Air France-KLM launches ambitious plan to recapture a leadership position in Europe

In Paris today, Air France-KLM CEO  Benjamin Smith, Air France-KLM CEO, along with Pieter Elbers, KLM President and CEO, Anne Rigail, Air France CEO, and Frederic Gagey, Air France-KLM CFO, will outline the group’s ambitious strategic plans along with its financial predictions for the next five years as it seeks to regain a leadership position in the European aviation world.

Included in the plans are:

• Restore a dynamic of sustainable profitability based on a new value-focused model for the group’s primary stakeholders: employees, customers, and shareholders.
• A plan built around four main strategic priorities: optimising the operational model, refocusing passenger revenue growth around the most profitable segments, developing initiatives on customer data, the Flying Blue loyalty programme, maintenance and cargo, and pragmatically analyzing consolidation opportunities. Each of these initiatives support the group's goal to remain a leader in the sector's ecological transition.
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• Profit: Medium-term operating margin of 7-8%
• Cash: Medium-term positive adjusted Free Cash Flows
• Leverage: Net debt/EBITDA ratio circa 1.5x
• Shareholder returns: Prospects for returning to dividend distribution  

U.S. House Democrats to continue probe after Boeing testimony

(Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the head of its aviation subcommittee said on Monday that it will continue its investigation into two fatal 737 MAX crashes after Boeing’s testimony prompted new questions.

Representatives Peter DeFazio and Rick Larsen said in a joint letter to fellow lawmakers that Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg’s answers at Wednesday’s hearing “were consistent with a culture of concealment and opaqueness and reflected the immense pressure exerted on Boeing employees during the development and production of the 737 MAX.”

The letter said the victims’ loved ones “deserve a thorough investigation from our Committee about how the regulatory system and the law failed, and that’s exactly what our committee intends to do.”

Air Europa sold to IAG's Iberia for €1 billion

International Consolidated Airlines Group - IAG confirmed on Monday that it had reached a deal with Globalia for Iberia to acquire the entire issued share capital of Air Europa for €1 billion.

Air Europa is one of the leading private airlines in Spain, operating scheduled domestic and international flights to 69 destinations, including European and long-haul routes to Latin America, the United States of America, the Caribbean and North Africa. In 2018, Air Europa generated revenue of €2.1 billion and an operating profit of €100 million. It carried 11.8 million passengers in 2018 and ended the year with a fleet of 66 aircraft.

The deal will totally transform Madrid for Iberia, making it one of the key European hubs, to rival Paris Charles de Gaulle. Amsterdam's Schiphol and London's Heathrow.  It will also allow Iberia to re-establish itself and the group in Latin America and the Caribbean and create opportunities for network growth in the South Atlantic.

Alaska Airlines partners with Surfline to offer first-ever fare sale powered by ocean waves

Starting today, surfers everywhere will have one more reason to wish for bigger waves. That's when Alaska Airlines will kick-off "Swell Deals," using dynamic data to generate discounts for surfers and sand-lovers alike. Partnering with global surf forecasting site Surfline, Alaska will discount up to 30% off flights to and from Hawaii based on the height of forecasted waves around the islands. The bigger the waves, the bigger the discount.

"Flyers today have access to so much more information and in turn, are making decisions based on that data," said Natalie Bowman, Alaska Airlines' managing director of brand and marketing communications. "With the start of surf season in Hawaii, we saw an opportunity to further support our flyers' passions by using the power of data to offer better deals as surf conditions improve."

Surfline will pull data from 14 different locations monitoring minute-by-minute forecasts around the Hawaiian Islands. The subregions for data tracking include: Oahu South Shore, Hawaii Kona, Maui South, Kauai South, Kauai North, Maui West, Oahu North Shore, Oahu Windward Side, Maui North, Hawaii South, Hawaii Hilo, Oahu West Side, Lanai and Molokai.

Openairlines head to China

French President Emmanuel Macron will make an official State visit to China with a focus on climate change and trade, on November 4th-6th, 2019. Alexandre Feray, OpenAirlines' CEO will join the visit alongside 17 innovative companies as part of the presidential delegation organized by Business France to present its innovative eco-flying solution SkyBreathe® which helps airlines reduce their fuel costs and environmental impact.


The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) forecasts that if no action taken, aviation emissions could grow by 300-700% by 2050. China's civil aviation faces complex challenges to reduce CO2 emission since they have one of the world's fastest-growing aviation systems. Chinese airlines need to maintain their profitability while becoming more sustainable and contributing to the People's Republic aggressive goals in terms of CO2 emissions reduction per unit of GDP laid out in its 13th five-year plan. But where to start? To answer this question, Alexandre Feray will meet with several airlines' decision-makers to showcase SkyBreathe®, an innovative eco-flying solution using Big Data Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning to save fuel and reduce airlines' carbon footprint.

