Tag: lounge (Page 2 of 3)

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.

Delta Offers Lounge Access at London Heathrow Terminal 2

August 19, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Starting Thursday, Delta Air Lines’ premium customers and eligible frequent fliers will be welcomed into the award-winning Plaza Premium lounge at London-Heathrow Terminal 2.

Following their temporary move to Terminal 2 from Terminal 3, eligible Delta and Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to enjoy complimentary food and beverages in the Plaza Premium lounge before their flight. Delta offers daily flights between Heathrow and New York-JFK and a three-times-a-week service to Atlanta.

Since the pandemic, Delta has implemented a new level of clean – the Delta CareStandard – so customers can travel with confidence. In line with this ethos, Plaza Premium has also enhanced its cleaning and safety measures so customers can feel confident when they use the lounge before they fly. Customers are also encouraged to wear a face covering and practise social distancing.

“Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Delta and we’ve implemented additional measures to provide peace of mind for customers at every step of their travel journey,” said Shane Spyak, Delta’s Vice President – Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. “This includes working with our airport partners across our global network to provide additional layers of protection in lounges.”

In the U.S., there are limited Delta Sky Clubs open at Atlanta and New York-JFK airports. Customers will find seating that adheres to social distancing guidelines, plus a streamlined food and beverage offering among the measures being taken to limit touchpoints and keep the Clubs clean.

Delta remains the only U.S. airline offering nonstop service between the U.K. and United States that is keeping middle seats blocked throughout the aircraft on all routes until September 30, 2020, to help protect the health and safety of its customers and crew. Seat blocks are automatically implemented to prevent the adjacent seat being booked once a reservation is complete and seats are chosen. Parties of three or more are able to book seats together, including middle seats.

As part of its COVID-19 health and safety measures, Delta requires employees and customers to wear a face mask or appropriate covering when travelling. The airline also has enhanced booking flexibility in place on flights purchased until August 31, 2020, to provide reassurance to customers should they need to amend their plans. Changing an existing booking is easy via the “My trips” area on delta.com.

Furthermore, the airline has a rigorous onboard cleanliness programme, which includes:

– Sanitizing the aircraft before every flight

– State-of-the-art air circulation systems with HEPA filters that extract more than 99.99% of fine particles in the air, including viruses and bacteria, on all trans-Atlantic flights (and mostly across Delta’s network).

– Boarding flights from back-to-front – reducing the instances of customers needing to pass by one another

– Temporarily streamlining onboard food and beverage service to reduce touchpoints

– Providing supplies directly to customers when available, including hand sanitizers in wellness kits

Emirates to Operate Limited Passenger Flights in May

May 4, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Emirates is set to operate limited passenger services to Frankfurt (02, 04, 06, 09, 11, 13 May), London Heathrow (03, 05, 07, 10, 12, 14 May), Manila (3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16 May), Sao Paulo (3 May), and Shanghai (2 May). The one-way special flights will facilitate travel for residents and visitors wishing to return home.

Those who wish to travel to Shanghai must contact the embassy or consulate of the People’s Republic of China in the UAE. For all other flights, passengers can book directly on emirates.com or via their travel agent.

Only citizens of the destination countries, and those who meet the entry requirements of the destination will be allowed to board. Customers will be required to follow all health and safety measures required by the UAE authorities and the country of destination.

Similar to other repatriation flights that Emirates has operated thus far, for health and safety reasons, the airline will offer a modified inflight service that reduces contact, and the risk of infection. Magazines and print reading material will not be available. Meals on-board will be served in hygienic prepacked meal boxes, offering customers sandwiches, beverages, snacks, and desserts. A selection of hot snacks will also be served on long-haul flights.

Emirates’ Lounge and Chauffeur Drive services will be temporarily unavailable during this period and in-flight Wi-Fi service is available for purchase only. On board Emirates’ flights, seats are pre-allocated where possible with vacant seats placed between individual passengers or family groups in observance of physical distancing protocols. More information is available on emirates.com.

Cabin baggage will not be accepted on these flights. Carry-on items allowed in the cabin will be limited to laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items. All other items have to be checked in, and Emirates will add the cabin baggage allowance to customers’ check-in baggage allowance.

Passengers are required to apply social distancing guidelines during their journey and wear their own masks when at the airport and on board the aircraft. Travellers should arrive at Dubai International airport Terminal 3 for check-in, three hours before departure. Emirates’ check-in counters will only process passengers holding confirmed bookings to the above destinations.

All Emirates aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes in Dubai, after each journey.

