A new all-inclusive resort is set to bring the Hyatt Ziva brand to life in Cancun Mexico

Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Playa Hotels & Resorts have announced plans for a new Hyatt Ziva all-inclusive resort in Mexico’s Riviera Cancun region. Slated to open later this year, the family-friendly Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun will be the latest resort to join the award-winning Hyatt Ziva portfolio, which is designed for travellers seeking an effortless, all-inclusive experience.

Situated between Playa del Carmen and the world-famous Cancun Hotel Zone approximately 30 minutes from Cancun International Airport, the 438-room Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun plans to provide travellers with the opportunity to reconnect with loved ones, enjoy time away from their busy lives, and experience the most unique aspects of Riviera Cancun.

Jet Edge teams up with Gogo Business Aviation for 4G streaming Wi-Fi across its fleet

4G streaming Wi-Fi to be on the entire fleet by the end of the year. 

Jet Edge has agreed on a new partnership with Gogo Business Aviation to upgrade Jet Edge’s AdvantEdge and Managed super-mid and large cabin fleet to AVANCE L5, Gogo’s most popular connectivity system that delivers a robust inflight 4G Wi-Fi experience.

“Jet Edge is proud to partner with Gogo, the industry leader for high-speed Wi-Fi,” comments Bill Papariella, CEO of Jet Edge. “The AVANCE L5 system is truly a game-changer for connectivity in the air. Providing inflight streaming and overall faster speed is yet another way we are enhancing and evolving our fleet to deliver an exceptional private aviation experience for our clients.”

Jet Edge offers the most extensive and elevated selection of point-to-point super-mid Bombardier Challenger and large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft in the United States and will have the first-ever fleet to be entirely equipped with Gogo AVANCE L5. The conversion is slated for final completion by end of Q3-2021. The commitment to an all-AVANCE L5 Charter fleet has already begun, with over 20 aircraft now equipped with Gogo’s 4G Wi-Fi connectivity.

IATA and Unilabs Partner to Help Passengers Manage Covid-19 Tests

 

                                       Unilabs, the leading European diagnostic services provider, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world’s airlines, have signed an agreement to incorporate Unilabs’ worldwide Covid-19 testing network into IATA Travel Pass.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic.

The agreement will make Unilabs one of the first major lab groups to be integrated into IATA’s Travel Pass app. Proof of a negative Covid-19 test is required by many governments as a condition of entry, and the app makes the process seamless, secure, and easy.  

IATA Travel Pass 

“Covid-19 testing will play a role in re-starting international travel. Travellers will need to understand test requirements, locate labs, verify their identity to the lab and transfer their test results to relevant parties – airlines and governments – as needed. Our partnership with Unilabs will give travellers access to Unilabs’ extensive network and help them securely and efficiently manage their test results,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director-General. 

easyJet wants cheaper less reliable COVID tests and no tests at all for green light destinations......

The UK's budget carrier, easyJet carried out a survey of some 2000 customers and from that relatively tiny number, it seems to think it can say what the whole of the British population think and feel about travel.

According to the airline, 61% of Brits believe that under the traffic light travel system, the Green tier should mean restriction-free travel this summer.

The airline says that 55% of Brits say they will not be able to go on holiday this summer if expensive PCR Covid tests, currently costing up to £150, are imposed on passengers to low-risk ‘green’ tier countries. 

The airline claims almost three-quarters / 74% of Brits believe that if tests do remain a requirement for travel to low-risk green tier countries, they should be in line with the lateral flow testing being used for the reopening of the rest of the UK economy rather than the more complex and expensive PCR tests.

Big Twin Making Progress and Now Midway Through Development

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have now passed the planned halfway phase of the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Development Program for the 777-300ERSF. This a key milestone for “the Big Twin,” the GECAS-IAI Co-investment for the passenger-to-freighter conversion program of the GE-90 powered 777-300ER, as it now moves beyond planning into the phase of physically modifying the aircraft.

Rich Greener, SVP and Manager of GECAS Cargo, explains “We’ve begun executing on the dedicated freighter design developed by the IAI and GECAS Cargo team towards manufacturing the kits, and the actual conversion phase under a licensing from Boeing.”

