World Economic Forum’s `Medicine from the Sky` Drone Delivery Programme Set for Take-off in Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh

Medicine from the Sky, a flagship initiative by the World Economic Forum, is to be launched in Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India, on Independence Day.

The aim is to document how health systems in remote parts of the state respond to the integration of drone-based supply chains. After numerous confidence-building pilot schemes across the country, the Arunachal Pradesh initiative focuses on a more elaborate agenda involving deeper operational planning and observations.

Medicine from the Sky – Arunachal Pradesh is a six-month project aimed at analysing the response of the state’s healthcare system when integrated with drones

The pilot project is a culmination of regional confidence-building measures in the healthcare sector following the liberalization of India’s drone economy in 2021

Under the Forum-Arunachal Pradesh collaboration agreement, village chiefs will create “drone ambassadors” to raise awareness among local youth

 

The six-month programme will be centred around four pillars:

Basic healthcare needs – regular services for vaccines; iron, folic acid, nutrition supplements; prophylactic and mass drug administration; diagnostic sample collection; emergency medications; blood and blood products

Ecosystem skill levels, terrain, weather considerations – identification of local stakeholders, including engineering, medical, paramedical, humanities and management colleges; technical and skill development institutes; find continuous source for weather data and real-time prediction

Survivability, scalability and sustainability – resource estimation, impact assessment and economics

Stress testing of drone platforms – ascertaining ability of available technologies to handle undulating terrain

“In mid-2021, we undertook a field study in Arunachal Pradesh, along with the Public Health Foundation of India, to learn more about the local health distribution system, disease profile and the nature of the terrain. Traversing the Seppa-Bameng belt by road, in particular, made it evident that drones were an absolute necessity,” said Vignesh Santhanam, Lead, Aerospace and Drones, World Economic Forum.

19 new Airbus aircraft for Germany's Condor.....

One of the global leading aircraft leasing and management companies, Air Lease Corporation, has confirmed the placements of 19 new Airbus aircraft with the German leisure and holiday airline Condor on a long lease basis.

This deal includes 17 Airbus A321neos and 2 Airbus A320neos, with the new aircraft scheduled to start arriving with the airline in early 2024 and continue through until mid-2027.  ALC currently leases five aircraft to Condor, including three A321s and two A320s and the new planes are all from ALC’s existing order book with manufacturer Airbus. 

“We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with ALC in the future. We are thankful for this collaboration as it supports Condor in reaching its next milestones,” says Ralf Teckentrup, CEO of Condor. “With the replacement of our entire long-haul fleet, it‘s the obvious next step for us to modernize our short/medium-haul fleet as well. We consistently focus on modern technology, maximum efficiency and the highest customer comfort and as a result, will have one of the greenest fleets in Europe.”

Steven Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation said:  “This significant lease placement for 19 Airbus new generation aircraft continues ALC’s excellent relationship with Condor, one of our key German airline customers. -  The A321neo and A320neo are fundamental to Condor’s fleet operations and to maintain the airline’s highly competitive position in the European market.”

Rocket Lab to launch 150th satellite......

Rocket Lab USA, has announced this week that its upcoming 30th Electron launch will deliver its 150th payload and 300th Rutherford engine to space. The mission is a dedicated launch for Japanese Earth-imaging satellite constellation operator Synspective.

“The Owl Spreads Its Wings” mission is scheduled to lift-off from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a launch window opening in mid-September. The mission is the second of a bulk buy of three Electron launches by Synspective to deliver their StriX satellites to low Earth orbit. StriX-1 is Synspective’s first commercial satellite for its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation to deliver imagery that can detect millimetre-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space, independent of weather conditions on Earth and at any time of the day or night. “The Owl Spreads Its Wings” will be Rocket Lab’s third mission for Synspective after successful launches in December 2020 and February 2022.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says: “From launching Synspective’s first demonstration spacecraft to now helping to build their SAR constellation with this launch of their first commercial StriX satellite, it’s an honour to once again be the trusted launch partner for Synspective. As the sole payload on this dedicated Electron launch, Synspective are able to build their constellation to a specific LTAN (Local Time of the Ascending Node) that couldn’t be achieved if StriX was launched on a rideshare mission with other satellites – a highly important differentiator when building a new satellite constellation.”

