Aviation News

New Direct Flight from Almaty to Tel Aviv on Air Astana

Harry Johnson — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 15:45:24 +0000

Air Astana has opened ticket sales for a new direct flight from Almaty to Tel Aviv, Israel, which will be operated twice weekly by Airbus A321LR starting in September. This service represents an expansion of the airline’s route network in a new direction and provides the first direct air service between Kazakhstan and Israel.

The flight will depart Almaty at 04:30 and arrive in Tel Aviv at 08:15 on Thursdays, whilst on Sundays, it will depart at 04:10 with arrival at 07:55. Return flights will be operated at 09:30 with arrival in Almaty at 18:20. All times local. The duration of the flights will be 6 hours 45minutes outbound and 5hours 50 minutes inbound to Almaty.

The city of Tel Aviv is famous for its sandy beaches along the Mediterranean Sea and offers tourists a unique blend of culture, architecture, history, entertainment and cuisine.

“We are delighted to offer our passengers the opportunity to take advantage of the new Air Astana service to Tel Aviv and discover a unique country in the Middle East,” said Adel Dauletbek, Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “Tel Aviv is an exciting city with limitless opportunities for tourism and new discovery. The high level of comfort and quality of service on our flights will make this journey unforgettable.”

Booking tickets for the new service is now open on the airline’s official website, at ticket sales offices, accredited agencies and in the Booking and Information Center. Kazakhstan citizens require a visa to enter Israel.

Pittsburgh Airport Launches TrashBot

Harry Johnson — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 14:29:56 +0000

eTurboNews:

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and CleanRobotics announced a partnership to implement AI recycling bin TrashBot to assist with the airport’s waste management initiatives.

As part of PIT’s commitment to supporting innovative aviation technologies, TrashBot will join the facility to sort passenger waste and recyclables with 96% accuracy.

TrashBot is a smart bin that sorts waste at the point of disposal while gathering data and delivering education to users. Through AI and robotics, TrashBot’s technology identifies and sorts the item into its corresponding bin, reducing contamination and recovering more recyclables. TrashBot is ideal for high-traffic areas where contamination inhibits successful recycling and composting. For airports, TrashBot can significantly influence waste diversion rates and educate a traveling population, driving long-term sustainable impact.

“TrashBot’s implementation at PIT Airport, and the work we do together, embodies how AI and robotics can transform waste management and sustainability practices within airports. We’re eager to see how TrashBot and associated waste data can support and advance PIT’s commitment to solving operational challenges through innovation,” said CleanRobotics CEO Charles Yhap.
The project is facilitated by PIT’s xBridge Innovation Center.

Launched in 2020, xBridge is PIT’s proving ground for technologies and startups that solves for needs in today’s airports and tests and incubates strategic technologies for the future. The proof-of-concept and pilot site showcases new technologies in a real-world operating environment. The xBridge is designed to capitalize on and grow the region’s powerful tech economy right at the airport for the aviation industry and beyond. xBridge has partnered with firms ranging from global Fortune 500 companies to local start-ups for projects that have tackled air purification, deployed robotic floor scrubbers, and applied artificial intelligence to security wait times.

“The TrashBot is an innovative product that fits right into our vision of a more sustainable future,” said Cole Wolfson, xBridge Director. “Bringing AI and robotics into a sector like waste management, which affects the entire aviation industry, and giving us the ability to dramatically upgrade our recycling efforts is a game-changer. We’re really proud of this partnership with CleanRobotics.”

A mission-driven company, CleanRobotics disrupts waste management by applying AI- and data-driven solutions to recycling programs. The CleanRobotics team believes that sorting waste accurately at the source will ensure more recoverable materials are diverted from landfills.

New Doha to Trabzon, Turkey Flight on Qatar Airways

Harry Johnson — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 20:35:14 +0000

eTurboNews:

Qatar Airways today landed its inaugural flight to the Turkish city of Trabzon. The non-stop service is operating with the Airbus A320 aircraft three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The new route expands Qatar Airways’ footprint in Türkiye and strengthens its global network of more than 160 destinations.

Onboard QR319, the flight was celebrated by the attendance of the Ambassador of The Republic of Türkiye in Qatar, His Excellency Dr. Mustafa Goksu. Special celebrations took place in Premium and Economy Cabins, where passengers were welcomed with special Turkish desserts, and experienced a bespoke menu in addition to being presented with unique giveaways that embrace the Turkish culture.

The aircraft was welcomed with a water cannon salute upon landing, where a short airport ceremony took place which was attended by the Governor of Trabzon, Mr. İsmail Ustaoğlu. Passengers were handed red roses and Turkish baklava and enjoyed a dance performance by a traditional folk group.

Trabzon is Qatar Airways’ seventh destination in Türkiye, with the airline also operating to Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Istanbul, and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. Located in the Northeast of Turkey, Trabzon is celebrated for its rich history, cultural offerings, and beautiful Black Sea coastline. The city boasts an array of natural and historic wonders, including the Sumela Monastery, Uzungol Lake, and the stunning Trabzon Hagia Sophia Museum.

With this new route, Qatar Airways passengers will have the opportunity to explore Trabzon’s diverse offerings with ease and convenience. From sports activities, to hiking mountains and family getaways, Trabzon presents something unique to all travellers.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Trabzon is an exciting and important new route for Qatar Airways, which solidifies our strong commitment to Türkiye and delivers on the high demand for connectivity between Doha and Trabzon. Reaffirming our commitment to the strong partnership between Qatar and Turkey, Qatar Airways’ network in Türkiye has expanded to 58 weekly flights during the peak summer season. We look forward to bringing travellers to Trabzon from the Gulf region and beyond, through an unrivalled travel experience through our home, the outstanding Hamad International Airport.”

Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Qatar, His Excellency Dr. Mustafa Goksu, said: “We are proud of the ongoing demand from the State of Qatar to The Republic of Türkiye, evident in Qatar Airways operations to not only one, but seven different airports.

“I am pleased to join the airline in its celebration today, and I know that my country will offer a world-class and unforgettable experience to all passengers coming to Trabzon, and I would like to express my sincere appreciation for being part of this memorable moment.”

Qatar Airways will service Trabzon throughout the summer season with the route operating between 16 June and 22 August 2023.

New Miami, Medellin, Lima and Atlanta flights on LATAM and Delta

Harry Johnson — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 20:16:55 +0000

eTurboNews:

LATAM group and Delta Air Lines will add four routes to their global connectivity networks, as part of the strategic JV agreement between the leading airlines in the Americas.

LATAM Airlines Colombia will introduce a new daily service between Miami and Medellin starting October 29, which will operate with Airbus 320 aircraft equipped with Premium Economy and Economy cabins. On the same day, LATAM Airlines Peru will introduce three-times weekly flights between its Lima hub and Delta’s Atlanta hub. LATAM‘s first route to the Georgia state capital will be complementary to Delta’s current daily service and will operate with Boeing 767 aircraft with Premium Business, LATAM+ and Economy cabins.

Additionally, Delta Air Lines will offer service between its Atlanta hub and Cartagena, Colombia. The route will launch Dec. 22, with three-times weekly flights with Boeing 737 aircraft with First Class, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin service. Delta also will add a second daily flight between Atlanta and Bogota, Colombia, beginning Oct. 29 with Boeing 757 aircraft offering First Class, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin service. The new routes will be available for booking beginning June 17 on delta.com and latam.com.

North and South America, closer than ever

The strategic JV agreement between LATAM group and Delta has resulted in the best connectivity networks in the industry, joining more than 120 South American destinations served by LATAM group with the more than 200 North American destinations served by Delta. The routes added to the joint network will allow to explore Atlanta, Miami, Cartagena, Bogota, Lima and Medellin, and will increase opportunities to connect to other exciting destinations on both continents. From Atlanta, Delta offers more than 780 daily flights to 143 destinations in the U.S. and Canada. From Miami, Delta offers more than 30 daily flights to 11 U.S. destinations, while the LATAM group offers 102 weekly flights from Miami to 5 cities in South America. From Medellin, the LATAM group operates 33 daily flights to 11 destinations in South America, while from Lima, the LATAM group offers more than 108 daily flights to 37 destinations in South America. From its hub in Bogota, the LATAM group offers 84 flights to 21 destinations in South America.

“The mission of Delta and LATAM group’s JV partnership is to make travel between North and certain countries in South America easier and more enjoyable, and to bring the continents closer than ever,” said Alex Antilla, Delta’s Vice President for Latin America. “We’re grateful for the response from customers who are moving over to Delta and LATAM group. These exciting new routes, combined with our loyalty benefits, will provide even more ways to discover and do business in these dynamic markets. Just as importantly, we look forward to welcoming LATAM Airlines Peru on their first Atlanta route, to facilitating more connections through Delta’s largest hub, and to attracting new visitors to the Peach State.”

“We are very happy to announce the new route between Miami and Medellin by LATAM Airlines Colombia, one of the major financial, industrial and commercial centers in Colombia. At the same time, the service between Lima and Delta’s largest hub in Atlanta by LATAM Airlines Peru, also reinforces our joint commitment to deliver more and better connection options for the customers,” said Martin St. George, Chief Commercial Officer for LATAM Airlines Group. “We will continue to work hard to elevate the experience for the passengers with internationally acclaimed service and a determined emphasis on sustainability for the skies of the Americas and the world.”

The commercial JV agreement between North and South America
Since the implementation of their strategic agreement in October 2022, the LATAM group and Delta have increased capacity by 75% and is the No. 1 JV in market share, measured in passengers, and in number of flights between New York and Los Angeles on one side and certain countries in South America. With these latest routes, the agreement has more than doubled capacity from Delta’s Atlanta hub, and nearly doubled capacity to LATAM group hubs in certain countries in South America, while offering the best experience both on the ground and in the air. The agreement applies to specific markets, offering customer benefits and faster connections to more than 300 destinations between the U.S./Canada and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay), including:

• Bogota-Orlando on July 1
• Sao Paulo-Los Angeles on Aug. 1
• Miami-Medellin on Oct. 29
• New York JFK-Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 16
• Cartagena-Atlanta on Dec. 22

LATAM Pass and Delta SkyMiles frequent flyer program members can earn and redeem points/miles and enjoy reciprocal Elite benefits when flying on each other’s services.

LATAM group and Delta continue working together behind the scenes to create a smooth travel experience for their customers. The airlines already share terminals at hub airports like New York/JFK, São Paulo/Guarulhos, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, and mutual access to 53 Delta Sky Club lounges in the United States and five LATAM Lounges in South America.

GVB Honors Airlines and Korean Consul for Typhoon Recovery

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:43:10 +0000

eTurboNews:

The GVB along with Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio and the A.B. Won Pat International Airport (GIAA), came together to recognize four of Guam’s major airlines and the Consulate of the Republic of Korea for their support during the ongoing recovery efforts associated with Typhoon Mawar.

Airline representatives from Jin Air, Jeju Air, T’way, Korean Air, and Consul In Kook Kim were awarded certificates of appreciation and a plaque at a luncheon at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa.

“We congratulate our major airlines and the Korean Consulate’s office for their outstanding commitment and fortitude as we recover from Typhoon Mawar’s impact on our community and visitor markets.”

Lt. Governor Tenorio added, “We also acknowledge the team at the Guam airport for their dedication to getting the airport open in record time so our residents and visitors could travel home safely on May 29.”

“We commend the swift actions of Consul Kim and his office to help alleviate the hardships our visitors faced during the typhoon and the valuable partnerships we have with Jin Air, Jeju Air, T’way, and Korean Air,” said GVB Acting President & CEO Gerry Perez. “Their humanitarian actions went above and beyond the call of duty to serve travelers during a challenging period and exemplified the true spirit of inafa’maolek.”

SEEN IN IMAGE: Susan Hur, Jeju Air Manager, Hyong Yi, Jin Air Manager, Ricky Hernandez, GIAA Deputy Executive Manager, Junghyun Ryu, Korean Air Guam Station Manager, Gerald S.A. Perez, GVB Vice President, Joshua Tenorio, Lt. Governor, In Kook Kim, Head of Mission, Korean Consulate of Guam, George Chiu, GVB Board Chairman, Hyunwook Kang, T’way Air, Regional Station Manager, Ho S. Eun, GVB Korea Marketing Committee Chairman, Carl T.C. Gutierrez, GVB President & CEO. – image courtesy of GVB

More news about Guam

Travel and Tourism Deal Activity Plummets 41%

Harry Johnson — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 16:36:26 +0000

eTurboNews:

The travel and tourism industry has witnessed a massive 41% year-on-year (YoY) decline in deal activity from 475 deals announced during January-May 2022 to 282* during the first five of months of 2023.

