JetBlue Celebrates Holiday Season in September by Encouraging Customers to ‘Be an Early Holiday-er’

JetBlue Customers Invited to Embrace the Holiday Spirit Early and Kickstart Travel Plans with $50 Off Holiday Flights and $300 Off JetBlue Vacations Packages

                               JetBlue announced the airline will deliver some extra cheer to customers by starting the holiday season early – in September. Launching today, ‘Be an Early Holiday-er’ invites travellers to celebrate the holiday season now through digital and in-airport experiences, including $50 off per person on holiday flights and $300 off per flight and hotel package when booking through JetBlue Vacations for a limited time.

‘Be an Early Holiday-er’ is the first initiative to launch as part of JetBlue’s newest brand platform, ‘We’ve Got a Plane for That,’ which celebrates anything and everything travellers are looking forward to while positioning JetBlue as the solution for getting back to it.

IAG Cargo launches new direct service from the UK to Lahore, Pakistan

IAG Cargo announces a new direct service from the UK to Lahore, Pakistan with regular flights commencing four times a week from October 2020

New route will give businesses access to important manufacturing hubs in the region and connect Lahore with Europe, the United States, Canada and beyond

 

IAG Cargo will be launching a new direct service from the UK to Lahore, Pakistan, starting from October 2020. The service will run year-round, four times per week from London Heathrow. 

The new service will strengthen IAG Cargo’s existing presence in Pakistan, which since 2019 has also included flights to Islamabad, which resumed service on 14 September 2020 operating daily between the two capital cities. 

Hawaiian Airlines to Offer Drive-Through Pre-Travel COVID-19 Tests

A dedicated network of testing laboratories created exclusively for Hawaiian Airlines guests

Hawaiian Airlines is making it easy for travellers to finally take a long-awaited Hawai‘i vacation with convenient drive-through COVID-19 tests in select U.S. mainland gateways that will allow guests to bypass the state of Hawai‘i quarantine and begin enjoying the islands from the moment they arrive.

Hawaiian’s partnership with Worksite Labs will give guests exclusive access to drive-through PCR testing ($90 for results within 36 hours, or $150 for day-of-travel express service) from dedicated, conveniently located labs. Hawai‘i’s hometown carrier expects to start offering the Droplet Digital PCR shallow nasal swab tests – a “gold standard” COVID-19 screening that meets state of Hawai‘i guidelines – around Oct. 15, when travellers who test negative within 72 hours of departure will be exempt from Hawai‘i’s 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

Qatar Airways Cargo Signs Agreement with SkyCell for Hybrid Pharma Containers

 With a strong focus on sustainability, these containers reduce a shipment’s carbon footprint by up to 50%

Investment in these containers will also enable the airline to support global vaccination logistic plans, once the COVID-19 vaccine is ready  

Qatar Airways Cargo and SkyCell have signed an agreement to lease SkyCell containers. The addition of these temperature-controlled hybrid containers will provide the cargo carrier’s customers the choice of a wide range of containers in which to transport their pharmaceuticals across its extensive global network.

Qatar Airways’ Chief Officer Cargo, Mr. Guillaume Halleux, said: “The logistics around pharmaceutical transportation is complex and being at the forefront of time and temperature sensitive transportation, we understand the intricacies of a seamless cool chain. Through this agreement with SkyCell, we are glad to expand our container offering under QR Pharma and present customers with more options to transport their sensitive products. The hybrid container establishes an entirely new product offering for our clients that is both safe and sustainable for our businesses and the planet.”

NATO Support & Procurement Agency orders an additional Airbus A330 MRTT

Photo  Airbus

Airbus has received a firm order for an Airbus A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport from OCCAR, Europe’s organisation for the management of cooperative armament programmes.

 

The order, which OCCAR has placed on behalf of NATO’s Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA), follows the decision from Luxembourg to maximize its participation into the Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) programme with a significant increase from 200 to 1,200 the number of flight hours contracted. The aircraft is part of the three additional options originally included in the contract and will increase the MMF fleet to nine aircraft.