Manchester Airport to open brand new 'AeroZone'

New on-site education centre will give schoolchildren of all ages opportunities to learn more about their local airport and the job opportunities available in aviation
Announcement, made as part of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) annual Corporate Social Responsibility report, is part of the “MAG Connect” programme, which aims to connect local communities with jobs at airports
Centre will focus on a range of topics and subjects, and will welcome more than 5,000 pupils each year
Facility delivered as part of airport’s £1bn transformation programme

Manchester Airport has announced plans to open a state-of-the-art education centre on its campus. It will be called AeroZone and will launch in the new year and host more than 5,000 pupils aged between four and 18 every year.

Sessions will seek to inspire young people about the wide range of careers they can pursue in aviation, as well as giving them practical advice about how to access employment opportunities and prepare for the world of work.

Cutting edge design and educational technology will be used to link aviation-related activities to the curriculum at the AeroZone, which will be housed in the Airport’s on-site transport interchange. CGI images released today show the layout of the centre, as well as an indication of how each of the classrooms and spaces will look. The design of the centre is heavily influenced by aviation with aeroplane seats as classroom seating and windows like those found onboard an aircraft. A dedicated “careers wall” will showcase the wide range of careers available in aviation and information and advice about how to access them.

Air Canada Reports Third Quarter 2019 Results

Air Canada has reported third-quarter 2019 EBITDA(1) (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and impairment) of $1.472 billion compared to third quarter 2018 EBITDA of $1.351 billion, an increase of $121 million or 9 per cent. The airline reported third quarter 2019 operating income of $956 million compared to third quarter 2018 operating income of $923 million. 

Record third quarter operating revenues of $5.553 billion
Operating income of $956 million
EBITDA of $1.472 billion, up 9 per cent over the prior year's third quarter
Record unrestricted liquidity of $7.355 billion and leverage ratio of 0.8

"I am pleased to report an excellent third quarter for Air Canada, in which we generated record operating revenues of close to $5.6 billion and reached record liquidity of nearly $7.4 billion. Impressive as such strong results are on their own, they are even more meaningful given that we achieved them despite the serious disruption to our operations and to our cost structure created by the Boeing 737 MAX grounding. Our record performance is a testament to the resourcefulness, skill and dedication of the entire Air Canada team, and I applaud and thank them for their hard work taking care of our customers since the Boeing 737 MAX grounding occurred," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.

Radisson adds revamped Manchester cultural icon to luxury Radisson Collection hotels portfolio

Radisson has added the Edwardian Manchester to its luxury Radisson Collection hotels portfolio following a £12m (US$16m, €14m) renovation of its Grade II-listed Free Trade Hall venue.

The hotel’s revamp combines modern design with elements referencing and incorporating the palazzo heritage of the building, which was constructed between 1853 and 1856 to host cultural and public events.

There are 263 rooms and suites, ranging in size from 28sq m (301sq ft) to 98sq m (1,055sq ft) and designed to accommodate both short and longer stays. Features include floor-to-ceiling windows, spaces to work and handcrafted mattresses.

The hotel’s Peter Street Kitchen serves Japanese and Mexican in a setting of high ceilings, natural wooden features, marble tables and pendant lighting.

Five Applicants Chosen from over 140,000 Hopefuls for Antarctic Sabbatical

Five passionate individuals have been selected from tens of thousands of applicants to travel to Earth’s most remote continent on a first-of-its-kind scientific research mission spearheaded by Airbnb and Ocean Conservancy and led by Kirstie Jones-Williams. Hailing from Hawaii, Arizona, Norway, India and Dubai, the volunteers have been chosen from more than 140,000 applications from over 200 countries around the world.

The five adventurers have a diverse range of backgrounds but they all possess a deep commitment to environmental conservation and a shared belief that the Sabbatical will impact their lives long after it concludes. The goal of the Antarctic Sabbatical is to bring greater awareness to humans’ impact on the climate in one of the world’s least understood and most isolated ecosystems.

On the month-long expedition in December, the citizen scientists will collect snow samples and study the extent to which microplastics have made their way to the interior of Antarctica. By understanding the impact of plastic pollution in such a remote location, it is hoped that the five volunteers will deliver insights on how we can help protect the Antarctic and the wider world.

Allegiant Announces Aircraft Base in Nashville

The US ultra-low-cost-carrier,  Allegiant has announced plans to establish a base of operations at Nashville International Airport (BNA).  The Las Vegas-based company will invest $50 million to establish the new base, creating at least 66 new, high-wage jobs and housing two Airbus aircraft.  

