72% of aviation workers experience verbal or physical abuse during travel disruption

Aviation workers say that 72% of airline or airport staff have been intimidated, shouted at or physically hurt during disruptions to customer travel. Shockingly, 71% of air travel workers say they see an increase in staff being abused by customers when disruption occurs. This number correlates closely with customer anger, as 73% of aviation workers see customers "furious or frustrated" in the face of travel disruption. 

Research conducted by travel technology specialist IBS Software and Aviation Business News finds that 55% of workers in the air travel sector have seen their mental health negatively impacted by the fallout of flight disruption. What's more, 47% say that disruption affects their work-life balance, as they often think about issues faced during the day when they get home from work.

Encouragingly, despite widespread customer frustration, 65% of airline or airport workers think the airline industry manages disruption well. However, they identify access to accurate information, the impact of disruption on operations and getting information to customers as the top three challenges faced by airlines when disruption occurs.

Ignoring these challenges can have a lasting impact on airlines, with 62% of air travel workers agreeing that customers now choose an airline based on its reputation for handling disruption. 

JetBlue adds more New England services

JetBlue adds 20 percent more seats in New England this winter

JetBlue is adding new services aimed at connecting more New Englanders to leisure destinations with more routes from Boston Logan International Airport and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in Manchester, New Hampshire.

JetBlue proudly leads the way in both Boston and New England, boasting the most mainline service from Boston, approximately 30 percent more mainline seats than the next largest carrier; the most nonstop destinations of any carrier out of Boston; the most flights from Boston and New England to California, Florida and the Caribbean. Now, this network expansion in the region will provide even more flexibility and convenience for New England customers as JetBlue sets out to continue to deliver sought-after vacation hot spots.

"We are incredibly proud of our strong roots in Boston and New England, a place that has always embraced our vision for low fares and superior travel experiences,” said Marty St. George, president of JetBlue. “Our commitment to Boston and our loyal customers across New England is unwavering as we continue to innovate and enhance our product. With each new development, each new route, we aim to deliver even greater comfort and convenience, ensuring that our customers’ choice is easy, and they always receive the best that JetBlue has to offer."

Manchester, meet JetBlue

Manchester will be the tenth airport with JetBlue service in New England, including recently announced service from Presque Isle, Maine, which launches in September. JetBlue flights from Manchester are set to launch in January with service to Florida including year-round daily flights to Orlando, and winter seasonal service to Fort Lauderdale - the only nonstop flight scheduled on this route - and Fort Myers. Manchester flights are on sale now and will complement JetBlue’s focus city operation at Boston Logan, giving loyal JetBlue customers across the region more selection.

New service for Boston and beyond

Proudly serving Boston Logan for more than 20 years, the airline’s focus city will see more flights to customers’ favorite vacation spots, including Aruba, Barbados, Cancún, Grand Cayman, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Liberia, Miami, Montego Bay, Nassau, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Punta Cana, Providenciales, Sarasota, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Tampa and more. Additionally, JetBlue will begin operating a second daily nonstop flight between Boston and Phoenix, and for the first time on the route will feature the airline's premium Mint® service, which will be offered on all flights between the two cities.

The airline will also experience significant growth in Providence, where JetBlue seats will nearly triple this winter compared to last, while Hartford will see a 30 percent increase in JetBlue seats over the same period. Added with the new service in Manchester, the airline will average 18 new daily departures from New England this winter, with six new routes between New England and the Sunshine State.

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New routes in New York

New York’s Hometown Airline will also be making investments in the Empire State with additional service in Buffalo, Albany and Syracuse. Beginning in October, JetBlue is excited to launch the only nonstop service from Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) on a seasonal basis. Designed to give customers in Upstate New York more options to connect to sunny Florida in the winter months, Buffalo and Albany will each see a second daily flight added this winter to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, while Syracuse will get the convenience of a second daily flight to Orlando.

Volaris reports financial results for the second quarter 2024

Volaris, the ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) serving Mexico, the United States, Central, and South America, has released its unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2024.

Enrique Beltranena, President & Chief Executive Officer, said: “Volaris continues to perform positively, achieving our highest absolute EBITDAR for a second quarter despite the fleet groundings due to accelerated engine inspections. Volaris’ unwavering focus on execution and efficient cost control has enabled us to deliver strong results. Our mitigation plan is on track with favorable outcomes, and we have largely achieved our goals since the inspections began. In fact, we are improving our full-year ASM guidance to -14%3. We currently have a well-balanced market mix, with an increased presence in the cross-border market that has strengthened our TRASM, and our booking curves indicate ongoing robust performance for the summer high season.

