9 JANUARY 2017
- BTN Christmas Quiz Results
- 12 cities on Southend list
- Air Canada looks ahead
- All change at Gatwick
- Another lifeline for Alitalia
- BA downplays strike effect
- First A350-900 for Lufthansa
- Fort Lauderdale attack
- Fresh face for Skybus fleet
- Growth ahead for easyHotel
- Heathrow cuts charges
- IAG in low-cost move
- Kell Ryan
- LaMia RJ85 ‘overloaded’
- Long-haul focus for airberlin
- Malaysia in lounge deal
- More business for Newquay
- New horizons for Flybe
- Norwegian to halve NY fares
- TAP expansion trail
- Vancouver gets another China link
- ON TOUR: Round the world
- A
- AND FINALLY: Airports and keeping fit
© 2022 Business Travel News Ltd.
All change at Gatwick
Three major carriers at Gatwick are moving this month in a major transformation for the airport that has been in the planning for two years, led by British Airways relocating to the South Terminal and Virgin Atlantic to the North Terminal.
First A350-900 for Lufthansa
Lufthansa took delivery of its first A350-900 last month as the aircraft was transferred to the Munich Hub in preparation for its first regular commercial flight from Munich to Delhi on 10 February.
Growth ahead for easyHotel
Leeds is poised to join the easyHotel family next year after the company, set up in 2004 by easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, announced plans for a 94-room property in the city centre.
Malaysia in lounge deal
A new partnership enabling Economy Class passengers to use VIP facilities in Terminal 4 at Heathrow at a 20% discount has been formed between Plaza Premium Lounges and Malaysia Airlines.
Norwegian to halve NY fares
Flights between Edinburgh to New York for less than £60 each way are on the way this summer from pioneering low-cost carrier Norwegian, according to reports.
Vancouver gets another China link
Hong Kong Airlines (HX) is marking its debut in North America on 30 June with the launch of daily A330-300 service between its home city and Vancouver, consolidating the Canadian airport’s position as a connecting hub for the Asia-Pacific region.
BTN Christmas Quiz Results
The fun is taking part and not necessarily winning
12 cities on Southend list
Southend Airport (SEN) owner the Stobart Group has moved quickly to confirm future plans, with flights to 12 new destinations in May and the appointment of former easyJet chief operating officer Warwick Brady as deputy group CEO.
Another lifeline for Alitalia
Further development of Alitalia’s long-haul network was signalled by the airline’s board last month as part of the second phase of the company’s business plan following approval of further short-term funding. Alitalia said the cash injection would allow the management team to begin negotiations this month and next with key stakeholders including unions to seek their backing for cost-reduction measures.
BA downplays strike effect
A 48hr strike from tomorrow (10 January) by cabin crew working under “mixed fleet’” employment terms is unlikely to have a major effect on flights, British Airways announced yesterday.
Fort Lauderdale attack
US aviation authorities were under pressure yesterday to enforce airport perimeter security after Friday’s shooting at Fort Lauderdale that left five people dead and several more wounded, some critically.
Heathrow cuts charges
Airlines are under pressure to reduce fares to UK destinations after Heathrow cut domestic passenger charges by £10 in a move to promote growth outside London. The new charge is £19.10 per passenger, more than a third cheaper than last year and the largest discount the airport has made.
Kell Ryan
Aviation guru Michael “Kell” Ryan, younger brother of the late Ryanair founder Tony Ryan, died just after Christmas at his home near Cambridge after being taken ill in Barbados. He was 76.
LaMia RJ85 ‘overloaded’
The LaMia airlines aircraft that crashed last month near the north-western city of Medellin, Colombia, killing 71 people, the majority of them members of Brazil’s Chapecoense soccer club, was low on fuel and overloaded, say reports.
More business for Newquay
Having recorded a third consecutive year of double-digit passenger traffic growth, Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) has confirmed further enhancements to its route network for 2017, with frequency increases by Flybe on five of its 12 services from the airport for this summer.
New horizons for Flybe
With a new chief joining next week, Flybe is looking forward to a busy new year as it also launches flights between Heathrow and Scotland for the first time with more than 40 services a week linking Aberdeen and Edinburgh with London.
ON TOUR: Round the world
Civil aviation enthusiast Brother Michael Bartlett is known in airline circles as the Mad Monk and is the Guinness World Records aviation champion. This is his account of his latest exploit — round the globe in 57hr 17min. The claim is in for another GUINNESS WORD RECORD.
AND FINALLY: Airports and keeping fit
If you’re serious about those New Year resolutions to keep fit and lose pounds (or kilos), work for an airport and start lifting the weight of an African elephant by hand every day. According to research by London City Airport (LCY), that’s what baggage handlers do.
Air Canada looks ahead
A “significant increase” in global footprint in 2016 with the launch of 28 new routes has been reported by Air Canada as the company prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2017.
Fresh face for Skybus fleet
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company is making a £530,000 investment in upgrading its Skybus fleet of aircraft to include new interiors, enhanced navigation systems and a striking new livery.
IAG in low-cost move
A new low-cost transatlantic carrier based in Barcelona is under consideration by the International Airlines Group (IAG) to counter competition from rivals like Norwegian.
Long-haul focus for airberlin
Plans to develop airberlin as a long-haul carrier out of its home base in the German capital and from Dusseldorf with an initial fleet of 75 aircraft are being accelerated following the appointment of Thomas Winkelmann (57) as group CEO.
TAP expansion trail
More flights between the UK and Portugal and six new destinations from Lisbon are in the pipeline for next summer from the Portuguese flag-carrier TAP.