Vancouver International Airport selects LAT Multilingual to engage with Chinese travellers

LAT Multilingual Translation & Marketing, a leading translation and multicultural marketing firm with its head office in Vancouver, is proud to announce the renewal of its partnership with Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Since 2016, LAT has worked closely with YVR's Communications Team to engage with Chinese audiences through popular social media channels WeChat, Weibo, and now RED.

LAT's expertise in translation, content adaptation, localization, and digital marketing has been instrumental in helping YVR connect with Chinese locals and visitors, achieving high levels of engagement on Chinese social platforms.

"We are delighted to continue our partnership with YVR," said Lise Alain, LAT's President. "We share a commitment to facilitating communication across cultures and languages and are proud to have achieved such high levels of engagement for the airport on Chinese social platforms. There's obviously a strong need."

"We are thrilled to continue working with LAT Multilingual to engage with our Chinese audiences on social media platforms," said Christopher Richards, Marketing Manager at YVR. "LAT's team has been a great partner for us, providing impeccable service and keeping us informed of best practices in a fast-changing landscape."

YVR already sees high levels of engagement on all its social platforms. However, Chinese communities are typically on different ones and require a dedicated team. Since YVR is committed to actively engage with all travellers, being able to reach the Chinese communities through the most popular Chinese social apps allows the airport to offer a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

To learn more about YVR and LAT's partnership, please read LAT's Case Study.

London Stansted is hosting a local jobs fair to recruit hundreds of new employees a on 10th October

London Stansted is hosting its latest jobs fair to recruit hundreds of new employees ahead of a busy winter season.  More than 500 job openings will be on offer in the areas such as flight crew, baggage handling, security, retail, and hospitality at the airport's Radisson Blu Hotel on 10th October.

The jobs fair comes as Stansted continues to make the fastest recovery of any major airport in the UK following the pandemic with August the second busiest month on record.  The airport and some of its on-site business partners are now looking to recruit additional staff for the winter and busy Christmas travel season.

Stansted has welcomed more than 27 million passengers in the last 12 months and expects numbers to continue growing as passengers take advantage of the industry-leading choice, value and efficiency it offers.

Nathan Mullane, the airport’s Employment and Skills Manager, said:   “The jobs fair will feature over 500 vacancies, including those for cabin crew, engineers, and retail assistants. For those seeking employment in the aviation sector, the event will provide an excellent opportunity to meet employers, learn about job opportunities, and network. We are really focussed on attracting ambitious new colleagues from across the East of England and London with a passion for exceptional customer service to join us at London Stansted as the airport continues to increase passenger numbers with many new destinations and increased capacity on popular routes on offer this winter. Our team is looking forward to meeting many new prospective employees at the event and hopefully welcoming them into the team in the coming months.”

Some of the employers looking to meet new talent are Ryanair, TUI, Swissport, Border Force, World Duty Free and MAG London Stansted.  Those securing roles with MAG can also take advantage of a wide range of benefits.  These include discounts of up to 80% on public transport when travelling to work, free on-site car parking whilst working and when going on holiday, pension scheme, training programmes and retail discounts.

The Airport Academy will also be in attendance promoting its free pre-employment support programmes, including fully accredited training schemes for those who are on jobs seekers allowance, and require additional support before applying for the jobs.

The event will be held at the airport’s Radisson Blu Hotel between 10am and 2pm on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

Visitors will be offered free travel on public transport and free parking will also be available at the venue.

To find out more and to book a place on the jobs fair click here

Baltimore/Washington International - BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport wins top award for its..... restrooms!

Cintas Corporation has just named the Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport the winner of the 2023 America’s Best Restroom contest. As this year’s winner, the BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport will get to properly crown their restrooms with prizes from Cintas. This includes a Cintas UltraClean restroom cleaning service and $2,500 in Cintas products and services for restroom cleaning or facility management to keep their restrooms Ready for the Workday, along with a coveted spot in America’s Best Restroom Hall of Fame.

