Alaska Airlines unveils stunning lounge in San Francisco

Alaska Airlines is proud to announce the grand opening of its newest Alaska Lounge at San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1. The modern and spacious 11,000-square-foot space delivers on our promise to enhance our network of lounges and offers an unparalleled pre-flight experience with a welcoming West Coast vibe, open spaces bathed in natural light and warm finishes.

“Today’s unveiling of our elegantly designed Lounge at SFO represents the culmination of over two years of dedicated commitment to enhance the way we care for our guests,” said Sangita Woerner, senior vice president of Marketing and Guest Experience at Alaska Airlines. “Our Lounges redefine the premium travel experience, providing top-tier amenities and ample space to escape the hustle and bustle of the airport, whether you’re travelling with Alaska or our oneworld and global airline partners.”

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Living Lab for Innovation in Aerospace

MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport is pleased to announce the creation of the LIA – Living Lab for Innovation in Aerospace. In line with its promise to reinvent the airport model, MET today unveils its innovation strategy. "The MET project is much more than the construction of a new passenger terminal; it is also the ambition to actively contribute to the development of aerospace technologies and the green transition of our industry. With the LIA, we aim to offer the airport as a research platform to the entire innovation ecosystem. This commitment to integrating research and experimentation into our daily airport operations is one of our core pillars of engagement," said Mr Yanic Roy, President and CEO of MET – Montreal Metropolitan Airport. From the first flights in 2025, MET will be propelled among the most important airports in Canada, making it a vast and promising interdisciplinary study ground for academic research and technological development. Living Lab is the internationally used term to describe a real-life environment available for research where actors go beyond being study subjects to becoming contributors. Although there is no literal translation in French for Living Lab, these are defined as open innovation research laboratories. The LIA will have three main missions:

Provide access to a unique study environment, including our infrastructures, facilities, and workforce, thus enabling the realization of projects in a real-world setting.

Facilitate the execution of projects by involving our experts and teams, fostering partnerships, and offering project support.

Create and animate a multidisciplinary community of practice composed of international experts to share knowledge and promote innovation in the airport environment.

To launch the LIA's activities, we can count on the leadership and expertise of Professor Mehran Ebrahimi, who has managed to gather support from the greatest experts in Canada and the world to form the advisory and scientific committees of the LIA. Notable collaborations include the Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux (INP), the French Association for Artificial Intelligence (AFIA), Bombardier, the Aerospace Technology Center (CTA), the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), Aéro Montréal, the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS), the International Expertise Center of Montreal in Artificial Intelligence (CEIMIA), the Quebec Aerospace Research and Innovation Consortium (CRIAQ), the University of Montréal (UdeM) and Air France-KLM.

Airports under attack.....

European airports have been warned they now face unprecedented attacks by various eco-terrorist groups such as Just Stop Oil,  Last Generation and Folk Mot Fossilmakten. The campaign groups have sped up their 'international uprising' for the height of summer travel getaways and there are said to be plans for a mass invasion of both Orly and Charles de Gaulle Airports in Paris in the opening days of the Olympics.

Nine Just Stop Oil members have been arrested at London's Heathrow Airport on suspicion of conspiring to interfere with a site of key national infrastructure under the Public Order Act. The group had planned to cut through the security fence in multiple locations and block one of the main runways. 

Scores of flights have been cancelled, delayed or diverted at Cologne-Bonn Airport today after five terrorists from Last Generation glued themselves to the tarmac on the taxiway and all operations had to be halted. 

Oil Kills confirmed that five of its activists had been intercepted at Barcelona El Prat Airport before they could damage too much property. In Finland, other protesters blocked security gates at Helsinki Vantaa Airport and another group Folk Mot Fossilmakten cut through the security fence in Oslo to block a taxiway at Gardermoen Airport before officers removed them some 30 minutes later.

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Major global computer outage causes travel chaos

An ongoing major computer issue affecting Windows security Crowdstrike systems is continuing to cause global chaos as airlines and airports face cancellations and delays.  

British Airways says that some of its flights will be affected during the day because of the outage which is affecting its operations centre, although it says it is working hard to try and operate as many flights as it can.

Earlier United Airlines, said "A third-party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United.  While we work to restore those systems, we are holding all aircraft at their departure airports. Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations."

Delta Air Lines has also grounded flights. American Airlines grounded flights, but has since started to operate again. 

Singapore Airlines operations and reservations centres are being affected by the outage, however, its flights are continuing as per schedule. 

JetStar Japan has cancelled around twenty flights thus far, with more expected later. 