The mission for Synspective will mark a series of company milestones for Rocket Lab.

30th Electron launch

“The Owl Spreads Its Wings” mission will be Rocket Lab’s 30th launch of its Electron rocket. From its first launch in 2017, Electron quickly made regular and reliable launch to space accessible for small satellites. As the United States’ second most-frequently launched rocket, with this mission Electron will have successfully launched to orbit more times in 2022 than all other small launch providers combined.

In response to exceptional demand, Oman Air, has increased flights between Muscat and Turkey

 In response to exceptional demand, Oman Air, the Sultanate of Oman's national airline, has increased flights between Muscat and its Turkish destinations (Istanbul and Trabzon).

Based on the table below, the airline has increased frequencies between Muscat and Trabzon from 3 weekly flights to 5 weekly flights, and between Muscat and Istanbul from 7 weekly flights to 8 weekly flights.

8 weekly flights to Istanbul

5 weekly flights to Trabzon

Widebody B787 Dreamliner and Boeing 737 service       

Additional Istanbul flights:

Flight number	From	Departure Time	To	Arrival Time	Days
WY 165	Muscat	14:35	Istanbul	19:00	Sunday
WY 166	Istanbul	00:55	Muscat	06:50	Monday

 Additional Trabzon flights:

Flight number	From	Departure Time	To	Arrival Time	Days
WY 167	Muscat	09:35	Trabzon	12:45	Friday, Sunday
WY 168	Trabzon	14:00	Muscat	19:05

Oman Air is renowned for its exceptional award-winning products and services, both in the air and on the ground, and for the signature Omani hospitality accessible to guests on every flight. The airline offers wide-body service, including Boeing 787 Dreamliner in addition to the Boeing 737 between Muscat and Istanbul. The airline’s single-aisle Boeing 737 fleet runs flights between Muscat and Trabzon. Guests should check omanair.com for the most up-to-date flight schedules and times, as they are subject to change

Guests can also book a customized Istanbul and Trabzon holiday package through Oman Air Holidays.

Oman Air Adds More Flights Between Muscat and Salalah

To meet exceptional Khareef season demand for Salalah in Oman’s southern Dhofar Governorate, Oman Air has gradually increased daily flight frequencies on its Muscat-Salalah-Muscat sector to reach up to 30 flights a day.

The additional flights on the sector reflect Salalah's reputation as a top tourist destination during Khareef (monsoon) season. The airline will increase flights based on the schedule below:

Flights a day	Dates
20 Flights	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday	Effective 14 August 2022
28 Flights	Thursday, Saturday
22 Flights	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday	Effective 21 August 2022
30 Flights	Thursday, Saturday

 

Oman Air is renowned for its exceptional award-winning products and services, both in the air and on the ground, and for the signature Omani hospitality accessible to guests on every flight. Between Muscat and Salalah, the airline offers wide-body service, including Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A330 in addition to Boeing 737. Guests should check omanair.com for the most up-to-date flight schedules and times, as they are subject to change.

Oman Air Holidays has assembled customizable Salalah packages, which allow visitors to see some of the most popular tourist attractions in and around Salalah. Each package is intended to give visitors a taste of the city's most popular attractions.

Air Canada picks longlist for Canada's Best New Restaurants 2022

Air Canada is proud to present the 30 nominees for Canada's Best New Restaurants. Since 2002, Air Canada enRoute has celebrated through this program the country's best new restaurants, chefs, teams and emerging talent—and this year, the Top 10 list is back! The highly anticipated longlist is out today on CanadasBestNewRestaurants.com.