With recent updates from Pratt & Whitney, we are cautiously optimistic about this evolving situation, but we recognize that the engine's time on wing remains a challenge. Looking ahead, as grounded aircraft gradually return to our productive fleet, we expect recent unit revenue levels to remain resilient and remain committed to prudent and rational growth, prioritizing profitability.”

Second Quarter 2024 Highlights

(All figures are reported in U.S. dollars and compared to 2Q 2023 unless otherwise noted)

Net income of $10 million. Earnings per American Depositary Shares (ADS) of $9 cents.

Total operating revenue of $726 million, a 7.2% decrease.

Total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM) increased 12% to $8.89 cents.

Available seat miles (ASMs) decreased by 17% to 8.2 billion.

Total operating expenses of $660 million, representing 91% of total operating revenue.

Total operating expenses per available seat mile (CASM) increased 9.1% to $8.08 cents.

Average economic fuel cost increased 6.1% to $2.86 per gallon.

CASM ex fuel increased 11% to $5.33 cents.

EBITDAR of $261 million, a 23% increase.

EBITDAR margin was 35.9%, an increase of 8.8 percentage points.

Total cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments totaled $774 million, representing 24% of the last twelve months’ total operating revenue.

Net debt-to-LTM EBITDAR2 ratio decreased to 2.9x, compared to 3.1x in the previous quarter.

1 The financial information, unless otherwise indicated, is presented in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

2 Includes short-term investments.

KLM and ZeroAvia Plan Zero-Emission Demonstration Flight Using Liquid Hydrogen

KLM and ZeroAvia Plan Zero-Emission Demonstration Flight Using Liquid Hydrogen

ZeroAvia and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines today announced that they will work towards a demonstration flight using ZeroAvia’s ZA2000 zero-emission, hydrogen-electric engines for large regional turboprop.

Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity, which is then used to power electric motors to turn the aircraft’s propellers. The only emission is low-temperature water vapour, with studies therefore estimating an up to 90% reduction in climate impact when compared with typical kerosene-fueled flights.[1] 

As a first major target milestone, the companies aim to conduct an initial A-to-B flight demonstration between two airport locations in 2026. As well as identifying the optimal airport pair, immediate workstreams will be working towards regulatory permits to fly and ensuring supply of liquid hydrogen fuel and putting in place the supporting infrastructure for aircraft fueling. 

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and BCG extend partnership for digital airline operations

Building Competitive Advantage Through Optimized Airline Operations

In an increasingly complex and volatile environment, reliable operational performance is a differentiator for airlines. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, a pioneer in the airline industry, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, today announced a further extension of their partnership, aimed at improving airline operations worldwide. The partnership was first established in 2018 and was previously extended in 2021. 

 

Image KLM

Over the past six years, KLM and BCG have developed a comprehensive suite of AI-based tools to digitize and optimize airline operations. These AI-powered tools are tailored to the evolving needs of airlines, particularly post-pandemic as airlines must be resilient in the face of unprecedented volatility in the market and operations. Covering all planning horizons, from day-of-operations to long-term strategic planning, these products help airlines tackle complex decisions across all functional areas, including ground, fleet and maintenance, crew, and network departments. 

Airlines must continually make tradeoffs that affect flights, crew, ground staff, customer experience, and profitability. Unfortunately, these tradeoffs are often based on siloed information. KLM and BCG’s fully customized, in-house solutions constantly measure real-time performance and offer decision-support around a single source of truth in data. This approach enables front-line operations staff to see the full picture and make informed, consistent, and data-driven decisions with a clear sense of how they will play out across the network. 

Some notable products include: 

Pathfinder: A best-in-class schedule optimization tool, which empowers airlines to optimize their fleet and tail-assignment processes for robustness and cost in the days leading up to operations 

Sentry & Runway: Two disruption management tools for the day of operations, which resolve major and minor operational disruptions for flight and crew schedules, and help minimize delay costs and disruption for passengers 

CrewVision: A long-term cockpit and cabin crew resource management and planning tool, which calculates an optimal crew plan for the future, including hiring, training, and attrition 

Terra: A tool designed to improve the resource allocation process for ground resources on the day of operations (DoO)—taking into account available resources, equal distribution of workload for employees (employee satisfaction), delay probability, delay costs, and enhanced task times based on a number of factors, such as actual load 

Proven Results 

The implementation of these solutions has led to improvements in KLM’s operations across functions, from boosting airline operational efficiency to enhancing airline disruption management to data-driven integral resources planning. KLM has reduced non-performance costs and increased in value delivery within operations and delivered a strong ROI on the initiative. Staff at the Operations Control Center and other operational and network departments are performing with new levels of engagement, insights, confidence, and satisfaction. 

