Cathay Cargo congratulates Hong Kong International Airport on being named world’s busiest cargo airport for the 13th time in 14 years

Celebrating the city's achievement and reaffirming its commitment to contributing to its home hub’s continued success.

Cathay Cargo congratulates Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for once again being named the world's busiest cargo airport in 2023, according to the latest data from Airports Council International (ACI). As the city's home carrier for 77 years and the largest cargo operator at HKIA, Cathay Cargo is proud to be part of this success story.

Cathay’s Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “Hong Kong once again being named number one in the world for air cargo is a testament to the resilience, innovation and collaboration of the Hong Kong air cargo community. With its world-leading infrastructure, expertise and capabilities, supported by the increased development of intermodal connectivity within the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong continues to be at the forefront of the global air cargo industry.

“Cathay’s ongoing investments in our passenger and freighter fleets, our extensive cargo network, cargo facilities, and our digital and sustainability capabilities to meet the evolving needs of cargo customers, are a reflection of our deep confidence in the long-term future of the Hong Kong air cargo logistics hub. We certainly don’t take Hong Kong’s air cargo success for granted, and remain committed to continuing to work together with the Transport and Logistics Bureau, Civil Aviation Department, Airport Authority Hong Kong, all sectors in the air cargo industry, and countless other important stakeholders to continue to grow Hong Kong further as the world’s leading air cargo hub, and the premier air cargo gateway connecting the Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world.”

Cathay unveils new Cathay Dining brand

Exemplifying Cathay’s commitment to delivering unparalleled service to its customers

Cathay Pacific announces the rebranding of its catering business as Cathay Dining, reinforcing its vision to become one of the world’s greatest service brands. For nearly six decades, the subsidiary formerly known as Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd. (‘CPCS’) has consistently delivered tailored, high-quality inflight and catering cuisine solutions to customers in Hong Kong and across the globe.

Today, the business continues to expand its expertise, which marks a significant milestone in Cathay Dining’s journey and reaffirms its dedication to curating exceptional experiences through high-quality catering solutions for Cathay Pacific and other esteemed airlines. Additionally, it reinforces Cathay’s commitment to forging thoughtful dining partnerships and offering expert restaurant recommendations to its esteemed Cathay members.

This change aligns with Cathay’s overarching premium travel lifestyle proposition as a group. It exemplifies Cathay’s relentless pursuit of excellence and its commitment to delivering unparalleled service to its valued customers. 

Introducing the new brand, Cathay Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer, and Cathay Dining Chair, Alex McGowan said: “We have invested heavily over the years to transform Cathay Dining into a world-class provider of dining solutions and experiences. The new brand reflects this and underlines the important role that dining plays in helping Cathay achieve its vision of becoming one of the world’s greatest service brands.”

Annual passenger numbers across MAG airports increase by 13%

More than 61m passengers travelled through MAG airports in the 12 months to the end of March - up 13.4% year-on-year.

MAG – which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports – served 4.6m passengers in March, equal to 103% of 2019 levels, and up 12.4% on the same month last year.

London Stansted recorded its busiest 12 months ever, with 28.5m passengers travelling through the airport in the year to the end of March 2024 – up 11.8% on last year. Across what was also its busiest March on record, London Stansted served 2.2m passengers – up 10.8% on last year and equal to 104% of 2019 levels.

61.3m passengers travelled through a MAG airport in the 12 months to March

UK’s largest airports group welcomed 4.6m passenger in March

London Stansted had its busiest 12 months on record – with 28.5m passengers travelling through the airport

Manchester Airport also had a record month, serving 2.2m passengers in March – the sixth consecutive month it recorded its best-ever performance. The figure was 104% of 2019 levels, up 12.3% year-on-year.

East Midlands Airport had the highest year-on-year increases in the Group this month – reaching an annual total of 4.1m passengers for the first time since 2019 – up 22.4% on last year. Across March, the airport welcomed 240,000 passengers, up 30.7% on the same months last year, and equal to 94% of 2019 levels.

Operational performance across the Group remains consistently strong, and in March 100% of passengers at all three airports passed through security in 15 minutes or less.

RAF Fighter Squadron arrives in Romania

RAF Fighter Squadron arrives in Romania to co-lead NATO Air Policing mission

Royal Air Force fighter jets have started protecting NATO’s eastern flank, close to the Black Sea, following a handover ceremony held on 9th April in Romania. 

Six RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft are taking part in the four-month mission, with jets from IX (Bomber) Squadron, along with more than two hundred RAF personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (140EAW) deployed from RAF Lossiemouth to Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania. They will fly alongside the Romanian Air Force as part of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission until August.

