Airlines
New Heathrow Terminal 2 Starts Operations
The new Terminal 2 -- home of Star Alliance at Heathrow -- threw open its doors to welcome its first passengers yesterday (June 4), marking the start of a new travel experience for the 12 million Star Alliance passengers who pass through this leading UK airport every year. Star Alliance member airline United was the first to move into the new facility, known as Terminal 2 - the Queen’s Terminal for her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. All 23 Star Alliance airlines operating Heathrow will move over the next six months: the first time all member airlines will be collocated at the airport....
Fixing The Mismatch
The world’s scheduled airlines are expected to rake in some $750 billion this year but will only make a net profit of $18 billion – a paltry margin of only 2.4% or $5.42 for every passenger carried, reports Press Today editor, Mike Dunbar from IATA's AGM in Qatar. And that’s partly due to a crippling tax burden of $120 billion that incoming board chair of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Calin Rovinescu says he’s determined to tackle. The Air Canada CEO, who moved into the IATA post at this week’s annual meeting in Doha, explained, ``Some governments are...
Etihad Expands Codeshare with Jet Airways
Etihad Airways has announced a major expansion of its codeshare agreement with Jet Airways, offering travellers enhanced connections throughout India, and linking India with even more destinations worldwide. The two airlines have obtained regulatory approval to codeshare on 43 additional routes, bringing the total number of services in their codeshare agreement to 71. As part of the expansion, Etihad Airways has placed its “EY” code on domestic services in India for the first time, with the codeshare agreement now including 31 Jet Airways routes from hubs in Mumbai, Delhi,...
WestJet Gives the Go-Ahead for PEDs
WestJet reports that guests now have full access to their personal electronic devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight, including taxi-in and out, take-off and landing in non-transmitting or flight mode, starting immediately. “We have been hard at work to meet all necessary conditions required for the safe operation of PEDs on board our Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft,” said Bob Cummings, WestJet executive vice-president, Sales, Marketing and Guest Experience. “Beginning today (June 2), all WestJet guests will have access to their favourite device for the duration of their...
AC St. John’s-London Service to Go Year Round
Air Canada reports that its non-stop St. John’s to London Heathrow, UK flights will operate year-round beginning Oct. 26. “Air Canada is pleased to offer the only year-round non-stop flights between St. John’s and London Heathrow. On-going support for the seasonal service by the local community over the past several years now enables us to extend it and offer travellers in Newfoundland and Labrador the convenience of year-round flights to London Heathrow,” said Benjamin Smith, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer at Air Canada. “Our customers in Newfoundland...
Passenger Demand Growth Accelerates in April: IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports that global passenger traffic results for April show a healthy increase in demand. Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 7.5% compared to April 2013, an improvement over March growth of 2.9%. The year-on-year comparison is somewhat biased by the timing of the Easter holiday, which occurred in April, a month later than in 2013. April capacity increased 5.8%, propelling load factor up 1.2 percentage points to 79.4 %. “April’s demand growth was a pleasant surprise in the face of the moderating trend of recent...
Bureau Joins Air Canada
Ben Smith, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer at Air Canada, has announced the appointment of Duncan Bureau to the position of vice-president, Global Sales, effective June 9. Bureau succeeds Zeina Gedeon who announced last month that she is leaving the company to pursue other interests. Bureau joins Air Canada from Malaysia Airlines where he was senior vice-president, Global Sales and Distribution. He was previously with WestJet where he held the position of vice-president, Sales and Distribution between 2006 and 2012. Based in Toronto, Bureau will report...
Lufthansa Premium Economy Now Available for Booking
Lufthansa’s new Premium Economy Class, introduced at this year’s ITB in Berlin, can now be booked on flights flown by Boeing 747-8s. From Dec. 10, the Premium Economy Class will have guaranteed availability on all flights served by the new jumbo aircraft. The destinations that can now be booked include routes from Frankfurt to and from Buenos Aires, Chicago, Hong Kong, Mexico City, São Paulo, Seoul, Beijing and Washington, D.C. From late January 2015, the first retrofitted aircraft of the type, A340-600, are scheduled to take off from Munich for Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo...