Tag: national (Page 5 of 18)

ITA Airways Firms Up Order for 28 Airbus Aircraft

December 1, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Toulouse, France, 1st December 2021 – ITA Airways, Italy’s new national carrier, has firmed up an order with Airbus (OTC: EADSY) for 28 aircraft, including seven A220’s, 11 A320neo’s, and 10 A330neo’s, the latest version of the most popular A330 widebody airliner. The order confirms the Memorandum of Understanding announced on 30th September 2021. In addition, the airline will pursue its plans to lease A350s to complement its fleet modernization.

These new Airbus aircraft will expand the initial ITA Airways fleet with a new generation aircraft with better environmental performance, equipped with latest technologies and state-of-the-art cabins to guarantee maximum operational efficiencies for the airline and the best comfort to travelers.

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.

The Airbus A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft, building on features popular for the A330 Family and developed for the latest technology A350. Equipped with a compelling Airspace cabin, the A330neo offers a unique passenger experience with the latest-generation in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity. Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and featuring a new wing with increased span and A350-inspired winglets, the A330neo also provides an unprecedented level of efficiency – with 25% lower fuel-burn per seat than previous-generation competitors. Thanks to its tailored mid-sized capacity and its excellent range versatility, the A330neo is considered the ideal aircraft to support operators in their post-COVID-19 recovery.

Ryanair Launches Seat Sale To Top Winter Sun Destinations

November 6, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

80,000 Seats, Fares From Just £9.99, Over 530 Routes

Ryanair (LSE: RYA.L), Europe’s No. 1 airline, today (5^th Oct) launched a sizzling Winter Sun seat sale, with over 530 routes to choose from across the Ryanair network. With fares available from just £9.99 across 80,000 seats this November and December, it’s the perfect time to bag a bargain sunny getaway to the beach this winter.

British families, friends and couples can choose from a range of favourite winter sun destinations this November and December from only £9.99. To avail of these great low fares, customers must act fast and visit the Ryanair.com website to book their flights before midnight, 14^th November 2021.

Top destinations for Irish winter sunseekers include:

Faro: Renowned for its stunning coastline, dream golf courses, wellness retreats and dreamy beaches – not to mention delicious seafood within its quaint fishing villages – the Algarve is a firm year-round favourite, with Irish holidaymakers returning to the likes of Albufeira, Faro, Quinta do Lago, Lagos and Vilamoura year after year. Winter temperatures remain around 18°/ 20°- making it the perfect escape from the Irish winter and ideal for visiting with young children.

Lanzarote: Known for its year round warm weather – this gem is a must-visit winter destination with an array of popular destinations including Puerto Del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca. Visit Timanfaya National Park or enjoy activities in Playa de Papagayo – an untouched beach with crystal clear waters – perfect for snorkelling, diving or just soaking up the sun with family and friends this winter.

Malaga: A winter visit to Spain’s south coast is always a good idea. Perfectly encapsulating the traditions of Spain with its gothic architecture, small winding streets and a wonderful foodie culture – Malaga is a must-visit. With winter temperatures averaging 18° / 19°- visitors can expect to enjoy delicious authentic tapas and seafood al fresco on a sunny afternoon.

Tenerife: Renowned for its diverse volcanic landscapes, pine forests and green valleys with stunning views across numerous hiking routes and winter temperatures of 21° – Tenerife is the perfect winter getaway for family and friends looking to explore the volcanic areas on the slopes of the highest peak in Spain or relax and take in the sun on one of the many beaches on the island.

United Announces New Shuttle Schedule Between Newark Liberty and Reagan National Airports

October 27, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2021 – United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) is making travel between New York City and Washington D.C. easier and more convenient, announcing today it will launch new nearly hourly shuttle service between New York/Newark Liberty International Airport and Reagan National Airport on Oct. 31, and is adding five new flights between LaGuardia Airport and Washington Dulles Airport. In total, United will operate about 32 flights each day between the NYC and D.C. areas, a 78% increase and the most flights of any other airline.

