Could the fuel that propelled the Space Shuttle in 1981 power aircraft of the future?

What aeronautical engineers can learn from liquid hydrogen use in spacecraft

Photo Airbus /Getty Images

2021 marks the 40th anniversary of the STS-1 Space Shuttle launch. Integrated in the main external tank, liquid hydrogen was successfully used as rocket propellant on a crewed spacecraft for the first time. As the urgency to decarbonise intensifies, the aviation industry is looking to leverage the lessons learned on liquid hydrogen from the space industry to apply them to future zero-emission aircraft. 

The day was April 12, 1981. At the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA, the launch control crew was abuzz: in only a few short minutes, the world’s first space-rated orbiter would officially launch and hurtle towards outer space. 

This was history in the making. 

100th Global 7500 Business Jet Wing Manufactured in Texas

Canadian firm Bombardier confirmed the completion of the 100^th wing for its Global 7500 business jet at the company’s facility in Red Oak, Texas.  

The wing plays a significant role in the aircraft’s short-field capabilities and has helped the debt ridden company sell and deliver 50 aircraft.  "This is an important milestone for our Global 7500 program, and we are proud of our skilled team in Red Oak, Texas,” said Paul Sislian, Executive Vice President, Operations and Operational Excellence, Bombardier.

Since its entry-into-service in 2018, the Global 7500 business jet has demonstrated an outstanding dispatch reliability rate of 99.7% and has proven to be the highest-performing aircraft in the industry. It completed various key speed records and challenging flights, including the longest city-pair flown by a purpose-built business aircraft, connecting Sydney and Detroit non-stop.

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JetBlue and Qatar Airways Expand Strategic Codeshare Partnership, Increasing Global Connectivity

JetBlue’s Code Now Available on Nine Routes between the U.S. and Doha and Onward to More than a Half Dozen Destinations in Africa and Asia

Leading U.S. carrier JetBlue announced today that it is expanding its codeshare with Qatar Airways to offer customers more ways to book travel to international destinations aboard the global partner airline. The new codeshare flights are available for booking on jetblue.com today for travel beginning April 19, 2021.

As part of the new bilateral codeshare, the JetBlue “B6” code will be placed on nine routes Qatar Airways operates between Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) and:

    Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

    Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

    Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

    Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

    Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

    Miami International Airport (MIA)

    New York’s John F. Kennedy international Airport (JFK)

    Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

    Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) 

These codeshare routes will provide unique connectivity between the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Additionally, the JetBlue code will be placed on seven routes beyond Doha, allowing for convenient connections on Qatar Airways to:

    Amman, Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport (AMM)

    Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)

    Maldives’ Male International Airport (MLE)

    Oman’s Muscat International Airport (MCT) & Salalah International Airport (SLL)

    Seychelles International Airport (SEZ)

    Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)

    Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport (EBB) 

“JetBlue and Qatar Airways lead the industry with our award-winning service and exceptional inflight experiences, which is why our partnership has been such a great success for the past decade,” said Scott Laurence, head of revenue and planning, JetBlue. “Now, with an expanded codeshare covering nearly a dozen major U.S. gateways or connecting points, even more travelers can enjoy a seamless global travel experience between our airlines.”

Airbus making changes with the environmental impact of its Beluga fleet operations.

Airbus further reduces its Beluga fleet’s environmental impact 

 

Photo Airbus

European planemaker Airbus is taking further steps to enhance its 'green' credentials by operating a flight of a Beluga super-transporter using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from the aerospace company’s Broughton plant in the UK.

The north Wales line station, which uses the Beluga fleet to transport aircraft wings to Toulouse, Hamburg and Bremen, becomes the second Airbus European site to use SAF, after Hamburg introduced the fuel to its cargo activities at the end of 2019.

“This first flight by a Beluga transporter from Broughton, partially fuelled with SAF, marks an important milestone in Airbus’ ambition to decarbonise its industrial operations,” said Tony Derrien, Sustainable Aviation Fuels Project Manager, Airbus.

“Combined with our ongoing research into the potential for 100% SAF in commercial flights, reducing fossil-fuels in our own operations underlines Airbus’ commitment to lessening the impact of our manufacturing footprint and contributing towards a more sustainable future for the aviation sector more generally.”

Sustainable aviation fuels are currently certified by regulators for up to 50% use in commercial flights; the Beluga fleet operating from Broughton will initially be loaded with a 35% blend of non-fossil derived fuel, set to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 400 tonnes over the next three months.