The newly constructed restrooms at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport maximize occupant capacity while enhancing the overall passenger experience. The entrance welcomes travellers with an aesthetic mural and seating area while they wait for their companions. The new restrooms feature bright, spacious, fully enclosed stalls for privacy, touchless fixtures and individual lactation, adult changing and family assist rooms. Each restroom features a state-of-the-art smart restroom system that integrates with colour-changing, LED stall occupancy lights and digital signage at the restroom entrances showing current availability. The smart restroom system also provides real-time inventory tracking and usage counts for custodial services.

“We’re honoured to be recognized by Cintas and contest voters for our commitment to providing a positive passenger experience and outstanding facilities," said Ricky Smith, Executive Director/CEO of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. “Passengers rank restrooms as an airport’s number one amenity. That’s why we work so hard to provide creative, clean and inviting restrooms to make travel more enjoyable."

In its 22nd year, the America’s Best Restroom contest, hosted by Cintas, celebrates innovative and hygienic public restrooms across the country. The BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport was one of 10 finalists that were selected based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements. The public had the opportunity to vote for the following 10 finalists (in alphabetical order) between July 11th and August 11th at bestrestroom.com/us/:

Baltimore/Washington (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport (Baltimore, Maryland)

Clear Lake and Des Moines River Safety Rest Areas (Jackson, Minnesota)

Drusie & Darr (Nashville, Tennessee)

El Rio (San Francisco, California)

Frying Pan (New York, New York)

Hell ‘n Blazes Brewing Company (Melbourne, Florida)

Juban’s Creole Restaurant (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Little America (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Rabbit Hole (Greenville, South Carolina)

Snowbasin Resort (Huntsville, Utah)

“The state of their public restroom can have a large impact on the public’s perception of a business,” said Julia Walsh, Marketing Manager, Cintas. “The BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport restrooms are bright and airy and the embodiment of clean, with natural light and room for luggage. We’re proud to crown them as America’s Best Restroom.”

Last year, the Tampa International Airport took home the top prize for its high-design, spacious restrooms, coupled with quality craftsmanship and an inviting, yet durable, material palette, pictured above. 

UK's Gatwick limits flights after illnesses cause staff shortages

Britain's second biggest airport Gatwick implemented a temporary limit on daily flights on Monday because of a shortage of staff in air traffic control caused by illnesses, including coronavirus.

The airport imposed an immediate cap of 800 flights taking off or landing a day until Sunday and said 164 flights will be cancelled because of the disruption.

London Gatwick boss Stewart Wingate apologised for the disruption and said it was "a difficult decision to take".

"The action we have taken today means our airlines can fly reliable flight programmes, which gives passengers more certainty that they will not face last-minute cancellations," Wingate said in a statement.

In a separate statement air traffic control provider NATS said around a third of staff in air traffic control were unavailable for "a variety of medical reasons including COVID," leaving it unable to manage the number of flights that were originally planned.

Reporting by Muvija M. Editing by Andrew MacAskill

ABM collaborates with Disability Rights UK (DRUK) on industry-leading certification for its national PRM Training Programme

ABM, a global leader in integrated facility and aviation services, has announced a ground-breaking collaboration with Disability Rights UK (DRUK) to develop and certify new induction materials for its PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility) team members.  

Building on a pilot partnership for ABM’s operation at Heathrow, the new national certification by DRUK - the leading pan-disability charity representing the needs and expectations of disabled people in the UK – ensures ABM’s team members have world-class training which puts passengers with assistance needs front and centre.  

The training materials, including a module on supporting NHS patients travelling to mainland UK for treatment, have been created in partnership with NHS Grampian and Manx Cares and were successfully launched in February. A key element is video content which offers insight into the lived experiences of passengers with different conditions, fostering empathy and understanding.  

As part of ABM’s commitment to the passengers it serves, ABM has offered to share video content with its airport partners, allowing them to incorporate these valuable resources into their own induction courses, thus enhancing the inclusivity of services industry-wide.  