United Airlines is also giving all of its New York City customers an upgrade: starting October 31, all of the airline’s departures from New York/Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport will include a first-class option, including the 737 MAX-8 and the CRJ-550 – the world’s first 50-seat regional jet with first-class seats and amenities. United will now offer over 7,000 premium seats to customers in New York City, more than any other airline, and the most in the airline’s history. United’s CRJ-550 is the world’s first 50-seat regional aircraft designed to offer first class seats and amenities. Originally designed to seat 70 plus passengers, United’s CRJ-550 configuration maximizes customer comfort and has revolutionized the regional flying experience with features like:

• 10 seats in United First^SM, 20 seats in Economy Plus®, and 20 economy seats

• Space for every customer to bring a roller bag on board.

• A self-serve refreshment center for United First customers, featuring a wide assortment of pre-packaged snacks and beverages.

• More overall legroom per seat than any other 50-seat aircraft flown by a U.S. airline.

• The ability to stay connected while inflight with United Wi-Fi.

• Complimentary personal device entertainment service, which enables passengers to view hundreds of movies and television shows in flight.

United is giving customers more choice than ever before when selecting their preferred onboard experience and providing MileagePlus® members more opportunity for upgrades. United will be flying its new 737-MAX-8 on 22 daily flights from the NYC-area. Featuring 16 United First seats and 54 Economy Plus seats – more than double the number of extra leg room seats offered by competing airlines on similar-sized aircraft. Customers have the opportunity to enjoy seatback entertainment in every seat, Bluetooth connectivity, larger overhead bins, and the industry’s fastest available Wi-Fi elevating the flying experience to a new standard.

United’s new shuttle service between New York/Newark Liberty International Airport and Reagan National Airport will operate seven days a week, with 18 flights offering nearly hourly service between 6AM and 10PM, more frequency than any other airline. The airline will also operate five daily flights between New York/Newark Liberty International Airport and Washington Dulles Airport. The new flights between LaGuardia Airport and Washington Dulles Airport will bring the daily flight count to nine and provide consistent service seven days a week between 6AM and 10PM.

Tickets for all of these flights are available for sale now at United.com.

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn’s Message on Empire Builder Train Derailment in Montana

September 26, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

We are in mourning today for the people who lost their lives due to the derailment of the Empire Builder train Saturday, near Joplin, Montana, on the BNSF Railway, as well as the many others who were injured. We have no words that can adequately express our sorrow for those who lost a loved one or who were hurt in this horrible event. They are in our thoughts and prayers.

We are fully cooperating with the investigation, working closely with National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Railroad Administration, local law enforcement and response agencies. We share the sense of urgency to understand why the accident happened; however, until the investigation is complete, we will not comment further on the accident itself. The NTSB will identify the cause or causes of this accident, and Amtrak commits to taking appropriate actions to prevent a similar accident in the future.

Amtrak’s immediate and sustained focus is on doing everything we can to help our passengers and crew, especially the families of those who were injured or died, at this painful and difficult time. Our Incident Response Team has been initiated. We have sent emergency personnel and Amtrak leadership to the scene to help support our passengers, our employees and their families with their needs. Individuals with questions about their family and friends aboard this train should call 800-523-9101. We have also established a Family Assistance Center in Great Falls, Montana, and we will have family assistance liaisons at that site to reach out to those injured and their families to make sure they get what they need. We have dispatched nurse case managers to support those hospitalized. As soon as Amtrak has permission, we will access the accident site to retrieve the personal effects of our passengers and crew.

We want to extend our deep gratitude and sincere appreciation to the Joplin and greater Liberty County communities and other Montana counties and their selfless first responders, hospital staff and law enforcement for their immediate and ongoing help to support of all those aboard the Empire Builder for responding with such urgency, compassion and patience.