Japan Airlines has experienced difficulties with online bookings, flight changes and loyalty club administration, but flights are continuing.

Turkish Airlines reports that it was forced to cancel around 80 flights today because of the outage. 

Ryanair confirmed it was being disrupted by the outage: “We’re currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a global third-party IT outage which is out of our control.

We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time."  Some flights may be disrupted during the day and it advised “affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling across the network on Fri 19 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight.

“We advise passengers to arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions.

“We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this 3rd party IT issue, which is outside of Ryanair’s control and affects all airlines operating across the network.”

Many airports around the world have reported issues,  including, Delhi and Mumbai in India, Christchurch and Auckland in New Zealand. 

Glasgow Airport issued the following statement: "We are largely unaffected by the current global IT issues. At present a small number of airlines have moved to manual check-in and some retailers are only accepting cash payments."

Gatwick Airport confirmed it was being affected by the outage "so passengers may experience some delays while checking in and passing through security. 

Passengers should still arrive for their normal check-in time. We apologise for any inconvenience and are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."

London Stansted confirmed that some of its airlines were being affected by the outage, which means some processes like check-in and boarding are being carried out manually and are taking longer than usual for those airlines. "The majority of flights operating from the airport are unaffected but the terminal is slightly busier than usual as a result of the situation. 

As always, passengers are advised to check the status of their flights with their airline before they leave for the airport and should follow their airlines' advice about the best time to arrive at the airport. We also advise checking up-to-date travel advice as some train services have also been affected by the issues.

Some of our retailers have also been affected meaning they have been unable to process card payments. We thank all our passengers for their patience and understanding. "

London Heathrow stated "Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow. Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information."

Luton Airport issued this statement: "The airport remains fully operational though some airline and retail partner systems continue to be impacted by the global IT issue. 

Our advice to passengers is to check with their airlines for flight updates and for guidance on the best time to arrive at the airport.

Passengers travelling to the airport by rail are also advised to check the latest travel advice from rail companies as some services may be affected."

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport was very crowded this morning, it said:  "The outage has an impact on flights flying from and to Schiphol. it is not yet clear how many flights are affected."

Birmingham Airport said "The majority of flights are operating as normal out of Birmingham Airport, customers should follow the advice from your airline and we will continue to update passengers throughout the day. For those that have checked in online previously are unaffected. This is clearly a rapidly evolving situation. Customers should follow the advice from airlines and we will continue to update passengers throughout the day."

Edinburgh said: "The airport is currently being impacted by a global IT system outage.  Wait times are longer than usual and passengers should not to come to the airport without first checking the status of their flight with their airline.

Anyone whose fight has been cancelled should leave the airport and contact their airline directly for more information.  This outage is impacting many other businesses, including airports.  Our teams are working hard to manage this situation as best they can, and passengers are thanked for their patience and understanding."

Flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport were grounded for several hours this morning due to the outage which caused check-in systems to stop. There were some flights cancelled, yet flights began to operate again just after 10am.  

Not a cyberattack

CrowdStrike issued the following statement:  "CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. 

Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. 

This is not a security incident or cyberattack. 

The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. 

We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. 

Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers."

CrowdStrike share price fell rapidly by over 20% during the outage, with more than a fifth of the company's value wiped out even before the New York Stock Exchange opens.  

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NetJets opens exclusive-use facility at Teterboro Airport

NetJets, the global leader in private aviation, announces the expansion of its real estate footprint via more than a dozen projects across top markets in the United States, including the New York tri-state area and Arizona. By investing in both existing and new facilities, including NetJets Service Hubs™, the company will continue providing its customers, who are respectfully referred to as “Owners,” with an elevated, personalized brand experience and seamless access to their aircraft.

NetJets controls the greatest market share of New York flight volume—and has for some time. This is because it is the busiest location for NetJets Owners. For these reasons, the industry leader plans to completely renovate and rebrand its primary fixed-base operator (FBO) at the Teterboro airport in New Jersey. After significant improvements are made in collaboration with Signature Aviation, the space will become accessible only to NetJets Owners. The enhanced, dedicated space will include many of the amenities and features found in other NetJets exclusive-use terminals, including a private ramp and hangar space, a new Owner lounge, VIP conference rooms, a refreshment station, dedicated parking, and a host of other amenities—all to ensure flawless transitions on arrivals and departures, beginning in 2025.

