Emirates' first retrofitted 777 aircraft featuring its latest cabin interiors takes off to Geneva

Highly anticipated new Business Class seats and Premium Economy Class cabins debut for the first time on the 777

The first Emirates Boeing 777 with a nose-to-tail cabin refresh sporting a new look has rolled into service, as it prepares to take off to Geneva this afternoon as EK 83. The aircraft took a total of 37 days for a complete revamp and will be entering service four days ahead of its officially announced deployment schedule.

Watch this timelapse video offering a glimpse into how the first Emirates 777 cabins were gutted, fitted and refurbished by the airline’s seasoned in-house engineering team.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said: “Emirates continues to carry out our commitment to deliver an unmatchable onboard experience with the introduction of our latest Boeing 777 with new signature interiors, raising the industry benchmark when it comes to premium travel. Our latest Business Class cabin offers customers a sense of exclusivity and privacy, complemented by our best-in-class suite of onboard products. The addition of our popular Premium Economy cabin, rated one of the best in the industry, injects modern sophistication to the flying experience and is carefully designed for more comfort.  With more Boeing 777s and A380s refreshed to sport our latest generation onboard products, customers can consistently have the very best experiences in the sky across both aircraft types.” 

The Emirates Boeing 777 entered refurbishment in early July, with a planned reconfiguration of the aircraft to make way for a new Premium Economy cabin consisting of 24 seats set in three rows in a 2-4-2 abreast layout. The cream leather seats, accentuated by wood panel finishings across the cabin, offer enhanced comfort with a 38-inch pitch, 19.5-inch-wide seats that recline 8 inches providing more space for stretching and relaxing, in addition to 6-way adjustable headrests.

Korean Air may buy up to 50 Boeing widebody jets

Korea's flag carrier to become newest 777X customer with commitment for 20 777-9 passenger 

Boeing has announced this week that Korean Air intends to buy up to 50 of Boeing's widebody jets, comprising of 20 Boeing 777-9s and 20 Boeing 787-10s with options for 10 more planes. 

The promise to buy the 777-9s and 787-10s is said to support the planned growth and renewal of the carrier, following a troubled period of financial and fleet constraints. The carrier hopes the efficiency and versatility of these widebody jets will not only enhance its fleet but also add flexibility to its global network ahead of its anticipated merger with Asiana Airlines.

"The addition of the Boeing 777-9 and 787-10 aircraft marks a significant milestone in our strategic objective to expand and upgrade our fleet," said Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. 

If the order changes from just an expression of intent to a signed contract, it will be posted to Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website and Korean Air will be the latest customer to purchase one of the world's best-selling twin-engine jets.

The 777-9 can seat 426 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range of 13,500 km (7,285 nautical miles) and the 787-10 can carry up to 336 passengers with a range of 11,730 km (6,330 nautical miles).

DHL and Chinese cargo carrier Central Airlines sign letter of intent on forming new partnership

DHL Express intends to deploy two owned Boeing 777 freighters with Central Airlines through a multi-year Operating agreement.

DHL Express has signed a Letter of Intent to enter into an Operating Agreement with Central Airlines to deploy two DHL 777 freighters. This will be the first time for DHL Express to do so with a local Chinese cargo airline.

"The signing of the Letter of Intent is an important milestone for both parties in the process of establishing a partnership and is another important step for DHL Express to deliver its commitment to long-term development in China, and to seek and deepen its cooperation with Chinese companies. The partnership with Central Airlines will further strengthen our capacity on intercontinental cargo routes from China while providing more convenience and higher efficiency for Chinese enterprises to expand their businesses globally", said Dongming Wu, CEO China at DHL Express. 

The two DHL Boeing 777 freighters to be delivered for operations by Central Airlines will sport a dual DHL and Central Airlines livery. The 777 is the world's largest, longest range, and most capable twin-engine freighter, reducing CO2 emissions by 18 percent compared to the legacy Boeing 747-400s. 

British Airways adds two brand new destinations

Aruba and Guyana have become the latest destinations added to the British Airways route network, with inaugural flights arriving to a warm welcome in the destinations’ respective capital cities.

British Airways operates more routes to the Caribbean and Mexico than any other UK airline, with Aruba and Guyana bringing the total number of destinations served in the region to 17.

Flight BA2157 departed London Gatwick (LGW) at 10:00 on Sunday 26 March and touched down at Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) in Oranjestad, Aruba at 17:00 local time. The brand-new route will operate twice weekly via Antigua on Thursdays and Sundays.

