Etihad Airways will fly its much-loved A380 on the popular Abu Dhabi – New York JFK route from 22 April, 2024

Etihad Airways is delighted to announce it will start flying its A380 double-decker to New York JFK from 22 April, 2024.

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, says: “We’re thrilled to start flying our remarkable A380 across the Atlantic, and we know our guests love the onboard experience. Whether they are flying in Economy, Business, First or the three-room suite in the sky, The Residence, they will enjoy elevated levels of service from our dedicated crew, and ensure they arrive in the city that never sleeps refreshed and relaxed. We know this is important for all our guests, not least our corporate customers, and the timing and comfort provided by the A380 means they can arrive fresh and ready for their business appointments.

“Putting the A380 on the popular New York route makes sense as we satisfy customer demand for more capacity, further growing our expanding network. The fact that our new route to Boston, Etihad’s fourth US gateway, will open on 31 March, three weeks before our A380 starts flying to New York, underlines our ambitious growth plans.”

The introduction of the A380 marks a significant enhancement to Etihad's capacity in the crucial US market, connecting to the broader GCC and Indian subcontinent. It will further attract an increased number of visitors to sample the attractions of the vibrant city of Abu Dhabi.

The A380 will operate on one of the two daily Etihad flights to New York. The other daily flight will be operated by a 787-9 featuring First, Business and Economy cabins.

The US route becomes the second destination after London to enjoy the remarkable A380 experience since Etihad returned its superjumbo to the skies.

Welcome onboard

Every guest in Etihad’s A380 is treated to a unique and elevated experience. For those in Economy, a dedicated welcome area sets the tone. The cabin boasts 68 extra legroom seats with an additional 4 inches of space, along with 337 Economy Smart seats featuring Etihad's signature fixed-wing headrests and large pillows for maximum comfort.

Emirates honours the UAE’s milestone achievements in space exploration with special one-off flight

Emirates, in collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), is celebrating the UAE’s visionary national space initiatives with a one-off special flight. National heroes Dr Sultan AlNeyadi, who recently returned from a 6-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS) and Hazzaa AlMansoori, the first Emirati astronaut in space were guests of honour onboard. The MBRSC team has played a key role in fostering a strong and diverse space sector by developing its capacities and expertise to compete on the global stage through conducting a number of missions and projects for the UAE.

The Emirates A380 was emblazoned with a specially designed astronaut decal, celebrating the UAE’s vision to build its capabilities in space exploration and aerospace innovation on the global stage. Commanded by Captain Abdalla Abdelrahman Al Hammadi and First Officer Alex Van Der Veer, EK2641 took off from Dubai International Airport at 12:00, cruising across all seven Emirates. Joining the astronauts onboard were Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General of MBRSC, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, Adel Al Redha, astronauts Sultan AlNeyadi, Hazzaa AlMansoori and crew members of Expedition 69 along with close to 200 employees from MBRSC.

Before take-off, Dr Sultan AlNeyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri visited Emirates Headquarters and were welcomed by Emirates' President Sir Tim Clark and Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha.   Emirates employees then had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a Q&A followed by a meet and greet with the two admired astronauts.

H.E. Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General, MBRSC said: “We are grateful to Emirates for this exceptional gesture, honouring the astronauts and the team at MBRSC. Today's event symbolised our shared vision and commitment to pioneering and recognizing the contributions of the aerospace sector. As we look to the future, MBRSC remains dedicated to driving the UAE and the region towards new frontiers in space exploration and innovation. With our leadership's futuristic vision, we are ready to uncover new discoveries, achieve milestones, and further enhance our nation's global presence in the field of space.”

Adel Al Redha, Emirates COO said: “We are honoured to celebrate the successful mission and return of Dr Sultan AlNeyadi, as well as the ground-breaking work of MBRSC to propel the UAE’s flourishing space sector. Whether it’s soaring through the skies or rocketing into the atmosphere, Emirates pilots and MBRSC astronauts share a passion for discovery and are a source of innovation and inspiration for all. As MBRSC pioneers the final frontier, Emirates’ vast network of over 140 destinations across six continents enable earth-bound travellers to explore almost every corner of the world. Together, we will continue to support the UAE’s vision to unveil new knowledge and discover new horizons, both on and off planet.”