Canada's Best New Restaurants celebrates its 21st year, making it the longest-running national culinary talent search and the only cross-country restaurant ranking to use a single, anonymous reviewer who sets out to sample the year's best new restaurants. Based on the recommendations of our national panel of food experts, Air Canada sent one undercover writer on a month-long culinary marathon in search of the top 30 most notable openings across the country, all of which are now contenders for the coveted Top 10 list.

The 2022 Canada's Best New Restaurants longlist spans 15 cities across eight provinces. From a four-seat Sichuan noodle counter at a Chinese grocery store in Montreal to a steakhouse reimagined in a panoramic lounge 40 floors above Calgary, this year's list features 30 restaurants in a range of formats, including a permanent pop-up, an art gallery-housed takeout spot, and pandemic-delayed visions that finally came to fruition.

Oman Air to operate 48 Match Day Shuttle flights between Muscat and Doha for football world cup

The national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Air has confirmed it will offer more flights for football fans during this winter's FIFA World Cup being held in Qatar.

The airline has said it will operate 48 Match Day Shuttle flights between Muscat and Doha from 21st November to 3rd December 2022. Oman Air offers wide-body service, including Boeing 787 Dreamliner between Muscat and Doha. Passengers on shuttle flights will enjoy Oman Air’s exceptional award-winning products and services, both in the air and on the ground, and its signature Omani hospitality is accessible to guests on every flight.

Return Match Day Shuttle flights can be booked on the Oman Air website (omanair.com) with prices starting from 49 OMR for Economy Class and 155 OMR for Business Class. Fares include fees, taxes, airport charges, and hand baggage allowance.

Passengers are advised to arrive in Doha at least four hours before the start of a match due to the high frequency of flights each day. In addition, all passengers must register for a Hayya card (fan ID) prior to their flight, as this is required for travel on all Match Day Shuttle flights and for entry into Qatar.

Throughout the tournament, football fans can book their Match Day Shuttle flights, which provide a smooth and comfortable 24-hour experience between Muscat and Doha. The service is intended to seamlessly connect fans to Qatar so that they can attend their respective matches. A no-check-in baggage policy also allows passengers to plan an easy-in, easy-out travel itinerary. 

Football fans to the region can also visit Muscat to experience thrilling adventures, breathtaking natural beauty, and genuine Omani hospitality through a variety of stopover packages available from Oman Air Holidays. Whether stopping for a few hours, overnight or for several days, the Sultanate of Oman has something to appeal to every traveller's itinerary.

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Places to stay in Oman......

Hormuz Grand Muscat, A Radisson Collection Hotel

A luxury stay in the capital of Oman

Set where east meets west, the Hormuz Grand Muscat, a Radisson Collection Hotel celebrates a new kind of luxury, rich in culture overlooking the Muscat Mountains. The hotel exceeds the expectations of the modern traveller and is the ideal business and leisure destination. This top-quality hotel is centrally located between Muscat International Airport, Ministries, the popular Muscat Hills, and Al Mouj Golf course. Overlooking the fast-growing Central Business District of Seeb and being in close proximity to some popular landmarks and shopping destinations as well as the New Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre make Hormuz Grand Muscat the ideal attraction for business, leisure, and tourism.

Whether you are visiting Muscat for business or leisure, this hotel has everything you need. After a day of meetings or exploring, relax in one of the 231 elegantly appointed spacious rooms and suites, each with 5-star amenities like free high-speed Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service.

Check rates and availability here.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Muscat

Explore the beautiful Gulf of Oman

Located by Muscat's central business district and prime shopping, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Muscat is perfect for business visits and relaxing vacations. Located just 15 kilometres from Muscat International Airport, guests can enjoy the bustle and culture of this capital city, as well as the beauty of nearby mountains and beaches along the Gulf of Oman. Choose from 153 comfortable rooms and suites with climate control and free Wi-Fi. This stylish hotel has two restaurants and three bars that offer a variety of cuisine and ambience. Visit the health club for a refreshing swim in the outdoor, temperature-controlled pool. 