Having been born and raised in Aruba, this new route is a personal one for British Airways cabin crew member Arelis Spanner, who flew on the inaugural BA2157. She said: “This is such a special day – I’m so proud that British Airways is flying to my home country and to be able to travel on the inaugural flight has been an amazing homecoming.”

The following day on Monday 27 March, flight BA2159 departed London Gatwick at 11:35, landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (GEO) in Georgetown, Guyana at 19:50 local time. This was the first of a twice-weekly flight, operating via St Lucia on Mondays and Thursdays.

Lewis Capaldi performs live on a British Airways flight.....

Lewis Capaldi surprised British Airways customers with an exclusive, live performance of his new single on board a flight from London Heathrow to Los Angeles

Lewis Capaldi sang live at 35,000ft on a British Airways Boeing 777-300 aircraft flying over the Atlantic Ocean en route to the City of Angels

To celebrate the upcoming release of Lewis Capaldi’s Sophomore album in May, the Glaswegian singer teased his latest song, “Wish You the Best”, surprising customers travelling on a British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Los Angeles yesterday by performing a live snippet of the hit at 35,000ft.

Following take-off, Lewis made his way through the aircraft with a British Airways drinks trolley to surprise customers on board, including four unsuspecting superfans who had been specially invited onto the flight. Lewis serenaded customers with a chorus and verse of the unreleased track, with the lyrics declaring “it seems like Glasgow gets further from LA”, as the flight travelled across the Atlantic.

The customers were surprised to see the famous star on board their flight and were delighted to be able to witness the performance sung acapella by Lewis, while playing his guitar in a very special and unique performance.

Rowan and Georgie Gupwell, sisters and superfans of Lewis Capaldi from Glasgow said: “This was the most amazing surprise. We’ve been huge fans of Lewis since his first song, ‘Bruises’ in 2017. We have tickets to see him live later this year, so to meet him up close yesterday was a moment we’ll cherish forever, and we can’t wait to see the new song live again in concert!”

Russian President Vladimir Putin approved supply of missiles that shot down MH17 in 2014

The international team investigating the shooting down of  Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 operating flight MH17 by a  BUK-TELAR missile system said today, it has convincing evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the decision to allow the missile system into Ukraine.

MH17 was on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on 17th July 2014 and was in the sky over the eastern part of Ukraine when the Russian-made and Russian-supplied BUK-TELAR missile system was used to shoot it down, killing all 298 passengers and crew onboard. 

In a statement, the international prosecutors said: "There are strong indications that the Russian president decided on supplying the Buk TELAR to the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) separatists,' the investigators."   The team also said they were suspending the criminal investigation into the atrocity as they have insufficient evidence to launch any new prosecutions.

The Netherlands will continue to hold Russia to account for its part in the shooting down of the 777, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday.  He said it was a "bitter disappointment" that there would be no further prosecutions, but promised, "We will continue to call the Russian Federation to account for its role in this tragedy,"

SWISS to resume passenger services to Shanghai

SWISS to resume passenger services to Shanghai

Now that the entry restrictions into mainland China have been lifted a number of European carriers have or are in the process of restarting services. SWISS is the latest to announce a resumption of flights, with the confirmation its Zurich - Shanghai route is back on the schedule from early next month. 

One weekly flight is currently planned on the route for the month of March, which will then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards.

In view of the now-eased local entry provisions, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to resume passenger services to and from Mainland China. SWISS will initially offer one weekly non-stop flight between Zurich and Shanghai from 3 March. Service on the route should then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards. The flights will generally be operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, or alternatively Airbus A340-300.

“We’re delighted that we’ll soon be providing our customers with flights between Zurich and Shanghai again,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “It’s a high priority for us to meet the demand that is now growing again for travel between these two major business centres and beyond. Shanghai remains one of the key points in our network in terms of both inbound and outbound travellers.”

SWISS suspended its previous scheduled passenger services between Zurich and Shanghai in April 2022 in view of the travel restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and its services on the route have since been limited to cargo-only flights.

In addition to resuming its Zurich-Shanghai passenger flights, SWISS will also be increasing its service to and from Hong Kong from five to six weekly frequencies in the 2023 summer schedules.

