Etihad Airways unveils year-long programme to celebrate the UAE’s ‘Year of the Fiftieth’

    50,000 prizes to be won, celebrating 50 years of the UAE

    Three phased programme commemorates the past, celebrates the present, and looks ahead to the future

Photo Etihad

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, today unveiled a year-long programme in celebration of the 50 years since the nation was established. The programme will launch in three phases, focusing on the past, the present and looking forward to the future.

 

The airline has launched a dedicated platform at etihad.com/uae50, and aims to engage the local community in its participative programme which will be revealed in detail throughout the year. Citizens, residents and guests of the UAE will have the chance to participate and win one of 50,000 prizes that will be given away throughout the course of the year.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “This year-long initiative demonstrates Etihad’s celebration of the past, and commitment to the next 50 years of this incredible country. As one of the UAE’s leading brands, Etihad is proud to bring the world to Abu Dhabi to be part of this celebration.”

The first project in this series of celebrations is the ‘legacy of a nation’ which charts the untold stories of the nation from the past 50 years. Etihad will be seeking out and curating personal accounts of life in the UAE, both past and present.

airBaltic to offer NFTs.......

The Latvian government-owned airline airBaltic is all set to become the worlds first and only airline to issue the latest technological fad, non-fungible tokens, otherwise known as NFTs. 

The airline says it will issue a limited collectors special NFTs showing one of the carriers Airbus A220-300 with its registration as well as a piece of art depicting a Latvian city. The aim is to promote tourism to the region and open up Latvia to the world.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “The blockchain technology has proven to be here long-term. After being the first airline to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment, it is the next step for us in blockchain technology to offer non-fungible tokens. NFTs are not only used for digital art transactions but may as well be expanded to tickets for concerts and other unique one-time pieces, including airline tickets. The issue of the limited collector NFTs will serve as a tourism campaign for Latvian cities, certainly still an undiscovered destination for many.”

Aeroflot puts into operation a new hangar to service aircraft

Aeroflot puts into operation a new hangar to service aircraft

 Aeroflot has put into operation a new 15,000-square-meter hangar. All types of Western- and Russian-built aircraft will be serviced there.

The hangar is located in the Northern Terminal Complex of Sheremetyevo International Airport. The hangar comprises three scheduled and unscheduled maintenance workshops, two cabin interior maintenance workshops, aircraft and component repair workshop. The complex houses two storage facilities for spare parts, materials, tools and equipment. The office space of the building will be occupied by the technical control division, the planning and priorities coordination division, and Chief Engineer’s Office. 

Icelandair releases figures for March

Icelandair Group’s traffic data continue to reflect the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions in Icelandair’s markets, like in previous months.

The total number of Icelandair’s passengers on international flights in March was around 7,800 decreasing by 94% from March 2020. The number of passengers to Iceland was around 4,300 and from Iceland around 3,300. The load factor was 27.7% compared to 61.9% in March 2020. It should be noted that in recent months, Icelandair has used Boeing 767 aircraft on several routes instead of Boeing 757 aircraft, in order to increase cargo capacity, which in turn negatively impacts the load factor. The total capacity was 89% less than in March last year. On-time performance was 85% in March compared to 93% the year before.

The number of passengers on domestic flights was around 16,000 in March, which is an increase by 52% year-on-year. The total capacity increased by 36%. The load factor was 63.2%, compared to 56.9% the year before. Passengers travelling to and from Greenland are now categorized as passengers on international flights, following the completion of the integration of Icelandair and Air Iceland Connect in mid-March. Last years figures have been adjusted accordingly.

Finnair releases March figures.

The COVID-19 pandemic impact was still clearly visible in the March passenger traffic figures, a very strong month for cargo

In March, Finnair carried 86,300 passengers, which was 82.7% less than in March 2020 even though the COVID-19 impact was visible already then. The number of passengers in March 2021 was 1.1% less than in February 2021.

The COVID-19 impact, including the exceptionally strict travel restrictions imposed by several countries, still affected all passenger traffic figures. It was visible especially in the North Atlantic figures despite the first passenger flights since June 2020 and Asian figures.

The overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) decreased in March by 81.3% year-on-year. Finnair operated 74 daily flights (cargo-only included) on average which was 34.6% compared to March 2020. The differences between capacity figures are explained by the shorter average stage length of operated flights and by the smaller gauge of operated aircraft compared to March 2020. Finnair's traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) decreased by 92.0%. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) decreased by 33.4% points to 24.6%.

Austrian Airlines enables choice of sustainable fuel

• Passengers can now compensate their flights with sustainable fuel

• CO2 compensation also possible through support for climate protection projects

• “Sustainable fuel is the future of climate-neutral flying”, says Austrian Airlines CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech

Austrian Airlines passengers can now additionally select the use of sustainable fuel for their flight in the booking process. In doing so, they compensate for the CO2 emissions generated on their respective flight. The applied tool is called “Compensaid”, a development of Lufthansa Innovation Hub. It precisely calculates the amount of CO2 emitted and then offers a corresponding offset with sustainable fuel. Compared to conventional kerosene, sustainable fuel reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80 percent. It can also be fed into regular flight operations without infrastructure adjustments.

“The future of climate-neutral flying lies in sustainable fuel. We have been emphasizing this for a long time. Electromobility, for example, will not be an option for aviation for some time yet, as the necessary batteries would be too heavy to get a plane in the air”, says Austrian Airlines CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech. “I am therefore very pleased that with Compensaid we are now giving our passengers the opportunity to make their individual journey climate-friendly by using sustainable fuel.”

One new Airbus A330-900neo aircraft delivered to Delta Air Lines

Air Lease Corporation  announced the first delivery on April 5th of one new Airbus A330-900 to Delta Air Lines under sale-leaseback with Blackbird Capital II. 

 This is the first delivery of two new A330-900s under sale-leaseback between Delta and Blackbird Capital II. In addition, in October 2020 ALC delivered one new A330-900 to Delta from ALC’s order book with an additional new A330-900 set to deliver to Delta from ALC’s order book this year.

“ALC is absolutely delighted with its growing relationship with Delta,” said John L. Plueger, Chief Executive Officer and President of Air Lease Corporation. “These transactions exemplify the complementary nature of ALC’s strong order book coupled with sale-leasebacks and the use of our management platforms. We are honoured that Delta entrusted ALC with this business.” 

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U.S. regional airline Silver Airways to start flights from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

America’s independent regional airline Silver Airways has confirmed it will launch a new service from New Orleans, Louisiana to Jacksonville, Florida from 3rd June. 

 In addition to nonstop service between New Orleans, Louisiana and North Florida, this new route will also provide convenient and seamless connections to Silver’s extensive network throughout the Sunshine State, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and destinations domestically and worldwide through codeshare and interline ticketing partners. Silver serves more intra-Florida destinations than any other air carrier.

Silver Airways, operates the most routes within Florida and between Florida and the Bahamas from its gateways in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa. Silver’s Caribbean network connects Puerto Rico with the U.S. Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Dominica and Santiago, Dominican Republic. Silver is a codeshare partner with United, JetBlue, American, Delta, Avianca and Copa Airlines, and has interline agreements with Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Azul, Bahamasair, and Emirates. 

Passenger numbers down over 26 percent for Allegiant in March

The Allegiant Travel Company has reported preliminary passenger traffic results for March 2021 as well as first-quarter 2021.

"We are encouraged by the meaningful improvement in customer demand throughout the month of March," stated Gregory Anderson, executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Average daily bookings for the month exceeded average daily bookings during the same time period in 2019. The significant improvement in March demand coupled with our industry-leading cost structure enabled us to generate positive EPS and EBITDA for the month of March, excluding the benefit from the payroll support grant. For the March quarter, we expect adjusted1 CASM, excluding fuel, to be down 3 to 4 percent, year over two-year."

