Delta Air Lines orders 30 additional Airbus A321neo jets.New order brings Airbus outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos.Delta is showing responsible leadership and casting a strong vote of confidence now in the A321neo. Delta Air Lines has ordered 30 additional Airbus A321neo aircraft to help meet the airline’s future fleet requirements. The newly-ordered aircraft are in addition to the airline’s existing orders for 125 of the type, bringing the outstanding orders from Delta to a total of 155 A321neos. Delta Air Lines buys 30 more Airbus A321neo aircraft “Adding these aircraft strengthens Delta’s commitment to replacing older fleets with more sustainable, efficient jets, and offering the best customer experience in the industry,” said Mahendra Nair, Delta Air Lines‘ Senior Vice President – Fleet and TechOps Supply Chain. “Delta appreciates the extensive partnership with the Airbus team in support of our strategic growth plans, and we look forward to continuing to work together throughout the recovery and beyond.” “As the industry looks to emerge from the pandemic, Delta is showing responsible leadership and casting a strong vote of confidence now in the A321neo,” noted Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. “With orders for 30 more of an aircraft that is in very high demand around the globe, our partners at Delta are underscoring the strategic role they see for the A321neo with its outstanding environmental performance for the airline’s renowned customer service and reliability for years into the future.” Delta’s A321neos will be powered by next-generation Pratt & Whitney PW1100G turbofan engines that bring significant efficiency gains over Delta’s current, already-efficient A321 aircraft.  Equipped with total seating for 194 customers with 20 in First Class, 42 in Delta Comfort+ and 132 in the Main Cabin, Delta’s A321neos will be deployed primarily across the airline’s extensive domestic network, complementing Delta’s current A321 fleet of more than 120 aircraft. The airline is slated to receive the first of its 155 A321neo aircraft early next year. Many of Delta’s A321neos will be delivered from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. The airline has taken delivery of 87 U.S.-manufactured Airbus aircraft since 2016. As of the end of July, Delta’s fleet of Airbus aircraft numbered 358, including 50 A220 aircraft, 240 A320 Family members, 53 A330 widebodies, and 15 A350 XWB aircraft.

Air Canada flies from Toronto to Munich.Toronto-Munich route will be serviced with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.Air Canada offers 3 Toronto-iunich flights per week. Following the Government of Canada’s announcement to reopen international borders on September 7th, Air Canada is pleased today to unveil additional details of its planned Munich (MUC) – Toronto (YYZ) schedule. Munich to Toronto flights on Air Canada announced The loosening of restrictions enables foreign nationals who have been fully vaccinated with the Government of Canada-accepted vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and J&J) at least 14 days prior and who meet specific entry requirements to enter Canada for non-essential travel. “As travel restrictions ease across the globe, we are committed to rebuild our international network and continue as a global carrier connecting the world to Canada. With Europeans eager to travel again to Canada, we are ready to reunite customers with their families and friends,” said Jean-Christophe Hérault, Regional Sales Manager Germany, Switzerland, Austria & Eastern Europe at Air Canada. “Our flights from Munich to Toronto conveniently connect to our flights across Canada and the U.S. at our Toronto hub. With our industry-leading CleanCare+ bio-safetyprotocols, Air Canada has your health and safety as its top priority. We know people are excited to travel, and we look forward to welcoming our customers onboard,” concluded Mr. Hérault. Air Canada is offering up to three flights per week on a 298-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring a choice of three cabins of service: Air Canada Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy class. “We are very excited about the resumption of non-stop service from Munich to Toronto and see this as an important sign for a further recovery of the transatlantic traffic,” comments Jost Lammers, CEO Munich Airport. Air Canada’s commercial schedule may be adjusted as required based on the COVID-19 trajectory and government restrictions. Passengers are responsible for ensuring they meet all government entry requirements, including holding the correct travel documents, visas, any required health certificates, and all other eligibility requirements for any flights they purchase.

Since one week, more than 1,500 people have been flown to Germany from Tashkent on twelve flights.Lufthansa care team looks after the protection seekers after arrival.More flights planned in the coming days. For the past week, Lufthansa has been setting up an airlift to fly refugees from the Central Asian state to Germany. An Airbus 340 long-haul aircraft is used in each case. So far, the daily flights have brought to Frankfurt a total of more than 1,500 people. Lufthansa has flown over 1,500 Afghan refugees safely to Germany Upon arrival in Frankfurt, a Lufthansa support team assists the new arrivals with food, drinks and clothing, and provides initial medical and psychological care. For the many children now landing in Frankfurt, a play and painting corner have been set up and toys donated. Lufthansa will continue to operate additional flights from Tashkent in the coming days in coordination with the German Foreign Office. Lufthansa had been contracted by the German government to assist with evacuation of Afghan refugees with its chartered Airbus A340 aircraft. The German flag carrier’s aircraft aren’t flying into Afghanistan but instead collecting people removed from the country by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) to Doha, Qatar and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

According to ENAC, these low-cost airlines are continuing to charge extra to those traveling with children or the disabled.An emergency measure went into effect on August 15, 2021, preventing a supplemental charge for seats to be together.EasyJet has immediately responded stating that the accusation and fine is unfounded. Low-cost airlines, according to ENAC, are guilty of “continuing to charge supplements for the allocation of seats close to carers of minors and the disabled.” “From the first checks carried out,” ENAC noted, these companies “have defaulted: they have not yet, as prescribed and confirmed by the administrative judge, changed the IT and operating systems, and at the time of bookings, they continue to request a supplement to the cost of the air ticket for the assignment of seats close to the carers of minors and disabled people, except, if necessary, reimbursement.” For this reason, the Authority “has started the procedure to impose sanctions” against the 3 carriers. The fines – as reported by Corriere della Sera – will be “commensurate with the non-fulfillment” and “can range from a minimum of 10,000 euros to a maximum of 50,000 for each single dispute.” The free allocation of seats to minors and people with reduced mobility close to their parents and/or carers is guaranteed by an emergency measure issued by ENAC and has been in force since August 15, 2021. EasyJet immediately replied with a statement, affirming “that it has acted in full compliance with the regulations in force and that the initiation of the procedure to impose the sanction is totally unfounded.” The company, he recalls, “allocates seats for families jointly, which means that children under 12 and people with reduced mobility are seated next to an accompanying adult at no additional cost.” The authorities imposed the elimination of the surcharge for these passengers on July 17, 2021. Then the TAR postponed the entry into force of the measure until after August 15. Now the deadline has passed, but those who ask to have a seat next to a minor or disabled person accompanying them are still being charged for the supplement.

According to ENAC, these low-cost airlines are continuing to charge extra to those traveling with children or the disabled.An emergency measure went into effect on August 15, 2021, preventing a supplemental charge for seats to be together.EasyJet has immediately responded stating that the accusation and fine is unfounded. Low-cost airlines, according to ENAC, are guilty of “continuing to charge supplements for the allocation of seats close to carers of minors and the disabled.” “From the first checks carried out,” ENAC noted, these companies “have defaulted: they have not yet, as prescribed and confirmed by the administrative judge, changed the IT and operating systems, and at the time of bookings, they continue to request a supplement to the cost of the air ticket for the assignment of seats close to the carers of minors and disabled people, except, if necessary, reimbursement.” For this reason, the Authority “has started the procedure to impose sanctions” against the 3 carriers. The fines – as reported by Corriere della Sera – will be “commensurate with the non-fulfillment” and “can range from a minimum of 10,000 euros to a maximum of 50,000 for each single dispute.” The free allocation of seats to minors and people with reduced mobility close to their parents and/or carers is guaranteed by an emergency measure issued by ENAC and has been in force since August 15, 2021. EasyJet immediately replied with a statement, affirming “that it has acted in full compliance with the regulations in force and that the initiation of the procedure to impose the sanction is totally unfounded.” The company, he recalls, “allocates seats for families jointly, which means that children under 12 and people with reduced mobility are seated next to an accompanying adult at no additional cost.” The authorities imposed the elimination of the surcharge for these passengers on July 17, 2021. Then the TAR postponed the entry into force of the measure until after August 15. Now the deadline has passed, but those who ask to have a seat next to a minor or disabled person accompanying them are still being charged for the supplement.

