30 NOVEMBER 2015
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- COMMENT Plus – Flybe applies for use of RAF Northolt
- COMMENT: Willie Walsh and the third runway
- AA Business Class boost
- Air rage campaign ignites
- All-woman crew for Ethiopian
- Big Boeing order from EVA
- Cathay eyes LGW service
- Delta loses Haneda tussle
- Demand for air travel to drop
- East Coast Virgin new look
- Etihad’s A380 arrives in NY
- Glasgow airport link plan
- Hotel rates still rising
- Lydd runway go-ahead
- New version A320 moves up
- Northolt resurrected?
- RAeS debates airports
- Reshuffle at Flybe
- Roll-out for 737 MAX
- Scots growth for easyJet
- Singapore airshow
- Thomas Cook for Cape Town
- ON TOUR: The Airport Operators Association conference
- AND FINALLY: 2015 and all that!
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East Coast Virgin new look
Virgin Trains has launched a £21m refurbishment programme for its fleet of 45 trains on the east coast route. The first new-look model enters service in two weeks (14 December) when the company begins its new service between Sunderland and London.
Hotel rates still rising
Business travellers are paying more for their accommodation as hotel rates continue to rise, according to analysis by industry supplier HRS of prices from the third quarter of 2014 to 2015.
COMMENT: Willie Walsh and the third runway
At last week’s Airport Operators Association gathering at London's Hilton Metropole, BTN asked Willie Walsh, the introductory speaker, if he could assess, as a former pilot, the merits or otherwise of the two Heathrow runway schemes. Mr Walsh turned away from the questioner and replied “NO”.
Air rage campaign ignites
A campaign to tackle disruptive passenger behaviour on aircraft moved up a gear last week with a series of nationwide meetings under way with MPs of all parties.
Cathay eyes LGW service
A new service between Hong Kong and Gatwick is under consideration by Cathay Pacific Airways using the A350-900.
Delta loses Haneda tussle
American Airlines has kept its licence to operate a new daily service on the important business route between Los Angeles and Haneda Airport in Japan despite objections from its main rival, Delta.
Etihad’s A380 arrives in NY
New York last Monday (23 November) became the first US port of entry for Etihad Airways’ network of Airbus A380 destinations.
Lydd runway go-ahead
Work on a 294m extension to the 1,500m runway at Ashford Airport (Lydd) is to begin next spring after conditions attached to planning permission for the project were met.
Northolt resurrected?
Flybe has applied to the Ministry of Defence for permission to operate from RAF Northolt. The timing is interesting with the cabinet committee meeting this week to discuss the Airports Commission’s report on R3, a new runway for the South East. Northolt is not part of the review but its location and possibilities cannot be ignored. The response from the MOD is non-committal. (See COMMENT today and 19 October for the full background).
RAeS debates airports
The future of UK airport capacity and regional air connectivity following the publication of the Airports Commission’s final report is to be the subject of a special seminar at the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) in London next Thursday, 3 December.
Roll-out for 737 MAX
The top-selling 737 MAX makes its public debut a week tomorrow (Tuesday 8 December) when Boeing rolls-out the aircraft from its Renton factory in the US.
Scots growth for easyJet
EasyJet is expanding its Scottish operations by adding an extra aircraft at Edinburgh from next summer, bringing the total to eight operating 36 routes.
ON TOUR: The Airport Operators Association conference
The British scheduled airline aviation industry gathered last week at London’s Hilton Metropole under the auspices of the Airport Operators Association (AOA) with the support of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) and the Royal Aeronautical Society.
AND FINALLY: 2015 and all that!
An ITN 'Special' for the AOA conference dinner.
But it is not too serious
AA Business Class boost
American Airlines is singing the praises of its upgraded Business Class across the Atlantic in a new promotional campaign called ‘Going for Great’.
All-woman crew for Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines has made history by rostering an all-female crew on a flight from Addis Ababa to Bangkok. It was the first time in the airline’s 70-year history in which all the crew, including pilots, maintenance team members and air traffic controllers, were women.
Big Boeing order from EVA
Taiwanese full-service carrier EVA Airways has agreed an order worth more than US$8bn at list prices for Boeing wide-body aircraft.
Demand for air travel to drop
A dip in long-term demand for air travel despite a doubling in total passenger numbers by 2034 was forecast last week by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Glasgow airport link plan
A scheme for a tram-train service was unveiled last week as one of two options being put forward for a new transport link between Glasgow city centre and Glasgow Airport.
New version A320 moves up
Airbus has received certification for the A320neo (new engine option), paving the way for first deliveries of the revamped medium-haul jet.
Reshuffle at Flybe
Australian Vincent Hodder has joined Flybe as chief revenue officer following the departure today (30 November) of chief commercial officer Paul Simmons to join Malaysian Airlines.
Singapore airshow
Business forums will take centre stage in February at the fifth Singapore Airshow, the largest of its kind in Asia and regarded as one of the most important aerospace exhibitions in the world.
Thomas Cook for Cape Town
A new direct service between Gatwick and Cape Town over winter 2016/17 was announced last week by Thomas Cook Airlines.