Established in 2006, MBRSC is an advanced scientific and technological hub, responsible for making the UAE a world leader in space services and exploration. In addition to the world-class UAE Astronaut Programme, MBRSC is an incubator of innovation, developing some of the world’s most high-accuracy, high-resolution imaging satellites to produce data and analysis for the global scientific and research communities. MBRSC also launched several exploration initiatives, including the successful Emirates Mars Mission in 2021 which has been collecting essential data on the red planet’s atmosphere for over one Martian year – equivalent to approximately two Earth years.

With the clear synergies between aviation and aerospace, Emirates is also contributing to the country’s ecosystem. The Emirates Flight Training Academy, with its cutting-edge technologies, is one of the most advanced pilot training programmes in the world, preparing the next generation of aviators to push boundaries as they take to the skies. With 289 cadets currently enrolled, 222 of whom are Emirati, and a further 120 who graduated and are now flying for Emirates, the airline is committed to developing the country’s pipeline of talented and experienced pilots.

RTX's Pratt & Whitney Canada to maintain PW980 auxiliary power units for Emirates' Airbus A380 aircraft

Comprehensive agreement underpins A380's importance within Emirates fleet in coming decade

           Pratt & Whitney, an RTX  business, has signed a 10-year agreement with Emirates to maintain and support the airline's 116 PW980 auxiliary power units (APUs) on its Airbus A380 aircraft.

"The PW980 is the largest APU in commercial airline service, and we understand its importance to the dispatch availability of the Emirates' fleet of A380 aircraft," said Irene Makris, vice president of Customer Service at Pratt & Whitney Canada. "Our maintenance and support program for APUs is instrumental in providing timely and effective maintenance planning and support. This support agreement will help ensure the continued success of Emirates' A380 operation for years to come."

The PW980 APU is a two-shaft gas turbine engine specifically designed for the Airbus A380 wide-body jetliner. Pratt & Whitney Canada manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of APUs for both military and civil/commercial aircraft applications. Operated by more than 700 different operators worldwide, Pratt & Whitney Canada APUs help power over 7,000 aircraft in operation.

Since its founding in 1928, Pratt & Whitney Canada engines have flown one billion hours. Read more about Pratt & Whitney's history of innovation here.

RTX's Pratt & Whitney Canada to maintain PW980 auxiliary power units for Emirates' Airbus A380 aircraft

Comprehensive agreement underpins A380's importance within Emirates fleet in coming decade

           Pratt & Whitney, an RTX  business, has signed a 10-year agreement with Emirates to maintain and support the airline's 116 PW980 auxiliary power units (APUs) on its Airbus A380 aircraft.

"The PW980 is the largest APU in commercial airline service, and we understand its importance to the dispatch availability of the Emirates' fleet of A380 aircraft," said Irene Makris, vice president of Customer Service at Pratt & Whitney Canada. "Our maintenance and support program for APUs is instrumental in providing timely and effective maintenance planning and support. This support agreement will help ensure the continued success of Emirates' A380 operation for years to come."

The PW980 APU is a two-shaft gas turbine engine specifically designed for the Airbus A380 wide-body jetliner. Pratt & Whitney Canada manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of APUs for both military and civil/commercial aircraft applications. Operated by more than 700 different operators worldwide, Pratt & Whitney Canada APUs help power over 7,000 aircraft in operation.

Since its founding in 1928, Pratt & Whitney Canada engines have flown one billion hours. Read more about Pratt & Whitney's history of innovation here.

Emirates A380 fleet to ‘fly better’ well into the next decade.

 

                             Emirates, the world’s largest international airline and biggest A380 operator is doubling down its investments to maintain and improve operational efficiency, as well as maximise fleet performance and reliability of its double-decker fleet well into the next decade.

Significant investment deals signed at Dubai Airshow 2023 will see the A380 fleet continue to be a major part of Emirate's offering into the 2030s

The airline has signed agreements worth over USD $1.5 billion at the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow, with an expanded network of providers and partners to deliver superior aviation aftermarket and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services. 

Emirates will leverage, at scale, the expertise and capabilities of partners including Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Safran, Lufthansa Technik, OEM Services, Gameco, Haeco, and others to optimise its A380 fleet’s lifespan and unlock additional operational efficiency gains, all at its exacting standards. Emirates’ partners will provide a range of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, parts provisioning, component repairs, and as well as technical support.

The work, already underway, is in line with the airline’s commitment to quality, and ensures customers can enjoy its signature onboard products and services for years to come. In parallel with the work being carried out to maintain its A380 fleet, the airline continues to progress with the largest known retrofit programme in the industry, worth USD $2 billion, which is poised to elevate the onboard experience even further.  