“The Big Twin is scheduled to be officially inducted into the IAI 777-300ER P2F Line 1 in Tel Aviv to commence the Prototype Conversion towards end of June 2021,” says Yosef Melamed, IAI EVP and General Manager of Aviation Group.“This is an exciting milestone for the Big Twin freighter program.”

Beverage service on American Airlines starts again as customers return to the skies

U.S. mega-carrier, American Airlines has confirmed that from the 1st of May it will reintroduce full beverage service in all domestic premium cabins and a month later it will reintroduce beverage services, including canned drinks, juice and water in the main cabin.

The airline says the safety and well-being of customers and crew is a top priority which has been taken into consideration when bringing back the beverage service. American worked hand-in-hand with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) and medical experts from American’s Travel Health Advisory Panel to determine the safest way to carefully return the food and beverage programme.

“American’s reintroduction of beverage service is a careful and informed process to ensure everyone on board feels safe and comfortable,” said Brady Byrnes, Vice President of Flight Service. “When customers fly with American, they are trusting us with their safety."

Cathay Pacific Releases Traffic Figures For March 2021

Cathay Pacific Releases Traffic Figures For March 2021

Cathay Pacific today released its traffic figures for March 2021 that continued to reflect the airline’s substantial capacity reductions in response to significantly reduced demand as well as travel restrictions and quarantine requirements in place in Hong Kong and other markets amid the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.

Cathay Pacific carried a total of 18,539 passengers last month, a decrease of 94% compared to March 2020. The month’s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) fell 95.7% year-on-year. Passenger load factor dropped by 28 percentage points to 21.2%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), decreased by 90%. In the first three months of 2021, the number of passengers carried dropped by 98.4% against a 91.7% decrease in capacity and a 98.2% decrease in RPKs, as compared to the same period for 2020.

The airline carried 83,329 tonnes of cargo and mail last month, a decrease of 30.1% compared to March 2020. The month’s revenue freight tonne kilometres (RFTKs) fell 32.4% year-on-year. The cargo and mail load factor increased by 8.9 percentage points to 86.4%, while capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometres (AFTKs), was down by 39.4%. In the first three months of 2021, the tonnage fell by 29.6% against a 39.6% drop in capacity and a 26.5% decrease in RFTKs, as compared to the same period for 2020.

Cathay Pacific Cargo ships 15 million vaccine doses

Cathay Pacific Cargo has passed the milestone of shipping 15 million COVID-19 vaccines around the world. The landmark figure includes vaccines that have been imported for use in Cathay Pacific’s home hub of Hong Kong, as well as supplies for distribution to countries including Mexico, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Cathay Pacific Head of Cargo Markets and Products John Cheng said: “The 15-million-dose landmark was achieved today upon delivery of a new batch of Fosun Pharma/BioNTech vaccines into Hong Kong. This week, we also have two other shipments from Beijing to Mexico carrying doses of Sinovac and CanSino vaccines. All of these shipments deploy our new Ultra Track multidimensional tracking and data-logging system.”  

To date, Cathay Pacific Cargo has carried five different COVID-19 vaccine brands.  Cargo Products Manager Alex Leung said: “Over the past few months, we have flown shipments of vaccines from AstraZeneca, Fosun Pharma/BioNTech, CanSino, Covaxin and Sinovac, which require different handling temperatures ranging from -70°C to 2-8°C.” 

New Passenger Travel Portal launched by London City Airport

New Passenger Travel Portal launched by London City Airport 

 

Photo London City Airport

The London City Airport Travel Portal, designed by Effect Digital and powered by Netflights, is now live.

In one place, it provides passengers with information to support their summer travel choices, from booking flights to departure and arrival testing requirements for all of London City Airport’s current and upcoming destinations.

New routes this summer include Gibraltar, Jersey, San Sebastian and Split.

 

As Britain gears up for a summer like no other, London City Airport has produced a new travel portal to help passengers make informed travel plans.

With the latest travel guidelines set out by the UK providing only part of the picture, the portal is a one-stop-shop for understanding the entry requirements of individual countries, links to the latest tourist board information and COVID-19 rates, as well as local expectations on where travellers will need to wear a face mask. For example, it reflects the latest update announced by Portugal that UK visitors no longer need to quarantine on arrival.

