Tag: members (Page 2 of 7)

Virgin Australia unveils cabin of the future and $110 million fleet-wide aircraft upgrade

July 8, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Saturday 8 July 2023: More than 3,000 Virgin Australia team members and their families will today celebrate the arrival of the airline’s first fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 aircraft which touched down on Australian soil last week.

The celebrations, part of a Virgin Australia Family Day at the airline’s Brisbane Hangar, will be hosted by CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka and Boeing’s President of Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, Maria Fernandez, who will welcome team members from across the Virgin Australia business, many who have flown in from interstate to have a first look at the new aircraft.

Fresh from the Boeing factory in Seattle and featuring that new plane smell, the Boeing 737-8 aircraft marks an exciting new milestone in the transformation of Virgin Australia with its fleet renewal program well underway as the airline continues to work towards its net zero emissions target by 2050. The aircraft is one of 33 fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 and 737-10 aircraft Virgin Australia has on order, with more fuel-efficient aircraft set to be delivered in the coming months.

With the arrival of the Boeing 737-8, Virgin Australia has also revealed its highly anticipated new Business Class and Economy cabin interior as well as confirming plans to refresh the interior cabins on the airline’s remaining Boeing fleet, as part of an investment of approximately $110 million to improve the flying experience for customers.

Highlight features of the new Boeing 737-8 cabin interior include:

In-seat power for all Business Class and Economy seats.
Larger overhead lockers, with capacity to stow up to 50 per cent more carry-on baggage (individual guest carry-on luggage limits will not increase).
Wider Business Class seats which also feature leg rests with extendable footrests, storage compartments, tablet/device holders and water bottle holders.
A new Economy seat design, featuring a ribbed backing to elevate comfort and ergonomics.
A personal tablet/device holder for all Economy seats, making it easy to view Virgin Australia in-flight entertainment, movies and TV shows.

Click the link below to see the entire press release!

https://newsroom.virginaustralia.com/release/virgin-australia-unveils-cabin-future-and-110-million-fleet-wide-aircraft-upgrade

Chelsea Football Club and Hilton Announce Global Partnership with Exclusive Experiences for Hilton Honors Members

July 7, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Chelsea Football Club has today unveiled Hilton (NYSE: HLT), the global leader in hospitality, as its official global hotel partner. The partnership will enable Chelsea Football Club and Hilton to provide extended opportunities for Hilton’s more than 158 million Hilton Honors members around the world in a new and unique way, while also serving as the official host to the Chelsea team on the road.

As a pioneer in the industry for more than 100 years, Hilton will welcome Chelsea to its portfolio of hotels as the team’s official home away from home, starting with locations in the United States during the team’s summer tour. Recognizing how much it matters where an elite sports team stays ahead of key fixtures, players and coaches will experience and enjoy Hilton’s world-class service and hospitality.

Building off its high-profile partnerships in the music, sports and entertainment world, Hilton Honors will offer a curated selection of one-of-a-kind experiences, which will kick off during this summer’s pre-season tour and extend into next season’s matches in London. Look out for the Hilton name at Chelsea men’s and women’s matches, and across Chelsea digital channels with special and engaging content for fans to enjoy.

Serbian Air Force and Air Defense Become New C295 Operator

February 24, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

Getafe, Spain, February 23, 2022 – The Serbian Ministry of Defence has ordered two Airbus (OTC: EADSY) C295s and therefore the Serbian Air Force and Air Defense joins the family of C295 becoming the 36th operator worldwide.

The contract was signed in Madrid in the presence of senior government members of the Republic of Serbia and Spain. This contract will be accompanied by a Government-to-Government supervision agreement between the Ministries of Defence of Spain and the Republic of Serbia, which aims to study the development of future defence programmes between both nations. Airbus is committed to maintain and foster its close collaboration with the Republic of Serbia, which already operates Airbus military solutions.

The two aircraft, in transport configuration, will be equipped with the modern avionics suite Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion and will contribute to enhance the air transport capabilities of the Republic of Serbia.

Deliveries are expected to commence in late 2023.