"Capacity was up roughly three percent, when compared to 2019, with March capacity up 14 percent," stated Drew Wells, senior vice president, revenue. "Although this caused some load pressure, our focus remains on generating positive cash flows and optimizing profits. We continue to expect first quarter total revenue to fall in the middle of our previous guide of down 35 to 40 percent, when compared with 2019. We remain optimistic about peak summer travel. With national vaccination rates steadily increasing and average daily bookings trending in the right direction, we expect sequential revenue improvements into the second quarter."

1 Adjusted to exclude the impact of the payroll support grant.

The first Andaz resort in Asia, the Andaz Bali opens.................

Hyatt Hotels Corporation 

announced this week the opening of Andaz Bali, marking the entry of the vibrant Andaz brand into Indonesia. Offering a contemporary take on the traditional Balinese village and its way of life, Andaz Bali is located in the heart of Sanur, a quaint seaside village known for its old-world charm, picturesque beaches and spectacular sunrises.

“As we continue to offer our guests new and immersive ways to rediscover Bali, we are honoured to introduce the Andaz brand to Sanur, where Indonesia’s first Hyatt-branded hotel opened more than 40 years ago,” said David Udell, group president, Asia-Pacific, Hyatt. “Andaz Bali is our first Andaz resort in Asia, adding to the brand’s growing urban portfolio in the region which includes Seoul, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Singapore, Tokyo and Xiamen.”

A short 22-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport, Sanur is located along Bali’s south-eastern coastline. Andaz Bali pays homage to Balinese art and craftsmanship, weaving together the island’s rich heritage and the contemporary influence from artists who have been visiting Sanur over the decades.

Boeing 737 MAX grounded over electrical issues

More trouble befalls the flawed Boeing 737 MAX as airlines are grounding the jets once again, this time it is over electrical problems.

Top U.S. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest and Canadian carrier WestJet are among the airlines being told to gound their craft to conduct urgent checks to verify “that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system”.

The company issued a statement saying it had recommended to 16 customers that they address a potential electrical issue in a specific group of 737 MAX aeroplanes prior to further operations. The recommendation is being made to allow for verification that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system.  

Boeing was working closely with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on this production issue, the company was in the process of advising airlines of the particularly registration/tail numbers. 

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Airbus and TNO to develop aircraft laser communication terminal

Airbus and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) have launched a programme to develop a laser communication terminal demonstrator for aircraft, known as UltraAir.

The project, which is co-financed by Airbus, TNO and the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), is part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ScyLight (Secure and Laser communication technology) programme. It covers the design, construction and testing of the technology demonstrator. Laser communication technologies are the next revolution in satellite communications (satcom), bringing unprecedented transmission rates, data security and resilience to meet commercial needs in the next decade.

The UltraAir terminal will be capable of laser connections between an aircraft and a satellite in geostationary orbit 36,000 km above the Earth, with unparalleled technology including a highly stable and precise optical mechatronic system. The technology demonstrator will pave the way for a future UltraAir product with which data transmission rates could reach several gigabits-per-second while providing anti-jamming and low probability of interception. In this way UltraAir will not only enable military aircraft and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) to connect within a combat cloud, but also in the longer term allow airline passengers to establish high-speed data connections thanks to the Airbus’ SpaceDataHighway constellation. From their position in geostationary orbit, the SpaceDataHighway (EDRS) satellites relay data collected by observation satellites to Earth in near-real-time, a process that would normally take several hours.

Jet2 delays restart of flights and holidays to June

Parked up and nowhere to go - at least until 23rd June   Photo Jet2

Steve Heapy, the CEO of budget holiday carrier Jet2 and Jet2holidays is once again bemoaning the government's lack of clarity in the framework for recommencing international air travel and has put back the proposed restart of its flight and holiday programme to the last full week of June.