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “The A380 has been and will continue to be very much part of the Emirates story. Its size and capacity has allowed Emirates to unlock growth at some of the world’s busiest airports, opened new opportunities for travellers, and substantially raised standards for passenger comfort. Our continued commitment to and confidence in the A380 are why we’re investing heavily to keep the fleet in optimal shape and pristine condition. The A380 will remain core to our network and customer proposition for the next decade, and we want to ensure our fleet is in tip-top shape.”

Global Airlines working with JETMS on aircraft refurbishment and overhaul programme

JETMS to carry out refurbishment & overhaul of all cabins on Global's A380's

Project will be JETMS Completions first with the superjumbo, and is a multi-aircraft deal

Return to service maintenance work underway on aircraft one

9H-GLOBL expected to arrive in Europe before the end of the year

JETMS Completions (part of Avia Solutions Group) has been selected to bring to life Global's onboard hard product, with work planned to commence on the first aircraft in January 2024.

JETMS is synonymous with providing world-class, quality interior and exterior refurbishment for a range of private aircraft. The project with Global will be their largest to date, and their first on the king of the skies.

To begin, JETMS will refurbish the first aircraft interiors to the highest standard, ahead of them taking to the skies for the first passenger flights. Later aircraft will see their interiors completely overhauled, exactly to the high specification of the new airline.

Global's commitment to passengers is to provide an elevated product across First, Business and Economy cabins. And, ahead of a full release on new look interiors, the airline can confirm that leading aircraft interiors outfit, Factorydesign has created new concepts for both the version one and version two aircraft in the Global fleet.

Speaking on the deal with JETMS and plans for the rest of the year, CEO and Founder of Global Airlines James Asquith, said:  "We have deliberately cast the net wide when looking for partners. JETMS Completions are known throughout the private aviation world for the amazing work they do on a range of aircraft. And after speaking with Gegams and his team, it was clear that JETMS believed they could introduce standards and finishes from private into commercial aviation.

I have no doubt at all that the combination of JETMS working with Factorydesign will bring to life our own onboard product on all of our A380's, and I'm looking forward to sharing images and videos of the transformation with passengers to demonstrate the progress we are making as we build towards bringing our first aircraft into service.

The next few weeks promise to be really exciting for Global. We have a number of partnerships ready to announce that will demonstrate the enormous progress we've made and I am looking forward to our first repositioning flight happening before the end of the year."

Gegams Hanamirjans, CEO of JETMS Holdings, said:   "The opportunity to grow with Global, and to work on bringing more A380's back into the sky was a project everyone in the company wanted to get involved in.

It's also testament to the amazing progress we have made as a company this year, and follows hot on the heels of moving to our new state of the art facility at Biggin Hill airport along with other investments in new equipment.

Now our priority is to get everything in place across the supply chain so we can start progressing at pace early next year on the refurbishment of the first aircraft.

With our recent acquisition of Waypoint Aerotec, JETMS Completions now possess UK CAA Part 21J Approval. This certification is a valuable add-on to its existing design and production capabilities and qualifies the company to provide innovative design solutions."

Global Airlines to contract Hi Fly to accelerate A380 Entry into Service Programme

Under the agreement, Global Airlines will benefit from Hi Fly's expertise to accelerate the Entry into Service (EIS) programme for the airline's new fleet.

Hi Fly, based in Lisbon, has significant A380 technical and operating experience.

First Global aircraft expected to fly to Europe in the months ahead, with a new registration of 9H-GLOBL

In a significant operational development, Global Airlines and Hi Fly have signed an agreement to work together on the development and maintenance of the four A380 aircraft the new airline has agreed to acquire.

Hi Fly, who were the first to operate the A380 in the secondary market, will use their extensive experience of the aircraft, to work with Global on not only preparing it for service, but on helping the new carrier realise its ambition to provide customers with the best way to fly on commercial services, as it prepares for operations.  

The short-term focus for both organisations are the EIS and Return to Service (RTS) processes for Global's first aircraft, expected to commence in the months ahead. However, both companies will explore further ways to broaden their collaboration, united by a passion for the aircraft, and a shared belief in its enduring potential and appeal.

James Asquith, CEO and Founder of Global Airlines said: "This announcement has been a long time in the making, and I've said from the start, we at Global want to work with the best, most experienced partners, and Hi Fly are exactly that.