With this order 33 countries have already relied on the Airbus C295. With a total of 281 orders worldwide and more than half a million flight hours in operation, this aircraft is the undisputed leader in its segment.

Singapore Airlines Extends PPS Club And KrisFlyer Elite Statuses For Third Year

January 17, 2022 / WIL BALDWIN

Singapore Airlines (SES: C6L.SI) is extending PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite statuses, rolling over Elite miles, pausing the expiration of miles in 2022, and introducing new program benefits that further rewards its loyal members.

All PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite statuses that are due to expire between March 2022 and February 2023 will be automatically extended for another year. This supports our members, who have been unable to fly as before due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and follows a similar extension in 2020 and 2021.

Elite miles earned by KrisFlyer Elite members, in the 12 months prior to the latest extension, will be credited back into their accounts after the extension. Elite miles earned during the previous membership qualification cycle will also count towards their requalification in the March 2023 to February 2024 cycle.

KrisFlyer miles that expire in 2022 will be automatically extended by six months at a time, at the end of each month.

Rewards earned from the PPS Rewards and KrisFlyer Milestone Rewards that are due to expire in 2022 will be extended to 31 December 2022. This offers members greater flexibility in utilising the rewards earned from flying with SIA.

From February 2022, KrisFlyer members also enjoy additional benefits when they fly on Scoot.

PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite tier members can enjoy priority boarding, complimentary standard seat selection, an additional 5kg check-in baggage allowance with any baggage purchase, as well as 25% more KrisFlyer miles for every mile earned when travelling on Scoot flights.

In addition, KrisFlyer members can earn 2.5 Elite miles for every KrisFlyer mile earned from flying on Scoot, up from 1 Elite mile for every KrisFlyer mile. This enables members to upgrade to higher KrisFlyer membership tiers at a faster rate.

SIA has also launched two new KrisFlyer Milestone Rewards, which can be enjoyed by members who have earned 1,000 and 2,500 Elite miles.

JetBlue Announces New Tentative Agreement on Negotiations with TWU

November 8, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

NEW YORK, N.Y. (BUSINESS WIRE) – JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced it has reached a new tentative agreement with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) for JetBlue’s inflight crew members.

“We’re pleased to share that the JetBlue and TWU negotiating committees have reached a new tentative agreement,” said Ed Baklor, head of customer care and programs, JetBlue. “Our inflight crewmembers have been on the frontline supporting and protecting JetBlue’s operation and our customers through the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am proud of the TWU and JetBlue teams for recognizing our environment and coming to the table with solutions. We look forward to bringing this contract to a vote with our inflight crewmembers.”

QANTAS to Open Pop-up Transit Lounge at Darwin International Airport

October 27, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Qantas will open a temporary lounge to cater for eligible customers travelling between Sydney and London via Darwin from next month.

It follows the recent announcement that Qantas’ flagship Australia to United Kingdom route would operate via Darwin once Australia’s international borders open on 1 November until at least April 2022 due to WA border closures.

Qantas will lease Darwin International Airport’s Catalina lounge, which will have space for approximately 100 guests utilising existing furniture and fittings. The offering will feature:

Service delivered by local Qantas lounge team members, including a signature welcome mocktail (Top End Lemonade) and refreshing cold towels.
Generous lounge and dining areas with a serviced buffet
Tailored menus for time of day, drawing on local culinary influences such as a Darwin markets inspired Asian style soup.
Premium Australian wines, beers and non-alcoholic drinks offered by a dedicated bar attendant
Power points through the space to recharge on the fly
Bathroom facilities

Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully, said the national carrier is delighted to work with Darwin International Airport to ensure a comfortable transit experience for its top tier frequent flyers and customers travelling in Business Class.

Customers eligible to visit the Qantas Darwin International Transit Lounge include:

Platinum One, Platinum, Gold Qantas Frequent Flyers and Qantas Club members
Customers travelling in Business Class
Eligible oneworld partner members

Qantas will also reopen its Sydney International First Lounge from 1 November and its London and Los Angeles lounges in December. In the interim few weeks of operation, eligible Qantas customers will be able to visit the British Airways T3 Lounge at London Heathrow and the Star Alliance Lounge at Tom Bradley International Terminal in LA. Other international lounges will reopen to align with the return of further international routes.