SWISS to Switch Berlin Service to New Brandenburg Airport

March 10, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

SWISS will operate all its Berlin services to and from the city’s new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) from 8 November 2020. The SWISS reservation system has already been reconfigured.

From 31 October 2020 onwards, flight operations in Berlin will relocate from the present Tegel Airport to the city’s new Brandenburg Airport (BER). The migration should be completed within the following week. Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will commence its new operations to and from Berlin Brandenburg on 8 November. The first SWISS arrival at the new airport will be flight LX974 at 08:45, and the first SWISS Berlin Brandenburg departure will be flight LX975 to Zurich at 09:30.

The SWISS reservation system has already been reconfigured to reflect the planned move. Customers who book a flight to Berlin for travel on or after 8 November will be shown not Tegel (TXL) as their destination but the new Berlin Brandenburg (BER). Customers who have already booked such flights will be notified and rebooked. According to current plans, the arrival and departure times of the SWISS flights concerned will remain unchanged, as will the number of frequencies on the route.

Access to new lounge for SWISS travellers, too

Business Class travellers on Lufthansa Group airlines, Frequent Travellers, Senators, Star Alliance Gold Status Members and HON Circle Members can look forward to a particular highlight at the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport: the Lufthansa Lounge. The 1,600-square-metre facility, which is located in the Main Pier North of Terminal 1, offers separate senator and business sections in which visitors can relax, freshen up or work in calm surrounds. The new lounge also features a panoramic windowfront giving exclusive views out over the apron area and of the Berlin skyline beyond.

New Delta Sky Club Coming to Haneda for Tokyo Games

February 12, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Delta has begun construction this week on its new Delta Sky Club at the former TIAT Lounge Annex on the fifth floor of the International Terminal at Haneda International Airport.

The nearly 9,000 square foot Club is located close to gates where Delta flights will depart to seven of its U.S. gateways including Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Portland, Seattle, and Honolulu, starting March 29 — making Delta the largest U.S. carrier serving Tokyo’s closest and most convenient airport. Delta will also be the only U.S. airline with a proprietary lounge at Haneda.

The newest Delta Sky Club will open early July, just in time for the Tokyo games.

The Haneda Delta Sky Club will feature:

International and Japanese seasonal food offerings that are rotated regularly, including a noodle bar
A full-service bar along with seasonal cocktails and wine selected by Delta’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson
Unique design elements and artwork throughout the Club reflecting local culture and history
High-speed Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, and power outlets at nearly every seat
Shower suites

American Airlines Announces New Investments at DFW Airport

December 7, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Investments as airline expands global network from DFW, improves customer experience

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines has announced plans to build a new, larger catering kitchen at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The new facility is part of American’s long-term growth strategy at its largest hub, and will allow the airline to better serve customers as it grows.

The investment reaffirms American’s commitment to grow and improve customer experience at DFW. In addition to the new kitchen, construction is also slated to begin ona a state-of-the-art aircraft parts distribution facility, which will help reduce maintenance delays by providing parts from DFW to American’s global network.

This year alone, American has expanded at DFW by adding 15 more gates and increasing the amount of flying to 900 daily departures. Additionally, the airline introduced a Flagship Lounge to serve premium customers travelling to international destinations. The growth is part of a larger strategy that will continue as American continues to invest in the operational efficiency and customer experience initiatives at DFW.

“DFW remains a great source of opportunity and growth for American,” said Cedric Rockamore, American’s Vice President of DFW of Hub Operations. “These investments will ensure we can continue to welcome the world to and through DFW for a very long time.”

Catering kitchen

American will build a new catering kitchen to support DFW’s current and future catering demands. The new facility will replace the existing catering kitchen, which was built in 1982 and is too small to support the airport’s growing operation. Construction on the new kitchen will begin in January 2020.

“In addition to more space, the new kitchen will provide updated equipment and efficiencies to improve our catering operation, which improves our reliability and provides a better experience for our customers,” Rockamore said.

The $100 million construction project will take about 18 months to complete and supports the first phase of development for DFW’s new Terminal F. This phase includes four new gates and customer areas located on the southeast corner of Terminal D and is scheduled to open in 2022.

The kitchen will continue to be staffed and operated by LSG Sky Chefs, the airport’s largest catering vendor.

Central Fulfillment Center and cargo mail facility

American plans to break ground in January 2020 on a new Central Fulfillment Center that will house aircraft parts for line maintenance support across our network. The 390,000-square-foot facility will enable the airline to fulfill request for parts up to 75% faster, minimizing potential maintenance delays. Locating this facility at DFW enhances our ability to distribute parts for overnight maintenance throughout the network.