Gulf Air transforming Falconflyer loyalty programme with the help of IBS' iFly Loyalty

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has selected IBS Software as a partner to enhance its Falconflyer loyalty programme (FFP) and provide Gulf Air with the flexibility to dynamically adapt its Falconflyer programme to meet the needs of travellers and enhance its members experience.

Gulf Air has entered into this partnership as part of its ongoing digital transformation to deliver the best possible experience to Falconflyers. IBS Software's iFly Loyalty platform will transform the Falconflyer programme for both consumers and partners. Members will benefit from a revamped mobile app and a new customer experience designed to deliver personalised offers and rewards. Programme partners will benefit from an accelerated onboarding process and a new B2B engagement channel that will provide new insights and data to support effective partner management. iFly Loyalty has been developed to help anticipate traveller behaviour, giving airlines the ability to turn data into actionable insights, enabling loyalty programmes to adapt to changing patterns of behaviour and quickly reconfigure their offerings to members. In addition, iFly Loyalty will provide Gulf Air with the capability to run multiple loyalty programmes from a single platform.

"We are completely committed to providing loyal Falconflyer members with a compelling experience that delivers bespoke offers and redemption options that they value. By partnering with IBS Software, we firmly believe that we will significantly enhance the way we reward our customers, as well as provide greater insight and flexibility to our loyalty partners," said Captain Waleed Al Alawi, Gulf Air's Acting Chief Executive Officer. "IBS Software has impressed us from the outset with their industry knowledge and commitment to supporting our Falconflyer Programme. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership as we continue with our digital transformation journey."

 Gulf Air commenced operations in 1950, becoming one of the first commercial airlines established in the Middle East. The airline operates scheduled flights from its hub at Bahrain International Airport to cities in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian sub-continent and the Far East. The airline currently serves all its destinations with a combination of wide and narrow body fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft and is renowned for its traditional Arabian hospitality.

"Gulf Air shares our passion for customer engage
ment, and we're thrilled to be working with a business that implicitly understands the transformative impact customer loyalty will play in the recovery from Covid-19," said Anand Krishnan, Chief Executive Officer, IBS Software. "We are working closely with Gulf Air to ensure our system has the flexibility required to change with the times and meet the needs of Gulf Air's Falconflyers. We're extremely excited to play our role in helping Falconflyer go from strength to strength at a pivotal time in our industry."

IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise and hospitality industries. IBS Software's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet & crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel and air-cargo management. IBS Software also runs a real time B2B and B2C distribution platform providing hotel room inventory, rates and availability to a global network of hospitality companies and channels.

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Air Canada granted $5.879 billion federal government bail out

Air Canada confirmed this week that it had managed to secure agreement from the federal governmnet a bailout of  $5.879 billion thanks to the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) program.

"Air Canada entered the pandemic more than a year ago with one of the global airline industry's strongest balance sheets relative to its size. We have since raised an additional $6.8 billion in liquidity from our own resources to sustain us through the pandemic, as air traffic ground to a virtual halt in Canada and internationally," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. 

"The additional liquidity program we are announcing today achieves several aligned objectives as it provides a significant layer of insurance for Air Canada, it enables us to better resolve customer refunds of non-refundable tickets, maintain our workforce and re-enter regional markets. Most importantly, this program provides additional liquidity, if required, to rebuild our business to the benefit of all stakeholders and to remain a significant contributor to the Canadian economy through its recovery and for the long term.

"As vaccine deployments ramp up, we continue to work with the Government of Canada on the evolution of safe and science-based test and quarantine relief measures with a view to safely restarting our sector. We know that Canadians are looking forward to re-connecting with friends and family and taking those long-awaited vacations and business trips and we will be ready to safely connect Canadians within Canada and Canada to the world," said Mr. Rousseau.

Air Astana gets new Airbus A321-200neoLR

Photo Air Astana

The aircraft leasing specialists, Air Lease Corporation have confirmed the delivery of one new Airbus A321-200neo LR aircraft on long-term lease to Air Astana.  

 This super advanced jet is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1133G engines and is the fifth new A321-200neo LR to deliver to Air Astana from ALC’s order book with Airbus. In addition to the five A321-200neo LRs, Air Astana also has one A320-200, two A320-200neos and one A321-200neo on long-term lease from ALC. 