From the portal, passengers will be able to directly book the lowest possible fares for their destination as well as the necessary pre-departure or UK arrival test at London City’s onsite testing centre.

VINCI Airports – Traffic at 31 March 2021

● Passenger numbers down 82.4% overall in the first quarter, still severely hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic

● Recovery pace remains uncertain in Europe, South America and Asia

● Traffic has been picking up since mid-March in some parts of the United States and on domestic routes in Japan, where travel restrictions are gradually being eased

VINCI Airports’ network handled slightly over 10 million passengers in Q1 2021, i.e. 82.4% less than in Q1 2019. The trend in March 2021 is similar: traffic was 82.7% lower than in March 2019.

Passenger numbers are still sluggish as the pandemic continues to rage in some regions. Air traffic dropped sharply in Europe in Q1 as the number of Covid-19 infections rose. Traffic was hit harder in the United Kingdom and Poland, where authorities introduced very strict country-wide restrictions starting in January, than in France and Serbia, where measures were softer or more surgical. After a fairly encouraging start to the year, traffic in South America seems to be heading for a downturn in Brazil and Chile, where the pandemic is resurging.

Traffic has been increasing since mid-March in the handful of areas where the pandemic is losing ground and restrictions are being relaxed. This is the case in the United States, where the federal rescue plan and the steep decrease in infection rates since January have bolstered the rise in the number of flights at Orlando Sanford. The Dominican Republic and Costa Rica are benefiting from the increase in traffic to and from the United States. Japan, where international borders remain closed, saw an upswing in domestic traffic in March, when the state of emergency in the country’s main cities was lifted.

"Rebounding Demand is Driving Clear Path to Profitability" Say United Airlines

This week the U.S. mega-carrier, United Airlines released details of its first-quarter 2021 financial results. Despite the fact that business and long-haul international demand remain as much as 70% below 2019 levels, the airline has reported a return to positive core cash flow in the month of March and the firm is focused on returning to positive adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margins.

In recent days the company announced new international flying to Greece, Iceland and Croatia earlier today, subject to government approval. 

"The United team has now spent a year facing down the most disruptive crisis our industry has ever faced and because of their skill and dedication to our customers, we're poised to emerge from this pandemic with a future that is brighter than ever," said United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby. "We've shifted our focus to the next milestone on the horizon and now see a clear path to profitability. We're encouraged by the strong evidence of pent-up demand for air travel and our continued ability to nimbly match it, which is why we're as confident as ever that we'll hit our goal to exceed 2019 adjusted EBITDA margins in 2023, if not sooner."

United's efforts to improve the customer experience resulted in the company achieving its highest ever customer satisfaction in the first quarter. Looking ahead, the company is planning continued investment in customers, including continuing the United Polaris® retrofit program and starting retrofit on narrowbody aircraft, modernizing gates, upgrading and expanding United Club℠ locations in Newark and Denver, and rolling out tools that give customers the opportunity to pre-order onboard meals.

Loganair to launch new route between Norwich and Exeter in July

Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, announced recently a major step in connecting East Anglia with the South-West of England through the launch of a new air route between Norwich and Exeter.

The service, which starts on 12 July, will operate a four flights per week service across the summer season on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – moving to Monday and Friday flights from September onwards.

The 70-minute flight on Loganair’s 49-seat Embraer 145 jets represents a much more convenient way to travel than rail connections via London or an exhausting 320-mile road journey, particularly difficult on packed roads during the summer season.

Inside Brussels Airlines: preparing for our gradual summer relaunch

With vaccination programs underway in many countries and demand for travel slowly starting to pick up for summer Brussels Airlines prepares its operations for a gradual build-up of its flight offer.

At an airline, such a buildup does not happen overnight and it takes several months to prepare. We not only need to get our planes ready to hit the skies again, but we also need to get our cabin and cockpit crew and our Ground Operations colleagues back up to speed and fully trained after a period of inactivity.

Training our pilots, crew and ground staff

In aviation, nothing is left to chance and safety is at all times the highest priority. Therefore, our Training department worked out a very thorough and intensive training program to make sure we fully prepare our pilots to take off again. The first group started their training at the beginning of April. For each pilot, the program takes approximately one month to complete and includes 14 hours of theoretical training, including self-study and classroom trainings to review all flight and aircraft procedures, 12 hours of simulator and  10 to 20 flights with an instructor, depending on the experience of the pilot. Last but not least, every pilot performs a line check before they are released to fly on their own again. In total 150 pilots need to go through this complete training and we expect to finish the training program by summer. Our 400 other pilots have continuously been trained during the past months.

