Airlines
Emirates, BA Suspend Flights
Due to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Emirates has suspended service to Conakry, Guinea, until further notice. The airline is continuing operations to Dakar, Senegal. And, in related news, British Airways has cancelled flights to and Liberia and Sierra Leone until Aug. 31. The World Health Organization reported that as of Aug. 1, there was a total of 1,603 suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola in West Africa, and 887...
Encouraging Numbers From IATA
IATA reports that global passenger traffic results for June were showing what it described as “a modest deceleration in demand growth” when compared to the previous month. The industry association indicated that total revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 4.7% over the same period a year ago, which was below the 6.2% year-on-year increase recorded in May 2014. June capacity (available seat kilometres or ASKs) increased by 5.0%, causing load factor to slip 0.2 percentage points to 81.5%. Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO, commented, “June traffic growth at 4.7% is...
Etihad Sets Record
Etihad Airways has enjoyed the busiest four days in its history with 181,333 passengers flying with the Abu Dhabi-based airline during the post Eid Al Fitr period. On Aug. 2, 46,572 passengers boarded Etihad Airways flights; with 45,981 flying on Aug. 3; 44,443 passengers on Aug. 1; and 44,331 passengers on July 31. The 181,333 figure for the four days is an increase of 36% over the same period at the end of Eid Al Fitr in 2013, when 133,007 passengers took an Etihad Airways flight. The load factor for this period also rose from 79.3% in 2013 to 88.1% in...
And There Was Cake Too
For the fifth year in a row, Air Canada was voted the Favourite Scheduled Airline by Canadian travel agents in the annual Agents' Choice Awards Poll. The airline not only earned top spot in the national vote, but was also the favourite of agents in all four regions across Canada. It was quite a celebration, complete with cake and some commentary from AC's new vice-president global sales, Duncan Bureau. Here Bureau poses with a happy group of Air Canada sales...
This Is Rich, Content, That Is
Air India has become the 50th airline to sign up for Travelport Rich Content and Branding – which allows airlines to more effectively control how their fares and ancillaries are visually presented and described on travel agency screens, bringing them more in line with the airline’s own website experience. Since its introduction earlier this year, Travelport Rich Content and Branding has received significant support and interest from airlines. To date, 50 airlines have signed up to participate, including carriers such as Delta, Avianca, Sun Country Airlines, Peruvian Airlines,...
Open For Business
Star Alliance has a new lounge at São Paulo –Guarulhos Airport, Terminal 3. Covering an area of around 1,350 square metres, the lounge can accommodate up to 295 guests and is open daily from noon to 3 am. Access is granted to passengers travelling on Star Alliance member airlines from Guarulhos in First or Business Class or holding Star Alliance Gold Status. The lounge is located on the mezzanine level, overlooking the atrium and the airport apron beyond, and can easily be reached by escalators or elevators. In line with the new Star Alliance lounge concept -- already implemented in...
APG Teams Up With Atlasjet in Canada
APG – Air Promotion Group, is now representing Turkey's Atlasjet in Canada. Atlasjet, known as “the airline that loves its passengers the most,” is showing its love to the travel trade throughout Canada with a new commission program that pays 5% commission on all published fares. APG-Canada director Karl Müller says that the airline’s affection and appreciation for travel agents is second to none. “Atlasjet is showing their love for the travel trade by offering an extremely generous commission for sales made by travel agents. As the number of visitors – both business...
Time For Action
In a high-level meeting in Montreal yesterday, IATA, ICAO, Airports Council International (ACI) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) have declared their commitment to review processes for the overflight of conflict zones. The Montreal meeting, called by ICAO, comes in the aftermath of the tragic downing of MH17 over the Ukraine earlier this month. IATA's director general and CEO, Tony Tyler commented, “The tragic shooting-down of MH17 was an attack on the whole air transport industry. The world’s airlines are angry. Civil aircraft are instruments of peace....