East Midlands Airport ready to play key part in region’s hydrogen future

East Midlands Airport (EMA) will form part of the UK's largest inland hydrogen cluster, which will lead to the creation of 110,00 jobs and pave the way for carbon-free flying from the Midlands gateway.

East Midlands Hydrogen - a partnership between D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, Cadent, Uniper, Toyota, Midlands Engine and East Midlands Freeport - is to be launched tomorrow (Friday 22 September.) It is set to connect supply and demand through a new 100% hydrogen pipeline, bringing massive economic and environmental benefits to the region.

A PwC report set for publication next month estimates that development of a full hydrogen supply chain in the East Midlands would contribute £10 billion GVA and 110,000 jobs created or retained by 2050. It’s estimated that carbon savings from the cluster of 70 industrial sites across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire could be as much as 1.9 million tonnes per year, the equivalent of gas-related carbon emissions from 860,000 homes.

Toronto Pearson celebrates successful summer travel season with an innovative new campaign

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) is launching its new marketing campaign “At Your Airport this Summer” to recognize a successful summer travel season at Toronto Pearson.

This campaign aims to celebrate and share Pearson Airport’s achievements over the course of the summer 2023 travel season, showcasing the scale of our operations and highlighting the smooth movement of people and bags.

Here are some of the numbers that are highlighted in “At Your Airport this Summer:”

1. 12.6 Million Passengers: Pearson Airport welcomed 12.6 million passengers at the airport – which is an increase of close to a million passengers from the same time period in summer 2022

2. 8.3 Million Pieces of Luggage: Our team processed 8.3 million pieces of luggage – which is an increase of over a million pieces of luggage from the same time period in summer 2022

3. 100,000 Flights: Pearson Airport had an impressive 100,000 flights depart and arrive from our runways – including more commercial, general aviation and cargo planes than in summer 2022.

4. 4.0 Million Cups of Coffee: 4 million cups of coffee were served at the airport, keeping people energized and ready for the next step of their journey!

“We are proud of the successful operations that took place during summer travel season at Toronto Pearson” said Karen Mazurkewich, Vice-President of Stakeholder Relations and Communications, GTAA.  “These numbers not only reflect the volume of passengers that travelled through Canada’s largest, and most connected hub, but speak to  the progress our employees and partners have made since summer 2022.

“At Your Airport this Summer” was designed to reflect flight boards and gates at Pearson Airport, and reflects our ongoing milestones for the year.

Full Stansted Express timetable to return from December

The Stansted Express train service between London Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street will be fully restored to four trains per hour from December.

After reintroducing four trains per hour during peak hours in May, Greater Anglia is resuming the full every 15-minute pre-pandemic service on Sunday, December 10, in response to the continuing increase in passenger numbers at the airport.

Gareth Powell, Managing Director, of Stansted Airport said:  "London Stansted has been the fastest recovering major UK airport with passenger numbers exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the last two months.

We, therefore, welcome the upcoming reintroduction of the full four trains per hour schedule, as it's a vital service for the millions of passengers who rely on a convenient and reliable service between London and the airport each year.

A regular, turn-up-and-go service will not only encourage more passengers back onto trains and out of private cars to enable the most sustainable growth possible at the airport, and cement our position as the number one airport in the UK for public transport use by passengers, but it will also support our on-going work to attract more airlines looking to access the UK and London aviation market.

This is really positive news for passengers, staff and local commuters, and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Greater Anglia to develop further timetable enhancements and service improvements.”

Business as usual?

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

After the dramatic downturn in air travel during the pandemic, what shape is the aviation industry in today? Artemis Aerospace looks at whether business is flying high again.

As COVID-19 spread worldwide in 2020, international air travel came to an almost complete standstill, and the aviation industry described it as ‘the worst year in history for air travel demand’. The following year and 2021 wasn’t any better, as lockdowns worldwide, often with different restrictions in different countries, made any kind of travel well-nigh impossible.

