New Florida routes for Allegiant

The Las Vegas based Allegiant has just announced two new nonstop routes connecting Key West, Florida with Pittsburgh, and St. Petersburg-Clearwater with Portsmouth, up in New Hampshire.  

The new routes come just a week after Allegiant announced its second-largest network expansion in company history. The additions came in response to customer demand. Also, Allegiant announced it is expanding the special limited route connecting Punta Gorda, Fla. via Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) and Rapid City, SD via Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP).

The route was originally planned to operate for two weeks in August, to coincide with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. It proved so popular, the airline quickly expanded service for the entire summer. The new route begins June 4 and will operate twice weekly.

Medal return for LGB RAF personnel dismissed due to their sexuality

A new Ministry of Defence policy announced recently will allow former Armed Forces personnel who were dismissed from service on the basis of their sexuality to apply to have their medals restored.

Former service personnel will be invited to apply for any medals forfeited as a result of disciplinary action and dismissal during the historic ban on being homosexual in the military, which was lifted in 2000.

  Baroness Goldie, Defence Minister said:  “It is deeply regrettable that because of their sexuality some members of the Armed Forces were in the past treated in a way that would not be acceptable today.

    “I am very pleased now to be in a position to address this wrong and to invite any personnel affected or, in some circumstances, the families of those who are deceased to apply to have their medals returned.”

RAF transport Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean

Earlier lasto week, a LXX Squadron (70 Squadron) RAF A400M aircraft transported doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to Ascension Island – a UK Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Due to its remote location and small population of just over 800 contractors and military personnel, it will become the first island to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

    “The role of the RAF is multipurpose. From the moment that the vaccines arrive at the front gate of RAF Brize Norton, the Brize Norton machine kicks into gear.

    The RAF is well placed to deliver and manage this vaccine delivery, and we’re extremely proud to be a part of providing this support to our Overseas Territories.” Said  Wing Commander Lee Roberts

    Officer Commanding 70 Squadron

Upon departing RAF Brize Norton, the vaccine must only be out refrigeration for a maximum of 72 hours, before entering refrigeration in Ascension Island again and must be stored at between 2-8°C. After a quick refuelling stop on route, the crew delivered the precious cargo into the safe hands of RAF movers on the ground, which later was given to the Ascension Island Government to begin distribution.

    “This delivery was extremely important because the RAF can get out to remote locations that commercial aircraft can not necessarily access. Places like Ascension Island are notoriously difficult to get to, the RAF bridge the gap and try and help where we can.”  said  Flying Officer George Cox

    Officer Commanding Cargo, RAF Brize Norton

Delivered on behalf of the FCDO, the delivery reaffirms the UK Government’s commitment to supporting its Overseas Territories.

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Qantas opening more routes

    Three new routes to Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay (Ballina)

    Additional seats to Coffs Harbour from Sydney for April school holidays

  

Qantas has announced it will add three new routes and extra seats to the New South Wales north coast to support growing demand for holidays in Australia.

From 1 April 2021, Qantas will launch three new routes to both Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay (Ballina).

    Melbourne to Coffs Harbour – flights will operate daily with Qantas’ Boeing 717 aircraft, adding more than 1,750 seats on the route each week.

    Brisbane to Coffs Harbour – flights will operate four days per week with the turboprop Q400 aircraft, adding around 600 seats on the route each week.

    Canberra to Byron Bay – Qantas’ first ever direct service connecting the two destinations, offering two flights per week with the turboprop Q400 aircraft. Flights will initially operate in April and Qantas will look to continue the service from July in line with demand.

More seats will also be added between Sydney and Coffs Harbour with the introduction of Qantas’ larger two-class B717 aircraft during the April school holidays, operating alongside the Q400 which also operate on the route. This will see Qantas offer around 500 extra seats on the route each week (a total of 4,300 seats), and the option to travel in Business.