The air policing mission begins this week following a ceremony today, 9th April, involving RAF personnel, their Romanian counterparts, and NATO officials. The personnel involved in the mission will be on standby at a moment’s notice to launch Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) intercepts of Russian aircraft approaching NATO airspace.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:  “Our NATO air policing deployment helps to keep Europe’s skies secure, and I pay tribute to the dedicated personnel delivering this important mission.

Ready to launch at a moment’s notice for the next four months, the Typhoon pilots will respond with professionalism to threats and incidents in support of our collective security. 

We’re showing the scale of our commitment to NATO in its 75th year, with deployments like this and thousands of personnel operating and exercising across the alliance to keep the UK and our allies safe.”

The countries involved in NATO’s air policing missions rotate on a regular basis, with the RAF having flown to intercept more than 50 Russian aircraft in the first half of last year while leading the Alliance’s enhanced air policing mission from Estonia. This will be the fifth time the RAF have participated in the air policing mission in Romania.

Improved load factor and on-time performance reports icelandair

Icelandair boosting passenger numbers

In March 2024, Icelandair transported 297,552 passengers, which represents a 25% increase in passenger traffic as measured by Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) on a capacity increase of 22% compared to March 2023. During the month, 39% of passengers were travelling to Iceland, 19% from Iceland, 34% were via passengers, and 8% were travelling within Iceland. Load factor was 83.1% and on-time performance was 88.5%, increasing by 4.7 ppt from the already solid performance in March 2023.

Now is a great time to go birdwatching in Iceland,

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Bogi Nils Bogason, Icelandair president and CEO said:  “We continue seeing strong traffic numbers, with 25% increase in passenger traffic as compared to March last year. The traffic figures are impacted by an unusually early Easter traffic. During the month, we saw 50% increase in the number of via passengers and 13% increase on the from market while the number of passengers on the to market grew by 4%. These figures underscore the flexibility of our route network, allowing us to align capacity to developments in demand and, in this case, focus our capacity and sales efforts on the via and from markets where the demand was stronger.

Furthermore, we maintain our strong on-time performance and consistently high load factor despite a 22% capacity increase. This success is thanks to the excellent performance of our employees.”

See below for more figures....

Passenger numbers rise at East Midlands Airport

East Midlands Airport saw annual passenger numbers soar above the 4m mark for the first time since the pandemic – with nearly 750,000 more people choosing it than a year ago.

Figures released last week show 240,000 passengers travelled through East Midlands in March, which was up 22.4% on the same month last year.

That drove the airport’s rolling annual total to 4.077m – the first time since 2020 it crossed the 4m threshold.

The new figures are released as EMA’s summer season starts to get underway, which is shaping up to be among its best yet. The aircraft stands are set to be full this summer after Tui and Jet2 each added new aircraft based at EMA, along with some new routes on offer. These include Jet2 now flying to Naples in Italy and Eastern Airways partnering with Air France so that EMA customers can connect to flights all around the globe via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport – a great new destination for the summer when Paris hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Not only that, but some fantastic improvements have already taken shape at the start of a five-year, £120m investment programme. These include a new-look Castle Rock Tap Room & Kitchen along with modernised toilet facilities, improved customer wi-fi throughout the terminal, better seating, a large new JD Sports unit and even a fleet of new trolleys. And upgrades to the runway and taxiways will help to literally make people’s journeys smoother.

Oakland International Airport OAK to change its name to become 'San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.

'Allow more travellers to experience the sunnier side of the SF Bay Area' 

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors have endorsed changing the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK) name to the 'San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.'

On April 11, 2024, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners also voted unanimously to modify the airport's name.  Danny Wan, the Port of Oakland’s Executive Director, said, “Every day, hundreds of travellers drive from the East Bay to SFO, passing OAK because they can’t get the flight they need. For the economic health of the region, this must change.” He added, “Our renaming will make travel easier for thousands of people and help grow the local economy.”

Modifying the airport’s name is said to be part of a broader effort to improve the passenger experience at OAK, which includes upgrading the Terminal 1 check-in lobby and restroom facilities and providing new local concessions and restaurants.

Once the Port Commission has given final approval on May 9, 2024 for the name modification, staff will move forward with the formal renaming, including working with air carriers, other airports, and local agencies to reflect the modification in airport and airline systems. The airport code OAK and visual brand will remain the same.