At the beginning of 2022, as constraints in the UK began to ease, Artemis’s article aviation in the post-pandemic era speculated on how the industry would begin to pick itself up and become competitive again. As memories of life under lockdown begin to fade, we review how aviation is recovering.

IATA has predicted that by the end of 2023, most regions will either be at, or exceeding, demand levels prior to the pandemic, and that the aviation industry will return to profitability. As an example, Boeing delivered a total of 480 commercial aircraft throughout 2022, a 40% increase from 2021, making it the busiest year since 2018.

Both demand and capacity are increasing considerably, particularly for flights for leisure purposes, although a shortage of skilled personnel, rising inflation, global supply chain issues and general industrial unrest continue to cause problems. Last year, Boeing claimed that over 600,000 new pilots would be needed between now and 2041 to keep up with requirements – read our recent blog on the subject here.

Automation

In our earlier blog, we mentioned the increase in contactless check in and immigration, and these innovations continue to develop. Digital advancement is expected to take off in the next few years with artificial intelligence and data analytics contributing towards more effective supply chain logistics, production and maintenance. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly using smart factory technologies, such as robotics and the IoT (Internet of Things) to precipitate aircraft production. Machines can run mostly autonomously and will correct themselves and learn from errors. The fine tuning of the digital thread should also have a significant effect on both aircraft and component manufacture. This is a process by which information from the supply chain, smart factory, connected systems and customer feedback is automatically woven into the whole manufacturing procedure, so performance can be continually improved and streamlined.

First aircraft de-icing wastewater treatment plant in the Baltic States has been opened at Vilnius Airport

This autumn/winter season Vilnius Airport is taking another step towards sustainability. A modern aircraft de-icing wastewater treatment plant will start operating at the airport – the only one of the kind in the Baltic States. It will collect and treat all the wastewater generated during the aircraft de-icing process, which can later be used as a raw material in aviation and other industries. The investment in the de-icing wastewater treatment plant amounted to EUR 2.9 million (excluding VAT). The project was partially financed by the European Union (EU).

Julius Skačkauskas, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania, who participated in the opening ceremony, said that this investment marks a new level of aircraft service quality, aviation safety and sustainable activity in the Lithuanian aviation market.

“Our goal is the development of climate-neutral and sustainable aviation, and one of the tasks set for the airports is the development of safe and sustainable infrastructure. The implementation of such top-level solutions proves that the Lithuanian aviation sector is purposefully moving along the path of both improving the quality of service and increasing security, as well as sustainability and the green course”, said Deputy Minister at the opening ceremony.

The automated aircraft de-icing wastewater treatment plant will make an important part of the reconstruction and strategic development of Vilnius Airport. In addition, according to Arnas Dūmanas, Director of the Development Department of Lithuanian Airports, this is a significant step in the development of the harmonious operation of airports.

City of Derry Airport partner with Loganair & Londonderry Chamber on event for CEF Members

City of Derry Airport was proud to partner with the Construction Employers Federation (CEF), Loganair and Londonderry Chamber of Commerce for a special Information Session and Tour for CEF Members this week.

CEF Members were informed on the new daily Loganair London Heathrow service, and onward international connectivity, the regular Glasgow and Liverpool services, as well as the number of benefits available on Corporate Travel with Loganair via City of Derry Airport.

Congratulations to Lesley Willis of Henry Brothers, who was the lucky winner of the fantastic prize offering as part of the event. Lesley will enjoy Loganair prize flights for two to London Heathrow on her chosen travel dates, plus complimentary Airport Parking and access to the Amelia Earhart Lounge at City of Derry Airport.

Visit the Loganair website for more information on the benefits of Corporate Travel with Loganair via the City of Derry Airport.

Commenting on the best elements of travelling via City of Derry, Steve Frazer, Managing Director at City of Derry Airport, stated: “Firstly, the warm welcome and personable service from our staff, who know many of our passengers by first name, is something you won’t always find at an Airport.