This summer, operations will also commence on an exclusive-use NetJets Service Hub in Scottsdale, Arizona. This will be the company’s first new-build Service Hub, amongst a global network of facilities that are strategically located where Owners travel the most. In addition to proactive aircraft maintenance and restocking that is offered at all NetJets Service Hubs, this new space, operated in partnership with Jet Aviation, will provide VIP conference rooms, a private lobby, a scenic outdoor patio with mountain views, vehicular ramp access, covered parking, and more—exclusively for NetJets Owners. Additionally, NetJets’ plan for expansion in the West includes breaking ground this year on a new space in Las Vegas, joining its recently opened dedicated terminal in Bozeman, Montana. The entirely new two-hangar Las Vegas FBO, to open in 2027, will feature a dedicated terminal, lobby, and parking. Other real estate growth initiatives are in various phases of development at the following locations: Eagle, Colo. (EGE), Atlanta (PDK), Bedford, Mass. (BED), Austin, Texas (AUS), and Dallas (DAL), amongst others.

American Express opens a Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

American Express will open a new Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Terminal 2, past the South Security Checkpoint. At nearly 12,000 square feet, the lounge’s design celebrates the rich history and architecture of the nation’s capital along with a collection of art commissioned by local artists. 

For the first time ever in a Centurion Lounge, guests can enjoy popular dishes from three-award-winning chefs who have created exceptional menus for the Centurion Lounges in Miami, San Francisco and Philadelphia, Chef Michelle Bernstein, Chef Ravi Kapur, and Chef Michael Solomonov. The lounge also features a specialty drink menu and wine list1 reflective of the DC-metro area curated by Jim Meehan, Centurion Lounge Mixologist, and Anthony Giglio, Centurion Lounge Wine Director. The lounge, which has floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in natural light and offer views of the airfield and the Potomac River, is open Sunday – Friday from 5:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. ET and Saturday from 5:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET.

“The Centurion Lounge is one of our Card Members’ favourite travel benefits, and the new location at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport offers Card Members the premium amenities they love in an airport they frequently travel through,” said Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel. “With a menu curated by three award-winning chefs, dedicated workstations, access to complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, quiet nooks for relaxation and more, there’s something for every type of traveller to enjoy.”

"The Centurion Lounge provides a premium experience for our travellers,” said Jack Potter, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority president and CEO. "Congratulations to American Express for creating a lounge that reflects the Washington, D.C. region. We are confident that customers will enjoy this new amenity.”

Curated Menu Featuring Popular Dishes by Top Centurion Lounge Chefs

For the first time ever in a Centurion Lounge, guests can enjoy a curated menu by three award-winning chef partners: Michelle Bernstein, Ravi Kapur, and Michael Solomonov. It features some of Card Members’ favourite Centurion Lounge dishes, including Creamy Polenta, Shabazi Spiced Salmon with Pomegranate BBQ Sauce, and Tamari-Honey Glazed Tofu & Pineapple, giving global travellers a taste of Latin, Israeli, and Hawaiian cuisines.

Chef Michelle Bernstein is a Miami-based, James Beard Award-winning chef with many successful restaurants in Miami, including Café La Trova and La Cañita, as well as Miami Beach cocktail bar Sweet Liberty, and more. Her cooking, which can also be found at the Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport, is inspired by her culinary memories and global travels.

VINCI Airports – Traffic to 30 June 2024

Passenger traffic rose 8.2% in the second quarter compared with 2023 (7.5% excluding Edinburgh and Budapest)

Passenger traffic rose sharply in Edinburgh and Budapest, the two airports that joined the VINCI Airports network in June

Almost 81 million passengers travelled through airports in the VINCI Airports network this quarter, rising 8.2% compared to 2023 (1.8% higher than in 2019). After April figures slightly lower than the 2019 level, passenger traffic rebounded in May and June, outpacing 2019 levels.

This very good Q2 performance is due in particular to sustained traffic growth in the network’s European airports. The high proportion of bank holidays in May this year boosted flights to holiday destinations in southern Europe, which attracted large numbers of passengers, served by capacity increases among low-cost airline companies. In Portugal, passenger numbers continued to grow at a rapid pace for the great majority of airports and for all flight-length segments. Funchal airport (Madeira) even recorded historic passenger numbers for a month of May (up 52 % vs 2019). In France, traffic rose to record levels for May at Nantes, thanks to routes with Spain, the United Kingdom and Portugal. Belgrade airport benefitted in Q2 from the increase in services (Air Serbia up 6%, Lufthansa 9%, Swiss 12% vs 2023) notably to the big European cities (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris). Traffic volumes at London Gatwick airport were boosted by strong demand for flights to the Mediterranean but even more by long-haul connections with the United States and China (Air China, China Eastern, Norse Atlantic). The airports in Cabo Verde, where traffic volumes are growing sharply, posted record passenger numbers in May, benefitting from the good performance of the European market (Portugal, United Kingdom, France).