According to the airport, a number of local groups and organizations have supported the name change, including:

Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce

Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

Oakland African-American Chamber of Commerce

Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce

Hegenberger Corridor Owners & Operators

Visit Oakland

Visit Tri-Valley

Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group

Visit Berkeley

Visit Walnut Creek

East Bay Economic Development Alliance

Ridgemont Hospitality

There is no guarantee a name change will encourage more airlines to start new routes to or from Oakland, nor will it change the geographical location of the airport, so it remains to be seen on how much impact the name change will have on the wider aviation industry. Local media are estimating the cost of adding San Francisco Bay to existing signs or replacements and changing the name on stationery will be approximately $2.4 million.  

Port Commission President Barbara Leslie said, "We are standing up for Oakland and the East Bay; this will boost inbound travellers’ geographic awareness of the airport by highlighting the airport’s location on the San Francisco Bay.” She also said, “This name will make it clear that OAK is the closest major airport, for 4.1 million people, three national laboratories, the top public university in the country, and California’s Wine Country."

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Get the Viva Vibe thanks to Wyndham's Viva Resorts

Viva Resorts by Wyndham, a collection of all-inclusive vacation resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, is thrilled to announce the launch of Viva Vibe, a dynamic entertainment offering set to redefine the all-inclusive travel experience. With an exciting repertoire of parties and productions at each resort, Viva Vibe promises to captivate guests with unforgettable experiences, celebrating the essence of fun in paradise.

Each resort will have multiple parties, performers and events simultaneously that are unique to their destinations. Some of the new Viva Vibe entertainment highlights are live top performances, DJ nights, Latin Parties, Neon Parties, Silent Parties, White Parties, Candy Shop Parties, Foam Parties and the iconic Beach Party, where toes meet the sand and the rhythm fills the air.

Viva Resorts looks forward to inviting travellers to the all-inclusive concept, offering guests an exciting array of amusements designed to thrill and delight participants of all ages. Whether child or adult, under the sun or under the stars, these awe-inspiring diversions feature the best of local talent with Viva Vibe promising nonstop fun for all.

"At Viva Resorts by Wyndham, we're committed to providing our guests with memorable experiences that go beyond the ordinary," said Viva Resorts by Wyndham Corporate Director, Marketing and Public Relations, Erika Sordo. "With the launch of Viva Vibe, we're taking our entertainment offerings to the next level, ensuring that every moment of our guests' stay is filled with excitement, energy and fun."

New public art installations celebrate Miami Beach Pride

Lincoln Road, the iconic outdoor shopping, dining and cultural destination situated in the heart of Miami Beach, unveiled a new public art installation to celebrate Miami Beach Pride, bringing together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, their friends, allies and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQ+ community. The installation is titled “PRIDE247” and is on view through June 30, highlighting the artistic vision of AMLgMATD, Miami-based artists Laz Ojalde and Natalie Zlamalova.

The pair channelled their creativity into reconstructing the LGBTQ pride flag by using polypropylene webbing straps that weave through the palm trees hovering Lincoln Road’s Euclid Oval. It’s become the focal point of the picture-perfect gathering space as a reminder that we are individuals who together weave the fabric of our society. Additionally, the artists elevated the district’s entry points on Washington Ave. and Alton Road, as well as the Euclid Oval, adding colorful textile sleeves to all the planters reflecting the pride progressive flag.

“Lincoln Road has a decades-long connection with the LGBTQ community, serving as a lively hub where they feel safe and celebrated,” said Anabel Llopis, executive director of the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District. “In honour of Lincoln Road’s deep ties with the community, we are thrilled to present art that not only supports equality and inclusivity but visually captivates our locals and visitors on a large scale.”

Lincoln Road

Situated in the heart of Miami Beach, the Lincoln Road District is a premier retail, lifestyle and cultural destination home to about 200 restaurants and shops, entertainment, and arts and cultural offerings. Lincoln Road ranked as the most-visited open-air destination in South Florida, with over 8 million visits in 2022. Referred to by some as “Miami’s living room,” there is nothing as quintessentially Miami Beach as Lincoln Road. It’s the street where models walk their dogs after runway shows, where stylish boulevardiers stroll past window shoppers, and where café culture overrules standard business meetings. Music and entertainment lovers will find refuge in the Lincoln Road District, home to the New World Symphony, Colony Theatre and Regal South Beach Theatre. Steps away is the remodelled Miami Beach Convention Center, which welcomes world-renowned Art Basel Miami Beach every December.

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New era of travel made for dogs has arrived with the Launch of BARK Air......