As for our cabin crew, as of 1 May, 130 cabin colleagues who have been in full temporary unemployment will gradually be retrained for flying duties with seven to ten days of refresher courses, depending on the type of flights they operate (short haul or long haul), and several familiarization flights to have all safety procedures and Corona-related hygiene measures fresh in mind when they welcome our passengers on board again.

Aeroflot launches flights to Gorno-Altaysk

From 29 April, Aeroflot will launch flights to Gorno-Altaysk. In May, Sheremetyevo -–Gorno-Altaysk – Sheremetyevo services will be operated daily, and from June, the flight frequency will increase to ten weekly.

Flights will be operated on Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Economy class passengers can enjoy wireless in-flight entertainment system using their own devices to connect to onboard Wi-Fi. Business class cabin is equipped with wide seatback screens featuring the IFE content of over 200 Russian and international films, including the latest releases.

Aeroflot has considerably enhanced accessibility of one the most popular domestic tourism destinations. Altai is in top-5 most visited Russian regions.  In 2020, the number of tourists to the Altai Republic reached two million people, double the arrivals in the previous years.

Five picturesque sites in the Altai region are on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the “Golden Mountains of Altai”. Altai Nature Reserve was established to protect beautiful and crystal-clear Lake Teletskoe, Ukok Plateau, a sacred place for the Altai people. Siberia’s highest mountain Belukha (4,506 m) is located in Katun Nature Reserve.

‘Back in the Air’ initiative seeks to restore freedom to travel

Switzerland’s travel and tourism industry and the economic segments that depend on it have all been severely hit by the coronavirus crisis. In response, representatives from the air transport, business and tourism sectors together with their social partners have met for a virtual ‘Back in the Air’ Summit, at which they formulated three key demands to restore travel freedom. These were formally presented on behalf of all the organizations involved to Swiss President Guy Parmelin on his visit to Zurich Airport.

The coronavirus crisis has severely affected the Swiss travel and tourism sector and the further economic segments that depend on it. Bed nights in Switzerland have declined by 40%, while the country’s travel agencies have seen an 80% fall in bookings. Passenger volumes at Swiss airports have also slumped by some 75%.

Air France to start new route to Denver from Paris-Charles de Gaulle on 2nd July

Air France has confirmed it will launch a new route between the carriers home base of  Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Denver International Airport, Colorado. The airline will operate up to three direct flights a week starting on 2nd July.

The flights will be operated on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays by a Boeing 787-9 with a capacity of 279 seats featuring 30 in the Business cabin, 21 in Premium Economy and 228 in Economy.

Denver is the perfect gateway to Colorado and the Mountain West with its beautiful National Parks, outdoor recreation, and growing economy.

This new destination will thus strengthen Air France’s service to the United States. Subject to the easing of travel restrictions, the airline will offer flights to 12 US cities during the 2021 summer season: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C.

CEVA Logistics joins United Airlines’ Eco-Skies Alliance as inaugural participant

CEVA Logistics announced its involvement as an inaugural participant in United Airlines’ Eco-Skies Alliance, a first of its kind program involving leading global corporations working with the airline to power future flying in a more sustainable way.

CEVA Logistics and other Eco-Skies Alliance leaders will work with United to collectively purchase approximately 3.4 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) this year. With its nearly 80 percent emissions reductions on a lifecycle basis compared to conventional jet fuel, this is enough SAF to eliminate approximately 31,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or enough to fly passengers more than 200 million miles. 

As an inaugural participant, CEVA Logistics is taking a lead in the air cargo industry to reduce the logistics-related impact on the environment at the source by creating demand for more SAF. In addition to the Eco-Skies Alliance program, which is designated for corporate customers, United is also inviting individual customers to join in the airline’s efforts by contributing funds to purchase SAF, which United will use to help lower the greenhouse gas emissions from its flights compared to traditional jet fuel. Companies and individuals interested in learning more can visit: united.com/ecoskiesalliance.