Traffic volumes also rose appreciably at Edinburgh and Budapest, the two airports that joined the VINCI Airport network in June. At Edinburgh, traffic levels rose fast during the quarter thanks to an appreciable rise in capacity on the part of both low-cost (easyJet, Jet2) and traditional airlines (KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, British). Demand for routes with North America is growing sharply, supported by the historic operators (United, Air Canada) and new services launched by Westjet and JetBlue. Budapest airport benefitted this quarter from the addition of two new aircraft based there by the historic operator Wizz Air for the summer season, plus an increase in the Ryanair service offer. In addition, it has strengthened its connections to Asian destinations, with, in particular four airline companies now offering 20 weekly routes to China.

Elsewhere, trends in traffic remained very brisk, mostly thanks to international routes. The Dominican Republic airports benefitted fully from the good performance of long-haul flights to Europe and Brazil. Santiago du Chili airport saw record passenger numbers in June, fuelled notably by dynamic trends in international lines (Brazil up 74%, Peru 19%). In Japan, passenger numbers on some regional routes (Seoul, Hong-Kong, Taipei, Shanghai) continue to remain much higher than pre-crisis trends. In a positive signal of gradual restoration of traffic with China, several Chinese airlines (e.g. Spring Airlines, China Eastern, Shangdong Airlines) have recently announced the reopening of routes for the coming summer season.

In the paragraphs above, except where otherwise indicated, variations refer to traffic levels in the second quarter of 2024 compared with the second quarter of 2023.

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East Midlands Airport is ready for a bumper summer

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is ready to welcome around 774,000 customers over the school summer holiday period, as families prepare to fly to their favourite destinations across Europe.

The busiest day so far this year on Friday 19th July, will see almost 20,000 people pass through the airport – with staff and systems ready to ensure that it’s an easy and effortless experience.

Internationally recognised Airport Service Quality rankings earlier this year placed EMA in fifth place among 118 European airports for how people feel about their experience – and in 18th position for overall experience. More than 99% of customers clear security in under 15 minutes and an award-winning Assisted Travel service is available for anyone who needs additional help on their journey through the airport and onto their plane.

EMA serves more than 70 destinations across Europe and north Africa, mostly with Jet2, Tui and Ryanair. These offer beach holidays from Spain to Italy, Greece and its islands or popular alternatives such as Croatia and Bulgaria, as well as city breaks in European capitals from Rome, Berlin and Madrid to Budapest, Prague and Riga.

Smaller operators include Eastern Airways which launched a new route earlier this year to Paris Charles de Gaulle – offering a great way to get to this year’s summer Olympics, or connecting to hundreds of flights across the globe, bookable as one trip with Air France. Aurigny and Blue Islands offer flights to the Channel Islands, while Balkan Holidays fly to Bourgas on Bulgaria’s southern coast, and Aer Lingus can have you in Belfast in just over an hour.

Pentair and MSP Airport work together to reduce single-use plastic waste

Pentair plc, a leader in helping the world sustainably move, improve and enjoy water, life’s most essential resource, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) are excited to announce a new collaboration to sustainably deliver great-tasting, high-quality drinking water while reducing the need for single-use plastic water bottles for the millions of travellers that visit and fly through the MSP international hub each year. MSP, owned and operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), is the 19th busiest airport in North America by passenger traffic.

Pentair is the first partner in MSP’s new strategic partnership program which aims to collaborate with businesses and community organizations to enhance the passenger experience and drive innovation. As the Official Water Sponsor of MSP, Pentair is working to help the airport promote sustainability through the installation of 10 HOPE Hydration HydroStations. The cutting-edge HydroStations are the first water refill stations of their kind at any airport worldwide, dispensing free, chilled, and filtered water while providing an interactive experience to users. Through the HydroStations, Pentair and MSP will be educating travellers about water-related issues and the positive environmental impact they can make by bringing and filling a reusable water bottle while travelling.

Each of the HydroStations features filtration technology by Everpure from Pentair Water Solutions, providing MSP employees and travellers with a free, great-tasting and more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic water bottles.

Passengers top 29 million following busiest ever June at London Stansted

London Stansted passed the rolling 29 million passengers a year milestone for the first time in its history following its busiest ever June on record.

Stansted welcomed 2.8 million passengers in June, an increase of 8.3% on the same month last year, and 153,000 more passengers than the previous busiest ever June in 2019.

