Category: Frequent Flyer News (Page 2 of 59)

Qatar Airways Holidays launches Formula 1® 2024 Season packages

February 19, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Doha, Qatar – Qatar Airways, the Global Partner and Official Airline of F1®, in partnership with Qatar Airways Holidays, announced today the launch of its fan packages for the upcoming FIA Formula One World Championship™. The packages allow fans travelling from more than 40 countries to be up-close to high-octane action and enjoy unique experiences.

From the beginning to end of their journey, the packages are designed for fans to enjoy a seamless motorsport extravaganza, with the inclusion of return flights, hotel accommodation, F1® Paddock Club or Grandstand race tickets, and return airport transfers for all global races (excluding Qatar). Packages are available for purchase at: qatarairways.com/f1.

This year, fans are also encouraged to experience guided track tours, pit lane walks and more with the F1® Paddock Club™ packages, featuring savings of up to 20 per cent on global race packages. One of the best spots to watch the action, offering world-class cuisine and free-flowing beverages, the Paddock Club™ is the pinnacle of F1® hospitality. In addition, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can collect Avios and Qpoints on all fan packages, accumulating rewards to use towards future travel and experiences while helping them retain and quickly reach their next tier. Members can also purchase their package using Cash + Avios.

Hinterland Aviation picks Cessna Skycourier for fleet expansion

February 19, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Wichita, Kansas, January 19, 2024, Business Wire – Textron Aviation (NYSE: TXT) today announced a purchase agreement for the first Cessna SkyCourier passenger variant in Australia to regional airline Hinterland Aviation. The aircraft, expected to deliver in 2026, will add to Hinterland’s expansive fleet of Cessna Grand Caravans to provide a greater payload capacity and increased passenger seating. This fleet expansion will greatly benefit remote communities, as well as the tourism and business sectors in Queensland.

The Cessna SkyCourier is meticulously designed to deliver unparalleled performance, unwavering reliability and cost-effective maintenance. With the ability to be operated by a single pilot and a generous payload capacity, the SkyCourier is the ultimate solution for air freight, passenger and special mission needs. The aircraft is highly adaptable and can effortlessly adjust configurations to effectively complete any mission, ensuring a significant return on investment.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Emirates Flight Catering acquires Bustanica indoor vertical farm

February 19, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Dubai, UAE, 19 February 2024 — Emirates Flight Catering, one of the world’s largest catering operations, has fully acquired Emirates Bustanica, formerly called Emirates Crop One, and its consumer brand Bustanica, the world’s largest indoor vertical farm.

This strategic move establishes Emirates Bustanica as a fully UAE-owned company, helping sustain the country’s vision of enhancing food and water security and its agricultural capabilities. The acquisition empowers Emirates Bustanica to leverage its local expertise and the latest tech know-how to meet the growing demands of the market.

Located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Bustanica’s 330,000sqft facility has the capacity to grow more than 1 million kilograms of exceptional quality leafy greens a year, equivalent to 3 tonnes daily, while using 95% less water than conventional agriculture.

Operating under the brand name Bustanica, the produce is available across all major retailers in the UAE such as Spinney’s, Waitrose, Carrefour, and Choithrams. Customers on Emirates and other airlines enjoy this farm-fresh produce in their salads and meals.

Click the link below to read the full story!

Bustanica indoor vertical farm

Southwest Airlines expand technical operations facility In Phoenix

February 19, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Dallas, Texas, February, 2024 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) is celebrating the completion of a multi-year, $100 million project, which nearly doubles the size of the airline’s maintenance hangar at Phoenix Sky Harbor. The 90,000-square foot expansion adds three new aircraft bays to the facility, allowing the airline to work on up to five aircraft simultaneously and brings more maintenance shops to support the nearly 500 Southwest® Technical Operations Employees based at Sky Harbor. The project also included a larger facility for members of the airline’s Provisioning and Ground Support Equipment Maintenance Teams that opened in 2020.

The expanded hangar has also achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. The expansion incorporated sustainable design features including the use of recycled content in over 30% of the building materials; the installation of high-reflectance roof and surrounding paving materials to reduce heat island effect; and the selection of building products from manufacturers with verified environmental performance.