Qantas Boeing 717

Air France - KLM results for 2020

The Covid-19 crisis severely impacted the Full Year 2020 results:

• Revenue at 11.1 billion euros, down 59% compared to last year
• EBITDA loss at -1.7 billion euros, limited due to cost control
• Group net employee cost down 35% in 2020 compared to last year, supported by staff reductions, state support mechanisms and activity related wages. Average number of FTEs (Full Time Equivalent) in December 2020 decreased by 8,700 compared to December 2019
• Operating result at –4.5 billion euros, down 5.7 billion euros compared to last year
• Net income at -7.1 billion euros, including restructuring provision at -822 million euros, over-hedging at -595 million euros and fleet impairment at -672 million euros
• Net debt at 11.0 billion euros, up 4.9 billion compared to end of 2019
• At 31 December 2020, the Group has 9.8 billion euros of liquidity and credit lines at disposal

OUTLOOK

After a positive Christmas traffic in Domestic France and to the Caribbean and Indian Ocean, travel restrictions were tightened in France, the Netherlands and worldwide, having a negative impact on the traffic of the Group in the first quarter of 2021.

Due to the lockdown and travel restrictions still in place, the Group anticipates a challenging First quarter 2021, with a lower EBITDA compared to the Fourth Quarter 2020.

There is limited visibility on the demand recovery curve as customer booking behavior is much more short-term oriented and also highly dependent on the imposed travel restrictions, on both the Long Haul and Medium Haul network.

In this context the Group expects capacity in Available Seat kilometers circa index 40 for Air France-KLM in the First quarter 2021 compared to 2019 for the Network passenger activity due to negative environment.
The Group will progressively ramp up capacity towards summer 2021 and expects recovery in the second and third quarter 2021 thanks to the vaccine deployment.

The Air France-KLM Group continues to work on quasi-equity and equity solutions in order to strengthen balance sheet and expects progress in the following weeks. Discussions are continuing with the European Comission within the “Temporary Framework” (TF).

App in the Air Announces New NDC Partners

Lufthansa and Southwest Join Expanding Mobile Distribution Platform That Gives Airlines Access to Unmanaged Business Travellers

Award-winning travel platform App in the Air (AITA) announces the addition of new NDC partners Southwest Airlines, the airlines of international Lufthansa Group including Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, plus the scheduled flights of regional carrier Hahn Air to its rapidly expanding airline and hotel booking tool. 

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Allegiant sees passenger number drop nearly 50 percent in January.

Allegiant Travel Company has issued details of its passenger traffic results for January 2021 showing a nearly 50% drop from this time last year. 

Scheduled Service
	January 2021	January 2020	Change
Passengers	547,824	1,061,034	(48.4%)
Revenue passenger miles (000)	507,818	964,773	(47.4%)
Available seat miles (000)	885,121	1,180,041	(25.0%)
Load factor	57.4%	81.8%	(24.4pts)
Departures	5,607	7,774	(27.9%)
Average stage length (miles)	904	880	2.7%

                                                                       

Total System*
	January 2021	January 2020	Change
Passengers	550,704	1,069,139	(48.5%)
Available seat miles (000)	906,452	1,221,070	(25.8%)
Departures	5,757	8,081	(28.8%)
Average stage length (miles)	902	877	2.9%

*Total system includes scheduled service and fixed fee contract.  System revenue passenger miles and system load factor are not useful statistics as system available seat miles include both ASMs flown by fixed fee flying as well as non-revenue producing repositioning flights used for operational needs.  Fixed fee flying is better measured through dollar contribution versus operational statistics.

Preliminary Financial Results
	$ per gallon
January 2021 estimated average fuel cost per gallon – system	$1.66

Allegiant Travel. 

Las Vegas-based Allegiant is an integrated travel company with the airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travellers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant's all-Airbus fleet serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. 

 

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Lucky escape as Boeing jet suffers serious engine issue after take off sending debris to the ground.

Photo Broomfield Police Department

A United Airlines Boening 777 jet with 241 people on board suffered a massive engine failure shortly after taking off from Denver leaving a trail of debris behind, on Saturday lunchtime. 

Shortly after 1300 local time on Saturday, the aircraft, operating flight UA328 to Honolulu experienced a massive uncontained engine failure, with the powerplants casing and cowling scattered over the land below,

Images from the scene show how one piece narrowly missed the front of a house in the town of Bloomfield, while others from inside the aircraft show the engine in flame. 