The decline in deal activity in the industry indicates dampened sentiments and cautious approach of investors. The ongoing uncertainties and impact of the geopolitical tensions, inflation and recession fears have forced deal makers to adopt a more conservative approach.

All the deal types under coverage registered decline in volume. For instance, merger and acquisitions (M&A) deals volume decreased by 43% while the number of venture financing deals and private equity deals YoY declined by 34% and 44%, respectively, during January to May 2023.

The industry also witnessed a substantial YoY decline in deal activity across most of the regions worldwide during the period.

North America experienced a decline of 48% in deals volume during January to May 2023 compared to the same period during the previous year while Europe, Asia-Pacific and South and Central America regions registered decline of 49%, 27% and 36%, respectively.

Meanwhile, deals volume for the Middle East and Africa region remained unchanged.

The US, the UK, India, France, Australia and Japan witnessed significant YoY decline of 48%, 48%, 33%, 7%, 29% and 54%, respectively, in deals volume during January to May 2023.

On the other hand, easing of travel restrictions seems to be encouraging Chinese travelers. As a result, China stood out as a notable exception and registered a 19% YoY growth in the number of deals announced during the period.

*Mergers & acquisitions, private equity, and venture financing deals.

Note: Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain.

ANA Enhances Safety with MedAire Security Solutions

Harry Johnson — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:58:54 +0000

eTurboNews:

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, has announced a partnership with international medical and security services company, MedAire Inc. (MedAire), to provide travel threat and security intelligence to its passengers and crew.

With over 200 destinations in 35 countries and an extensive domestic network, ANA’s top priority is the safety of its passengers. MedAire, a leader in aviation security solutions, will work closely with ANA’s security team to identify, assess and understand risks to flights, both in the air and on the ground.

The MedAire Portal provides advanced travel risk management resources and tools for aviation security departments to help assess and mitigate travel and safety risks. With more than 35 years of experience vetting threat data, MedAire delivers actionable advice in response to threats impacting operations.

The MedAire360 Security Portal provides a map-based interface with 360 degrees of analysis, including near real-time threat and aviation alerts, flight route visualisation, fleet tracking, airport risk assessment, airspace analysis, country and city guides and security consulting. With comprehensive security information, MedAire supports organizations with bespoke risk assessments, gap analyses and emergency response reviews.

Bill Dolny, MedAire CEO said, “We are proud to be chosen as ANA’s partner to provide world-class aviation security intelligence. Our team of experts, with military and government aviation experience, is well-equipped to guide ANA through any unanticipated risks and threats. Our goal is to deliver intel and advice in critical moments, allowing ANA to make informed decisions for their flights and passengers.”

Haru Kajiki, Vice President, Aviation Security of ANA said, “Ensuring the safety and security of our operations is the foundation of our business. Our partnership with MedAire will allow us to continue to gather the latest intelligence, data and expertise to proactively address emerging risks, and will enhance the safety and peace of mind of our customers as we expand our network.”

The partnership with MedAire is an important step in ANA’s ongoing initiative to ensure the safety and security of its passengers and crew members. With MedAire’s expertise in aviation security and team of experienced professionals, ANA is poised to make informed decisions that will keep operations running smoothly and securely. This collaboration showcases ANA’s commitment to providing the highest level of service to its customers and maintaining the highest standards in aviation safety.

Finnair Gets Runway Ready with Uniform Showcase

Harry Johnson — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:56:07 +0000

eTurboNews:

Finnair has launched a new exhibition in its home hub, Helsinki Airport, as it gets ready to take-off on its centenary journey later this year.

The stylish showcase will give customers a never-seen-before view of Finnair’s vintage uniforms from the past 100 years, as the airline reflects on its history and heritage.

These colourful vintage uniforms are a visual representation of Finnair’s colourful and successful history, evolving through time as both fashion and technology have changed.

Customers travelling back in time will also have the chance to win two return flights to a European destination of choice, by voting for their favourite Finnair classic via the provided QR code.

The new exhibition can be found at Gate 29 in the Schengen area of Helsinki Airport, and will be available until 30 November, allowing customers to travel back in time, before going back to the future.

Earlier this month, Finnair celebrated their centenary with another fashion-focused event. The airline teamed up with iconic Finnish footwear and apparel brand Karhu to design an exclusive sneaker for its ground and air crew.

The new centenary sneaker has been designed with both comfort and style in mind, and reinforces Finnair’s commitment to the well-being of its staff.

Finnair is marking its momentous 100th birthday with a year-long program of activities, involving customers, colleagues and stakeholders around the airline, and will reveal further news in due course.

Finnair Expands Summer 2024 Flights

editor — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 21:34:06 +0000

eTurboNews:

The new schedule was announced in response to demand for global travel across both Europe and Asia, and includes new routes and numerous frequency additions.

From April 2, 2024, 7 weekly flights between Helsinki and the Polish city of Wroclaw will begin. Gdansk will also return to Finnair’s European network, with a 10x weekly service from Helsinki commencing on 3March 31, 2024. Additional flights will also be added to Manchester, Edinburgh, and Dublin in 2024.

There will be 12 weekly flights between England and Helsinki direct from Manchester, and 29 from London Heathrow. From Scotland, two weekly flights to Helsinki will be added. The carrier will also increase direct flights to Helsinki from 7 to 10 weekly in summer 2024.

Finnair will also be adding additional flights to Japan. Flights from Helsinki to Osaka and Tokyo-Narita will both see an additional 2 weekly flights next summer, giving the routes 5 and 6 weekly flights respectively, in addition to Finnair’s existing daily Tokyo-Haneda service.

European connections will also be expanded, with additional frequencies to Scandinavia’s key cities, including Bergen, Billund, Stockholm, Tromso, and Trondheim. Finnair’s connection from Helsinki-Stockholm-Bergen will also be reintroduced, giving customers the option to fly direct from Stockholm to Bergen, in addition to direct Helsinki flights.

San Bernardino International Airport is Voted “Best Airport”

Harry Johnson — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 15:58:35 +0000

eTurboNews:

San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) is being recognized for its low fares, $5.00 parking, and easy-to-use service by being voted “Best Airport” in June 2023 by readers of the Inland Empire’s (IE) major newspapers: San Bernardino Sun and Redlands Daily Facts.

Receiving this top honor in the publications’ Readers’ Choice Awards is a point of pride for SBD, Southern California’s newest passenger airport.

“We truly appreciate the recognition from readers of the Inland Empire’s most important and established news organizations, the San Bernardino Sun and Redlands Daily Facts who voted SBD as the ‘Best Airport’ in our region. This welcome distinction validates what we have been hearing—that our community has embraced the ability to travel from their local airport,” said Director of Aviation Mark Gibbs.

“The SBD team—airport and airline staff, TSA, and our many other partners—continue the dedicated work of delivering an easy and affordable travel experience on a seriously nice airline that flies to places our residents and local businesses want to go,” Gibbs explained.

SBD was also voted “Favorite Airport” by readers of the Inland Valley Bulletin, another IE newspaper.

Since August 2022, SBD has been delivering passenger service with airline partner Breeze Airways. IE residents can now fly from their local airport to just about anywhere in the U.S. or the world with nonstop and one-stop flights. Breeze currently offers nonstop service from SBD to San Francisco—where travelers can take connecting flights from multiple airlines across the globe—and one-stop, BreezeThru service to Provo, UT. Nonstop flights to Las Vegas, with one-stop, BreezeThru service to Hartford, CT—a gateway to the East Coast—are also offered.

SBD has been a new and welcome choice for the region’s travelers due to its affordable fares, easy access, and inexpensive parking. New and returning passengers are discovering why SBD was voted “Best Airport” and “Favorite Airport” in the 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards: minimal freeway traffic, and $5.00 a day to park, just footsteps from the terminal.

Inside, the terminal is open and modern, security lines are short, and boarding gates are close, giving passengers time to relax at the Tarmac Lounge for lunch and catch up on work with the airport’s free Wi-Fi. Choosing SBD allows passengers to start close and travel far through their local airport.

Through May 2023, more than 45,000 happy passengers have used SBD.

Airline Groups Call for Global Alignment of Slot Regulations

Harry Johnson — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:50:06 +0000

eTurboNews:

Airline associations around the world called for governments to ensure the global alignment of airport slot regulations to safeguard the consistent, fair, and transparent allocation of slots under the Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG).

In a joint statement, the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Airlines for America (A4A), Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE), Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA), European Express Association, European Regions Airline Association (ERAA), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) set out the benefits of the WASG, which has ensured decades of stability and consistency in the application of slot management. Under the WASG, consumers have benefitted from a consistent growth in reliable schedules and expansion to new markets, while airlines and airports have seen an increase in the utilisation of scarce airport capacity.

Fragmentation of slot regulation risks disruption to airline schedules and imperils the advances in global connectivity, efficiency, competition and choice which have characterized the aviation industry in recent decades. With the number of slot-regulated airports worldwide growing steadily, it is vital that governments recognize the importance of the harmonization of slot regulations in line with the WASG.

The WASG has undergone a significant revision in recent years, with improvements to the new entrant definition to increase competition and access opportunities at congested airports. Slot performance monitoring has also been better defined to ensure optimal use of allocated slots. It is therefore important that national or regional slot regulations are aligned dynamically with the WASG so that the aviation sector and travelers can immediately benefit from these and other enhancements to the system.

The Associations also urged governments thinking of incorporating the WASG or amending existing slot regulations to work with the Worldwide Airport Slot Board, a body comprising slot experts from airlines, airports, and slot coordinators, who oversee expert revisions to the WASG. Consulting with this group of experts can ensure that governments, their economies and citizens, will continue to reap the benefits of an increasingly more interconnected, sustainable and efficient air transport network.

“The air transport industry thrives on consistent global standards. The Worldwide Airport Slot Guidelines are the unsung hero the air transport system. Because of the WASG, travelers, businesses and economies the world over have benefited from constant growth in air connectivity, strong competition, and route diversity while ensuring that utilization of scarce airport capacity also increased. Governments should align their slot rules with this global standard to benefit from better air connectivity, efficiency, and consumer choice,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The statement was issued at the 152nd Slot Conference in Dublin, Ireland. The Slot Conference attracts over 1,000 delegates, with representatives of more than 200 slot coordinated airports and 215 individual airlines.

This twice-yearly conference has been taking place since 1948 and is a significant moment in the aviation planning diary, allowing the opportunity to meet for quickfire optimization of planned schedules, while looking at new opportunities for route and network growth. The goal of the conference is for airlines to obtain the slots that will give them the best possible schedule to offer their customers at coordinated airports. The next conference will take place in Dubai, UAE, on14-17 November 2023.

New Cairo Flights from Budapest on Wizz Air

Harry Johnson — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 14:19:53 +0000

eTurboNews:

Budapest Airport has announced a boost in the gateway’s capacity to Egypt, with the confirmation of Wizz Air’s new link to Cairo. The ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) will launch a three times weekly service between the capital cities on 30 October, meaning Budapest will see its weekly capacity more than double to Cairo this winter.

While Budapest has existing connections to Cairo, the addition of the ULCC’s new service in the Egyptian market sees the first low-cost operation to Egypt’s largest city. Joining the airport’s established links to Cairo, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, the start of Wizz Air’s new link will see Budapest offer 13 flights, more than 2,400 one-way seats, to Egypt each week in W23/24.

“Wizz Air’s connection to Cairo is fantastic news for the large number of Egyptian tourists visiting us every year, and we’re thrilled to welcome the carrier’s latest addition to our route map,” enthuses Balázs Bogáts, CCO, Budapest Airport. “The announcement is just as great for the many Hungarians travelling to Egypt to experience the rich culture, heritage, and the incredible ancient architecture, as well as being the perfect setting for winter sun.”

Flown on the carrier’s fleet of 239-seat A321 Neos, the new service to Cairo will join Wizz Air’s established links to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.

Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary Ltd. is a Hungarian multinational ultra low-cost carrier with its head office in Budapest, Hungary. The airline serves many cities across Europe, as well as some destinations in North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.

Leisure Travel Demand Normalizing from Post-Pandemic Surge

Harry Johnson — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 20:04:01 +0000

eTurboNews:

Recently released US Travel biannual forecast for travel to and within the United States through 2026, shows a normalized rate of growth in the domestic leisure travel sector after months of elevated demand.

Robust domestic leisure travel demand has been the driving force in the overall industry’s post-pandemic comeback. Though the surge experienced in the last year is starting to moderate, the travel industry expects this segment to remain resilient in coming quarters.