Check rates and availability here.

American Airlines to make $1.5 million donation to the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

American will provide $750,000 as a resource grant and $250,000 for scholarships to OBAP’s Luke Weathers Flight Academy

An additional $250,000 per year over the next two years will be provided for scholarships

American Airlines extended job offers to 45 diverse aviators at OBAPs 46th Annual Conference

American Airlines announced a donation of $1.5 million to the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) Luke Weathers Flight Academy during the organization’s 46th annual conference, held Aug. 10–12. American served as the title sponsor of OBAPs 46th annual conference, which included several notable industry speakers, aerospace professional development workshops and networking opportunities.

“Our strength lies in having a team, especially pilots, that represent the diverse communities we serve,” said American CEO Robert Isom. “We must expose young people to careers in aviation, provide relief to financial barriers and increase the number of underrepresented minority pilots on the flight deck.”

The contribution will provide resource grants and scholarships to the Lieutenant Colonel Luke Weathers Flight Academy to recruit and train pilots with diverse backgrounds and support the airline’s efforts to help the industry diversify the flight deck.

AEGEAN and Emirates ink codeshare partnership

AEGEAN and Emirates confirmed a new codeshare partnership has been agreed upon and will give passengers better connectivity on each airline's route networks. 

Emirates will place its code on AEGEAN operated flights, providing customers with a convenient and seamless booking experience as well as one consistent baggage policy, to popular destinations: Kerkyra, Chania, Irakleion, Mikonos, Thira, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos.

AEGEAN will place its code on Emirates-operated flights between Dubai and Athens for their customers to benefit from smooth connections to Dubai and onward. Travel itineraries can now be booked on emirates.com and aegeanair.com, with travel agents as well as online travel agents (OTAs), for travel immediately.

Starting October 2022, Emirates and AEGEAN will further increase their joint codeshare network to include eight more European regional routes via Athens, including Bucharest, Belgrade and Naples, among others, as well as westwards on Emirates’ flights to New York Newark from Athens, and New York JFK from Milan. Emirates currently serves Athens with 12 weekly flights operated by a Boeing 777.  These additional codeshare routes will be subject to receiving the necessary regulatory approvals.

Through its codeshare agreements with more than 26 carriers, two rail partners as well as 110 interline partners worldwide, Emirates offers its customers truly global connectivity across 6 continents.

Philippines is looking to buy Boeing Chinook helicopters after dropping Russian deal

Photo RAF / Royal Air Force

The Philippines is now looking to buy Chinook helicopters from Boeing in the United States, its ambassador confirmed today after a deal worth $227.35 million with Russia was scrapped in order to avoid sanctions.

It was just days before Rodrigo Duterte ended his six-year Presidential term, that Philippines scrapped the deal to buy 16 Mi-17 Russian military transport helicopters.   "This cancellation of this contract is precipitated mainly by the war in Ukraine. While there are sanctions expected to come our way, from the United States and western countries, obviously it is not in our interest to continue and pursue this contract," ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez told the media.

The Chinooks would be used to transport troops and equipment, replacing the nation's existing hardware, the ambassador confirmed. The Philippines is pursuing discussions with Russia to recover the $38 million deposit payment it made for the helicopters. 

Airbus A380 to return to Perth in December as Emirates ramps up service.

From 1st December the Dubai-based Emirates has confirmed it will be bringing back the iconic Airbus A380 to service to and from the Australian city of Perth.

The daily A380 service will replace the existing daily Boeing 777- 300ER operation between Dubai and Perth and marks a significant step in the airline’s ramp-up of services to Australia. The upgauge of aircraft effectively increases the seats on the route to close to 500 more per flight.

