17 APRIL 2017
YOUR WORDS
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- COMMENT: The unfriendly skies
- Arabian Travel Market date
- B737 MAX 9 takes flight
- Bern – London City link flies again
- Cargo in focus at Heathrow
- Catering charges rising
- CityJet update
- Garden Inn moves into Shanghai
- Hands across the Pacific
- Le Méridien Rome
- Level bookings take off
- London City 30 years - Help needed
- Luton Airport roadworks
- Manchester lands Agadir
- Plaza Premium's new baby
- RAeS on airports
- St Giles for Cuba
- TAP fares innovation
- Transatlantic JetBlue?
- Two more tail-fin heroes
- Yorkshire railways
- ON TOUR: Aircraft Interiors Expo
- AND FINALLY: Magic in the air
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Bern – London City link flies again
Swiss carrier Skywork Airlines has relaunched service between Bern and London City Airport (LCY), saying it was “reviving a tradition” as well as responding to customer requests for a lunchtime departure from the Swiss city.
RAeS on airports
Global Journeys: Forging the Airport Experience of Tomorrow will be the subject of an all-day conference at the Royal Aeronautical Society, London, next Monday (24 April), against the backdrop of aviation as today’s fastest growing form of travel.
Transatlantic JetBlue?
The prospect of upmarket US low-cost carrier JetBlue venturing into the transatlantic market with routes to Europe will be under discussion at this year’s Aviation Festival at the Business Design Centre in London on 6-8 September when the airline’s president, Robin Hayes, appears as keynote speaker.
COMMENT: The unfriendly skies
For our reader's views go to the end of this piece.
BTN last week drew attention to the media hostility some US major airlines have been facing in what has been called their headlong pursuit for profit. Had we known what was about to unfold on United Airlines Flight 3411, we would have been rather more direct.
Arabian Travel Market date
More than 30,000 visitors are expected in Dubai next week for the four-day Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, which takes place in Dubai World Trade Centre from next Monday, 24 April, and is set to be the biggest in the event’s 24-year history.
Cargo in focus at Heathrow
Heathrow announced good news on the passenger and cargo fronts last week, with the emphasis on the freight side as global British trade at the airport soared in March.
CityJet update
Long-time London City Airport resident CityJet has signed an agreement with KLM Cityhopper for not only the eight-times-daily LCY – AMS route but various KLM Amsterdam services to Belfast. Birmingham, Bordeaux and Hamburg.
Garden Inn moves into Shanghai
Western hotel groups are continuing their march on the Chinese market with the Hilton Garden Inn brand making its debut in Shanghai. The parent company already operates four other properties in the city.
Le Méridien Rome
After an extensive renovation and conversion from the Visconti Palace Hotel, the 240-room Le Méridien Visconti Rome, part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, has reopened with fully restyled interiors.
Level bookings take off
Bookings for International Airline Group’s new long-haul low-cost airline brand Level have “taken off”, with more than 100,000 tickets sold since its launch on 17 March, the company said last week.
London City 30 years - Help needed
During 2017, London City Airport will be celebrating its 30th anniversary, culminating in the publication of a book commemorating the opening by the Queen on 5 November 1987.
In its first full year, the airport saw just 133,000 passengers passing through. In 2017, it will reach towards 5m and serve more than 30 destinations. Back in 1988, you could only fly to Paris and Brussels, neither of which is now on the airport's schedule.
Luton Airport roadworks
The dual carriageway runway underpass into the terminal area has partially opened at Luton Airport just in time for the Easter rush. From the right turn into the Mid-Term car park (free for 15min drop-off) just before the bridge vehicles are into a chargeable area (£3) unless visiting, by previous arrangement, the airport management or easyJet.
Two more tail-fin heroes
UK aviation pioneer Sir Freddie Laker and Irish Antarctic explorer Tom Crean are the latest personalities to become tail-fin “heroes” featured on aircraft in the Norwegian fleet.
ON TOUR: Aircraft Interiors Expo
Stephanie Taylor provides a round-up of the most exciting IFEC news from this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg
AND FINALLY: Magic in the air
With onboard behaviour somewhat in the news, BTN is happy to hear of Turkish Airlines’ response to the age-old problem of persuading passengers to pay attention to safety briefings.
In a word (or two), it’s magic.
B737 MAX 9 takes flight
A comprehensive flight test programme leading to certification and delivery for the Boeing B737 MAX 9 kicked off last week as the aircraft took to the skies above Puget Sound outside Seattle on schedule for its first outing.
Catering charges rising
Growing controversy over the trend of airlines to charge for inflight food and drink that used to be free has led the industry website Cheapflights to produce a survey on average meal costs so passengers can find the best deals.
Hands across the Pacific
Transpacific services took on a new look last week as Delta Air Lines and joint venture partner Virgin Australia celebrated the expansion of their joint network with the launch of Virgin’s direct service between Los Angeles and Melbourne.
Manchester lands Agadir
Casablanca-based Air Arabia Maroc is to begin flying between Manchester and Agadir from October with a twice-weekly A320 service on Thursdays and Sundays, making Manchester the only airport in the UK outside London served by the carrier.
Plaza Premium's new baby
A new lounge operated by the Plaza Premium Group with 25 luxury shower rooms, a lounge and bar area and a new dining concept called Flight Club has been unveiled in Terminal 4 arrivals at Heathrow for the use of both passengers and airport visitors.
St Giles for Cuba
The first UK-based hotel brand to enter the Cuba market following the thawing of relations last year has announced plans for a property on the Malecón, the popular promenade overlooking Havana Bay.
TAP fares innovation
Fares based on the amount of baggage passengers choose to accompany them are being introduced by TAP Portugal in a move it says is designed to give its customers more freedom of choice when buying tickets for intercontinental flights.
Yorkshire railways
Further details on the special “four trains, four generations” event on Yorkshire’s railways later this month (BTN 27 March) have been confirmed, with the historic occasion to begin at 06:00 next Sunday (23 April) near the North Yorkshire village of Tollerton.