Domestic Leisure Travel

Domestic leisure travel is expected to remain strong, but with normalized rates of growth (around 2%) in 2023 and 2024. Volume is expected to grow faster year-over-year (YOY) than inflation-adjusted spending in 2024 and beyond.

Domestic Business Travel

Both volume and spending in domestic business travel is expected to grow—albeit more slowly—largely due to economic conditions. While business travel will continue recovering, with both volume and spending at double-digit growth in 2023, it is expected that growth in inflation-adjusted spending will be slower than volume in 2024 and beyond.

Business travel volume is not expected to recover to 2019 levels until 2025, while inflation-adjusted spending is not expected to recover within the range of the forecast.

International Inbound Travel

The inbound travel forecast was upgraded due to strong demand from the Canadian market, as well as stronger expectations from key overseas markets such as Brazil. Year-over-year, inbound travel volume is projected to grow 31% in 2023 and 18% in 2024, while inflation-adjusted spending is projected to grow 34% in 2023 and 19% in 2024.

Volume in this sector is projected to recover by 2025, while inflation-adjusted spending will not recover until 2026.

Policies to Grow Travel

US Travel report cites four key federal policy areas to accelerate growth across travel sectors:

• Improve the overall air travel experience through the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill

• Lower US visitor visa interview wait times, which currently exceed an average of 500 days in top visa-requiring inbound markets

• Reduce Customs wait times at US airports and other ports of entry experiencing excessive delays

• Increase federal prioritization and focus on travel industry growth, as other countries have done

Travel is essential to growing the US economy and workforce, so the federal government must enact policies to ensure the industry is able to meet demand in coming years.

Istanbul Airport Breaks Frankfurt’s Flight Record Set in 2019

Harry Johnson — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:11:00 +0000

eTurboNews:

According to the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol), Istanbul Airport (IST) saw a 12% surge in daily traffic as football fans were returning home after attending the 2023 Champions League Final in Istanbul.

Turkey’s main air hub, which already enjoys the status of Europe’s busiest, serviced 1,684 flights last Sunday, breaking the record of 1,624 flights set by Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on September 11, 2019.

The previous three daily arrival-departure records at a European airport were all set in quick succession in 2019 before the pandemic, according to Eurocontrol.

“The former record was held by Frankfurt, overtaking, in less than a month, Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport (1,612 daily flights on 26 August 2019), which in turn replaced Madrid Barajas (1,600 daily flights on 2 June 2019),” the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation said.

There was also a significant increase in daily flows in the home cities of the Champions League finalists. Traffic at Milan Malpensa Airport, the largest international airport in northern Italy, surged 54% week-over-week. Meanwhile, Manchester Airport saw a comparatively modest increase by 5% in its daily traffic.

Last month, Turkish transportation and infrastructure minister Adil Karaismailoglu reported that Istanbul Airport broke a new record on the number of daily flights and passenger flow. On April 30, it handled 195,640 passengers aboard 1,301 flights.

Opened four and a half years ago, Istanbul’s new airport is the larger of two international hubs serving the city. It replaced the older Ataturk Airport and has developed into a busy modern air facility connecting Europe and Asia. The hub serves as the base of operations for Star Alliance carrier Turkish Airlines. On May 6, the airport announced that it had served over 200 million passengers.

Istanbul’s new airport was able to capture some of the extra demand, due to current geopolitical tensions caused by Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

Among the most popular international routes for the city are flights to London, Dubai, and Tel Aviv. Tehran flights, the most popular route, have been traveled by around six million passengers since the airport opened in 2018.

Norse Atlantic Airways: One Year of Transatlantic Flying

Harry Johnson — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:32:34 +0000

eTurboNews:

Today, Norse Atlantic Airways, the pioneering long-haul low-cost airline, is proudly celebrating the first anniversary of its inaugural flight between Oslo and New York, marking a remarkable year of connecting Europe to the US and making travel more accessible than ever before.

Since the first commercial flight 12 months ago, Norse Atlantic Airways has ramped up operations, now serving 12 destinations across Europe and the United States and employing over 1000 people across Norway, the UK, the US and Europe. In that time, the airline has flown more than 2630 flights, carrying nearly half a million passengers. Cargo operations have continued to grow throughout the year, with the airline transporting approximately 14,500 metric tonnes in total, including 4000 metric tonnes of fish between Europe and the US.

“We are thrilled to commemorate our first anniversary of connecting Oslo and New York. This milestone not only reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team but also highlights the growing demand for affordable, high-quality transatlantic travel. We are grateful for the trust our passengers have placed in us and we are looking forward to a busy year ahead,” said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO and Founder of Norse Atlantic Airways.

Michael Shirima, Tanzania Aviation Pioneer, Passed Away

Apolinari Tairo - eTN Tanzania — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 00:07:10 +0000

eTurboNews:

His family confirmed his death and said that the leading aviation industry expert in Tanzania had passed away and will be laid to eternal rest this week at his family home in Kilimanjaro region in northern Tanzania.

The family described Mr. Shirima as “an inspiration and a leader to many,” promising to “forever cherish his life.”

Mr. Shirima was a Tanzania businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was the Founder and Chairman of Precision Air, Tanzania’s only private airline.

Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan sent a condolence message and described Mr. Shirima as an essential person in Tanzania’s airline business and other social functions.

Precision Air Services management confirmed its chairman’s death through public information on Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Shirima founded Precision Air in 1993, with a twin-engine 5-seater airplane, a Piper Aztec.

Precision Air was incorporated in Tanzania in January 1991 as a private airline and started operations in 1993. At first, it operated as a private charter air transport company, but in November 1993, it changed to offer scheduled flight services to serve the growing tourist market in Tanzania. The airline then extended its wings to most towns in Tanzania and other parts in East Africa including Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

Operating as the first and competitive private airline in Tanzania, Precision Air managed to dominate Tanzania skies until now, competing with giant and state-owned airlines over the East African skies.

Precision Air started its air services in Arusha city by providing charter planes to fly tourists visiting Northern wildlife parks including Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area with other charter services to Zanzibar.

In 2006, Precision Air became the first Tanzanian airline to pass the IATA Operational Safety Audit.

Growth of customer numbers then attracted the airline to acquire more aircraft and then launched scheduled flights across Tanzania, then Nairobi. In 2003, Kenya Airways acquired 49% shareholding in Precision Air for a cash sum of US$2 million.

The Late Mr. Shirima spoke to eTN on June 15, 2012, then gave an insightful story about aviation and air transport in Africa with challenges facing the African skies. He told eTN that Precision Air was preceded by a crop-dusting company that was formed late in 1986 and when a persistent drought occurred in Tanzania in the early 1990s rendering crop dusting without enough work, an idea to establish a charter company was actualized, and hence, the became the formation of the airline Precision Air.

“This was financed by me from the proceeds of a coffee export business I had been engaged in since [the] early 1980s and partnering with a newly-formed Tanzania Venture Capital Fund at 66% and 33% respectively. That fund was bought out by Kenya Airways in 2003,” he once told eTN.

“Worldwide airlines are in joint ventures, partnerships, buyouts, and alliances. Those who stand alone do not exist anymore, and where they do, they are weak. I wanted Precision Air to continue to exist and be a world-recognized player,” he once said.

SAUDIA and Riyad Bank Launch ALFURSAN Credit Card

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 23:39:46 +0000

eTurboNews:

These credit cards offer ALFURSAN members a wide range of exclusive and qualitative benefits, with a strong leading proposition in the market and more ways to earn joining and spending bonuses.

SAUDIA, represented by ALFURSAN, the loyalty program, is always keen to enhance the relationship with members by providing various and distinct opportunities to earn more miles. Adding that this partnership is in line with the objectives of the program and will provide a marketing leading proposition for international and local spends.

The launch of these cards confirms Riyad Bank’s commitment to credit card sector growth in the Kingdom, and its constant endeavor to enhance the added value of its products in a way that enriches the experience of customers and extends more qualitative advantages.

As well as clarifying that the launch of these cards is considered a reward for the bank’s senior customers to express appreciation and affiliation with the bank, Those two cards’ users can enjoy exclusive and unlimited travel rewards, starting with access to more than 1,000 airport lounges in more than 300 cities, discounts and offers in more than 200 restaurants around the world, and in several most luxurious international hotels as well as booking sites, tickets, hotels, and cars.

Additional benefits also include 24-hour concierge service, global customer assistance services with medical and travel services, discounts on golf course fees, as well as multi-trip travel insurance with coverage ranging from $50,000 to $2.5 million, which covers personal accidents, expenses, rental car collision damages and repatriation.

About SAUDIA

SAUDIA started out in 1945 with a single twin-engine DC-3 (Dakota) HZ-AAX given to King Abdul Aziz as a gift by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was followed months later with the purchase of 2 more DC-3s, and these formed the nucleus of what a few years later was to become one of the world’s largest airlines. Today, SAUDIA has 142 aircraft, including the latest and most advanced wide-bodied jets presently available: B787-9, B777-268L, B777-300ER, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321, and Airbus A330-300.

More news about SAUDIA

Japan Tourism Reports Record High US Visitor Arrivals

Harry Johnson — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 19:41:33 +0000

eTurboNews:

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced that American visitor arrivals to Japan increased by 3.6 percent year-to-date in 2023 over the same period (January-April) in 2019, a year that broke the record for international travel to Japan.

In the month of April 2023 alone, nearly 184,000 Americans visited Japan, an 8 percent increase over April 2019 – making the US the only Western nation (aside from its North American neighbor, Mexico, which saw a 13.1 percent increase in its visitor numbers to Japan over the same period) to experience a rise in tourism to Japan.

“We have seen an exponential increase in the interest in travel to Japan from the American market,” says Michiaki Yamada, Executive Director of the Japan National Tourism Organization in New York.

“Following the reopening of our country’s borders to international tourism in late 2022 and the lifting of all Covid-related entry restrictions this spring, the incredible pent-up demand to experience the wonders of Japan post-pandemic means that we will likely be welcoming more Americans than ever before in the months to come.”

Japan is one of the most talked about travel destinations of 2023 with the country as a whole, along with its top cities and regions, appearing on some of the most coveted “Where to Go” Lists of the year, including: the Japanese cities of Morioka and Fukuoka in the New York Times’ annual list of “52 Places to Go in 2023”; Kyoto and Nagoya featured on Time Magazine’s list of “The World’s Greatest Places of 2023”; The Washington Post named Japan on its list of “The Top Travel Destinations for 2023”; the “art islands” of Naoshima included in CNN Travel’s list of “Where to Travel in 2023: The Best Destinations to Visit”; Kyushu featured in Bloomberg Pursuits’ “Where to Go in 2023” list; Osaka named to The Daily Beast’s list of “Where to Travel in 2023”; Japan on the Reader’s Digest list of the “20 Best Places to Travel in 2023”; Japan included in the TripSavvy list of “Where to Go in 2023: The Most Exciting Destinations of the Year”; Tokyo featured on CNBC’s list of “The 7 Cities You Must Visit Before You Die”; and the list goes on.

FAA and Elected Officials Ignore Airline Passengers’ Demands

Juergen T Steinmetz — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:40:53 +0000

eTurboNews:

Elected officials are put in power by the people. It appears members of the bipartisan leadership group (Sam Graves (R-MO Chair), Rick Larsen (D-WA Ranking Member), Aviation Subcommittee Chair Garret Graves (R-LA), Ranking Member Steve Cohen) don’t care about the traveling public.

They called for its rapid approval as early as this week by the full 65-member committee.

On Friday afternoon, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) leadership introduced a 773-page bill setting FAA policies, organization, and spending for the next five years, as reported by FlyersRights.org.

This legislation would grant significantly more power to the airline industry and FAA bureaucrats while ignoring passenger interests.

Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org & designated passenger representative to the FAA

The Federal government now has sole power over all aspects of air travel. Despite airlines receiving over $54 billion in federal subsidies, air travel breakdowns, delays, cancellations, and passenger complaints are at record levels.

After two crashes of 737 MAX aircraft due to poor safety regulations and Boeing’s deception, the FAA has lost its reputation as the gold standard for air safety globally.

Accordingly, this legislation is too important to be rammed through Congress on short notice with little debate.”

Nearly all passenger protection and safety provisions were missing from the legislation supported by a coalition of national passenger and consumer protection organizations.