Photo: HAYDEN SMITH/speedbird528/Handout via REUTERS

The Boeing 777, which had 231 passengers and 10 crew on board at the time of the incident was able to make a safe return to Denver and there are no reports of injuries either on the aircraft or on the ground.  

News reports of the incident say passengers recall hearing a loud bang or explosion shortly after the aircraft left the runway. According to one person who spoke to the AP news agency, the flight's captain was making an announcement at the time the explosion was heard. 

"The plane started shaking violently, and we lost altitude and we started going down," the passenger is reported to have said, before saying that he and his wife placed their wallets in their pockets so that "in case we did go down, we could be ID'd".

An investigation is already underway, 

 

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Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashes after engine issue.

A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Beechcraft KingAir B350i aircraft has crashed while returning to the Abuja Airport following an engine failure, officials have confirmed.  The aircraft was operating a flight to Minna on Sunday morning, however, the aircraft came down just short of the runway.

All 7 air force personnel on board died in the crash the air force and first responders have confirmed, and the chief of air staff has ordered an immediate investigation. He called for the public to "remain calm & await the outcome of the investigation".

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Delta partners with Georgia to host state’s largest COVID-19 vaccination site

The Delta Flight Museum has been selected as one of Georgia’s four mass COVID-19 vaccination sites beginning Feb. 22 – furthering Delta’s support for accelerating Georgia’s vaccination efforts and building on our long-standing commitment to protect the health of customers and employees.  

Eligible recipients under the state’s vaccination guidelines will have the option to receive the vaccine via a drive-through lane or in the Delta Flight Museum.  

“Vaccinations are the most important thing we can accomplish to get our lives and our economy back on track,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “We’re proud to partner with Governor Kemp and his team to accelerate vaccinations and save the lives of countless Georgians. We hope this model can serve as a blueprint that can be replicated in other states.”  

Located at the airline’s general offices near the airport, Delta’s mass vaccination site is well positioned to provide convenient access for communities who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.  

Delta’s first Chief Health Officer: ‘The next normal will be defined by the choices we make today’

World-renowned cardiologist Dr. Henry Ting joined Delta as the global brand’s Chief Health Officer – a first for a U.S. airline.

World-renowned cardiologist Dr. Henry Ting has joined Delta Air Lines as the global brand’s Chief Health Officer – a first for a U.S. airline. In his most recent role as Mayo Clinic’s enterprise Chief Value Officer, Dr. Ting became familiar with Delta both as a long-time Medallion customer and, more recently, a primary COVID-19 advisor who helped shape Delta’s response since the early days of the pandemic.

From employee testing and cleanliness strategies to operational tactics that reduce the transmission of the virus, Dr. Ting has been a key voice in the health and wellness decisions that have helped Delta strengthen the people-first approach we were known for even prior to the pandemic. Now that he’s officially part of the Delta team, he will build on that work to help Delta end the pandemic and emerge stronger and better prepared for the future.

Norwegian's struggles onward

The financially troubled budget carrier Norwegian is currently working on plans to exit the Irish Eximinership, with a recapitalisation plan that will see the firm paying even less to creditors and investors than previously thought as the airline struggles to emerge from bankruptcy protection. 

Norwegian's latest bond issue proposal 

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United to launch Boston - London route to go head to head with rival JetBlue

The U.S. mega carrier, United Airlines, confirmed this week it will add to its global route network with a new nonstop service between London Heathrow and Boston's Logan International Airport this summer, despite previously saying it had no plans to operate the route.

United will operate its premium Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on the route, with 46 United Polaris Business Class and 22 United Premium Plus seats. Bosting the highest proportion of premium seats on any widebody aircraft operated by a U.S. carrier between London and the United States.

“We are thrilled to offer travellers a convenient, non-stop option between London and Boston with this addition to our global network,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s vice president of International Network and Alliances. “We will continue to monitor the demand recovery and travel restrictions as we finalize a start date for this service later in 2021.”  

