EasyJet asked to be a German feeder airline at Berlin

 EasyJet's Europe boss says the airline has been approached to be a provider of feeder flights from Berlin’s Tegel airport to the long-haul routes for other airlines.

“We have already had very many enquiries from other airlines that want to use our flights as feeders,” Thomas Haagensen told German newspaper daily Berliner Morgenpost on Saturday. The comments come after EasyJet began the process of taking over some of the failed German airline Air Berlin’s operations at Berlin's Tegel Airport.  The orange budget brand will be taking over the leases for around twenty-five Airbus A320 aircraft as well as a large number of slots at the airport.  Apparently, according to the newspaper, easyJet had already taken on, subject to contract, some 500 former Air Berlin staff in the region. 

The prospect of being or becoming a feeder airline within Europe is not wholly unexpected, indeed a number of airlines have looked into this prospect. Ryanair, Wizz, easyJet and others have all investigated various feeder operations within Europe within the last couple of years.  

Indeed, easyJet is already trying to turn itself into a 'feeder' type airline at London Gatwick this year, with the introduction of a new booking website specifically aimed at making it 'easier' for passengers to connect from easyJet services to those offered by its long-haul partners like WestJet and Norweigan. Although, using the new platform passengers end up paying more for their tickets, plus a connecting fee and it takes a great deal longer than the published minimum connecting times at Gatwick for other airlines.  

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Getting a Visa to Enter Brazil Just Got Easier

Thanks to a new electronic visa system, Brazil is becoming much easier to visit for North Americans. Southern Explorations, an adventure tour company with tours all over South America, is expecting a rush of bookings for Brazil starting in the new year. Beginning in January 2018, tourists from the United States and Canada will no longer have to wade through the complicated bureaucracy and paperwork to visit South America's largest country.

Brazil has already started to roll out an electronic visa program that eliminates the need for visitors to physically visit a visa centre in their own country to apply for and receive a tourist visa to travel to Brazil. Tourists and business visitors alike can apply for the new visas once they're available in their country of residence.

The new visas will be electronically issued within 72 hours of receipt of a correctly completed application. Marx Beltrão, Brazil's tourism minister, predicts the new visa program will increase tourism to Brazil by up to 25 percent.

First Korean Air Bombardier CSeries Jet Handed Over.

Yesterday, Pratt & Whitney and Korean Air Lines celebrated delivery of the airline's first Bombardier CS300 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) engine. Bombardier hosted a delivery ceremony in Mirabel, Canada where both C Series and GTF final assembly take place.

"Today we celebrate delivery of our first GTF-powered C Series aircraft. We are excited for the dramatic improvements in efficiency, emissions, and noise that will enhance our operations and passenger experience," said Soo-Keun Lee, Chief Technology Officer at Korean Air.

Transport Canada suspends West Wind Aviation's Air Operator Certificate

Transport Canada suspended West Wind Aviation's Air Operator Certificate today, which prohibits the company from providing commercial air services. The department took this serious action in the interest of public safety because the department identified deficiencies in the company's Operational Control System. An Operational Control System ensures that a company's day-to-day actions are compliant with safety requirements for things such as the dispatching of personnel and aircraft.

On December 13, 2017, a West Wind Aviation aircraft, with 25 people onboard, crashed in Fond-du-Lac, Saskatchewan. Transport Canada identified deficiencies during a post-accident inspection of West Wind Aviation from December 18 to 20, 2017. As a result, in the interest of public safety, Transport Canada suspended West Wind Aviation's Air Operator Certificate and will not allow the company to resume its commercial air service until it demonstrates compliance with aviation safety regulations.

Transport Canada takes its aviation safety oversight role very seriously and expects every air operator to fully comply with aviation safety regulations.

British Airways Aim to Transform Boarding Experience

British Airways has become the first airline to trial self-service biometric boarding gates on international flights out of the USA, working in partnership with Los Angeles Airport.

As part of the airline's commitment to invest in innovation and new technology, British Airways has begun an exclusive trial that will transform customers' airport experience by improving the boarding process and significantly reducing the amount of time it takes to board an aircraft.  

The new technology, created by Vision-Box, will create a smoother journey for customers, as they will no longer need to present their passport or boarding pass at the gate – only at check-in and security. Instead, travellers can simply look into a camera prior to boarding, wait for their biometric data to be verified, and then walk onto the aircraft.

Boeing in talks to buyout Embraer

The American mega-plane maker Boeing have confirmed today they are in talks to take over Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer.  The deal puts a value of  $3.7 billion on Embraer and sent the Brazilian companies share price rocketing on Thursday, although industry commentators are urging on the side of caution at the announcement, for it would undoubtedly cause hundreds, if not thousands of job losses at Embraer - news its work forced certainly didn't want to hear just days before Christmas. 