Since the partnership’s last extension in 2021, KLM and BCG have expanded their tailored solutions to other airlines. Today, the KLM-BCG partnership serves a prominent network of carriers of all sizes, business models, and geographies—such as point-to-point, single-hub, and multi-hub—and for both full-service and low-cost carriers.

Maarten Stienen, COO of KLM said: "Our Partnership with BCG continues to be one of the building blocks supporting KLM operations that bring value to our customers. Thanks to the continuous extension of our suite of tools and the KLM in-house capabilities that we have built up in recent years and our world-class people, KLM was able to derive a lot of value from its Operations Decision Support set of tools. KLM is excited to continue to innovate and improve through this unique cooperation with BCG."

Dirk-Maarten Molenaar, a BCG managing director and senior partner said: "We are thrilled to extend our partnership with KLM. Together, we have cemented our position as a leading player in digital airline operations over the past six years.  As the needs of airlines evolve, we are excited to continue engaging and innovating with the world’s leading carriers and supporting the digital transformation and optimization of their operations."

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UK Protector fleet grows as trials continue

The Royal Air Force recently imported a second Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI).

Engineers from 31 Squadron have completed the build and initial testing of this second aircraft, prior to further test and evaluation, led by 56 Squadron over the coming months.

The RAF, working with Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) expect 5 more aircraft to be delivered by the end of this year as Protector prepares to establish Aircrew and Technician training in the UK this year and take over operations from Reaper (MQ-9A) in 2025.

The delivery of this aircraft completes a busy period for the Programme, with initial flight-testing using aircraft one conducted in November 2023. Initial training is taking place at GA-ASI’s facilities in the US, utilising three other RAF owned aircraft, where a Protector Technician Course began in February, and the first Protector crews graduated from Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) in April. Training will transition to the UK later this year utilising the first phase of infrastructure work recently completed at RAF Waddington, the home of Protector in the UK. An international MQ-9B symposium was hosted by the RAF at RAF Cranwell in April this year.

Simon Holford, Uncrewed Air Systems Delivery Team Leader at Defence Equipment & Support said:  “Seeing delivery and assembly of the second Protector aircraft in the UK is yet another measure of the significant progress on this project and testament to the hard work of everyone involved.  Together with the three aircraft we have already taken delivery of in the US (which remain in the US for use in trials and/or training), we have now taken delivery of five of the sixteen aircraft we have ordered.”

RAF Typhoon completes first public display on blend of sustainable fuel

Last weekend the RAF Typhoon made history when it completed its first public display on a blend of sustainable fuel and regular jet fuel at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).

The aircraft’s eight-minute display, flown by Flight Lieutenant David ‘Turbo’ Turnbull, flew on a 35% blend of sustainable fuel in collaboration with RIAT under the airshow’s theme of ‘Pushing the Boundaries in Air and Space’.

RAF Typhoons are highly capable and extremely agile multi-role combat aircraft and capable of speeds of nearly 1,400 mph.

The Royal International Air Tattoo, UK’s most prestigious airshow, welcomes 150,000 people to RAF Fairford every year with all proceeds from the event being donated to its parent charity, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.

Air Vice-Marshal Shaun Harris, Director Support said:  “The Royal Air Force was delighted to be able to perform a world first at RIAT, displaying a UK combat aircraft using a blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). 

Having cleared all of our aircraft to use blends of up to 50% in 2020, and conducting the world’s first military transport aircraft flight on 100% SAF in 2022, we remain at the forefront of this important work with industry partners.

RTX's Pratt & Whitney GTF Engines Surpass 950 Orders and Commitments in 2024

More than 11,000 GTF orders and commitments programme to date

Pratt & Whitney, announced more than 950 GTF engine orders and commitments since the beginning of 2024. Airlines and lessors that have announced orders include Avolon, Breeze Airways, Cebu Pacific, Icelandair, JetSMART, Mexicana, SKY Airline, SMBC, and Vietjet. In total, more than 11,000 GTF engine orders and commitments have been placed by more than 90 customers worldwide.