“As the ‘Gateway of the Northwest’ for over 40 years, we are proud to provide the region with the convenience of flying local, and reduced travel time and cost as we offer the best-priced Airport Parking on the island of Ireland. With single level access and less than 15 mins from our carpark to our departure gate, our passengers can enjoy a stress-free start to their trip.”

London Stansted reports second busiest month ever as more than 2.91 million passengers use the airport in August

London Stansted rounded off the school holiday season by continuing to outpace the recovery of all major UK airports.

Figures released this week show that despite the significant impact of the national air traffic control failure on Bank Holiday Monday, August was Stansted’s second busiest month ever as more than 2.91 million passengers took advantage of the industry-leading choice, value and efficiency it offers.

The monthly total was up 12% on August last year, and equivalent to 102% of the number of people served in August 2019.

The airport also recorded its busiest day of the year with 100,561 passengers passing through the terminal on August 18. This daily total was the fourth busiest day ever at London Stansted.

The total number of passengers served at the airport in the 12-months ending August 2023 stands at 27.1 million, an increase of 40% on the previous year’s total.

Across the peak summer season between June and August, more than 8.31 million passengers passed through London Stansted.  Operational performance during this period remained strong, with more than 97% of passengers passing safely through security in 15 minutes or less.

Customer service feedback in July and August was also positive with 93% of passengers surveyed rating their overall satisfaction with the service they received as good, very good or excellent.

More than 530,000 people used East Midlands Airport in August

The popularity of East Midlands Airport (EMA) as a gateway from the Midlands to European destinations is growing, with over 530,000 holidaymakers choosing it to get away this August.

That’s up by more than 100,000 passengers last August. Overall this year, 2.2m passengers have so far travelled through EMA – an increase of more than 370,000 passengers over the same period last year.

All passengers using EMA even in peak times during the summer continued to clear security in under 15 minutes this year – with the August average queue time half that, at just seven minutes 40 seconds.

It’s the ease of getting to and through EMA that passengers say is one of the key reasons they choose the airport, often willing to travel further so they can enjoy a hassle-free start to their holidays.

The number of people looking for autumn and winter breaks is also growing. EMA is projecting to welcome a further 620,000 passengers between September and December this year.

There’s a range of destination options, with airlines offering some great bargains for flying via EMA. This includes flights in October to Dublin from £30, Carcassonne from £37, and to Milan and Wroclaw from £40.

Mike Grimes, Customer & Planning Director at EMA, says: “We’ve had another great summer, with growing numbers of people choosing EMA for our fast and friendly service that gets their holiday underway as soon as possible. We’re now looking forward to a similarly busy autumn and winter period, with plenty of ways to bag a bargain.”

London Gatwick asks for your views on its growth plans

London Gatwick’s application to bring its Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway, was accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate on 03 August 2023.

From now on members of the public, including local residents and other stakeholders, have until 23:59 on 29 October 2023 to register with the Planning Inspectorate and provide a summary of their views on the airport’s application to routinely use its existing Northern Runway, alongside its Main Runway. 

Relevant Representations must be made on the Planning Inspectorate's Registration and Relevant Representation Form, which can be found on their website here.

Those who register will be submitting a ‘Relevant Representation’ to become an ‘Interested Party’. They will be kept informed of progress of the examination and will have the opportunity to provide further representations during the examination phase. 

The Planning Inspectorate provides further guidance on how to register and make a relevant representation on their website here

By investing in its long-term future, London Gatwick will also enhance the crucial economic role it plays by creating around 14,000 new jobs and injecting £1 billion into the region’s economy every year. This growth would come from increased jobs and activity on the airport site, as well as the wider benefits of tourism, trade, supply chain, and other business opportunities.

Two of the UK's major airports confirm that they have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac)

The two busiest UK airports, London's Heathrow and Gatwick have both confirmed they have the porous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) which is at the centre of the school building controversy.