The news will come as a bitter blow to New York rival airline, JetBlue which has also announced plans to operate long-haul services to London this summer with the new long-range version of its Airbus A321 aircraft, complete with a fully redesigned premium 'Mint' cabin. 

United already has a major presence on the usually lucrative transatlantic market, having flown to London Heathrow for getting on close to 30 years and once started the carrier will operate no less than 19 daily flights between USA and London.

JetBlue on the other hand are just about to embark on its long-haul flights to Europe,  part of its futuristic master plan to target key routes with the long-range and extra long-range modes from Airbus. Hoping their award-winning service, style and friendliness can win over the hearts, minds and indeed wallets of the cost-sensitive restarting transatlantic travellers.

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Freedom Flight Prize Takes Off.....................

First Contenders, Technical Panel & Sponsors Announced for Carbon-Free Commercial Flight across the Atlantic

Sustainability experts Carbon Footprint's carbonfootprint.com challenge to the aviation industry for the first transatlantic carbon-free flight – the Freedom Flight Prize freedomflightprize.org - announces its first Contenders, Sponsors and a Technical Panel to judge the winning entry to decarbonise aviation and bring carbon-free flights to the general public.

The Freedom Flight Prize requires the winning team to complete a return trip from London to New York* in a 100+ seater passenger aircraft whilst releasing zero carbon emissions during the flight. The return trip must be completed within 24 hours of starting out. The prize fund is being supported by a growing number of sponsors and is expected to be in the £millions by the time it is won.

First contenders to be registered are ZeroAvia (based in the USA and UK), Okulu Aerospace (based in India) and The ePlane Company (based in India). The proposed solutions are focused on using hydrogen and electric based propulsion systems. Other organisations from across the World have expressed interest in the prize and are expected to be entering the competition over the coming months.

Will Boeing Become The Next McDonnell Douglas? Asks Richard Aboulafia

Richard Aboulafia, the vice president of analysis at Teal Group has posed an interesting question in an opinion piece for Aviation Week - Will Boeing Become The Next McDonnell Douglas?

It is an interesting and insightful analysis of the correlation between the demise of the two, once-great aviation powerhouses. The slow, but sure disintegration of Douglas and McDonnell Douglas and the comparisons Aboulafia draws should sound loud alarm bells in the upper regions of Boeing's management. Yet, as we've seen in recent times,  where money has been the priority, even over safety - evident on the 737 MAX programme, the senior ears at the mighty Boeing seem to be deaf to such warnings.  

I'm not sure we can see the end of the road for the commercial aircraft side of Boeing's monolithic mansion just yet, but, I think it is safe to say, there are cracks beginning to appear in the basement.  And,  left untreated and untended as we've seen time and time again, tiny cracks in the foundations can lead to spectacular collapses in a few years time.  

Read Richard's piece in Aviation Week. 

The Galileo Competence Centre of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR-GK) and Airbus signed massive €16.8million deal.

 The Galileo Competence Centre of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR-GK) and Airbus have signed a €16.8 Million contract for the hosting of DLR’s COMPASSO mission on the International Space Station (ISS) Bartolomeo platform.

DLR to use Airbus Bartolomeo Service for First-Ever In-Orbit Verification of Laser-Optical Clocks

Highly stable laser-optical clocks are fundamental for improved satellite navigation and inter-satellite links

COMPASSO will be the first in-orbit verification of compact and highly stable laser-optical clocks. Via a bi-directional optical link, these clocks are compared to and synchronized with highly stable clocks on Earth. In addition, the optical link between the ISS and the ground station is used for assessing the influence of atmospheric turbulence on the frequency and time transfer.

In combination with optical links, highly stable optical clocks are of particular interest for future generations of satellite navigation systems, such as Galileo, and the basis for new Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) architectures, such as the Kepler concept developed at DLR. Combined with the control of further parameters, such as accuracy in orbit determination and atmosphere modelling, a higher accuracy in position determination on Earth can be achieved while at the same time reducing the ground segment complexity and size.

Finnair buying back its own shares.