"The great news for us is that the team at Hi Fly know the A380 inside-out and will be invaluable in helping us with their industry knowledge around the maintenance and technical acceptance required for our first aircraft – all crucial steps before work begins on introducing our new interiors and other vital elements of the Global service and passenger proposition.

"We're proud to be working with Hi Fly and I place no limits on the potential of this collaboration."

Lufthansa expands flights to the USA with three new connections

Lufthansa Airlines is expanding its service from Frankfurt and Munich to the U.S. in summer 2024 with three new connections. Starting next summer, Lufthansa will offer a total of 27 USA destinations, decidedly more than before Corona. Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina are two new destinations starting from Frankfurt. From Munich, Lufthansa will also fly for the first time to Seattle. And, in summer 2024 also from Munich for the first time, Johannesburg and Hong Kong. 

News in detail from Frankfurt 

Starting on June 4, 2024, Lufthansa Airlines will fly five times weekly throughout the year to the Midwest gateway city Minneapolis. Located on the Mississippi river, it is an ideal starting point for exploring the state of Minnesota where, urban sophistication meets exciting outdoor adventures. In numerous national parks, and a chance to admire the spectacular northern lights. 

For the first time, Lufthansa will add Raleigh-Durham, to its flight schedule. It is the airline’s the second destination in North Carolina after Charlotte. Starting June 6, 2024, Lufthansa will fly also fly five times a week throughout the year to this city that is particularly interesting for business travelers. Numerous German companies have branches in the Raleigh-Durham area, and employees will now have an optimal connection to Germany and Lufthansa's global network for the first time.

Hyderabad, India already is a Lufthansa destination this winter and will continue to be served in the 2024 summer flight schedule with five weekly flights.

News in detail from Munich 

Next summer, Lufthansa guests will be able to choose from more exciting destinations from Munich to three continents. The Airbus A350, one of the most sustainable long-haul aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet, will fly for example for the first to Seattle from Munich daily for the first time on May 30, 2024 . The Munich flight complements existing daily flights to Seattle from Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub, thus offering additional travel options to the. state of Washington. In short, Lufthansa is doubling flight frequencies to Seattle. 

Qantas to increase capacity on many routes....

The Qantas Group is currently operating at around 80 per cent of its pre-COVID international capacity levels, which has almost doubled in the past year, and has announced a massive increase in future capacity. 

The airline is adding more capacity on a number of routes including New York, Los Angeles, Johannesburg and Bali. Qantas expects it to reach 100% of pre-covid levels by March of next year.

Qantas has received three long-awaited Boeing 787s in recent months and is gradually able to return more of its Airbus A380s to service as they complete post-storage maintenance, which is enabling flying levels to steadily increase to meet strong travel demand.

 

New flying 

The national carrier is publishing more than 250,000 additional seats* to and from Australia that includes:

Sydney-Bali – larger Airbus A330 aircraft will replace daily Boeing 737 flights from October this year with more premium seats and fully-flat beds in Business Class.

Sydney-Auckland-New York – following the successful launch of the new route in June this year, flights will increase from four per week to daily from August 2024.

Sydney-Johannesburg – for the first time Qantas A380s will operate to South Africa from July 2024, nearly doubling capacity during peak periods.

Melbourne-Los Angeles – capacity will increase by around 20 per cent with more A380 flights on the route from July 2024.

Sydney-Los Angeles – flights will increase from eight to nine per week from July 2024, operated with a mix of 787 and A380 aircraft.

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said the additional flying would help support the sustained demand for international travel and provide a boost to the tourism industry.  “Hundreds of thousands of extra seats on our network is great news for our customers planning their next overseas trip,” said Mr Wallace.

“We know our customers are looking for great value and this additional capacity will put more downward pressure on fares.  The additional capacity will largely be made possible through our final two A380s returning to the Qantas fleet following heavy maintenance and cabin improvements.” 

More changes....

Sydney-Shanghai resuming in late October, operating for the first time in more than three years.

Brisbane-Honiara and Brisbane-Wellington launching in late October.

Emirates Airlines promise to operate additional flights to/from London Heathrow between 31 October 2023 and 30 March 2024 to meet demand.

The Dubai-based mega-carrier Emirates has promised to operate an additional five-a-week service to London Heathrow starting from 31 October 2023 until 30 March 2024 and says this temporary service addition is to meet the growing demand during the busy winter season.

