18 MARCH 2019
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- COMMENT: A crisis for Boeing
- 40 new aircraft for Lufthansa
- All Nippon and the A380
- E-gate access extended
- Etihad and the Dreamliner
- Fly with the Dambusters
- Heathrow summits arrive
- HS2 defended at rail summit
- JAL zips into LCC arena
- LNER and Azuma
- Luton and Wizz A321neo
- More flights for St Helena
- Oman Air lands ‘Quiet and Green’ title
- Premier Inn Hamburg
- Priority Pass in fast-track trial
- Propliner 2019 date
- Qatar adds luxury to Economy
- Remote tower control milestone
- Second Emirates daily for Stansted
- Star Alliance Schiphol
- SWISS Airbus A340
- ON TOUR: UK Business Aviation gathers
- AND FINALLY: The name is Po…
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Oman Air lands ‘Quiet and Green’ title
Growing use of new-generation aircraft and adjusted flying techniques has led to a reshuffle in the Heathrow league table for eco-friendly operation, with Oman Air landing first place in the latest “Fly Quiet and Green” ratings.
COMMENT: A crisis for Boeing
In the rush to judgment that follows any air accident, theories of all kinds abound. So it has been over the past week as the industry has attempted to come to terms with the fate of two new Boeing B737 Max 8 aircraft crashing within a matter of five months.
40 new aircraft for Lufthansa
Orders for 40 state-of-the-art aircraft – 20 Boeing B787-9s and 20 Airbus A350-900s – primarily to replace four-engine aircraft and with delivery dates between 2022 and 2027 were announced by Lufthansa Group last week.
Fly with the Dambusters
The RAF Museum Hendon has introduced one of the most innovative exhibitions in its history. Visitors can now take a virtual reality ride on an Avro Lancaster to attack the Möhne Dam.
Heathrow summits arrive
As previewed last month (BTN 18 February), Heathrow’s 2018 series of 11 Business Summits kicks off this week with a gathering for the South West region at Saltash in Cornwall on Wednesday (20 March).
HS2 defended at rail summit
Professor Andrew McNaughton, senior adviser to HS2, presented a robust case for the controversial project at the UK Rail Summit in London last week, writes Andrew Sharp.
Luton and Wizz A321neo
As promised last week on delivery of the aircraft from the manufacturer, fast-growing Wizz Air on Friday welcomed its first brand new Airbus A321neo to the tarmac at Luton Airport (BTN 11 March).
More flights for St Helena
A second weekly flight between Cape Town and the south Atlantic island of St Helena is being launched by SA Airlink for the regions summer season, with a technical stop in Walvis Bay.
Premier Inn Hamburg
A second hotel in Germany for the Whitbread group has opened in Hamburg with the arrival of a Premier Inn in the city centre. The group says it plans to operate around 20 hotels in the country by the end of 2020.
Priority Pass in fast-track trial
Gatwick and Leeds Bradford are among six airports around the world taking part in a trial project from Priority Pass to give members of its airport lounge programme access to express lanes at security and passport control.
Propliner 2019 date
The 2019 edition of the Propliner Annual will be published on Monday 15 April.
Qatar adds luxury to Economy
An upgraded Economy Class featuring a new-style seat and enhanced meals has been unveiled by Qatar Airways. The airline also announced at this year’s ITB Berlin it was adding seven new routes to its global network.
Star Alliance Schiphol
Selected passengers at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport now have a new relaxation area available with the opening of the latest Star Alliance-branded lounge. It is the group’s eighth – others include Los Angeles, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Rome Fiumicino.
ON TOUR: UK Business Aviation gathers
“If we don’t focus on the grass roots aviation we can’t foster the next generation into aviation."
AND FINALLY: The name is Po…
Flushed with pride at the success of its so-called “inimitable talking toilets”, Virgin Trains, far from being drained of ideas, is coming out of the closet and moving to the next stage of development – finding a new voice for the chatty loos, hopefully without provoking a chain reaction.
All Nippon and the A380
As one of the last airlines likely to be putting a new Airbus A380 into service, All Nippon Airways (ANA) has set Wednesday (20 March) as the date for the delivery ceremony for the first of three superjumbos it has on order from the manufacturer.
E-gate access extended
Citizens from seven new countries – the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea – will be able to use e-gates at UK airports and Eurostar terminals from June, chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed last week.
Etihad and the Dreamliner
Rome and Frankfurt are gaining more Dreamliner services from Abu Dhabi from 1 June when Etihad Airways extends operations. Rome will gain a new two-class B787-10 Dreamliner, the largest variant of the aircraft, on the scheduled daily morning service.
JAL zips into LCC arena
A new low-cost carrier (LCC) came into being last week for Japan Airlines (JAL) with the company officially naming its subsidiary ZipAir. First flights using a Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner are due to take off in summer 2020.
LNER and Azuma
More facilities for business travellers are on the way as London North Eastern Railway (LNER) prepares for its new Azuma trains to enter service on 15 May on the London King’s Cross – Leeds route.
Remote tower control milestone
More than 2,200 flights operating into and out of Saarbrücken International Airport have now been handled by air traffic controllers at Germany’s Remote Tower Control (RTC) Centre at Leipzig, 450km away.
Second Emirates daily for Stansted
In what airport CEO Ken O’Toole called “fantastic news”, Emirates is to launch a second daily flight between Dubai and Stansted from 1 July. It means the airline’s passengers will now have 11 daily flight options to and from three London airports.
SWISS Airbus A340
The first of five Airbus A340s being fitted out with completely refurbished interiors in all three seating cabins by SWISS International Airlines (SWISS) has entered service, flying from Zurich to Tokyo.