EK420 from Dubai will depart at 02:45, arriving in Perth at 17:20 the same day while EK421 flight will depart from Perth at 22:20, arriving in Dubai at 05:25 the following day.

20 Years of Flying to Perth

Since its inaugural flight to Perth back in August 2002, Emirates has flown close to 6 million passengers between Perth and its Dubai hub, travelling more than 220 million kilometres on over 24,000 flights.

Initially starting as a four times weekly service, the airline expanded its Perth operations due to strong demand for travel, the seamless connectivity provided by the airline, coupled with its award winning product and hospitality. This grew to a daily operation in May 2003 and was followed by the opening of Emirates’ first Perth lounge in February 2006.

In recognition of the demand for its premium offering, Emirates introduced its signature First Class Suites in March 2008 which was extended across multiple services. The airline touched down with its flagship A380 for the first time in May 2015, highlighting its ongoing commitment to the market, and putting its customers first with exceptional service and a premium travel experience across all classes.

Emirates has also been a longstanding supporter of arts, cultural and sporting institutions during this period in Western Australia, with investments across a number of initiatives.

The airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, has also been an important contributor to the local economy, exporting meat, fruit and vegetables and mining equipment across the airline’s global route network including the Middle East, Europe and beyond.

The Demand for Travel

Emirates has seen a strong increase in passenger bookings to and from Australia with significant demand across all its cabins, particularly following the launch of its Premium Economy which was first introduced on one of its daily Sydney services on 1 August.

The European summer has been the biggest driver of demand for Emirates, with European cities making up 8 of its top ten destinations Australians are currently flying to. Topping the list is the UK followed by Italy, France, Greece and Ireland making up the top five. Spain, Lebanon, Germany, The Netherlands and Turkey round out the top 10 destinations.

Many Emirates passengers are taking advantage of stopover travel, with the airline seeing a strong increase in the number of passengers who have enjoyed a brief stop in Dubai. Dubai Experience, which launched in April across 20 markets including Australia, helps passengers explore everything about Dubai and the UAE.

Flying with Emirates

Customers of Emirates and Qantas have access to an expansive network of destinations thanks to the codeshare partnership between the two airlines. Together, Emirates and Qantas provide customers access to more than 100 codeshare destinations, including 55 points across Australia and New Zealand. Qantas customers can fly with Emirates to Dubai and access over 50 cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Emirates remains focused on taking the stress out of travel and has led the industry in protecting the health of its customers. Emirates’ customers travel with the assurance that the latest health and safety measures are in place at every step of the journey.

Air Center’s H225s help elite pararescue forces reach operational excellence in offshore training

The U.S. Air Force enlisted Air Center Helicopters’ H225s to conduct Special Operations training in elite offshore rescue operations - preparing them for real-life rescue operations in the field.

With its 16 H225s and 4 H125s, Air Center Helicopters is well known in the industry for its wide breadth of operational experience and capabilities - conducting everything from personnel recovery and medical evacuation in hostile military environments to firefighting and even carrying out scientific research on the ice sheets in Antarctica for the U.S. National Science Foundation. Recently, they supported a U.S. Air Force Special Operations Pararescue training unit, capstoning a rigorous skill level upgrade course - preparing them for rescue operations in more challenging offshore conditions.

Premier rescue unit for the U.S. Air Force

As part of the Special Warfare community, Pararescuemen or “PJs” as they’re referred to, are highly skilled tactical and technical rescue specialists with advanced medical capabilities. PJs are relied on in the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force to retrieve injured airmen in challenging and potentially hostile conditions. With expertly honed skills in parachuting, combat scuba diving, high angle rescue, and emergency medical care, they regularly undergo training to sharpen their abilities - making them a truly formidable rescue team.