Woof Woof, a new era of travel made for dogs has arrived with the Launch of BARK Air.....a new global omnichannel dog brand with a mission to make all dogs happy!

The firm has partnered with a jet charter company to launch BARK Air. BARK Air is the world’s first air travel experience designed specifically for dogs first, and their human companions second, enabling them to travel together comfortably and conveniently. Starting now, premium flights for dogs (and their humans) are available for booking, with the first flights taking off from New York on Thursday, May 23.

Travelling long distances with a dog is a challenge many dog parents face, particularly for those dogs that don’t fit into a carrier that can be placed under the seat in front. Too often, dogs are denied travel, confined to a duffle bag, or endure the stress of flying in cargo. Recognizing these challenges, and the increasing demand for an accessible solution, BARK Air presents a more fun – and humane – option for dogs travelling with their two-legged human companions. BARK Air exemplifies BARK’s dog-first mentality and award-winning customer experience, setting a new standard for dogs who love to travel but have been forced to settle for less-than-ideal travelling conditions.

“When we started BARK in 2011, we were on a mission to disrupt the dog space and create products designed for dogs and their humans. We are excited to take the insights we’ve learned over the years to create an experience that is truly dog-first, which is drastically different from just accepting dogs – from the ground to the skies,” said Matt Meeker, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at BARK. “We believe this initiative will elevate awareness of our brand’s mission and values, introduce more dog lovers to the BARK family, and help enrich the lives of dogs and their people around the world.”

BARK Air has taken the white glove experience typical of a human’s first-class experience and redirected all that pampering to pooches – from booking to arrival to in-flight services and disembarkation, dogs will truly be the VIPs and treated to a positively luxurious, curated experience.

Following booking, humans will be contacted by a BARK Air concierge to collect information about each dog and their human travel plans to ensure the best possible experience.

On travel day, dogs and their companions will arrive at the airport 45 to 60 minutes before takeoff for a simple, efficient check-in process where dogs can meet other furry friends on their flight while their people are treated to meals prepared by onsite chefs – no crates, stressful TSA checkpoints, or screening.

SKY Airline gets a new Airbus A321neo jet on long-term lease

Aviation Capital Group, a global full-service aircraft asset manager, confirmed the delivery of one new Airbus A321neo aircraft on long-term lease to SKY Airline. This jet features CFM International LEAP-1A engines and is the second of two aircraft scheduled to be delivered to the airline.

ACG specializes in commercial aircraft leasing and aviation finance. In addition to aircraft leasing services, we provide aircraft asset management solutions tailored to meet our customers’ fleet management needs. 

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Porter starts Montréal - Vancouver route

Canadian regional carrier, Porter Airlines is starting a new service between Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The route marks Porter’s first Western Canada destination from Montréal.

All passengers will experience Porter’s genuine hospitality and elevated onboard service, including free, fast WiFi, a selection of premium snacks, and free beer and wine served in glassware. Priority check-in, extra legroom seats, premium pre-mixed cocktails, and fresh, healthy meals are also available with the all-inclusive PorterReserve fares or purchased à la carte with PorterClassic fares.

The new route begins with one daily roundtrip flight operated with Porter’s state-of-the-art 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. The two-by-two configuration means there are no middle seats on any Porter flight.

The scheduled service offers a variety of connections to Eastern Canada via YUL, including Halifax, Toronto-Pearson and Toronto-City, complementing existing daily non-stop service between Toronto-Pearson and Ottawa to Vancouver.

Porter’s codeshare partnership with Air Transat provides convenient connections from YUL throughout Europe, to destinations like Paris and London. Travellers will benefit from more choice and seamless connections.

Service from Montréal to Edmonton and Calgary begins later this spring. With the launch of the three new western destinations, Porter will operate 8 non-stop routes out of Montréal.

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Global Airlines Appoints New Head of Finance from KPMG

 

Dan Horner joins Global Airlines from KPMG

Global Airlines announced its latest full-time hire, with Dan Horner joining from KPMG, to head up its finance function.

Whilst at KPMG, Dan garnered significant aviation experience, specifically on projects for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as well as other leading international airlines, including Qantas.

Dan has a detailed understanding of airline operations, financial and corporate reporting, and commercial finance.

He joins Global as it continues to work with Airbus to confirm arrangements and approvals to fly its first fully acquired aircraft to a European facility in the coming weeks. It will then undergo further refurbishment and continue its overhaul work before entering service.

Dan will report to CEO James Asquith, and will work closely with the senior management team, in particular across commercial, investor relations and business planning.

