Tag: Paris (Page 4 of 16)

QANTAS Says Buongiorno with Direct Flights Between Australia and Italy

December 14, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Qantas will reignite its love affair with Rome, adding direct flights from Australia to the eternal city from the middle of next year. From 22 June 2022, Qantas will operate the only direct service between Australia and continental Europe, flying three return Sydney-Perth-Rome flights per week to meet demand over the European holiday peak season.

The new flight will cut more than three hours off the current fastest travel time to Rome using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with cabins designed specifically for long haul travel.

Customers will be able to combine Qantas’ Rome flights with its double-daily direct flights between Australia and London, meaning they will be able to fly in and out of different cities on one return ticket through to October 2022.

The Rome service will also give customers another option for reaching onward destinations across the Mediterranean and southern Europe through Qantas’ network of partners.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said strong travel demand since borders re-opened had given the Flying Kangaroo confidence to explore new destinations as travelers look to make up for lost time.

The new route is expected to entice more visitors to Western Australia and Qantas will partner with Tourism Western Australia to boost inbound tourism from Europe into Perth and regional WA, as well as promote Perth as an ideal stopover for Australians travelling to Europe from the east coast.

Qantas recently started new flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Delhi and re-started a number of existing routes from Sydney and Melbourne to destinations including Los Angeles, London and Singapore.

Fares for the new Sydney-Perth-Rome flights go on sale today starting from $1785 return. Qantas will operate two Points Planes (bookable until 21 December 2021) for Frequent Flyers with every seat in every cabin available to book as a reward seat on the inaugural flight to Rome on 22 June and on the first flight departing Rome on 23 June.

The seasonal route will operate from 22 June until 6 October. Qantas will offer connections to 16 destinations in Europe including Athens, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Nice, Madrid and Paris and 15 destinations within Italy including Milan and Venice.

La Compagnie Updates Flight Schedule, Adds Two New Routes From New York to Tel Aviv and Milan

November 2, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Have you heard? Israel recently opened their borders to vaccinated travelers. The best time to try out our 100% business class cabin might well be on your way to Tel Aviv with a short connection in Paris!

Our full flat beds, bistronomy cuisine and free unlimited high speed WiFi onboard will ensure your flight is 100% comfortable.

2 flights per week (departures from NY on Wednesday and Saturday evenings) from December 4th, 2021

NEW YORK NEWARK – TEL AVIV BEN GURION

100% BUSINESS CLASS FROM $1,948 (USD) R/T*

We offer you flexibility on each trip: you can modify or cancel your flight free of charge up to 2 hours before departure.

Our cabin crew looks forward to welcoming you onboard to travel in optimal comfort and safety.

Airbus Reports Third Quarter 2021 Results

October 28, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Amsterdam, 28 October 2021 – Airbus SE (Paris stock exchange symbol: AIR) reported consolidated financial results for the nine months ended 30 September 2021.

“The nine-month results reflect a strong performance across the company as well as our efforts on cost containment and competitiveness. As the global recovery continues, we are closely monitoring potential risks to our industry. We are focused on securing the A320 Family ramp up and striving to ensure the right industrial and supply chain capabilities are in place,” said Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury. “Based on our nine-month performance, we have updated our 2021 earnings and cash guidance. We are strengthening the balance sheet to secure investment for our long-term ambitions.

Gross commercial aircraft orders totalled 270 (9m 2020: 370 aircraft) with net orders of 133 aircraft after cancellations (9m 2020: 300 aircraft). The order backlog was 6,894 commercial aircraft on 30 September 2021. Airbus Helicopters booked 185 net orders (9m 2020: 143 units), including 10 helicopters of the Super Puma Family. Airbus Defence and Space’s order intake by value was € 10.1 billion (9m 2020: € 8.2 billion) with third quarter orders including 56 C295 aircraft for India, two A400Ms for Kazakhstan and support and spares contract renewals for the German and Spanish Eurofighter fleets.

Consolidated revenues increased 17 percent to € 35.2 billion (9m 2020: € 30.2 billion), mainly reflecting the higher number of commercial aircraft deliveries compared to 9m 2020. A total of 424 commercial aircraft were delivered (9m 2020: 341 aircraft), comprising 34 A220s, 341 A320 Family, 11 A330s(1), 36 A350s and 2 A380s. Revenues generated by Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities increased 21 percent, largely reflecting the delivery performance compared to 2020 which was strongly impacted by COVID-19. Airbus Helicopters delivered 194 units (9m 2020: 169 units) with revenues up 14 percent reflecting growth in services as well as the higher deliveries, notably more helicopters from the Super Puma family. Revenues at Airbus Defence and Space were broadly stable year-on-year with four A400M military airlifters delivered in 9m 2021.

