering to the male passenger sitting next to her that she did not want the aircraft to “fly up anymore.”  According to one of the passengers on the flight, the “odd” woman “started getting more and more agitated and very loud, and the man sitting next to her, along with the flight attendants, kindly tried to console her and calm her, but nothing worked.”  The emotionally disturbed woman, described as being in her 30s with green hair, reportedly bolted out of her seat and tried to rip open the plane’s door. She was quickly tackled by flight attendants, who restrained her limbs with duct tact and zip ties, according to the onboard eyewitness.  Passengers sitting in rows in front of and behind the unwell woman were then asked to move out of the way so that flight attendants could duct-tape the misbehaving customer to her seat.  According to one passenger, the aircraft’s pilot got on the intercom and urged people to stay in their seats as personnel dealt with a “bad situation on the plane,” without elaborating further.  American Airlines later confirmed the incredible incident and defended its Hollywood-esque security measures, explaining that a “potential security concern” required the plane’s crew to take action. The air carrier also disclosed that the woman “physically assaulted and bit” one of the flight attendants. 
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Kim Waddoup·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

Seychelles Tourism on track to achieve 2021 arrival targets

In the Seychelles, diversification and vaccination are paying dividends to tourism and the economy.The country embarked on an ambitious vaccination program of its citizens from January 2021.This sent the nation into the limelight as the world’s most-vaccinated country, underpinning its strategy to relaunch its primary economic activity. The impact of the pandemic had been immediate and catastrophic for the tourism-dependent economy of the island nation which saw visitor arrivals plummet to a low of 22 visitors in April of last year compared a bumper 37,103 in April 2019, traditionally the second highest month of the year for tourist arrivals. Foreign exchange inflows (receipts/supply of foreign exchange converted into rupees, the majority of which is tourism earnings) of an average of US$3 million a day pre-pandemic fell to US$1.25 million per day in April 2020, plunging to a low of US$0.43 million in mid-April 2020, the Central Bank of Seychelles has revealed. For the next 11 months, the period of May 2020 to March 2021, the average was US$1.72 million per day. The ambitious vaccination program of its citizens the tourism-dependent country embarked on from January 2021, catapulting it to the world’s attention as the world’s most-vaccinated country, underpins Seychelles’ strategy to relaunch its primary economic activity and is already paying dividends. While a far cry still from the 38,910 visitors of December 2019, the bumper 384,204 arrivals of that year and tourism earnings which in 2019 accounted for 76 percent of total inflows, figures from the Central Bank of Seychelles show that recovery, although fragile, is well under way. Tourism earnings, reported by banks covering foreign exchange converted into domestic currency by tourism-related businesses, dropped to US$1.1 million in June 2020. It stands this year in June at US$23 million or 59 percent of the US$38.9 million recorded in the same month in 2019. As of March 25 to July 2, 2021, the foreign exchange inflows daily average is US$2.44 million. Redefining its customer landscape as its traditional markets got hit by succeeding waves of the pandemic and barriers such as lockdown measures, quarantine requirements and restrictions to travel, the country’s tourism and transport authorities and private sector operators have been looking to other source markets, opening up to new airlines and charters, and welcoming from March 25 onwards some 500 visitors on average per day.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

Record Demand For Private Jet Flights To Continue Post-COVID

Half of the current private aviation users said they had started or re-started private flying due to COVID-19.54% users said they use private aviation for personal/vacation travel only.New users are more likely to be using private aviation strictly for personal/vacation travel (64%). A just-released survey shows the demand surge for private aviation will continue for the foreseeable future. Some 69% of current private aviation users expect to fly more post-COVID than before the pandemic, with 28% saying they expect to fly privately at similar levels. Only 3% said they would be making fewer private flights in a post-COVID world. Expected Use of Private Aviation Post-COVIDUse Private Aviation more post-COVID than prior to COVID69%Use Private Aviation same as prior to COVID28%Use Private Aviation less post-COVID than prior to COVID3% Half of the current private aviation users said they had started or re-started private flying due to COVID-19, and 100% of these new private flyers say they plan to continue after the pandemic. More than half (53%) said they would fly privately regularly even after the pandemic, a 29% increase from 41% who said they would continue private flights regularly in a January survey. The survey also revealed a strong pipeline of potential new private jet customers. Of the over 225 respondents, 90% are currently privately flyers, and 9% said they are now considering private aviation. In terms of types of travel, 54% said they use private aviation for personal/vacation travel only, 43% use it for a combination of personal/vacation flights and business needs, and 3% said they use private flights exclusively for business.
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Harry Johnson·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

