Airlines
Finnair Takes Off On A New Journey
Finnair has launched the its new spacious, long-haul look with a brand-new Business Class and new Premium Economy cabin as part of a major investment to enhance the customer experience. The Finnish flag carrier, known for connecting Asia and Europe via the short northern route, unveiled the 200-million-euro investment in Helsinki last week. The complete cabin renewal covers all Finnair Airbus A350 and A330 long-haul aircraft, with new cabins to be fitted over the next two years, featuring an entirely new Business Class, a brand-new Premium Economy cabin, and a refreshed Economy...
Routes Americas 2022 Takes Off In San Antonio
Routes Americas 2022 takes off from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17 and will facilitate collaboration between airlines, airports, tourism authorities and other key aviation stakeholders whose conversations and negotiations will expedite the region’s recovery and fuel future air service growth. The 15th edition of the event will welcome heavyweights from over 70 leading airlines who will consider air service development proposals from significant airports and destinations. These meeting opportunities present Routes Americas delegates with an unmatched chance to present multiple business cases...
Air Canada Salutes its Black Employees
Air Canada is marking Black History Month by featuring the achievements and contributions of its Black employees to aviation, including an inaugural, Black History celebratory flight. Flight AC914 from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale and return flight AC917, operated with a wide-body Airbus A330-300 aircraft, is being flown with a Black crew of two pilots and eight flight attendants. Air Canada's Black History celebratory flight was also planned and supported by Black managers and employees on the ground and behind the scenes. Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief...
Testing Requirement Dropped, UK Flight Bookings Take Off
Flight bookings to and from the United Kingdom have taken off following the government’s announcement that COVID-19 testing would no longer be required for fully vaccinated travellers entering the country, reports ForwardKeys. ForwardKeys notes that the day after the announcement by UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, which was made on Jan. 24t, combined inbound and outbound flight bookings jumped to 84% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels, outbound to 106% and inbound to 47%. This news followed a series of relaxations in rules affecting travel to the UK, each triggering bookings...
Swoop Growing Fleet, Expanding Network
Swoop is growing its fleet from 10 to 16 aircraft with the acquisition of six new Boeing MAX-8 aircraft, confirming that it will begin receiving all six aircraft this summer as the airline rapidly expands to meet peak season travel demand. Along with growing its fleet, Swoop will significantly expand its domestic network, adding non-stop flights to Newfoundland and increasing service in Atlantic Canada. It will also add six new routes and capacity in Ontario and the Prairies in preparation for Canada's busy summer travel season. The airline's announced expansion comes as it reports...
Recovery At An Impasse
WestJet is further extending its planned schedule consolidations through March 31, 2022 as it continues to navigate ongoing uncertainty and barriers facing travel. Harry Taylor, Interim President & CEO, The WestJet Group, said that: “For two years, WestJet has gone above and beyond to keep our guests safe throughout their travel journey.” Taylor continued: “Travel advisories, restrictions and testing requirements were meant to be temporary, yet our industry has now reached an impasse that is severely impacting the recovery of our airline and sector. The time is now to...
Frontier, Spirit Take Off With Merger Deal
Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. (the parent company of Frontier Airlines, Inc.) have announced a definitive merger agreement under which the companies will combine, creating America’s most competitive ultra-low fare airline. Together, Frontier and Spirit expect to change the industry for the benefit of consumers, bringing more ultra-low fares to more travelers in more destinations across the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, including major cities as well as underserved communities. The stronger financial profile of the combined company will...
Make Them Go Away
IATA, along with Airlines for America (A4A) and 28 US and international aviation and travel and tourism stakeholder groups, is urging the US government to remove the pre-departure testing requirement for fully vaccinated air travellers flying to the US. The industry associations point out that the vaccinated traveller population adds no additional risks to the domestic US population. Increased immunity levels, the pervasiveness of COVID-19 in all 50 US states, rising vaccination rates and new therapeutics, all point to removing the testing requirement for fully vaccinated...