“ALC is pleased to deliver this fifth A321-200neo LR aircraft to Air Astana today,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.  “Our team has been thrilled to assist the airline with their long-term fleet modernization program.” 

 The Airbus A321neo LR is a long-range version of A321neo, with increased maximum take-off weight and associated design modifications. The aircraft is configured with 16 Business class seats and 150 Economy class seats. 

Photo Air Astana

 

Air Pollution, it affects us all.....................

Photo ACL

There is sadly, no doubt that air pollution is a growing problem, not just here in the UK, but also around the world.  It is an issue that affects so many of us either directly or indirectly.  It is causing harm to us,  to our health, our ecosystems, the natural world around us, no matter if you live in a rural or urban area. 

The aviation industry, whilst really slow to make a start in realising its responsibilities has been investigating a number of ways to make air travel more sustainable and environmentally sound.   

Air pollution occurs when clean air is polluted by particulate matter (PM). This is made up of solid or liquid particles from natural sources such as pollen and desert sand, or from man-made sources, such as dust, soot and smoke.

Man-made PM mainly comes from wood-burning stoves, solid-fuel stoves, and open fires in homes; industrial combustion and processes; and road transport.

Air pollution also comes from gases that have been released into the atmosphere from a wide range of sources, including:

Ammonia – from agricultural fertilisers, manure and human waste.

Nitrogen oxides – for example, from burning fossil fuels for road transport.

Sulphur dioxide – from industrial combustion, energy generation and domestic burning.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – these can be found in products such as solvents, detergents, and synthetic coatings in paint and soft furnishings. 

Rachel Brown

Rachel Brown from DIY Garden has written this excellent article on Air Pollution: How to Create an ‘Air Quality’ Garden

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AirBaltic's top management team sat down to talk about values,  they discussed the meaning of the carriers value system and how it provides orientation for the company, for the individual employees and how it gives the opportunity to shape the company culture. 

Watch the video to discover how they deliver, care, and grow individually and together as a company.

New logistics building at Brussels Airport

Construction News from Brussels Airport -  The airport has unveiled its newest logistics building at Brucargo West. The new complex with 50,000m² of warehouses, 10,000m² of office space and direct airside access is quite impressive.

The driving principle in the building’s design? Sustainability! The building is energy & water efficient. Part of the roof surface is laid out as a green roof while the entire surface is designed to be fitted out with solar panels in the future and the building is equipped with LED lighting. Rain gardens and infiltration wells improve rainwater infiltration and rainwater pits were installed for harvesting and reusing rainwater. Furthermore, depending on the usage and orientation, rooms are heated or cooled by heat pumps, which also supply the climate ceilings in the offices.

The new logistics building is also especially suitable for the handling of pharma, and in particular vaccines, which is one of the niche markets we have specialised in and for which Brussels Airport is recognised as one of the leading airports in the world.

The new building that accommodates the offices & warehouses of Expeditors, Kuehne+Nagel and Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), is a true landmark on the Brussels Airport site, with a sleek, modern and eco-friendly architectural touch!

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Q1 update from Air Lease Corp as it moves from negative to stable.

Air Lease Corporation, the global aircraft leasing giant has issued a brief update on its activities for the first quarter of the year. 

As of March 31, 2021, ALC’s fleet was comprised of 342 owned aircraft and 83 managed aircraft, with 349 new aircraft on order from Boeing and Airbus set to deliver through 2027.

Aircraft Investments

    Delivered ten new aircraft from ALC’s order book including one Airbus A320neo, four Airbus A321neos, four Boeing 737-8s and one Boeing 787-9

    Aircraft investments in the quarter totalled approximately $600 million with the majority occurring in the second half of the quarter

Sales

    No aircraft sales occurred during the quarter

Financing

    Issued $750 million of 0.70% senior unsecured medium-term notes due 2024

    Issued $300 million of 4.65% fixed-rate reset non-cumulative perpetual series B preferred stock

Ratings

    On April 7, 2021, ALC’s long-term rating from S&P was affirmed at BBB and outlook changed to Stable from Negative

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San Francisco airport pushes even further with its green credentials - banning the sale of anything in single use plastic either from stores or refreshment concessions.

It'll become even harder to get a drink at San Francisco Airport, if you don't take your own mug or bottle as the management extends its plastic-free policy to include any plastic bottles. From now on, sodas, teas, coffees, juices must be sold in recyclable aluminium, glass or BPI-certified compostable bottles.

