1 FEBRUARY 2016
- ON THE SOAPBOX: Ed Anderson - Executive Chairman, AOA
- Boeing Max takes flight
- CNN Business Traveller
- Data roaming charges
- Dublin – London. World’s second busiest international air route
- easyJet’s solid quarter
- Flybe update
- Greenwich InterContinental
- Internet for SWISS
- Iran’s massive Airbus order
- Jail for ‘Stupid’ protesters?
- London to Jakarta non-stop
- Lufthansa clears baggage
- Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
- Minister backs new runway
- Munich’s new terminal
- oneworld CEO to leave
- Parking in London
- Ryanair for Toulouse
- Vueling expands in the UK
- Want to fly to New Zealand?
- ON TOUR: The Silver Traveller
- CRUISE NEWS: FEBRUARY 2016
- AND FINALLY: BTN's best safety video of 2016
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Data roaming charges
Airport parking specialists APH have issued another of their very useful guides for the business traveller. Tap in APH in the search facility of the BTN home page.
Iran’s massive Airbus order
It is no surprise. Iran has gone for Airbus to renew its total civil aviation infrastructure.
Munich’s new terminal
Always keen to score over their Berlin rivals (Brandenburg Airport - now due maybe for 2019) Munich has announced that its new Lufthansa Terminal 2 satellite will open 26 April. Able to handle 11m passengers it will boost the buildings capacity to 36m.
ON THE SOAPBOX: Ed Anderson - Executive Chairman, AOA
Ed Anderson has been Executive Chairman of the AOA since 2008. He has held a number of senior executive positions in the airports industry including deputy managing director of East Midlands Airport from 1987 to 1990 and managing director of Leeds Bradford Airport from 1997 to 2007. He was Chairman of the AOA in 2001-02.
Boeing Max takes flight
The maiden flight for Boeing’s new MAX development of the 737 took place last Friday 29 January.
Dublin – London. World’s second busiest international air route
Almost 4.5m people flew between Dublin and London last year, which was a 9% increase for air traffic between the two capital cities. This figure is about the same as the population of the Irish Republic.
easyJet’s solid quarter
During the quarter ending 31 December 2015, easyJet passengers carried increased by 8.1% to 16.1m, as capacity grew by 7.3% to 17.8m seats and the load factor increased by 0.6 percentage points to 90.3%.
Flybe update
Britain’s third largest airline Flybe has published its financial results for the third quarter of its financial year. Also announced is a whole hotchpotch of routes for the summer.
Greenwich InterContinental
InterContinental has opened its brand-new purpose-built Greenwich Peninsula property, just by the O2 complex.
Jail for ‘Stupid’ protesters?
Protesters from the ‘Plane Stupid’ action group are likely to live up to their name and finish up in prison if District Judge Deborah Wright has her way.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370
Australian authorities searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have lost a deep-water sonar detector being used to scour a patch of the Indian ocean floor where the plane is believed to have gone down almost two years ago.
Minister backs new runway
Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin MP was positive when he spoke at the British Air Transport Association (BATA) annual dinner in London last week.
oneworld CEO to leave
Bruce Ashby is to step down as oneworld CEO later this year, after more than five years. He will stay until June to enable a seamless handover to his successor.
Vueling expands in the UK
Perhaps it is because of his impending role as chief executive of British Airways, but certainly Alex Cruz at his current employ, Vueling, has been taking an interest in the UK and adding British routes.
ON TOUR: The Silver Traveller
Your editor in chief (and his wife) definitely come into the age group of the ‘silver traveller’, loosely defined as the 50+ age group, or the ‘baby boomers’, born in an age of true austerity, during or soon after the Second World War, but now a large market of their own with funds available, of which the travel industry is very aware. Saga Plc personifies this area of the leisure business. ‘Silver Travellers’ are often members of ‘The SKI Club’, happy to ‘Spend the Kids Inheritance’.
CRUISE NEWS: FEBRUARY 2016
Firstly a reminder that the London Cruise Show takes place at Olympia 20-21 February. We are able to offer a very special price of just £2. Tickets are £10 at the door. Book online www.cruisingshow.co.uk quote 'E1' to claim the discount, or by calling +44 (0)871 620 4024. There are no parking restrictions on the Sunday.
CNN Business Traveller
Richard Quest, CNN’s British-born New York based anchor-man, has been busy trying to discover the latest in airport executive lounges. These have become the ultimate place to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of busy main terminals with spa treatments, gourmet foods and hot showers.
Internet for SWISS
SWISS is to introduce internet connections with its new Boeing 777-300ERs. Travellers will have a choice of three data packages. The airline will also be offering a roaming inflight phoning option for a trial one-year period.
London to Jakarta non-stop
Garuda Indonesia is to begin non-stop services from London to Jakarta 31 March. The introduction coincides with a move of its operation from Gatwick to Heathrow. Previously the airline served the Indonesian capital via Amsterdam. Return flights to the UK will be via Singapore.
Lufthansa clears baggage
Baggage mishandling has long been a thorn in the side of the airline industry and while big improvements have been made in recent years – SITA’s 2015 Baggage Report highlighted a 61.3% reduction in the mishandled bags rate since 2007. There is still a long way to go to completely ease the anxiety passengers feel while waiting at the baggage reclaim belt.
Parking in London
Live information on the number of parking spaces available in London Underground car parks, as well as improved traffic camera information that will help drivers avoid disruption, are the latest open data feeds to be released by Transport for London (TfL) to help make journeys easier for customers.
Ryanair for Toulouse
In its usual extravagant way, Ryanair (FR) self-styled “Europe’s favourite airline” has announced the introduction of Toulouse as an operation. Where it supports 450 jobs from, according to the press release, is anyone’s guess, every aircraft seemingly based elsewhere, but it is the all-Boeing airline’s first foray into what is very much Airbus territory.
Want to fly to New Zealand?
Passengers from the UK to Auckland (New Zealand) will have an even greater choice from 1 March with the introduction of a daily non-stop flight by Emirates from Dubai to Auckland with an estimated flight time of under 16hrs. It is 17hrs 15 mins in the other direction. Boeing 777s will be used for the service. For A380 aficionados there is an alternative with a Sydney stopover. From London the total travel time including a 1hr 20mins wait in Dubai is just 24hrs. But as we shall explain it is not the quickest way.