Consolidated EBIT Adjusted – an alternative performance measure and key indicator capturing the underlying business margin by excluding material charges or profits caused by movements in provisions related to programmes, restructuring or foreign exchange impacts as well as capital gains/losses from the disposal and acquisition of businesses – was € 3,369 million (9m 2020: € -125 million).

The EBIT Adjusted related to Airbus’ commercial aircraft activities totalled € 2,739 million (9m 2020: € -641 million), mainly driven by the operational performance linked to deliveries and efforts on cost containment and competitiveness.

The A220 production rate, which is currently at 5 aircraft a month, is expected to increase to around rate 6 per month in early 2022, with a monthly production rate of 14 envisaged by the middle of the decade. On the A320 Family programme, the Company is working to secure the ramp up and is on trajectory to achieve a monthly rate of 65 aircraft by summer 2023. The recent commercial successes of the A330 programme enable a monthly rate increase from around 2 to almost 3 aircraft at the end of 2022. The A350 programme is expected to increase from around 5 to around 6 aircraft a month in early 2023.

Airbus Helicopters’ EBIT Adjusted increased to € 314 million (9m 2020: € 238 million), driven by services, programme execution and lower spending on Research & Development (R&D).

EBIT Adjusted at Airbus Defence and Space increased to € 284 million (9m 2020: € 266 million), mainly reflecting the Division’s efforts on cost containment and competitiveness.

Consolidated self-financed R&D expenses totalled € 1,919 million (9m 2020: € 2,032 million).

Consolidated EBIT (reported) amounted to € 3,437 million (9m 2020: € -2,185 million), including net Adjustments of € +68 million.

These Adjustments comprised:

€ +190 million related to the A380 programme, of which € +45 million were booked in Q3;
€ -165 million related to the dollar pre-delivery payment mismatch and balance sheet revaluation, of which € +5 million were in Q3;
€ +43 million of other Adjustments, including compliance costs, of which € -6 million were in Q3.

The financial result was € -172 million (9m 2020: € -712 million). It mainly reflects the net interest result of € -233 million partly offset by € +63 million related to the revaluation of the Dassault Aviation equity stake. Consolidated net income(2) was € 2,635 million (9m 2020 net loss: € -2,686 million) with consolidated reported earnings per share of € 3.36 (9m 2020 loss per share: € -3.43).

Consolidated free cash flow before M&A and customer financing was € 2,260 million (9m 2020: € -11,798 million), reflecting efforts on cash containment and also included a positive phasing impact from working capital. Consolidated free cash flow was € 2,308 million (9m 2020: € -12,276 million).

On 30 September 2021, the gross cash position stood at € 21.7 billion (year-end 2020: € 21.4 billion) with a consolidated net cash position of € 6.7 billion (year-end 2020: € 4.3 billion). The Company’s liquidity position remains strong, standing at € 27.7 billion at the end of September 2021. Given the increase in the net cash position and the robust liquidity, a decision was taken not to renew the undrawn € 6.2 billion Supplemental Liquidity Line which matured in September. In the meantime, the maturity of the € 6 billion Revolving Syndicated Credit Facility has been extended by a year.

Outlook

As the basis for its 2021 guidance, the Company assumes no further disruptions to the world economy, air traffic, the Company’s internal operations, and its ability to deliver products and services.

The Company’s 2021 guidance is before M&A.

On that basis, the Company has updated its 2021 guidance and now targets to achieve in 2021 around:

600 commercial aircraft deliveries;
EBIT Adjusted of € 4.5 billion;
Free Cash Flow before M&A and Customer Financing of € 2.5 billion.

Airbus Delivers First of 60 A220 Aircraft to Air France

September 30, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, 29 September, 2021 – Air France (OTC: AFLYY) has received its first A220-300 from an order for 60 aircraft of the type, the largest A220 order from a European carrier. The aircraft was delivered from the Airbus (OTC: EADSY) final assembly line in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada and officially unveiled to the public during a ceremony held at Paris Charles-De-Gaulle Airport.

The A220 is the most efficient and flexible aircraft in the 100 to 150 seat market segment today. The renewal of the Air France single-aisle fleet with this latest generation aircraft will increase efficiency along with customer comfort and support Air France to meet its environmental goals and sustainability objectives.