The airport was one of the first in the world to prohibit the provision or sale of single-use water bottles in plastic or aseptic paper packaging back in August 2019. This policy has now been expanded to prohibit the sale of any beverages, including sodas, teas, and juices in plastic or aseptic paper packaging.

The airport has sent airport retailers a guide of what it can use, at extra cost, in place of plastic bottles as well as installing '100 hydration stations; across the airport for passenger use. At the same time, the number of food positioning reports with connection to the airport has also increased according to local media.

"This is a significant moment in our goal to achieve zero waste going into landfill," said Airport Director Ivar C. Satero. "We took a very important first step two years ago, and today we take the next step towards a plastic-free future. Throughout this journey, it has been our SFO business community which ensures our success, and we thank our partners for having the courage to be leaders in our industry."

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Shake-up at Airbus as defence and technology chiefs quit

Airbus announced on Monday the biggest shake-up in its top ranks since Chief Executive Guillaume Faury took the helm two years ago, sparked by the departure of two key executives.

Airbus announced on Monday the biggest shake-up in its top ranks since Chief Executive Guillaume Faury took the helm two years ago, sparked by the departure of two key executives.

Dirk Hoke, head of the Defence & Space division, and Chief Technology Office Grazia Vittadini will both step down on July 1, the company said in a statement.

Hoke, who has been leading efforts to co-develop a European fighter with France's Dassault Aviation, will be replaced in the top defence spot by production chief Michael Schoellhorn, whose role as chief operating officer will be filled by military aircraft boss Alberto Gutierrez.

Hoke and Vittadini are both leaving to pursue opportunities outside the aerospace group, Airbus said without elaborating.

Naples becomes a new destination from Riga for airBaltic

Latvian airline airBaltic is launching another new route on 4th June, this time the carrier will be linking its home base of Riga with the Italian city of Naples, twice a week. 

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “We are delighted to add Naples to our summer 2021 route map. We are eager to offer the best connections between Riga and sunny leisure destinations once the epidemiological situation improves this summer. We are optimistic about the summers and looking forward to offer more and more safe connections from the Baltics.”

Roberto Barbieri, Chief Executive Officer of GESAC, Naples Airport Management Company: “The new connection introduces two important news: it is the first time that Naples has a direct flight to Riga and that airBaltic operates scheduled flights from Naples airport. It is an extremely positive message in this period as the enhancement of air connectivity stimulates the entire tourist industry. In order to ensure safe transit, we have adopted passenger-friendly and technologically advanced health measures”.

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British Airways delays Gatwick restart

The leading legacy carrier of the United Kingdom, British Airways is delaying the return of operations from London Gatwick because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the airline has revealed. 

BA had previously had plans to bring some services back to the South East airport from the end of June this year, in time for the peak summer period.  However,  the airline has now axed these plans as it struggles to get back to any resemblance of normal operations.

The airline will operate flights to Glasgow as well as a few long-haul flights from Gatwick for the foreseeable future, but all other services will be flown from London Heathrow,  at least until the end of October.  British Airways believes this will allow it to ensure a 'smooth, uninterrupted, and efficient operation across' its route network at the moment while pre-COVID demand has yet to return.  

Elsewhere, BA recently announced two new routes from London City Airport, in London's docklands, which would be started later this year.  The firm will fly to Jersey and Gibraltar from 25th June. Two flights a week will operate to Jersey and Gibraltar – on Mondays and Fridays.

airBaltic to start Riga to Edinburgh services on Mondays and Fridays from 4th June .....

A new destination will be joining the airBaltic route network when the airline starts to operate flights from Riga to Edinburgh on Mondays and Fridays from 4th June.

This will be airBaltic’s second destination in Scotland as flights to Aberdeen will also resume on 1st May with two weekly frequencies on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “We are delighted to announce our second destination in Scotland, thus expanding connectivity between Latvia and the United Kingdom. In addition to the new route, airBaltic also continues to offer convenient and safe connections between Riga and London, Aberdeen and Manchester in the United Kingdom.”

Oslo court approves Norwegian's reconstruction plan

The European budget airline Norwegian has been given a lifeline The Oslo County Court, today approved Norwegian's reconstruction plan in Norway. Reaching this milestone means that both the group's reconstruction processes in Ireland and Norway have now been approved by the courts. The company will now prepare the process of raising new capital.

