Tag: Europe (Page 10 of 25)

Emirates Takes Newest A380 with Premium Economy to London

January 3, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Emirates has announced that it will deploy its latest flagship A380 aircraft featuring new premium economy seats and luxurious enhancements across all cabins to London Heathrow.

Starting from 4 January, passengers flying between Dubai and London Heathrow can experience Emirates’ latest A380. Operating as EK003/004, the aircraft is scheduled to depart Dubai daily at 14:30hrs, arriving at 18:20hrs in London Heathrow. The return flight departs London at 20:20hrs and arrives in Dubai the next day at 07:20hrs. All timings local.

Emirates last week unveiled its latest A380 with brand new premium economy seats that offer a generous seat pitch of up to 40 inches, in addition to new economy class seats similar to those installed on its latest Boeing 777-300ER gamechanger aircraft, enhancements to its popular A380 First and Business Class including its signature Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, and refreshed colours and fittings across all cabins.

Until more Premium Economy seats enter its inventory, the airline intends to offer these as spot upgrades for its valued customers on a discretionary basis. All other signature Emirates A380 First, Business and Economy cabins are available for reservation on emirates.com or via travel agents.

The airline has safely and gradually restored its network over the past months, bringing back signature experiences onboard and on the ground with comprehensive measures in place for the health and safety of its customers and employees.

Emirates currently serves London Heathrow with 5 daily flights of which 4 are operated with an A380. The airline also operates 10 flights a week to Manchester, and daily flights to both Birmingham and Glasgow.

Emirates serves 99 cities across the world, offering travellers convenient access to Dubai and onwards to popular destinations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

FedEx Modernizes Fleet With Delivery of Regional ATR Freighter

December 25, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, announced the delivery of the first ever purpose-built turboprop regional freighter to the FedEx fleet. This follows the company’s 2017 signing of a firm order of 30 aircraft, with the option to purchase 20 more. The aircraft will arrive at Shannon Airport and will be operated by ASL Airlines Ireland, a FedEx ATR operator since 2000, as part of the FedEx Express Feeder fleet. This global fleet allows the company to provide fast, economical services to small and medium-sized business areas around the world.

The most fuel-efficient regional aircraft, the ATR turboprop is a popular choice for cargo and passenger operators committed to a more sustainable aviation industry for the future. ATR has extensive experience in the regional freighter market. There are currently around 130 converted ATR freighter aircraft in operation, representing one third of the global regional freighter fleet, and this brand-new ATR 72-600F incorporates the benefits of this knowledge to provide FedEx with a freighter that conforms to needed requirements. With the changing market and the growth of e-commerce, the ATR is perfectly fit to connect communities and economies around the world.

FedEx Express operations can now benefit from the unique advantages offered by the ATR 72-600F’s 75m³ freight capacity. The purpose-built freighter’s fuselage is a clean design, optimised for cargo and has been delivered by the turboprop manufacturer’s Italian shareholder Leonardo, from their facilities in Naples. The aircraft’s large cargo door facilitates the optimal loading of nine tonnes of payload and offers the option of carrying either bulk cargo or, when in Unit Load Device (ULD) mode, five 88” x 108” pallets or up to seven LD3 containers. Pilots can benefit from the latest upgradable Standard 3 avionics suite in the ATR 72-600, allowing the introduction of continuous cockpit innovations that improve efficiency.

Jorn Van De Plas, Senior Vice President Air Network and GTS Europe, FedEx Express said: “Today’s delivery of the first ever purpose-built regional ATR freighter marks an exciting new chapter for our FedEx Express Feeder fleet. This is an important step in our fleet renewal strategy, ensuring we remain the most flexible, reliable, and responsible network in the business.

Stefano Bortoli, Chief Executive Office of ATR, said: “Every manufacturer is proud when it develops and delivers a brand new aircraft, and given the uniquely challenging year the industry and the whole world has faced, handing over to FedEx Express this very first ATR 72-600F is an exciting and rewarding moment for our whole team here in ATR. Freighters play a huge role in supplying essential connectivity between economies all over the world and the unique aspects of our modern purpose-built freighter mean it will deliver operational benefits to companies that integrate them into their fleet.