The bill did not address and omitted the following important consumer demands.

setting minimum seat sizes
delay compensation
allowing passengers on canceled flights to travel on other airlines
requiring ancillary fees to be fair and reasonable
advance notice by airlines devaluing frequent flyer miles
accountability for chronically canceled or delayed flights
conspicuous notices of passenger rights
enabling state attorneys general and private attorneys to enforce aviation consumer protection laws.
Also missing was any reform of FAA secrecy policies blocking public oversight of its safety decision-making.

Today passenger rights groups, including FlyersRights.org, the National Consumers League, Consumer Federation of America, Travelers United, US Public Interest Research Group, and Consumer Action, sent an urgent letter to the T&I leadership urging they hold public hearings and allow full debate and recorded votes on amendments that include passenger rights protections.

Click here to view the US House bill.

Sabre and Aeromexico Launch NDC Content to Travel Agents

Harry Johnson — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 15:50:55 +0000

eTurboNews:

Sabre Corporation and Aeromexico, Mexico´s global airline, announced today that the carrier’s NDC content is now available through Sabre’s global distribution system (GDS).

Aeromexico is rolling out its NDC offers in waves, starting in Mexico this month. The airline’s content is now available through the Sabre Offer and Order APIs, agency booking solution Sabre Red 360 and Sabre’s online booking tool, GetThere for travel agencies based in Mexico. Thousands of Sabre-connected agencies in more than 150 countries around the world are already shopping, booking, and servicing NDC content through the Sabre GDS.

“We are delighted to take this next step in our NDC journey with Sabre as our trusted technology partner. Our collaboration has been very productive for both companies, and the launch of NDC through GDS capability is another example of the great work both teams have done to improve the customer experience and increase premium revenue,” said Rastislav Martos, Senior Vice President of Administration and Revenue Distribution, Aeromexico.

“Aeromexico’s primary goal is to provide its customers with the best omnichannel experience when shopping and buying our products, and this implementation will certainly help us strengthen our value-based product distribution offering. Sabre’s Beyond NDC program enables us to provide NDC content consistently and efficiently to travel sellers across all channels. We are very excited to offer these new functionalities to our customers so that we can jointly maximize premium revenue and their experiences,” added Martos.

Sabre is the first GDS to distribute Aeromexico’s NDC content. The Sabre Beyond NDC program provides the technology infrastructure to expand offer- and order-based retailing from airlines to third-party travel sellers, such as travel agencies and online booking tools. By activating NDC through Sabre, travel sellers maintain their competitive edge by maximizing access to Aeromexico’s content.

“Sabre’s partnership with Aeromexico spans over 15 years. We have a shared commitment to advancing travel retailing to enhance the travel booking experience for travelers. NDC plays a key role in bringing this vision to life,” said Kathy Morgan, vice president, Product Management – Distribution Experiences, Sabre Travel Solutions. “We are excited to help airlines evolve their approach to travel retailing and to help travel sellers access real-time offers.”

Headquartered in Mexico City, Aeromexico operates more than 550 daily flights to 89 domestic and international destinations including destinations in Mexico, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, the carrier offers customers flight options in 184 countries served by the SkyTeam airline partners across the globe.

All Nippon Airways Updates Its 2023 Flight Schedule

Harry Johnson — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 15:19:14 +0000

eTurboNews:

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced updates to its flight schedule for fiscal year 2023 (FY2023). The summary of today’s announcement regarding our international flights is given below.

ANA will resume the Narita – Perth route from October 29 with three roundtrips per week. The flights will resume operation for the first time in approximately three and a half years, since March 2020.

All Nippon Airways will continue to operate the Haneda – Beijing route and the Haneda – Shenzhen route, which had been under adjustment.

During the summer season, flights departing from the Tokyo metropolitan area to Singapore will be expanded to four roundtrips per day, with an additional seven roundtrips per week for Narita – Singapore.

Schedule for June 26～October 28, 2023:

Schedule for October 29, 2023 ～ March 29, 2024:

Air Canada Partners with Sabre

Harry Johnson — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 15:00:28 +0000

eTurboNews:

Sabre Corporation announced today the completion of a new multi-year distribution agreement that provides Sabre-connected agencies with long-term access to Air Canada’s full content via NDC channels. Under the agreement, Sabre will be able to provide agencies with significantly improved content and offers from Air Canada, including the airline’s dynamically priced fares and new ancillary services.

Canada’s flagship carrier Air Canada is actively working with Sabre on the launch of the airline’s NDC offers in the Sabre travel marketplace. The two companies expect to activate Air Canada’s NDC content in Sabre within the coming months. Once Air Canada’s NDC connection to Sabre is live, the Distribution Cost Recovery previously announced by Air Canada will be waived for Sabre-connected travel agencies using this path.

“We’re proud to be taking this next step with Sabre, providing the broadest range of rich Air Canada content, travel options and services to our customers and agency partners,” said Mark Nasr, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital for Air Canada. “Air Canada recognizes and appreciates Sabre’s progressive approach and the significant technology investments they’re making, which taken together, will deliver meaningful value to all travel industry stakeholders. This new partnership is the result of long-standing discussions, and it marks a significant next step towards delivering on Air Canada’s distribution promise: a smooth transition for agencies and travel buyers—both larger and smaller.”

A cornerstone of Air Canada’s distribution modernization strategy, NDC focuses on providing more personalized content as well as access to the best possible prices across channels. Improved distribution capabilities will likewise support the airline’s commercial strategy with fleet modernization and expansion plans, including investment in dozens of new, fuel-efficient Airbus A220 and A321XLR aircraft.

“NDC is a corporate priority for Sabre as an enabler of modern retailing. We share this vision with Air Canada and support its ambitious retailing and distribution goals, while ensuring agencies will benefit from the ample choice, efficiency and transparency of the Sabre Travel Marketplace,” said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer for Sabre Travel Solutions. “This agreement demonstrates Sabre’s deep commitment to driving value and serving the diverse interests of the global travel marketplace – airlines, travel agencies and the travelers they serve.”

Riyadh Air is Purple, Saudia Gold – Two National Airlines go Mega

Juergen T Steinmetz — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:47:26 +0000

eTurboNews:

Thousands of people, including visitors, watched Riyadh Air, the new purple bird, fly over the Saudi Arbias Kingdom’s capital city yesterday.

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s newest airline, symbolizes another emerging mega project in the world’s fastest development of travel and tourism.

Accompanied by Princess Haifa Al Saud, the Saudi Vice Minister of Tourism, and an excited Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas watched the first plane taking off, the purple way. Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air will begin operations in 2025

Saudi Arabia’s newest carrier, Riyadh Air, unveiled its colors and logos just a few days ago and was seen flying the skies of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, yesterday.

Saudi Arabia’s prominent position in global aviation is not new.

Founded in 1945 as the Kingdom’s National airline, prominent Saudi Arabian Airlines, also known as Saudia, changed its liberty to Gold. It now has an emerging giant as a new family member.

Saudia Airlines’ base is in Jeddah and is well known as a superior carrier for business and religious travelers to Jeddah and the Holy City of Mecca.

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new second national airline, debuted on Monday and showcased a low-level flight over Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia and the home base of Riyadh Air.

Riyadh Air will be taking advantage of the strategic location of Saudia Arabia, making Riyadh a global airline hub between west and east, and of course, south and north.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, seen over the skies of Riyadh, displays the new airline’s distinctive purple livery. Riyadh Air unveiled its new design last week, featuring a captivating combination of lavender and indigo colors.

The flight took off at approximately 1 PM local time and embarked on a low-level cruise from Boulevard Riyadh City to Al Murabba.

The Boeing Dreamliner showcased Riyadh Air’s new branding, flying past iconic landmarks such as the King Abdullah Financial District, the King Khalid Grand Mosque, the towering Kingdom Centre, and the impressive Al Faisaliah Tower.

Accompanying the aircraft was a jet from the Royal Saudi Air Force Display Team, Saudi Hawks.

The launch of Riyadh Air was announced in March 2023 by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The PIF, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, owns the airline.

The new carrier will be a dream to become true development for the kingdom’s striving travel and tourism industry.

It will also create stiff competition for neighboring countries that will have to compete with Saudi Arabia for the most attractive airline hub in the Gulf region. Emirates in Dubai, Ethiad in Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways in Doha are the most prominent carriers in the region at this time.

Air Riyadh has the power to create new markets and shift current behavior in global aviation.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), will be the chairman. At the same time, Tony Douglas, a seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience in aviation, transportation, and logistics, has been appointed CEO.

The Riyadh Air Dream team will have both Saudi and international experts.

Our signature “canopy twist,” with its graceful, linear profiles, symbolizes the harmony between our rich local culture and modern global outlook.

The rear fuselage exhibits an innovative “canopy twist” pattern, while the country’s flag and the name “Riyadh Air” are prominently displayed in white, both in English and Arabic.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard #RiyadhAir in 2025.
Tony Douglas, CEO Riyadh Air

A senior executive of Saudi Arabian Airlines told eTurboNews that the original national carrier is equally excited to welcome Riyadh Air.

Jeddah-based Saudia is rapidly expanding with new destinations, aircraft, and record numbers.

Star Alliance Names New CEO

editor — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 00:10:34 +0000

eTurboNews:

Mr. Panagiotoulias has more than 25 years’ international experience in the airline and aviation industry. He joins Star Alliance from Hawaiian Airlines, where he had been Senior VP for Global Sales and Alliances since 2014. Previously, Mr. Panagiotoulias was VP and GM (Asia Pacific) at travel technology provider Sabre Corporation, as well as a 15-year veteran of American Airlines, where he held several commercial, operational and management positions. Prior to that, he was Sabre Corp’s vice president and general manager for the Asia Pacific region. Earlier in his career, Mr. Panagiotoulias also spent 15 years at American Airlines, where he held various leadership, commercial, operational and general management positions.

Mr. Panagiotoulias will succeed Charlotta Wieland, who has been seconded from SAS – Scandinavian Airlines to serve as Star Alliance’s interim CEO since January 2023. With Mr. Panagiotoulias coming on board, Ms. Wieland will return to SAS, and also rejoin Star Alliance’s Alliance Management Board as the representative for SAS. Mr. Panagiotoulias’ appointment is expected to take effect within the coming months, upon the completion of certain administrative processes and clearances.

Mr. Panagiotoulias graduated from Haileybury College in Melbourne, Australia and completed the Advanced Leadership Program at the University of Cambridge in the UK.

Air Passenger Travel Between US and Europe Up 24% in May

Harry Johnson — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 20:20:16 +0000

eTurboNews:

The latest data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) shows that in May 2023, US-international air traffic passenger enplanements totaled 20.765 million, up 23.9% compared to May 2022, with enplanements reaching 94.3% of pre-pandemic May 2019 volume.

Originating Non-Stop Air Travel in May 2023

Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the United States from foreign countries totaled:

4.407 million in May 2023, up 22.9% compared to May 2022.

This represents 80.4% of pre-pandemic May 2019 volume.

On a related note, overseas visitor arrivals2 totaled 2.588 million in May 2023, the nineteenth consecutive month overseas visitor arrivals exceeded 1.0 million. May overseas visitor arrivals reached 73.6% of pre-pandemic May 2019 volume, up from 72.6% in April 2023.

U.S. citizen air passenger departures from the United States to foreign countries totaled:

6.008 million in May 2023, up 23.5% compared to May 2022 and exceeding May 2019 volume by 8.1%.

World Region Highlights in April 2023

Total air passenger travel (arrivals and departures) between the United States and other countries were led by Mexico 3.071 million, Canada 2.444 million, the United Kingdom 1.916 million, Germany 937,000, and the Dominican Republic 867,000.

International regional air travel to/from the United States:

Europe totaled 6.575 million passengers, up 24.3% over May 2022, and down only (-7.4%) compared to May 2019.

South/Central America/Caribbean totaled 4.837 million, up 11.2% over May 2022, and up 1.0% compared to May 2019.

Asia totaled 2.094 million passengers, up 138.9% over May 2022, but still down (-36.3%) compared to May 2019.

Top U.S. ports serving international locations were New York (JFK) 2.917 million, Los Angeles (LAX) 1.869 million, Miami (MIA) 1.821 million, Newark (EWR) 1.335 million and San Francisco (SFO) 1.231 million.

Top foreign ports serving U.S. locations were London Heathrow (LHR) 1.642 million, Toronto (YYZ) 1.033 million, Cancun (CUN) 1.032 million, Paris (CDG) 699,000, and Frankfurt (FRA) 637,000.

The National Travel and Tourism Office is the official USG source for travel and tourism statistics, and works to create a positive climate for Travel.

In addition to providing statistics, the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) creates a positive climate for growth in travel and tourism by reducing institutional barriers to tourism, administers joint marketing efforts, provides official travel and tourism statistics, and coordinates efforts across federal agencies through the Tourism Policy Council.