 

This new order comes after the successful delivery of the first two aircraft, with training and operational activities already in place. The additional aircraft will provide greater availability of the MMF fleet, enabling other NATO nations to cover their needs in air-to-air refuelling, strategic transport and medical evacuation.

 

Qatar Airways Becomes the First Global Carrier To Operate Honeywell’s Ultraviolet Cabin Cleaning Technology

Qatar Airways continues to ensure that its passengers can expect the highest levels of safety and hygiene throughout their journey

Qatar Airways becomes the first global carrier to operate Honeywell’s Ultraviolet (UV) Cabin System, further advancing its hygiene measures onboard. In clinical tests, UV light has been shown to be capable of inactivating various viruses and bacteria when properly applied.

Approximately the size of a beverage cart, the Honeywell UV Cabin System, which is operated by Qatar Aviation Services (QAS), has extendable UV arms that treat aircraft seats, surfaces and cabins without using cleaning chemicals.

Having already received six of the Honeywell UV Cabin System, the devices have undergone comprehensive testing onboard Qatar Airways aircraft, before entering service. The airline aims to acquire additional units in the near future, in order to operate them onboard all aircraft turnarounds at Hamad International Airport (HIA).

Boeing 777X GE9X Engine Achieves FAA Certification

GE Aviation confirmed this week that GE9X engine has been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorities, a key milestone in its journey to power the new twin-engine Boeing 777X family.

The FAR (Federal Aviation Regulation) Part 33 certification involved eight test engines. This certification achievement culminates GE Aviation’s renewal of its commercial jet engine portfolio, including the GEnx for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the CFM LEAP engine.

Photo GE Aviation

“It takes the world’s best talent in jet propulsion to create a game-changing product like the GE9X engine,” said John Slattery, president and CEO of GE Aviation. “There is no substitute that can achieve the combination of size, power and fuel efficiency of the GE9X. This engine will deliver unsurpassed value and reliability to our airline customers. I want to congratulate the entire GE9X team and thank Boeing, our partners and suppliers for the collaboration on this incredible achievement.”

Finnair starts using NDC with TravelSky for better distribution in China

Photo  Finnair

Finnair, a leading airline connecting Europe and Asia and TravelSky, the leading airline product distribution system in China, have developed a connection using IATA’s New Distribution Capability to ensure a modern and efficient distribution of Finnair offering to TravelSky customers in China. Finnair now becomes the first European airline to build NDC connection to TravelSky. The first live connection was launched in June 2020 with Tongcheng-Elong Holdings Limited, a leading online travel service provider, as a partner selling Finnair´s NDC content.  

With NDC Connection through TravelSky, Chinese travel agencies will gain easy access to Finnair’s full portfolio of ancillary products from extra baggage to pre-order meals, which enable personalization of the flight experience for their customers.  

AECOM supports the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration with maintaining continued operations of the national airspace system during the coronavirus pandemic

AECOM, the world’s premier infrastructure consulting firm, today announced that it is partnering with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to support the agency’s continued operations of the critical national airspace system during the coronavirus pandemic. To date, the AECOM team has completed 63 tasks in 23 states—totalling more than 1,600 work hours with zero safety incidents.

“We’re excited by the opportunity to support this nationwide work which is so critical to the aviation industry, and the passengers who use their services,” said Lara Poloni, AECOM’s president. “Our dedicated professionals are proud to support the FAA’s mission to keep America flying—mobilizing quickly and demonstrating each day a deep commitment to quality and safety.”

Following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, AECOM’s environmental and disaster response experts, along with a network of nationwide disinfection teaming partners, began helping the FAA maintain continuity of airspace operations. With nearly 40 years of experience working with the FAA, AECOM teams have been able to complete disinfection tasks overnight to minimize disruptions.

Aircraft ventilation - Finnair on keeping the air in the cabin clean

AIRCRAFT VENTILATION AND KEEPING CABIN AIR CLEAN

Have you got concerns about flying due to the COVID–19 pandemic? The good news is that thanks to efficient air ventilation and filtering, aeroplanes are an unlikely place to catch viruses.