"These orders demonstrate continued customer confidence in Pratt & Whitney and the value the GTF engine offers with its world-class economic and environmental benefits," said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney. "The GTF Advantage engine will extend this lead while providing more thrust and higher durability. We remain focused on executing all elements of the GTF fleet management plan including industrial output and material flow, GTF maintenance, repair and overhaul network expansion and ongoing customer support."  

The GTF delivers up to 20% better fuel efficiency than previous generation engines, saving airlines more than 1.7 billion gallons of fuel and the planet over 17 million metric tons of carbon emissions. GTF engines will continue to drive reductions in operating costs, new routes and revenue, and progress towards meeting the industry's sustainability goals. The engine's revolutionary geared fan architecture is the foundation for even more efficient propulsion technologies in the decades ahead.

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WestJet and TELUS form partnership to revolutionize guest experience, including free inflight Wi-Fi, delivered by Starlink

WestJet and TELUS will be Canada's first to leverage Starlink technology to bring Canadians best-in-class, high-speed internet onboard beginning December 2024

WestJet and TELUS unveiled the first step in a multi-year strategic partnership that will transform the inflight experience for WestJet guests by providing industry-leading, fast and free internet, presented by TELUS and delivered by Starlink onboard WestJet aircraft. This announcement marks the beginning of a fully integrated partnership between WestJet and TELUS, and a significant leap forward for the airline's inflight connectivity. 

"Through our strategic partnership with TELUS, we are setting a new standard in the Canadian airline industry by offering Starlink's revolutionary inflight connectivity, and thanks to TELUS we are able to bring this inflight experience to WestJet Rewards guests for free," said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. 

In the coming months, WestJet and TELUS will announce additional, exclusive benefits and perks for WestJet Rewards members and TELUS customers.

Delivering Excellence in On-Time Performance and Exceptional Services

Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has successfully concluded Hajj Season 1445H operations, marking the end of a 74-day journey. The final flight, SV5712, departed from Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madina, carrying 320 pilgrims to Magelang, Indonesia. A farewell ceremony was held at the airport's departure hall in the presence of Mr. Mohammed Baakdah, the Vice President of Ground Operations at Saudia. 

Throughout the Hajj season, Saudia maintained a high level of operational efficiency, achieving exceptional on-time performance despite the challenges of coinciding the Hajj season with peak summer season 2024 operations. The airline offered a comprehensive array of quality services designed to enhance the pilgrims' spiritual journey. These services included digital platforms to streamline the travel process, facilitation at airports to expedite procedures, exceptional in-flight services and catering, and informative programs on the in-flight entertainment screens in multiple languages. 

Mohammed Baakdah, the Vice President of Ground Operations at Saudia, said: “The success of Hajj Season 1445H operations is a testament to the dedication and teamwork of our entire staff. We worked tirelessly throughout this busy period, including holidays and Eid, to ensure our guests had a safe and fulfilling experience. We are grateful for the cooperation of all Hajj-related authorities and look forward to building on this success as we begin planning for Hajj Season 1446H”.

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Ryanair adds Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro 5.0 electronic flight bag from Boeing.

Boeing and Ryanair, Europe's largest airline group, are elevating efficiency across Ryanair's fleet of primarily 737s with the addition of Boeing's Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro 5.0 electronic flight bag (EFB) solution.

This strategic multi-year agreement, providing support for the carrier's Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX fleet, underscores Ryanair's dedication to continuous improvement and innovation in airline operations.

"We are excited to integrate Boeing's newest electronic flight bag into our operations. This advanced tool will optimize our flight operations, minimize disruptions, and enhance efficiency across our expanding fleet," said Neal McMahon, chief operations officer of Ryanair. 

FliteDeck Pro will provide Ryanair with tailored route information and the latest technology, including Smart Airport Maps to optimize taxi routes, reduce fuel consumption and improve ground safety.

RTX's Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power 11 Airbus A220 aircraft for Air Niugini

Pratt & Whitney and Air Niugini have finalized engine and aftermarket agreements for the GTF engines that will power the airline's fleet of 11 Airbus A220 aircraft. Pratt & Whitney will provide a full suite of support services with a 12-year EngineWise® Comprehensive agreement. With this order, Air Niugini becomes a first-time GTF customer.

