Sun Country Airlines to start new service between Portland and Los Cabos this December

Sun Country Airlines, the privately held company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul has confirmed it will be starting a new service between Portland and Los Cabos this December. 

The budget carrier will operate the route twice a week on a seasonal basis and is part of the firms growth plans which continue at a rapid pace. Since 2018, Sun Country has added more than 3 nonstop routes and nine new cities to its network. In addition to new routes, the exteriors of their aircraft have a new modern design and the interiors have all new seats. Those new seats have three different seating options and most seats have in-seat power. Inflight entertainment, consisting of movies, TV shows, and music, is also available – and complimentary – through a secure onboard AirFi wireless entertainment system. Unlike most domestic US carriers, non-alcoholic beverages are still complimentary. 

The airline currently offers scheduled passenger service on more than 85 routes to more than 50 popular destinations in the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, many of which are served seasonally to match peak leisure travel demand.

Aeroflot sets scheduled for Airbus A350 aircraft as it ranks top on punctuality chart for July

The leading Russian airline Aeroflot has loaded schedules for its yet to be delivered Airbus A350-900's on its reservation systems, according to Flight Global. 

The airline will deploy the aircraft on services to New York JFK from 29th March, Beijing from 1st May, Seoul from 1st June, Miami starting on 2nd June and then on the 1st of July the Russian flag carrier will use the A350 to fly to Delhi.

The airline has 14 of the type on order from Airbus and is expected to start taking delivery of the twinjet in mid to late April next year. Some of the A350 schedules are extra flights,  while others will replace current aircraft scheduled for the route.

Top for punctuality for July 

THAI Unveils Suphannahong Royal Barge Aircraft Livery

Today Mr Sumeth Damrongchaitham, President of Thai Airways International presided over a sacred ceremony that was conducted by Phra Maha Raja Guru Bidhi Sri Visudhigun to bless the Suphannahong Royal Barge aircraft livery that commemorates the Royal Coronation Ceremony 2019.  The ceremony was attended by THAI Management and staff at the THAI Technical Department, Don Mueang, on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.

Mr. Sumeth Damrongchaitham, THAI President, said that the Royal Coronation Ceremony 2019 was held on 4 May 2019, with celebrations to continue until 4 May 2020. THAI, as the national carrier under the Ministry of Transport, has organized activities to commemorate the Royal Coronation as an expression of loyalty and honor.  THAI received permission to paint the Suphannahong Royal Barge aircraft livery on its Boeing 777-300 aircraft, royally bestowed the name “Lahan Sai.” The Royal Coronation Emblem will appear on THAI’s aircraft throughout the Coronation Year.

Vietnam Airlines upgrades codeshare deal with Delta and gets its first 787-10

Photo Delta

The US mega-carrier Delta Air Lines and Vietnam Airlines have confirmed that they are upgrading their codeshare arrangement partnership that will see Delta selling more seats on Vietnam Airlines flights.  The US carrier will be selling seats on Vietnam's Hanoi-Tokyo route from October 2019. 

“The upgrade into a two-way partnership allows passengers to book a codeshare flight and fulfil flight formalities only once for their entire journey through either Vietnam Airlines or Delta Air Lines, thereby facilitating their visits to popular destinations in both countries,” says Vietnam Airlines.

Vietnam Airlines has also just taken delivery of its first of eight Boeing 787-10s, from the US manufacturer via a special lease deal with Air Lease Corporation.

The billion dollar airline route

OAG The worlds largest network of aviation data has been busy analysing the figures and has revealed the biggest money-making airline routes. 

British Airways takes the top spot in the calculations with its premier London Heathrow - New York JFK route which brings in the carrier an absolutely astonishing US$1.15 Billion of revenue - the only billion-dollar route in the world.

The airline has also seen an increase in revenue per hour of 10% over the last year so its not hard to see why the UK's biggest legacy carrier, celebrating its 100th birthday, works hard to keep the service going. It is also interesting to note, that according to OAG more than 30% of the seats the carrier operates on the route are in its First and Business class cabins. 

British Airways should also be smiling, its route between Boston and Heathrow earns even more revenue per hour that the JFK route. It pulls in US$32,401per hour, but as it offers far fewer flights there, the total revenue is lower. 

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Six new routes from Odesa International for Wizz Air.

The rapid development at Wizz Air, continues at pace with the recent announcement that the budget carrier will introduce six new services from Odesa International Airport. The new services will go to Budapest in Hungary, Berlin Schoenefeld in Germany; Gdansk, Wroclaw and Katowice in Poland; and Bratislava in Slovakia, as well as a new route from Lviv to Larnaca in Cyprus. 

