Agreement comprises a rail system with a network of around 1000km – first being a 460km project valued around 3bn$
Turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction project including 15 years of services
Siemens Mobility to provide high-speed and regional trains, locomotives, rail infrastructure, system integration and other services
The National Authority for Tunnels, a governmental authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport of Egypt, and Siemens Mobility have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – together with the local companies Orascom Construction S.A.E. and The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co.) – to design, install and commission Egypt’s first ever high-speed rail transportation system. Additionally, Siemens Mobility will be providing maintenance services. The agreement comprises a rail system with a network of 1000km, with the first being a 460km high-speed line. The order value of this initial high-speed line is around 3bn$.
The MoU was signed by Essam Waly, Chairman of Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels, and Michael Peter, CEO Siemens Mobility, in a meeting on January 14, 2021 in Cairo. This was witnessed by His excellency, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, His excellency, Minister of Transport Egypt Kamel Al Wazir, as well as Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser and Siemens Deputy CEO Roland Busch.
The first 460 km long high-speed line will connect the vastly developing cities of El-Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea to Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea, while also passing through the New Administrative Capital. The line will also be operable for freight transport purposes which will further foster economic growth in the region.
Siemens Mobility is the global leader in high-speed rail operations and is one of the leading companies in the Egyptian mobility market since the 1960s. The company has also extensive experience in delivering high-speed rail projects in the Middle East and Africa region.
As a leading global rail turnkey project provider with a proven track record of delivering projects on time, Siemens Mobility integrates its portfolio elements and delivers complete rail systems reliably and from one single source. So far, the company has successfully completed around 50 turnkey projects all over the world – delivering many ahead of schedule. Latest projects include the Extension of the Blue Line metro in Bangkok finished last year and the Copenhagen Light Rail project.
FILE PHOTO: AirAsia crew members pose for a photograph in front of an Airbus A320-200 plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, July 22, 2019. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng/File Photo
AirAsia will soon connect two of Malaysia’s most popular destinations with the airline commencing three weekly services between scenic Kuching and idyllic Langkawi from 13 November 2020.
All-in-fares for BIG members start as low as RM59* one way and are available for booking at airasia.com and via the AirAsia mobile app.
SNAP (flight+hotel) combos inclusive of return flight and 3 days/2 nights stay at Pelangi Beach Resort Langkawi or Nadias Hotel Cenang are available from RM269** per person, meanwhile, Tune Hotel – Waterfront Kuching or Regatta Suites Kuching are also available from RM219** per person.
Travellers can also book airport transfers, transport services or activities on airasia.com (through the ‘Activities’ tab). From Kuching, enjoy a day trip to Bako National Park, get up close with the orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre or learn about Sarawak multi-ethnic culture at the Sarawak Cultural Village. In Langkawi, indulge in a sunset dinner cruise on the Andaman Sea or challenge yourself with some adrenaline-pumping activities such as Zipline, ATV ride or jet ski ride.
FILE PHOTO: AirAsia crew members pose for a photograph in front of an Airbus A320-200 plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, July 22, 2019. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng/File Photo
Air New Zealand will fly its 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft between Christchurch and Auckland three times a week to help transport cargo from the South Island to the rest of the world.
Air New Zealand General Manager Cargo Rick Nelson says these services are being launched in response to significant demand from the South Island freight forwarding and export communities.
The first flight will depart from Christchurch tomorrow night as part of a support agreement with the Ministry of Transport. The agreement sees the Dreamliner fly Christchurch to Auckland on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing Christchurch at 5pm and arriving in Auckland at 6:25pm so that cargo can then be airfreighted to other global destinations.
“Flights are timed so cargo goods are able to connect to our new Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Narita and Shanghai cargo flights, as well as onto our trans-Tasman flights from Auckland.
“As the nation emerges from lockdown, it’s critical our exporters in the South Island are well supported in order for them to remain viable. These Dreamliner services from Christchurch will allow exporters with high value, perishable and time sensitive goods access to a same day air cargo link into international services departing from Auckland.”
Passengers will also be able to book return flights on the Dreamliner services between Christchurch and Auckland.
