United Airlines‘ passengers will soon have access to virtual, on demand customer service at the airline’s hubs, giving people an easy, contact-free option to get real-time information and support. Customers can access “Agent on Demand” on any mobile device to call, text or video chat live with an agent and get answers on everything from seat […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments to add market stimulation measures to the support they are giving to keep aviation financially viable. Such measures would encourage travel while systematic testing protocols enable a safe re-opening of borders.    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have helped airlines survive the crisis […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the recovery of passenger demand continued to be disappointingly slow in October.    Total demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 70.6% compared to October 2019. This was just a modest improvement from the 72.2% year-to-year decline recorded in September. Capacity was down 59.9% […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

This month is the launch of the World Tourism Network (WTN) Born from the popular rebuilding.travel discussion World Tourism Network is the long-overdue voice of small and medium-size travel and tourism businesses around the world. By uniting efforts, WTN brings to the forefront the needs and aspirations of small and medium-sized businesses and their Stakeholders. […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

WestJet today announced it has collaborated with LifeLabs in British Columbia to offer State of Hawaii-approved pre-departure testing. A negative COVID-19 test within 72-hours of departure will exempt the guest from the state’s required 14-day quarantine. “WestJet is pleased to facilitate pre-departure travel testing in British Columbia for the start of our Hawaii flying,” said […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Brazilian GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. announced to the market, in compliance with article 156, paragraph 4, of Law No. 6.404/76 and CVM Rule No. 358, of January 3, 2002, the following: Corporate Merger Proposal GOL, jointly with Gol Linhas Aéreas S.A., sent a letter today to the Board of Directors of Smiles Fidelidade S.A. […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Discover Qatar, the destination management subsidiary of Qatar Airways, has announced the launch of its very first expedition cruise series, which will offer guests an awe-inspiring experience while travelling in luxury and comfort around Qatar’s coastline. The cruises, which are designed for seasoned and adventurous travelers, provide a unique opportunity to observe the largest gathering […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

German airline Lufthansa intends to reduce its foreign staff by 20,000 people by the end of this year. The carrier is also selling its LSG division, which deals with in-flight catering, which employs 7,500 people. All Lufthansa’s subsidiaries – Eurowings, Swiss, Austrian and Brussels Airlines are reducing the frequency of flights, fleet and personnel, in […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Airbus’ 2020 gross orders totaled 381 aircraft by 30th November, with net orders of 297. The Company registered no new orders during November 2020. Airbus delivered a total of 64 aircraft in November to 31 customers. These included the first A320neo to Sky Express. Total number of deliveries for 2020 stands at 477 deliveries to […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) today reported the following consolidated airline ticketing volume variances, compared to the same period in 2019. These totals represent sales generated by U.S. travel agencies* and processed through the ARC settlement system. Data figures are for the seven days ending December 6, 2020. Tickets Issued for All Itineraries:   7-Day Period […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) jointly called on governments to follow the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) guidelines to exempt crews from COVID-19 testing that is applied to air travelers. The CART guidelines specifically recommend that crew members […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has joined the £65 million Digital Aviation Research and Technology Center (DARTeC) consortium, due to open next year at Cranfield University in the UK. As the first airline to join the DARTeC consortium and a leading industry innovator, Etihad’s expertise across the fundamental fields of […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

United Airlines Holdings, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously adopted a tax benefits preservation plan (the Plan) to preserve and protect the Company’s ability to use its large net operating loss carryforwards (NOLs) and other tax assets under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code). The Plan is similar […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Trans-Atlantic partners Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines are launching COVID-tested flights from Atlanta to Amsterdam, effective Dec. 15. The airline partners have worked with the Dutch government, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to deliver a comprehensive COVID-19 testing program that will allow eligible customers to be exempt from quarantine […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Philippines’ airline, Cebu Pacific, introduced Test Before Boarding (TBB), so passengers can undergo antigen COVID-19 testing conveniently at the airport just before their flight. A first-of-its-kind in the Philippine, TBB aims to reduce the risk of infection between testing and boarding, finding infected passengers in a timelier manner.  Only passengers with negative antigen test results […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

S7 Airlines and Moscow Domodedovo Airport looked into how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced digital passenger services, paying particular attention to contactless check-in and pre-boarding identification procedures. Studies show that in November 62,6% of passengers opted for online check-in on S7 Airlines flights at Domodedovo Airport, a 10,3% year-over-year rise. Moreover, one out of five […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Boeing and Ryanair announced today that Europe’s largest airline is placing a firm order for 75 additional 737 MAX airplanes, increasing its order book to 210 jets. Ryanair again selected the 737 8-200, a higher-capacity version of the 737-8, citing the airplane’s additional seats and improved fuel efficiency and environmental performance. “Ryanair’s board and people […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