The first Air France A220-300 will be operated on its medium-haul network from the 2021 winter season. Currently, Air France operates a fleet of 136 Airbus aircraft. Air France is also renewing its long-haul fleet, and has already taken delivery of 11 A350’s out of an order of 38.

The Air France A220-300 cabin is configured in a single-class layout to comfortably welcome 148 passengers. Offering superior single-aisle comfort, with the widest leather seats, largest windows and up to 20% more overhead stowage space per passenger, the Air France A220 also features full WiFi connectivity throughout the cabin and two USB sockets at each passenger seat.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation geared turbofan engines. With a range of up to 3,450 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives airlines added operational flexibility. The A220 delivers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards. In addition, the aircraft noise footprint is reduced by 50% compared to previous generation aircraft – making the A220 a good neighbour around airports.

As of the end of August, over 170 A220’s have been delivered to 11 operators worldwide.

Flyadeal Receives First New Airbus A320neo

July 16, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France 16 July 2021 – flyadeal, the low-cost Jeddah-based airline owned by Saudi Arabian Airlines, has taken delivery of a brand new A320neo, the first out of 30 to be delivered in the next 3 years.

The aircraft is the first out of 65 A320neo family aircraft ordered by Saudi Arabian Airlines at the Paris Airshow in 2019, and will join flyadeal’s all Airbus fleet.

Powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines, the A320neo will offer flyadeal outstanding operational, economic and environmental performance.

flyadeal’s A320neo is configured with 186 seats in a comfortable all economy class layout. Passengers onboard the aircraft will benefit from the widest cabin of any single-aisle aircraft in the sky, as well as the latest cabin feature offering optimum passenger comfort.

The A320neo is the ideal aircraft for flyadeal to grow and expand its domestic and regional network. Demonstrating the operational flexibility of the A320neo, the aircraft will allow the airline to efficiently enhance its operations to additional networks and foster closer links with countries across the region and beyond.

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines, Sharklets and aerodynamics, which together deliver 20% in fuel savings and CO2 reduction compared to previous generation Airbus aircraft. The A320neo Family has received more than 7,400 orders from over 120 customers.

Emirates Restarts Passenger Services to Mauritius as Island Nation Reopens

July 11, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Emirates has announced it will restart passenger services to Mauritius this summer with two weekly flights from 15 July, as the island-nation gradually re-opens its borders to international tourists. To serve market demand, the airline has also announced it will deploy its iconic Emirates A380 aircraft to Mauritius starting 1 August. Fully vaccinated travellers can enjoy a relaxing and safe getaway in a list of pre-approved COVID-19 safe resorts across the island.

Emirates’ flights to Mauritius will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays. Starting from 15 July, the route will be served utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, and from 1 August, utilising the Emirates A380 aircraft. Emirates flight EK 701 will depart Dubai 2:35hrs and arrive in Mauritius at 9:10hrs local time. The return flight will operate on Fridays and Sundays. Emirates flight EK 704 will depart Mauritius at 23:10hrs and arrive in Dubai at 5:45hrs local time, the following day.

Emirates flights to Mauritius can be booked on emirates.com, via travel agents or Emirates Sales Office.

The Emirates A380 experience remains a favourite amongst travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins and the airline will continue to expand its deployment in line with the gradual return in demand. Emirates currently operates the A380 to New York JFK, Los Angeles, Washington D.C, Toronto, Paris, Munich, Vienna, Frankfurt, Moscow, Amman, Cairo, and Guangzhou.

From white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and luscious landscapes – Mauritius remains one the most popular holiday destinations, attracting travellers across the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Emirates passengers can also enjoy other Indian Ocean destinations, as the airline offers 28 weekly flights to Maldives and seven weekly flights to Seychelles.

Travellers can also book with Emirates Holidays and enjoy tailor-made packages at world-class hotels and resorts across the island. For more information, click here

Alstom Leads Way for Automated Train Operation in Stuttgart Network

July 6, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom (OTC: ALSMY) has signed a contract with Germany’s Baden-Wuerttemberg State Institute for Rail Vehicles (SFBW) to retrofit 118 regional trains with the European Train Control System (ETCS) Automatic Train Operation (ATO) digital signalling technology. Part of the Stuttgart Digital Node lighthouse project, the contract is valued at approximately 130 million euro¹ and includes an innovation cooperation agreement software maintenance contract and a contract for further maintenance.