H225: the ideal training helicopter

H225 SAR

Troubled SAS gets $700 million in debtor-in-possession financing

The financially troubled SAS has announced it has entered into a debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing credit agreement for USD 700 million - around SEK 7.0 billion with funds managed by Apollo Global Management

This is a specialized type of bridge financing used by businesses that are restructuring through a chapter 11 process. This  DIP financing will enable SAS to continue meeting its obligations throughout the chapter 11 process. It is subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and is structured like a nine-month loan, which can be extended incrementally up to an 18-month term.

“We are pleased to have secured this financing commitment from investment firm Apollo Global Management, which follows an extensive and competitive process”, says Carsten Dilling, Chairman of the Board of SAS. “With this financing, we will have a strong financial position to continue supporting our on-going operations throughout our voluntary restructuring process in the U.S. Apollo Global Management has a long track record of helping build stronger, more competitive businesses and extensive experience in the aviation sector. With their substantial financing commitment, we can now focus entirely on accelerating the implementation our SAS FORWARD plan, and to continue our more than 75-year legacy of being the leading airline in Scandinavia.”

“SAS is one of Europe’s leading airlines and we are pleased to support the business operations as they implement their restructuring plans to emerge a stronger company,” said Apollo Partner Antoine Munfakh. “At Apollo we have a wealth of experience in commercial aviation and fully support the comprehensive SAS FORWARD plan as well as the goals of recapitalizing the Company upon its emergence from the chapter 11 process.”

 

 

 

B-52 Stratofortress Lands In Maine After 29 Years

Photo by Master Sgt. Andrew Sinclair

It’s been nearly 29 years since a B-52 Stratofortress has landed in the great state of Maine; the last time being in the Fall of 1993 at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine.

At the time of its closure, Loring AFB was home to the 42nd Bomb Wing, most notable for the dynamic duo consisting of the B-52 and KC-135 tanker; an imperative pair for homeland defence and providing high strategic value during peacetime and wartime, most notable of which was during the Cold War.

Photo by Master Sgt. Andrew Sinclair

Loring Air Force Base had a huge impact on the local community, striking a sense of patriotism in the heart of Aroostook county; forever embedded in its core, and in the early afternoon of August 11th, 2022, history would once again be made at the former Strategic Air Command Superbase.

Excitement and anticipation were among the many emotions as a crowd of civilians, veterans, and service members stood frantically hunting the County skies looking for the long-awaited Stratofortress to return home after 29 years; a site I can only compare to a feeling we’ve all been privy to as kids searching for Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. And for those of us lucky enough to be on the roof of the former Loring AFB control tower, it certainly seemed as though Santa was expected in Maine’s Northern skies at any moment.

The crowd had a 360-degree view of the airfield, its massive hangars, and what was left of the hundreds of buildings that housed over ten thousand airmen and their families; truly a shell of its former self from 30 years ago.

When the B-52 “BUFF” appeared over the horizon, in flight from Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, the onlookers were amazed and stunned in excitement that they were about to witness its landing; a task the locals and Loring Air Museum leadership have been trying to accomplish for a very long time.

Photo by Master Sgt. Andrew Sinclair

Qantas Freight will increase its domestic fleet with six Airbus A321 aircraft to meet growing demand

Qantas Freight has announced that it will increase its domestic fleet with six Airbus A321 aircraft to meet growing e-commerce demand from its customers.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the national carrier’s freight division has seen a step change in cargo volumes driven partly by a structural shift to online shopping.

The six A321 freighters, which are expected to progressively arrive between early calendar year 2024 and mid-2026, will replace the long-term fleet of five Boeing 737 freighters that are approaching the end of their economic life.

Each A321 freighter can carry 23 tonnes of cargo, nine tonnes more than the older 737s, and are around 30 per cent more fuel efficient per tonne of freight carried.

The aircraft will be sourced on the open market and converted from carrying passengers to cargo, subject to commercial negotiations. Their model designation is A321P2F, which stands for ‘Passenger to Freighter’. This conversion work will include removing seats and the installation of a cargo handling system.