US consumer protection group FlyersRights today published the following letter to the four U.S. operators of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft: December 3, 2020  Chairman and CEO Doug Parker American Airlines Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly  Southwest Airlines Chairman Oscar Munoz and CEO Scott Kirby United Airlines Chairman and CEO Bradley Tilden  Alaska Airlines To […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Heathrow has announced it is exploring a proposal to implement a Forecourt Access Charge (FAC) for vehicles in late 2021 to prevent a car led airport recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The charge, expected to be around £5, is part of several revisions to the airport’s surface access plan as a result of the near […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Routes Americas will return to the US in 2022, with San Antonio in Texas selected as the host of the 15th annual route development forum following a competitive bidding process. The event, which is held in a different location each year, will bring together airlines, airports and tourism authorities to discuss air service strategy and future networks. […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Delta Air Lines is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep international customers informed of potential COVID-19 exposure through contact tracing. Along with our nine global airline partners, we are working with government agencies, health officials and aviation authorities to offer safer travel at every point in your journey. Beginning Dec. […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Lufthansa is recording a sharp rise in intercontinental and intra-European bookings for the upcoming Christmas and New Year travel season. Last week, up to 400 percent more people booked destinations overseas as well as Southern and Northern Europe than in the previous week. Particularly in demand were flight destinations in South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg), […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

This week the US Department of Transportation released their final ruling regarding service animals on airplanes. A service animal is defined as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Volaris, the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, reports November 2020 preliminary traffic results, with a strong recovery in ASMs and healthy load factor. We believe that Volaris is set to lead the way for a post COVID-19 recovery among all carriers in North America. Volaris’ ultra low-cost structure has given […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Embraer‘s newly published 2020 Commercial Market Outlook examines passenger demand for air travel and new aircraft deliveries over the next 10 years with special emphasis on Embraer’s product segment – aircraft up to 150 seats. The report identifies emerging trends that will influence growth, factors shaping future airline fleets, and the regions of the world […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Qatar Airways announced that it will resume three-weekly flights to Tokyo Haneda, Japan from 11 December 2020. Services to the capital city of Japan will be operated by the modern, Boeing 77W offering 42 flatbed seats in Business Class, and 312 seats in Economy Class. The airline also currently operates seven-weekly flights between Tokyo Narita […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

In December 2019, Lufthansa Group and gategroup concluded a purchase agreement for the European operations of LSG Group. This accounts for about one third of LSG Group’s total business. gategroup now meets all requirements of the European Commission. Thus, the purchase agreement could now be executed, the so-called “Closing” has taken place. Both parties have […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

FlyArystan, the LCC division of the Air Astana Group, is the first carrier to operate services from Nur-Sultan to Turkistan in southern Kazakhstan. Air Astana Group President, Peter Foster, the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee, Talgat Lastayev, Deputy Oblast Akim, Arman Zhetpisbay, and the Chairman of YDA Group, Huseyin Arslan and Deputy chairman of […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Saudi Arabia’s government has officially agreed to let Israeli commercial flights cross its airspace on their way to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The agreement was reached on Monday evening, just hours before Israel’s first commercial flight between Tel Aviv and Dubai scheduled for Tuesday morning. The Israir Airlines flight risked cancelation before Saudi Arabia granted long-sought overflight […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Luxaviation UK, a private jet charter and management company, is expanding the company’s managed fleet with the addition of a brand new aircraft – Cirrus Aircraft Vision Jet. Based in Milan (Italy), the single-engine jet will be the first Luxaviation UK aircraft on the Guernsey Registry. Luxaviation UK managing director George Galanopoulos says: “Business jet […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Since the end of August, all fares of Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings can be rebooked as often as desired free of charge. Originally, this fare offer was valid for (re-)bookings until the end of the year. Now the offer to the customer is being extended: all airline fares can now be […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

United is inviting MileagePlus members to give back on Giving Tuesday and throughout the holiday season by donating miles to nearly 40 non-profits through United Airline’s crowdsourcing platform, Miles on a Mission. Non-profits like Thurgood Marshall College Fund, College to Congress and Compass to Care are attempting to raise a total of more than 11 million miles to be used for travel for life-saving health care, continued education, humanitarian aid and […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

On November 30, Emirates performed its first ЕК 131 flight as a part of the renewed flight schedule on the route Dubai (DXB) – Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) – Dubai (DXB). With additional flights, Emirates will commence daily services to Dubai. Due to the rising demand for flights to the United Arab Emirates, the carrier […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