The Office works to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and increase its exports, thereby creating U.S. employment and economic growth.

More JetBlue Flights Coming to BGI This Fall

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:23:58 +0000

eTurboNews:

Barbados continues to demonstrate that it is a destination of choice for many US travelers as US-based airline JetBlue increases airlift to the island once again. Starting November 1, 2023, JetBlue will introduce a 2^nd weekly flight from Boston Logan International Airport. This new flight option will run on Wednesdays, joining the existing Saturday service from Boston.

Similarly, JetBlue will continue to offer its second daily flight from JFK to BGI, through to February 2024, giving New York visitors even more options to visit the island.

“We are excited about the prospect of the continued double daily departures from JFK,” stated Eusi Skeete, US Director, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI)]. “This increased capacity has the potential to add significant capacity out of the Tri-State area in what promises the busy winter season.”

“We are happy to see that our overall growth strategy for the New England area has been paying off, as indicated by the addition of this brand-new midweek fight out of Boston.”

Skeete added, “This increase in capacity is by no means a small feat, which is indicative both of the effectiveness of our efforts as well as JetBlue’s commitment to Barbados.”

“Our strong collaborative approach with JetBlue has been integral to the results we are now seeing, and we couldn’t be happier to continue to build on this longstanding partnership,” stated Skeete.

The additional daily flight from JFK comes just in time for travelers to book their flights for Barbados’ annual summer festival Crop Over, while the flight out of Boston is expected to be very beneficial for travelers hoping to escape the cold this winter.

More news about Barbados

Bahamas Tourism Continues Global Missions in Southern California

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 17:45:59 +0000

eTurboNews:

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) Executives are heading to the Golden State for the “Bringing The Bahamas to You” Global Missions initiative June 14-15, to showcase the 16-island destination’s latest tourism offerings and developments, spotlight The Bahamas’ longstanding film legacy and celebrate the milestone 50^th Anniversary of Independence.

The Global Missions in California will be led by the Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. He will be accompanied by Latia Duncombe, BMOTIA’s Director General, and other senior BMOTIA executives. The delegation will meet with key industry leaders, partners, media and travel agents.

The Global Missions aim to heighten awareness of The Islands of The Bahamas brand in key markets and drive tourism business to the destination. The California Mission is aligned with the BMOTIA’s June 6 announcement of the inaugural JetBlue non-stop service from Los Angeles to Nassau to begin on November 4.

“We are thrilled that come November, travelers from California, the most populous state in the U.S. and one of the most diverse, will be able for the very first time, board a JetBlue flight at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for non-stop service to Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) in Nassau,” said Deputy Prime Minister Cooper.

“Californians are no strangers to sun, sand and sea yet are increasingly drawn to our shores for the unparalleled sites, experiences and vibrant culture,” he said. “In fact, stopover arrivals from California increased by 52% from January to April 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.”

“Over the past 9 months the Ministry has been in constant dialogue with key international aviation stakeholders to increase airlift capacity and meet the demand for travel to our destination.”

“This JetBlue new non-stop service signals a new day and will significantly increase access to The Islands of The Bahamas,” DPM Cooper added.

The “Bringing The Bahamas to You” Global Tour will transport a taste of The Bahamas to Costa Mesa and Los Angeles – The Bahamas’ leading tourism market for the West Coast.

Hollywood and The Bahamas have a longstanding relationship that began more than 100 years ago with the world’s first underwater film, Terrors of the Deep, being shot in Nassau, and continued with modern films like Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) serves as a key international hub. For travellers in the region, The Bahamas is only a connection away from major airports in cities including Chicago, Houston and Miami.

Following California, the “Bringing The Bahamas to You” Global Tour will return in late summer and fall 2023 with stops in Atlanta, Georgia and the United Kingdom.

Travelers who book their 2023 Bahamas vacation can expect year-long celebrations, events and festivities as the destination commemorates a golden jubilee milestone of 50 years of independence. Highlights from the upcoming 50^th independence celebrations include Jubilee on the Sea at Montagu Beach; 50^th on Bay concert series; 50^th Independence People’s Rush, and much more.

For more information, visit www.bahamas.com

ABOUT THE BAHAMAS

With over 700 islands and cays, and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy flyaway escape that transports travellers away from their everyday. The Islands of The Bahamas has world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the earth’s most spectacular water and beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com, download the Islands of the Bahamas app or visit Facebook, YouTube or Instagram to see why It’s Better in The Bahamas. 

More news about The Bahamas

Singapore’s Changi Tops World’s Best Layover Airports List

Harry Johnson — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:35:06 +0000

eTurboNews:

As the travel bug bites, and we gear up for our next escapade, the dreaded layover may seem like a roadblock. However, some airports have everything you need to make the most out of your connecting flight, from world-class amenities to jaw-dropping attractions.

With summer approaching, many of us are looking forward to packing our bags and embarking on our next adventure, but when your trip requires a stopover on the journey, which airports top the ranks as the best for a layover?

From a seed list of 40 of the world’s busiest airports, travel industry experts have revealed the best airports for a layover by considering factors such as the availability of shops, food and beverage options, hotels within a two-mile proximity to the airport as well as passenger ratings of airport facilities such as lounges, Wi-Fi and food and retail services.

Singapore’s Changi Airport was named as the best airport for a layover for travelers this summer.

Featuring a ‘magical garden’ and the world’s largest indoor waterfall, it’s no surprise that Singapore’s Changi Airport has been crowned the best airport for stopovers. However, the ranking was due to more than just the airport’s picturesque nature, as it also provides an abundance of shops (240) for retail lovers and around 200 food and beverage options for those looking for refreshments.

Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Hong Kong International Airport follow shortly behind in second and third place, both boasting significantly high lounge and Wi-Fi satisfaction scores for those looking to stay comfy and connected.

Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

2. Incheon International Airport, South Korea

3. Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong

4. Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates

5. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, United States

6. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, United States

7. Munich Airport, Germany

8. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, India

9. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands

10. Denver International Airport, United States

The United States seems like a stopover haven as three airports in the US feature in the top 10 rankings. Surprisingly the UK’s largest airports Gatwick and Heathrow, not only do not place in the top 10 but rank 15th and 39th in the index.

The best airports for foodies and retail lovers

Finally, an airport stopover wouldn’t be complete without refreshments and some retail therapy. To reveal the best airports for foodies and retail lovers, we ranked the airports based on their number of shops, food and beverage facilities, as well as their food and retail satisfaction score.

With a food and retail service satisfaction score of 90% Singapore’s Changi Airport and Incheon International Airport claimed first and second place as the best airport stopovers for foodies and retail lovers, shortly followed by Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Munich Airport.

1. Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore
2. Incheon International Airport, South Korea
3. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, United States
4. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, United States
5. Munich Airport, Germany

Drastic Changes in Prague Airport Currency Exchange

Harry Johnson — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:32:43 +0000

eTurboNews:

Prague Airport is calling a concession procedure to select a new operator of currency exchange services and ATMs. The business model will be fundamentally changed and improved by the condition of capping the exchange rates of three core currencies at a maximum of 15 percent spread compared to the midpoint of the Czech National Bank (CNB). This set exchange rate policy is at the lower end of the scale among European airports.

The five-year agreement with the current operator terminates at the end of November this year, after which a new operator will launch their operations.

Jakub Puchalský, Member of the Prague Airport Board of Directors, said, regarding the tender announcement, that the airport has based its conditions on thorough research across other international airports in order to review the offered exchange rates. “We are significantly improving the service with a set exchange rate spread. As part of the concession process, we require the new operator to have experience in providing foreign currency exchange services and VAT refunds at the minimum of three international airports, and that the spread for the euro, dollar, and British pound is contractually set – in our case as the difference between the offered exchange rate and the midpoint of the CNB published exchange rate. In the case of online currency reservations and currency collections at the airport, the cap for the mentioned three currencies is only 5 percent, which could be especially interesting for domestic travellers,” Puchalský added.

The required services of the new operator will include exchange services, operation of ATMs, processing and payments of VAT refunds, online advanced reservations of currencies with collections at the airport, and money services including cash transfers. The operator will enjoy exclusivity in the area of currency exchange services and ATMs in the non-public area of both airport terminal buildings.

The contractual fine in the amount of 10,000 crowns for each violation of the exchange rate cap is also new. In the case of persistent violations, Prague Airport will have the right to cancel the exclusive status of the operator or terminate the agreement. The new operator will also have an obligation beyond the scope of the law to process cancellations of transactions in the public airport area which were concluded in the restricted area of the airport, to which the client no longer has access.

More US Flights From Heathrow Than Any EU Airport

Harry Johnson — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:54:40 +0000

eTurboNews:

Heathrow Airport has increased its lead over the European Union (EU) rivals for flight connections to the United States.

London’s air hub currently has more daily flights than ever before between the UK and USA as airlines switch capacity to North Atlantic routes and away from European and East Asian markets, which have been slower to recover.

The triple bank holiday in May, helped drive monthly passengers at Heathrow up to 6.7 million. with 1.6 million Heathrow passengers flying across the North Atlantic in May alone.

Heathrow has also successfully managed eight days of strikes during the busiest days in May, with no delays at security and no flight cancellations thanks to a strong contingency resource. The airport has been building that contingency team ahead of the summer season and does not anticipate cancellations as a result of any future strike action.

One in four passengers flying between the USA and Europe in May passed through Heathrow thanks to the choice of destinations and frequency. 248 daily flights to and from Heathrow now connect Britain to 31 US destinations, building trade links with the UK’s most important export market. As well as having more flights to New York than any European hub (over 30 daily departures), Heathrow is the only hub with a direct flight to Cincinnati.

The benefits this brings through trade and tourism demonstrate that Heathrow remains critically important as the UK’s gateway to the world.

Heathrow would also like to see the UK Government reinstating Tax Free Shopping to let British businesses and the UK economy maximize the benefits from recovering markets, instead of losing out to neighbors in France, Italy and Spain, where visitors currently spend more than double, they do in the United Kingdom.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “The unrivalled choice of destinations and high frequency to cities like New York make flights from Heathrow vital trade routes with the USA, Britain’s most important export market. We have delivered excellent service to passengers, with no cancellations, over eight days of strikes on the busiest days in May, and do not anticipate cancellations as a result of strikes during the summer holiday getaway.”

Teamsters File Lawsuit Against Republic Airways and Cape Air

Harry Johnson — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 19:18:49 +0000

eTurboNews:

The Teamsters have filed a lawsuit against Republic Airways and Cape Air for unlawfully requiring pilots to sign employment contracts with non-compete clauses that impose penalties ranging from $100,000 to $250,000.

The lawsuit asserts the employment contracts are an attempt by the airlines to change pilots’ working conditions unilaterally, in violation of federal labor law under the Railway Labor Act. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

“The contracts that pilots at these two companies are forced to sign as a condition of employment are unlawful and we fully expect to win in court,” said Josh LeBlanc, President of Teamsters Local 357 and a Republic Airways pilot. “These punishing non-compete agreements are not a solution for the labor supply problem that these employers created of their own accord.”

The non-compete clauses that the companies are forcing on pilots require them to work at Republic Airways for a minimum of two years. In addition to the financial penalties, the pilots are barred from flying professionally for up to a year.

“If these companies are having a hard time recruiting pilots, then they should do what nearly every other airline has done in a competitive job market – increase wages and benefits,” said Joe Muckle, President of Teamsters Local 1224.

“Trying to retain professional pilots by handcuffing them with bogus contracts is illegal and bad business, which is why no other airline is doing this. The Teamsters will fight this with the full force of our union.”

Republic Airways Inc. is a regional airline subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings that operates service as American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express using a fleet of Embraer 170 and Embraer 175 regional jets. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hyannis Air Service Inc., operating as Cape Air, is an airline headquartered at Cape Cod Gateway Airport in Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States. It operates scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, the Caribbean, Midwest, and Eastern Montana.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million workers in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Allegiant Reaches Tentative Union Agreement for Flight Attendants

Harry Johnson — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 19:05:19 +0000

eTurboNews:

Allegiant and The Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO Local 577 announced they have reached a tentative agreement on all remaining open issues for the successor to the parties’ first collective bargaining agreement.

The parties’ first collective bargaining agreement became amendable on December 21, 2022, and Allegiant and the TWU were able to secure the new five-year tentative agreement after just over 10 months of bargaining by building on their strong positive working relationship.