In addition to the recently announced S-Bahn project, the new retrofit project covers 118 trains that SFBW operates on the high-traffic Stuttgart network. The trains come from several different suppliers and will be upgraded with the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 and 3 as well as Automatic Train Operation (ATO) level 2 (GoA2) technology. The initial upgrade project will be completed by 2024 and the subsequent upgrade, according to the European Technical Specifications for Interoperability 2022, will be completed by 2027.

While ATO technology has already been implemented in metros and urban rail lines in cities like Paris, the highly automated operation (GoA 2) is now being used for the first time in Germany on the basis of ETCS Level 2 in the Stuttgart Digital Node. When completed in 2024, the new signalling technology will increase capacity and frequency on the Stuttgart network while also making the trains performance more sustainable.

As part of the agreed innovation cooperation, Alstom and SFBW will also define the requirements for Train Integrity Monitoring (TIM), Future Railway Mobile Communication System upgrade capability, Train Capability and for Open CCS On-board Reference Architecture (OCORA). The implementation of the developed requirements by Alstom is part of the contract, as is the software maintenance of the regional trains.

The project is being carried out by the Alstom signalling site in Berlin, Germany, in close cooperation with the ETCS competence center in Charleroi, Belgium. Other locations involved in the various project phases are Braunschweig, Salzgitter, Mannheim and Hennigsdorf in Germany as well as Bangalore, India, Bucharest, Romania and Lyon-Villeurbanne, France. The series installation will take place close to Stuttgart or in Hennigsdorf.

Dassault Aviation Launches The Falcon 10X

May 10, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Saint-Cloud, France, May 06, 2021 – Dassault Aviation today announced an all-new Falcon jet that will deliver a level of comfort, versatility and technology unmatched by any purpose-built business jet. Featuring a range of 7,500 nautical miles, the Falcon 10X will fly nonstop from New York to Shanghai, Los Angeles to Sydney, Hong Kong to New York or Paris to Santiago. Top speed will be Mach 0.925.

The Falcon 10X is scheduled to enter service at the end of 2025.

The 10X will have the biggest and most comfortable cabin on the market and offer greater modularity than any other aircraft in its class, with a selection of multiple interior configurations. The 10X is large enough to accommodate four cabin zones of equal length but owners can configure their cabin to create a truly customized interior, including for example, an expanded dining/conference area, a dedicated entertainment area with a large-screen monitor, a private stateroom with a queen-size bed or an enlarged master suite with a private stand-up shower.

The 10X will have a cabin cross section larger than some regional jets. Its cabin will be 6-feet, 8-inches (2.03 m) tall and 9 feet, 1 inch wide (2.77 m). That will make it almost 8 inches (20 cm) wider and 2 inches (5 cm) taller than the widest and tallest purpose-built business jet flying today.

Pressurization will also be the best on the market, with passengers experiencing a 3,000-foot cabin pressure altitude while flying at 41,000 feet. A next-generation filtration system will provide 100-percent pure air. The aircraft will be at least as quiet as the Falcon 8X, currently the quietest business jet in service.

The 10X will feature an entirely new fuselage with extra-large windows—nearly 50 percent larger than those on the Falcon 8X. Thirty-eight windows will line the fuselage making for the brightest cabin in business aviation.

The high-speed wing will be made of carbon fiber composites for maximum strength, reduced weight and minimum drag. Tailored for speed and efficiency, the very-high aspect ratio wing will be equipped with advanced, retractable high-lift devices offering superior maneuverability at low approach speeds.

The twin-engine aircraft will be powered by business aviation’s most advanced and efficient engine, the in-development Rolls Royce Pearl® 10X. The 10X is the latest, largest and most powerful version of the Pearl series, delivering more than 18,000 pounds of thrust.

The Falcon 10X’s flight deck will set a new standard in intuitive design, with touch screens throughout the cockpit. A next-generation Digital Flight Control System, derived directly from Dassault’s latest military technology, will provide an unprecedented level of flying precision and protection, including a revolutionary, new single-button recovery mode.

A single smart throttle will serve as the primary power control, connecting both engines to the Digital Flight Control System which will automatically manage the power of each engine as needed in different flight scenarios.

Thanks to Dassault’s breakthrough FalconEye® combined vision system—the first to offer both enhanced and synthetic vision capabilities—combined with dual HUDs able to serve as primary flight displays, the 10X will be capable of operating in essentially zero ceiling/visibility conditions.