Aircraft, Aircrafts, American Airlines, plane, planes, Livery, Exterior

American Airlines Updates AAdvantage Loyalty Program

October 27, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines (Nasdaq: AAL) is redesigning its award-winning AAdvantage® loyalty program, ridding it of complicated elite qualifying metrics for an easy-to-understand point system that provides multiple ways to earn status. In 2022, AAdvantage members can earn status by flying, using an AAdvantage credit card for purchases or spending with an AAdvantage partner.

Achieving AAdvantage status

For every qualifying AAdvantage mile earned, members will earn one Loyalty Point. Here’s how to earn points:

Members can earn Loyalty Points by flying on American or one of its eligible partner airlines.
You can also earn Loyalty Points when you use an AAdvantage credit card for purchases.
Don’t fly often, no problem. Join fellow AAdvantage members who will earn Loyalty Points every year just by shopping online or dining out.

AAdvantage 2022 status requirements

Status	Loyalty Points
Gold	30,000
Platinum	75,000
Platinum Pro	125,000
Executive Platinum	200,000

Extending status and a chance to double dip

To thank our members for their continued loyalty, American is extending all current members AAdvantage status through March 31, 2022.

And members can also double dip as any qualifying activity earned in January and February will count towards both 2022 and 2023 AAdvantage status. This gives members an extra two months to earn elite status for both years.

In the future, members will qualify for status from March through February, with status valid through March 31 of the following year.

Unlock Loyalty Choice Rewards

Next year, AAdvantage members can unlock Loyalty Choice Rewards, formerly called elite choice rewards. Loyalty Choice Rewards is a menu of rewards awarded to members that earn Platinum Pro status or higher and fly at least 30 flights on American or qualifying partner airlines.

Members can select the Loyalty Choice Reward they value the most, including an Admirals Club day pass, systemwide upgrades or bonus AAdvantage miles. Additional Loyalty Choice Rewards are available to unlock as members accrue more Loyalty Points.

To learn more about the AAdvantage refresh, check out aa.com/newaadvantage.

Hilton Hotels Named One of Sri Lanka’s Best Workplaces

July 5, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Colombo, Sri Lanka – Global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work^® announced Hilton Worldwide Holdings (NYSE: HLT) placement on this year’s Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka list. This is the second time that Hilton has been named one of Sri Lanka’s Best Workplaces.

The accolade had been awarded to Hilton following a survey by Great Place to Work^® of over 100 registrations representing 51,000 employees in Sri Lanka. The survey assesses employees’ perceptions of leadership, organizational culture and trust, and is critical to a company being selected to the list of Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka. To be eligible for this list, organizations must be certified by the firm in the past year. A total of 40 companies were named in the list this year.

Recognising the importance of mental wellness, Hilton has incorporated a series of family-focused benefits for team members, including flexible working environments and mental health campaigns. Hilton also provides a variety of resources and programs aimed at attracting, developing and supporting team members at various stages of their careers. Through the Thrive@Hilton Program, Hilton supports team members in their professional and personal growth. Globally, Hilton also provides further learning and development opportunities through Hilton University, its Executive Committee Networking Program, as well as team member benefits such as Go Hilton.

Further to creating opportunities for its team members, Hilton had also launched a specially-curated female development program in Sri Lanka in March 2021 through a partnership with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management. Translating to “female courage,” Hilton Liya Diriya aims to provide training opportunities for local female students keen to build a career in hospitality, and in doing so, advance women’s economic empowerment and grow the country’s hospitality talent pool.

Alaska Airlines Gives New California Mileage Plan Members a Deal to Remember

March 2, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

SEATTLE, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Starting today, California residents who enroll in the Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK) Mileage Plan™ now through March 3, 2021 can book that long-awaited trip to visit Napa Valley, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, or any other California destination with a flight on Alaska Airlines.*

The “California, on us” offer is open to the first 25,000 California residents who sign up for Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ between now and March 3, 2021. Eligible new members will receive a discount code valid for one flight to anywhere Alaska Airlines flies within California for just the taxes and fees from $15 each way.