The Tentative Agreement covering Allegiant’s nearly 1,900 flight attendants includes significant increases to wages and deadhead pay, and includes improvements to retirement benefits, sick accrual, bonus flight hour calculations, vacation pay, annual vacation allocation and flex time. Additionally, there are meaningful quality of life improvements in scheduling, hours of service and leave of absence, and the parties have agreed to introduce a minimum day pay and the ability for flight attendants to earn commission from sales of buy on board items.

“We would like to commend the hard work and dedication of the negotiating teams for both Allegiant and the TWU for meaningfully improving our contract on behalf of our flight attendants,” said Allegiant President Greg Anderson. “This historic deal reflects our shared commitment of fostering a work environment that properly recognizes the invaluable contributions they provide. We look forward to the next step in the process.”

“The Tentative Agreement will catapult our workgroup to the top of the Low-Cost Carriers and greatly improve the quality of life for everyone,” said Christa Gifford, President of TWU Local 577. “The TWU 577 Negotiating Team is proud of the work that has been done by both sides to reach this historic second Contract.”

The deal still requires a ratification vote by the union’s full membership, which is expected to open later this month.

The Road (or Flight Route…?) to Recovery

editor — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 17:12:18 +0000

eTurboNews:

For many of us, life during the Covid-19 pandemic was unlike anything we have ever experienced or will ever experience again. It threw off so many things — upset daily routines, mass job losses, social isolation, and hospital occupancy were only the tip of the iceberg. Life was turned upside-down in more ways than one. It was a life-changing era for many, from toilet paper shortages to learning how to make Zoom calls and much more severe circumstances, like losing loved ones and jobs that required in-person labour. One of the industries that took a heavy hit during the Covid-19 pandemic in the US was the tourism industry, and things still aren’t quite back to normal.

While there has been a rebound in travel into and out of the US since the tapering off of the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide, there is still a long way to go. From a private jet charter across the world to simply hopping across the US/Mexico and US/Canada borders, visitors to and from the US still are not at pre-pandemic levels. However, things are looking up for the tourism industry in the US (and worldwide, really). Between the total number of visitors to the US in December 2019 compared to December 2022, only about two-thirds of the visitor volume has been recaptured.

According to a recent study, all aspects of travel — in and out of the US and beyond — are regaining their former levels. This includes international travel bookings, which have been the slowest to transition back to “normal” since the pandemic. However, the research data suggests that even the slow-to-grow international travel sector is currently up 200% compared to international travel last year. With international vacations on hold for many, honeymoon vacations from Covid weddings on standby, and all of the vacation days piled up from two years of travel restrictions and Covid isolation — people are ready to get out and see the world again.

image courtesy of freepik.com

The dynamic recovery of the tourism industry, both around the world and specifically in the US, has been reflected in the high demand for air travel capacity and accommodation. With climbing air travel rates approaching pre-pandemic levels (specifically around Europe) and global hotel occupancy rising, there is evidence of international travel demand beyond the number of people crossing the US border. This is exciting and refreshing news to many.

According to data from the UNWTO, international tourism has experienced a doubling of individuals travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than people travelling during the first quarter of 2022. With international arrivals approaching 80% of pre-pandemic numbers and 235 million international tourists travelling in the first quarter of 2023, it is safe to say that travel is back in style and on the road to recovery.

Many regions of the world are close to or have already exceeded pre-pandemic numbers of visitors to their countries. Europe has been leading this charge with intra-regional travel and travels from the US. At this point in 2023, the Americas are hovering around 68% recovery compared to international travel in 2019. With peak season between May and August heating up in the Northern Hemisphere, things are looking promising for the tourism industry in the US.

May was marked by National Travel and Tourism Week in the US — a celebration highlighting the travel and tourism industry and demonstrating the relationship between the travel industry and economic growth. In 2022 alone, the tourism industry earned $2.6 trillion and supported over 15 million jobs. These numbers are society-changing, as that means supporting the thriving of communities, making it possible for small businesses to compete with global corporates, and providing work for 15 million families across the US. A fraction of travel spending is also plugged right back into the economy through travel taxes, funding public services, and innovations in community development.

image courtesy of freepik.com

The tourism industry’s rebound still faces some sizable challenges during this projected recovery. With inflation as high as it is and oil prices rising — travel has become more expensive (and therefore less attainable) for the everyday traveller. But at the rate that the travel industry is rebounding and the projections for the upcoming quarters, all things tourism should return to near-normal levels soon. After being cooped up indoors for months on end, it’s safe to say we are ready for it.

Delta Rolls Out Its Largest Trans-Atlantic Schedule Ever

Harry Johnson — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:51:18 +0000

eTurboNews:

Delta Air Lines’ largest trans-Atlantic schedule ever is officially in full operation, and customers are flocking to idyllic locations like the golden beaches of France’s enchanting Cote d’Azur, sun-soaked Mediterranean islands and other vibrant cities brimming with history.

Customers traveling on Delta Air Lines can take advantage of more than 650 weekly flights across the pond in peak summer, a remarkable 30% increase in the airline’s seat capacity compared to 2022. The line-up features 77 total routes to 32 destinations across Europe and beyond, including many places where Delta operates as the largest U.S. carrier during peak summer: Italy, Iceland, France and Greece. In the past three months alone, the airline has launched or restarted 32 of these routes, most originating from key Delta hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York-JFK.

FROM ATLANTA

In March, Delta renewed a daily connection between Atlanta and Tel Aviv. In May, the airline also introduced new daily flights between Atlanta and Nice, France, complementing existing service from New York-JFK, which has become one of the airline’s most sought-after seasonal routes.

And Atlanta customers seeking to explore the scenic highlands or immerse themselves in majestic castles can now fly directly to Edinburgh, Scotland, following the launch of new daily service in May, which builds on existing service from New York-JFK and Boston.

FROM LOS ANGELES

As the largest global carrier at LAX, Delta reinforced its leading position by reconnecting customers to Paris — a year-round destination known for iconic landmarks, and a daily route that will serve as a crucial connection point for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 and LA28.

Delta also responded to the high demand for summer travel by resuming daily nonstop service from Los Angeles to London Heathrow.

FROM NEW YORK-JFK

Delta has set new records at JFK with its largest trans-Atlantic schedule from that hub. Operating more than 230 weekly departures to 26 destinations, this schedule includes new additions like Geneva and the return of summer seasonal favorites like Reykjavík, Iceland; Venice, Italy; Prague; Nice; and Copenhagen, Denmark.

Delta also made a highly anticipated comeback to London Gatwick after a 15-year absence and restored its flights to Berlin, bringing its flying capacity back to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

FROM DETROIT

Just this week, Delta launched daily flights from Detroit to Rome, offering customers an exciting opportunity to explore the majesty and mystery of the Ancient Roman era. Additionally, Delta’s recent introduction of brand-new daily service to Reykjavik opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for adventure-seeking customers.

Air Canada Doubles Flights to Grenada

Harry Johnson — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:21:39 +0000

eTurboNews:

Canadians seeking warmth, adventure and relaxation this winter, will find it easier to find their respite in Grenada when Air Canada resumes service on October 29th with double the previous capacity. The carrier will double its frequency to the destination to four weekly flights from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND).

The Air Canada nonstop flights will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing at 9:30am from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and landing in Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) at 3:55pm. The Grenada (GND) Toronto leg will depart at 4:55pm and arrive in Toronto (YYZ) at 9:55pm.

“We are pleased to be able to offer more connections between Grenada and Toronto with up to four flights per week,” said Nino Montagnese, Vice President at Air Canada Vacations. “This enhanced schedule will allow Canadian travelers to experience the unspoiled natural gems and crystalline waters of Grenada. Customers can also escape to paradise with ease with Air Canada Vacations’ robust collection of vacation packages.”

“The return of direct service by Air Canada to Grenada is a positive development for air transport relations between the airline and our country,” said Hon. Consul General Dawne Francois. “We have a very significant diaspora presence in Toronto and demand for travel to Grenada is at an all-time high.”

“Canada is an extremely important market for Grenada and traditionally has been our fourth largest source market behind USA, UK and the Caribbean. We will be frontloading a very aggressive campaign to ensure that we capitalize on this doubling of seat capacity,” says Petra Roach, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority.

“The equipment being utilized is the Boeing 737 Max 8 with 16 business class seats and 153 economy seats. Travelers can look forward to major events like Grenada Rugby World 7s taking place from November 30 – December 2 and Carriacou Parang Festival from December 15-17, to name a few. Grenada will also welcome two new luxury hotels to the island in Q4 2023 – Beach House and Six Senses.”

International Visitors Spent $17.3 Billion on US Travel in April

Harry Johnson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 19:54:45 +0000

eTurboNews:

Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in April 2023 international visitors spent more than $17.3 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States, an increase of nearly 26 percent compared to April 2022 and marking the twenty-fifth consecutive month of year-over-year gains (when compared to the same month, previous year).

Conversely, Americans spent a record-setting $17.2 billion traveling abroad, yielding a balance of trade surplus of $83 million for the month—reversing a trend of seven consecutive months of balance of trade deficits for U.S. travel and tourism.

Revised data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (monthly trade data were revised back to 2018) suggest that international visitors have spent nearly $67.2 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through April 2023), an increase of more than 45 percent when compared to 2022. International visitors have injected, on average, nearly $560 million a day into the U.S. economy year to date.

Composition of Monthly Spending (Travel Exports)

• Travel Spending

Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $9.7 billion during April 2023 (compared to $7.2 billion in April 2022), an increase of nearly 35 percent when compared to the previous year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.

Travel receipts accounted for 56 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in April 2023.

• Passenger Fare Receipts

Fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors totaled $3.1 billion in April 2023 (compared to $2.4 billion in the previous year), up 31 percent when compared to April 2022. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.

Passenger fare receipts accounted for 18 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in April 2023.

• Medical/Education/Short-Term Worker Spending

Southwest Airlines Extends Flight Schedule into Next Year

Harry Johnson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:56:29 +0000

eTurboNews:

Southwest Airlines Co. today extended its flight schedule into early next year, allowing Customers to begin booking their travel for the 2023 holiday season.

“Our Summer operational performance is off to a strong start with Customers taking much-needed vacations and important business trips,” said Andrew Watterson, Chief Operating Officer at Southwest Airlines.

“We know some already are thinking about holiday plans and we want them to know we’re ready. Ahead of winter, we are delivering on our plans to add capabilities, tools, and equipment to reliably connect Customers to people and places that matter most in their lives.”

The carrier’s full schedule of service through Jan. 7, 2024, is now available for purchase.

Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world’s most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 121 airports across 11 countries.

Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline.

New Executive Vice-President and CFO at WestJet Group

Harry Johnson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:37:44 +0000

eTurboNews:

The WestJet Group today announced Michael (Mike) Scott to the role of WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. The 30-year aviation industry veteran will start with the airline’s executive team on June 13, 2023.

Scott’s long-established career with StandardAero, included more than 13 years as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. There he led tremendous growth with revenue increases of more than 300 per cent, while delivering a 400 per cent increase in profitability through a combination of organic growth, cost management and synergistic mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Prior, he held a variety of senior level roles across the organization. In addition, throughout his tenure as CFO, Mike successfully worked with three different private equity sponsors.

“Mike brings a wealth of financial leadership experience and a notable track record to our organization,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Group Chief Executive Officer. “We are a year into successfully executing on the WestJet Group’s strategy to resume a long-standing track record of profitability, as we get back to our low-cost roots in service of safe, reliable and affordable travel for Canadians. We are thrilled to welcome Mike at this pivotal time, as we continue our next exciting growth chapter at the WestJet Group.”

With expertise in asset and capital management, investor relations and M&A realization, Mike will oversee all financial management of the WestJet Group. This includes Accounting and Financial Reporting, Planning and Analysis, Treasury, Tax, Procurement, Supply Chain, Real Estate and Payment Services teams.

“The WestJet Group’s longstanding reputation as a leading low-cost and leisure airline and new strategic focus on returning back to its roots are just a few of the many reasons I am thrilled to join this Canadian aviation success story,” said Mike Scott. “Through its remarkable position as Canada’s leading vacation carrier and home airline to Western Canada, the WestJet Group is in a unique position to successfully grow its business and bring more accessible air travel to Canadians than ever before.”

A native of Winnipeg, Mike has his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) designation and is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCMA) and recently served on the board for the Manitoba Aerospace Association.

Jenn Bue who has been serving as interim CFO of the WestJet Group for the last five months will now transition to the role of Senior Vice President, Finance & Deputy Chief Financial Officer reporting directly to Mike.