Since one week, more than 1,500 people have been flown to Germany from Tashkent on twelve flights.Lufthansa care team looks after the protection seekers after arrival.More flights planned in the coming days. For the past week, Lufthansa has been setting up an airlift to fly refugees from the Central Asian state to Germany. An Airbus 340 long-haul aircraft is used in each case. So far, the daily flights have brought to Frankfurt a total of more than 1,500 people. Lufthansa has flown over 1,500 Afghan refugees safely to Germany Upon arrival in Frankfurt, a Lufthansa support team assists the new arrivals with food, drinks and clothing, and provides initial medical and psychological care. For the many children now landing in Frankfurt, a play and painting corner have been set up and toys donated. Lufthansa will continue to operate additional flights from Tashkent in the coming days in coordination with the German Foreign Office. Lufthansa had been contracted by the German government to assist with evacuation of Afghan refugees with its chartered Airbus A340 aircraft. The German flag carrier’s aircraft aren’t flying into Afghanistan but instead collecting people removed from the country by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) to Doha, Qatar and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

10,000 airline passengers arrived to Barbados.Barbados tourism industry records a major tourism milestone in July.Barbados tourism sees a positive turn for the industry ahead of 2021/2022 winter season. Barbados recorded over 10,000 air passenger arrivals after months of being hard-hit by a global pandemic.  For the first time since December 2020, the local tourism industry has recorded a major tourism milestone with the latest statistics from the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) suggesting a positive turn for the industry ahead of the 2021/2022 winter season. During the period July 2021, some 10,819 visitors traveled to Barbados. This total represented a significant increase of 6,745 visitors when compared to the corresponding period of July 2020. The United States (US) came out on top as they copped a 43.3% market share, while the United Kingdom (UK)contributed 34.4% of business with 3,722 arrivals for the reporting period.  This occurred after Barbados was added to the UK COVID-19 Green watchlist. Barbados has been fortunate to be placed on this list for the second time since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. For the same period, Caribbean arrival figures stood at 1,391 and 390 arrivals from Canada.  This  represented an increase in arrivals from both markets year on year. Interim CEO of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) , Craig Hinds, described the achievement as a step in the right direction after the tireless efforts, on and off scene, to re-build the tourism product. He stated that “Barbados has, and continues to weather this COVID-19 storm, but while this period has been difficult for the industry, the BTMI is so pleased to see the recent sprouts of positive growth. This growth is a direct result of the excellent sales and marketing efforts in our overseas markets through campaigns like our “Sweet Summer Savings” promotion, as well as maintaining strong partnerships with our airline, cruise and tourism partners.” In July, BTMI teamed up with Sandals Resort as they brought fifteen United States radio stations from eleven cities to Barbados to give listeners a chance at winning a four-day/three-night vacation to Sandals Resort in Barbados. The radio stations broadcasted live from Sandals Royal Barbados and included tourism officials led by Sen. the Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport. The promotion, which was also supported by American Airlines, reached over 4,000,000+ listeners. 

Air Astana resumes flights from Kazakhstan to the UK.Air Astana operates Airbus A321LR on London route.London route will operate with on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Air Astana resumes direct flights from Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan to London Heathrow on 18th September 2021, initially with two frequencies per week on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Flights will be operated by the latest Airbus A321LR aircraft, with the flight time being 7 hours and 15 minutes outbound to London and 6 hours and 30 minutes on the return to Nur-Sultan. Passengers travelling to Kazakhstan are required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior to entering the country.  Air Astana is the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, based in Almaty. It operates scheduled, domestic and international services on 64 routes from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and from its secondary hub, Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport. Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport is an international airport in the Akmola Region, Kazakhstan. It is the primary international airport serving Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan. Heathrow Airport, originally called London Airport until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow, is a major international airport in London, England. It is one of six international airports serving the London region. The airport facility is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings.

Fire reported at Hamid Karzai International Airport.Huge cloud of smoke rising over the airport.The security situation at the airport remains fragile. Massive fire has apparently broken out at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan, amid ongoing chaotic evacuation with thousands of people desperate to get out of the country. In flames: Huge fire breaks out at Kabul Airport News of the blaze broke on Monday evening local time. Little is known about the fire’s severity or origin, but videos posted to social media show a hazy cloud of smoke rising from the airport, which has been the focal point of US and Western evacuation efforts for the past week. The security situation at the airport remains fragile, with US and allied troops working to evacuate thousands of their own civilians and Afghan refugees from Kabul. Hours before the fire broke out, US and German troops got into a gun battle with unknown assailants, in an exchange of fire that left one Afghan soldier dead. At least 20 people have died at the airport over the past week, a NATO official said. It is unclear at time of writing whether the fire is impacting flights to and from the airport. Flights were departing the airport non-stop over the weekend, with the Biden administration claiming to have evacuated around 11,000 people in 36 hours. However, thousands more remain in Kabul, and the likelihood of the US and its allies meeting their August 31 deadline for total withdrawal is now in question. The Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan just over a week ago, has warned of “consequences” if the deadline is not met.

Allegiant to launch flights from Asheville Regional Airport to Key West on November 18.Allegiant to start service from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport to Key West on November 19.Allegiant will use Airbus A319 aircraft on new Key West routes. Allegiant will add nonstop service from North Carolina’s Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) to Key West International Airport (EYW) beginning November 18, and nonstop service from Florida’s St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) to the island city beginning November 19. Allegiant announces new nonstop Key West flights Allegiant plans to serve Key West twice weekly and on varying days on each of the new routes, using Airbus A319 aircraft. “Key West is one of the most sought-after destinations in the U.S. right now,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue and network planning. “We expect it to be an even bigger draw for leisure travelers seeking an affordable, convenient vacation spot for warm winter getaways.” In June, Allegiant added twice-weekly nonstop service to Key West on Airbus A319 aircraft from Nashville International Airport (BNA), Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). “We’re thrilled to welcome North Carolina visitors from the Asheville region and our Florida neighbors from Tampa–St. Pete as this new service will help to remove cars from traveling the Overseas Highway,” said Richard Strickland, director of airports for the Florida Keys’ Monroe County.

Unions want decent working standards within Lufthansa Group.Lower standards of working conditions violate labor rights.Internal competition within Lufthansa could be solved by enforcement of collective agreements. Defining the minimum standards of working conditions for the people working across all of the Lufthansa Group is the first step to stop the ongoing social dumping actions the German air company is shamefully, but consciously, tolerating outside its mainline carriers. European transport union demands minimum working standards within Lufthansa Group In a recent letter addressed to the Chairman of Deutsche Lufthansa, Mr. Carsten SPOHR, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) condemns ‘’the lower social and labor standards for workers’’ approach, which Lufthansa Group management continue to tacitly implement in its Eurowings Discover operation. The Group believes that such actions are the only immediate and possible solution to face the current economic pressures of the market, which the ETF rejects. According to the ETF’ affiliates  – Kapers (Switzerland), Vida (Austria), Aircrew Alliance and ver.di (Germany) and B.United (the Czech Republic) – this solution is generating a so-called “internal group cannibalism”, and supports a race to the bottom approach.  Meanwhile the lower standards of the working conditions imposed so far by most of the low-cost airlines in Europe grossly violate the fundamental labor rights, and the group is racing to a similar faith. This is why the European Transport Workers Federation and its affiliates imperatively ask for this model not to be considered as a blueprint for the new entities, such as it is the case in Eurowings Discover, the newest airline company who started to operate within Lufthansa Group last month. Instead, we consider the internal competition within Lutfhansa Group could be rather solved by the enforcement of collective agreements inclusively at Eurowings Discover, and this enforcement model should then further be implemented also across all its European operations. The unions representing the Lufthansa Group’ workers and the ETF – representing 5 million of transport workers within Europe and beyond – are of opinion that the very first step into this direction would be: restarting the social dialogue in all carriers where this is not active, including Eurowings Discover andfinding the common ground for setting up minimum standards regarding the labor conditions for the thousands of workers of Lufthansa Group who currently do not have a collective agreement. Eoin Coates, Head of Aviation at ETF declares: ’’Crucially, both workers and employers need to come out of this crisis together, and therefore we must engage in social dialogue early to ensure the smooth creation of any new entities and the transition through any necessary change processes with fairness and openness at the core of such discussions.’’ ETF and its affiliates within the Lufthansa Group imperatively ask the management teams of all airline companies operating within the Lufthansa Group to restart the social dialogue with the representative unions in a coherent, efficient and permanent way. This would be a clear signal that Lufthansa Group is actually taking concrete steps towards changing the completely wrong direction the group is taking by deciding to drive down social and labor standards for its workers in new companies.