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

Qatar is gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Upcoming properties are part of Qatar’s strategy to diversify its offering and broaden its appeal to visitors.Qatar expands its global tourism offer in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Qatar is adding 105 new hotels and hotel apartments to its already extensive portfolio of properties, as the country gears up to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. The new properties will broaden Qatar’s appeal to a range of travelers and enhance the visitor experience, as Qatar Tourism continues its mission to turn the country into a world-leading destination. One exciting recent hotel opening is the Banyan Tree Doha, a five-star luxury property, elegantly designed by renowned interior designer Jacques Garcia. Hotel openings on this year’s horizon include, for example, the Pullman Doha West Bay, a five-star Accor property; the JW Marriott West Bay, with an eye-catching and towering exterior; and the Steigenberger Hotel, famed for its exclusive hospitality. Each of these new hotels contributes a unique amenity or experience to Qatar’s 184-property-strong portfolio, which is made up of nearly 32,000 room keys. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chairman of Qatar Tourism, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are continuing to expand our tourism offer to ensure guests enjoy the best of Qatari hospitality while being able to choose a hotel, resort or serviced apartment that accommodates to their budget and needs. These upcoming properties are part of our strategy to diversify our offering and broaden our appeal to visitors. We are pleased to expand our global tourism offer in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and provide travelers with more options to experience the very best of Qatar.” The recently opened five-star Banyan Tree Doha offers an oasis of luxury in the heart of the city. For a blend of work and play, the Pullman Doha West Bay with 375 rooms and suites and 93 apartments is due to open later this year. Those looking to soak up views of Doha’s skyline will soon be able to enjoy a stay at the 53-storey JW Marriott West Bay.  Travelers looking for accommodation close to the airport will be able to book the futuristic 204-room Steigenberger Hotel Doha.
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Linda Hohnholz eTN editor·
Aviation Feature
·July 12, 2021

New flights from Florida to St. Martin

Orlando in particular is a brand-new gateway for St. Martin.This new flight schedule is anticipated to open up opportunities in the feeder markets of Atlanta, Denver, Philadelphia, Newark, and Baltimore in the US.Florida is a key region for Frontier Airlines showing high demand to the Caribbean. The first Vice President of the French St. Martin Territorial Council and President of St. Martin’s Tourist Office, Ms. Valérie Damaseau was present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Princess Juliana International Airport, alongside Ms. De Weever, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication of Sint Maarten. “We are delighted that Frontier Airlines has added two new services to our friendly island. The new launch will help us expand our presence in key regions in Florida, in both Miami and Orlando. We will continue to work diligently in order to maintain St. Martin as one of the most sought-after Caribbean destinations to visit,” stated Ms. Aida Weinum, Director of the St. Martin Tourist Office. “With high demand travel to the Caribbean, we thank and welcome visitors, honeymooners, and any beach lovers to fly Frontier Airlines as they visit the tropical paradise of St. Martin.” Frontier Airlines is now a valued partner for St. Martin, allowing the destination to expand its outreach within the Florida area. It is hoped that the power of both Miami and Orlando to attract international visitors from all across the globe will result in St. Martin being part of a two-center vacation for visitors seeking to combine Florida with a Euro-Caribbean experience. The new Miami and Orlando flights are now operating weekly on Saturdays.
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