American Advocates for LGBTQ Rights and Hate Crimes Legislation

American joined with dozens of other Texas-based companies today in an open letter to state lawmakers, making clear the airline supports the inclusion of LGBTQ people in nondiscrimination laws and opposes any effort to exclude the LGBTQ community from full civil rights protections under the law. The effort was led by Texas Competes, a coalition of businesses aligned on ensuring a fair and welcoming Texas for LGBTQ people.

“Discrimination of any kind runs counter to American’s mission of taking care of people on life’s journey. Equity and inclusion are core values critical to the success of our company, and laws that create unequal treatment are not only bad policy, but are also bad for business,” said Molly Wilkinson, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and PRIDE EBRG Executive Sponsor. “For decades, American has proudly stood with the LGBTQ community and will continue to advocate for full inclusion, equity and protection under the law, because all of our team members and customers deserve to feel welcome and safe.”

The NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force’s fleet of E-3A aircraft is being modernised to maintain its operational viability through 2035

Leonardo has been contracted by Boeing to provide its new software-defined radio, the ‘SWave® Airborne SDR SRT-800’ for NATO’s fleet of E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. One of the few military assets that is owned and operated directly by NATO, the AWACS fleet is being modernized by Boeing to maintain its operational viability through 2035 under the Final Lifetime Extension Programme (FLEP). 

Leonardo’s SRT-800 will provide the AWACS fleet with secure and cyber-resilient air-to-air and air-to-ground connectivity. This security is becoming increasingly critical to all kinds of military operations as cyber-attacks continue to be a clear and present threat. Available for civil and military customers, the low size, weight and power requirements of the SRT-800 allows it to be fitted to most fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, manned or unmanned. Ideal for retrofit, a single SRT-800 radio replaces a number of avionic units that have traditionally been separate units, including UHF/VHF radio, SATCOM, SINCGARS and a crypto device.

Lufthansa Compensaid now available to corporate customers for carbon neutral flying

    Companies can offset their business air travel

    New for corporate customers: “Compensaid Corporate Program”

    With Sustainable Aviation Fuel passengers travel in a climate-friendly way

    First customer is insurance provider AXA Deutschland

Thanks to Compensaid, the innovative digital CO2 compensation platform of the Lufthansa Group, flying carbon neutral is possible for individual travelers. Now companies can also use this option, simply and easily, for their employees’ business trips.

With the “Compensaid Corporate Program” corporate customers have the possibility to use, for instance, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for their air travel. With SAF they can compensate the CO2 emissions produced when flying. This program allows companies to offset all their flights – whether they’re with the Lufthansa Group or other airlines.

The first customer is insurance provider AXA Deutschland. The company will offset its business-related air travel for an initial period of three years.

Quarantine-free Tasman flights resume after almost 400 days................ Australia - New Zealand travel bubble

After more than a year of international border closures, Qantas and Jetstar will today resume regular flights between Australia and New Zealand with the opening of the two-way trans-Tasman bubble.

Flights are resuming to all pre-COVID destinations in New Zealand across 15 routes and Qantas will today start a new route between the Gold Coast and Auckland, marking the airline’s first ever international flights from Gold Coast Airport.

The airlines will operate a combined 29 flights between Australia and New Zealand today, carrying thousands of customers, with around 200 flights to operate each week.

    630 Qantas and Jetstar employees coming back to         work; more aircraft back in air

    Jetstar to operate first flight out of Sydney to                 Auckland - JQ201

    Qantas to operate its first international flight out of       the Gold Coast

Jetstar’s first departure was JQ201 from Sydney to Auckland at 6.15am operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft while Qantas’ first departure out of Sydney was QF143 to Auckland at 9.05am and a massive Airbus A330 aircraft operating the service. Both flights are operating to Auckland at close to full capacity, including a full Business cabin on Qantas. Qantas’ first flight from Australia to New Zealand was QF151 Melbourne to Auckland departing at 8am.

Atlas Air and cabin crew union agree deal.

Photo iflymia

Atlas Air, a leading global provider of outsourced aircraft and aviation operating services has confirmed its Flight Services International (FSI) has reached a five-year agreement with the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 591, which represents flight attendants who support Atlas Air’s passenger services.