A spokesperson for Gatwick confirmed the airport carries out regular inspections on the Raac concrete at the airport and the last one was completed in June which did not present any concerns.  "We have a register of locations containing Raac on the airport campus, which are closely monitored through a regular comprehensive structural inspection regime."

London Heathrow said it was "assessing our estate and will continue to mitigate the risk where this material is found". Some areas of Terminal 3 have Racc and the airport's management had already put in mitigation measures to make it safe. The airport confirmed it had the means to keep it safe until "permanent solutions" were able to be introduced. A spokesperson added, "Passenger and colleague safety will always be our first priority, and we will continue to update stakeholders across the sector as our plans for permanent solutions progress."

New route from London Southend.

Snow-capped peaks, charming villages, exhilarating outdoor activity and a rich cultural heritage await in Grenoble, the cultural capital of the French Alps.  With 600,000 yearly visitors and the breathtaking majesty of the mountains with access to Val-d'Isère, Tignes and Méribel as part of Les 3 Vallées. 

There are numerous homemade Alpine cooking at local bistros alongside gourmet delights in some of the region's best restaurants are just waiting to be explored in Grenoble. The city comes alive with cafés, bars and venues offering a taste of vibrant local nightlife.  

Families, foodies and thrill-seekers alike flock to Grenoble for the pinnacle of the French Alps experience. 

Flights from London Southend will commence on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

Welcome to London Southend Airport #FlyLondonSouthend

KLM makes statement on capacity cuts at Schiphol

Unnecessary capacity reduction will damage the Netherlands

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has issued the following statement on the decision by the government of The Netherlands to cut the capacity at the nation's biggest airport, Schiphol in Amsterdam.

Unfortunately, today the Dutch cabinet announced the government’s intention to drastically cut the number of flights operating at the Dutch airport Schiphol. In so doing, the minister is opting to focus one-sidedly on capacity reduction as a goal in itself. We find this incomprehensible. This is not about the number of flight movements but about reducing noise. The noise targets can be achieved in a better way that would really benefit local residents, the climate, airlines and the Dutch economy.

Our “cleaner, quieter and more efficient” plan shows that we can achieve the noise targets, while operating the current number of flights. The plan embodies serious commitment from KLM. We can accomplish this if given the space to do so. Our plan will achieve the targets while ensuring the more rapid renewal of our aircraft, supporting cleaner, quieter and more efficient flight operations.

By contrast, the minister is opting for unnecessary reductions rather than actual improvements. We find it inconceivable that the minister plans to tear down what KLM has helped build over almost 104 years.

Delta Sky Way at LAX transformation complete, 18 months ahead of schedule

Delta Air Lines and Los Angeles World Airports have unveiled the final major phase of the $2.3 billion Delta Sky Way at LAX project, with Terminal 3 at Los Angeles International Airport now directly connected to the Tom Bradley International Terminal via moving airside walkways, officially eliminating the need for busing between terminals.

“This modern, state-of-the-art facility has been at the center of Delta’s efforts to become the premier airline of Los Angeles, and now, as we as we celebrate this years-long project being finished much earlier than expected, we are better equipped than ever to provide Angelenos and all of our customers traveling through LA with the truly seamless and elevated experience that they deserve” said Scott Santoro, Vice President of Global Sales.

The airline’s west headhouse and Delta One check-in area opened to customers in June, providing another entry point for check-in and security access. Self-service kiosks in the lobby area make dropping bags and printing boarding passes even easier. On the lower arrivals level of Terminal 3, the exclusive Delta One check-in area offers Delta One customers a private TSA screening lane, direct access to the Delta Sky Club, light food and beverages and white-glove assistance from Delta’s Elite Service agents.

Delta’s new Terminal 3, a 1.2-million-square-foot, 27-gate complex, debuted last April, featuring a centralized check-in lobby, expanded security checkpoint and baggage claim area, as well as a state-of-the-art Delta Sky Club, one of the largest in Delta’s system. Nine additional new gates, new concessions and spacious seating areas opened to customers in October 2022.