During the month Stansted also recorded its first ever 100,000 plus passenger days in the month of June, with more than 100,800 passengers passing through the terminal on 28 June. This was also the third busiest day ever at Stansted.

Operational performance in June remained good with 97% of departing passengers passing through security in 15 minutes or less.

In addition to many people heading off for an early summer holiday, the monthly total was also boosted by thousands of football fans heading to Germany to watch their teams compete at Euro 2024. London Stansted serves 10 German destinations, making all the tournament cities very accessible for England fans plus others based in the UK following their teams.

The airport also played host to Japan's Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako, who arrived on 22 June ahead of their three-day state visit to the UK, with the official welcoming party including London Stansted’s Operations Director, Nick Millar.

The top destinations during the month were Dublin, Istanbul and Palma, with the most popular countries being Spain, Italy and Germany.

Record breaking air traffic growth between Jane and June 2024 in Saudi Arabia.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has announced outstanding progress in the Kingdom’s air traffic performance between January and June 2024, with a significant growth in passenger numbers, flights, air cargo, and connectivity. 

Saudi Arabia’s passenger numbers grew 17 percent in the first half of 2024 with a record 62 million passengers, and flights up 12 percent on January-June 2023 to 446,000.

The Kingdom also recorded a huge 41 percent increase in air cargo volumes between January and June, with 606,000 tons carried.

As a result of the measures being implemented through the Saudi Aviation Strategy, the Kingdom saw the number of passengers rises 17 percent to a record 62 million and flights increase 12 percent to 446,000, well above pre-pandemic levels. Low-cost carriers led this growth, recording 38 percent growth on international routes and 22 percent growth on domestic routes. 

Air cargo also achieved historic growth during the first half of the year, rising 41 percent to 606,000 tons. In addition, Saudi Arabia’s air connectivity expanded to reach 163 destinations, a 23% increase on 2023.  

GACA President H.E. Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Duailej said:   “The Kingdom’s continued growth in air traffic performance is a testament to the strategic vision reflected in the Saudi Aviation Strategy, positioning the Kingdom to lead in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is now more connected to the world than ever before, delivering record numbers of passengers, flights, air cargo and connectivity during the first half of 2024.”

Saudi Arabia is creating unprecedented opportunities for global aviation and the private sector. The Aseer region is a shining example of aviation’s role in enabling tourism and economic growth across the Kingdom, with more than 100 companies bidding to participate in the Abha Airport Public-Private Partnership project to expand capacity from 1.5 million to 13 million passengers.” 

The figures were announced at the 13th Saudi Aviation Strategy Steering Committee meeting, held in the Aseer Province near Abha. The Committee reviewed progress in the Saudi Aviation Strategy’s implementation, including the progress of the Abha Airport Public-Private Partnership and aviation performance in the region.

The Steering Committee also reviewed the sector’s achievements during the second quarter, including the 2024 Future Aviation Forum, the world’s first air taxi license granted by GACA during Hajj in Mecca, the first operational permit granted to clean buildings using drones, and the Kingdom’s unanimous election to the Presidency of the Executive Council of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization.  

The meeting also saw a new economic license granted to the Ground Service Company for Travel and Tourism Services which will commence travel agency operations in the Kingdom.

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The Saudi Aviation Strategy is transforming the entire Saudi aviation ecosystem to become the number one aviation sector in the Middle East by 2030, enabled by Vision 2030 and in line with the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy.
The Strategy is unlocking US$100 billion in private and government investment across the Kingdom’s airports, airlines and aviation support services. The Strategy will extend Saudi Arabia’s connectivity from 99 to more than 250 destinations across 29 airports, triple annual passenger traffic to 330 million, establish two global long-haul connecting hubs, and increase air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons. 
The Saudi Aviation Strategy is led by the Kingdom’s aviation regulator, the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA). GACA’s regulatory mission is to develop the air transport industry in accordance with the latest international standards, strengthen the position of the Kingdom as a globally influential player in civil aviation, and enforce the relevant rules, regulations and procedures to ensure air transport safety and security.

Passenger traffic at Samarkand airport hits another historic high

Samarkand International Airport has continued its sustained growth at the beginning of 2024, with a record number of 647,085 passengers passing through the airport in the first six months of the year. 

47% growth in passenger numbers in the first six months of 2024

21 consecutive monthly increases in passengers, since October 2022

This was 47% more than the number recorded in 2023, with an additional 207,421 passengers using the new airport facility that acts as a gateway to Uzbekistan’s ancient and fast growing city in the heart of the famous Silk Road. 