The operations of the new routes will start in November, with these new services, WIZZ now offers Ukrainian passengers even more exciting opportunities to discover new European destinations from Odesa and Lviv with fares from just EUR 14.99 / UAH 429*. Along with these new services, Wizz Air has recently celebrated the first flight on the Kharkiv - Krakow route on August 2.

Vietnam Airlines Flies Its First Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

The US planemaker Boeing has delivered the first of eight 787-10 Dreamliner aeroplanes to Vietnam Airlines today via lease from Air Lease Corporation [NYSE: AL]. The Vietnamese flag carrier plans to put the 787-10 – the most fuel-efficient twin-aisle aeroplane in the industry – on the busiest routes in its expanding network.

"Welcoming the largest member of the 787 family to our growing fleet ensures we continue to boast one of the youngest and most modern fleets in Asia and also adds a competitive edge to Vietnam Airlines' operations. We appreciate the unbeatable efficiency performance with reduced fuel burn and outstanding passenger comfort and amenities," said Pham Ngoc Minh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Airlines. "On our journey to become a 5-star airline, we are confident that the Boeing 787-10 fleet will further elevate the customer experience on the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh route as well as many international routes."

Virgin Galactic opens the doors to its new Gateway to Space........say hello to the Spaceport America in New Mexico

Virgin Galactic today revealed the first look at the interior fit-out of its Gateway to Space building at Spaceport America in New Mexico. The work completed showcased two floors of the building primarily focused on spaceflight operations, which also incorporates communal spaces designed for use in the future by Virgin Galactic customers, along with their friends and families. Completion of this interior work means the spaceport facility is now operationally functional and able to support Virgin Galactic’s flight requirements.

One of the hallmarks of the Virgin brand for over nearly half a century has been the use of inspired and bold design to transform customer experiences. It is an ethos that has been successfully applied across industrial sectors and design disciplines. From aircraft cabins to hotel bedrooms and from fitness classes to bank accounts.

Virgin Galactic has striven to remain faithful to that tradition by choosing an elegant, experience-focused concept for the space launch system itself. Similarly, the company’s choice to operate from Spaceport America in New Mexico was due in no small part to the state’s decision to commission landmark architecture for the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport. The Foster + Partners Gateway to Space facility pays homage to the past in its respect for the ancient surrounding landscape while powerfully embracing the future through energy efficiency and sustainability. It was also specifically designed to enable Virgin Galactic to create an unparalleled experience as its customers prepare for journeys of a lifetime before graduating as astronauts.

Radisson Hotel Group agrees landmark partnership with entertainment destination The London Resort

Radisson Hotel Group, one of the world’s leading hotel groups, has announced an exciting partnership with The London Resort, a global entertainment destination due to open in 2024. 

Radisson Hotel Group will become a stakeholder in the project, opening a Radisson Blu hotel – Europe’s leading upper-upscale hotel brand – in the 535-acre resort in Kent, UK, accessible from London in only 20 minutes.

The London Resort recently announced it has reignited its partnership with Paramount Picture Corporation, with the aim of combining the best of Hollywood with the best of British entertainment to create amazing and unique experiences for the whole family. The resort will be one of the biggest themed entertainment resorts in Europe and will include a theme park, water park, cinema, theatre, hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and more.

Last 10 days for the British Airways BA2119 exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London

The BA 2119: Flight of the Future exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery enters its final ten days of display with tickets still available for Fly, a state-of-the-art virtual reality experience.

The exhibition, which launched on August 1, and is free to enter, has been developed through a partnership between British Airways and the Royal College of Art and has proved very popular with visitors keen to explore the what flying may look like over the next 100 years. 

The exhibition brings to life the BA 2119: Flight of the Future report, which found that hyper-personalisation, immersive virtual realities, 3D printed health solutions, modular aircraft connected to city infrastructure, hypersonic flying and the rise of super-slow ”flight cruises”, are all part of the future of air travel. The report was commissioned by the airline to mark its centenary year, in collaboration with the leading data-led trends agency Foresight Factory. The report is one of the largest global consumer travel studies of its kind - surveying 13,000 consumers across ten countries - and consultations with leading sector experts and futurologists to offers a picture of what flying will look like in 20, 40, 60 and even 100 years into the future.