Airbus Delivers First UH-72B Lakota Helicopter to U.S. Army National Guard

September 7, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Columbus, Mississippi, 07 September 2021 – Airbus Helicopters, Inc. has delivered the first UH-72B, the latest variant of its Lakota helicopter, to the U.S. Army National Guard from its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi. This delivery is the first of 18 UH-72B Lakota helicopters currently on order to support the National Guard’s critical missions.

The UH-72B is the latest iteration of the proven commercial, off-the-shelf aircraft that has been the Army’s Light Utility Helicopter since the first Lakota contract award in 2006. The Army is leveraging the benefits of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) program by receiving product improvements and enhancements through the evolution of the aircraft, without investing any government money into the development of those capabilities.

Based on the widely successful H145, the UH-72B incorporates technologies that increase both safety and flight performance, including the five-bladed main rotor, the Fenestron shrouded tail rotor, Safran Arriel 2E engines, and the Airbus-designed Helionix avionics suite. The Helionix suite includes an advanced dual-duplex, four-axis autopilot to provide flight envelope and over-limit protection, automated takeoff, and fully-coupled approaches to hover.

With nearly 10 different configurations available, the Lakota delivers proven performance, outstanding operational reliability, and unmatched versatility for a broad spectrum of military missions. Airbus Helicopters, Inc. builds the Lakota at its production facility in Columbus, Mississippi, which employs a workforce of nearly 250 employees that is made up of 40% U.S. veterans.

Southwest Airlines and The International Association Of Machinists And Aerospace Workers Reach Tentative Agreement

August 23, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

DALLAS, TEXAS – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have reached a Tentative Agreement for Southwest’s more than 5,000 Customer Service Employees.

Composed of the Company’s Customer Service Agents, Customer Representatives, and Source of Support Representatives, these Employees deliver excellent Customer Service by helping our Customers get to their destinations, whether that is taking a phone call to change a Customer’s travel plans or assisting a Customer or fellow Employee on the ground at one of the airports we serve.

The IAM will communicate to its membership the details of the Tentative Agreement and the ratification process.

QANTAS Group to Require Employees to be Vaccinated Against Covid-19

August 17, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

The Qantas Group will require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of the national carrier’s commitment to safety.

Frontline employees – including cabin crew, pilots and airport workers – will need to be fully vaccinated by 15 November 2021 and the remainder of employees by 31 March 2022. There will be exemptions for those who are unable for documented medical reasons to be vaccinated, which is expected to be very rare.

The policy follows consultation with Qantas and Jetstar employees including a survey sent to 22,000 people to seek their views on vaccination. The 12,000 responses received makes it one of the biggest single surveys on this topic in Australia. The results showed that of those who responded:

89 per cent had already been vaccinated or are planning to be.
4 per cent were unwilling or unable to get the jab.
Around three-quarters think it should be a requirement for all employees to be vaccinated and would be concerned if other employees in the workplace weren’t vaccinated.

Thousands of aviation workers supporting international flights in New South Wales, South Australia and New Zealand are already required to be vaccinated by those jurisdictions. Multiple airlines around the world have also made it a requirement.

Announcing the policy, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said: “Having a fully vaccinated workforce will safeguard our people against the virus but also protect our customers and the communities we fly to.

Further discussions will take place with employees, their health and safety representatives and unions over the coming weeks on the detail of the policy, including how medical exemptions will be applied.

In a separate survey of more than 1000 Qantas customers, 92 per cent said they expect Qantas crew to be fully vaccinated.

Qantas and Jetstar Meet Strong Domestic Demand with More Aircraft and Flights

June 20, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

The Qantas Group is preparing for continued growth in domestic travel demand, with additional aircraft to be made available for Qantas and Jetstar flying.

Additional E190’s for QantasLink

The national carrier today announced an expansion of its three-year deal with Alliance Airlines, which provides QantasLink with capacity using Alliance’s Embraer E190 regional jet aircraft and the flexibility to respond to changing market conditions.

The expanded agreement will see the airline increase its options under this deal from 14 jet aircraft to a total of 18. Of this, three are already flying with another five to enter service by October. The E190s will be painted in QantasLink livery and are part of Qantas growing its domestic capacity to at least 107 per cent of pre-COVID levels in FY22.