Airbus Fly-By-Wire Visionary Bernard Ziegler Passes Away

May 5, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France 5 May 2021 – Airbus (OTC: EADSY) is saddened to learn of the passing of Bernard Ziegler, at the age of 88. Ziegler, one of Airbus’ engineering pioneers, was instrumental in the introduction of the world’s first digital Fly-By-Wire (FBW) and side stick controls in a commercial passenger aircraft with the A320 in 1988.

Ziegler’s career spanned some four decades. He realised the full potential that digital FBW could bring, including flight envelope protection incorporated into the control software. Ziegler’s legacy lives on with digital FBW on all current generation Airbus aircraft, and its adoption as the standard on all modern passenger aircraft globally.

Born in 1933, in Boulogne sur Seine, Ziegler graduated from the French “Ecole Polytechnique” in 1954 and, later, from several engineering and flight training schools (Ecole Nationale de l’Air, Ecole de Chasse, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique, Ecole du Personnel Navigant Essais). For ten years, he was a fighter pilot in the French Air Force.

During the early 1960s he studied aeronautical engineering at ENSA (l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique) in Toulouse, which is now ISAE-SUPAERO. He then attended prestigious flight test pilot school EPNER, before taking up a career as a military test pilot.

Ziegler joined Airbus as its chief test pilot in 1972 and was given the task of setting up a new flight test division. He put together a team that shared the objectives of both the design office and the partner countries, fostering collaboration between flight test crews and design engineers.

As a test pilot, he flew the first flight of the first A300 in 1972. The programme was later on an early testbed for FBW which transfers the pilot’s commands to the aircraft via digital signals. FBW provides significant benefits through commonality, improved flight safety, reduced pilot workload, fewer mechanical parts, and real-time monitoring of all aircraft systems.

He also flew the A310, A320 and A340-200. In June 1993, Ziegler participated in the longest flight ever undertaken by a civil aircraft, when an A340-200, dubbed the “World Ranger”, flew around the world from Paris with just one stop in Auckland in just over 48 hours.

Up until his retirement in December 1997, Ziegler was Airbus Senior Vice President of Engineering.

Olivier Dassault Passes Away at Age 69 in a Helicopter Accident on March 7, 2021

March 8, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Saint-Cloud, France, March 8, 2021 – It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Olivier Dassault, at the age of 69, in a helicopter accident on 7 March 2021. An aviation enthusiast, like his grandfather Marcel Dassault and his father Serge Dassault, he was always keenly interested in developing the business of our company. He was born on 1 June 1951 in Boulogne-Billancourt. He was an engineering graduate from the Ecole de l’Air, held a DEA diploma in Mathematical Decision Sciences and a Doctorate in management computing.

He was born on 1 June 1951 in Boulogne-Billancourt. He was an engineering graduate from the Ecole de l’Air, held a DEA diploma in Mathematical Decision Sciences and a Doctorate in management computing. Following his solid scientific training, Olivier Dassault’s first steps in professional life helped him to gain experience of the communication sector, notably as a film producer and then by creating his own advertising agency.

He was a professional pilot since 1975, and jointly held world speed records – with Hervé Le Prince-Ringuet in 1977 from New York to Paris on a Falcon 50 and in 1987 from New Orleans to Paris on a Falcon 900 – and with Guy Mitaux-Maurouard and Patrick Experton in 1996 on a Falcon 900EX from Paris to Abu Dhabi and Paris to Singapore.

In 1986, his father Serge Dassault entrusted him with a number of roles and responsibilities within the Dassault company, appointing him Deputy Vice-President for Europe Falcon Service, and then Vice-President of Civil Aircraft Strategy in 1993.

He was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Marcel Dassault industrial group (GIMD) until 2017 and Director at Dassault Aviation since 1996. Throughout his life, he was a determined defender of our company and of French aeronautics. Moreover, on Thursday, March 4, 2021, during the last Board of Directors meeting, he gave his full support to the company in its management of the covid 19 crisis.

He was also a media man, holding the position of Chairman of the Valmonde group, where he created the hunting magazine Jours de Chasse (2000) devoted to another of his passions. He became a Director of Socpresse (now Groupe Figaro) after the latter was bought out by GIMD in 2004.

While continuing to be professionally active, he entered politics. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (RPR party) in 1988, winning back the Oise first district during the parliamentary by-elections. He was an MP in the Oise department from 1988 to 1997, and then again since 2002.

An artist at heart, Olivier Dassault was an accomplished musician and notably composed the anthem for Parliament, showing this institution another side of his creative personality. He was also a well-known photographer. He published many books of photographs and regularly exhibited his work successfully, in France and abroad.

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