CHICAGO, April 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer, and J. Scott Kirby, President, today issued the following message to nearly 100,000 United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) employees:
To our United Family:
We hope all is well with you and your family. Two weeks ago, we hosted a virtual townhall and it was a valuable opportunity for us to connect with you all. And we’ve been really pleased with the response, more than 50,000 of you tuned in live or watched the broadcast on demand.
At the townhall, we discussed the impact of your calls and letters to Congress as they debated financial support for the airline industry. Washington heard you loud and clear, passing vital legislation that will provide commercial airlines with a total of $50 billion worth of grants and loans. We are grateful for the bipartisan cooperation displayed by leaders in the Congress and Administration — and appreciative of the critical role that you played. The thousands of letters and messages you sent, capturing the spirit of our United family and what our service means to our customers and communities, made all the difference in the world. We will need that spirit more than ever as we set our sights on the rest of 2020 and beyond.
The challenge that lies ahead for United is bigger than any we have faced in our proud 94-year history. We are committed to being as direct and as transparent as possible with you about the decisions that lay ahead and what impact they will have on our business and on you, the men and women of United Airlines.
Let’s start with the near-term. We now expect United to receive approximately $5 billion from the federal government through the Payroll Support Program under the CARES Act – to be used to protect the paychecks of our United employees. This government support does not cover our total payroll expense, but we’re keeping our promise that there will be no involuntary furloughs or pay rate cuts for U.S. employees before September 30. And, payroll only represents about 30 percent of our total costs. Fixed operating and non-payroll costs like airport rent, supplies and infrastructure are significant and not going away. That’s why we’ve been so aggressive in reducing our schedule, slashing capital expenditures, scaling back our work with vendors and consultants and cutting executive salaries in half.
We’re planning to go even further to reduce costs. This weekend, we’ll load a revamped schedule that will further reduce our capacity to about 10 percent of what had been planned for May at the beginning of this year. We expect to announce similar reductions to the June schedule in the next few weeks. We have now essentially redesigned our network to be down 90 percent while complying with the CARES Act and maintaining connectivity among nearly all our domestic destinations. And these May and June schedule reductions will have direct consequences for our frontline employees in terms of total hours worked. Those work groups can expect to hear more details from their leaders soon.
The more flexibility we have from a payroll perspective, the better. So, all work groups can expect to see a continued emphasis on payroll cost cutting options over the next few weeks including new voluntary leave offerings and voluntary separation programs. For those who are eligible, please consider signing up for voluntary COLA and ANP days. We’re grateful to the more than 20,000 employees who have already signed up. Your sacrifice is both deeply appreciated and important to our company’s future.
These schedule changes reflect the stark reality of our situation – and unfortunately, it’s something that even legislation as large as the CARES Act can’t fix. Travel demand is essentially zero and shows no sign of improving in the near-term. To help you understand how few people are flying in this environment, less than 200,000 people flew with us during the first two weeks of April this year, compared to more than 6 million during the same time in 2019, a 97 percent drop. And we expect to fly fewer people during the entire month of May than we did on a single day in May 2019.
The historically severe economic impact of this crisis means even when travel demand starts to inch back, it likely will not bounce back quickly. We believe that the health concerns about COVID-19 are likely to linger which means even when social distancing measures are relaxed, and businesses and schools start to reopen, life won’t necessarily return to normal. For example, not all states and cities are expected to re-open at the same time. Some international travel restrictions will remain in place. Meeting planners and tour operators will do their best to accommodate people looking to avoid large crowds. So, while we have not yet finalized changes to our schedule for July and August, we expect demand to remain suppressed for the remainder of 2020 and likely into next year.
So, let us end where we began, the government funding we expect to receive soon is helpful in the near-term because we can protect our employees in the U.S. from involuntary furloughs and pay rate cuts through the end of September. But the challenging economic outlook means we have some tough decisions ahead as we plan for our airline, and our overall workforce, to be smaller than it is today, starting as early as October 1.