Hong Kong toughens entry requirements for foreign travelers.Reducing mandatory quarantine time is no longer possible.Hong Kong recognizes Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. Frederic Gollob, President of the European Chamber of Commerce (ECC), said new tough rules for entering Hong Kong could undermine the city’s status as an international business and financial center. EU: New Hong Kong entry rules threaten its international status “We believe the city should open earlier, otherwise this new quarantine regime could make many in the international community question whether they want to remain locked down in Hong Kong at a time when the rest of the world is relaxing,” ECC head said. This week, the Hong Kong authorities again tightened the rules for entering the country. In particular, the possibility of reducing the quarantine period in the presence of a serological test for antibodies was canceled. When boarding a flight for Hong Kong, the travelers must present a vaccination certificate, a negative test result for COVID-19, submitted no earlier than 72 hours before departure, as well as a reservation at one of the government-recommended hotels where quarantine measures are allowed. The Hong Kong government has also officially placed Russian-made Sputnik V on the list of coronavirus vaccines recognized in this Special Administrative Region of China. Now, the mandatory quarantine for residents of the city jabbed with the Russian-made vaccine, will be reduced from 21 days to 14 days.

Did you know that each airline has the ability to determine not just if a face mask must be worn but also what kind of face mask must be worn when onboard a flight?Do you know the difference between an N95 and a fabric mask versus say a valve-free FFP2?Most people wear fabric face masks, so what would you wear if masks made out of fabric is banned? More and more airlines are starting to ban face masks made out of fabric, citing that they are not a quality barrier against the spread of COVID-19, especially in light of the extreme surge of new cases every day around the world due to the Delta variants. They are instead requiring surgical masks, N95 masks, valve-free FFP2 masks, or FFP3 respirator masks. So far, Lufthansa, Air France, LATAM, and Finnair have banned fabric face masks as well as masks that have exhaust valves. Think about it. A mask with an exhaust is like a car with an exhaust. It’s fine for the driver (or in this case the wearer), but what about everyone outside that exhaust? A mask is not a mask is not a mask. This week, Finnair became the latest carrier to ban fabric face masks onboard, accepting only surgical masks, valve-free FFP2 or FFP3 respirator masks, and N95 masks, the company tweeted. Airlines requiring medical masks – at least 3 layers thick – are Air France and Lufthansa. LATAM will also allow KN95 and N95 masks. And as an extra precaution, for passengers connecting in Lima, they must double up and add on another mask. The reason for that is because right now Peru has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world. In the United States, most airlines allow cloth face masks but have banned certain other types of face coverings like bandanas, scarves, ski masks, gaiters, balaclavas, masks with holes or slits of any kind, masks with exhaust valves, or even cloth masks if they are only made from one single layer of material. Some people are into wearing plastic face shields, but in the case of United Airlines, they say that’s not enough coverage and still requires a face mask on top of the face shield. On American Airlines, they do not allow masks that are connected to tubing or battery-operated filters. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had issued a mandatory face mask requirement when traveling on all public transportation, including airplanes and in airports, in January 2021. This mandate was due to expire on September 13, 2021, however, with the new surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta Variants, the mandate has been extended to run through January 18, 2022.

France sets up air bridge to evacuate people from Afghanistan.French evacuation flight to fly from Kabul to Paris through Abu Dhabi.French to evacuate ‘thousands’ from Afghanistan. French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune said today that France is establishing an air bridge to evacuate ‘thousands’ of people from Kabul, Afghanistan to Paris. France sets up evacuation flights from Kabul to Paris via Abu Dhabi “Currently, in order to provide evacuation, France is creating an air bridge between Kabul and Paris with planes that will fly through Abu Dhabi,” Beaune said. “At this moment, we don’t have an exact figure of how many people will be evacuated from Afghanistan to France. In any case, it is clear that we are talking about several thousand people in need of protection,” he added. The secretary of state said that France “had begun evacuating Afghans back in May in order to protect 600 people who worked for it.”  “To date, three French military planes have already evacuated approximately 400 people. These are mostly Afghans who need urgent protection. Generally, most of these Afghans worked for various French agencies,” he said. According to Beaun,France “treats the reception of the Afghans on its territory with full responsibility.” “In recent years, we have given the green light to 10,000 requests for refuge from Afghans. For several years already, France has been in first place throughout Europe in terms of granting asylum to Afghans on its territory,” the official added. “We will continue this practice. No quantitative restrictions exist in this sphere. The practice of receiving the Afghans on French soil will also continue after the air bridge with this country ceases to exist,” the secretary of state assured.

On August 15, Taliban entered Kabul and established full control over city.Western countries are evacuating their nationals from Afghanistan.Turkmenistan allows Afghanistan evacuation flights to pass through its airspace. The press office of the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan issued a statement today announcing that Turkmenistan’s government has made a decision to open the country’s airspace to evacuation flights flying foreign nationals out of Afghanistan. Turkmenistan opens its airspace for Afghanistan evacuation flights “As is known, some countries have started to evacuate their citizens located in Afghanistan. In this situation, fulfilling its international commitments, including those arising from international humanitarian law, Turkmenistan will provide its airspace for the carriage of these persons by the planes of foreign states,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement said. On August 15, the Taliban radical militant group entered Kabul without any resistance and established full control over the Afghan capital within several hours. President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani has fled the country, allegedly taking $169 million of state treasury money with him. Since then, Afghanistan’s Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself as the country’s caretaker president, calling for armed resistance to the Taliban. Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staff.

El Al returns to Budapest Airport.Israeli flag carrier resumes Tel Aviv services from Budapest.Budapest-Tel Aviv flights will operate four-times weekly. Budapest Airport’s route network resumption continues with the return of the Hungarian gateway’s airline partner, El Al Airlines. El Al relaunches Budapest to Tel Aviv flight Relaunching links to Tel Aviv, the Israeli flag carrier will once again significantly expand the airport’s operations to the Middle Eastern country. Re-opening its connection between Budapest and the city on the Mediterranean coast today, the carrier will operate a four-times weekly service on the 2,165km sector. Balázs Bogáts, Head of Airline Development, Budapest Airport said: “We’re so pleased to see El Al return – Budapest is one of the top destinations for Israeli travelers, so we know this service will be in high demand. Budapest has a large Jewish community and, indeed, The Great Synagogue of Budapest is the second largest synagogue in the world. We are, therefore, confident that El Al’s resumption of services from Tel Aviv will be popular both with tourists and with travelers who are visiting friends and relatives.”  El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. is the flag carrier of Israel. Since its inaugural flight from Geneva to Tel Aviv in September 1948, the airline has grown to serve over 50 destinations, operating scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights within Israel, and to Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, and the Far East, from its main base in Ben Gurion Airport.

Governments are preventing nearly $1 billion of airline revenues from being repatriated. Airlines will not be able to provide reliable connectivity if they cannot rely on local revenues.It is critical for all governments to prioritize ensuring that funds can be repatriated efficiently. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged governments to abide by international agreements and treaty obligations to enable airlines to repatriate close to nearly $1 billion in blocked funds from the sale of tickets, cargo space, and other activities. Blocking airline funds threatens industry recovery “Governments are preventing nearly $1 billion of airline revenues from being repatriated. This contravenes international conventions and could slow the recovery of travel and tourism in affected markets as the airline industry struggles to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Airlines will not be able to provide reliable connectivity if they cannot rely on local revenues to support operations. That is why it is critical for all governments to prioritize ensuring that funds can be repatriated efficiently. Now is not the time to score an ‘own goal’ by putting vital air connectivity at risk,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.  Approximately $963 million in airline funds are being blocked from repatriation in nearly 20 countries. Four countries: Bangladesh ($146.1 million), Lebanon ($175.5 million), Nigeria ($143.8 million), and Zimbabwe ($142.7 million), account for over 60% of this total, although there has been positive progress in reducing blocked funds in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe of late.  “We encourage governments to work with industry to resolve the issues that are preventing airlines from repatriating funds. This will enable aviation to provide the connectivity needed to sustain jobs and energize economies as they recover from COVID-19,” said Walsh.

IATA oks EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and UK NHS COVID Pass. Handling the European and UK certificates through IATA Travel Pass is an important step forward.Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and UK NHS COVID Pass can now be uploaded into IATA Travel Pass as verified proof of vaccination for travel.  IATA Travel Pass recognizes EU and UK digital COVID certificates Travelers holding an EU DCC or UK NHS COVID Pass can now access accurate COVID-19 travel information for their journey, create an electronic version of their passport and import their vaccination certificate in one place. This information can be shared with airlines and border control authorities who can have the assurance that the certificate presented to them is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it.  “COVID-19 vaccination certificates are becoming a widespread requirement for international travel. Handling the European and UK certificates through IATA Travel Pass is an important step forward, providing convenience for travelers, authenticity for governments and efficiency for airlines,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Operations Safety and Security.   Harmonization of Digital Vaccine Standards  Harmonization of digital vaccine standards is essential to support the safe and scalable restart of aviation, avoid unnecessary airport queues and ensure a smooth passenger experience. IATA welcomes the work done by the EU Commission in developing, in record time, the EU DCC system and thereby standardizing digital vaccine certificates across Europe.  Building on the EU DCC success, IATA urges the World Health Organization (WHO) to revisit its work to develop a global digital vaccine standard. “The absence of a global standard makes it much harder for airlines, border authorities and governments to recognize and verify a traveler’s digital vaccination certificate. The industry is working around this by developing solutions that can recognize and verify certificates from individual countries. But this is a slow process that is hampering the restart of international travel.  “As more states roll out their vaccination programs, many are urgently looking to implement technical solutions to provide vaccine certification for their citizens when they travel. In the absence of a WHO standard, IATA urges them to look closely at the EU DCC as a proven solution that meets WHO guidance and can help to reconnect the world,” said Careen.