Pegasus Airlines: Biggest Summer Yet at London Stansted Airport

Harry Johnson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 15:30:47 +0000

eTurboNews:

With more flights than ever before to popular destinations across Turkey (Türkiye), Pegasus Airlines is looking forward to its biggest flight schedule yet from London Stansted this summer.

Turkey’s (Türkiye) leading low-cost airline is offering more flexibility and choice to holidaymakers in London and the East of England this year by operating 55 direct flights per week to five top destinations across the country, including Istanbul, Antalya, Dalaman, Ankara, and Izmir.

Since launching operations from Stansted in 2007 with a single scheduled flight to Istanbul, the airline has grown significantly carrying six million passengers on routes from the airport.

Chief Financial Officer, Pegasus Airlines’ Barbaros Kubatoğlu said:

“That more than six million passengers have flown with Pegasus Airlines from London Stansted since 2007 is a special milestone in our history.

“Connecting people, places, and cultures is at the heart of what we do, and we’re proud to continue this mission, taking passengers between the UK, Türkiye and beyond.

“We continually strive to offer the best possible experience on our well-connected low-cost flights and further our sustainability initiatives.”

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:

“We are delighted that Pegasus Airlines has expanded its summer schedule from London Stansted to its largest ever.

“Since launching here 16 years ago, the airline has built an incredibly popular network that connects passengers from the region to destinations across Turkey (Türkiye).

“By increasing capacity and frequency on existing routes, passengers will have more choice and flexibility without having to travel to other airports.

“Operating one of the most modern aircraft fleets in Europe, and in particular Airbus’ A321 neo, we are very proud to have them as a highly valued and key partner at the airport.

“We look forward to working with them for many years to come as they continue to develop and grow their services from London Stansted.”

Pegasus Airlines was founded in 2005 and flies to 129 destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, including 36 in Turkey (Türkiye). The airline operates a fleet of 93 aircraft, including the fuel-efficient, next generation Airbus A321 neo.

Hawaii Kīlauea Volcano Erupts, No Threat to Public Safety

Harry Johnson — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:46:25 +0000

eTurboNews:

The US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has reported that Kīlauea Volcano on Hawaiʻi Island is currently experiencing a new eruption within Halemaʻumaʻu crater that started at approximately 4:44 a.m. HST on June 7, 2023.

The summit eruption of Kīlauea that began within Halemaʻumaʻu crater at 4:44 a.m. HST today, June 7, 2023, continues at this time. All activity is confined to Kīlauea summit region, within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. There are no indications of activity migrating out of the summit region.

Multiple minor fountains are active on Halema‘uma‘u crater floor; one fissure remains active on the southwest wall of the caldera. Fountain heights have decreased since the eruption onset and, as of approximately 3 p.m., were about 4-9 meters (13-30 feet) high. Initial lava flows inundated the crater floor (an area of approximately 1.5 square km or 370 acres) and added about 10 meters (32 feet) depth of new lava. A ring of elevated 1-2 meter-high (3-6 feet-high) lava surrounds the perimeter of the crater floor (like a bathtub ring), encircling continued lava flow activity across the crater floor.

Summit tilt switched from inflation to deflation around 5 a.m. HST, shortly after the eruption onset. Summit earthquake activity greatly diminished following the eruption onset and was replaced by continuous eruptive tremor (a signal associated with fluid movement). Volcanic gas emissions in the eruption area are elevated; a sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rate of approximately 65,000 tonnes per day was measured between approximately 8 and 9 a.m. this morning, June 7, 2023. Residents of Pāhala, 20 miles (30 km) downwind of Kīlaueaʻs summit) reported a very light dusting of gritty fine ash and Peleʻs hair this morning.

Kīlauea’s volcano alert level and aviation color code will remain at WARNING/RED as hazards associated with the eruption onset are evaluated overnight.  

According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the eruption is currently confined to the crater area and does not pose an immediate threat to public safety. There is no need for travelers to modify or adjust their leisure or business plans to Hawaiʻi at this time.

Out of respect for the cultural and spiritual significance of a volcanic eruption and the crater area for many kamaʻāina, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority urges mindfulness when planning a visit to the volcano.

If you plan to visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, stay on marked trails and drive safely. Expect delays and limited parking due to high visitation and consider viewing the eruption from less crowded areas.

New York JFK to St. Kitts Flight on JetBlue

Harry Johnson — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 19:37:30 +0000

eTurboNews:

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority announced its strategic collaboration with JetBlue, marking the commencement of direct, year-round service from New York (JFK) to St. Kitts, three times weekly beginning November 2nd. This partnership is an integral step towards expanding international travel opportunities and enhancing accessibility to the island.

Available year-round, these direct flights will offer seamless travel experiences to and from New York and St. Kitts. The service will operate weekly on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays providing travelers with greater flexibility.

“The introduction of JetBlue‘s service to St. Kitts marks a significant milestone for our tourism-driven economy, as it enhances our accessibility and strengthens our global connectivity monumentally,” said Honourable Marsha T. Henderson, Minister of Tourism, International Transport, Civil Aviation, Urban Development, Employment, and Labor. “The additional airlift will undoubtedly stimulate economic growth and pave the way for further destination development, ultimately benefiting the people and businesses of St. Kitts.”

“We look forward to introducing our low fares and great service to St Kitts customers and offering our Northeast customers a unique island getaway where they can find pristine beaches, adventure, world-class gastronomy and warm hospitality,” said David Jehn, vice president, network planning and partnerships, JetBlue. “This new nonstop route aims to continue to grow our presence in the Caribbean and bring more choices for our customers.”

JetBlue will operate the new route using its Airbus A320 aircraft, offering the airline’s award-winning service featuring the most legroom in coach, live television and on-demand entertainment on every seatback, free and fast Fly-Fi broadband internet, complimentary snacks and soft drinks and great customer service.

“JetBlue’s service to St. Kitts heralds an exciting future for tourism, opening a world of possibilities for travelers seeking to experience our island’s authenticity and rich culture,” said Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “As we work to further build brand awareness and generate demand, it is anticipated that this increased accessibility will bolster our tourism industry and enable new opportunities to further develop the tourism product.”

Seats are available for booking now, with service between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to St. Kitts Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) commencing this fall ahead of the 2023 holiday season.

St. Kitts is experiencing continuous growth in connectivity internationally. With the introduction of the new JetBlue route, St. Kitts will now have year-round service from New York (JFK), London (Gatwick), and Miami.

New Miami to British Virgin Islands Flight on American Airlines

Harry Johnson — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 19:17:14 +0000

eTurboNews:

For the first time ever, travelers may now fly to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) with daily nonstop service from Miami to Beef Island via American Airlines.

The game-changing three-hour flight eliminates the need for travelers to connect in Puerto Rico or St. Thomas, getting them to the stunning Territory with ample time to enjoy their final destination, whether chartering a yacht or staying in a luxury villa, resort, or private island escape. American Airlines is the first airline to serve the British Virgin Islands (BVI) with nonstop flight service.

To mark the groundbreaking inaugural flight, Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Natalio Wheatley and Hon. Kye Rymer, Minister for Communications and Works, Government of the Virgin Islands (British) were joined by Ralph Cutié, MIA Director & CEO Miami International Airport, David Whitaker, CEO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, Migdoel Rosa, Senior Representative of Envoy and JC Liscano, Vice President of American Airlines MIA hub Operations at Miami International Airport (MIA) for remarks, a ceremonial ribbon cutting ceremony and celebratory steel pan music on Thursday, June 1. American Airlines pilots and British Virgin Islands natives Derrick Varlack and Kennard de Castro also celebrated the new service route.

“It’s a momentous day as we launch the highly anticipated nonstop service from the U.S. to the British Virgin Islands,” said Premier, Wheatley, Government of the Virgin Islands (British). “This is the first time in history that a flight has completely sold out in such a short amount of time, and we are grateful that American Airlines has partnered with us to bring this long-awaited service to fruition, bringing ease and accessibility to our treasured destination. Miami is the ideal hub to attract more North American travelers to the Sailing Capital of the World!”

With the new ease of the route, travelers may take advantage of numerous cultural events happening this summer such as Summer Sizzle, the BVI’s annual week-long event celebrating fashion, art, and music. While visiting the BVI, there is no shortage of accommodation options as the destination is renowned for its yachting, villa rentals, and private island resorts, with more expanded offerings than ever before. New offerings include The Aerial, BVI, which is the first and only devoted all-inclusive resort in the BVI as of May 19 when the property expanded from a buyout-only model to welcome single-room bookings for any length of stay as well as The Hideout, which is the only luxury resort steps away from White Bay Beach on Jost Van Dyke. For boat lovers, a chic new catamaran dubbed “Nomada at Sea” is now available for charter throughout the BVI, and it packages all the style and luxury one would expect from a super yacht in the intimacy of a catamaran.

The new airlift, a first-of-its-kind nonstop route from the U.S., will run through August 14 and restart in November after the fall low season. The new air service is expected to bring in an estimated 2,128 monthly passengers to the BVI. Daily flights from Miami to Beef Island will depart at 10:07 a.m. and arrive at 1:06 p.m. Return flights will depart at 1:47 p.m. and arrive at 4:25 p.m.

Additional flights have been added on the following dates:

June 1
June 3
June 9
June 16
June 30

The newly added flights depart from Miami, Florida (MIA) at 12:30pm and arrive to Beef Island (EIS) at 3:23pm. Return flights depart Beef Island (EIS) at 4:30pm and arrive in Miami, Florida (MIA) at 7:19pm.

IATA: Airline Profitability Outlook Strengthens

Harry Johnson — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:53:00 +0000

eTurboNews:

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced an expected strengthening of airline industry profitability in an upgrade of its outlook for 2023.

Highlights include:

• Airline industry net profits are expected to reach $9.8 billion in 2023 (1.2% net profit margin) which is more than double the previous forecast of $4.7 billion (December 2022).

• Airline industry operating profits are expected to reach $22.4 billion in 2023, much improved over the December forecast of a $3.2 billion operating profit. It is also more than double the $10.1 billion operating profit estimated for 2022.

• Some 4.35 billion people are expected to travel in 2023, which is closing in on the 4.54 billion who flew in 2019.

• Cargo volumes are expected to be 57.8 million tons, which has slipped below the 61.5 million tons carried in 2019 with a sharp slowing of international trade volumes.

• Total revenues are expected to grow 9.7% year over year to $803 billion. This is the first time that industry revenues will top the $800 billion mark since 2019 ($838 billion). Expense growth is expected to be contained to an 8.1% annual increase.

“Airline financial performance in 2023 is beating expectations. Stronger profitability is supported by several positive developments. China lifted COVID-19 restrictions earlier in the year than anticipated. Cargo revenues remain above pre-pandemic levels even though volumes have not. And, on the cost side, there is some relief. Jet fuel prices, although still high, have moderated over the first half of the year,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The return to net profitability, even with a 1.2% net profit margin, is a major achievement. First, it was achieved at a time of significant economic uncertainties. And second, it follows the deepest losses in aviation’s history ($183.3 billion of net losses for 2020-2022 (inclusive) for an average net profit margin of -11.3% over that period). It should be noted that the airline industry entered the COVID-19 crisis at the end of a historic profit streak that saw an average net profit margin of 4.2% for the 2015-2019 period.

“Economic uncertainties have not dampened the desire to travel, even as ticket prices absorbed elevated fuel costs. After deep COVID-19 losses, even a net profit margin of 1.2% is something to celebrate! But with airlines just making $2.25 per passenger on average, repairing damaged balance sheets and providing investors with sustainable returns on their capital will continue to be a challenge for many airlines,” said Walsh.

Outlook Drivers

Revenues are rising (9.7%) faster than expenses (8.1%), strengthening profitability.

Revenue: Industry revenues are expected to reach $803 billion in 2023 (+9.7% on 2022 and -4.1% on 2019). An inventory of 34.4 million flights is expected to be available in 2023 (+24.4% on 2022, -11.5% on 2019).

• Passenger revenues are expected to reach $546 billion (+27% on 2022, -10% on 2019). With COVID-19 restrictions now removed in all major markets, the industry is expected to reach 87.8% of 2019 levels of revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) for the year with strengthening passenger traffic as the year progresses. The high demand for travel in many markets is keeping yields strong with a modest 1.1% decline expected in 2023 compared to 2022 levels (following increases of 9.8% in 2022 and 3.7% in 2021).

Efficiency levels are high with an expected average passenger load factor of 80.9% for 2023. That is very near the 2019 record performance of 82.6%.