Emirates currently serves London Heathrow with six daily A380 flights. The additional flight will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and will be served by Emirates’ wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, fitted in a three-class configuration split between First, Business and Economy classes.

Emirates flight EK41 will depart Dubai at 13:20hrs and arrive at London Heathrow at 17:20hrs, local time. The return flight, EK42, will depart London Heathrow at 20:15hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:15hrs local time, the following day.

Serving the UK with more than 125 weekly flights

Emirates continues to restore its UK services with the recent resumption of its iconic A380 service to Birmingham and Glasgow, double daily services to Stansted, and enhanced services to Newcastle and London Gatwick.

The airline currently serves the UK with 126 weekly flights including: six times daily A380 service to London Heathrow; three times daily A380 service to Gatwick; twice daily service to Stansted; three times daily A380 service to Manchester; double daily service to Birmingham (including a daily A380 service); daily service to Newcastle; and a daily A380 service to Glasgow.

More than 140 destinations across six continents

Emirates’ extensive network spans over 140 destinations across six continents. The airline offers its customers an unmatched culinary experience in the skies with regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages.

Emirates’ home and hub, Dubai, remains a very popular holiday and stopover destination. Visitors from the UK can take advantage of the Dubai Experience platform that enables customers to easily browse, create and book their own customised itineraries including flights, hotel stay, visits to key attractions, and other dining and leisure experiences in Dubai and the UAE.

Three major Middle Eastern airlines have started flights to Birmingham Airport

Three major Middle Eastern airlines have started flights to Birmingham Airport this month in what its chief executive called “a glimpse into our future.” The trio of airlines have vastly expanded the range of destinations now available from the airport, either directly or with one stop.

Saturday July1 - Emirates brought back its iconic 615-seater A380 ‘superjumbo,’ adding capacity on its popular twice-daily Dubai service.

Sunday July 2 – Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudia Arabia, began flying thrice-weekly to and from Jeddah, its vibrant second city and commercial centre.

Thursday July 6 - Qatar Airways returned to BHX, following a three-year absence, with daily services to Doha.

 

Nick Barton, chief executive of Birmingham Airport, said: “This is a glimpse into our future ... World-class airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Saudia serving the global gateway of the West Midlands as we eagerly await the arrival of the new HS2 railway, which will make BHX the journey time equivalent of London’s zone 5. 

“The West Midlands region is home to six million people contributing to an economy the size of Hungary's and currently boasting Britain’s strongest foreign direct investment and job creation performance outside London and the Southeast. 

“Customers travelling for business, leisure, family, and religious purposes will benefit from our best-ever direct Middle Eastern connectivity. While for some, Doha, Jeddah, or Dubai will be the destination, others will head on to one of the many cities offered on each of these airlines’ onward networks, including Australasia, Africa, Asia and North and South America.” 

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We all know how important global connections are to the West Midlands economy, and so I am delighted that Qatar Airways have returned to Birmingham Airport. The daily direct flights to Doha being offered by Qatar Airways comes on top of the return of Emirates’ iconic A380 for their daily flights to Dubai, and Saudi’s new thrice-weekly Jeddah service. These new services and investment are not only a big economic boost to the region as our global ties grow, but they’re also a significant vote of confidence in the future of the West Midlands from three of the world’s biggest airlines.” 

Emirates A380 makes emergency landing at London Gatwick following gear issue.

An Emirates Airbus A380 had to make an emergency landing at London Gatwick Airport on Tuesday evening following a fault with its landing gear. 

The aircraft, registration A6-EUN developed a fault whilst operating a flight from Dubai to Gatwick and the crew requested support from emergency services.  According to early reports, a hydraulic leak affected the front landing gear which prompted the crew to conduct an emergency landing. 

The aircraft appears to have come to a halt on the runway but looked slightly uneven and was unable to turn off the runway and needed the support of an airport tug to tow it off the main runway and to a parking stand.

According to a spokesperson at the airport the runway was closed for a short time following the emergency landing and "our team worked to get the plane off the runway as quickly as possible".  A number of other flights were delayed by up to forty-five minutes, however, normal operations have now resumed. 

Long-haul start-up agrees to buy three more Airbus A380s

The UK's newest long-haul start-up Global Airlines has entered into an agreement to acquire a three more Airbus A380 jetsto bring it to a launch fleet for four aircraft.  The airline is still planning to launch transtaltantic flights to New York and Los Angeles from London Heathrow in the spring of 2024.