As part of the FedEx Express commitment to circularity, the two aircraft being replaced by the new ATRs will be donated to Madrid airport where they will be used for fire services training. These will be the 97th and 98th planes FedEx has donated at the end of their service in the fleet.

This delivery is an encouraging move for the logistics and air cargo industry in how they can continue to support the economy around the globe.

Belavia Takes Delivery of First Embraer E195-E2

December 21, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Belavia, Belarusian Airlines, the national carrier of Belarus, took delivery today of their first E2 next generation Embraer aircraft in Brazil. The new aircraft is the first of three E195-E2 jets to be leased to the airline by AerCap.

The aircraft, configured in a comfortable dual class layout seating 125 passengers in total, seats 9 in business and 116 in economy. Belavia plans to deploy their new aircraft on popular routes such as London, Barcelona, Nur-Sultan, Munich, Paris, Sochi, and Amsterdam.

“Belavia’s passengers love our current Embraer aircraft and I hope they will love the next generation E2 even more. The E2 offers Belavia lower operating costs, as well as the lowest impact on the environment. At Belavia we like to keep our fleet young and fresh; with the addition of the E195-E2 we can take more passengers, further, in greater comfort, and more efficiently – the E2 is the perfect fit”, commented Anatoly Gusarov, CEO of JSC “Belavia”.

“It’s great to welcome another airline to the E2 family of operators. As airlines’ ramp up their operations, the E195-E2 is perfectly positioned to right size routes previously operated by narrowbodies, while keeping frequencies and adjusting capacity to new levels,” said Cesar Pereira, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We look forward to supporting Belavia as they continue to upgrade their offering to their customers.”

“We congratulate the team at Belavia on the delivery of their first E195-E2,” said Philip Scruggs, President and Chief Commercial Officer at AerCap. “We wish Belavia every success as they continue to modernize their fleet.”

Emirates to Operate A380 Flight to Bahrain for 49th National Day

December 13, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Emirates will operate a special one-off A380 service to Bahrain on 15 December, one day ahead of the country’s 49th National Day celebrations. The deployment is in response to high passenger demand during the National Day holidays in the Kingdom.

On 15 December, the Emirates A380 service will operate as EK 839 and EK 840, departing Dubai at 1605 and arriving in Bahrain at 1625hrs. The flight will then depart Bahrain at 1745hrs arriving in Dubai at 2000hrs.

Emirates customers arriving from Bahrain have the option to take a complimentary COVID-19 PCR test on arrival in Dubai, or do their COVID-19 PCR test 96 hours prior to departure, making it even more convenient for those planning their holidays.

Passengers coming from Bahrain, along with three other GCC countries do not need to take a COVID-19 PCR test prior to departure.

Emirates celebrated its 20^th anniversary to Bahrain this year, and since its first flight to the Kingdom has carried more than 6 million passengers between Bahrain and Dubai. The airline currently operates double daily flights to the Kingdom, connecting travellers to 99 global destinations, with safe and convenient onwards travel via Dubai to the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Emirates has deployed the A380 on one-off missions to the Kingdom six times, including during busy Eid travel periods, on Bahrain’s National Day in 2017, and has also displayed the double-decker twice during the Bahrain airshow.

The airline recently reinstated its signature A380 experiences, including the Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, introducing additional health and safety measures. In early November, Emirates also restored its signature dining service across all classes while observing strict hygiene protocols. Customers can now enjoy multi-course meals and choose from a complimentary selection of beverages. Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment, ice, continues to add new content every month, and currently boasts over 4,500 channels.

For more information to book a journey on this special one-off A380, travellers can visit www.emirates.com/bh , travel agents or contact the local Emirates Sales Office.