The company, which focuses on linking travellers in small-to-medium cities to world-class leisure destinations, plans to begin its base operations in Nashville on February 13, 2020. The Music City airport will become the airline’s 19th aircraft base.

Known throughout the world as Music City, Nashville boasts a booming business environment, with health care, distribution, automotive, and, of course, hospitality and entertainment being the most prominent industries. Home to such famed attractions as the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the legendary lower Broadway area, the city boasts a rich cultural history with diverse neighbourhoods and a world-class culinary scene. The 24th most populous U.S. city with 670,000 residents, Nashville hosted more than 15.2 million visitors in 2018 alone.

London Stansted went a little Bollywood for the launch of direct Dreamliner flights to Amritsar

• Air India service the only direct link between London and Amritsar
• New route latest step towards more long-haul services from London Stansted

London Stansted was filled with the sights and sounds of India on Thursday as a dazzling Bollywood dance troupe greeted passengers to celebrate the inaugural Air India flight to Amritsar.

The new three-times a week service, operated by a 256-seater Boeing 787 Dreamliner offering both business and economy class, is the only direct service between London and Amritsar and the first-ever scheduled service from London Stansted to India.

The aircraft also featured a specially painted tribute to mark the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev ji, the founder of the Sikh religion.

Air India’s arrival is another positive step towards Stansted’s goal of developing a significant long-haul route network at the airport and joins the extremely popular twice-daily Emirates service to Dubai that launched last year.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Gulf Air agree codeshare partnership

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Gulf Air, the national airline of the Kingdom of Bahrain, have signed a codeshare partnership, for travel commencing from 27 October 2019. The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two airlines and will further strengthen the strong ties between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Netherlands.

Gulf Air will place its ‘GF’ code on KLM flights from Bahrain to Amsterdam and flights from Amsterdam to Frankfurt. On the other hand, the agreement will see KLM place its ‘KL’ code on Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Sialkot, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.

New winter flights from Air Italy take to the skies.

Air Italy’s first non-stop flight to Malè, (IG995), was inaugurated last week, taking off from Milan Malpensa at 1815 on Tuesday. 

The Milan–Maldives route, together with the flights to Zanzibar and Mombasa, which started on Friday were also joined last week by the inaugural flight to Tenerife as part of  the airline’s new winter season lineup.

As VIPs and dignitaries gathered to celebrate at the airline’s Milan Malpensa hub, there was a traditional cake and ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the departure of the A330 aircraft.

Air Italy's Chief Operating Officer, Rossen Dimitrov, said: "Air Italy is absolutely delighted to inaugurate its winter season with the launch of this new service for the Maldives, in the same week as our new services to Mombasa, Tenerife and Zanzibar. For the current season, we are offering a great selection of the most sought-after destinations by Italians.

Nicki Geigert’s “Family Trip to Magical Madagascar and Beyond” Will Be on Exhibit at the 2019 Miami Book Fair

The book, will be displayed at the country’s largest literary festival. It is a story about family travel with accompanying photos depicting the natural fascinating beauty of Madagascar.

Travel junkies, as well as photography enthusiasts, can check out the exhibit of travel photographer Nicki Geigert’s book “Family Trip to Magical Madagascar and Beyond” (Blurb; 2017) at the Miami Book Fair 2019 Street Fair on November 22-24, 2019 at Miami Dade College (Wolfson Campus) in Downtown Miami.

The Miami Book Fair, founded in 1984 as “Books by the Bay,” aims to promote reading; encourage the writing craft, and; spread the awareness of literacy and the literary arts in Miami’s multi-ethnic community. Aside from the weekend Street Fair, the book fair, which will run from Nov. 17-24, will include author talks, book signings, panel discussions, musical performances, and other activities.

Geigert’s travel photo book, “Family Trip to Magical Madagascar and Beyond,” will be exhibited by ReadersMagnet at the Street Fair.

Explorer and Author Robert Easton Shares His Covetous Round-the-World Trips on His Autobiography

Robert D. Easton wrote an awe-striking autobiography “Sailing Around the World in 300 Days: The Last World Cruise of the Yankee Trader.” This book recounts the countries he visited and the activities he did while carrying out his voyage with the moniker “Yankee Trader” in early 1979.

Together with 75 other passengers and 20 crew members, he was able to visit quite a number of places – 61 ports around the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean. He also set foot to several cities like Singapore and Cape Town, to name a few. He also hopped innumerable islands and engaged in seemingly tireless exploration, fishing and scuba diving. To top the list off, he met islanders, savoured other cultures and watched irresistibly gorgeous sunsets. All these he completed in 300 days!