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Emirates expands Asian network with Haneda resumption

Emirates will resume its services to Tokyo-Haneda starting from 2 April 2023, building back its Japanese network and providing even more choice and flexibility for travellers to one of the region’s top economies and destinations.

Operated by one of Emirates’ latest Boeing 777 “Game Changer” aircraft, flight EK312 will depart Dubai at 07:50hrs, and arrive in Haneda at 22:35hrs. The return flight EK313 will depart Haneda at 00:05hrs, and arrive in Dubai at 06:20hrs. All times are local.*

The resumption underscores Emirates’ continued support to Japan’s post-pandemic travel and tourism revival, serving the surging demand for international travel and increasing inbound traffic from key markets across its global network. Emirates’ return to Haneda will further boost the airline’s operations in the market, alongside its daily A380 service to Tokyo-Narita and a daily Boeing 777 service to Osaka.

Since the route’s launch in 2013, and until the pandemic hit, Haneda has always been one of the key points on Emirates’ network for trade and tourism. The airline remains committed to supporting Japan’s accelerated growth and recovery and has recently celebrated 20 milestone years of operations to Osaka – the country’ second largest metropolitan city after Tokyo. Emirates also offers passengers access to 26 additional domestic cities in Japan and 10 regional points via Tokyo and Osaka, through its codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines.

EVA Cargo to add another Boeing 777 Freighter

EVA Cargo has confirmed that due to growing cargo demand it is adding another Boeing 777 Freighter to its expanding fleet.

The Taipei based airline says the new aircraft is expected to arrive by the end of 2023 and joins the fleet of eight of these dedicated freighters. This is in addition to the deal it made with Israel Aerospace Industry Corporation (IAI) to convert three of EVA's passenger Boeing 777-300ER jets into pure cargo aircraft. By 2025, the carrier will have grown its cargo fleet to 12 freighters. The increased capacity will further strengthen EVA Air Cargo’s competitiveness in the airfreight market.

 "We continually evaluate passenger and cargo market needs so that we can appropriately increase capacity, meet demand and enhance our risk management capabilities. We also regularly review our fleet composition and develop strategies that will best equip us to secure a competitive edge in these markets,” said EVA President Clay Sun. "To accommodate expected airfreight market expansion, our own long-term flight network planning and business demands, we remain on the lookout for the best next-generation freighter,” Sun continued. “Our immediate and long-term goals are the same. We aim to thrive in the booming air cargo markets of today and in the future, sustain the flexible services and unmatched reliability we are known for, and, at the same time, help meet global conservation and environmental goals."

EVA equipped its Boeing 777 freighters with the same turbofan engines that power its B777-300ER passenger aircraft. Its B777-300ER flight crews can easily transition to fly the dedicated freighters after training on differences between the aircraft and operations. In addition to its eight Boeing 777 freighters, EVA flies 34 B777-300ERs. Consistency in its aircraft models and engines gives the carrier extra flexibility for crew dispatch and elevates maintenance-management efficiencies, leading to operational benefits.

 

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BEA launches investigation into serious incident involving an Air France flight from New York's JFK airport suffered flight control problems on approach to Paris CDG

French investigators from the Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses - BEA has launched an investigation into what it has termed a "Serious Incident" involving an Air France Boeing 777 on approach to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport on Tuesday.  

The jet was operating a flight from New York's JFK airport and suffered serious control problems on its approach to its home base of Paris. as it on landing in Paris. According to reports the pilot aborted the first landing attempt and did a go-around. 

In a statement, Air France said the flight crew “aborted their landing sequence and performed a go-around.

The go-around is defined by the authorities, aircraft manufacturers and Air France as a normal procedure. The crews are trained and regularly instructed in these procedures, which are used by all airlines to guarantee the safety of flights and passengers.   -  The crew landed the aircraft normally after a second approach.”

Unconfirmed and unverified audio was posted on various websites including AIRLIVE.net  which seems to indicate the pilots of the plane were struggling to keep control of the aircraft.

The BEA has said the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, otherwise known as the aircraft's 'black boxes' are being reviewed to determine the cause of the loss of control. The BEA cited “instability of flight controls” in the final stages of the flight, as well as “hard controls” and “flight-path oscillations.” issues hampered normal operation. 

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SWISS is teaming up with online auction house Ricardo to auction off its Economy Class seats - but not all of them!