American Airlines restarts San Jose-Chicago service.American Airlines to use Boeing 737-800 aircraft of San Jose-Chicago route.San Jose airport continues to require the wearing of masks. Officials at Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) announced that daily nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)  resumes on American Airlines today. The expanded service between Silicon Valley and The Windy City operates four times weekly, Tuesday through Friday. Nonstop San José to Chicago flights return on American Airlines The flight departs San José at 1:07 PM PST aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, arriving in Chicago approximately 4.5 hours later at 7:40 PM CST. “It is a pleasure to welcome American Airlines’ service to Chicago,” said John Aitken, Director at Mineta San José International Airport. “While this is another positive indication of recovery, we celebrate with the understanding that travelers must remain diligent about health and safety. We congratulate our partners at American for this forward step and thank them for continued investment in Silicon Valley.” While the return of nonstop service to major cities represents a positive sign of travel recovery, with COVID levels on the rise in some states, the Airport continues to require the wearing of masks and encourages travelers to continue to practice social distancing. Chicago-O’Hare returns to American’s air service roster at SJC following the airline’s suspension of service in 2020 due to decreases in travel demand related to COVID-19. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) is Silicon Valley’s airport, a self‐ supporting enterprise owned and operated by the City of San Jose. The airport, now in its 71st year, served nearly 15.7 million passengers in 2019, with nonstop service across North America and to Europe and Asia.

Russian flag carrier suspends Bangkok air services.Aeroflot avoids Afghanistan’s airspace, axes Thailand flights.Thailand approves Russian vaccination certificate for tourist entry. Russian flag carrier Aeroflot canceled flights to the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, due to the danger in the airspace of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. It is no longer possible to purchase a ticket from Moscow to Bangkok for September or October of this year on the Aeroflot website. Bangkok flight reservations are only open until August 21, 2021. Ironically, the Thai authorities announced today the imminent permission has been granted for Russian tourists for entering Thailand with a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination with Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. Previously, travelers without certificate of COVID-19 vaccination by one of globally-recognized Western vaccines, like Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZenica, had to go through a mandatory two-week quarantine. Currently, the skies over Afghanistan are extremely dangerous due to the Taliban terrorist movement, which has seized power in the republic. On Sunday, August 15, Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, fell to Taliban attack. Now there is an utter at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, as crowds of local residents who are trying to fly out of the country, to escape Taliban rule. The flights out of Kabul are very sporadic and are on and off constantly as Taliban periodically ‘suspends’ all flights out of the city.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the biggest market contraction in history.Lockdown rules to curb the spread of the virus, led to thousands of canceled vacations, and closed hotels.The total revenue losses the travel and tourism market is expected to witness this year are colossal. The countries across the globe have started preparing for summer 2021 early at the beginning of the year to revive travel to their territory and enable tourists to visit safely. 2021 tourism revenues less than half of pre-pandemic levels Total lockdowns in the first months of 2021, increased testing capacity, and even complete bans on non-essential arrivals, especially from countries with virus mutations, have all been parts of these efforts. However, it still wasn’t enough to stop mounting losses caused by the pandemic’s direct impact on tourism and other sectors closely linked to it. According to the latest industry data, the global travel and tourism revenues are projected to reach only $385 billion in 2021, less than half pre-COVID-19 levels. Cruise and Hotel Industry the Worst Hit, Combined Revenues Plunged by $258 billion The COVID-19 triggered the biggest market contraction in history, as countries across the globe imposed lockdown rules to curb the spread of the virus, leading to thousands of canceled vacations, and closed hotels. Although many of them lifted off travel restrictions and reopened for the 2021 summer season, the total revenue losses this market is expected to witness this year are still colossal. In 2020, the revenues of the entire sector plummeted by nearly 60% YoY to $298.5 billion, revealed the latest data. Although this figure is expected to grow by almost 30% to $385.8 billion in 2021, that is still $351 billion less than before the pandemic struck. The cruise industry remains the worst-hit sector of the global travel and tourism market. In 2021, the global cruise revenues are set to reach only $6.6 billion, or 76% less than in 2019. The hotel industry follows with a $132.3 billion in revenue and 64% drop in two years. Although millions of tourists decided to go on a vacation in the 2021 season, statistics show the combined revenues of the two sectors will remain $258 billion below the pre-pandemic levels.

Deal activity in the travel and tourism sector still remains inconsistent.June showed some signs of recovery following a decline during the past few months.The rebound in deal activity could not be sustained for long. A total of 69 deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions [M&A], private equity, and venture financing) were announced in the global travel and tourism sector during July 2021, which is a decline of 6.8% over 74 deals announced during the previous month. Travel and tourism deal-making activity down almost 7% in July Deal activity in the travel and tourism sector still remains inconsistent. While June showed some signs of recovery following a decline during the past few months, the rebound in deal activity could not be sustained for long with July again reversing the trend. This could be attributed to prevailing travel restrictions and unfavorable market conditions for the sector in some countries. The announcement of private equity and M&A deals decreased by 58.3% and 4.7% during July compared to the previous month, respectively, while the number of venture financing deals registered a growth of 21.1%. Deal activity remained at the same level in key markets such as the USA, the UK and China, while India and Australia witnessed an improvement in deal activity. Meanwhile, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands experienced a decline in deal activity in July as compared to last month.

Betting on leisure travel could help Air France to recover quicker.Airline must focus on high-volume leisure routes.Travelers looing to escape their lockdown locations. Air France’s bet on leisure routes could catalyze a quicker recovery for the carrier as outbound leisure travel in France increased to 74.3% in 2020, despite restrictions severely reducing the total number of outbound trips. Leisure travel is a safe bet for Air France The industry experts note that, with business travel demand suppressed, the airline must focus on serving high volume leisure routes and upsell premium cabins to high budget travelers to support a strong recovery. Pre-pandemic, outbound leisure travel from France accounted for 72.1% of international trips in 2019. The increase in 2020 highlights that leisure demand is likely to be one of the most prevalent reasons for travel in the immediate recovery period as travelers look to escape their lockdown locations. Furthermore, industry experts forecast that outbound leisure trips from France will see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9% between 2021 and 2025, reaching 34 million international leisure trips by 2025. This shows the potential the leisure market holds and that Air France’s focus on leisure routes will put the carrier in a stronger position. The introduction of Muscat, Zanzibar, and Colombo, as well as more flights to Miami and Papeete (Tahiti), all leisure-focused destinations, reaffirm the carrier’s bet on leisure travel’s strong rebound. Air France has announced the extension into winter of what are typically summer-only flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Seville, Las Palmas, Palma de Mallorca, Tangier, Faro, Djerba, and Krakow. By extending these routes to typically warmer destinations in winter (other than Krakow), Air France is reaffirming its expectation that familiar, leisure-focused destinations will be in demand. A live poll showed that 41% of global respondents will likely opt for international trips to the same destinations they used to visit pre-COVID when restrictions ease. Given that these routes were available pre-COVID, they could benefit from the increased desire among travelers to visit familiar destinations. This is a smart move by Air France as it benefits from additional revenue by satisfying the current market sentiment. According to a live poll, 28% of global respondents have revealed that their travel budget has increased either ‘slightly’ or ‘a lot’ since the start of the pandemic. These consumers should be a prime target for Air France’s long-haul business class. The carrier’s focus on some luxury-orientated long-haul leisure destinations this winter will present ample opportunity to upsell the business class experience to leisure travelers, especially those with a higher budget. Pre-COVID business travelers were the backbone of premium revenue, but with demand down, leisure travelers must be the prime target. Business class should be promoted by Air France as a luxury start and/or end to a holiday. By upselling to leisure flyers, the carrier could mitigate against the loss of business demand, protecting against the loss of revenue.