"GTF engines offer unmatched payload and range, enabling Air Niugini to open new routes internationally, while benefitting from industry-leading fuel efficiency, and we look forward to supporting the airline's fleet in the years ahead," said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney.

"This is an exciting time for Air Niugini as we modernize our fleet," said Gary Seddon, chief executive officer of Air Niugini. "By upgrading next-generation aircraft with the most efficient engines, this will revolutionize travel for our passengers, ensuring significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions, while expanding our route offerings and enhancing passenger experience."

Air Niugini is the national carrier of Papua New Guinea based in the capital Port Moresby. It operates an extensive domestic network as well as internationally to Australia, Asia and the Pacific. The airline's new fleet will deliver more capacity and greater reliability throughout its network.

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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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Airbus partners with Avolon to explore future of hydrogen aviation

Airbus has announced a new partnership with aircraft lessor, Avolon, to study the potential of hydrogen-powered aircraft, marking the very first collaboration of the ZEROe Project with an operating lessor.

Announced at the Farnborough Airshow, Airbus and Avolon will investigate how future hydrogen-powered aircraft could be financed and commercialised, and how they might be supported by the leasing business model.

Airbus is putting significant resources into exploring how the industry can introduce hydrogen-powered aircraft and how it works on the ground with airports and airlines. The development of a viable hydrogen ecosystem is a key enabler of the industry’s goal to reach near zero emissions.

Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Avolon, commented, “Joining the ZEROe Project is another step in Avolon’s sustainability journey and we look forward to building on our long-standing partnership with Airbus to consider how the next generation of aircraft will be financed and commercialised. It will take a wide ecosystem of contributors to overcome the challenges of hydrogen powered commercial flight, and Airbus is playing a crucial role in bringing partners together. While we continue to focus on supporting our customers in modernising their fleets with lower emissions aircraft, it is also vital we look beyond that at what can further drive our industry’s decarbonisation.”

Airbus Vice President ZEROe Project, Glenn Llewellyn, said, “There is real value in bringing together industry players to help solve the challenges facing aviation. We know we can’t solve decarbonisation alone and welcome Avolon’s expertise and worldwide leadership in the aircraft leasing business. Working together to consider how the transition can be commercialised and financed for airline customers is crucial to success.”

Further information about Airbus’ hydrogen journey can be found here.

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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.

Airbus to boost sustainable aviation fuel production through investment in LanzaJet

Airbus is investing in LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and producer, in line with its ambition to act as a catalyst for the global development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). 

This investment will support the development of the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) pathway, an important step required to produce SAF at scale by enabling LanzaJet to further expand its capability and capacity to scale its proprietary Ethanol to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) process technology.

“Sustainable aviation fuels are one of the most important levers available to decarbonise aviation, but their production is still limited. Our partnership with LanzaJet demonstrates Airbus' commitment to work with leading energy technology suppliers to explore innovative production pathways and scale SAF," said Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus. "This important partnership with LanzaJet underlines the importance of new technologies and cross-sector collaboration to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.”

EVA orders GEnx engines to power Boeing 787 fleet expansion

GE Aerospace announced that following EVA Air's recent deal to purchase four Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, the airline has placed an order for GEnx engines to power their new aircraft.

"We're thrilled EVA has selected our high-performance GEnx engine to power its fleet expansion," said Russell Stokes, President and CEO, of Commercial Engines and Services, GE Aerospace. "We look forward to ensuring GEnx engines continue providing outstanding economic and operational performance."

Since its introduction in 2011, the GEnx engine family has accumulated over 56 million flight hours. It stands as GE Aerospace's fastest-selling, high-thrust engine to date, with nearly 3,000 engines currently in service or on backlog, including spare units.

"EVA currently operates 15 GEnx-powered Boeing 787s, and they have demonstrated outstanding fuel burn, performance and reliability," said Clay Sun, President of EVA. "The additional engines will help us further expand our fleet to manage our growing route schedule." 

PLAY announces 25% off shoulder season flights

PLAY, a low-cost Icelandic airline operating flights between the United States and Europe, today announced 25% off fall and winter flights to Iceland, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dublin today through 1st August 2024. The discount on PLAY’s already affordable fares increases the payoff of planning ahead, making summer the perfect time to lock in a vacation for the fall and winter seasons.