Ryanair Orders 75 More Boeing 737 MAX Jets

December 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Ryanair announced today that Europe’s largest airline is placing a firm order for 75 additional 737 MAX airplanes, increasing its order book to 210 jets. Ryanair again selected the 737 8-200, a higher-capacity version of the 737-8, citing the airplane’s additional seats and improved fuel efficiency and environmental performance.

“Ryanair’s board and people are confident that our customers will love these new aircraft. Passengers will enjoy the new interiors, more generous leg room, lower fuel consumption and quieter noise performance. And, most of all, our customers will love the lower fares, which these aircraft will enable Ryanair to offer starting in 2021 and for the next decade, as Ryanair leads the recovery of Europe’s aviation and tourism industries,” said Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary.

O’Leary and Ryanair leaders joined the Boeing team for a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C. Both companies acknowledged COVID-19’s impacts on air traffic in the near-term, but expressed confidence in the resilience and strength of the passenger demand over the long term.

“As soon as the COVID-19 virus recedes – and it likely will in 2021 with the rollout of multiple effective vaccines – Ryanair and our partner airports across Europe will – with these environmentally efficient aircraft – rapidly restore flights and schedules, recover lost traffic and help the nations of Europe recover their tourism industries, and get young people back to work across the cities, beaches and ski resorts of the European Union,” O’Leary said.

Ryanair is the launch customer for the high-capacity 737-8 variant, having placed its first order for 100 airplanes and 100 options in late 2014, followed by firm orders of 10 airplanes in 2017 and 25 in 2018. The 737 8-200 will enable Ryanair to configure its aircraft with 197 seats, increasing revenue potential, and reduce fuel consumption by 16 percent compared to the airline’s previous airplanes.

Airbus Signs Contract for 38 Eurofighters with Germany

November 15, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus has signed a contract to deliver 38 new Eurofighter aircraft to the German Air Force. This makes Germany the largest ordering nation in Europe’s biggest defence programme. The order, also known by its project name Quadriga, covers the delivery of 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater Eurofighters. Three of the aircraft will be equipped with additional test installations as Instrumented Test Aircraft for the further development of the Eurofighter programme.

Dirk Hoke, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, said: “The new Tranche 4 Eurofighter is currently the most modern European-built combat aircraft with a service life well beyond 2060. Its technical capabilities will allow full integration into the European Future Combat Air System FCAS”.

The renewed order from Germany secures production until 2030 and comes at a strategically important time for the programme. In addition to an expected Eurofighter order from Spain to replace its legacy F-18s, procurement decisions in Switzerland and Finland are imminent in 2021.

The variant offered in Switzerland corresponds to the configuration of the German Quadriga order. The equipment includes the world’s latest electronic radar, future-proof hardware and software and unlimited multi-role capability for engaging air and ground targets.

Eurofighter is Europe’s largest defence programme, in which the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy are involved alongside Germany. In addition to technological capabilities, it secures more than 100,000 jobs in Europe.

Happy 100th Birthday, Qantas Airlines!

November 15, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services (QANTAS) today marks 100 years since it was founded in the Australian outback.

On 16 November 1920, two veterans of the Australian Flying Corps, Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness, together with local grazier Fergus McMaster, founded what would later become the national carrier.

This happened just 17 years after the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers, two years after the end of World War One and at the tail end of the last major global pandemic, the Spanish Flu.

The new airline focused on conquering the “tyranny of distance” that was a major barrier to the growth of modern Australia. Its early chances of success were uncertain, to the point early backers called their investment “a donation”.

Initially carrying mail between outback towns, the airline was flying passengers to Singapore by the 1930’s. By the end of the 1940’s its strategic importance saw it nationalised and in the 1960’s, it was an early adopter of the jet aircraft that mainstreamed global travel. Qantas invented business class in the 1970’s, switched to an all-747 fleet in the 1980’s, was privatised in the 1990’s, founded Jetstar in 2004, went through major restructuring in 2014 and, by 2020, had recently completed several important ‘firsts’ in non-stop travel to Europe and the US.