Cathay Pacific announces senior management changes as the airline struggles amid pro-democracy protests

Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific announced today the following management changes, following disagreements on the airline's stance to the political unrest in Hong Kong recent weeks. The changes are effective from 19th August:

Mr. Augustus Tang takes over as Chief Executive Officer, from Rupert Hogg.

Mr. Ronald Lam becomes Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, succeeding Mr. Paul Loo. 

Ronald Lam will remain Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Express until a successor has been appointed.

The Board of Directors of Cathay Pacific announced that it has accepted the resignation of Rupert Hogg as Chief Executive Officer and Paul Loo as Chief Customer and Commercial Officer.  At a Board meeting today, Augustus Tang was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Ronald Lam was appointed Chief Customer and Commercial Officer.  The Board of Directors believes that it is the right time for new leadership to take Cathay Pacific forward and that Augustus Tang and Ronald Lam, both of whom are highly experienced executives with long careers at Cathay Pacific, are ideally suited to lead the company. 

Hyatt Place Vacaville celebrates official opening

Hyatt Hotels Corporation 

announced this week that Hyatt Place Vacaville, the first Hyatt Place hotel in the city of Vacaville, California and in Solano County, is officially open. The new hotel features the Hyatt Place brand’s intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities, such as a 24/7 fitness centre and 24-hour food offerings. Locally owned by the Gill & Sidhu family, who also owns and manages the Sunrise Banquet Hall & Event Center, the new hotel is operated under Sunrise Palace Inc., and managed by Southern California based Evolution Hospitality.

Hyatt Place Vacaville offers 136 spacious guestrooms with separate spaces to sleep, work and play, as well as a Cozy Corner sofa-sleeper and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and guestrooms. A hot breakfast is available in the Gallery Kitchen daily and the 24/7 Gallery Menu & Market serves freshly prepared meals anytime, day or night. The on-site Coffee to Cocktails Bar features speciality coffees and premium beers, as well as wines and cocktails with happy hour specials. The Odds & Ends program, a unique program to the Hyatt Place brand, is for forgotten items that guests can buy, borrow or enjoy for free during their stay. The meeting space offers more than 525 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting and function space and over 30,000 square feet of meeting room space is available adjacent to the hotel at the Sunrise Event & Banquet Center.

Singapore Airlines names new VP of Public Affairs

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced the appointment of Siva Govindasamy as Vice President of Public Affairs.

Govindasamy will take over SIA’s corporate communications portfolio from Nicholas Ionides, who has been with the Airline for more than 10 years. Ionides is leaving SIA late in October to pursue another career opportunity in Singapore.

Govindasamy will be joining SIA from Airbus, where he has been Senior Communications Manager Asia-Pacific since October 2016. Prior to that, he was a journalist for more than 16 years.

Govindasamy is a Singaporean who has a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Political Science from the National University of Singapore.

The airline also recently announced that it had, along with regional subsidiary SilkAir, signed an agreement with Vistara to expand codesharing to international routes. Vistara will commence international operations from 6 Aug 2019, when it launches its Delhi – Singapore operations.

You can now get cannabidiol CBD products at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

Minute Suites is the first US airport concessionaire to be authorised to offer cannabidiol products, starting by the end of August 2019.  The cannabis-based products will be available at their Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) locations and are sold in compliance with the 2018 Farm Bill, which means all products are among the forms of CBD that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now allows on flights.

These CBD products are said to be a wellness-based solution to the stress and fatigue caused by air travel.  “We are fortunate to pioneer the availability of CBD products in ATL,” says Chris Glass, Chief Operating Officer of Minute Suites. “CBD has proven effective in treating symptoms to many mental and physical health issues, as well as improving people’s overall well-being. It fits within our wellness mission.”

Minute Suites, which provides private suites inside security at airports for travellers to nap, relax or work before their flight or during long delays, offers many health-related products for purchase at the front desk, including high-end sleep masks and travel sheets, noise-cancelling headphones, neck pillows and more. CBD products will be among the options at the ATL locations.

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Wizz Air whizzes into the top ten safest low-cost airlines in the world

It is one of Europe’s fastest-growing airlines and the leading low-cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe and now Wizz Air has been named as one of the top ten safest low-cost carriers of 2019 in the world by the world’s only one-stop airline safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings.com.

In making its evaluation,  AirlineRatings.com takes into account a comprehensive range of factors that include: audits from aviation’s governing and industry bodies; government audits; airline’s crash and serious incident record; profitability, industry-leading safety initiatives, and fleet age. Being among the world’s top ten safest low-cost airlines is a great accomplishment which underpins Wizz Air’s stringent strategy which considers safety as its top priority.