SWISS is teaming up with online auction house Ricardo to auction off its Economy Class seats that are surplus to requirements following the installation of its new Premium Economy Class. The auction proceeds will be donated to the Pigna Foundation, one of SWISS’s long-standing charity partners.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is currently replacing some of the Economy Class seats on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with the new seating that has been specially developed for its new Premium Economy Class cabin. SWISS has now teamed up with online auction house Ricardo to auction off these surplus seats, with the proceeds going to charity.

For the next four weeks, three-seat sets of the surplus Economy Class seating together with attractive further items will be sold on Ricardo to the highest bidders. The seat sets sold will also be provided with a personalized nameplate for their new owners where the TV screens usually go. 

All the proceeds from these auction sales will be donated by SWISS to the Pigna Foundation. SWISS’s long-standing charity partner, which is based in Kloten, offers people with disabilities a place to live and work along with care and support that are tailored to their needs. The work performed by the people at Pigna includes reprocessing the reusable headphones that are provided for travellers on SWISS flights. For further information (in German) on the Pigna Foundation, visit www.pigna.ch.

The auction - SWISS Aircraft Seat + Nati Training | Buy on Ricardo

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Qatar Airways adorns a 777 with a retro livery to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Doha based Qatar Airways has painted a distinctive retro livery on one of its Boeing 777-300 aircraft as part of its 25th-anniversary celebrations. The jet made its debut in its new 'old' colours last month on a trip to Paris and is set to become a regular sight across the carrier's route network. 

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are tremendously excited to celebrate our 25th anniversary by introducing this unique aircraft to our fleet. We hope this retro design will bring many memories of travel to our passengers, especially those who experienced travelling with us in our early years. This livery marks the milestone of how far we have come as the national carrier.

As we look forward, this is a year of endless possibilities for the entire Qatar Airways Group family, with several important landmark events and celebrations planned across this period. We will continue to shine and share our success with those who are at the heart of everything we do – our millions of loyal passengers around the globe.”

Qatar Airways has undergone a dramatic transformation since its creation as a small regional carrier serving a small number of destinations in 1997, into one of the world’s leading global airlines with a vast route network connecting Doha to more than 140 destinations across six continents. 

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Emirates to restart flights to Newcastle in October as it quickly scales up UK operations

The Dubai based Emirates has confirmed it will restart flights to Newcastle Airport (NCL) from 15 October, following the easing of international entry rules and an upsurge in passenger demand.

The carrier said it will resume services to its North-eastern UK hub with four weekly flights, all operated by Boeing 777 aircraft, across two classes. The first flight, EK033, will depart Dubai International (DXB) at 1430 and arrive in Newcastle (NCL) at 1910, while flight EK034 will depart Newcastle at 2110 and arrive in Dubai the following day at 0725. All times are local, and flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Emirates has also announced plans scale up its operations to and from London Heathrow (LHR) in a phased manner that will see it offering a six times daily operation - with five A380 services - from the airport by the 31 October. Emirates’ EK005/006 service to Heathrow will be upgraded from a B777 to the A380 from 15 October and an additional B777 service to Heathrow (EK031/EK032) will be added from the same date. Flight EK031/EK032 will then be upgraded to the A380 from 31st October.

Emirates’ commitment to the UK

By the end of October, the airline will offer 77 weekly flights to the UK, including the six times daily London Heathrow operation; double daily A380 flights to Manchester, a ten weekly service to Birmingham, a daily service to Glasgow, and a four weekly service to Newcastle. The increase in operations will make it easier for UK customers to access Emirates’ growing global network of 120 destinations - close to 90% of Emirates’ pre-pandemic network.

Responding to increasing customer demand across Europe, Emirates has also brought forward its plans to introduce extra flights and capacity to other key cities, including Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Lisbon, Madrid, Munich, Rome, and Zurich.

Richard Jewsbury, Divisional Vice President UK at Emirates commented, “We’re incredibly pleased to resume Emirates flights to and from Newcastle, helping reconnect communities and businesses in the North East with Emirates’ extensive global network. Since the UAE moved to the UK’s ‘amber list’ we’ve seen huge demand from passengers eagerly making travel plans - whether it’s to see family and friends, for education, business, or a long-awaited holiday. We look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard an Emirates flight soon.”

Nick Jones, Chief Executive of Newcastle Airport said, “We are delighted that Emirates has brought forward its return to Newcastle International Airport and the North East with four weekly flights throughout the winter starting from the 15th October.  A change of flight times to an evening departure will mean passengers can maximise their stay in Dubai whether on holiday or business whilst also ensuring connectivity to worldwide destinations via the Emirates network.”

