New London Stansted - Dakar service from Air Senegal starting in June

London Stansted will open up the UK’s only direct service to the Senegalese capital, Dakar, from this summer, boosting tourism and trade links for the East of England and London.

Air Senegal, who has chosen London Stansted for its first-ever UK service, will operate three flights a week starting on June 26 to the city made famous by the historic long-distance rally*.

The news has been welcomed by organisations and businesses in the region who say the flight will give local firms the chance to develop new trade and investment opportunities.

The route will also benefit the 400,000 people in London Stansted’s catchment area who currently travel to Dakar and other key African cities from other UK airports.

Manta Air celebrates first birthday.....

The local domestic airline of The Maldives,  Manta Air has recently marked its first-anniversary with celebrations at its bases for staff and guests alike.  Already, within its first year of flying operations, the domestic airline has built up a strong brand and reputation.

The carrier currently flies a fleet of three spacious ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft with 64 seat configuration spread over two classes. It also operates De Havilland Canada/Viking DHC-6-300 Twin Otter's for its seaplane operations and is expected to take delivery of another 4 six DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft for its seaplane operations, with another four expected to join its seaplane fleet soon.

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Pegasus Airlines crash pilot arrested.

The pilot of the Pegasus Airlines aircraft that ran off the runway at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport earlier this month has been arrested by local authorities, the Turkish state media outlet Anadolu reports.

The Boeing 737 aircraft had been operating a flight between Izmir and Istanbul and skidded off the runway upon arrival in Istanbul. It was a crash that claimed the lives of three people and injured scores of others.

According to Anadolu, the flight deck crew were both interviewed by the authorities, but it was only captain Mahmut Arslan that was arrested.  According to the local news agency, the pilot had been arrested on charges of "involuntary manslaughter and causing injury,". No further details have so far been released. 

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Swoop Names Bert van der Stege, Head of Commercial

 Swoop is delighted to announce Bert van der Stege will be joining its operations as Head of Commercial effective Feb. 24. With more than 20 years of international aviation experience, Bert brings a wealth of knowledge, most recently from his position as Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at the Halifax International Airport Authority.

"I am thrilled to have Bert as part of Swoop's executive team," says Steven Greenway, President, Swoop. "Bert has built an incredible reputation for himself within our industry and with his strategic and innovative approach to airline operations, I know he will help us continue to deliver on our mission to make air travel more affordable for Canadians."

In-Flight Entertainment & Connectivity Market to Witness Significant Growth

 In line with the report issued by the professionals, the scope of the global In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity (IFEC) Market was priced at US$ 5.1 billion in 2018. It is estimated to touch US$ 10.5 billion by the completion of 2025, increasing by a CAGR of 10.3% during the period of forecast.

In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity mentions to the existing entertainment for the air travellers for the duration of the journey times. This may possibly consist of the Wi-Fi connectivity, the audio players, video games or else the video screens. The system permits commercial airline to propose a feature-rich experience to entire onboard commuters. In-flight Entertainment & Connectivity system supports to halt the boredom of air travel for commuters on extended air travel. Due to a number of assistances, the demand for it is expected to upsurge by a substantial speed. Consecutively, this may possibly back to the increasing market, through the globe for the duration of the forecast.

Swiss International Air Lines takes delivery of its first A320neo

Swiss International Air Lines takes delivery of its first A320neo

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has taken delivery of its first A320neo aircraft at a delivery ceremony in Hamburg, Germany. It is the first of 25 A320neo Family aircraft ordered by Swiss International Air Lines.

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new-generation engines, Sharklets and cabin efficiency enablers, which together deliver 20% fuel savings. With more than 7,300 orders received from over 110 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60% share of the market.

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Air India now flies into London Stansted from Mumbai

Air India’s second long-haul route from London Stansted took to the skies last week with the launch of its new three-times a week service to Mumbai, the financial and entertainment capital of India.

The new Mumbai service, the first-ever direct link to India’s largest city from London Stansted, joins the airline’s Amritsar route which commenced less than four months ago and has already proved to be extremely popular with passengers from across London and the east of England.