“On average, the air in cabins is completely changed every three to seven minutes”, explains Marko Anttila, Head of Engineering at Finnair Technical Operations. ”This is a much higher rate of flow than in other indoor environments, and it means that passengers are provided with about 80 times as much as air as they need to breathe.”

HEPA FILTERS ON AIRBUS AND EMBRAER AIRCRAFT REMOVE 99.79% OF BACTERIA AND VIRUSES

Finnair’s fleet consists of Airbus (used in long-haul traffic and in European traffic), Embraer (used on European routes) and ATR aircraft (used in domestic and regional traffic). 

Airbus and Embraer aircraft use mostly fresh air, drawn from outside of the plane and sterilized by high temperatures in the pneumatic and air conditioning systems. The air that customers and crew breathe in the cabin is circulated using High-Efficiency-Particulate Arrestors (HEPA) filters, which remove bacteria and viruses, including MERS and COVID–19 with an efficiency of 99.97%. HEPA filters on Finnair’s Airbus and Embraer aeroplanes offer similar performance to those used to keep the air clean in hospital operating theatres.

JetBlue and Vault Health Partner to Make At-Home COVID-19 Tests More Widely Available to Customers

JetBlue today announced it is partnering with Vault Health to make COVID-19 testing widely available to customers with pending travel plans. The reliable at-home test option provides convenience to customers wanting peace of mind and those who must secure a negative COVID-19 test result before entering certain states and countries or in order to avoid certain mandatory quarantines. Vault Health will handle all testing and provide JetBlue customers both discounts on their tests and a dedicated customer support phone line.

As Health Officials Continue To Emphasize the Importance of Testing, At-Home Solutions Provide Travelers an Additional Resource to Comply with Many Entrance Requirements

The at-home saliva test is administered via online video connection through Vault Health, with a test supervisor who ensures the customer is providing their sample properly. The sample is then overnighted to a laboratory which processes and analyzes the specimen, and results are provided in 72 hours or less. With many states and countries requiring a negative PCR test to enter or avoid quarantine, the test meets the medical standard for many jurisdictions and allows customers another option before travel.

UK's First Protector Aircraft Undertakes Maiden Flight

The UK’s first Protector RG Mk1 aircraft has successfully completed its first flight after coming off the production line.

The latest milestone in the UK Protector programme follows the announcement in July that the first three aircraft were being manufactured following the award by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of a £65 million contract to General Atomics – Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI).

The aircraft took to the skies in the US on Friday, September 25, under the watchful eye of GA-ASI staff.

Protector RG Mk1, which will replace the current Reaper Force when it is introduced to the front-line, is considered a step change in capability for the RAF.

The cutting-edge platform will be capable of being flown anywhere in the world while being operated by personnel located at their home base at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire where it will enter service by mid-2024.

Defence Minister Jeremy Quin, said:

“The inaugural flight of the UK’s first Protector is an exciting and welcome step in the development of our ground-breaking fleet. With increased range and endurance, greater ISR and weapons capacity and improved weather resilience, Protector will play a vital intelligence and deterrent role in countering future threats.”

US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing are supporting the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission in Bulgaria

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ericka A. Woolever

Airmen and U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing are supporting the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission in Bulgaria, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 23, 2020, with other U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa units.

Enhanced Air Policing is part of the Alliance’s assurance measures for eastern allies. The assurance measures have provided continuous military presence and meaningful activity in the eastern part of the Alliance on a rotational basis.

Approximately 140 personnel and six F-16s from the 555th Fighter Squadron deployed in support of the Allied mission along with various units from Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Airmen assigned to the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The presence of U.S. fighter aircraft in Bulgaria demonstrates NATO nations working together, maintaining and developing effectiveness at all levels, sharing risks, burdens and costs. The continued support of the U.S. with their deployment to Europe emphasizes the transatlantic link among Allies.

“The Triple Nickel’s participation in NATO enhanced Air Policing allows us to demonstrate comprehensive deterrence and defense through joint and combined interoperability,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brian Lewis, 555th FS director of operations. “Mission sets like these not only reinforce the capability, capacity, and readiness of the Alliance, but generate an appreciation for allied and partner contributions. Operating together is crucial to our effectiveness.”

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