The additional aircraft have been purchased for an undisclosed figure and the Global team is now developing plans for their refit and return to service. The carrier has promised that further details about the aircraft, their refurbishment and the acquisition will be published in the coming months.

James Asquith, Founder and CEO of Global Airlines, said: "We have agreed the purchase of a further three A380s to join the Global fleet. As I’ve always said, the A380 is the best aircraft in the sky, and we will continue to look for further acquisition opportunities.”

Asquith set up Global Airlines as a wholly owned subsidiary of his Holiday Swap firm with its headquarters in London which aims to revolutionize the airline industry. The carrier will focus on delivering a supreme level of service on Airbus A380 aircraft that will be configured with just 471 seats.

First Class on the carrier will be the epitome of opulence and personalized service which takes luxury to new heights. From lavish private suites adorned with exquisite amenities to a dedicated team of attentive professionals catering to passengers every need.  

Business class is where impeccable style meets unparalleled convenience. Experience spacious seating, exclusive lounges, and a host of premium services that ensure a seamless journey tailored to discerning travellers.

Global Airlines' Economy Class is where comfort and value intertwine effortlessly, with thoughtfully designed seating, attentive service, and a range of amenities, enjoy a pleasant and memorable flight experience without compromising on your budget.

The airline has also made further appointments to its advisory board, joing the team will be Pierre Madrange and Ian Black.

Global Airlines welcomes new shareholder and advisor.....

Global Airlines, the new aviation start-up that has acquired one A380 and is building towards starting services in the spring of 2024 with flights between London Heathrow and New York JFK and Heathrow and Los Angeles. 

Announced that Matthew Brown, a U.S. based investor in the aviation and renewable energy spaces, has this week agreed to advise James Asquith, CEO of Global Airlines, as the airline prepares to launch transatlantic services in spring 2024 and considers further aircraft acquisitions.

Brown has advised significant U.S. institutions on clean energy financing. In addition, he holds a number of advisory positions including with the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) at the University of California, Berkeley and the Wind Institute (NWI) at Texas Tech University. He is an activate investor and advisor in the space industry, as well, and through his commitment to sustainable development, he has personally invested over $1B USD toward achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Goals.

Global Airlines has acquired one A380 and is poised to announce further aircraft in its fleet, as it plans to offer passengers a superior flying product on its launch routes of London to JFK and London to LAX.

Recognizing the significance of the American market, Global Airlines is steadfast in its ambition to expand its presence across various U.S. destinations. The appointment of Matthew Brown marks yet another strategic move by the airline, following a series of significant appointments, with further high-profile hires from the United States anticipated in the coming weeks.

With a commitment to innovation, sustainability and customer satisfaction, Global Airlines aims to set new industry standards and provide unmatched service in the aviation sector.

Former Rolls-Royce chief customer officer and senior easyJet captain appointed to Global Airlines Advisory Board

Global Airlines, the world's newest long-haul airline, has announced two further appointments to its Advisory Board: Jacqueline Sutton MBE and Emma Henderson MBE.

Jacqueline Sutton held the position of Chief Customer Officer (CCO) at Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace. As a member of the Leadership Team, she was responsible for the global customer base including airline operators, leasing companies and aircraft manufacturers across the world.

Emma Henderson is a former easyJet Captain where she was a brand ambassador for the airline as well as a presenter of "Fear of flying." In 2020 she drew on support from all areas of the airline industry to create the charity, "Project Wingman," mobilising grounded industry professionals in the UK to provide support to frontline NHS staff. Initially set up during the pandemic the charity continues to provide this service now using buses which are converted into state of the art mobile well-being lounges.

At Global, Jacqui and Emma will advise the Executive Team and work closely with the Founder and CEO, James Asquith, on a range of strategic and operational matters.

James Asquith, Founder and CEO of Global Airlines, said, "We extend our warmest welcome to Emma Henderson and Jacqueline Sutton to the Global Airlines' advisory board, where they will work closely with our recently appointed chairman, Kevin Billings.

"Their extensive expertise in various aspects of the aviation industry will be invaluable to us as we prepare for operations, and I am looking forward to announcing further appointments to the Advisory Board in the weeks ahead."

New long-haul destinations in the winter schedule promises Lufthansa....