Heapy says the company had studied the government's framework carefully, but still can't decide when to start operating as normal,  "With a heavy heart that we have taken the decision to extend the suspension of flights and holidays up to and including 23rd June 2021. Where customers yet to travel are affected by any programme changes, we will automatically cancel their booking with a full refund, and our team of travel experts will be in touch to help them to book their summer getaway for later in the year."  

Despite moaning about the lack of clarity, the firm says "the health and safety of our customers and colleagues will, of course, continue to be our number one priority, and we look forward to taking our customers on their well-deserved holidays once again. We welcome the Government’s ambition to reopen travel, however, the time has come for the industry to receive the necessary detail to make this happen."

New Routes......

Third Boeing 767 Freighter delivered to Raya Airways of Malaysia by ATSG

Air Transport Services Group, has confirmed the delivery by its Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) subsidiary of a Boeing 767-200 converted freighter to Raya Airways of Malaysia under a five-year lease. This is the third Boeing 767-200 freighter CAM has leased to Raya Airways.

As the global leader in 767 converted freighter dry leasing, ATSG provides dry leasing customers the opportunity to cost-effectively grow capacity to meet market demands.

“The Boeing 767 converted freighter is the ideal aircraft for our network,” said Mohamad Najib Bin Ishak, managing director of Raya Airways. “We are very proud of the continued growth we have been able to achieve with it thanks to the ATSG team.”

Raya Airways, a Malaysian scheduled all-cargo airline, specializes in express freight and air freighter charters serving more than 10 locations in its domestic, Southeast Asian, and North Asian network.

“ATSG is happy to be a part of Raya’s success story,” said Mike Berger, chief commercial officer of ATSG. “We look forward to extending our relationship further as Raya expands in the Asia-Pacific market.”

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Latest Commercial Aircraft figures from Airbus

European plane maker Airbus announced that it had made 72 aircraft deliveries to 34 customers during the month of March.  These deliveries comprised of 4 A220, 60 A320 Family (57neo), 8 A350.  The firm also recorded 28 new orders for aircraft. 2021 deliveries to date: 125 to 44 customers.

The company also recently announced a delivery of an A330-900, on lease via leasing giant Avolon.  By selecting a total of five A330neos, Corsair is executing its strategy to become an all-A330 operator. Thanks to the A330neo’s latest technologies, Corsair will benefit from cost-effective and eco-efficient solutions, while providing passengers with the best comfort standards in the quietest cabins in its class.  

The aircraft features 352 seats in a three-class layout, providing all the comfort and amenities of Airbus’ leading ‘Airspace’ cabin, including state-of-the-art passenger in-flight entertainment (IFE) and full WiFi connectivity throughout the cabin.

The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines. The Corsair aircraft will also be the first A330neo to feature an increased maximum take-off weight of 251 tonnes. This capability will allow the airline to fly long-haul destinations up to 13,400 km (7,200nm) or benefit from ten tons more payload onboard.

71,399 people flew with budget carrier Norwegian in March

Despite the airline's financial woes, remarkably 71,399 people flew with the Norwegian during March this year, a drop of some 94% on the same month last year. But that is still around 10,000 more than flew with the troubled airline in February. The carrier reports its load factor was 42.7 percent,  down 29% to the same month last year. 

“The effects of the pandemic continue to impact our operations due to government restrictions on travel to reduce infection levels. However, the clear progress that has been made with vaccine schemes, and other measures aimed at a gradual opening up of society, means that I am optimistic with regards to increased activity and demand both in Norway and the rest of Europe going forward.” said Jacob Schram, CEO of Norwegian.

The airline operated just nine aircraft during the whole month, the vast majority of flights were domestic operations within Norway.  99.4% of its scheduled flights we completed and 93.7 percent of those departed on or very near to time.