The Boeing Company and Embraer today confirmed the two companies are engaged in discussions regarding a potential combination, the basis of which remains under discussion.
There is no guarantee a transaction will result from these discussions. Boeing and Embraer do not intend to make any additional comments regarding these discussions.
Any transaction would be subject to the approval of the Brazilian government and regulators, the two companies’ boards and Embraer’s shareholders.

The rushed announcement came from Boeing and comes a month or so after Airbus and Bombardier announced a tie-up that would see the Canadain manufacturers US-bound CSeries aircraft made in Airbus' American plant. 

The CSeries and Embraer's commercial aircraft are in the same class and are head to head competitors and some see Boeing's takeover of Embraer as another aggressive step in their campaign to put Bombardier out of business.  

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US upholds 300% duties on Bombardier jets.

The United States of America's Commerce Department confirmed on Wednesday it had finalised trade duties of nearly 300 percent on the CSeries of passenger jets made by Canadian firm Bombardier. 

That decision brings a bitter and acrimonious trade-war between the US, Canada and the UK a step closer which also threatens to tumble over into other business areas other than aviation.  

The Commerce Department first recommended the duties against Bombardier's CSeries jets earlier this year following complaints by American mega-giant manufacturer Boeing. He bemoaned the belief that Bombardier had sold the C Series to US airline Delta at prices below the cost of production.  

Many in the aviation industry see Boeing's increasingly Trump-like bullying of Bombardier as absurd, as the US manufacturer doesn't make commercial aircraft of the same size and category as the CSeries from Bombardier. Boeing also relies on similar government subsidies on almost all of its military products as well as taking advantage of various tax breaks and offering such substantial discounts on large orders for its commercial aircraft - so far below list prices, that they defy belief that they can be produced at cost price.    

Bombardier said yesterday that the US Commerce Department had not considered that it was industry standard practice to offer discounts to launch customers. "Unfortunately, the Commerce Department decision is divorced from this reality and ignores long-standing business practices in the aerospace industry, including launch pricing and the financing of multibillion-dollar aircraft programs," the company said in a statement. "Moreover, we are deeply disappointed that the Commerce Department did not take this opportunity to rectify its past errors."

Bombardier doesn't deny that Delta received a good price for the 75 C Series aircraft, as initial and early customers hardly ever pay the 'price-list' price and Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare defended that position, "When you launch a new program you have aggressive pricing to start with,  - Boeing does the same thing."

Delta boss Ed Bastian has called the duties 'absurd' promising the airline won't pay the tariffs and has turned Delta into a non-Boeing airline. 

The decision isn't yet final as it is now up to The International Trade Commission, who is scheduled to make a final determination by February. It will see if Boeing has actually been harmed by Bombardier's action. 

If the ITC upholds the tariffs in February 2018, not only will it spark the threatened trade war, it will also greatly harm American jobs.  More than half the components used to make the C Series aircraft come from the US. It will also cost US jobs, as Bombardier plans to build the C Series aircraft in an Airbus factory in Mobile, Alabama.  

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Mauritania Airlines International Takes Delivery of 737 MAX8

 Boeing and Mauritania Airlines International today celebrated the delivery of the airline's new 737 MAX 8.  The Mauritanian carrier becomes the first operator of the new and improved aeroplane in Africa.

"We are proud to be the first carrier in Africa to operate the 737 MAX," said Mohamed Radhi Bennahi, chief executive officer of Mauritania Airlines International. "The introduction of the 737 MAX into the growing Mauritanian fleet will help to profitably grow our network as we introduce new routes to Europe and the Middle East."   

Founded in 2010, Mauritania Airlines International serves more than 10 destinations across Africa and Europe from its base at Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport in Mauritania's capital city of Nouakchott.

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British Airways codeshare deal with China Southern Airlines

British Airways customers are set to gain access to even more Chinese cities thanks to a new codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines.

As part of the new agreement, customers can book seats on China Southern Airlines flights to four destinations in China – Shenyang, Harbin, Changchun and Dalian. Seats are available for sale on ba.com, for travel from today.

The agreement means that British Airways customers will now be able to visit the stunning Shenyang Imperial Palace, wander the winter wonderland that is Harbin Ice and Snow World, marvel at the Puppet Emperor’s Palace in Changchun, and explore Xinghai Square in Dalian. The four destinations are also important business hubs in China, making trade between British and Chinese businesses across the country even easier.

British Airways customers will be able to connect on to Shenyang and Harbin through Shanghai, connect on to Dalian through Beijing, and connect on to Changchun through either Shanghai or Beijing. British Airways offers 10 weekly flights to Shanghai and seven to Beijing, from London Heathrow.