This project will also include a facility for cargo mail, a key revenue stream and narrowbody product for American Airlines Cargo. The expanded space will allow the Cargo team to optimize fleet, network and market demands for transporting mail.

Terminal expansion

To support the demand for additional growth, DFW continues to develop new and optimize existing terminal spaces. These efforts include two new gates and customer areas at Terminal E, which American will utilize to support summer 2020 flying, and the continued development of Terminal F.

With the first phase of development for Terminal F underway, details of the additional phases will be developed as American and DFW continue to study infrastructure demands and customer needs.

Delta, LATAM to Launch Codesharing as Carriers Build Leading Partnership in Latin America

December 2, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Important step begins to deliver benefits to customers with expanded connectivity to up to 51 destinations in South America.

Delta and LATAM will launch codesharing for flights operated by certain LATAM affiliates in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru beginning in the first quarter of 2020, pending receipt of applicable government approvals.

The codeshare will offer customers increased connectivity between up to 74 onward destinations in the United States and up to 51 onward destinations in South America.

Delta expects to expand codeshare opportunities to include more destinations in the near future. The airlines are also working toward introducing frequent flyer program reciprocity and reciprocal lounge access.

“This is an important milestone for customers as we begin to deliver on the transformative partnership between Delta and LATAM announced earlier this year,” said Steve Sear, Delta President – International and Executive Vice President – Global Sales. “Once fully realized, this partnership will give us the ability to offer our shared customers an industry-leading network and superior service across the Americas.”

In September, Delta and LATAM announced an agreement that would bring together the leading airlines in North and South America, which once fully implemented will offer significantly expanded travel options for customers with access to 435 destinations worldwide. The enhanced cooperation is subject to governmental and regulatory approvals.

Legacy of a Delta DC-7B Culminates in Atlanta Return

November 18, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Chicago Midway Airport – Delta-C&S – Douglas DC-7 (1954)

Standing idle in the Arizona desert, a beloved historic airplane was prepped for its ultimate journey – one final flight back to where it all began. The recently discovered Ship 717, the last remaining Douglas DC-7B – last flown by Delta more than 50 years ago – drew the eye of the Delta Flight Museum as staffers worked with the plane’s owner to return the plane to its Atlanta roots.

During their heyday, Delta’s fleet of 10 DC-7Bs brought luxury to the skies, even including a lounge in the rear of the cabin. With more power and range than its DC-7 counterpart, the DC-7B was outfitted with four Wright Duplex Cyclone R-3350 engines, developed shortly before World War II before being improved and widely adopted in commercial flying. In 1968, as the aviation industry increasingly turned to newer jet engines as the preferred airplane power source, Delta said farewell to our last Douglas DC-7 type aircraft and piston-engine propeller planes – including the DC-6 and Convair 440 series.

Still in prime flying shape after its Delta career, Ship 717 finished its flying career helping to fight fires on the West Coast before enjoying a sunny desert retirement in 2008. When the Delta Flight Museum became aware of the classic plane several years ago, the museum jumped at the opportunity to make the purchase.

In quiet Coolidge, Ariz., where summer temperatures near 110 degrees, mechanics spent days and nights making repairs, running tests, making more repairs, replacing multiple engines and testing all four engines again – all with the goal of making this DC-7B ready to take to the skies for the first time in 11 years. The trip to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which included an overnight stop in Midland, Texas, was a flown at 9,500 feet in the now-depressurized aircraft for a combined 6.5 hours in the air.

“Saying goodbye to this beautiful airplane is truly a bittersweet moment for me,” said Woody Grantham, the longtime owner of this DC-7B and the founder of International Air Response. “Even as we fly on some of the latest and greatest new airplanes of today, I think it’s so important that we never lose our touch with history, and I can’t express how happy it makes me to see the DC-7B going home to be celebrated and immortalized at the Delta Flight Museum.”

Touching down in Atlanta at shortly after 5 p.m. EST Sunday and soon to be heading to Delta’s TechOps facility, the final chapter of this DC-7B’s story has yet to be written.

SWISS Opens New Alpine Lounge at Zurich Airport

November 11, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

SWISS opened a new-style lounge with alpine flair and a modern food and beverage concept in Zurich Airport’s Terminal A today. The new SWISS Alpine Lounge is available to Miles & More Senators and Star Alliance Gold Members, along with Business Class travelers on SWISS and other Lufthansa Group airlines.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) opened a new lounge at its Zurich hub today that offers its visitors a multi-sensual airport lounge experience. The 500-square-metre SWISS Alpine Lounge occupies the former location of the First Class Lounge in the airport’s Terminal A, and can accommodate up to 100 travelers.