A new rule issued late last Friday during a holiday weekend by the U.S. Department of Transportation, codifying its longstanding definitions for the terms “unfair” and “deceptive” when the Department uses its statutory authority to prohibit unfair or deceptive practices by airlines or ticket agents, will make it more difficult for the agency to protect […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The results of pre-departure testing trials carried out by four of Heathrow’s transatlantic carriers – American Airlines, British Airways, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic – will be brought together by a study commissioned by the airport to demonstrate the effectiveness of pre-departure testing for passengers on international routes. The final report will be shared with […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) today reported the following consolidated airline ticketing volume variances, compared to the same period in 2019. These totals represent sales generated by U.S. travel agencies* and processed through the ARC settlement system. Data figures are for the seven days ending November 29, 2020.   Tickets Issued for All Itineraries:   7-Day […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The officials of China Southern Airlines announced today that the carrier launched new direct flight from the city of Wuhan in central China to Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad. According to the airline’s local branch in Hubei Province, the first flight, operated by a Boeing 787, departed with 143 passengers at 9 a.m. Monday, carrying […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Flying from the US or Russia to Turkey is no problem. Many of the Turkish Airlines flights from US gateways leave with good loads. It’s because both Americans and Turkish authorites don’t really care. Getting teeth or hair implants is the official reason for many American and Russian visitors, such services are available for a […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Today marked the launch of the WestJet-YVR COVID-19 Testing Study, a collaborative effort between researchers from UBC and Providence Health Care and project sponsors WestJet and Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR). The study—the first of its kind in Canada—is investigating a method of COVID-19 rapid testing to help inform the safest and most efficient way of […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

JetBlue’s inaugural flight from Newark, New Jersey, landed in St. Maarten on Saturday, November 21st. St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) representatives were present to welcome the arriving passengers and crew with tokens of appreciation. A plaque was also given to JetBlue representatives on behalf of the government and people of St. Maarten to commemorate the […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Emirates is re-opening its lounges around the world beginning with the Emirates lounge in Cairo International Airport. In the coming weeks, Emirates’ customers can look forward to once again enjoying Emirates lounge services in other destinations including New York’s JFK International and Manchester Airport. The airline has redesigned its lounge offering and introduced additional health […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The Worldwide Airport Slot Board (WASB), comprising Airports Council International (ACI World), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the Worldwide Airport Coordinators Group (WWACG) released a joint recommendation for airport slot use relief for the northern summer 2021 season. The organizations called on regulators worldwide to temporarily adopt more flexible slot rules in line […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Boeing‘s troubled 737 MAX jet could be cleared within weeks to return to European skies after a nearly two-year grounding over two deadly crashes in which 346 people have lost their lives. European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published a proposed Boeing 737 MAX airworthiness directive this week that opens a 28-day public consultation period […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

Delta Air Lines, the Aeroporti di Roma and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have joined in a first-of-its-kind trans-Atlantic COVID-19 testing program that will enable quarantine-free entry into Italy, in accordance with a decree expected to be issued soon by the government of Italy. “Carefully designed COVID-19 testing protocols are the best path for resuming international […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

November 25, 2020  FlyersRights filed a Reply in its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case against the FAA. (Flyers Rights Education Fund v. FAA, (D.D.C. CV-19-3749 (CKK)). FlyersRights.org seeks the public disclosure of a limited set of documents related to the changes and testing of the Boeing 737 MAX to enable independent experts to evaluate […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched the Aviation Carbon Exchange (ACE), an important new tool to help airlines meet their climate commitments.   ACE is the first centralized, real-time marketplace that is integrated with the IATA Clearing House (ICH) for the settlement of funds on trades in carbon offsets. IATA’s Clearing House ensures that […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on governments worldwide to support the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a critical step to achieving its target to cut net emissions to half 2005 levels by 2050. This target was reinforced by a resolution at IATA’s 76th Annual General Meeting yesterday which also commits the […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

87% of US respondents in the latest travel industry survey in November said they are concerned about restrictions on socializing with friends and family. This is particularly significant on the eve of Thanksgiving, a celebration which many had hoped would spur domestic travel. Domestic tourism has been referred to as the ‘lifeline’ for tourism recovery […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data revealing that the COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating impact on international connectivity, shaking up the rankings of the world’s most connected cities.   London, the world’s number one most connected city in September 2019, has seen a 67% decline in connectivity. By September 2020, it had fallen […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online

An exclusive partnership designed to help airports recover from the most challenging period the aviation industry has ever faced has been signed by Routes and Airports Council International (ACI) World. The formal agreement between the two organizations will provide platforms and guidance for airports at a world level, recognizing the vital role they will play […] - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News Online