Throughout this crisis, we have been candid and upfront with you. And today is no different. We appreciate the partnership and open dialogue we have with all of you as we confront this extraordinary situation that has had an unprecedented impact on our families and our company. We promise to continue to stay in close touch – and will continue to be as transparent as possible – in the weeks and months ahead.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. And please continue to take good care of our customers and each other. It’s because of you that we remain proud to be United Together.
SAO PAULO, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Shares in Brazil’s Gol rose as much as 5.5% on Tuesday after the budget airline said it had signed a codeshare agreement with American Airlines.
“When this is approved by Brazilian and U.S. authorities, Gol’s new codeshare will allow its customers to connect to more than 30 destinations in the USA,” Gol said in a statement, adding that American will now offer more U.S.-South American flights than anyone else.
The flights will operate from Gol’s hubs in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Fortaleza, and will be added to current regular flights to Miami and Orlando.
Investors cheered the news, pushing Gol’s shares up as much as 5.5% to 36.25 reais, making it one of the biggest gainers on the Ibovespa. At midday in Sao Paulo trading, Gol shares were up 4.6% and the benchmark index was up 1.5%.
“The partnership will increase the quantity and quality of its flights, offering the more daily flights between South America and the United States than any other partner,” analysts at Guide Investimento said in a client note on Tuesday.
The agreement will make it easier for customers to purchase flights for both airlines using a single reservation. It will also integrate check-in, boarding and baggage checking throughout the trip, and include the air miles program.
(Reporting by Paula Laier Writing by Jamie McGeever Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
The Dreamliner will open direct flights between Ulaanbaatar, Berlin, Paris and the West Coast of the U.S.
MIAT Mongolian Airlines (Mongolyn Irgenii Agaaryn Teever) will soon welcome the first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to its fleet, as the airline looks to connect its home base in Ulaanbaatar with major European and North American cities beginning in 2021.
The 787-9 – the longest-range version of Boeing’s Dreamliner widebody airplane – will join MIAT’s fleet via lease from Air Lease Corporation.
“Our vision is to become a globally recognized Mongolian national flag carrier, and we are making a significant step forward by adding the first 787-9 Dreamliner to our fleet,” said Battur Davaakhuu, President and CEO, MIAT Mongolian Airlines. “The Mongolian Dreamliner will fly our passengers direct and in unmatched comfort to their dream destinations. Today is a proud day for MIAT and for all Mongolians.”
The Mongolian flag carrier joins other airlines in Asia – including Hainan Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Vietnam Airlines – that operate long-distance routes using the super-efficient, long-range 787-9. The airplane can fly up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km).
Los Angeles-based ALC purchased the airplane and is providing a long-term leasing agreement for its delivery to MIAT.
“ALC is honored to announce this significant lease placement with MIAT Mongolian Airlines and be the first to introduce the airline to the Dreamliner,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “We are proud to support the national carrier as it expands its fleet with the most technologically advanced aircraft to connect Mongolia with the rest of the world.”
Since the 787’s introduction in 2011, Boeing has booked over 1,400 orders from more than 80 customers. The company will now count MIAT as its newest Dreamliner operator.
“It will be wonderful to see the 787 Dreamliner in MIAT Mongolian Airlines’ livery flying in and out of Ulaanbaatar and connecting Mongolia with key destinations across Asia and Europe. The airline has continued to build on its proud aviation history by modernizing its fleet and operations. We are honored MIAT has selected the 787 and its superior fuel efficiency and range to profitably grow their international network,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing at Boeing. “We are delighted to partner with leading lessor ALC, which has a tremendous portfolio of 787 Dreamliners and other advanced jets, to open a new chapter in MIAT’s history.”
The 787 Dreamliner – the fastest-selling widebody jet in history – allows airlines to reduce fuel use and emissions by 20 to 25 percent and serve far-away destinations. The combination of unrivaled fuel efficiency and long range has helped airlines save more than 36 billion pounds of fuel and opened more than 235 nonstop routes.
MIAT is a leading national carrier dedicated to connecting Mongolia with the rest of the world by providing air transportation services of the highest quality, reliability and efficiency. Based in Ulaanbaatar, the airline currently operates a fleet of four Next-Generation 737s, one 737 MAX and two 767 airplanes.