The route will be served by a 256-seat Boeing 787 Dreamliner and will initially operate until the end of the winter flight schedule.

Delta leadership team changes......

Delta unveiled changes to its leadership team today as it works to transform the air travel experience to better serve its customers, employees and the world around us.

“As we prepare to enter a new decade, the passion, dedication and professionalism of Delta’s 90,000 people worldwide have positioned us as the airline that connects the world better than any other,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told employees in a memo. “As we continue on our journey, it’s important that our leadership team continues to transform the customer experience and ensure long-term growth and success.”

Highlights of the new leadership team include:

Bill Lentsch, a 30-year Delta veteran, will head an integrated customer experience organization that oversees Delta’s customer-facing divisions. “Our customers are at the center of everything we do, and Bill will align the functions that power our journey to transform air travel into an experience our customers enjoy,” Ed wrote.
Gareth Joyce has been named Delta’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, responsible for Delta’s plan, announced on Profit Sharing Day, to invest $1 billion over the next decade to become the first carbon neutral globally, and serve as a responsible steward of our environment.
Eric Phillips will become Delta’s new Senior Vice President of Airport Customer Service and Cargo, bringing exceptional leadership skills and deep commercial experience to Delta’s largest customer-facing operational group.
Erik Snell will become head of Corporate Planning, a new function dedicated to ensuring that Delta’s operational and commercial organizations are fully aligned.
Gil West, Delta’s Chief Operating Officer, will focus on driving innovation across the business. In addition to his current responsibilities, his role will include leadership of Delta Portfolio Services, a new area that will include Delta’s portfolio of businesses and drive growth opportunities.

The changes are effective March 1. In his letter, Ed wrote that “I’m confident that our new leadership organization will drive us closer to delivering the very best airline experience to our customers and position us as leaders across the globe into the next decade and beyond.”  Read the full letter below. 

Atlas Air stores 4 747's as losses mount

4Q Net Loss of $410.2 Million Reflects Noncash Special Charge of $485.2 Million
4Q Adjusted EBITDA Totals $204.7 Million, Adjusted Net Income $98.2 million
2019 Net Loss of $293.1 Million Reflects Noncash Special Charge of $503.1 Million
2019 Adjusted EBITDA Totals $504.8 Million, Adjusted Net Income $139.6 Million
Solid Fourth-Quarter Peak Season
Expects 2020 Earnings Growth

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings,  announced fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 results that reflected a peak season with a pickup in customer demand and improved yields compared with the middle of the year.

In addition, the results reflected an impairment charge as well as actions taken to improve operating efficiencies and align resources with the company’s strategic priorities. The impairment resulted in lower aircraft rent and depreciation expense, which added to already higher than anticipated fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 adjusted results. The impact of lower aircraft rent and depreciation expense, coupled with actions to improve our business, are expected to benefit earnings in 2020 and beyond.

Relatively good results for KLM in 2019 anniversary year

KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers tells how his airline saw revenues increased by 1.7%, to over EUR 11 billion in 2019, a new record for the well-respected airline.

"The KLM Group also broke a second record in its centenary year, carrying more than 44 million passengers, with KLM welcoming 35 million and Transavia 9 million.

KLM’s operating income amounted to EUR 853 million, with a margin of 7.7%. Owing to higher fuel costs and a challenging cargo market, this result was lower than that achieved in 2018.

Thanks to our good operating results, we were able to invest more than EUR 1.3 billion in customers, staff, fleet, digitisation, lounges and other facilities in 2019, as was the case in 2018. We also further reduced our net debt and strengthened our equity capital position. Customer satisfaction was high once more, with an average Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 41 for the year. We are proud of and deeply grateful for the loyalty of our customers. 

Our results reflect our investment in innovation and sustainability, as well as the hard work of all KLM staff. For this I thank all KLM colleagues whole-heartedly!

There is uncertainty about growth outlook at Schiphol, declining results compared to 2018 and the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak, confirming once more how sensitive our industry is to geopolitical and other factors beyond our control. We must therefore continue to focus on our costs, our agility in making changes and the improvement of our margins, so that we can pursue our ambitious investment programme for the benefit of our customers and the future of our company."