IATA’s May 2023 passenger polling data supports the optimistic outlook, with 41% of travelers indicating they expect to travel more in the next 12 months than in the previous year and 49% expect to undertake the same level of travel. Moreover, 77% of respondents indicated that they were already traveling as much or more than they did pre-pandemic.

• Cargo revenues are expected to be $142.3 billion. While that is down sharply from $210 billion in 2021 and $207 billion in 2022, it is well above the $100 billion earned in 2019. Yields will be negatively impacted by two factors: (1) the ramping-up of passenger capacity which automatically increases available belly capacity for cargo and (2) the potential negative effects on international trade of economic cooling measures introduced to fight inflation. Yields are expected to correct with a 28.6% decline this year, but still remain high by all historical comparisons. Note that yield increases of 54.7% were recorded in 2020, 25.9% in 2021 and 7.4% in 2022.

Expenses are expected to grow to $781 billion (+8.1% on 2022 and -1.8% on 2019).

• Jet fuel costs are expected to average $98.5/barrel in 2023 for a total fuel bill of $215 billion. That is cheaper than the $111.9 / barrel previously expected (December 2022) and the average cost of $135.6 experienced in 2022.

High crude oil prices were exaggerated for airlines as the crack spread (premium paid to refine crude oil into jet fuel) averaged more than 34% for 2022—significantly above the long-run average.

Solomon Islands Tourism Numbers Recovering

Harry Johnson — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:47:18 +0000

eTurboNews:

Newly released Solomon Islands visitor arrival figures for Q1 2023 show the destination has equalled numbers achieved for the same period in 2020 before the country initiated a border closure which saw the country cut off from the world for more than 800 days.

The figures, released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO), reveal a total of 3,940 international visitors traveled through Honiara International Airport between January and March 2023, the figure pipping the Q1 2020 3,880 result by 1.5 percent.

Australians again continue to make up the bulk of the visitors, accounting for 36.2 percent of the Q1 total with a total of 1,426, a slight drop (minus 2.5 percent) on the 1,463 figure achieved in Q1 2020.

The biggest growth for the quarter came from the US market where numbers increased from 208 in Q1 2020 to 351 across the same period this year – a jump of 68.7 percent.

Arrivals from Papua New Guinea rose from 261 to 319, an increase of 22.2 percent while Fiji figures dipped 9 percent.

New Zealand visitor arrivals for Q1 also showed a slight downturn over the corresponding period in 2020, dropping 11.6 percent from 267 to 236.

Tourism Solomons CEO (Acting) Dagnal Dereveke said the tourism office was keeping a very close eye on the New Zealand market where he hopes numbers will climb strongly going forward as a result of Solomon Airlines’ recent decision to commence an Auckland-Port Vila-Honiara service on 05 June.

Mr Dereveke said he remains cautiously confident that continuing efforts, good marketing, and ever-building international confidence in the Solomon Islands, the destination will meet its 2023 targets across all target markets.

“Our international marketing strategy remains fixed on promoting core product offerings where we hold a competitive edge or can compete with our opposition,” he said.

New Las Vegas, Dallas and San Diego Spirit Flights from San Jose

Harry Johnson — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:26:50 +0000

eTurboNews:

The Golden State and sunny Silicon Valley are shining brighter today as Spirit Airlines launches its new, nonstop service from San José Mineta International Airport (SJC).

The launch introduces affordable travel options for South Bay travelers, including two daily flights to Las Vegas (LAS) and daily flights to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and San Diego (SAN). It also provides an easy gateway for visitors flying into the Bay Area.

“There couldn’t be a better way to kick off summer than by welcoming Spirit’s bright yellow planes to San José for the very first time,” said John Aitken, San Jose Mineta International Airport Director. “We pride ourselves on providing the best customer experience in North America, and now with Spirit’s Ultra Low Cost fares, the award-winning experience at SJC will now be available to many more travelers.”

“We can’t wait to welcome our Silicon Valley Guests onboard one of the youngest fleets in the industry and fly them to these three great destinations, as well as give back to the community through the Spirit Charitable Foundation,” said John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines. “San José has so much to offer travelers and our affordable fares will make it easier for our Guests to discover the Bay Area.”

SJC and Spirit are also celebrating the new service with a celebration in the terminals, including a marching band procession to the departure gate to welcome the first passengers, and a social media sweepstakes with chances to win tickets from Spirit.

JetBlue to Launch 1st Nonstop from LA to Nassau Bahamas

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 23:47:43 +0000

eTurboNews:

The new service connecting the United States West Coast to the Islands of The Bahamas will debut on 4 November, with a once- weekly Saturday flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Nassau’s Sir Lynden Pindling Airport (NAS).

“Over the past nine months, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) has been in constant dialogue with key international aviation stakeholders, including JetBlue to increase airlift capacity to meet the demand for travel to our destination.” said the Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. He said:

“We are thrilled that within a few short months, travelers will be able to board a JetBlue flight in Los Angeles and be in The Bahamas within a matter of hours, to enjoy the beautiful beaches, the rich culture and the myriad of experiences on offer in Nassau and Paradise Island.”

JetBlue’s announcement of the launch of nonstop service from Los Angeles to Nassau comes only days in advance of the Ministry of Tourism’s “Bringing The Bahamas to You” Global Sales Mission Tour scheduled for California June 12-15. The 3-day tour will make stops in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa, to showcase the 16-island destination’s latest tourism offerings and developments, spotlight The Bahamas’ longstanding film legacy and celebrate the milestone 50th Anniversary of Independence.

The Los Angeles/Nassau nonstop route will also allow for more connectivity from major markets in Asia and the Pacific, putting The Bahamas’ 16 destinations in easier reach for new visitors. The new Los Angeles/Nassau route will also feature JetBlue’s award-winning Mint premium service.

Los Angeles International Airport is the world’s fifth busiest airport, with 645 daily commercial flights to 162 destinations.

More news about The Bahamas

Jamaica, The Bahamas to Collaborate to Grow Regional Tourism

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 23:20:23 +0000

eTurboNews:

Jamaica Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett today held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation for the Bahamas, Hon I. Chester Cooper in New York where they are participating in the annual Caribbean Week celebrations organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

Announcing the agreement reached to pursue, Minister Bartlett said, “Jamaica and the Bahamas have entered into a new era of collaboration in consonance with the new tourism view of co-petition as the way forward, as opposed to competition.”

As a matter of policy, Jamaica has been spearheading an initiative of regional cooperation in the marketing of tourism with Minister Bartlett piloting the multi-destination strategy of promoting the Caribbean as one destination in which travelers have the option of experiencing two or more destinations on their travels.

Minister Bartlett explained that in the partnership with the Bahamas, “We’re looking at how we can collaborate in the area of air connectivity to begin with. We’re looking at how we can advance the hub and spoke principle and to bring more visitors into our space.”

Currently, Jamaica is engaged in multi-destination arrangements with Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama and there have been discussions with the Cayman Islands to put a similar agreement in place.

Minister Bartlett said giving effect to this initiative will entail standardizing certain protocols such as having a common visa regime and clearance arrangements that will allow for visitors to the Bahamas and the other destinations to market together and bring more airlines into the region.

The proposed collaboration with the Bahamas also takes into consideration the matter of training and the resilience building, which, he said, “has generated a big discussion around the establishment of a satellite resilience center in the Bahamas.”

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) was founded by Minister Bartlett, who is now its co-chair, with centers already established in three other countries (Jordan, Kenya and Canada) with others in the pipeline.

SEEN IN IMAGE: Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation for the Bahamas, Hon I. Chester Cooper shake hands confirming talks on multi-destination tourism, air connectivity, visa facilitation and tourism resilience, among other matters. The two nations met today (June 6) in New York, on the margins of Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) annual CTO Caribbean Week. – image courtesy of Jamaica Tourism Ministry

More news about Jamaica

New Flight from New York City JFK to Belize on JetBlue

Harry Johnson — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 20:43:33 +0000

eTurboNews:

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) announced a new partnership with JetBlue Airlines, which today revealed the first-ever nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Belize’s Phillip S.W. Goldson.

Marking New York as the 11th U.S. city to offer nonstop service to the Central American nation, JetBlue will operate year-round roundtrip flights three times a week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays – with the inaugural flight scheduled for Dec. 6, 2023.
“We’re thrilled to announce the new partnership between Belize and JetBlue and can’t wait to welcome JetBlue’s first-ever flight to our country in December,” said Hon. Anthony Mahler, Belize’s Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations.

“This is a huge win for our ongoing efforts to make Belize accessible to more U.S. visitors, with JFK being one of the biggest air travel hubs for tens of millions of travelers. We’re excited for JetBlue to join the family of airline partners offering nonstop flight options to Belize and we invite everyone to visit and discover the beauty of this enchanting country and all that it has to offer.”

“JetBlue is committed to delivering exceptional travel experiences to our customers and our expansion to Belize reflects our dedication to connecting customers to the most popular and unique destinations,” said David Jehn, vice president of network planning and partnerships, JetBlue.

“We look forward to not only introducing our low fares and great service to Belize customers but also providing access to all the cities we serve from New York.”

Belize is quickly becoming a popular destination for American travelers. As of April 2023, more than 68% of all overnight arrivals to the destination came from the United States. This is expected to increase thanks to the new direct flight service and represents a very optimistic outlook for the dynamic growth of the Belizean tourism industry.

As one of Central America’s most biodiverse countries, Belize is home to the largest Barrier Reef in the Northern and Western Hemispheres, indigenous cultures, mystical Maya caves, pristine Caribbean waters, wondrous aquatic habitats, lush tropical jungles, wildlife reserves, and cascading flora and fauna. Belize is the only English-speaking country in the region where the U.S. dollar is widely accepted making it an ideal vacation destination where numerous adventures are waiting to be had.

New Daily Los Angeles to Taipei Flights on STARLUX

Harry Johnson — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 19:34:25 +0000

eTurboNews:

STARLUX’s first intercontinental route between Los Angeles and Taipei, which launched April 26, has increased from five flights a week to daily.

In addition, travelers flying on these flights are able to experience the airline’s new, unique “Home-in-the-Air” amenities, a special series of co-branded amenity kits exclusively designed by Italian luxury brands FPM and Bric’s Milano, along with Samsonite RED.

Starting this month, this new route also features a variety of sports themed amenities—LA Dodgers-themed amenities on the LAX-TPE route, and LA Clippers-themed amenities on the TPE-LAX route.

For all Asian routes, STARLUX also announced the launch of Spider-Verse-themed flights in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation’s film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which just hit theaters June 2. The “Travel Like a Superhero” campaign, which runs through August, will feature Spider-Verse goodies on board in all classes.

“With rising demand, the increased frequency of our LAX-TPE route will allow passengers to travel comfortably and conveniently to and from major cities in North America and Asia,” said STARLUX CEO Glenn Chai. “And our exclusive amenities from luxury brands, as well as our unique Dodgers and Clippers themed amenities align with STARLUX’s mission to make flying a truly memorable and luxurious experience.”

ANA and WestJet Join IATA Turbulence Aware Platform

Harry Johnson — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:02:04 +0000

eTurboNews:

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that ANA and WestJet have joined its Turbulence Aware Platform on the sidelines of the 79th IATA Annual General Meeting.

Turbulence Aware was launched in 2018 to help airlines mitigate the impact of turbulence which is a leading cause of passenger and crew injuries and higher fuel costs each year. The platform pools anonymized turbulence data from thousands of flights operated by participating airlines. The real-time, accurate information enables pilots and dispatchers to choose optimal flight paths, avoiding turbulence and flying at optimum levels to maximize fuel efficiency and thereby reduce CO2 carbon emissions.

The challenge of managing turbulence is expected to grow as climate change continues to impact weather patterns. This has implications for both safety and efficiency of flight. Turbulence Aware is a significant improvement in turbulence reporting and avoiding excess fuel consumption.

“Accurate and timely data empowers crews to improve safety by avoiding turbulence. The more contributors we have, the more everyone benefits. The addition of ANA and WestJet enhances our coverage especially in Asia Pacific and North America,” said Walsh.
At present, 20 airlines participate in the IATA Turbulence Aware Platform with more than 1,900 aircraft providing data daily. In 2022, a total of 31 million reports were generated.

• ANA will initially start providing data from its Boeing 737 aircraft with plans to expand to the rest of the fleet in the future.

• WestJet is already capturing data from 24 aircraft and will expand this to 60 aircraft in the coming three years.

To gather additional feedback from airlines and engage with OEMs and other solution providers, IATA is organizing a Turbulence Aware User Forum, taking place at the WestJet Campus in Calgary, Canada on June 19-20, 2023.