 Since it safely resumed tourism activity in July, Dubai remains one of the world's most popular holiday destinations, especially during the winter season. The city is open for international business and leisure visitors. From sun-soaked beaches and heritage activities to world class hospitality and leisure facilities, Dubai offers a variety of world-class experiences. It was one of the world's first cities to obtain Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) – which endorses Dubai's comprehensive and effective measures to ensure guest health and safety.

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Russian airline Aeroflot shows off retrofitted Boeing 777

The leading Russian airline, Aeroflot has unveiled its first long-range Boeing 777 aircraft with a fresh new retrofitted cabin. The jet has been configured to accommodate 427 passengers, with 28 Super Diamond NG seats equipped with sliding doors in Business class, 24 seats in Comfort class and 375 seats in Economy class. 

All seats come in high-quality jacquard upholstery. The seat pitch in Economy class averages 80 cm, in Comfort class – 96 cm. Business-class passengers can enjoy individual suites providing a high level of privacy.  Sliding doors and an extra armrest turn a seat in a private suite fitted with an 18.5-inch HD monitor and 2-metre full-flat bed.

Passengers travelling in all classes of service can enjoy the latest generation Panasonic Ex3  multimedia in-flight entertainment system featuring new film releases and classical movies, audiobooks, games, children’s channel, flight map with city guides (same as onboard А350). High-speed Internet access (up to 30 Мb/sec)* is available onboard.

The innovative cabin and seat design ensure a premium level of Aeroflot’s travel product. The airline will operate the retrofitted Boeing 777 on all popular international and domestic routes, including Dubai, New York, Los Angeles, Mahe, Delhi, Yerevan, Bishkek, Baku, Tashkent, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. By end of 2021, Aeroflot will refurbish the cabin interior on two more aircraft.

Aeroflot operates one of the youngest fleets globally. As of August 2021, the airline has 202 aircraft, 20 of which are long-range Boeing 777-300ERs.

*extra charge applicable

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Japan Airlines retires all its 777 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.....

Japan Airlines (JAL) has decided to bring forward the retirement of its fleet of Pratt & Whitney - P & W powered Boeing 777 aircraft, scheduled for March next year to now. The carrier made a short statement to advise the type is now retired and would not be returning to normal scheduled operations.

Over 25 years after JAL took delivery of its first Boeing 777 in 1996, the carrier has operated Pratt & Whitney (P&W) equipped Boeing 777-200 and 777-300.

In response to the incident involving an engine failure on JL904 on December 4, 2020, operating from Okinawa Naha to Tokyo Haneda airport, and the United Airlines incident involving an engine failure on February 20,2021, Japan Airlines has suspended the operations of Boeing 777 equipped with identical P&W manufactured engines. We will continue to fully cooperate and respond to the investigation by the Japan Transport Safety Board to determine the cause of the incident.

JAL has decided to accelerate the retirement of all P&W equipped Boeing 777 by March 2021, which is originally planned by March 2022. 

To address this issue, the carrier introduces state-of-the-art A350-900 with low noise and fuel-efficient engines to Osaka (Itami) routes, and put International aircraft on domestic routes, so that the carrier can maintain the frequency of flights.  "The flights scheduled to be operated by the same type of aircraft will be changed to the alternative aircraft in order. Due to the change in aircraft, your seat number may be changed without prior notice."  the airline said. 

The airline has also recently updated its international flying schedule from now until the end of September.  

Japan Airlines updates schedule, axes 777s and take part in COVID app trials.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has decided to bring forward the retirement of its fleet of Pratt & Whitney - P & W powered Boeing 777 aircraft, scheduled for March next year to now. The carrier made a short statement to advise the type is now retired and would not be returning to normal scheduled operations.

Over 25 years after JAL took delivery of its first Boeing 777 in 1996, the carrier has operated Pratt & Whitney (P&W) equipped Boeing 777-200 and 777-300.

In response to the incident involving an engine failure on JL904 on December 4, 2020, operating from Okinawa Naha to Tokyo Haneda airport, and the United Airlines incident involving an engine failure on February 20,2021, Japan Airlines has suspended the operations of Boeing 777 equipped with identical P&W manufactured engines. We will continue to fully cooperate and respond to the investigation by the Japan Transport Safety Board to determine the cause of the incident.