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.
FILE PHOTO: Different types of 4G, 5G and data radio relay antennas for mobile phone networks are pictured on a relay mast operated by Vodafone in Berlin
LONDON (Reuters) – Vodafone <VOD> has secured a seven-year technology partnership with Ryanair <RYAAY> to handle services including online booking, passenger boarding and in-flight transactions for the Irish airline in Europe.
The two companies said on Wednesday they had extended an existing partnership for Vodafone Business to support 300 Ryanair sites and some 153 million passengers across 40 countries.
As part of the agreement, the British mobile company will help Europe’s biggest budget airline to speed up the time it takes to connect a new airport or site for use. It should also lead to a faster turnaround of planes.
“Airline passengers will demand even more in the coming years, and we will work alongside Ryanair to help them prepare for the future using our full portfolio of products and services,” said Vinod Kumar, head of Vodafone Business.
Vodafone Business is the mobile operator’s enterprise arm that offers cloud IT services and the connection of unlimited devices on its Internet of Things network for small and multinational companies.
Vodafone Business accounted for 30% of group service revenue in its financial year ending March 31, 2019.
(Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Mark Potter)
Daily nonstop flights will connect Southern California and the Pacific Northwest to San Luis Obispo
SEATTLE, Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Airlines announced today it will launch daily nonstop service between San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport and San Diego International Airport on Jan. 7, 2020, and San Luis Obispo Regional Airport and Portland International Airport on June 18, 2020. The new destination offers travel enthusiasts from Southern California and the Pacific Northwest easier connectivity to California’s fastest growing wine and recreation region. Tickets are on sale now.
Alaska Airlines announces new service from San Luis Obispo
“We are excited to add nonstop service to San Diego and Portland, Oregon, from San Luis Obispo, furthering our commitment to California’s Central Coast,” said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “Whether visiting nearby Paso Robles to experience the renowned food and wine scene, cycling through hills and vistas, or enjoying our on-board West Coast-inspired food and beverage menu, Alaska guests can look forward to experiencing our award-winning service.”
“These new Alaska Airlines flights are the successful outcome of years of planning and coordination,” said Kevin Bumen, A.A.E., San Luis Obispo airport director. “With the help of our community partners, the county and the airport are excited to bring these new opportunities to our travelers, and to provide deeper connections into the Alaska Airlines network.”
Alaska will operate once daily nonstop service between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, and between San Luis Obispo and Portland, Oregon. Guests can begin booking travel today. The new routes further amplify Alaska’s commitment to the California market, building on recently-announced service additions linking San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego to destinations including Anchorage, Boise, Spokane and Redmond/Bend.
San Luis Obispo, well-known for its wine and food scene, is a key new market for the airline and underscores Alaska’s commitment to providing guests with bright flavors inspired by the West Coast. Alaska has a long-standing partnership with Broken Earth Winery, based in nearby Paso Robles, California, and currently serves noteworthy wine blends on all Main Cabin flights.
With Alaska’s much-loved Wine Flies Free program, wine aficionados can check a case of wine with no baggage fee, after visiting 31 West Coast cities, including San Luis Obispo. For sports enthusiasts looking to break a sweat while on vacation, Alaska’s sports equipment checked bag program is one to take advantage of.
To celebrate the start of service, Alaska and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport hosted a press conference and celebration today. During the event, the airport unveiled a specially commissioned chalk mural by local artist Rachel Hamann, of Dot + Cross Studio, who created the artwork over the past week. The mural, which encompasses the airport’s two-story parking elevator and is highly visible to all airport visitors, is a whimsical take on vintage airplane banners and features the Alaska logo and iconic aircraft tail.
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 46 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United Statesand to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 12 consecutive years from 2008 to 2019. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (ALK).
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Spirit Airlines <SAVE>, a fast-growing, low-cost U.S. carrier that flies an all-Airbus SE <EADSY> fleet, is looking at both the Airbus A321neo and a larger Boeing Co <BA> aircraft to fuel its growth, Chief Executive and President Ted Christie said on Monday.