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VINCI Airports wins bid to run Manaus airport and 6 other airports in Brazil

· Seven airports which welcomed almost 4.7 million passengers in 2019, including 3 million at Manaus international airport

· Crucial mobility and connectivity infrastructures for the country

· Strong environmental agenda

Portal da Copa, CC BY 3.0 br

On completion of a call for tenders initiated by ANAC (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil), VINCI Airports was today awarded a 30-year concession for seven airports of the North region of Brazil: Manaus, Porto Velho, Rio Branco, Boa Vista, Cruzeiro do Sul, Tabatinga and Téfé.

Gateway to the Amazon region and neighbouring Brazilian states, these airports welcomed 4.7 million passengers in 2019. They are essential for opening up a vast region of 3.8 million km2.

In addition to ensuring the operations, maintenance and modernization of terminals and runways, VINCI Airports will also transform these airports into eco-efficient infrastructures:

- net-zero emissions goal,

- set-up of photovoltaic farms,

- waste and water management,

- establishment of biodiversity laboratories,

- carbon sinks projects with local NGOs.

Wyndham Adds New Private Island Beach Resort in the Caribbean With Second Conversion to its Trademark Collection in Belize

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with over 8,900 hotels across nearly 95 countries, today announces the opening of Turtle Island Beach Resort, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Belize. The hotel operated by Wyndham Hotels & Resort’s management division is set on a private island on the west side of pristine Ambergris Caye, just five minutes by boat from San Pedro Town. Owned by Castle Capital Investment LTD, the resort marks the third Wyndham-branded hotel in Belize and the second hotel on the island to convert to the Trademark Collection by Wyndham.

Launched in 2017, Trademark Collection by Wyndham is designed for travellers seeking distinctive, attainable accommodations in sought-after destinations, with each Trademark hotel maintaining its own unique attributes. The addition in Belize is the latest in the brand’s fast growth trajectory around the world over the past four years, with approximately 115 hotels in the U.S., Canada, Belize, Mexico, Sint Maarten, Curacao, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium.

Star Alliance Lounge Hygiene Standards Rolled Out

 

Star Alliance is working to ensure that visiting a Star Alliance lounge anywhere in the world is safe and relaxing.

Passengers will notice the following measures in place to further protect their health and wellbeing when travelling with Star Alliance

    Social Distancing

        Lounge capacity will be restricted to ensure social distancing, with specific seating to remain unoccupied. 

        Some amenities and facilities may be temporarily unavailable due to social distancing restrictions. 

         

    Personal Protective Equipment

        It is a requirement that customers use facial masks while in the lounge, of a type approved by local regulators.  

        Lounge staff are required to use facial masks along with appropriate protective food preparation and cleaning gear.

     

Airports in the Netherlands will start electric flying

Eindhoven Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Groningen Airport Eelde are going to carry out tests with electric flying. The trial is supported by the Royal Schiphol Group and NLR - Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre. In the shared learning environment 'Power Up', the aim is for the airports to gain knowledge of the feasibility, potential and handling of electric flights. The test results will be used for research into the operation of scheduled flights with aircraft powered by electricity, to connect regions and create a dense network within Europe. It is expected that the first electric passenger flights will be operated between airports in the Netherlands within five years.

Potential of electric flying

Electric flying is a technically and economically feasible, and fast means of transport to connect regions, initially 500 kilometres apart, and with the potential of extending to 1000-kilometre distances. This became apparent from research recently carried out by M3 Consultancy, the results of which point to the rapid development of this technology. The aim is to first experiment with 4-seater to 9-seater aircraft in the Netherlands, and eventually to build a dense European network and to operate with larger aircraft.

Airports in the Netherlands are joining forces

Roel Hellemons, CEO of Eindhoven Airport: “With this trial, we wish to jointly play an active role in the development of innovations in aviation. We are starting in the Netherlands where we can gain knowledge and experience in a controlled environment so that it can be used in the further rollout of electric flying within Europe. The trial is also important for the region. In addition to the fast connections that are created, electric flying offers opportunities for the Brainport region in terms of employment in, for example, charging systems.”