Samarkand airport management company Air Marakanda has driven a doubling of passenger numbers in each of the past two years, with more than one million passengers using the new, state-of-the-art airport terminal for a first time in 2023. The total of 1,010,938 passengers beat the 2022 record, of 517,521, by 104.9% and this growth shows no sign of slowing. In fact, the number of passengers using the airport has increased over 21 consecutive months, since October 2022. 

Bakhtiyor Fazilov, the main shareholder of Air Marakanda, said: "The company’s main goal is to make Samarkand and Uzbekistan even more attractive to tourists by meeting international standards for air transportation services. The strong growth in passenger traffic demonstrates our success in achieving this goal. Air Marakanda will continue providing excellent service for all passengers, in order to make Samarkand International Airport the preferred choice for all travellers seeking to visit the ancient, and eternally young, city of Samarkand.” 

Air Marakanda CEO Ulugbek Shamsikulov said: “We continue to attract more airlines and increased frequency from existing carriers to meet the demand from international passengers wanting to visit our historic city. The opening of our new terminal at the beginning of 2022, together with other major investments in our city, including the Silk Road Samarkand tourist centre and other 21st century infrastructure, will continue to attract a growing number of tourists and business travellers. Samarkand International Airport is playing a pivotal part in the growth and success of Samarkand.” 

Emperor and Empress of Japan arrive ahead of state visit

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako arrived at London Stansted on Saturday, June 22, ahead of their three-day state visit to the UK.

They arrived on board a Japanese government Boeing 777-300 shortly after 5.30pm, where Viscount Brookeborough, Lord-in-Waiting, officially welcomed them on behalf of King Charles III.

The welcome party also included His Excellency Mr Hajime Hayashi, Ambassador of Japan, and London Stansted’s Operations Director, Nick Millar.

London Stansted’s Operations Director, Nick Millar, said:  “Having the Emperor and Empress of Japan arrive at London Stansted is an incredible honour for everyone involved at the airport. This type of visit always requires detailed planning and excellent collaboration between many different businesses and organisations. Being able to accommodate such flights while maintaining our normal busy flight operations is a testament to both our proven track record in hosting high-profile flights, and the airport's excellent layout and high-quality private facilities."  

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Manchester Airport operating smoothly following yesterdays power outage.

Manchester Airport has been operating smoothly today, the airport confirmed this evening, with all systems working as normal and no ongoing issues following yesterday's power outage.

The airport was left in chaos on Sunday after a fault with a cable sent a power surge of power across the electrical network, causing a blackout in many parts of the airport. The power outage also took the airport's baggage delivery system offline causing thousands of bags to miss departing flights or massively delayed being reunited with arriving passengers.  A number of flights were delayed, cancelled or diverted to other airports - including London Gatwick and Heathrow. 

Passengers due to fly from Manchester today and over the next few days should go online to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport. They should, according to the airport, follow their airline's instructions on when to arrive at the airport - usually two hours in advance of a short-haul flight and three hours ahead of a long-haul flight.

The airport is slightly busier than usual as airlines get passengers impacted by the disruption onto new flights. This is likely to be the case over the coming days. The airport promised to deploy extra staff in place to help passengers.

Passengers whose bags did not make it onto flights yesterday are advised to stay in contact with their airlines. The airport was working with airlines, their ground handling agents and other partners to get those bags out to passengers as soon as possible. Many were placed on flights last night and today and have already been reunited with their owners.

The airport said "We would like to thank passengers for their patience. We would also like to thank our staff as well as our partners around the airport for their hard work."

Jet2 said: "Due to the outage, some flights departed with reduced or no luggage as we were unable to load bags onto our aircraft, as the baggage system at the airport was inoperable during the outage." It advised that its UK-based Ground Operations Team would work hard to ensure that baggage was reunited with passengers as soon as possible.  "We understand how frustrating this situation must be and although the situation was beyond our control we will do everything we can to get all luggage to its final destination as soon as we possibly can. " the airline said. 

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New operator of Doncaster Sheffield Airport could be announced in August

The BBC is reporting that Doncaster Sheffield Airport which closed in 2022 could be handed to new investors as early as this September.

 The Peel Group said the airport was no longer a viable operation in 2022 and closed things down, with the hope of being able to redevelop the site with a mix of business and residential units to link with the new business park area. 

Potential investors have submitted bids this week to the local council which is expected to announce the winning bidder during the first part of August. This will follow an intense period of evaluation by Doncaster Council where each proposal will be studied.  This review is set to be concluded by July,  the winner announced in August and the handover/contract signing is expected in September. 