Qantas is the oldest continuously-operating airline in the world and the only one that (normally) flies to every single inhabited continent on earth.

Planned centenary celebrations have been significantly scaled back due to the impact of COVID-19, but Qantas will still mark the occasion with a low-level flyover of Sydney Harbour on the evening of its anniversary.

The flight path is expected to pass near Rose Bay where our Empire Flying Boats took off for Singapore between 1938 and 1942.

Qantas Chairman, Richard Goyder, said: “The history of Qantas shows it’s no stranger to a challenge or a crisis. That’s often when its role as the national carrier has really come to the fore.

“We want to use this moment to say thank you to all those who have supported Qantas over the years. And, in particular, to the many people who have dedicated some or all of their careers to this great company.”

Qantas Group CEO, Alan Joyce, said: “Around the world, Qantas is probably best known for its safety record, endurance flying and long list of aviation firsts. But for Australians, there’s nothing quite like seeing the flying kangaroo at the airport, waiting to take you home. We hope to be doing a lot more of that in the months and years ahead.”

DB and SBB to Increase Rail Service Between Germany and Switzerland

October 26, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Demand for international rail services between Germany and Switzerland has increased rapidly in recent years. At the Basel border crossing alone the number of passengers has increased by over 25 per cent in the past five years. Given the increasing importance of climate protection, the increase in travel by rail, an environmentally friendly mode of transport, is a trend which is expected to continue. Despite the current challenges presented by the COVID-19 crisis, the two rail companies DB and SBB firmly believe there is tremendous growth potential in rail services between Germany and Switzerland over the medium and long term. As a result, DB and SBB are planning a significant increase in services. Both rail companies today signed a memorandum of understanding on the proposals.

The planned increase in services will be made possible thanks to the opening of Stuttgart 21 and the completion of the Karlsruhe–Offenburg and Müllheim–Basel stages of improvements by 2026. The increase in services involves switching operation of all ICE services between Switzerland and Germany to ICE 4s, this being DB’s most modern train, and the use of SBB Giruno compositions in Germany.

The key features of the service increase planned from the 2026 timetable are:

– The number of direct services between Switzerland and Germany will rise from 26 at present to 35 connections a day.

– Two new direct services a day from Hamburg via Basel to Lugano will improve the services on the north-south axis via the Gotthard route. The use of the Giruno on this line means that further direct connections from Germany to Milan could be added in future.

– The new plan also involves running new direct services from Germany via Bern to Valais.

– The deployment of the ICE 4 on the Dortmund–Cologne–Basel line makes it possible to provide new direct services from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous federal state, to Switzerland.

– The half-hourly frequency in future on the Zurich to Chur route will allow additional direct connections from Germany to Chur to be provided.

– The journey time between Frankfurt and Zurich will be reduced by 20 minutes to 3 hours and 40 minutes.

In conjunction with the joint increase in services, SBB Giruno trains will also now be used on routes between Switzerland and Germany. SBB also plans to procure additional Giruno compositions from manufacturer Stadler Rail using existing options available. Vincent Ducrot, CEO of SBB, believes this increase in services is another major step which underlines SBB’s strong commitment to significantly improving international passenger services: “We want to make rail travel in Europe easier for our customers. Rail offers major advantages in terms of travel time and comfort and has gained further impetus from the climate debate. This is why we are focusing on the further development of international services. It is important to look at sustainable and efficient mobility at European level. Infrastructure projects, such as the Ceneri Base Tunnel and Stuttgart 21, are pioneering in this respect.” Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn, said: “2021 is the European Year of Rail. Projects such as the revival of the Trans Europ Express for cross-border services and the development of our cooperation with SBB demonstrate this. These are wonderful indications that rail travel is growing across the entire continent, and first and foremost, that people and economic activity in Europe are coming closer together.”

Der neue Fernverkehrszug der SBB “FV Dosto”, ein Doppelstockzug, fotografiert wahrend der Typentestfahrt in Interlaken, am Donnerstag, 11. Mai 2017. (KEYSTONE/Anthony Anex)……..