The court reached a positive conclusion after the creditors approved the Norwegian reorganization plan in a reconciliation period that ended on Friday 9 April.

“We are very pleased with this important positive decision by the court. Once we have passed these two biggest legal milestones we can look forward to continuing the work of raising new equity.” says Jacob Schram, CEO of Norwegian.

“I stand very proud of the achievements that Norwegian has accomplished throughout this period and I am grateful to work alongside so many colleagues that have shown such unwavering commitment and determination for us to succeed. At the same time, I wish to recognise the crucial support that we have received which has enabled us to continue our business.”

The rulings in both Ireland and Norway become final when the planned equity has been obtained. The capital raise is expected to be completed during the month of May.

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BRA to start flying again in 12 May. Currently hiring cabin crew

BRA - Braathens Regional Airlines is getting ready to get back in the air,  the Swedish regional airline will be recommending operations on May 12th. The airline will operate flights to and from Bromma, Malmö, Gothenburg, Visby, Ängelholm and Umeå. Week 26 (ie 28 Jun-4 Christmas) we open up Kalmar, Halmstad and Östersund as well as Visby-Malmö and Visby-Gothenburg.

As the airline is Soon to start flying again its is looking for more dedicated colleagues for Cabin Crew Bromma, Visby and Gothenburg.

Applications and details

Göteborg

https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx...

Stockholm

https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx...

Visby

https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx...

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Latvian airline RAF-AVIA seeking first officers......

It was only in October of last year that Latvian passenger and cargo airline, RAF-AVIA celebrates its 30th Anniversary,  which is a remarkable milestone in the history of the carrier and Latvia. 

The Riga based airline has come a long way from being the carrier for a single manufacturer and first non-governmental airline in the former Soviet Union to a well-established cargo airline operating all over Europe and beyond. The firm has lived through political and economic turmoil which has necessitated it to constantly adapting to an ever-changing market situation as well as striving to deliver the best possible service to the carrier's customers.

The airline prides itself on the loyalty and experience of its staff, one-fourth of the company's 100 employees have been with the firm for more than 10 years and 15 of those have been with the company for more than 20 years. Some of them since the very inception of the airline.

The company operates a fleet of ATR 72, Saab 340 and Antonov AN-26 aircraft on cargo operations and Saab 340 for passenger flights. 

Loganair to start two new routes on 24 May - Teesside - Bristol and City of Derry-Liverpool

Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, today announced two new routes.

The first is a major step in connecting the North-East with the South-West of England through the launch of a new air route between Teesside International and Bristol.   It will become the airline’s seventh route at Teesside.

The second is the safeguarding of the popular air link between City of Derry Airport and Liverpool following Ryanair’s recent decision to step back from the route.  Both services start on 24 May, with tickets on sale now. 

Teesside - Bristol:

The 70-minute flight will leave Teesside on weekdays at 14.25, with the return flight departing from Bristol 16.05.  

Fares start from £49.99 one-way including all taxes and charges.   All Loganair fares include a free checked baggage allowance.

Loganair returned to Teesside – under its new ownership – on 1 February after an absence of over two years.  In a short time, the airline is already well established on the key route to Aberdeen; has added London Heathrow flights and is introducing flights from Teesside to Belfast City, Dublin, Jersey and Cornwall Airport Newquay over the coming weeks.

Loganair Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “We are very pleased to expand our commitment to Teesside International with this direct service to Bristol, connecting two important UK business locations.   We’re sure that the new connection will be warmly welcomed by customers travelling for work reasons and by those - just as soon as they can – travelling to visit friends and family.” 

Derazona to be Asia’s first H160 operator for oil and gas

 

Airbus Helicopters has secured an H160 order from Derazona Helicopters in Indonesia, launching this new rotorcraft in the country’s oil and gas sector. The multi-mission H160 will play an important role in the expansion plans of the Indonesian operator for oil and gas, off-shore, utility and commercial passenger transportation.

“This new order is a timely welcome as our company embarks on a transformation journey to grow our business. We are very impressed by the performance of the H160, and excited at the opportunities that this state-of-the-art helicopter will bring to our operations,” said Ramadi Widyardiono, Business Development Manager of Derazona Helicopters.

“We are greatly honoured by Derazona’s vote of confidence, becoming not just the country’s first H160 operator, but our oil and gas launch customer in the Asia Pacific region,” said Vincent Dubrule, Head of Asia Pacific of Airbus Helicopters. “The H160 is a game-changer, setting new standards for safety, performance, comfort and design. We trust that it will be a valuable asset to our customer as they bolster their operations with this versatile workhorse,” he added.