As part of the codeshare agreement, British Airways Executive Club members can collect Avios when booking on the British Airways code on China Southern Airlines flights.

More on this story follows 

Porter Airlines Arrives in Florida

Ottawa, Windsor join Toronto with non-stop Orlando-Melbourne service

Porter Airlines arrived in sunny Orlando-Melbourne, Florida, last weekend with inaugural non-stop service from Ottawa and Windsor. Toronto also resumed its seasonal service with direct flights from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

The weekly service operates from Dec. 16 to March 31, for Ottawa and Windsor, and until April 7 for Toronto. Service from Toronto includes twice weekly flights during peak periods, plus three times weekly for March Break. Complete schedule and booking options are now available at www.flyporter.com.

Fiji Airways Unveils Flagship Lounge at Nadi International Airport

Fiji Airways, Fiji's National Airline, revealed their brand new state-of-the-art business class lounge at Nadi International Airport. Following 12 months of design and development, the Fiji Airways Premier Lounge is a first-of-its-kind for the region complete with a number of special features including chef-inspired menus, baristas, luxury spa, nanny service and the exclusive 'Fiji Bean Cart'.

The 200-seat lounge offers a world-class lounge experience along with a dedicated family area, a Quiet Zone and a Media Room which doubles as a private meeting space. It is one of the first lounges in the Australasian region to have a designated children's room called Lailai Land, which comes complete with a fully qualified Fijian Nanny – an offering Fiji resorts are famous for. With a nanny on offer to look after the kids, parents can relax in the lounge with the glass-panelled children's playroom visible from the family area.

For food and refreshments, the lounge includes a full-service kitchen and a buffet offering local and international cuisine, plus a dining area, barista and bar.

The barista will offer guests freshly made coffee in the morning, and the exclusive Fiji Airways' Signature Cocktails will be available in the evening. The self-service bar, with a selection of award-winning wines, local and international beers and soft drinks, is available throughout the day.

Fiji Airways is also offering a unique Fijian twist on the trend of food trucks with the Fiji Bean Cart situated in the lounge. Fiji Bean Carts are an iconic part of Fijian life, selling savoury and sweet snacks at markets and bus terminals in every town in the country. The Fiji Bean Cart at the lounge will give guests the chance to sample an array of local delicacies.  

Flair Airlines Set to Paint the Skies in New Colours

Canada's leader in ultra-low fare travel is pleased to announce today, its first aircraft with its new livery is complete.  This design was chosen in the summer of 2017 by Canadians during an online customer survey in which several options for the new livery were available to choose from for Flair's aircraft fleet.

The recently acquired Boeing 737-400 in Flair's new colours is one of two additional aircraft scheduled to enter service.  "We are excited to unveil our new livery to the public.  The aircraft will take its inaugural flight during the holiday season. We are very proud to showcase our new colours. As the only airline that operates as an ultra low-cost carrier in Canada;  we know our passengers will be delighted to fly with us as they continue to enjoy the lowest fares in the country," says Flair Airlines CEO, Jim Rogers.

We are so excited to officially announce our Livery reveal! pic.twitter.com/nKE4H2Hyv3

— FlairAirlines (@FlairAirlines) December 19, 2017

Flair intends to make significant announcements early in 2018 about its expansion into Canada's ULCC market.

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Scott Allard Resigns Position As Allegiant Executive Vice President And Chief Information Officer

Allegiant Travel Company announced this week that Scott Allard has resigned his position as executive vice president and chief information officer.  Allard has been with Allegiant since 2011 and has overseen the company's technology planning and development.

Prior to joining Allegiant, Allard served as chief information officer at Spirit Airlines, and had previously held leadership roles at Travelworm, American Express and Priceline. 

Allard will depart his position with Allegiant on December 31.  Robert Wilson, senior vice president, information systems, will act as interim chief information officer until a successor is selected.

Embraer KC-390 Achieves Initial Operational Capability

The new Embraer KC-390 military transport and aerial refuelling jet completed a relevant milestone today, with Embraer demonstrating to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) the attainment of the Initial Operational Capability (IOC).

The achievement of the IOC ensures the necessary conditions have been met for the aircraft to start operations, in accordance with the scope agreed upon with the FAB. As part of the IOC, Embraer obtained a KC-390 Provisional Type Certificate from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), which is a testament to the adequacy of the design in fulfilling the demanding certification requirements for transport aircraft.

"We are pleased to announce the achievement of this important milestone for the KC-390 Program," said Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. "The certification campaign has progressed as planned and the tests performed have been very successful, proving the maturity of the aircraft and confirming the performance and the anticipated capacities."

KLM Cityhopper welcomes 42nd Embraer

KLM Cityhopper welcomed 42nd Embraer aircraft with the delivery of the a new Embraer E175 jet.