US travel mask mandate extended through January 2022.US Travel issues statement on TSA extension of the mask mandate.universal wearing of masks is an effective safeguard against spreading the virus and boosts public confidence in traveling. U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the Transportation Security Administration’s extension of the mask mandate through January 2022: “Extending the federal mask mandate for travel makes sense for the current health environment and has the travel industry’s full support. US Travel: Federal mask mandate extension makes sense “The universal wearing of masks in airports and on airplanes, trains and other forms of public transportation is both an effective safeguard against spreading the virus and boosts public confidence in traveling—both of which are paramount for a sustained economic recovery.”

US government to extend public transportation mask mandate.US travelers are required to wear masks on planes, trains, busses.Current TSA transportation mask mandate expires on September 14, 2021. According to the latest report, US government is planning to extend the public transport mask mandate for travelers on airplanes, trains and buses and at airports and train stations through January 18, 2022. US travel mask mandate to be extended through mid-January 2022 The current TSA transportation mask mandate runs through September 13, 2021 and requires the use of face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation. It requires face masks to be worn by all travelers on airplanes, ships, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares and at transportation hubs such as airports, bus or ferry terminals, train and subway stations, and seaports. All major American air carriers were informed of the planned extension on a call with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today, and a separate call with aviation unions is planned for Wednesday, the industry sources say. US public transportation mask mandate has been the source of numerous problems, primarily aboard the airlines, where some passengers have refused to wear masks. The Federal Aviation Administration said on today that it has received reports from airlines of 2,867 passengers refusing to wear a mask since January 1, 2021. The CDC in June made a minor tweak to its rules, saying it would no longer require travelers to wear masks in outdoor transit hubs and in outdoor spaces on ferries and buses. According to CDC officials, the transit mask mandates have been effective in address ingongoing COVID-19 risks.

Plane crashes near Moscow.New Russian military transport plane burns and crashes on first flight.No survivors in Moscow plane crash. New Russian transport plane has crashed during a test flight as it attempted attempted to land at the Kubinka air base just outside of Moscow, killing all three people on board. Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board The plane missed the landing stripe by 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) and exploded upon its collision with the ground. [embedded content] Prototype plane crashes in Russia killing all people on board According to preliminary data, the crash was caused by a fire in the right-wing engine of the plane. The plane’s developer, United Aircraft Corporation, has confirmed the accident, saying that before the prototype plane crashed, the aircraft’s right engine went on fire, causing the Il-112V to tilt to the right side. The aircraft began to lose speed before flipping over and falling to the ground near Kubinka air base. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) reported that the plane was piloted by chief pilot of the Ilyushin Aircraft Company, 1st-class test pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolai Kuimov, 1st-class test pilot Dmitry Komarov and 1st-class test flight engineer Nikolai Khludeyev. Rostec, the parent company of the United Aircraft Corporation, announced that it would create a commission to investigate the accident, noting that it is still in its experimental stage. According to a source in the law enforcement, the bodies of all three crew members of Russia’s latest Ilyushin Il-112V plane have been recovered. An aviation industry source said that the crew of the lyushin Il-112V were trying to save the plane until the very last moment and steered the aircraft away from residential buildings. 

Gen Z is the most adventurous generation with more than half (51%) planning international trips and 37% domestic.Gen X is more hesitant with 33% not having traveled to another city in more than a year.Safety remains top of mind across all generations, with a little more than half of respondents from each generation saying it is their top concern surrounding travel plans. New study reveals American travel is at the top of everyone’s mind, although generations are divided in their approach to travel plans. There are certain elements of travel and planning Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X agree on – safety concerns, the annoyance of budgeting and a desire for more outdoor adventures. Travel plans: Where Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X clash and where they align? However, there are divisions amongst these groups – how far they are looking to go, frequency of travel, budget and what they are willing to spend more money on for their trips. As Americans Look Forward to Travel, Millennials and Gen X Stay Closer to Home While Gen Z Looks International Americans have been in quarantine awaiting the day travel restrictions ease and they can begin planning getaways again. The majority of respondents across generations (70%) have started planning their vacations, but where people are going varies.Gen Z is the most adventurous generation with more than half (51%) planning international trips and 37% domestic.The top international cities for U.S. travelers include San Juan, Dubai, Cyclades and Paris.Gen Z travelers can make the most of their favorite overseas destinations with unforgettable experiences such as a bioluminescent bay boat and hot springs tour in San Juan, desert safari in Dubai, volcanic islands cruise in Cyclades and a French macarons baking class in Paris.Nearly half of Millennials (48%) and more than half of Gen Xers (61%) are planning to stay domestic. 35% of Millennials and 20% of Gen Xers are looking to go international.Gen Z and Millennials have been taking advantage of travel restrictions lifting – 37% of Gen Zers and 34% of Millennials traveled to another city in the last month. On the other hand, Gen X is more hesitant with 33% not having traveled to another city in more than a year. All generations are most looking forward to traveling to the beach – ranking it first, above mountains, cities and countryside. The desired beaches of Miami and San Diego are likely what landed those locations in the top four U.S. cities for Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X.In addition to the beach, Gen Z and Millennials are also excited to explore new cities – the places they plan to visit within the U.S. include New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and San Diego.Gen X is looking to plan a visit to New York City, Miami, San Diego and Washington, D.C.

Taliban cancels all departures from Kabul airport.Kabul International Airport departures “temporarily suspended”.All flights were recommended to not fly over Afghanistan. Taliban representatives announced today that the departure of all flights from Kabul International Airport was “temporarily suspended” until further notice. Taliban halts all flights from Kabul International Airport According to local reports, Taliban units have come in direct proximity to the airport and fired several warning shots to disperse the people that have flocked there. Earlier, all commercial flights from the Kabul airport were cancelled, while all transiting planes were recommended to reroute and not fly over Afghanistan. On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the situation in the airport was calming down. On August 15, the Taliban moved into Kabul and imposed full control over the city in a matter of hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down, as he said, to avoid bloodshed and fled the country. Western countries are evacuating their nationals and embassy staffers.

“Airspace over Afghanistan is declared closed, so no aircraft can operate there. Our scheduled flight to Kabul also cannot go,” an Air India spokesperson said.Yesterday, Air India Flight 243 departure from Delhi to Kabul at 8:50 am India time was slightly delayed when it left with 40 Afghan passengers on an Airbus A320.It’s a 2-hour, 5-minute flight to neighboring Afghanistan. After crossing the border on AI 243 on August 15 and the approach was expected to start, the Air India plane was ordered to hold and circle at 16,000 feet altitude for another 90 minutes before it was allowed to land. Landing can sometimes be delayed due to poor air communication in Afghanistan airspace. As Indians celebrated Independence Day on Sunday, August 15, the Taliban was creating chaos and horror in taking over Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. The people of Kabul were left in a state of panic as news broke that the Taliban had surrounded the city that day. The Afghan government was fleeing the country, and the city itself was in turmoil. Air India 243, a Star Alliance flight operated by Air India, was carrying 6 crew members and 40 passengers from Delhi to Kabul without knowing if they were going to be allowed to land even after they reached Kabul airspace. The plane was ordered to circle the sky for no apparent reason. For the next 90 minutes, Air India circled the sky at an altitude of 16,000 feet. The Air India flight had departed with extra jet fuel. The experienced pilot knew that there might be a delay in landing due to poor flight communications in Kabul airspace at times. Like the India plane, 2 more foreign planes were flying without permission to land. In addition to the Taliban taking over the city, operating an aircraft over Kabul is a bit of a challenge. Kabul airport is often “busy and tedious” pilots say. During this time of the year, flying into the city poses an extra challenge: the winds are strong and gusty. The 160-seat aircraft was piloted by Captain Aditya Chopra. Permission was finally granted at 3:30 pm local time for the plane to land. Little did the passengers and crew know, however, that the political situation in Kabul was deteriorating. Even after the plane landed, none of the crew left the cockpit, which is usually common in Kabul. After a wait of about an hour-and-a-half, the Air India flight boarded 129 passengers and departed for Delhi again. The plane was carrying India embassy staff, Afghan government officials, at least two Afghan MPs, and a senior adviser to former President Ashraf Ghani. A passenger said that he could see people at the Kabul airport in despair trying to leave. On Monday, Air India had a scheduled flight for Kabul from Delhi at 8:50 am. It first was delayed to 12:50 pm and subsequently suspended following the closure of airspace in Afghanistan after a NOTAM – Notice to Airmen, an official notice containing information on flight operations, was issued. Some passengers on the plane recounted that they could “sense the tension on the ground,” but it was not clear what it was all about. There were soldiers skirting the runways. There was also a roar of air activity: C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft and Chinook helicopters were flying in and out. And they saw civilian airplanes belonging to Pakistan (PIA) and Qatar Airways parked on the tarmac.

