OneJet start Buffalo - Albany route and introduce new product.

OneJet, the airline that specialises in providing direct air routes between small and medium markets in the US have inaugurated a new nonstop service between Buffalo and Albany. This new route also marks the service introduction of OneJet's Plus product.

OneJet will now offer a twice-daily round-trip flight between Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Albany International Airport, the first direct flights between the two cities to be offered in more than seven years. Travellers had previously been forced to make the 280-mile trip by road taking some considerable time. 

The OneJet Plus service, which will be introduced to additional routes throughout 2018, provides passengers with expanded amenities onboard retrofitted ERJ 135 regional jet aircraft, including increased legroom, complimentary 4G high-speed Wi-Fi, streaming entertainment gate to gate and complimentary beer, wine and premium snacks.  Passengers also receive the same check-in conveniences that standard OneJet flights provide, including TSA Pre access for eligible travellers and valet plane-side baggage service.

Norwegian launches UK’s first low-cost route to South America

Norwegian, voted world’s best low-cost long-haul airline, is continuing its global expansion today by launching the UK’s first low fare route to South America, with a non-stop service from London Gatwick to Buenos Aires.
Airline grows long-haul network with first route to Buenos Aires
Valentine’s Day celebration as the new route to the ‘Paris of South America’ takes off
Affordable fares from £259.90 one-way break current monopoly  on direct London to Argentina flights
The new year-round service of four weekly flights from London Gatwick to Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport breaks the monopoly on direct flights to Argentina with fares starting from £259.90 one-way, offering passengers more choice and lower fares.

Love was in the air today at London Gatwick as passengers on the inaugural got to enjoy a Valentine’s Day themed departure gate celebration as they headed to the ‘Paris of South America’. Passengers were surprised with a tango performance as well as learning a few steps for themselves, meaning they could tango their way to Buenos Aires!

Delta pays employees more than $1 billion in profit sharing for fourth consecutive year

Airline has paid more than $5 billion in profit sharing in last five years; 2018 payout is nearly double that of the other U.S.-based global carriers combined

Delta Air Lines today will pay out more than $1 billion in profit sharing for the fourth year in a row and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments made possible by its more than 80,000 employees around the world.

Delta employees earned the $1.1 billion payout for their role in delivering record-breaking operational and customer satisfaction performance as well as strong financial performance. 

“This is the fourth year in a row that Delta’s profit sharing has topped $1 billion — a milestone no company in history has ever achieved,” said Delta’s Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian. “Delta people are the reason for our success and Valentine’s Day is our favourite day each year as we celebrate the incredible results our people have delivered.”

The airline has paid out more than $5 billion through its profit-sharing program over the past five years. Through the program, employees share in the success they create together through hard work and a focus on the customer.

Qatar Airways will post a loss this year but there is growth forecast for the carrier

Qatar Airways’ chief executive said Tuesday the carrier will post a loss this year because four other Arab countries have severed land, air and sea links with Qatar.

Akbar al-Baker said the ban on Qatar’s flagship airline flying to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt since last summer has forced it to fly longer routes through Turkey and Iran, and has hit the company’s bottom line, but not its expansion plans.

“We have increased maintenance costs because we are flying longer routes, we have more fuel consumption, so the cost to the airline is rising and I have already stated that the airline will post a loss this year due to the blockade, but this doesn’t mean that we are going to shrink,” al-Baker said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We will keep on expanding and growing the company.”

United Airlines 777 loses engine cowling mid-flight

Passengers on a United Airlines Boeing 777 endured as many as forty stressful minutes after part of its engine cowling came midflight.  The incident took place in the skies over the Pacific as they headed toward the Hawaiian Islands. 

"There was a loud bang ... and then the plane really started shaking,"  Allison Sudiacal, a passenger on the stricken jet who was travelling with her husband, parents in law and her 4-month-old told local media.  "It was like rattling, and the plane was kind of shaking, like boom, boom, boom," she said.

She praised the United crews who kept the passengers informed of the unfolding drama affecting their Boeing aircraft, although Allison's husband,  Tim, said the incident was "absolutely terrifying."