Commenting on the appointment, James Asquith, CEO and Founder of Global Airlines said, "Thanks to his time at KPMG, Dan not only joins Global with significant industry experience, but he's also passionate about aviation and he, like all our colleagues and partners, sees the opportunity for Global to flourish.

"The finance function is the foundation of any successful organisation, and I am confident that Dan will play a key role in embedding rock-solid business principles into the organisation that will provide confidence to investors, regulators, partners as well as help attract more talent as we grow the function."

Dan Horner, Global's new Head of Finance added "This is an exciting opportunity to join the Global team, working with market leading aviation experts to meet the goals and vision of the business.

"I look forward to building a strong finance function with like-minded finance professionals who have an interest in the aviation industry.''

Dan is also a fully qualified chartered accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

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Ground-breaking airport hydrogen trial next critical step on journey to achieving zero emission aviation

• Project Acorn is the first airside hydrogen refuelling trial ever to take place at a major UK airport
• Hydrogen has been used to refuel and power critical parts of easyJet’s ground operation at Bristol Airport, demonstrating hydrogen can be safely and reliably used in place of other fuels in an airport
• The data and insight gathered will be used to create the first ever safety guidance and inform the creation of the regulatory framework
• Critically, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has played an active role in the trial as an independent reviewer of the safety case
• The trial also aims to accelerate the use of hydrogen in aviation and across other industries

A ground-breaking airside hydrogen refuelling trial, led by easyJet and supported by several cross-industry partners, has been successfully completed at Bristol Airport – the first airport trial of its kind at a major UK airport.

Hydrogen was used to refuel and power ground support equipment (GSE) – specifically, baggage tractors – servicing easyJet passenger aircraft. Conducted as part of the airline’s daily operations, the trial demonstrates that the gas can be safely and reliably used to refuel ground equipment in the busy, live airport environment.

The trial, dubbed Project Acorn, was in development for over a year and involved many other leading organisations from across aviation, engineering, logistics and academia. These include Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, Cranfield University, Connected Places Catapult (CPC), DHL Supply Chain, Fuel Cell Systems, the IAAPS research institute, Jacobs, Mulag and TCR.

The group intends to use the outputs of the trial to help develop industry best practice standards, provide guidance to airports, airlines, local authorities and regulators on required infrastructure changes, and support the development of a regulatory framework for hydrogen’s use on an airfield – standards which, due to hydrogen’s nascency in aviation, do not currently exist.

The data and insights gathered will also feed into research that groups like Hydrogen in Aviation (HIA)* are conducting to ensure UK infrastructure, regulatory and policy changes keep pace with the technological developments in carbon-emission free flying. It also supports the work and ambitions of other bodies such as Hydrogen South West (HSW) and the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), the latter having also co-funded the project.

David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet, said:   “It’s without doubt that hydrogen will be an important fuel of the future for short-haul aviation, as demonstrated by the rate of innovation we’re seeing.

While the technology is advancing at an exciting pace, as hydrogen isn’t used in commercial aviation today, there is currently no regulatory guidance in place on how it can and should be used, and so trials like this are very important in building the safety case and providing critical data and insight to inform the development of the industry’s first regulatory framework. This will ensure regulation not only keeps pace with innovation, but importantly also supports the industry in meeting its decarbonisation targets by 2050.”

Tim Johnson, Director for Strategy, Policy and Communications at the Civil Aviation Authority, comments:

“Projects such as this are cornerstones of our commitment to support innovation and decarbonisation in the industry.

This trial will serve as the basis of a White Paper which we will also be contributing to, as well as allow for the creation of further safety guidance and regulatory standards for the use of hydrogen in aviation. 

We look forward to helping nurture this seed of the future greener aviation sector as it continues to grow.”

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has placed an additional order for three H225 helicopters

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has placed an additional order for three H225 helicopters, taking its total H225 fleet up to 18. The largest Super Puma operator in Japan received three H225s in December 2023 and one in February 2024 for its growing fleet. The new helicopters will support territorial coastal activities, maritime law enforcement, as well as disaster relief missions in the country.

“The Japan Coast Guard has been an active operator of the Super Puma family helicopters for three decades. This follow-on order demonstrates the customer’s confidence in our products and the dedicated support to their fleet,” said Jean-Luc Alfonsi, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Japan. “We believe the H225 is the perfect choice for JCG’s critical missions for law enforcement, as well as coastal and island protection, given its versatility in all weather conditions. We are committed to fully supporting its existing fleet, as well as its upcoming deliveries, ensuring high availability for its operations.”