The German national carrier Lufthansa is launching new Airbus A380 destinations from Munich in the coming winter. From 5th October the airline will be flying again an A380 daily to the Californian metropolis of Los Angeles. Shortly before the start of the winter flight schedule on October 28, there will be a special premiere: For the first time, a Lufthansa Airbus A380 will take off from Munich to the Thai capital Bangkok, increasing the seat capacity by almost 75 percent compared to the A350. Lufthansa offers a greater premium product on this connection than ever before: the A380 offers 8 seats in First Class, 78 seats in Business Class and 52 seats in Premium Economy.

Airbus A380 from Munich to Bangkok and Los Angeles, with Airbus A350 to Bangalore

New connections to India

Lufthansa is expanding its service to India. The new destination from Munich is Bangalore, which, in addition to Delhi and Bombay, will be served by an Airbus A350. LH764 departs Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:10 p.m. to the southern Indian metropolis. Lufthansa guests will be able to enjoy one of the Lufthansa Group's most modern and economical long-haul aircraft, the Airbus A350-900. After a longer break, Lufthansa will also include again Hyderabad in its flight schedule from Frankfurt. This will once again provide a direct connection from Germany to India's pharmaceutical and high-tech industries. Lufthansa will announce further details in midMay.

Lufthansa will offer a total of five destinations to the Indian subcontinent from its two hubs in Frankfurt and Munich in the coming winter.

Emirates shows of new livery.

Third iteration of its main brand identity as the UAE’s international airline since 1985

The distinctive livery of the world’s largest international airline, Emirates, has undergone a refresh.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said: “Aircraft livery is the most instantly recognisable brand real estate for any airline. It’s a visual representation of our unique identity, something we wear proudly, and display in all the cities we fly to around the world. We’re refreshing our livery to keep it modern, without losing the key elements of our identity such as the UAE flag on our tailfin and the Arabic calligraphy.”

Eagle-eyed plane spotters and fans will immediately notice changes to the tailfin and wingtips.  In this latest design, the UAE flag on the Emirates tailfin is much more dynamic and flowing with a 3D effect artwork, and the wingtips have been painted red with the Emirates logo in Arabic calligraphy “popping” out in reverse white. Passengers onboard with a window view will see the UAE flag colours painted on the wingtips facing the fuselage.

The signature gold “Emirates” lettering across the main body in English and Arabic is also bolder, and 32.5% larger. On the aircraft belly, Emirates has retained its iconic red branding which it introduced in 2005.  The website URL “Emirates.com” has been dropped from the design.

This is the 3rd iteration of Emirates’ official aircraft brand colours. The original livery unveiled with the airline’s launch in 1985 had its first refresh 14 years later, with the delivery of Emirates’ first Boeing 777-300 at the 1999 Dubai Airshow.

The first aircraft to sport Emirates’ newest livery is A6-EOE, an Airbus A380, which has rolled out of Emirates Engineering this week after its makeover. Its first deployment will be to Munich on 17 March as flight EK51.

The new livery will be gradually applied across the rest of the existing Emirates fleet with 24 aircraft, including 17 Boeing 777s, expected to sport the refreshed livery by the end of 2023.  All new Emirates aircraft, from the first Airbus A350 entering the fleet in August 2024 will be delivered in this new livery.

Emirates’ original livery in 1985 was designed by UK design company Negus & Negus. All of the airline’s subsequent aircraft colours were created by its inhouse design team. Over the years, Emirates’ numerous colourful and eye-catching aircraft livery have included bespoke designs to drive sponsorship brand association, and for special occasions such as the UAE’s 50th Jubilee livery, and Expo 2020 Dubai.

Emirates expands capacity to Cairo

Dubai-based mega-carrier, Emirates has confirmed it is boosting its operations to and from Cairo to 28 weekly flights, effective 29 October 2023. The additional flights provide more options for customers to connect to Dubai and beyond with enhanced schedules and the opportunity to enjoy more of the Emirates A380’s signature experience.

The operational boost will see Emirates operating four daily flights, thrice daily on the A380 and a daily service on the Boeing 777. Cairo has the highest deployment of Emirates A380 services in the MENA region, outside of Dubai. The additional services and upgrade of seat capacity  on the Dubai-Cairo route will help meet high demand to and from Cairo and support the country’s tourism revival with the addition of more than 2,200 weekly seats in each direction.

EK921 will now operate daily, departing at 1200hrs from Dubai to arrive at Cairo International Airport at 1415hrs. The return service EK922 will depart from Cairo at 1615hrs, to arrive at 2145hrs in Dubai.