Cabin crew members instructed the passengers to adopt the brace position as the aircraft came into land at Honolulu airport at 1.02pm local time after warning the landing may be very rough.  There were 363 passengers and 10 crew members on board the Boeing 777 

The pilot of flight  UA1175 from San Francisco to Honolulu requested an emergency landing with fire crews on standby because of the 'mechanical issue', the airline said while the Hawaii Department of Transportation said aircraft rescue and fire crews responded "as a precaution," adding that airport operations and runways were unaffected by the incident.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot "declared an emergency due to a vibration in the right engine." And confirmed they are investigating the incident, as well as the National Transportation Safety Board.

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Bomb that closed London City Airport has been detonated.

The unexploded World War Two bomb found near London City Airport that forced the airport to close all day Monday has finally been detonated.

The 500kg device was discovered at the King George V Dock on Sunday during planned work at the airport. The German bomb was a massive 1.5m-long and was located in a bed of silt approximately 15m underwater.  It was carefully removed from the Thames and taken to a secure location about a mile away from the coast of Essex.

The detonation, saw a huge plume of water shoot high in the sky took take place off Shoeburyness, Essex, was postponed on Tuesday because of high winds and dangerous conditions. London City Airport returned to "business as usual" on Tuesday.

BA engineer dies at Heathrow after taxiway crash

An airside crash at London's Heathrow Airport between two vehicles has caused the death of a British Airways engineer, its been confirmed this afternoon.  

The British Airways employee died after the two vehicles collided on a taxiway at the airport at around 6am this morning. 

The man, in his 40s, suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene and died, despite attempts to save him, both at the airport and on the way to a local hospital.  A second man involved in the crash has also been taken to hospital with a suspected broken shoulder.

A number of British Airways flights were delayed by the crash yet terminal five and the airport remained open during the incident.  

Passengers on one plane were forced to disembark after the accident happened according to a Heathrow Airport spokesperson.  "Our deepest condolences go to the family and friends affected by this accident. We will be fully cooperating with the police in the investigation which will follow."

A spokesperson for British Airways commented, "We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and are offering our full care and support to his family and colleagues."

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed and as yet there have been no arrests according to the Metropolitan Police.  

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Airbus’ Toulouse paint centre: art in motion

When a customer receives a commercial aircraft produced by Airbus at its Toulouse, France-area facilities – home to final assembly lines for the A320, A330 and A350 XWB jetliner families – they can be sure that the highest level of care went into to applying their livery, which is a critically important element of an operator’s identity. 

At the heart of Airbus’ Toulouse paint centre are its more than 300 operators and 120 support function members – who work together in harmony across the facility’s 13 separate paint halls to apply the special colour schemes and logos on more than 350 jetliners delivered each year.

An A350-900 for delivery to Air Caraïbes receives its special livery
inside Airbus’ Toulouse, France paint shop

Airbus’ paint centre in Toulouse, France includes 13 separate paint halls
 to apply the special colour schemes and logos on more than 350 jets each year

Allegiant Plans Year-Round Aircraft Base In Destin-Fort Walton Beach, New Jobs And Five New Routes

Allegiant today announces plans to establish a two-aircraft base at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS). As part of Allegiant's growth in Florida, the company anticipates adding more than 65 new, high-wage jobs during 2018. Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport will become the airline's 14th year-round aircraft base.  The Las Vegas-based company is investing more than $49 million to establish a year-round base of operations, which will house two Airbus aircraft. Allegiant set the stage for this expansion by utilizing Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport as a seasonal base during the summer of 2017. Today Allegiant also announced new service to five cities – routes made possible only by establishing the Destin base.

"The UK will be at the heart of our continued global expansion" says Norwegian's CEO

Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos today delivered an address in London to outline his global expansion plans for the world’s best low-cost long-haul airline, as the UK grows to become one of the carrier’s most important markets.

Europe’s third largest low-cost airline has led the market in low-cost long-haul travel since first launching transatlantic services from London Gatwick to the USA in 2014. Norwegian has since flown more than 2 million passengers on its transatlantic routes at London Gatwick. The airline flew more than 5.1 million UK passengers in 2017 and will shortly commence a series of new long-haul routes using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, including the UK’s first low-cost flights to South America (14 February), and new direct services to Chicago and Austin in March.

Airline CEO Bjorn Kjos states intentions to grow long-haul flights from 

UK to more underserved destinations

UK will be first to experience new enhancements to long-haul passenger experience

New routes, more frequency and newest Dreamliners to be London Gatwick-based

The airline’s CEO, Bjorn Kjos, one of the founding partners of Norwegian in 2002, addressed UK media at The Shard in central London and explained the growing importance of the UK market and the airline’s strategic plans in five key points:

Jazz Aviation named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People for the sixth year

Chorus Aviation Inc. is proud to announce that Jazz Aviation LP ('Jazz') was named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People for the sixth year.