Cabinet approved report recommendations - City of Doncaster Council

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Two people arrested following break in at London Stansted Airport and planes damaged.

Two protesters have been arrested by Essex Police after they cut their way into the private aviation area of London Stansted Airport and dowsed two aircraft with orange paint.

A spokesperson for the airport said "Shortly after 5am, Essex Police arrested two protesters who had entered the private aviation area of the airfield, away from the runway and main passenger terminal.  - No flights were disrupted, and the airport and flights are operating as normal".

Essex Police said: "Officers were on the scene within minutes and detained two people.

The airport and flights are operating as normal.

A 22-year-old woman from Brighton, and a 28-year-old woman from Dumbarton, have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with the use or operation of national infrastructure."

The climate protest group Just Stop Oil said they were targeting Taylor Swift's private jet which they said was at the airport ahead of the Wembley Stadium leg of her Eras Tour scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

However, it is understood that Taylor Swift's private aircraft was not at the airport and for security reasons, such as this latest incident, she doesn't use it when on tour.

A worker at the airport said the damage to the two aircraft could run into thousands due to the corrosive nature and non-airworthiness of the paint used by the protesters. 

The eco-terrorist group that want fossil fuels to be phased out by 2030 have promised a summer of resistance where they will attack other targets. Earlier this week members of the group covered some of the ancient stones of Stonehenge in orange paint powder.

A security review is underway at the airport and Essex Police will increase its presence at the airport for the summer due to a heightened risk. Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said:  “I would like to reassure passengers and the wider public that we are well prepared and resourced to deal with incidents of this nature.

Almost immediately after we were made aware of this incident, which took place away from the main passenger terminal, we were on the scene.  We maintain a constant presence at the airport and this presence will be heightened over the summer period.  We have a good working relationship with Stansted Airport to ensure you can go about your travels with minimal impact. We are not anti-protest but we will always take action where criminal acts take place.”

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JetBlue expands New York metro presence with service from Long Island MacArthur Airport

JetBlue has confirmed it will launch services for the first time from Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP)Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP). Starting this October, JetBlue will begin offering flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI). This new service aims to help better serve the many loyal JetBlue customers living on Long Island, providing them with more convenient travel options to popular destinations in Florida.

Strengthening New York's Hometown Airline

As New York’s Hometown Airline for more than 24 years and the only major U.S. airline based in New York City, JetBlue’s expansion onto Long Island underscores its commitment to enhancing connectivity for New Yorkers. This new service will bolster JetBlue's presence in the New York Metro area, complementing its existing operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

"Long Island is an integral part of the New York Metro area, and we are excited to bring our award-winning service to customers in this community," said Dave Jehn, JetBlue’s vice president of network planning and airline partnerships. "The addition of Long Island MacArthur Airport to our network will offer more options and greater convenience for customers, and we are proud to provide new opportunities for more Long Islanders to experience our unique combination of low fares and great service."

UK airports forced to reintroduce restrictions on carrying liquids over 100ml.....

Following updated guidance from the UK's Department for Transport, a temporary 100ml restriction on liquids has been reintroduced for passengers travelling from a number of regional airports that had invested in Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC).

The Department for Transport said the reintroducing restrictions was not in response to a specific threat and  would "enable further improvements to be made to the new checkpoint systems" 

The change came into effect on Sunday morning and affects regional airports around the UK including including London Southend, Newcastle, Leeds Bradford, London City, and Aberdeen. It has also been introduced at Jersey Airport in the Channel Islands.

The larger and busier airports, including London Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester are not affected by the change as they still have the restrictions on liquids in place as the new scanners have not yet been installed there. 

London Southend Airport stated "passengers travelling through London Southend Airport can still keep everything, including all liquids and large electrical items, in their cabin baggage when passing through security.  Any liquids above 100ml will not be permitted to travel and must be voluntarily abandoned. Water bottles can be refilled after Security."

Ports of Jersey advised passengers would need to put all liquids, aerosols, gels and pastes carried in their hand luggage into the security trays for screening, adding that there was "no need" to place them in a plastic bag.

Nick Barton, the chief executive of Birmingham Airport condemned the temporary reinstatement of restrictions saying he was "very disappointed" by the news.  He also blamed passengers for the long queues at the airport, telling local media "A non-compliant bag with liquids over 100ml can add up to 20 minutes to each passenger's journey through security."

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Aberdeen and Glasgow airport workers reject pay offer and head for strike action...

Approximately 300 airport workers based in Glasgow and Aberdeen have rejected the latest pay offer and are looking to the possibility of strike action this summer. 