French Airbus Workers Sign Key Restructuring Deal

October 12, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Airbus is pictured at the entrance of the Airbus facility in Bouguenais, near Nantes, France, July 2, 2020. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo

TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) – Major French unions on Monday signed a keenly awaited labor deal with Europe’s Airbus <EADSY> covering job reductions and furloughs for production workers affected by coronavirus-blighted demand for passenger jets.

After three months of talks, unions representing a majority of the planemaker’s French workers signed an agreement paving the way for 4,200 job reductions in France, including 3,400 in Toulouse, Europe’s aerospace capital where Airbus is based.

Unions say the agreement will prevent compulsory redundancies, although Chief Executive Guillaume Faury recently warned staff that voluntary measures would not be enough.

Click the link below for the full story!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/french-airbus-workers-sign-key-191527471.html

**Airbus Delivered the A330 Family’s 1,500th airplane on 21st September to Delta Air Lines**

Aer Lingus Launches Summer 2021 Schedule with Flexible Options

October 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– You and your family can travel safely and with flexibility with Aer Lingus

– Free Unlimited changes on all routes and all fare types

– Guaranteed Voucher and Cash Refund option on certain fare types

Aer Lingus today launched its summer 2021 schedule offering a range of fare options so customers can book that long-anticipated summer holiday with confidence. Aer Lingus is ensuring families can look forward to traveling safely and with flexibility in summer 2021, and today it introduced new ways to keep bookings flexible should travel plans change with its ‘Book with Confidence’ proposition. With direct flights to Europe starting at €25.99 and US and Canada at €159, now is the time to start planning summer 2021.

Chief Commercial Officer, Dave Shepherd said: “We are offering customers a range of choices. There are free unlimited changes on all routes and all fare types*. There is the option of a full cash refund** on our Advantage/Flex fares. And from today, our Smart / Plus fares includes a new feature so that customers can avail of a voucher up to 14 days before travel to any destination or within 14 days if a country’s travel guidance changes*** from just €25.99. Aer Lingus is giving our customers the confidence to dream, so you can start to plan next summer’s adventure today with confidence.

“With flights up to August 2021 available for sale, you can start planning a reunion with friends in the Algarve, a sunny beach break with family in Malaga, or a romantic adventure in a European city and have something great to look forward to next year with Aer Lingus. For those looking to travel across the Atlantic in 2021, we have 12 direct North American routes to choose from including New York, Florida, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Toronto, ”

With Aer Lingus, customers can book with the confidence that the airline prioritises the safety and wellbeing of our customers and our people at all times. Earlier this year Aer Lingus introduced a range of safety measures in line with the guidance provided by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control). These measures include the mandatory wearing of face masks at all times by all customers and crew. Social distancing is practiced at check in, boarding gate, boarding and disembarking the aircraft. These measures, along with an enhanced cleaning system and our state-of-the-art air filtration technology as standard on our Airbus aircraft, ensure customers have a safe and comfortable flight.

For more information on the Aer Lingus summer 2021 sale, please visit www.aerlingus.com.

Notes to Editor:

*A fare difference may apply. Unlimited changes can be made on all bookings until 31st May

** Requests for vouchers and refunds can be made up until 14 days pre-departure

***Should a country move to red on the imminent EU Travel Framework

Terms & Conditions

Vouchers are valid for 5 years and can be used on the entire Aer Lingus network.
Change Fee Rules apply and fare difference may apply.
Change or Voucher requests must be made in advance of travel or these options will not apply.

Short Haul Fare Types
	Saver	Plus	Advantage
Free Unlimited Changes*	✅	✅	✅
Guaranteed Voucher**		✅	✅
Cash Refund			✅

North Atlantic Fare Types
	Saver	Smart	Flex	Business	Business Flex
Free Unlimited Changes*	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Guaranteed Voucher**		✅	✅	✅	✅
Cash Refund			✅		✅

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