"Jazz is honoured to be ranked among the Top Employers for Young People in Canada," said Colin Copp, President, Jazz. "Receiving this recognition for the sixth year affirms our strong commitment to attract and develop the best people – a corporate priority for our company. We continually assess and develop employee programs that are meaningful to talented young people seeking fulfilling career opportunities in aviation."

Qantas to launch daily Melbourne - Bali service.

Qantas announced last week that it will begin a new daily Melbourne – Denpasar (Bali) service from 23rd June 2018 with fares already on sale.  The service will be operated by a Boeing 737-800 aircraft and the new Qantas route comes as Jetstar increases its Melbourne-Bali flights from ten per week to twice daily.

The service will complement Qantas’ year-round daily Sydney – Denpasar service and reflects strong demand from customers who want a full-service experience travelling to one of the regions most popular holiday destinations.

Qantas’ Melbourne – Denpasar service will be operated by a two-class Boeing 737 aircraft, with a checked baggage allowance, inflight entertainment and food and drinks all included as part of the fare.

Together with Jetstar the Qantas Group will now offer customers 84 return services to Bali from across Australia – the largest international airline group to operate into the island

Emirates firms up order for up to 36 additional A380s

Emirates and Airbus firmed up an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and signed a contract for the 20 additional A380s with a further 16 options to be confirmed at a later date. The total agreement for 36 aircraft is valued at US$16 bn based on latest list prices. Deliveries are to start as early as 2020.

The agreement was signed at the World Government Summit by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group; and Mikail Houari, Airbus President for Africa and Middle East. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, ruler of the Emirate of Dubai and Edouard Philippe, Prime Minister of France were also present.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “This agreement underscores our commitment to the A380 programme, providing stability to the A380 production line and supporting thousands of high-value jobs across the aviation supply chain. For Emirates, the A380 has been a successful aircraft for our customers, our operations, and our brand. We look forward to continue working with Airbus to further enhance the aircraft and onboard product.”

“We thank Emirates, HH Sheikh Ahmed, Tim Clark and Adel Al-Redha for their continued confidence in the A380, which has so successfully transformed air travel in the 21st century,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President Commercial Aircraft and Chief Operating Officer. “This latest agreement further demonstrates the strength of our valued partnership with Emirates in support of their impressive growth.”

flynas Expands Its International Reach to Pakistan

flynas Expands Its International Reach to Pakistan

As part of its ongoing plans to expand its reach in Asia and open new strategic and international routes, flynas has announced its new flights between the kingdom and Pakistan starting February 15th  2018.

    

flynas will launch flights from Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah to both Lahore and Islamabad and will commence on the 15th of February with flights from Riyadh to Lahore. Riyadh to Islamabad flights will follow on the 16th of February, along with flights from Dammam to Lahore. While flights from Jeddah to Lahore will launch on the 17th of February.

flynas flights between the Kingdom and Pakistan will utilize A320 fleet and new B767 aircraft. Booking can be made through flynas' smartphone application, travel agents, and the flynas website.

These new flynas routes will serve business travellers from and to Saudi Arabia, as well as Hajj and Umrah visitors. It will also connect passengers to many different cities within the Kingdom with flynas' network, which includes 17 domestic destinations.

Air Canada Named Eco-Airline of the Year

Air Canada Named Eco-Airline of the Year 

in Air Transport World's 2018 Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards 

Air Canada has been named the 2018 Eco-Airline of the Year by the respected airline industry publication Air Transport World in its 44th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards. In recognizing Air Canada's environmental accomplishments, ATW cited the carrier's commitment to emissions reductions through supporting the development of alternative fuels and its numerous green programs and partnerships, including being the first airline in the world to voluntarily join the World Bank's IMF Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.

"Air Canada has made sustainability central to its decision-making and business processes, and this includes acting responsibly with respect to the environment. We are very pleased that ATW has recognized the effectiveness of our environmental programs, including our participation in the development and support of alternative fuels in Canada, and our efforts to contribute to healthier communities. We have made great strides, improving fuel efficiency by 40 per cent since 1990, and this award will further spur us on to the goals we have set for ourselves to continually improve our environmental performance," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive of Air Canada.