Alaska Airlines is accelerating its fleet growth.Alaska Airlines exercising options early on 12 Boeing 737-9 aircraft.Option aircraft are now firm commitments for 2023 and 2024. Alaska Airlines announced today it is accelerating its fleet growth by exercising options early on 12 Boeing 737-9 aircraft. The option aircraft are now firm commitments for 2023 and 2024. This additional commitment brings Alaska’s total firm 737-9 order to 93 aircraft, five of which are currently in service. Alaska Airlines brings in 12 new Boeing 737-9 jets Alaska Airlines announced a restructured agreement with Boeing in December 2020 to acquire 68 Boeing 737-9 aircraft between 2021 to 2024, with options for another 52 deliveries between 2023 and 2026. This year, the airline has exercised 25 of the options, including 13 planes in May. As part of this transaction, Alaska will add 25 options to backfill the ones that have been exercised. “We are excited to accelerate Alaska’s growth, building on our solid financial foundation that enabled us to weather the pandemic,” said Nat Pieper, Alaska Airlines senior vice president of fleet, finance and alliances. “These aircraft are a prudent, long-term investment in our business that we can make while simultaneously maintaining our strong balance sheet.” Deliveries2021202220232024TOTALOriginal Firm Order1231131268May Option Exercise––9413August Option Exercise––10212TOTAL1231321893 “Boeing continues to be a terrific partner for Alaska. We began flying our first 737-9s this past spring, and we’re extremely pleased with the operational, financial and environmental performance of the aircraft,” said Pieper. “The planes are exceeding our expectations – from how quiet the engines run to the greater range they provide – and our guests love them.” Alaska’s 737-9s are configured to carry 178 guests with 16 First Class seats and 24 Premium Class seats, which provide the most premium legroom of any other U.S. airline. 

Simon Newton-Smith named new SAA Interim Executive: Commercial.Simon Newton-Smith joins SAA executive team in Johannesburg.Simon Newton-Smith is a seasoned aviation professional with global track record. South African Airways (SAA) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of airline industry veteran, Mr. Simon Newton-Smith, in the position of SAA Interim Executive: Commercial. South African Airways announces new Interim Executive Simon joins the South African Airways’ executive leadership team in Johannesburg, South Africa with an extensive international airline background having previously joined SAA in 2000 and served as Vice President, Sales in North America, where he led the sales, trade support, group and pricing departments. He also held key leadership position with Virgin Atlantic Airways as Vice President, Sales in North America and Country Manager in South Africa, and with Qatar Airways in Doha as Senior Vice President, Commercial Strategy. South African Airways’ Interim CEO, Thomas Kgokolo, describes Simon as a seasoned aviation professional with a global track record of driving profitable revenue and adding customer value in a competitive, complex and rapidly evolving sector. Simon also adds significantly to the strength of our diverse and highly experienced executive team – all of whom are now primed and ready to take SAA forward. He brings a wealth of experience that will be a tremendous benefit to SAA and our customers and travel trade partners throughout the world. “I am thrilled to be joining SAA as it begins a new chapter in South African aviation history. This is a carrier with a rich and envied pedigree the world over and I along with the executive team will work tirelessly in our efforts to welcome back passengers, grow revenue and deliver profits”, says Mr Newton-Smith.

The one millionth passenger to arrive in Jamaica in the midst of COVID-19 was showered with gifts upon her arrival.Among the welcome gifts was a voucher, valid for one year, entitling the entire family to a 4-day 3-night all-inclusive vacation at Royalton.In the last quarter, tourism in Jamaica  has increased by 5,000% in arrivals. Daynel Williams, accompanied by four family members, exuded abundant joy as she was ushered out of the line of arriving passengers on JetBlue from New York yesterday (August 15), to be met by a team of officials, headed by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett. She was showered with gifts and heartfelt congratulations on being the millionth visitor since Jamaica reopened its borders to international air travel on June 15, 2020. All borders were closed in March 2020, cutting off all arrivals as the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19, began to take its toll. Cuddling a baby in her arms while an infant held onto her dress, Mrs. Williams was almost speechless but managed to repeat “Oh God!” as she tried to contain her joy as Minister Bartlett told her that as the millionth stopover visitor, she was now the center of international attention, facing several media representatives jostling to get close up shots of her and her family. Her mother-in-law, Jennifer Williams, a Jamaican from Oracabessa, St Mary, was overwhelmed with joy as she was moved to tears. “I’ve been travelling back and forth to Jamaica for over 30 years now and this has never happened; I am so excited, I feel like crying.” She did allow a few tears of joy to flow while adding, “I’m so elated, I’m very, very happy. I can’t express how I feel.” Among the welcome gifts was a voucher, valid for one year, entitling the entire family to a 4-day 3-night all-inclusive vacation at Royalton, presented by Regional Director of Sales for Blue Diamond Resorts International, Kerry-Ann Quallo Casserly. Speaking to the significance of the occasion, Minister Bartlett said: “This is a milestone in the tourism annals, never before, within a year and one month have we ever had one million stopover visitors coming to our country.” Prior to COVID-19 it took Jamaica close to 20 years to record its first million arrivals in a year. However, up to 2019, just before the pandemic hit, stopover and cruise arrivals combined, exceeded 4 million. Since the reopening of borders on June 15, last year, tourism has earned US$1.5 billion and just over 50,000 of the 130,000 workers who were laid off, are now back on the job. The Sangster International Airport alone has accounted for 5,000 of its 7,000 jobs being restored. Mr. Bartlett said in the last quarter, “tourism increased by 5,000 percent in arrivals” and earnings also increased significantly, “so we have no doubt as to the impact of tourism on Jamaica’s economic recovery program.” Among the welcome party along with Minster Bartlett and Mrs. Casserly, were Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association President, Clifton Reader; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MBJ Airports, Shane Munroe and President and CEO of the Airports Authority of Jamaica, Audley Deidrick.

Total international arrivals to the region declined 67% year-on-year in 2020.Region’s inbound expenditure declined by 74.1%.Forecasts for inbound tourism expenditure suggest it will not surpass pre-pandemic levels until after 2025. Destinations across North America (USA, Mexico and Canada) are at different stages of tourism development. However, one common factor is that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have been hard felt for each respective tourism economy. North American inbound tourism spend declined by 74.1% in 2020 The latest ‘Tourism Destination Market Insight: North America (2021)’ report found that total international arrivals to the region declined 67% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in 2020 and inbound expenditure by 74.1%. North America’s forecast recovery follows the general global travel consensus that domestic tourism will recover first (2022), but international arrivals will not recover until 2024. Forecasts for inbound tourism expenditure, however, suggest this will not surpass pre-pandemic levels until after 2025. COVID-19 can still be identified as the greatest threat to growth within the travel sector, and in North America this is no different. The loss of inbound tourist spending in 2020 (-74.1%) to USA, Mexico and Canada was significant. The latest forecast suggest this is not expected to fully recover until after 2025, and this will be one of the greatest factors affecting economic recovery for the region over the next few years. One of the major benefits of inbound tourism is spending, which can boost economic revenues, stimulate employment and act as a catalyst for infrastructure development. Each destination does hold a strong domestic tourism offering, but this cannot be relied upon alone to offset the collapse of international travel. Travel to North America from other destinations worldwide can be expensive. Recent survey found that 23% of global respondents have reduced their household budgets in the past year and 27% have ‘somewhat’ reduced them. Reduced budgets mean less expenditure on recreation affecting the ability to travel. Budget constraints are going to be more important in purchasing travel experiences over the next few years, which could jeopardize North America’s tourism recovery in comparison to other regions worldwide. Due to proximity, connectivity and competing low-cost carrier (LCC) operators, travel between the US, Canada and Mexico can be relatively low-cost, spurring travel across the destinations. Intraregional travel will be vital in North America’s tourism recovery. Each destination already relies heavily on neighboring destinations as important sources for economic income. From vast natural landscapes including coastal areas, national parks and mountain ranges to bustling cities full of cultural landmarks, North America benefits from a strong tourism offering. Therefore, there is a wide range of pull factors that lures visitors worldwide for leisure and business. In addition to attractive destinations to visit, its sizable VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market is also a strong feature. Collaboration between destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and government bodies will be vital to ensure economic relief for the region going forward.