JAL has decided to accelerate the retirement of all P&W equipped Boeing 777 by March 2021, which is originally planned by March 2022. 

To address this issue, the carrier introduces state-of-the-art A350-900 with low noise and fuel-efficient engines to Osaka (Itami) routes, and put International aircraft on domestic routes, so that the carrier can maintain the frequency of flights.  "The flights scheduled to be operated by the same type of aircraft will be changed to the alternative aircraft in order. Due to the change in aircraft, your seat number may be changed without prior notice."  the airline said. 

The airline has also recently updated its international flying schedule from now until the end of September.  

Greenpeace France vandalise stored Boeing 777

The environmental activist campaign group Greenpeace in France have breached airport security fences in Paris to deliberately deface and vandalise  a stored Boeing 777 of national airline Air France.

The jet, grounded like so many others due to the downturn in business because of the global coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, last flew on March 17th last year, has been severely damaged by Greenpeace activists painting a huge green box on the side of the plane as well as piercing a wing with a ladder used to climb on top of the fuselage. 

The environment of producing the paint, the activists travelling to the airport on a number of occasions to carry out and research the attack as well as the chemicals needed to clean the aircraft appear not to have been considered by the group that pretends to be non-violent.

The airline is understood to be considering legal action over the damage to the aircraft and an investigation is also underway at how the poor security at Paris Charles DeGaulle allowed the campaigners to breach security in broad daylight and have the time to paint such a large area of the aircraft. 

French politicians will be debating shortly a raft of environmental issues, but rather than encouraging better climate considerations, the action by Greenpeace seems to have had the opposite effect according to various French politicians,  one of who even liked the actions as akin to terrorism. 

Photo AFP

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Qatar Airways Brings Forwards its Launch of Flights to Seattle to 29 January 2021

Qatar Airways four weekly services to Washington State’s largest city will launch almost two months ahead of schedule 

Passengers travelling to or from Seattle can connect via the Best Airport in the Middle East with over 75 destinations in Africa, Asia, India and the Middle East

Passengers travelling to and from the U.S., including Seattle, can enjoy the world’s Best Business Class Seat, with Qatar Airways operating Qsuite on all 11 of its U.S. routes.

Qatar Airways has confirmed it is bringing forward the launch of its four weekly flights to Seattle from 15 March to the end of this month - 29 January 2021. The Doha based carrier will operate the service on its state-of-the-art Boeing 777 featuring 42 seats in Business Class and 312 seats in Economy Class.

Passengers travelling to and from the U.S., including Seattle, can enjoy the world’s Best Business Class Seat, with Qatar Airways operating Qsuite on all 11 of its U.S. routes. The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with the most spacious, fully private, comfortable and socially distanced Business Class product in the sky, with its unique sliding doors. Passengers can also stay connected with family, friends and colleagues with Super Wi-Fi connectivity available on board all Seattle flights.

China Airlines Takes Delivery of First Boeing 777 Freighter

China Airlines today unveiled the first of six Boeing 777 Freighters, officially becoming the 20th operator of the world’s largest and longest range twin-aisle freighter. The 777 Freighter joins the airline amid growing demand for dedicated freighters as operators grapple with the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Air cargo demand has risen in light of the global pandemic and has played a critical role in maintaining profitability for our airline despite the downturn in passenger traffic,” said China Airlines Chairman Hsieh Su-Chien. “The efficiency and capability of the 777 Freighter enables us to modernize our freighter fleet, while also allowing us to increase capacity and open into new markets. We look forward to delivering world-class service to our customers.”

Qatar Airways Reveals First Bespoke FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Aircraft

The national carrier of the State of Qatar has unveiled a special hand-painted in tournament livery n a Boeing 777 aircraft in preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Qatar Airways, Official Partner and the Official Airline of FIFA, unveiled a specially-branded Boeing 777 aircraft painted in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 livery, to mark two years to go until the tournament kicks off on 21 November 2022.

The bespoke aircraft, which features distinctive FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 branding was hand-painted to commemorate the airline’s partnership with FIFA. More aircraft in the Qatar Airways fleet will feature the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 livery and will visit several destinations in the network.

The Boeing 777-300ER will enter service on 21 November operating flights QR095 and QR096 between Doha and Zurich. The inaugural route of the bespoke aircraft further reiterates the airline’s commitment to the FIFA partnership by flying to the home of FIFA in Switzerland on this significant date.