Helsinki based Finnair is in the middle of a huge programme to buy back its own shares to further solidify the companies assets, structures and financial position. 

Part of the buyback is to give senior managers and board members another perk, following the board's decision at a recent meeting to give them a pay increase, despite making record numbers of other staff redundant over the last two years.

The firm says it plans to buy 1,800,000, corresponding to 0.13% of the total number of shares and has budgeted EUR 1.8 million. Finnair currently holds a total of 170,660 of its own shares.   The shares shall be acquired through public trading on the Nasdaq Helsinki exchange at the market price prevailing at the time of purchase. The plan for this round will be concluded by the last day of March 2021, at the latest. However, there are plans to have another round of buying back its own shares later this year.

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Phase one of the JetBlue + American Airlines codeshare deal

Nearly 80 Codeshare Routes Now Bookable, 

Giving Customers More Choices & Enhanced Schedules

JetBlue Plans to Launch More Than a Dozen New Routes from Newark and LaGuardia, and Seasonal Service from JFK to Two All-New JetBlue Destinations

Together, JetBlue and American Introduce More Than 30 New Routes

JetBlue and American Airlines announced the launch of the first phase of their new Northeast Alliance, aimed at bringing customers more competitive choices in New York and Boston. Beginning today, nearly 80 routes sharing the JetBlue and American codes are available for booking as the airlines enhance schedules on key routes to and from the northeast. In addition, JetBlue today announced 15 new routes, including new service from Newark and New York-LGA as well as two all-new seasonal cities from New York-JFK. Together with American, the two airlines are introducing 33 new routes as part of the first phase of their alliance.

“Our alliance with American opens the door for JetBlue to successfully enter into new markets, introducing more choices and our award-winning service and low fares to more customers,” said Scott Laurence, head of revenue and planning, JetBlue. “The alliance is also essential to getting our planes back in the air profitably and crewmembers working again.”

“This is the first step to delivering the best customer proposition with the biggest network in New York and Boston,” said Vasu Raja, American’s Chief Revenue Officer. “In the months ahead, we’ll continue to create a seamless experience that’s easy for our customers, supports our communities and leads to more growth for our team.”

Delta Air Lines Taps IBM for Cloud Expertise and Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Platform

IBM  and Delta Air Lines announced a multi-year agreement under which IBM will help lead Delta to the public cloud, in order to increase its agility, speed to market and innovation capabilities around digital transformation.

As part of the expanded relationship, IBM will provide technology and industry expertise to modernize and migrate Delta's applications to the public cloud. IBM will transform Delta's computing environment to run on a hybrid cloud architecture built on Red Hat OpenShift, enabling a consistent, standards-based approach to development, security and operations across clouds. IBM's team of experts, spanning travel transportation and technology, are working with Delta teams to utilize the IBM Garage Methodology and IBM hybrid cloud software, such as CloudPaks, to modernize existing applications and co-create new solutions powering Delta's transformation. This will help Delta drive greater software engineering productivity and result in an enhanced customer experience in the future.

Alauda Airspeeder Mk II scale demonstrator loss of control resulting in a fly-away and eventual crash, Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex crash report released

Whilst performing a demonstration flight, the remote pilot lost control of the 95 kg Alauda Airspeeder Mk II scale demonstrator. After the loss of control had been confirmed by the remote pilot, the safety ‘kill switch’ was operated but had no effect. The Unmanned Aircraft then climbed to approximately 8,000 ft, entering controlled airspace at a holding point for flights arriving at Gatwick Airport, before its battery depleted and it fell to the ground. It crashed in a field of crops approximately 40 m from occupied houses and 700 m outside of its designated operating area. There were no injuries.

Jetcraft Starts 2021 Strong With Landmark Praetor 600 Sale

Jetcraft, the world leader in business jet sales and acquisitions, is celebrating the completion of the world’s first transaction of a pre-owned Embraer Praetor 600.

The sale of the super-midsize jet completes a landmark triple crown for Jetcraft, after the company facilitated transactions for the first pre-owned Gulfstream G500, and one of the first pre-owned Bombardier Global 7500s not long after certification.