Russia will end restrictions imposed on scheduled commercial and charter passenger flights from Russian Federation to the Dominican Republic, the Czech Republic and South Korea on August 27, the country’s anti-coronavirus crisis center announced in a statement today. Russia resumes flights to Czech Republic, Dominican Republic and South Korea “Following discussions and considering the epidemiological situation in certain countries, the decision was made to lift restrictions on international regular and non-regular (charter) flights from Russian airports to the Dominican Republic, South Korea and the Czech Republic starting from August 27, 2021,” the statement reads. Additionally, international flights from Surgut International Airport are resuming on August 27. According to the Russian anti-coronavirus crisis center, the number of regular flights from Russia to Hungary, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will be increased starting with August 27. The number of Moscow-Budapest flights will be boosted from four to seven a week, while one flight a week will be permitted from several other cities. The number of flights from Moscow to Larnaca and Paphos in Cyprus will also reach seven, while other Russian cities will have four flights a week. Seven flights a week will be operated from Moscow to Bishkek and Dushanbe. Moreover, several Russian cities will be cleared to have one flight a week to the Kyrgyz capital, the Tajik capital, Khujand and Kulob. The air travel with Hungary and Cyprus was reinstated in June after being severed due to the pandemic. Flights between Russia and Tajikistan resumed in April and with Kyrgyzstan back in 2020.

Flights from the air hub to Bahrain will be operated weekly on Saturdays and Mondays.On Saturdays, arrival in Domodedovo is at 14:05, departure is at 14:50.On Mondays, arrival is at 07:10, departure is at 08:00. From August 14, 2021, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain resumed regular flights from Moscow Domodedovo Airport. Gulf Air resumes flights from Bahrain to Moscow Domodedovo Airport Flights from the air hub to Bahrain will be operated weekly on Saturdays and Mondays. On Saturdays, arrival in Domodedovo is at 14:05, departure is at 14:50*. On Mondays, arrival is at 07:10, departure is at 08:00*. Gulf Air and Moscow Domodedovo Airport have been cooperating since 2014. In September 2017, the flights were increased to be daily due to the success of the route. In March 2019, flights to Bahrain were discontinued because of the closure of international air traffic due to Covid-19. Since the beginning of its partnership with Domodedovo Airport, Gulf Air has performed 2,732 take-off and landing operations and transported 180,000 passengers on the specified route. Bahrain route is unique for the Moscow aviation hub, this air line provides a wide range of various destinations of one of the largest route networks in the Middle East. Gulf Air is a state-owned airline and the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, the airline operates scheduled flights to 52 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Its main hub is Bahrain International Airport. * departure / arrival time is indicated in Moscow time

Desperate Afghan civilians interrupt military evacuation.Some of the people killed had clung to a US military transport plane as it took off.US troops struggled to hold back the crowds overnight, and reports surfaced of gunfire and stampeding breaking out. Seven Afghan civilians have been killed at Kabul airport mayhem, including some people who fell from a departing American transport aircraft, and all flights out of the Afghan capital have been interrupted by crowds on the runway, US officials in Kabul report. Throughout Sunday night, US troops brought in to protect the evacuation of American diplomats and workers struggled to keep hordes of desperate Afghans off the runway at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai Airport, now the only lifeline between Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the outside world. Seven killed in Kabul airport chaos as all commercial flights cancelled Some of the people killed had clung to a US military transport plane as it took off, but fell to their deaths shortly after takeoff plunging to their deaths. Commercial flights out of Kabul were suspended on Sunday, but droves of desperate Afghans crowded onto the airport’s single runway regardless, in a last-ditch bid to catch a flight out of the Afghan capital. American troops struggled to hold back the crowds overnight, and reports surfaced of gunfire and stampeding breaking out.

Russian firefighting plane crashed in Turkey today.The plane apparently was unable to gain altitude after dumping water onto wildfire.So far, no information on potential cause of crash has emerged. Russian Beriev Be-200 firefighting plane crashed into the mountain in Turkey’s southern region of Marash on Saturday.  Russian plane crashes into mountain in Turkey killing everyone on board Everyone on board amphibious Be-200 aircraft– the Russian pilots and Turkish officials – has been killed. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, there were five Russian servicemen and three Turkish officials on board the plane. The plane crashed shortly after releasing water on one of raging Turkish wildfires. The aircraft was apparently unable to gain sufficient altitude after dumping its load, and crashed into the mountain. So far, no information on the potential cause of the crash has emerged. The Russian military has already dispatched a team of investigators to Turkey to examine the site of the crash. A handful of firefighting aircraft have been sent to Turkey by Russia to assist the nation in its struggle with wildfires, which have plagued it in recent weeks. According to local media reports, the crashed Be-200 was attached to the Adana firefighting department.

New measures were adopted by the Prefecture of Martinique on Monday, August 9.Martinique announced reinforced lockdown starting Tuesday, August 10, at 7:00 pm.Martinique Tourism Authority has specified that sanitary conditions are no longer met for stays in optimal conditions. New measures were adopted by the Prefecture of Martinique on Monday, August 9, establishing reinforced lockdown in Martinique for a period of 3 weeks, starting Tuesday, August 10, at 7:00 p.m. Martinique goes on lockdown, tells tourists to leave In view of the situation, the Prefecture of Martinique has recommended that vulnerable and unvaccinated tourists not continue their stay. The Martinique Tourism Authority has specified that sanitary conditions are no longer met for stays in optimal conditions. However, accommodation establishments will not be closed administratively during this period of lockdown. Visitors will therefore to have time if they wish to consider what to do, while complying with the new sanitary measures in force. The Martinique Tourism Authority is mobilized to respond to visitors’ requests for information and to provide assistance for their departure from the island. Hotels and vacation rental platforms are offering flexible, no-cost deferral and cancellation terms tailored to this crisis. In addition, the four main airlines that serve Martinique at this moment (Air France, Air Caraïbes, Corsair and Air Belgium) have revised their flight plans to help French and Belgian holidaymakers organize their departure in the coming days. Air Caraïbes will provide up to three round trips per day between Fort-de-France and Paris. On the Air France side, three flights per day will be operated on August 11 and 12 from Fort-de-France, then two flights per day from August 13 to 15. As of Wednesday, the aircraft used by the company will have a higher capacity (up to 160 additional passengers). In addition, all passengers whose return was scheduled by August 22 and who wish to return to France before August 15, will be able to reschedule their departure at no additional cost. Concerning U.S. travel to and from Martinique, American Airlines is due to resume its non-stop flights from Miami to Fort-de-France early November of this year.

Canadian government urged to further adopt recommendations of its COVID-19 advisory panel.Air Canada has advocated and continually adopted science-based measures to keep its customers and employees safe. Air Canada is committed to work with its unions and the Government of Canada to implement this new policy. Air Canada today issued the following statement in response to the Government of Canada’s announcement that federally regulated employees in the transport sector must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 31, 2021. Air Canada Ready to Implement New Vaccination Policy Since the beginning of the pandemic, Air Canada has advocated and continually adopted science-based measures to keep its customers and employees safe. This has included encouraging its employees to get vaccinated, setting up workplace clinics and supporting community vaccination programs to make vaccinations more widely accessible. Although Air Canada awaits further details about today’s announcement on mandatory vaccinations, it is a welcome step forward in the evolving measures to protect the health and safety of airline employees, customers and all Canadians. Air Canada is committed to work with its unions and the Government of Canada to implement this new policy in an effective manner with the aim of increasing safety and streamlining the application of science-based health and safety measures in a manner consistent with the Government’s COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel report of May 5, 2021. In particular, for travelers, the panel recommended: that there should be no pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated travelers; acknowledging that testing at both departure and arrival is excessive for these passengers; and that effective self-administered rapid antigen tests now available can safely replace slower and more expensive PCR testing for pre-departure tests. Air Canada also remains committed to the continued development and application of new safety measures and processes that are effective and convenient for customers as they become available. Such measures are vital to the safe restart of the air transport industry which, apart from enabling Canadians to travel freely, is also an essential driver of economic activity in Canada. 

Airline working to implement government's mandatory vaccination requirement for federally regulated airline employees by the end of October. - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News

Air service to Mexico was resumed in May 2021.Flights to the Dominican Republic were resumed in early August. Air service with Jordan and Mauritius was officially opened in July. Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot may launch flights to Mexico, Mauritius, Jordan and the Dominican Republic, airline’s CEO Mikhail Poluboyarinov said in an interview with Russian TV channel. Aeroflot Chief Executive Officer Mikhail Poluboyarinov “We also plan to open flights to Mexico, which is quite an interesting travel destination. We are planning and considering flights to the Dominical Republic, and we are considering Mauritius and Jordan as well,” Aeroflot‘s Chief Executive Officer said. Air service to Mexico was resumed in May 2021, with flights there performed only by Azur Air now. Flights to the Dominican Republic were resumed in early August, Azur Air is also the only carrier flying there now. Air service with Jordan and Mauritius was officially opened in July, though no Russian company performs flights there so far.