"Having just celebrated the opening of LAX’s Terminal 3 West Headhouse and already hearing an incredible amount of positive feedback on that aspect of the project, I know we can expect similar praise on the new Terminal 3 and Tom Bradley International Terminal post-security connector. This new passageway will significantly enhance the travel experience for millions of international and domestic guests," said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. "LAWA is thankful to its amazing partners Delta and Hensel Phelps and the entire LAWA team who rose to the occasion to deliver the Delta Sky Way project."

LAX serves as one of Delta’s most important coastal hubs, operating over 155 peak-day flights to nearly 55 destinations across the globe, serving 19 of the top 20 markets for Los Angeles customers. The airline continues to add new and exciting destinations to its slate, with never-before-operated service launching to Auckland, New Zealand, (Oct. 30); Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and Vail, Colo. (Dec. 16).

Delta and its 4,000 Los Angeles-based employees are deeply ingrained in the community, supporting more than a dozen nonprofit organizations throughout the state of California. Additionally, the airline is proud to serve as the inaugural founding partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the official airline of Team USA. The airline also serves as the as official carrier of Crypto.com Arena and the LA Kings.

Teesside Airport has seen its busiest month for more than a decade.

Teesside Airport has seen its busiest month for more than a decade,  June saw a total of 25,666 passengers pass through the terminal – the highest figure since September 2010.

July was also a bumper month at the regional UK airport with 24,781 people choosing to fly to or from Teesside.

An enhanced package of holiday flights has bolstered the airport’s summer programme. Hundreds of families have jetted off for some much-needed sun with the airport enjoying its busiest day since returning to public ownership in late July.  It means Teesside is on course to record its highest annual passenger numbers since 2011.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “These figures show we are well and truly heading in the right direction when it comes to making our airport a success.  “But we know there is still a very long way to go. Breaching the 25,000 figure is good, but we have ambitions to be hitting that every single week.

The people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have supported us – and we couldn’t have achieved what we have without them.

Our airport is a sleeping giant awaking from its slumber. We know what people are crying out for, and we will continue to strain every sinew to attract new holiday flights and routes.

Our new business park, freight facility and Freeport status will all have their roles to play in returning our airport to profit. The ten-year plan is working and we’ve an exciting future ahead.”

Holiday hotspots with airline Ryanair to Alicante, Faro in Portugal, Majorca, and Corfu have proved popular.

TUI has also expanded its offering from Teesside this year, with twice-weekly flights to Majorca thanks to the popularity of the route last year and a service to Antalya, Turkey.

IATA warns Netherlands government not to cut flights at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) along with the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), and European Regions Airline Association (ERA) warned that the proposed cuts to flight numbers at Schiphol airport must not proceed under the leadership of a caretaker government. This matter remains before the courts and the proposed process is strongly opposed by the airline industry; therefore, in no way can this be considered “uncontroversial.” In a few months’ time, this government will not be accountable for the severe consequences that may follow from the Schiphol decision, particularly with respect to relations with the Netherlands’ trading partners, and lost jobs and prosperity at home. 

Such a consequential and controversial move requires proper democratic scrutiny and political accountability. The government’s desire for a forced cut to Schiphol’s annual flight numbers to 460,000 under an ‘Experimental Regulation’ was initially blocked by the Dutch court, which found it to be contrary to Dutch obligations under EU law and bilateral air services agreements connected with the Balanced Approach to noise. 

The Balanced Approach is a longstanding internationally agreed process to manage noise at airport communities that carries the weight of law in national jurisdictions, including in the EU and many of its trading partners. A core tenet of the Balanced Approach is that operational restrictions and flight cuts are the last resort, to be considered only when a number of other steps have been taken to achieve noise mitigation targets. The Balanced Approach is used specifically to ensure local community needs are respected, the wider benefits of air connectivity to the nation are protected, and the actions are respected internationally.