Chad Anderson, President at Jetcraft, says: “The Praetor 600 is one of the world’s newest, and most disruptive private jets, capable of flying further than any other super-midsize with non-stop travel between London to New York, or Oslo to Dubai.

“As we continue to see fresh innovations from OEMs, we’re witnessing a step-change in ownership patterns. Some buyers are seeking to quickly upgrade their aircraft to the latest model, meaning a pre-owned jet can now be available a year or two after its original certification.”

The Praetor 600 transaction builds upon positive momentum for the company. Jetcraft’s 2020 sales were consistent with previous years despite the challenging circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw an essential halt in aircraft sales during Q2.

Anderson adds: “We’re seeing a pent-up demand for travel, with a healthy number of sale acquisition and trade-in enquiries already this year, buoyed by growing market confidence.

“With business aviation utilization currently the closest it’s been to pre-Covid-19 levels, we’re equally enthused about the prospect of new entrants to our industry, who are beginning their path to aircraft ownership by first experiencing air charter, jet-card or fractional solutions. We’re ready to support them when they want to take the next step to owning their own plane.”

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Airbus releases its 2020 results showing 566 aircraft were delivered in one of the firms most difficult years ever...

566 commercial aircraft delivered in adverse market environment

Financials reflect the early business adaptation and cash containment plan

FY revenues € 49.9 billion; FY EBIT Adjusted € 1.7 billion

FY EBIT (reported) € -0.5 billion; FY loss per share (reported) € -1.45

No dividend proposed for 2020

FY FCF before M&A and customer financing € -6.9 billion

Net cash position at € 4.3 billion

2021 guidance issued

Airbus SE  reported consolidated Full-Year (FY) 2020 financial results and provided guidance for 2021.

“The 2020 results demonstrate the resilience of Airbus in the most challenging crisis to hit the aerospace industry. I want to thank our teams for their great achievements in 2020 and acknowledge the strong support of our Helicopters and Defence and Space businesses. I would also like to thank our customers, suppliers and partners for their loyalty to Airbus,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury. “Many uncertainties remain for our industry in 2021 as the pandemic continues to impact lives, economies and societies. We have issued guidance to provide some visibility in a volatile environment. Over the longer term, our ambition is to lead the development of a sustainable global aerospace industry.”

 

Net commercial aircraft orders totalled 268 (2019: 768 aircraft) with the order backlog comprising 7,184 commercial aircraft as of 31 December 2020. Airbus Helicopters booked 268 net orders (2019: 310 units), including 31 NH90s for the German Bundeswehr in Q4 and 11 H160s. Airbus Defence and Space’s order intake by value increased 39% year-on-year to € 11.9 billion, a book-to-bill above one, mainly driven by major contract wins in Military Aircraft. This included a contract signed in November to deliver 38 new Eurofighters for the German Air Force.

More service cuts from WestJet

Canadian airline WestJet to temporarily suspend service to four domestic stations

WestJet has confirmed it will temporarily suspend operations to St. John's, N.L., London, Ont., and Lloydminster and Medicine Hat, Alta., as of March 19, until June 24, 2021.

"We have continued to operate in the face of uncertainty as domestic and international travel restrictions and quarantines have caused demand to plummet," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "Unfortunately, with new and increasingly restrictive policies, we are left once again, with no other option than to suspend service to these communities."

With the announcement, flights between St. John's and Halifax will be suspended as of March 21, while service between London, Ont., and Toronto will cease on March 22. WestJet Link service from Calgary to Lloydminster will end on March 19, and Calgary to Medicine Hat discontinued as of March 21.

American Express to Open New Centurion Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Expand Centurion Lounges in Seattle and San Francisco

American Express announced plans to open its 16th Centurion Lounge at Washington, D.C.’s, Reagan National Airport (DCA), and expand its Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) locations. All three locations are expected to open by the end of 2022 with additional updates to be communicated closer to that time.