The ICTS Central Search workers at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports have rejected a basic pay increase of four per cent backdated to January 2024, plus a £500 one-off payment. Therefore, the union Unite has confirmed that it now has “no option” but to move towards initiating industrial action ballots ahead of the summer holiday rush.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Workers at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports have emphatically rejected ICTS’ miserable pay offer. The company is extremely profitable, and it can easily afford to make a far better offer to our members.  Unite will fully back our ICTS Central Search members in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

ICTS Central Search employs around 220 workers at Glasgow Airport and around 100 workers at Aberdeen Airport. The workers deal with passengers directly in the security search areas and process them for flights. The workers also cover mobile patrols, control access posts, screen all deliveries and deal with emergency services.

A spokesperson for ICTS Central Search stated: "Generous pay proposals have been tabled that would give staff a minimum of 4% increase as well as a lump sum payment.  This is in addition to the 15-28% increases our staff have received over the last two years. We would like to reassure the travelling public that their security is our priority and there will be no disruptions.”

Temporary security officers in Glasgow Temporary security officers in Glasgow positions are currently advertised at earning £12.78 per hour, based on a minimum 20-hour-per-week contract. That's 78p an hour more than a comparable position at Edinburgh Airport comparable position at Edinburgh Airport.

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U.S. mega carrier United marks 10th anniversary at London Heathrow Terminal 2

Over 16.5 million customers carried and nearly 630,000 tonnes of cargo transported between London and the U.S. on more than more than 102,000 flights since 4 June 2014

 

United offers 20 flights per day from London Heathrow to the U.S. in Summer 2024

 

United offers more flights from London Heathrow to the New York Metropolitan area and both the U.S. Northeast and West Coast than any other U.S. airline in 2024

 

United Airlines is marking 10 years of its operations at London Heathrow Terminal 2, since becoming the first airline to operate a flight at The Queen’s Terminal on 4 June 2014. United flight UA958 from Chicago O’Hare, operated with a Boeing 767-300 aircraft, arrived at gate B38 at 5:49 a.m. local time, six minutes ahead of schedule on 4 June 2014.

 

Since United’s move to Terminal 2, the airline has carried over 16.5 million customers and transported nearly 630,000 tonnes of cargo on more than 102,000 flights between London and the U.S. For Summer 2024, United is offering 20 flights per day from London Heathrow to seven of its U.S. hubs: New York/Newark, Washington D.C., Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. United is offering more flights and business class seats from London Heathrow to the New York Metropolitan area and both the U.S. Northeast and West Coast than any other U.S. airline in 2024.

 

Prior to the move in 2014, United’s Heathrow operations were split between Terminals 1 and 4, before the airline moved under one roof for the first time since the United-Continental merger in 2010. Progressively, 22 of the airline’s Star Alliance partners moved to Terminal 2, enabling faster, more convenient connections for United customers to and from flights operated by its partners.

 

“We are proud to mark 10 years of flying between Terminal 2, London Heathrow, one of the most important airports in United’s global network, and the U.S.,” said Karolien De Hertogh, Director Sales UK and Ireland, United Airlines. “For over 30 years we have provided a critical link between London and the U.S., maintaining service throughout the pandemic and strategically growing our schedule to keep our customers in these key global business centres connected. We expect another busy summer for international travel in 2024 and are proud to offer our customers in the UK extensive travel options and the possibility to connect via our U.S. hubs to over 220 destinations across the Americas.”

 

“Together with our member airlines, including United, we proudly celebrate a decade at Heathrow Terminal 2,” said Renato Ramos, Vice President Strategy Star Alliance. “In 2014, United became the first Star Alliance member airline to commence operations at T2, paving the way for others to join and establish a true alliance hub at our Heathrow home. Over the years, we have grown stronger, and today we offer a seamless collective experience at one of the most vital hubs in our network, featuring facilities such as Gold Track, Star Connection Centre, Baggage Tracking, and more.”

 

“Heathrow is delighted to celebrate a decade of delivering excellent service to passengers travelling through Terminal 2, previously voted ‘Best Terminal in the World’ at the World Sky Awards by Skytrax,” said Ross Baker, Chief Customer Officer, Heathrow. “In collaboration with our partner airlines, including Star Alliance and its member airlines, we have seen almost 148 million passengers travel through Terminal 2’s doors and enjoy the world-class retail and food and beverage options available. Reaching this landmark is an opportunity for us to enjoy looking back on a decade of achievements, while also looking ahead to the next ten years as we continue to create an extraordinary airport that is fit for the future.”