CEO Ron Louwerse of Rotterdam The Hague Airport: “We are extremely proud to join this consortium. As one of the drivers of aviation innovation with our Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport (RHIA) foundation, we have been developing small aircraft powered by electricity for just over two years, together with Royal NLR and TU Delft, via (hybrid) electric, but also with hydrogen. We are happy to contribute our data and research results and we will gladly continue to develop electric passenger air transport together with our existing partnerships and expertise in this consortium. With several Dutch airports working together, we hope to be able to speed up this process."

"Groningen Airport Eelde launched the NXT Airport initiative in January. We have the ambition to make the airport more sustainable. This cooperation fits in perfectly with our ambition: electric flights from Groningen Airport Eelde within five years! We believe it is important to do this together with other airports, so that sustainable connections are created between the important regions in Europe in the future. In the north of The Netherlands we have a great deal of knowledge and initiatives in the field of hydrogen technology. Groningen Airport Eelde will therefore focus on the potential of electric flying on green hydrogen," says Meiltje de Groot, CEO of Groningen Airport Eelde.

“In this way, the Dutch airports are creating a learning environment for electric flying and, at this early stage, are starting to develop knowledge in the field. With The Netherlands as the testing ground for aviation, the knife cuts two ways, our international competitive position and employment opportunities grow, and our knowledge base and business climate are strengthened. " says Dick Benschop, President & CEO of the Royal Schiphol Group.

"There is a great need for demonstration projects," says Michel Peters, CEO of Royal NLR. "This trial fits well with our own research into the possibility of increasing the flight range of an all-electric aircraft using hydrogen. We also want to get grips with the 'electric turnaround'. These are procedures and actions to deploy a (hybrid) electric aircraft safely, efficiently and effectively. Steps to demonstrate the feasibility of electric flying."

Cooperation in the regions

The trial is supported by Brainport Development and Brabant Development Agency. For the project Power Up, the airports are also looking for collaboration with innovative companies and start-ups. Power Up offers economic opportunities for the regions and for business, by entering into innovative partnerships. We are talking about, for example, opportunities in the field of Battery technology, electric aircraft engines and charging systems, and possibilities in the field of hydrogen technology and infrastructure.

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First quarter results for BOC

BOC Aviation Limited, the aircraft leasing firm has released its operational transactions for the quarter ended 31 March 2021.   

 

Transactions Summary 

 

·         A total fleet of 549 aircraft owned, managed and on order1,2, with our owned and managed portfolio exceeding 400 aircraft for the first time

·         An average aircraft age of 3.6 years and an average remaining lease term of 8.5 years for the 366 owned aircraft fleet, weighted by net book value

·         Order book of 144 aircraft1,2

·         Executed a total of 45 transactions in the first quarter of 2021:  

·           Took delivery of 17 aircraft (including three acquired by airline customers on delivery)

·           Sold six owned and one managed aircraft

·           Committed to purchase eight Airbus A320NEO aircraft

·           Signed 13 lease commitments

·         Customer base of 86 airlines in 38 countries and regions in the owned and managed portfolios

·         Managed fleet comprised 39 aircraft, with three single-aisle aircraft off lease

·         Owned aircraft utilisation at 99.8% for the quarter ended 31 March 2021, with two single-aisle aircraft off lease

Domestic routes to resume as City Airport gears up for the Great British Summer

Key regional connections restored between London City and three Scottish cities in boost for domestic tourism.

BA CityFlyer to restart flights to Edinburgh on 15th April 

Loganair’s route to Dundee to resume from 16th April

BA CityFlyer to resume flying to Glasgow on 17th May 

London City Airport (LCY) has welcomed the restoration of key regional routes, with flights to resume to Edinburgh, Glasgow (both with British Airways) and Dundee (with Loganair), re-establishing important domestic connectivity and tourism links between Scotland and the heart of London.