The New aircraft marks another important step forward in KLM Cityhopper's fleet renewal program, which has seen the retirement of the much loved Fokker 70's in October of this year.  The KLM Cityhopper's fleet now consists entirely of Embraer aircraft and the carrier islargest Embraer  operator in Europe.

By the end of 2018, the total KLM Cityhopper fleet will consist of no less than 49 aircraft from the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. The Embraer are far more environmentally friendly aircraft with a large number of technical features that significantly reduce fuel consumption and therefore CO2 emissions. In comparison with the Fokker 70, the fuel consumption of the new E175 + aircraft is no less than 22 percent lower, plus they look great adorned with beautiful KLM Cityhopper livery.

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Cathay Pacific Announces Nonstop Service From Dulles International Airport To Hong Kong

The leading airline of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways announced yesterday that it will begin a four-times-weekly nonstop service between Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. and its home of Hong Kong.  

The new service is due to start on September 16th 2018 and will become the longest nonstop air route to both Hong Kong and the Washington, D.C. region. It will also be the longest flight in Cathay Pacific's global network, at a little over 7,000 nautical miles. The service will be operated by the airlines first Airbus A350-1000 to the region (the carrier's A350-900 began service to San Francisco and Newark on October 28th 2017).

Washington, D.C. will become Cathay Pacific's seventh passenger service gateway in the U.S. and ninth in North America. The airline, which launched nonstop service from North America in 1983, flies to Hong Kong and beyond over 100 times per week from Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, New York (JFK), San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. This is the latest gateway for Cathay Pacific in the Americas since its launch of nonstop service from Boston to Hong Kong in 2015—upgraded from a four-times-weekly to a daily operation in March 2017.

"Dulles International is an ideal destination for our next US gateway, with its ease of access to the D.C. Metropolitan area. Cathay Pacific is pleased to be the first air carrier offering nonstop flights from Washington, D.C. to Hong Kong," said Philippe Lacamp, Senior Vice President, Americas, Cathay Pacific. "Washington, D.C. has special meaning for Cathay Pacific. When the airline was co-founded over 71 years ago by American Roy Farrell and his Australian partner, Sydney de Kantzow, they had dreams of growing beyond a regional Asian airline, even including 'Pacific' in the name in the hopes that one day it would expand across the ocean. Farrell would have been proud to see the airline serve his country's capital."

There is more on this story -

Hainan Airlines launches non-stop service between Shenzhen, China and Cairns, Australia

Hainan Airlines launched a non-stop service between Shenzhen, China and Cairns, Australia. The maiden flight of Hainan Airlines HU745, which took off from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport at 1050 pm on December 19, 2017, Beijing time, landed at Cairns Airport at 830 am on December 20, 2017, local time. Following the roll-out of the Shenzhen-Brisbane service on September 20, 2017, this will be Hainan Airlines' second direct flight service from Shenzhen to Queensland as well as the airline's sixth direct flight service to Australia.

With the launch of the new service, Hainan Airlines will have established a route network in Australia spanning three eastern states and four major cities, with 12 round-trip flights weekly. The route, with two round-trip flights weekly, will be serviced by an Airbus A330 deluxe wide-body aircraft with spacious cabins. Business Class passengers will be provided with 180-degree lie-flat seating with an in-seat massage feature, Bose headsets and top quality BVLGARI toiletry bags. Passengers in all classes will have access to an exclusive on-demand entertainment system and a gourmet selection of Western and Oriental meals. 

More follows ⇓

British Airways first class fares slashed

British Airways has opened the doors to cheaper first class fares for the festive period by introducing a rather low fee of just £200 each way.

The deal is only on offer for a limited time when fliers will be able to purchase a ticket for the airline’s exclusive First cabin from just £200 more each-way than a Club World ticket on the majority of routes across the Atlantic. The cost of flights to British Airways’ newest long-haul destination Nashville would be £1,719 return.

 Of course, if you do decide to purchase one of those tickets, you'll be able to use the recently upgraded and refurbished Concorde room with complimentary concierge services and spa, a roomy private flat-bed six-foot seat with luxurious bedding, an intimate cabin with just a few seats, world-class wines and an a la carte menu.

Alaska Airlines Group November Results

Alaska Air Group Inc. today reported November and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis, for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America Inc. (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries Inc. (Horizon), and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

Air Group's acquisition of Virgin America took place on Dec. 14, 2016. Operational results below include Virgin America results from pre-acquisition periods for comparison.

AIR GROUP

On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 9.2 percent increase in traffic on a 9.3 percent increase in capacity compared to November 2016. Load factor decreased 0.1 points to 84.2 percent.

The results tables follow.