A recent Amex Trendex* survey found that a majority of consumers (62%) would feel comfortable travelling by plane domestically over the next 6 months. With this in mind, American Express is continuing to grow its premium Centurion Lounge network and enhance travel benefits to support Card Members whenever they choose to travel next. In addition to these updates, the company is continuing to offer elevated health-and-safety practices, as part of the “Centurion Lounge Commitment.”

“We’ve been steadily growing our lounge footprint around the world and are excited to bring a premium lounge experience to Reagan National Airport, and upgrade our lounges at San Francisco International and Seattle-Tacoma International Airports,” said Alexander Lee, Vice President of Travel Experiences & Benefits. “Historically, these are among the top airports our Card Members have travelled through and we want to ensure they have a safe, spacious and comfortable place to relax during their travels today and in the future."

The Nation’s Capital will Welcome a New Centurion Lounge

With floor to ceiling windows, airfield views and one-of-a-kind design elements inspired by the city’s history, the new Centurion Lounge at DCA will span more than 11,500-square-feet. The upcoming lounge in DCA is estimated to open in late 2022, following the airport’s completion of Project Journey, a $1 billion capital improvement project. Built from the ground up, the entrance will be located in National Hall near Terminal B, after security.

In addition to special local touches, the Centurion Lounge will feature signature amenities such as a complimentary custom bar1 and food menu, premium restrooms and shower suites, access to high-speed Wi-Fi, noise-buffering workspaces, and more.

Major Upgrades Coming to Seattle and San Francisco Centurion Lounges

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

The Centurion Lounge at SEA will soon triple in size to over 13,800 square ft and relocate to the mezzanine level of the Central Terminal. With a spacious entrance opening to the Central Terminal, the lounge will feature new seating areas that capitalize on the open-air atrium location. This expanded lounge will welcome Card Members with views of the airfield and Olympic Mountains, additional restrooms, private phone rooms and noise-buffering workspaces, cozy nooks, and more.

San Francisco International Airport

Located in Terminal 3, the Centurion Lounge at SFO will nearly double in size, increasing its footprint to almost 16,000 square feet. It will also introduce a new seasonal menu from Liholiho Yacht Club Executive Chef Ravi Kapur, which will offer clean and vibrant dishes celebrating local purveyors from the Bay Area. New amenities include a second bar and café area, additional restrooms, private phone rooms and even more private workspaces.

Card Members visiting The Centurion Lounges at SEA and SFO will also continue to benefit from elevated health-and-safety practices, as part of the “Centurion Lounge Commitment.”

This announcement comes on the heels of the recent new openings of The Centurion Lounge at Denver International Airport and at John F. Kennedy Airport, showing American Express’ continued commitment to expanding and enhancing The Centurion Lounge network. American Express is also working towards opening its newest lounge location later this year in London’s Heathrow Airport.

Current locations of The Centurion Lounge include Denver International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Miami International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Houston’s George Bush International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and Philadelphia International Airport. Please visit the Global Lounge Collection website to find a lounge and check on current availability and updated hours. For a contactless check-in experience, Card Members can download the American Express® App and use the Mobile Check-in Feature.

Lounge access is just one of the many ways American Express is backing Card Members’ journeys when they’re ready to travel. Additional offerings available for Platinum Card and Centurion Members through American Express Travel and Concierge, include: access to the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, The Hotel Collection, International Airline Program, The Global Dining Collection, and more.

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First Airbus A320neo delivered to Air Côte d’Ivoire

Air Côte d’Ivoire, Ivory Coast’s flagship carrier based in Abidjan, has taken delivery of its first A320neo, becoming the first operator of the type in the West-African region. This latest generation aircraft will join Air Côte d’Ivoire’s existing Airbus fleet of six aircraft.

With improved levels of efficiency, this new aircraft will be deployed on Air Côte d’Ivoire’s regional network to serve Senegal, Gabon and Cameroon. Destinations like South Africa will be added at a later stage, highlighting the operational flexibility of the A320neo. Powered by CFM Leap-1A engines, the aircraft is configured in a comfortable two-class layout with 16 seats in Business and 132 seats in Economy Class. Passengers will benefit from the widest cabin of any single aisle aircraft, high-speed Internet connectivity and latest generation in-flight entertainment system.