Southwest Airlines® first opened a Technical Operations base at Sky Harbor in 1986. In 1993, the airline moved into a new maintenance hangar facility to support its growth throughout the western half of the United States. Today, the carrier’s Phoenix-based Technical Operations Teams accept new aircraft deliveries to prepare them to enter revenue service and maintain aircraft as part of daily and scheduled maintenance programs.

In addition to Phoenix, Southwest operates hangar facilities in Atlanta, Chicago (Midway), Dallas (Love Field), Denver, Houston (Hobby), and Orlando. Construction is underway on a new hangar facility at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, which is anticipated to open in 2025.

Forward-Looking Statements

Bonza launches Rockhampton sale with fares from $39

February 19, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Australia’s only independent low-cost carrier Bonza is celebrating its Rockhampton partnership with sale fares starting at $39 per person one way* so Rocky locals can explore more of Australia, for less.

The five-day sale starts today and ends on Monday, 19 February for travel between 16 April – 19 June to/from the Beef Capital to/from Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Melbourne.

Travellers are encouraged to download the Fly Bonza app which is the only place to book direct.

*Prices quoted starting from $39pp Rockhampton to or from Cairns, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and starting from $59pp Rockhampton to or from Melbourne (Tullamarine) are one way, per person, excluding checked bags and seat selection, via the Fly Bonza app paying by Bonza’s fee free payment option. Offer starts 08:00 AEST, 15 February 2024. Offer ends 23:59 AEST, 19 February 2024. For travel between 16 April and 19 June 2024, subject to availability. Discount applies to fare only, excluding bags, seats and payment fees. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or promotional offer. We reserve the right to vary, modify or cancel this promotion at any time. Payment fees may apply. Conditions of Carriage apply.

Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

Milan court rules in favor of ryanair online distribution model

February 14, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Milan, Italy, February 14, 2023 – Ryanair Holdings PLC (Dublin: RYA), Europe’s No.1 airline, today welcomes the judgments of the Milan Court of Appeal conclusively rejecting Lastminute and Viaggiare’s claims that Ryanair’s exclusive online distribution model constitutes an abuse of a dominant position.

Ryanair has long campaigned to protect customers from price gouging by OTAs who continue to dupe unsuspecting consumers by unlawfully scraping Ryanair’s website, including by overcharging for air fares and ancillary services, using fake customer accounts, fake customer payment cards and fake customer emails. This can be hugely detrimental to customers who, apart from being overcharged, cannot access their Ryanair bookings, make the necessary security declarations, access refunds, or receive direct email communications (such as online check-in reminders) from Ryanair. This historical and precedent-setting Court ruling is a major step forward in protecting unsuspecting consumers from being overcharged by OTAs, and will help to ensure that Ryanair customers always get the lowest fares, the best customer service, and real time email communications.

Ryanair has recently concluded pro-consumer deals with the OTAs Love Holidays and Kiwi so that they can market our flights to their customers, without hidden mark-ups and with full transparency for passengers to protect them against overcharging.

Forward-Looking Statements

American Airlines & World Series champion Texas Rangers partner

February 14, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Fort Worth, Texas, January 14, 2024 – American Airlines Group (Nasdaq: AAL) is teaming up with the reigning World Champions, the Texas Rangers. The multiyear deal taps American as the Official and Exclusive Airline and Airline Rewards Program of the Texas Rangers and includes additional marketing and sponsorship benefits that will engage fans in the community and beyond.

The collaboration will extend beyond the diamond, offering fans unique opportunities to travel to the games and enjoy exclusive perks. From throwing out the first pitch at a game and suite seats to once-in-a-lifetime meet-and-greets with popular players, American is set to enhance the fan experience and bring them closer to the action.

The only way to unlock access to these experiences is by becoming an AAdvantage® member. Fans who are U.S. residents, ages 18 and over, can sign up once daily at aa.com/RangersPerks for a chance to win that specific prize. Not an AAdvantage® member? Sign up.

Click the link below to read the full story!

American Airlines partners with Texas Rangers

Forward-Looking Statements

Airbus partners for hydrogen aviation in Sweden and Norway

February 1, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Stockholm, Sweden, January 31, 2024 – Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia and Vattenfall have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the feasibility of a hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway.