FSI provides Atlas Air with over 400 flight attendants to serve its thousands of passenger flights a year. Customers include U.S. military service personnel, sports teams, entertainers and other VIP passengers. Atlas Air has worked with FSI since 2012.

“We are pleased to recognize the great contributions of our flight attendant workforce with this updated wage and benefits package,” said Joni Ffrench, President of Flight Services International.

“FSI flight attendants are true partners with us and provide excellent service to our customers on passenger flights,” said John W. Dietrich, Atlas Air Worldwide President and Chief Executive Officer. “We applaud FSI for their efforts in reaching this desired outcome for their flight attendants.”

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Flair Airlines adding Ottawa-Kelowna route this summer.............

Flair Airlines, the Canadian budget carrier with a fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft has confirmed that from 4th August this year it will operate a direct service between Ottawa International Airport and Kelowna International Airport, which will run twice a week. 

This new route is part of Flair’s expansion of service as it plans to grow its ultra-low-cost route network to in excess of 19 destinations this summer. Part of the growth plan will also see the budget carrier add 13 more 737 aircraft to their fleet during the rest of this year. 

“Growing our service by connecting two iconic destinations on each side of the country is an important step in our bringing low fares and affordable travel options to more Canadians,” says Stephen Jones, President & CEO. “We know there is a need for ULCC service as travel begins to return and connecting two cities that are year-round destinations will ensure Canadians can explore their country affordably all year long.”

Flair was one of the first airlines to reduce service to only essential routes during the pandemic. With the anticipation of travel returning during the summer, the airline will begin increasing service in May.

“We know there is pent up demand for people to see families and have affordable vacations once it is safe for us to travel again. As a ULCC, our efficiencies are passed along in our pricing. Our low fares are an important step in restarting the tourism industry as they allow people to explore more, and both Ottawa and Kelowna are two attractive regions for domestic tourism.”

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New appointments at leasing giant Avolon

Leasing giant Avolon has announced changes to its senior management team - Felipe Campos is the new Chief Technical Officer and Steven Graham to the role of Head of Americas.

Avolon has its headquarters in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.  It is the world’s third-largest aircraft leasing business with an owned, managed and committed fleet, as of 31 March 2021 of 842 aircraft.

Felipe Campos will bring a wide range of aviation experience to his new position which will be based in Dublin. An engineer by training, Felipe has been Avolon’s head of Latin America, responsible for all of Avolon’s activity in that region since 2016. As a customer focused executive, he will bring deep commercial perspective and strategic insight to his new role.

Before joining Avolon Felipe spent time with GE Aviation and also with the airline groups LATAM and TAM, where he started his career in aviation in 2005. Felipe holds a MSc in Naval Engineering and Project Management from Escola Politécnica at the University of São Paulo. He also holds an MBA from IBMEC.

Steven Graham has been appointed Head of the Americas for Avolon. He has been Head of North America since 2017 and in his new role that will expand to incorporate North and Latin America. Based in New York, he will lead all of Avolon’s activity in these regions.

Steven was one of co-founders of Avolon in 2010. He has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

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U.S mega-carrier United is adding flights to Croatia, Greece and Iceland as some countries reopen to COVID vaccinated passengers.......

Photo United

United Airlines has confirmed today that it is adding three new flights to its international network this summer as some countries start to reopen for COVID-19 vaccinated visitors. 

Starting in July, United will offer new direct flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to Dubrovnik, Croatia, from Washington Dulles International Airport to Athens, Greece and from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Reykjavik, Iceland, all subject to government approval.

United's Travel-Ready Center enables customers to upload their COVID-19 testing and vaccine documentation, and have it certified ahead of check-in so customers can get their boarding pass before getting to the airport. United is the only airline that does this seamlessly in the airline's mobile app.

The addition of these new routes reflects an increase in interest among United's customers: in the last month, searches on United.com for flights to Croatia, Greece and Iceland are up 61%.

"As countries around the world begin the process of reopening, leisure travellers are eager to take a long-awaited getaway to new international destinations," said Patrick Quayle, vice president of international network and alliances. "These three new routes unlock the natural beauty of the outdoors for our guests. They are also the latest example of how United is remaining nimble in rebuilding our network."