24 MAY 2021
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- COMMENT: BRITISH RAIL “A privatisation too far”
- LETTER OF THE WEEK
- The Williams Report
- Aer Lingus, Emerald & Stobart
- Another Düsseldorf hotel for Ruby
- Avanti West Coast launches new class
- Brits start cruising & Portland welcome
- Covid passports – inevitable?
- Down under flights delayed
- EasyJet and Swissport
- Hilton Canopy for Paris
- JetBlue finally confirms start date
- Major low-cost airlines results
- Oneworld reports on pre-travel testing
- PASSPORTS - Home Office 10-week travel ban
- Play Airline follows WOW
- Sleep pods for British Airways
- State Aid – Ryanair wins Court battle – For now
- Terminal 3 goes Red
- UK routes for Wizz Air
- US – UK air corridor could re-start travel
- Yotel in Porto
- ON TOUR: London is alive
- AND FINALLY: Supersonic jet failure
- AND FINALLY EXTRA: Not a deserted High Street
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LETTER OF THE WEEK
Not only did St Helena attract the most views this week (was it readers wondering where it was, or looking for somewhere to go on holiday?) but it also gained the most letters. See for yourself!
State Aid – Ryanair wins Court battle – For now
Ryanair has welcomed the EU General Court’s rulings that State aid measures favouring KLM and TAP were in breach of EU law. Air France-KLM received €3.4bn and Brazilian-owned TAP Air Portugal €1.2bn
Yotel in Porto
Perhaps best known for its airport hotels and city centre locations, with brilliant timing Yotel is to open a property next Friday (28 May) in the very centre of Porto (Portugal).
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COMMENT: BRITISH RAIL “A privatisation too far”
The quote is of Margaret Thatcher:
"The last 30 years have proved her right." Andrew Sharp.
The Williams Report
Former British Airways Chief Executive Keith Williams long-delayed report on the UK’s rail system has inevitably produced a mixed response.
Down under flights delayed
Australian flag carrier Qantas has pushed back its planned international flights to late December 2021. The airline and its subsidiary Jetstar had intended to resume flights to “most international destinations” from the end of October, which already represented a four-month delay to previous announced plans.
JetBlue finally confirms start date
In what was a surprise announcement last week New York JFK-based JetBlue Airways confirmed that it will fly to both Heathrow (LHR) starting 11 August and Gatwick (LGW) from 29 September. Boston (BOS) will not begin until summer 2022.
Major low-cost airlines results
The airline industry knew that the winter airline results were going to be bad. No surprise then with figures published last week showing Ryanair at £701m and easyJet £645m in the red.
Oneworld reports on pre-travel testing
Pre-travel testing does catch those who have Covid-19 before they fly and travellers are happy to pay for tests, if they’re affordable, according to an Oxford University analysis of a joint trial by American Airlines, British Airways under the auspices of the oneworld alliance.
PASSPORTS - Home Office 10-week travel ban
The British Home Office is pursuing its policy of effectively giving a 10-week travel ban for UK passport holders wishing to renew their passport. “The old passport requires sending off when the application is made and paid for.” it states on its website.
Play Airline follows WOW
Another new Icelandic airline will take to the air 24 June with a flight from Keflavik to Stansted. It is seen as a successor to the failed WOW and includes many of the former carrier’s management team.
UK routes for Wizz Air
Low-cost airline Wizz Air will launch a six-times-a-week service between Luton and Rome Fiumicino on 1 July, and a three-times-a-week route from Liverpool to the city on the same day.
US – UK air corridor could re-start travel
An air corridor between the UK and the US could lead the way in re-opening travel between Europe and North America with flights restarting as soon as June or July, according to the head of Eurocontrol, the European air traffic management organisation.
ON TOUR: London is alive
Not for BTN the media rush to Faro and other Portuguese holiday places on the Green List. That will wait. There is more than enough excuses to try out what is on offer in London town writes Malcolm Ginsberg.
Aer Lingus, Emerald & Stobart
The Irish Independent reports that that the Aer Lingus Regional operations contract will change hands from the end of 2022 with Stobart Air handing over to Emerald Airlines headed by Conor McCarthy.
Another Düsseldorf hotel for Ruby
The Munich-based hotel brand Ruby Hotels has opened its third property in Düsseldorf, located in Kasernenstrasse.
Avanti West Coast launches new class
In recent times it was only the airlines that offered three classes of travel. The railways are about to launch a comeback with Avanti West Coast leading the way.
Covid passports – inevitable?
Covid passports are the only way to restart mass foreign travel, according to Dubai Airports’ Chief Executive, Paul Griffiths. Describing the documents as “inevitable”, he told the BBC: “I don’t think there is an alternative.”
EasyJet and Swissport
In move clearly designed to show confidence in the future of European travel easyJet has signed a new 5-year contract with Swissport covering airport ground services for 30 daily flights at the airline’s Berlin hub.
Hilton Canopy for Paris
Hilton has opened its first Canopy property in France, located in Paris’ 16th arrondissement Trocadero district.
Sleep pods for British Airways
Sleep pods are being installed by British Airways in some of its lounges, with the first due to open this month in the airline’s First Galleries Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5.
Terminal 3 goes Red
Heathrow’s central area Terminal 3 is expected to re-open for flights from Red List countries under the Governments ‘traffic light’ scheme from 1 June.