Booking a European getaway is anything but spur-of-the-moment; according to Expedia, the best time to book international airfare is two months in advance. PLAY’s 25% off fares encourages all travellers to get into the planning mindset for fall or winter trips to “chill” destinations, like Copenhagen or London. Travellers who book now can create an unforgettable experience during shoulder season, enjoying less crowds and lower travel costs. “Type-A” planners can enjoy the spoils of booking ahead, whether grabbing a Stroopwafel in Amsterdam or using their flight savings to splurge on accommodations by the Eiffel Tower during the off season in Paris.

To sweeten the deal, PLAY’s stayover option stacks a BOGO deal on top of 25% off flights, enabling travelers to visit two destinations for the price of one! They can choose to add up to 10 days in Iceland on the departing or returning flight, expanding their travel experience without increasing their flight budget. An extended stop in the Land of Fire and Ice provides the ideal window to see the Northern Lights, a free experience that lucky tourists can see only during the winter months.

"Budget travellers know that researching and planning ahead pays off in savings, enabling them to get even more out of every trip,” said PLAY CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson. “The ‘shoulder season’ is around the corner, and travelers should book their trips now to snag a discount on PLAY’s already affordable fares for their best trip yet.”

PLAY’s 25% off flight deal includes the airline’s Basic Bundle, a streamlined travel option with a small personal item included in their discounted fare. The deal runs today through August 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. It’s valid for one-way flights on roundtrip bookings to Iceland, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dublin between September 15 to December 15, 2024. Discount is applied to airfare, does not include taxes, fees, and carrier charges.

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Beechcraft King Air special “Crimson Edition” unveiled in honour of 60th Anniversary

Textron Aviation has announced a special edition 60th anniversary option for the iconic Beechcraft King Air 260 and 360 turboprops to celebrate the aircraft’s proud history of being the best-selling business turboprop family in the world. The new “Crimson Edition” King Air features a striking new interior and a vibrant red and silver exterior paint scheme, inspired by six decades of legendary Beechcraft customers and operators. The order book is open for the special edition aircraft, with deliveries beginning in 2025.

“The Crimson Edition of the King Air provides customers with an immersive experience that pays tribute to the turboprop’s renowned legacy, while also featuring modern luxuries and upgrades that showcase the aircraft's ongoing evolution,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, of Customer Experience. “We’re honoured to celebrate a prestigious aircraft that is beloved by so many customers around the world.”

The King Air series aircraft has long been a customer favourite since its introduction in 1964. The legendary turboprop is synonymous with unwavering reliability, exceptional performance and unparalleled versatility, earning the trust and preference of operators worldwide.

New Crimson exterior scheme

One of the first noticeable attributes of the new “Crimson Edition” King Air is the iconic Beechcraft “B” on the aircraft’s tail. The exterior paint scheme showcases a metallic-like crimson, silver and black paint scheme. The aircraft’s new boarding step has hidden fasteners that create a sleeker appearance for entry, and its graphite silver finish perfectly matches the new exterior and interior.

Stunning custom interior

RTX's Ascentia awarded first predictive maintenance customer in Turkey with Freebird Airlines

Freebird Airlines gains a connected ecosystem through real-time data insights

Freebird Airlines has selected Collins Aerospace, an RTX business to add a comprehensive suite of digital solutions enabling the airline to make proactive decisions to improve operations across its A320 fleet of aircraft.

Freebird Airlines will implement Ascentia®, a cloud-based data management and analytics platform designed to provide a holistic view of aircraft maintenance. Freebird Airlines will use the solution to analyze maintenance data that will enable the air service to predict and reduce aircraft on the ground events, lowering maintenance costs and improving the passenger experience.

This new agreement adds to a suite of solutions currently used by Freebird Airlines, including OpsCore™ for aircraft flight tracking, ARINC Hermes™ for smart ACARS message management, and GLOBALinkSM for communication services.

"This collaboration with Collins Aerospace marks a significant step forward in our maintenance operations," said Kerem Güngörmez, maintenance manager at Freebird Airlines. "By leveraging the advanced capabilities of Ascentia and Collins' integrated software solutions, we can enhance our maintenance, repair, and overhaul efficiency, reduce engineering costs, and improve our ability to predict and prevent on-the-ground events. This will ultimately result in a more reliable and cost-effective service for our passengers."

"Our software solutions allow Freebird to digitally transform their operations, using data-driven insights to inform proactive maintenance decisions that provide a high level of operational availability of their fleet," said Nicole White, vice president of Business Development for Connected Aviation Solutions at Collins Aerospace.

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