Full results available here. 

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The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is recruiting a Recorded Data Inspector.

Are you passionate about aircraft accident investigation and looking for a high profile role at the leading edge of aviation safety?

Aircraft accident investigation has never been more demanding and the AAIB remains one of the leading air safety investigation authorities in the world.

The purpose of this role is to investigate all recorded data aspects of aircraft accidents and serious incidents involving civil aircraft operating in the UK, its overseas territories and Crown Dependencies, and to assist those in other countries when there is a significant UK interest.

Further information including how to apply can be found on the Civil Service Jobs website.

Virgin Atlantic cutting costs by axing more perks for Upper Class passengers.

Virgin Atlantic is further cutting the perks and reasons for travelling with them in Upper Class as opposed to travelling other carriers in Business Class.  To cut costs and to fall in line with its transatlantic partners - Delta, Air France & KLM, the airline has decided to call time on its complimentary ground transfer chauffeur service. 

According to Virgin, the rationale behind this decision is 'lack of use'.....for it says that in recent years, of the 20% of Upper Class customers that are eligible for a complimentary transfer, fewer than 50% choose to use one.  Of course, in recent years it also reduced the eligibility for the free ride service, so perhaps it isn't surprising the number of passengers using them has reduced.  

However,  it isn't just the chauffeur driven cars that are being axed, so too are the trendy limobikes and Virgin are even dropping the free train tickets for the Gatwick and Heathrow Express rail services.  The airline advises that passengers can still book and pay for the car transfers with them, presumably for a heavy mark up on the cost price, so therefore it might well be cheaper and less hassle to book directly with Adisson Lee anyway.  

The reduction takes effect for al eligible flight bookings from 1st July 2020, so there is still a little time to get those complimentary rides.  Yet, oddly the airline is still marketing the service on its own website https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/on-the-flight/cabin-and-seats/upper-class-cabin-and-seats.html

Discover Upper Class

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Qantas delivers its latest results

The Qantas Group continued to deliver strong earnings in a mixed market in the first half of FY20, with an Underlying Profit Before Tax of $771 million and a Statutory Profit Before Tax of $648 million.

The Underlying result was $4 million less than the same period last year – despite $51 million in higher foreign exchange related cost impacts, a $68 million impact from global freight weakness and disruption in Hong Kong, and a $55 million increase in operating costs from the sale of domestic airport terminals.

The strong performance despite these factors was underpinned by capacity discipline, ongoing transformation and growing share in key markets.

The Group has triggered a response to mitigate the impact of Coronavirus on second-half earnings, which is focused on cutting capacity on affected markets and retaining the flexibility to scale this response up or down as circumstances require.

Air Canada has laid the foundation for success in Artificial Intelligence

2019 was a transformative year for Air Canada’s ambition to become a leader in Artificial Intelligence, with the foundation laid for continued growth in this ever-evolving field.

During the year, the airline set up its AI Centre of Excellence (COE) and several AI labs across the company, notably in Cargo and Revenue Management. Both of those initiatives are already being rolled out, but the teams aren’t done there.

“We had an incredible year in 2019 establishing a brand-new Artificial Intelligence capability at Air Canada. AI is a real game-changer for aviation. We’re are really looking forward to 2020,” said Richard Hines, head of Data and Artificial Intelligence at Air Canada.

Jetstar and Qantas reduce flights to Asia because of Coronavirus

The leading antipodean airline group, Qantas has just announced temporary reductions to flights across Asia in response to a drop in demand due to Coronavirus.

The actions were announced as part of the Group’s Half Year Financial Results, where the net profit impact of Coronavirus was estimated at between $100 million to $150 million for FY20 – a figure softened by lower fuel prices.

Reductions of around 5 per cent will be made to Qantas and Jetstar’s flying between Australia and New Zealand.

There is no change to other key parts of the Qantas International network, such as the US and UK, which remain unaffected.

Reductions of around 2 per cent of total Group domestic Australian flying in the second half are being made to reflect the market demand.