“The A321neo is certainly something we’re looking at, but we’re also in conversations with Boeing about their larger airplane too, so it’s all on the table,” Christie said at an aviation conference.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
MIRAMAR, Fla., Aug. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Spirit Airlines, the fastest growing airline in the United States, continues its commitment to invest in the Guest experience with an industry-leading technology to connect with its Guests via the messaging application WhatsApp. Beginning in September, the technology, powered by global conversational commerce solutions provider LivePerson, will open a new direct line of communication between Spirit’s English and Spanish-speaking Guest Relations and Reservations teams and the millions of Spirit Guests in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America, who already use WhatsApp every day.
“We launched this service to better connect with our Guests, both domestically and abroad, as many have told us that they would rather communicate on a familiar and convenient service like WhatsApp,” said Bobby Schroeter, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Spirit Airlines. “We know WhatsApp is incredibly popular in the United States, but also in the more than two dozen destinations we serve in the Caribbean and Latin America. From travel updates to adding a bag to your reservation, this new messaging service allows Guests to communicate with us in English and Spanish and to opt in to WhatsApp messaging. It is all part of our goal to elevate and improve our Guest experience.”
The launch of WhatsApp support comes as a direct result of Spirit’s new partnership with LivePerson, a global leader in conversational commerce solutions. Beyond WhatsApp, the partnership also makes it possible for Spirit Guests who call to get immediate support by opting to begin a messaging conversation with Spirit representatives instead.
These new Guest solutions will also leverage LivePerson’s new AI-powered Maven Assist capability, which recommends the optimal next actions for human agents to take, including surfacing content or suggesting virtual assistants capable of responding to a Guest’s intent. Guests will still retain the ability to message with a live representative at any time during the process to address questions, comments and situations that are best suited for a live specialist.
“We’re excited to enable this new connection for America’s fastest growing airline, providing a powerful, engaging way for Guests to connect with Spirit on their own time,” said Rick Winnard, Global Head of Gainshare Programs at LivePerson. “Guests want to be able to ask questions, add products, and get immediate help without waiting, and with Spirit we’re making it possible for them to do so in the messaging channels they prefer.”
In addition to new WhatsApp and messaging support, Spirit will continue to serve its Guests via its social media channels, on Twitter and Facebook. Over the past two years, Spirit has heavily invested in the Guest experience touching all aspects of the journey, including on-time performance, Guest care technology, and in-flight products.
Three weekly flights starting December 16 – the only nonstop from South Florida to Belo Horizonte
SAO PAULO, Aug. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The city of Belo Horizonte, the state of Minas Gerias and its surrounding cities are now more connected than ever from South Florida. Azul, the largest airline in Brazil in terms of daily departures and destinations served announced today nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Belo Horizonte in Brazil. Tickets are on sale across all Azul sales channels for the three weekly flights beginning December 16, 2019.
Belo Horizonte will be the fourth city served nonstop in Brazil from Fort Lauderdale. This makes Azul the largest Brazilian airline to serve South Florida in terms of destinations served. In addition to these nonstop destinations, Azul customers can conveniently connect to our 94 daily departures to 38 nonstop destinations from Belo Horizonte. Not only customers in South Florida, but all along the East coast from Boston to Raleigh, customers can connect in Fort Lauderdale to Brazil via our interline and codeshare partners in the US.
Fort Lauderdale is the second U.S. destination being served from Belo Horizonteafter Orlando. With the addition of this new flight, the State of Minas Gerais will have six weekly frequencies to the United States onboard our Airbus A330 aircraft, which accommodates up to 298 passengers.
“This announcement further strenghtens our position as Florida’s leading carrier serving Brazil. Together with our interline and codeshare partners, Azul offers unparalleled service from the entire United States, to more than 100 destinations in Brazil. We are sure our customers in the US will enjoy the award winning A330 widebody service, voted several times as the best Business class, and the best Economy class in South America” says Abhi Shah, Azul’s Chief Revenue Officer.
Service from Fort Lauderdale to Belo Horizonte will be operated by A330 widebody aircraft that feature the award winning Azul Business, Azul Economy Extra and Azul Economy. Each seat features inidivual in-seat IFE along with our award winning customer service.