Duct tape has taken off as the go-to for airplane flight security where it is absolutely essential that a passenger be restrained.In just the past month alone, at least a couple of scenarios warranted the use of duct tape to secure out-of-control passengers to their seats.There may be a clue to the mystery of the seemingly recent use of duct tape onboard an passenger aircraft. American Airlines reported this week Tuesday that about an hour after take-off on a flight from Maui to Los Angeles, the airplane had to be diverted to Honolulu after a 13-year-old boy became disruptive. Witnesses say the boy tried to kick out a window next to his seat and also became physical with his own mother. Tensions started rising about an hour into the flight, causing the pilot to turn the plane around. The airline says flex cuffs were used to restrain the boy, but video also showed a flight attendant duct taping him to his seat. The flight landed safely, and passengers were put on other flights or given hotel rooms. Duct Tape: The New Flight Safety Norm Somehow, duct tape has taken off as the go-to for airplane flight security where it is absolutely essential that a passenger be restrained for the safety of every other soul onboard. It doesn’t cost hardly anything, is easily stored onboard without taking up any critical space, and it’s strong. Strong enough to keep someone seated – and if need, be quiet – during the duration of the remainder of the flight. On a comical side note, in the movie Sister Act 2, one of the students in the choral competition, Frankie, shows Sister Mary Patrick his broken zippered robe and says, “This thing ripped! Now what am I supposed to do, huh?” Sister Mary Patrick calmly answers: “Listen, don’t fret. My mother used to say that nothing is impossible as long as you carry with you a little bit of faith and a big roll of electrical tape.” She then whips out a roll of silver duct tape from her habit and pulls off a big stretch of tape as she says, “Hello!” Recent Duct Tape Incidents Let’s look back at a couple of the most recent mid-air incidents that ended safely and securely all due to the magical roll of silver duct tape. On July 12, a woman on an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte was first duct taped at the wrists and feet and then subsequently to her chair, when that was not enough to subdue her after she tried to open a door on the aircraft because she didn’t want it to go up anymore. Flight attendants one of which was also bitten tackled her to maintain the safety of the 190 passengers on board. On August 3, it was reported that Maxwell Berry, a 22-year-old Ohio man, allegedly groped the breasts of 2 flight attendants during a Frontier Airlines flight and punched a third. The flight attendants duct-taped him to his seat for the rest of the trip from Philadelphia to Miami. Berry was arrested by police upon landing on 3 counts of battery. FBI agents at the scene said they would not pursue federal felony charges. According to Frontier, the flight attendants will face their own consequences, although it is not clear for what. All the airline had to say at the time was: “The flight attendants will be, as required in such circumstances, relieved of flying, pending completion of an investigation.” A Clue to the Origins of the Duct Tape Mystery The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents Frontier’s flight attendants, wholeheartedly supported the actions of the crew. The union president, Sara Nelson, said the crew “was forced to restrain the passenger with the tools available to them onboard.” According to the union, the airline provides tape to the crew in case they need to restrain a passenger. Frontier did not answer questions about that. According to a professor of aviation management at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Jeff Price, it is “common to use duct tape to secure a person who represents a threat to the flight or others.” He explained that some flights have other restraints on board, such as flex cuffs, and said he carries both when he flies “for just such an occasion.” So it seems logical to assume that some airlines have quietly “installed” rolls of duct tape in their flight service arsenal to keep calm and safety under control while 36,000 miles up. I would suspect that there aren’t many, if any, passengers that would object to that.

Duct tape has taken off as the go-to for airplane flight security where it is absolutely essential that a passenger be restrained.In just the past month alone, at least a couple of scenarios warranted the use of duct tape to secure out-of-control passengers to their seats.There may be a clue to the mystery of the seemingly recent use of duct tape onboard an passenger aircraft. American Airlines reported this week Tuesday that about an hour after take-off on a flight from Maui to Los Angeles, the airplane had to be diverted to Honolulu after a 13-year-old boy became disruptive. Witnesses say the boy tried to kick out a window next to his seat and also became physical with his own mother. Tensions started rising about an hour into the flight, causing the pilot to turn the plane around. The airline says flex cuffs were used to restrain the boy, but video also showed a flight attendant duct taping him to his seat. The flight landed safely, and passengers were put on other flights or given hotel rooms. Duct Tape: The New Flight Safety Norm Somehow, duct tape has taken off as the go-to for airplane flight security where it is absolutely essential that a passenger be restrained for the safety of every other soul onboard. It doesn’t cost hardly anything, is easily stored onboard without taking up any critical space, and it’s strong. Strong enough to keep someone seated – and if need, be quiet – during the duration of the remainder of the flight. On a comical side note, in the movie Sister Act 2, one of the students in the choral competition, Frankie, shows Sister Mary Patrick his broken zippered robe and says, “This thing ripped! Now what am I supposed to do, huh?” Sister Mary Patrick calmly answers: “Listen, don’t fret. My mother used to say that nothing is impossible as long as you carry with you a little bit of faith and a big roll of electrical tape.” She then whips out a roll of silver duct tape from her habit and pulls off a big stretch of tape as she says, “Hello!” Recent Duct Tape Incidents Let’s look back at a couple of the most recent mid-air incidents that ended safely and securely all due to the magical roll of silver duct tape. On July 12, a woman on an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte was first duct taped at the wrists and feet and then subsequently to her chair, when that was not enough to subdue her after she tried to open a door on the aircraft because she didn’t want it to go up anymore. Flight attendants one of which was also bitten tackled her to maintain the safety of the 190 passengers on board. On August 3, it was reported that Maxwell Berry, a 22-year-old Ohio man, allegedly groped the breasts of 2 flight attendants during a Frontier Airlines flight and punched a third. The flight attendants duct-taped him to his seat for the rest of the trip from Philadelphia to Miami. Berry was arrested by police upon landing on 3 counts of battery. FBI agents at the scene said they would not pursue federal felony charges. According to Frontier, the flight attendants will face their own consequences, although it is not clear for what. All the airline had to say at the time was: “The flight attendants will be, as required in such circumstances, relieved of flying, pending completion of an investigation.” A Clue to the Origins of the Duct Tape Mystery The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents Frontier’s flight attendants, wholeheartedly supported the actions of the crew. The union president, Sara Nelson, said the crew “was forced to restrain the passenger with the tools available to them onboard.” According to the union, the airline provides tape to the crew in case they need to restrain a passenger. Frontier did not answer questions about that. According to a professor of aviation management at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Jeff Price, it is “common to use duct tape to secure a person who represents a threat to the flight or others.” He explained that some flights have other restraints on board, such as flex cuffs, and said he carries both when he flies “for just such an occasion.” So it seems logical to assume that some airlines have quietly “installed” rolls of duct tape in their flight service arsenal to keep calm and safety under control while 36,000 miles up. I would suspect that there aren’t many, if any, passengers that would object to that.

Health order requirement for proof of full vaccination for patrons of indoor public settings, including bars, restaurants, clubs and gyms goes into effect on August 20. Health order is made to protect against the continued spread of COVID-19, particularly among the unvaccinated.San Francisco’s order also creates a new proof of vaccination requirement for large events at indoor venues. The mayor of San Francisco unveiled new health order designed to protect against the continued spread of COVID-19, particularly among the unvaccinated, while keeping businesses open and helping to ensure schools remain open. Vaccination proof now mandatory for San Francisco indoor businesses Mayor London Breed announced today that San Francisco will require businesses in certain high-contact indoor sectors to obtain proof of vaccination from their patrons and employees for them to go inside those facilities. Additionally, new city order creates a new proof of vaccination requirement for large events at indoor venues, requiring attendees who are aged 12 or older at events with 1,000 people or more to provide proof of vaccination. “We know that for our city to bounce back from the pandemic and thrive, we need to use the best method we have to fight COVID-19 and that’s vaccines,” said Breed. Previously, state and local rules required proof of vaccination or testing to attend indoor mega-events with 5,000 people or more. New health order requirement for proof of full vaccination for patrons of indoor public settings, including bars, restaurants, clubs and gyms goes into effect on August 20. To preserve jobs while giving time for compliance, the proof of vaccination requirement for staff goes into effect on October 13 for employees, according to the announcement. The vaccination requirements for indoor events, both private and public, that have 1,000 people or more in attendance go into effect on August 20.