This cooperation will provide better understanding of hydrogen aircraft concepts and operations, supply, infrastructures and refueling needs at airports in order to help develop this hydrogen aviation ecosystem in both countries. The work will also identify the pathways to select which airports will be transformed first to operate hydrogen-powered aircraft in both countries as well as the accompanying regulatory framework.

This is the first time that a feasibility study of this kind covers two countries and more than 50 airports. It reflects the partners’ shared ambition to use their respective expertise to support the decarbonisation of the aviation industry and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Airbus also launched the “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” program to jumpstart research into infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airport operations, across the entire value chain. To date agreements have been signed with partners and airports in ten countries including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Korean Air gets approval from Japan on Asiana merger

February 1, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) approved Korean Air’s business combination with Asiana Airlines, marking a significant milestone in the two airlines’ merger process. To date, Korean Air has received approvals from 12 of 14 competition authorities.

The approval process commenced in January 2021, when Korean Air submitted its intent to the JFTC. Subsequently, a comprehensive initial report containing market and economic analysis was submitted in August 2021. Korean Air has proactively engaged in dialogues with all concerned parties to address various concerns raised by the JFTC.

The JFTC requested for Korean Air to submit remedies on select routes between Korea and Japan where the combined market share of Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and its respective subsidiaries (Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul) would limit competition.

After discussion, the JFTC concluded that five of the 12 overlapping routes on the network were not subject to competition review. In addressing the remaining concerns, the airline has decided to cede a limited number of slots on seven routes, should “remedy takers” decide to operate on them. These routes include Seoul-Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, as well as Busan-Osaka, Sapporo, and Fukuoka.

The JFTC also raised competition concerns about the Korea-Japan cargo network. However, with the decision to divest Asiana’s cargo business, the JFTC limited its request for the airline to enter into a cargo block space agreement (BSA) on select routes from Japan to Korea. The divestiture of Asiana’s cargo business is subject to the approval of all remaining competition authorities, and will occur after Asiana Airlines is incorporated as a subsidiary of Korean Air.

Since January 2021, Korean Air has filed business combination reports with a total of 14 competition authorities. A total of 12 authorities including Japan, have either approved the combination or concluded the review on the grounds that the business combination was not subject to review or report. Korean Air is committed to constructive dialogue with the remaining authorities – the EU and U.S. – to obtain approvals at the earliest opportunity.

Ryanair agrees on new partnership deal with OTA kiwi.com

January 29, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

KIWI GUARANTEE NO OVERCHARGING FOR RYANAIR FLIGHTS/ANCILLARIES

Following the recent approved partnership between Ryanair Holdings PLC (Ireland: RYA) and OTA, loveholidays.com. Ryanair today (Monday, January 29) announced a new partnership agreement with approved OTA, Kiwi.com, which guarantees that Kiwi will now have direct access to the Ryanair.com website without screenscraping, and Kiwi agree to provide their customers with low Ryanair prices for flights and ancillaries, and will see Kiwi provide the direct accurate customer contact and payment details to Ryanair.

This new approved OTA deal means that Kiwi customers can now buy Ryanair flights/ancillaries at real prices (without mark-ups) via the Kiwi.com website, and Kiwi customers will have direct access to their myRyanair account and will receive all Ryanair flight info directly to their email from Ryanair. Kiwi customers will no longer need to complete Ryanair’s customer verification process which unauthorised OTA Pirates’ customers must continue to do.

In addition to these benefits, this deal also allows customers to enjoy Kiwi virtual interline service which allows customers to book connecting flights, but if they miss their connection flight, Kiwi will reaccommodate passengers free of charge on the next available flight.

Ryanair has long campaigned for all consumers to be protected from OTA Pirate overcharges and pricing scams, and an end to fake customer contact and payment info. This approved OTA partnership with Kiwi demonstrates how OTAs can work with Ryanair in a transparent way that eliminates the need for anti-consumer practices while giving Kiwi.com passengers direct access to Ryanair’s low prices with no overcharges or price scams.

Forward-Looking Statements

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