A mountain hut with quality Swiss materials
Zurich’s new SWISS Alpine Lounge blends all the charm of a rustic yet contemporary mountain hut with the comforts and the style features of the familiar SWISS lounges. Of particular note are the light-wood elements and the bespoke furniture, much of it hand-made by Swiss craftsfolk. The quality alpine-style carpets and cushion covers are also hand-crafted and sourced from small Swiss manufacturers. Large communal wooden tables underscore the hut-like ambience, while the high windows offer fabulous views of the apron area and its flight activities.

A modern food and beverage concept around a rustic oven
SWISS has taken a new direction with the lounge’s food concept, too. The centrepiece of the new SWISS Alpine Lounge is a rustic oven in which seasonal dishes are prepared. Guests are additionally offered a range of further ingredients to tailor their food to their particular taste. These individualization options also help to reduce food waste. The beverages on offer include a selection of local Swiss wines and spirits. And the wines are served using a new and more ecofriendly dispensing system that enhances both the quality of the wine and the lounge’s recycling credentials.The new SWISS Alpine Lounge is open Mondays to Fridays from 05:30 to 18:30. The lounge is available to Miles & More Senators, Star Alliance Gold Members and Business Class travellers on SWISS and other Lufthansa Group airlines.

Alstom Presents First Aptis Serial Vehicle at Busworld 2019

October 14, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

14 October 2019 – Alstom will present the first serial vehicle of its Aptis electric bus at Busworld 2019, being held in Brussels from 17 to 23 October. After the four prototypes that have been on the roads of many French and European cities for the past two years, this new design incorporates feedback from passengers and transport operators.

This first serial vehicle is based on an optimised global architecture requiring fewer spare parts references and considerably facilitating maintenance operations. Thanks to a wheel steering angle of more than 40°, its ease of insertion increases significantly. The 15% reduction in the total weight of the vehicle, combined with the use of new, more efficient and state of the art batteries, substantially increases range. Aptis now accommodates more passengers while still offering them more fluidity thanks to large sliding doors.

In addition to the technical improvements, Aptis can also boast significant improvements to passenger comfort. A new air-conditioning system that (fully electrical heat-pump) maximises thermal comfort and the panoramic rear lounge has been enhanced to give a feeling of increased space. The new hydraulic suspension allows superior comfort and sound insulation, making Aptis one of the quietest and most innovative buses on the market.

“Alstom and its teams are very proud to be presenting the first series version of Aptis. This concentration of innovations perfectly represents what we always envisaged the production version of the 100% electric mobility solution would be. This clean, green bus, with its elegant design and optimised technical performance, will offer a new experience to passengers and drivers while meeting the new mobility challenges of urban areas,” underlines Benjamin Bailly, head of Alstom’s electric bus platform.

Aptis has already been chosen by Paris in the context of Europe’s largest call for tender for electric buses, as well as by the cities of Strasbourg, Grenoble, La Rochelle and Toulon. Upcoming milestones include ongoing tests in Spain with the ground-based recharge solution SRS and the training of hundreds of drivers in a new driving experience ahead of the first traffic releases, scheduled for the end of the year in Strasbourg.

Manufacturing and testing of Aptis will be carried out at Alstom’s two sites in Alsace. The Hangenbieten site oversees manufacturing of the end modules (driver’s cab and rear lounge). Manufacturing of the central passenger module, final assembly and tests will be carried out at the Reichshoffen site. This scheme will allow serial production from the end of 2019 onwards. Five other Alstom sites in France contribute to the design and manufacture of Aptis: Saint-Ouen for system integration, Tarbes for traction, Ornans for engines, Villeurbanne for electronic components of the traction chain.

In order to complete Alstom’s vison of road electromobility, exhibited alongside Aptis at Busworld will also be SRS, a completely safe, ground-level, conductive, static recharge system allowing the charging of buses along their route or within depots. As a ground-based solution, it eliminates the need for overhead infrastructure in cities, preserving the aesthetics of the urban landscape. In depots, SRS avoids the infrastructure costs associated with overhead charging systems. SRS for e-buses is based on Alstom’s SRS static recharge technology for trams, a proven solution already in operation in Nice, France. It is developed at Alstom’s Vitrolles site.

Catering kitchen

Central Fulfillment Center and cargo mail facility

Terminal expansion

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