The first of the 94-seat E190 jets started flying on the QantasLink network last month. The jet’s five-hour range makes it well suited to linking regional centres with smaller capital cities. The introduction of E190s also frees up Qantas’ Boeing 737 aircraft to be redeployed across the domestic network, enabling the airline to launch a number of new routes and add frequencies on existing ones.

Canberra-Adelaide is the latest route to benefit from additional flights made possible by the E190, with frequencies to double from nine per week to 18 per week from mid-July.

Jetstar boosts its Australian-based A320 fleet

Demand for low-cost leisure travel remains strong due to closed international borders and structural changes in Australia’s aviation market. As a result, Jetstar’s Australian domestic network is set to grow to 120 per cent of its pre-COVID schedule in FY22.

To help meet the increased demand, three Airbus A320 aircraft will be temporarily redeployed from Jetstar Asia in Singapore while international travel in the region faces a slower recovery.

These aircraft join the six Airbus A320 aircraft on loan to Jetstar Airways from Jetstar Japan and up to five Boeing 787-8 aircraft set to operate domestically until international travel resumes.

Virgin Galactic Completes First Spaceflight from Spaceport America, New Mexico

May 26, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Virgin Galactic has completed its third spaceflight and the first ever from Spaceport America, New Mexico. Today’s flight sees New Mexico become the third US state to launch humans into space. VSS Unity achieved a speed of Mach 3 after being released from the mothership, VMS Eve, and reached space, at an altitude of 55.45 miles before gliding smoothly to a runway landing at Spaceport America.

On VSS Unity’s flight deck were CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, while Kelly Latimer and Michael Masucci piloted VMS Eve. CJ, who flew as pilot-in-command, becomes the first person ever to have flown to space from three different states. The crew experienced extraordinary views of the bright, blue-rimmed curvature of the earth against the blackness of space. New Mexico’s White Sands National Park sparkled brilliantly below. Their experience today gives Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut customers a glimpse of what lies ahead.

Virgin Galactic fulfilled a number of test objectives during the flight, including:

Carried revenue-generating scientific research experiments as part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program.
Collected data to be used for the final two verification reports that are required as part of the current FAA commercial reusable spacecraft operator’s license.
Tested the spaceship’s upgraded horizontal stabilizers and flight controls and validated EMI reductions.

Following the flight, and in line with normal procedures, Virgin Galactic will conduct a review of all test data gathered and thoroughly inspect the spaceship and mothership. Once the team confirms the results, the Company plans to proceed to the next flight test milestone.

To celebrate the first human spaceflight from New Mexico, the Zia Sun Symbol of New Mexico’s state flag was placed prominently on the exterior of the Spaceship. In addition, we flew green chile seeds, which are synonymous with the state’s rich agricultural and culinary history.

Icelandair Announces the Opening of Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik

May 10, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Sky Lagoon, Iceland’s newest geothermal bathing hotspot, opened in Reykjavik last week. If you know Iceland, you know that soaking in warm water is a favorite national pastime. Sky Lagoon is one of the new breed of designer pools catering to locals and visitors looking for sweet soaking opportunities in Instagram-worthy landscapes.

The opening weekend for Sky Lagoon was a big, buzz-worthy success, with media coverage and plenty of gorgeous photos flooding social media. The sun shone brightly and in an incredible stroke of good fortune, Sky Lagoon’s huge, 75-meter (246ft) infinity-edge pool and the large windows of the designer sauna enjoy a view across the ocean to the Icelandic president’s residence, and in the distance, an erupting volcano on the peninsula. The view – of smoke plumes, and a red glow when the conditions are favorable – is one the architects could have only dreamed about in the planning stages of the complex. A front-row seat for rosy sunsets completes the appeal, and we can imagine winter soaks under northern lights adding an extra wow factor.

Click the link below to read the full story!

https://www.icelandair.com/blog/sky-lagoon-opens-in-reykjavik/

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