Two more summer routes from Riga with airBaltic........... Naples and Santorini added to the carriers network......

Latvian state-owned airline airBaltic has announced two new routes to launch in early June, connecting Riga with Italy and Greece.

On June 4th, 2021 the airline will start a service between Riga and Naples, scheduled to operate twice a week. Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: "We are delighted to add Naples to our summer 2021 route map. We are eager to offer the best connections between Riga and sunny leisure destinations once the epidemiological situation improves this summer. We are optimistic about the summers and looking forward to offer more and more safe connections from the Baltics."

Roberto Barbieri, Chief Executive Officer of GESAC, Naples Airport Management Company: "The new connection introduces two important news: it is the first time that Naples has a direct flight to Riga and that airBaltic operates scheduled flights from Naples airport. It is an extremely positive message in this period as the enhancement of air connectivity stimulates the entire tourist industry. In order to ensure a safe transit, we have adopted passenger-friendly and technologically advanced health measures".

One day later,  airBaltic will launch its service from Riga to Santorini in Greece,   Gauss said:  "We are delighted to offer safe and convenient direct travel options for travellers between Riga and the well-known Greece island Santorini".

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Etihad Airways begins scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Israel

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates has launched regular flight service between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv. The first scheduled operation took place earlier this week, just a few days after Israel was added to Abu Dhabi’s ‘green list’ of quarantine-free countries. 

The launch of scheduled operations comes as the next historic step in developing diplomatic, trade and tourism ties between Israel and the UAE, which were inked as part of the Abraham Accords in September 2020.

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways EY598, the first scheduled flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport, took to the skies on Tuesday at 10:05 (UAE time). On board the flight was a diplomatic and economic delegation representing the UAE. The delegation includes H.E. Mohamed Al-Khaja, UAE’s first Ambassador to Israel, Eitan Nae’eh, Israel’s Head of Mission to the UAE, and Tony Douglas, Etihad’s Group CEO.

Birmingham to get five new routes to European beach destinations with easyJet

easyJet and easyJet holidays have confirmed it will operate new routes and package holidays to popular European destinations across Spain, Portugal, and Greece from Birmingham Airport starting at the end of June this year.

Great value fares are still available for UK travellers to enjoy a well-deserved and much-anticipated summer getaway

Flexible booking policies, including the Protection Promise, mean customers can book now with confidence that if their plans change, they're protected. 

The budget carrier easyJet and its package holiday operation have confirmed the launch of new routes and holidays from Birmingham Airport for this summer.  Starting from 29th June, flights and holidays will take off from Birmingham Airport to the popular beach destinations of Majorca, Málaga and Alicante in Spain, Faro in Portugal, and Corfu in Greece, offering customers in the Midlands region even more choice for enjoying a holiday this summer. All easyJet holidays ATOL-protected beach holidays include flights, accommodation, a 23kg bag allowance per person and transfers.

Thai Air Asia and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) team up to showcase Thailand's smaller cities and attractions

         The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is joining hands with Thai AirAsia for the “Must Visit Second-Tier Cities'' campaign, promoting further confidence in Thailand’s smaller cities as safe destinations ready to be visited all year-round.  

Mr Kritsana Kaewthamrong, Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing at TAT, and Mr. Krid Pattanasan, Head of Government Relations, AirAsia Thailand, jointly presided over the launch of the campaign, which included a workshop on travelling to second-tier cities led by popular influencers Bas-Panupat Sukanlayaruk, owner of the Go Went Go fan page, and Tel-Pachara Kriangkret of the Baagklongtiew fan page in Thanarat Hall of the TAT Building here today.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing, Mr Kritsana Kaewthamrong said: “TAT has been supporting travel to second-tier cities since 2015 with our “12 Cities Not to be Missed Plus” project, which was later expanded to promote 55 provinces nationwide. The authority has since been raising awareness of and enhancing the profiles of those cities amongst the travelling public, highlighting each destination’s unique identity through various activities and campaigns. For 2021, as we travel in new normal, the TAT is supporting domestic tourism using the “Amazing Thailand, More Amazing” concept, focusing on encouraging travel among a more diverse array of people, including Gen Y and young adults, who are constantly looking for novel experiences.