Qantas currently has three A321P2Fs and replacing the remaining 737 freighters with these newer aircraft will simplify Freight’s fleet, bringing extra efficiency in training and maintenance.

Major widebody fleet renewal for Malaysia Airlines sees order for 20 Airbus A330neos

Malaysia Airlines to acquire 20 A330neo for widebody fleet renewal

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has selected the A330neo for the carrier’s widebody fleet renewal programme. The initial agreements cover the acquisition of 20 A330-900 aircraft, with 10 to be purchased from Airbus and 10 to be leased from Dublin-based Avolon.

The announcement was made at an event in Kuala Lumpur, attended by MAG CEO Izham Ismail and Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International Christian Scherer, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the aircraft to be ordered from Airbus. The agreements with engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and Avolon were also signed at the ceremony.

Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo will join the carrier’s fleet of six long-range A350-900s and gradually replace its 21 A330ceo aircraft. The carrier will operate the A330neo on its network covering Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East. Malaysia Airlines will configure its A330neo fleet with a premium layout seating 300 passengers in two classes.

Izham Ismail said: “The acquisition of the A330neo is a natural transition from our current A330ceo fleet. The A330neo will not only provide fleet modernisation and enhanced operational efficiency, but will also meet environmental targets through reduced fuel-burn per seat, while keeping passenger safety and comfort at its core. This is a significant milestone as MAG moves towards the successful execution of our Long-Term Business Plan 2.0 to position itself as a leading aviation services Group within the region.”

Emirates has announced plans to up frequencies to Mauritius starting 1 October 2022

Emirates has announced plans to up frequencies to Mauritius starting 1 October 2022. The additional evening frequency which will operate up till 31 January 2023 is in response to increased travel demand to and from Mauritius, and will boost connectivity to the island nation.

Emirates’ third-daily flight to Mauritius will operate with the following schedule (all timings local): EK 709 departs Dubai at 22:10 hrs and arrives in Mauritius at 04:45 hrs. EK 710 leaves Mauritius at 06:30 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 13:05 hrs.

The third-daily flight will boost seat capacity to and from Mauritius by approximately 35%, catering to the surge in demand and providing added support to the tourism industry during one of the busiest travel seasons. The added frequency supplements the existing double-daily Airbus A380 services and will also offer customers travelling to Mauritius with more flexibility when planning their trip with the choice of an early morning arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in addition to the existing EK 0701 service which arrives mid-morning, and EK 0703 that arrives early evening. Travellers departing Mauritius will also have ample choice to connect safely and seamlessly to Dubai, and through Dubai onwards to Emirates’ global network of 130 destinations. All three daily flights offer code sharing with Air Mauritius to allow greater access and a seamless travel experience to and from the island nation.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group said, “We thank the Mauritian authorities for considering our request to operate a third daily flight. Air connectivity is critical to international tourism, and these extra seats will help us bring even more visitors from across our network to Mauritius, and accommodate rising demand. Emirates is committed to playing a key role to promote inbound travel, and support the government in achieving its goal of hosting 1.4 million tourists by June 2023.”

In May this year, Emirates renewed its MoU with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) aimed at jointly promoting the island destination across Emirates’ global network. Mauritius is a very popular leisure destination, and continues to experience consistent growth post-pandemic.

Travellers flying with Emirates can enjoy the best experience in the sky with an unmatched culinary experience, regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can sit back and relax with more than 5,000 channels of carefully curated global entertainment content featuring movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks and more with ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.

In addition to carrying more passengers, Emirates’ third-daily flight between Dubai and Mauritius will provide around 30-40 tonnes of cargo belly-hold capacity for businesses, further opening global trade lanes through enhanced import and export opportunities.

IPS puts off start date..... from August to October......

With multiple challenges currently facing the aviation industry as the recovery from the global pandemic continues at a pace plus the high cost of aviation fuel, IPS Airways has taken the decision to postpone its start-up operation from Leeds-Bradford Airport and East Midlands Airport, which was due to commence early August. The carrier now says it hopes to start services in October this year.  