Emirates’ third A380 service to Cairo, EK925 will depart Dubai at 20:40hrs landing at 22:55hrs. EK926 will then depart Cairo, the following day at 00:40 hrs, to arrive in Dubai at 06:10hrs.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins, and signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites and Shower Spa. The airline currently deploys its flagship A380 to 41 destinations worldwide.

Airbus Commercial Selects Altair SimSolid in ZEROe Sustainable Aircraft Initiative

Altair), a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI), announced that Airbus Commercial has selected Altair SimSolid – the game-changing simulation technology that performs structural analyses on fully featured CAD assemblies within minutes – in its ZEROe global initiative, which aims to create the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft.

Altair SimSolid will streamline Airbus teams in their development of the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft

"Altair SimSolid is the premier simulation technology for engineers, designers, analysts, and manufacturers. It eliminates geometry preparation and meshing, which are the two most time-consuming, expertise-extensive, and error-prone tasks in conventional structural simulations," said Sam Mahalingam, chief technology officer, Altair. "Airbus choosing Altair SimSolid further solidifies Altair as a leader in worldwide sustainability initiatives and continues the two companies' long and fruitful history of successful collaboration."

Altair SimSolid will save Airbus' design and engineering teams time, money, and hassle. Altair SimSolid was selected because it has shown that it will reduce elementary part analysis delivery times from days to minutes, and cuts complex assembly delivery times from several months to less than one week in some cases. Additionally, Altair SimSolid's intuitive, easy-to-implement operations and interface lets users work without needing to clean geometry or prepare models beforehand. Altair SimSolid also allows Airbus's design and engineering teams to explore more design iterations in shorter timeframes, which will expedite project timelines and deliver sustainable innovations quicker.

"By using Altair SimSolid, our teams can explore more design possibilities in a simple, easy-to-implement environment," said Christophe Brand, head of airframe methods and tools, Airbus Commercial. "By not requiring our teams to clean geometries beforehand, Altair SimSolid helps us significantly reduce delivery times and build better products. With it, we look forward to building the future of zero-emission aircraft technology."

The ZEROe project aims to create the world's first hydrogen propulsion-powered commercial airline fleet and enables Airbus to explore a variety of configurations and hydrogen technologies that will shape the development of future zero-emission aircraft. Airbus is working towards a mature technology readiness level for a hydrogen-combustion propulsion system by 2025.

Airbus A380 to return to Csablanca

The Emirates flagship double-decker A380 will soon be reintroduced to Casablanca as part of the airline’s ramp-up of operations to Morocco. 

Starting from 15 April, the airline will replace the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft currently used between Dubai and Casablanca with its flagship A380 to meet growing demand on the route. The A380 service, operating as EK751 departs from Dubai at 0730hrs, arriving in Casablanca at 1255hrs. EK 752 departs from Casablanca at 1445hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0115hrs the following day.

The enhancement of capacity between Casablanca and Dubai will offer leisure and business travellers more opportunities to connect to Dubai and beyond to cities across the Middle East and GCC, Europe, the Americas and West Asia.

The flagship A380’s deployment to Morocco is also a testament of the airline’s commitment to support inbound visitor arrivals as the country double downs its efforts to reinvigorate its tourism industry. Last year, Emirates enhanced its partnership with Royal Air Maroc to a codeshare, providing more travel options and connection choices for customers of both airlines between Dubai and Casablanca, and beyond.

Casablanca is a popular leisure destination on Emirates’ global network, and demand on the route has seen steady growth since being launched in March 2002. The airline has been operating to Morocco for over 20 years, and has carried more than 3.5 million passengers on the route.

The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers, with the spacious double-decked aircraft offering 14 First Class suites and 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class, as well as 401 generously pitched seats in Economy Class. Customers travelling to and from Casablanca can look forward to enjoying Emirates’ spacious and comfortable cabins, signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites, Shower Spa, and regional cuisine including a number of Moroccan dishes. The airline’s award-winning inflight entertainment system offers more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment with a selection of upto 565 channels of Arabic music including a number of well-known Moroccan artists.

The airline has been gradually accelerating the deployment of its flagship A380 aircraft in line with growing demand for air travel. Emirates currently deploys its flagship A380 to 40 destinations worldwide. By the end of this summer, the popular aircraft will be serving almost 50 destinations, which represents close to 90% of the airline’s pre-pandemic A380 network.

The upgrade of A380 services to Casablanca also means the flagship now flies to three destinations in Africa together with Johannesburg and Cairo.