As momentum starts to build ahead of the summer and the potential restart of international travel, British Airways operated by BA CityFlyer (BACF), will resume flying to Edinburgh on 15th April and Glasgow from 17th May. Both routes will start with two rotations per week, but as the UK gears up for the summer holiday, the expectation is that frequencies will increase. 

Separately, Loganair has announced that it will resume operating the only direct flight between Dundee and London from 16th April. It too will operate with two rotations per week initially, enabling Dundonians to travel from the Tay to the Thames in less than two hours.  

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Air Cargo Demand Up 9% in February Compared to Pre-COVID Levels

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released February 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that air cargo demand continued to outperform pre-COVID levels with demand up 9% over February 2019. February demand also showed strong month-on-month growth over January 2021 levels. Volumes have now returned to 2018 levels seen prior to the US-China trade war. 

Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons to follow are to February 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern.

 

Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs*), was up 9% compared to February 2019 and +1.5% compared to January 2021. All regions except for Latin America saw an improvement in air cargo demand compared to pre-COVID levels and North America and Africa were the strongest performers.

The recovery in global capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometres (ACTKs), stalled owing to new capacity cuts on the passenger side as governments tightened travel restrictions due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. Capacity shrank 14.9% compared to February 2019. 

The operating conditions remain supportive for air cargo:

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Flexjet Grows Private Terminal Network in Van Nuys, California

Photo Dylan Patrick Photography

The Latest Private Terminal Opens at One of the World’s Busiest General Aviation Airports

3,000-Square-Foot Lounge Pays Homage to Van Nuys’ Local Aviation History

Other Flexjet Private Terminals Include White Plains, NY, Naples, FL and West Palm Beach, FL

More Private Terminals to Open and be Announced Later This Year

Flexjet LLC, a global leader in private jet travel, today announced the expansion of its private terminal network at the Van Nuys airport in Los Angeles, California. The company’s fourth terminal is on the Clay Lacy Executive Complex and features a 3,000 square-foot lounge available exclusively to Flexjet clients.

“In choosing to locate our Van Nuys private terminal at the Clay Lacy Executive Complex, we are able to offer our clients one of the most premium, private and secure locations,” said Flexjet Chief Operating Officer Megan Wolf. “And expanding our network of private terminals offers our clients another retreat as they travel with us.”

Flexjet’s growing network of private terminals gives its clients the opportunity to experience on the ground, the Red Label by Flexjet premium comfort and customization they enjoy in flight. Red Label by Flexjet mirrors a private flying experience that is as rewarding and empowering as owning one’s own aircraft, bridging the gap between traditional fractional ownership programs and whole-aircraft ownership.

Alaska Airlines to open new exec lounge at San Francisco International Airport this summer 2021.

Alaska Airlines guests will have the opportunity to relax in the new Alaska Lounge at San Francisco International Airport by late summer, as the airline announces updated plans for Bay Area travellers. Under this new plan, Alaska will move into the former American Airlines Admirals Club space in Terminal 2, enabling the airline to open a new lounge just as guests start to return to travel.

"We're always looking for ways to be more responsive to our guests and offer amenities that make travel more relaxing. SFO has been the top-requested Alaska Lounge location by our guests for years," said Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines' senior vice president of marketing and guest experience. "So many people are dreaming of travel this year, so we want to open up our newest Alaska Lounge as quickly and efficiently as possible – and renovating this space in Terminal 2 allows us to do that."   

The announcement comes as Alaska Airlines continues to expand its presence in the Bay Area. Alaska now operates more than 80 daily flights out of the Bay Area (including SFO, San Jose and Oakland) and has more than 1,700 Bay Area-based employees. In June, Alaska will begin service to Anchorage and Bozeman, Montana, from SFO. Other recent service announcements include:

Recently resumed service to Honolulu and Maui from SFO as of April 4

Resumed service to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta from SJC in early April

New service to Missoula, Mont., from SJC starting in May