Passengers who have booked directly with IPS Airways will get a refund automatically using the original payment method. For those passengers who have booked through our travel agents, they should go back to that agent for a full refund. 

IPS Airways was due to link the UK's midlands with Pakistan using direct flights operated on a leased Airbus A330-300 with a two-class configuration. IPS Airways aimed to offer the highest level of service, operations, and safety. All based around the needs, wants, comfort and convenience of their passengers. 

Under the firm's terms and conditions, it advised that flights would be "operated by IPS Airways UK Limited, whose registered office is 635 Sovereign Court Sipson Road West Drayton UB7 0JE, yet there is no air operators licence registered under that name or address. The company was incorporated in July 2021 using a company formation website for a fee of £19.99 with a company value of £100. According to some media reports, the firm is being investigated by the aviation regulator, the CAA.

Alex Antilla appointed as Delta's Vice President for Latin America

Delta has appointed Alex Antilla as Vice President, Latin America. Based in Santiago, Chile, he will oversee Delta’s business and customer experience strategy throughout Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, as well as the airline’s partnerships with the LATAM Group* and Aeromexico.

“As Delta continues to expand its international network and product offering to support the growing demand for travel, Alex’s diverse experience will be pivotal in leveraging opportunities, delivering the Delta Difference for our customers, and leading the best employees in the business,” said Alain Bellemare, Delta’s President - International. “With Alex’s leadership, we will also strengthen our partnerships with LATAM and Aeromexico, providing the best network and customer experience throughout Latin America.”

Antilla has worked with Delta for 16 years in the trans-Pacific, trans-Atlantic and Latin American regions, and in this new role he will focus exclusively on Latin America. Before this new position, he served as Managing Director, Latin America Pricing and Revenue Management, leading a team of professionals focused on optimizing and maximizing revenue and profit for Delta’s Latin America portfolio. He has also held roles in Network Planning, Sales and Alliances, and has worked extensively on several of Delta’s joint ventures.

“As Delta continues to invest in delivering a world-class customer experience, I look forward to working with our teams to strengthen our partnerships and to deliver best-in-class solutions, products and services to our customers and partners in Latin America,” Antilla said. “This outstanding team is poised to build a bright future and capitalize on the great opportunities in this important market.”

*Delta and LATAM Joint Venture pending U.S. Department of Transportation approval.

Air Arabia's second quarter net profit reached AED 160 million

The Middle East & North Africa's largest low-cost carrier operator, Air Arabia has just released its latest results showing an impressive net profit of AED 451 million for the first six months of the year,  ending June 30, 2022. This compares to the AED 44 million registered in the corresponding first half 2021. 

Air Arabia reported a turnover of AED 2.24 billion, that's 110% up from last year and testament to the growing demand that has seen more than 5.2 million people fly with the budget airline between January and June 2022.

In other key areas, the airline reported that load fact was up 11% to 79% on average. Net profit stood at AED 160 million and the company’s turnover for the second quarter of 2022 increased by 125%  to AED 1.11 billion. More than 2.7 million passengers flew with Air Arabia between March and June 2022 across the carrier’s five hubs

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohamed Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia, said: “The solid financial and operational performance registered in the first half of this year is a testament to the strength of the business model we operate and the appeal to the value-driven product that Air Arabia offers to our customers. The strong performance we witnessed in the first quarter of this year continued in the second quarter and was supported by higher customer demand and cost control measures adopted by the management team”.

He added: “We have continued with our network expansion strategy in the second quarter of this year by increasing the fleet size, adding new routes and new frequencies across all operating hubs as well as continuing with preparations for the launch of our new ventures in Armenia and Pakistan. Air Arabia remains focused on diversifying and expanding its business while investing in product innovation and adopting further measures to control costs”.