“We’ve made our mark in California, and we love converting new fans into loyal ones,” said Natalie Bowman, Alaska Airlines’ managing director of marketing and advertising. “There’s so much West Coast territory for Californians to explore––especially within their own state––that we’re excited to offer a fun way to jumpstart earning Alaska miles doing just that.”

The first 25,000 eligible new Mileage Plan members who sign up between March 1 and March 3, 2021 will receive an email on March 5, 2021 with instructions on how to take advantage of this promotion which will need to be booked between March 5-7, 2021 for travel between March 29 and May 26, 2021. To register and find more information, visit alaskaair.com/california.

In addition, everyone is eligible for 30% off flights to or from California by booking today through March 3, 2021 for travel between March 22 and May 26, 2021. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit alaskaair.com/safetydance.

With a focus on helping guests travel safely when they feel comfortable, Alaska has implemented more than 100 safety measures as part of the airline’s commitment to Next-Level Care. The airline emphasizes a layered approach to safety, which starts with the requirement that all employees and guests wear a face mask or covering through the airport and on board, with no exceptions. To further demonstrate the airline’s safety protocols, the Alaska Safety Dance highlights many of the ways in which the airline is keeping guests and employees safe including enhanced cleaning between flights, HEPA air filtration, and touch-free technology. To travel, flyers must also enter into a health agreement at check-in to confirm that they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and will adhere to the mask policy.

Airline to Landline: United Offers Travel from Denver International Airport to Breckenridge and Fort Collins

February 26, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

DENVER, Feb. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) announced today that it is making it easier for customers to travel to Breckenridge and Fort Collins, Colorado with convenient year-round ground transportation service connecting through its Denver hub. This is the first time Breckenridge has ever been served by an airline and will be Fort Collins’ first global network carrier service in 25 years.

Beginning March 11, United will start daily service to Breckenridge (QKB) and on April 1, will start four-times daily service to Fort Collins (FNL). The airline is teaming up with Landline – a premium ground transportation company – to offer connecting service to these popular destinations through Denver International Airport (DEN). Customers can book their travel on united.com starting today, selecting Breckenridge or Fort Collins as their destination.

Added Landline co-founder & President Ben Munson, “We have worked closely with the United team to create a stress-free connecting experience in Denver. Customers will love our spacious leather seating, onboard streaming entertainment and free Wi-Fi.”

Customers connecting to Breckenridge or Fort Collins at Denver will transfer to the Landline service from an assigned gate in Concourse A, remaining within the secure airside area of the terminal. Checked-in baggage will be transferred directly from the plane to the bus. Customers originating in Breckenridge or Fort Collins will be required to pass through security on transit in DEN.

Keeping customer wellbeing at the forefront, United and Landline will be implementing a wide variety of cleaning and safety measures as part of the new service, all of which have been reviewed by the Cleveland Clinic. These measures include:

Back-to-front boarding;
Reducing seat capacity on Landline’s service to enable social distancing onboard;
Requiring mandatory use of masks onboard for customers aged two and over;
Electrostatically spraying ahead of each departure and sanitizing high touch areas;
Implementing a UV disinfection air filtration system launched by OEM (Prevost) on all vehicles;
Providing United CleanPlus^SM sanitizing wipes to each customer; and
Requiring customers to complete a ‘Ready to Fly’ checklist at check-in, acknowledging they don’t have symptoms for COVID-19 and agreeing to follow our policies.

In addition, United MileagePlus ® members will be able to accrue Premier qualifying points (PQP) and redeemable miles on services to both destinations.

Denver remains one of United’s fastest growing hubs with daily departures around 80% of 2019 levels – the highest among United hubs. United currently serves more than 160 destinations from Denver and operates more than 360 flights per day – the most comprehensive route network of any carrier in Denver – and offers more flights to more Colorado destinations than any other airline.

For more information on the new service, please visit united.com/landline

Achieving AAdvantage status

AAdvantage 2022 status requirements

Extending status and a chance to double dip

Unlock Loyalty Choice Rewards

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