January 29, 2024 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, and the Romanian Railway Reform Authority (ARF) have signed a contract for the delivery of 16 Traxx 3 MS electric locomotives and 20 years of associated maintenance services. The contract, totalling around €150 million, extends Alstom’s collaboration with ARF within the rolling stock sector. The 20-year maintenance and repair period can be extended by a further 20 years by concluding an additional agreement.
The Traxx locomotives offer a flexible design based on a robust, modular platform approach compatible with many applications (single or multi-country freight and passenger transport) and available in various configurations (AC, DC and multi-system). This product delivers increased operational performance and reliability with higher energy efficiency and extended maintenance intervals to improve its availability.
Alstom has been active in Romania for almost 30 years and is a market leader in railway electrification and signalling solutions. The company is responsible for implementing signalling or electrification solutions on the Rhine-Danube railway corridor as well as in the Cluj area, where the company is also part of the consortium building the second metro system in the country, in the city of Cluj Napoca. The first CBTC urban signalling solution in the country is under implementation by Alstom on Bucharest’s metro Line 5. The company has also been the provider of maintenance services for the Bucharest metro fleet for nearly 20 years, with an ongoing contract valid until 2036.
Burbank, California, January 25, 2024 — Avelo Airlines was among the attendees at the Los Angeles Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) groundbreaking of the airport’s new terminal last Thursday.
The 355,000 square-foot facility will replace Hollywood Burbank’s current 94-year-old terminal utilized by Avelo and eight other airlines. BUR’s new terminal will have 14 gates, a variety of options for dining and shopping, more space to move about, and an upgraded TSA checkpoint, among other features.
Key speakers included Hollywood Burbank Airport’s Executive Director Frank Miller, President of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Felicia Williams and Rep. Tony Cardenas, who represents California’s 29th congressional district. Avelo’s Director of Airport Relations Somer Shindler represented Avelo at the ceremony.
Atlanta, Georgia – Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT) announced the highly anticipated opening of the 976-room Signia by Hilton Atlanta, marking the first new build and Georgia hotel for the Signia by Hilton brand, and Atlanta’s largest ground-up hotel development project in 40 years. Inclusive of the property’s debut, Atlanta represents Hilton’s largest market globally by number of hotels with a portfolio of 136 hotels across 13 brands welcoming travelers to the destination. In Atlanta, Hilton also has a pipeline of more than 40 hotels in various stages of design and construction.
Poised to become a signature landmark and economic catalyst on the city’s west side, Signia by Hilton Atlanta is owned by Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) and forms part of the Authority’s Championship Campus, North America’s largest combined convention, sports, and entertainment destination, which also includes Georgia World Congress Center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Centennial Olympic Park. Built on the repurposed foundation of the Georgia Dome, the hotel features eight food and beverage experiences; a spa, beauty bar, rooftop pool and fitness center; more than 100,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including the largest hotel ballroom in Georgia; a grand outdoor event deck and lawn; and Club Signia.
Signia by Hilton Atlanta was developed by Boston-based Drew Company, with Gensler as the architect and interior designer, and a joint venture between Skanska and SG Contracting as the general contractor. As the tallest building on the west side of Atlanta, the 42-story, 1.25 million square foot property is enveloped in wall-to-wall glass, offering panoramic views of downtown Atlanta, an inspiring and curated art collection, and inviting spaces.
All guest rooms at Signia by Hilton Atlanta offer spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views and reflect the warmth and refinement of Southern luxury, featuring a combination of earth toned-fabrics, rich wood and rattan textures, and brass finishes. The colors and materials are inspired by the building’s unique location in the city, paying homage to some of the most historically important and culturally significant neighborhoods in Atlanta. Shades of amber, deep brown, soft beige, and slate blue evoke a subtle sophistication, while black and metallic details bring an understated modern twist. Together, these design elements invite guests to celebrate the distinguished style of Southern hospitality through a timeless look that is both stylish and functional.
Forward-Looking Statements
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October 25, 2023 – Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Xetra: LHAG) newly established City Airlines will start flight operations in the summer of 2024. The airline was founded last year and received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the German Federal Aviation Authority back in June. It will operate its flights from the Munich and Frankfurt hubs and thus also offer feeder flights for Lufthansa. City Airlines will operate alongside Lufthansa CityLine. Recruitment of operational staff will begin in November 2023, with pilots and cabin crew members needed for the launch.
The competitive strengthening of the short-haul network is essential for the market position of Lufthansa Group and for the planned growth of the long-haul segment in the German market.
In order to position City Airlines for the long term, English-speaking pilots are also being considered in the recruitment process for cockpit roles. Applicants with prior experience will be given preference during hiring. For Group employees interested in switching to City Airlines, offers with voluntary switching conditions can be negotiated. This includes Lufthansa CityLine staff in particular.
Talks with the social partners to agree on conditions for competitive and secure jobs have already begun.
Lufthansa customers and passengers can look forward to a Lufthansa customer experience on board City Airlines aircraft. While City Airlines will start operations with Airbus A319 aircraft, Lufthansa Group is currently also evaluating the possibility of using Airbus A220 or Embraer aircraft.
Getafe, Madrid, Spain, October 11, 2023 – Airbus Group SE (Paris: AIR) and the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) worked together to successfully complete the automatic air-to-air refuelling (A3R) flight test campaign with the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and F-15 fighter, ahead of its certification in the first half of 2024.
Over the course of three weeks in August, a RSAF A330 MRTT made more than 500 automated wet and dry contacts with the air force’s full fleet of receiver aircraft, including the F-15SG aircraft, a customised variant of the US-built F-15E Strike Eagle air-to-ground fighter jet.
The flight tests with F-15SG were conducted in Singapore, covering the whole operational AAR envelope in different weather conditions under the supervision of the Spanish certifying authority, called INTA (National Institute for Aerospace Technology).
Abuja, Nigeria, 14 September 2023 – Overland Airways of Nigeria has received the first of three new Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) E175 E-Jets. The aircraft was delivered to the airline last week. The twenty-year old West African carrier, an affiliate of the Landover Aviation Services Company, also holds options for three additional aircraft.
Concurrent with the arrival of its new E175s, Overland is aggressively ramping up its presence in Nigeria. It has built a new corporate office and hangar facilities in Lagos. The airline is an Approved Maintenance Organization under the certification of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.
Overland’s partner, Landover Aviation Services, runs one of IATA’s top ten aviation training institutions in Africa. The Landover Aviation Business School specializes in airline technical and operations, aviation management, and travel and tourism.
New York, July 24, 2023, (BUSINESS WIRE) – JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced the appointment of Susan Pfingstler to vice president, JetBlue University. In this role, Pfingstler will oversee the carrier’s award-winning training programs and facilities. She will report to Warren Christie, JetBlue’s head of safety, security, fleet operations and JetBlue University.
From locations in Orlando, New York and Salt Lake City, JetBlue University offers new hire and recurrent training for JetBlue’s airports, customer support (reservations), flight operations, inflight, system operations, and technical operations (maintenance) crewmembers, as well as pilot training services for a variety of other airlines around the world.
Pfingstler comes to JetBlue from United Airlines where she served as the managing director, network operations, air traffic control strategy. Previously, she held positions with the Federal Aviation Administration, the International Air Transport Association, and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. She spent the first decade of her career as a New York City-based pilot in both the corporate and Part 121 airline arenas.
Pfingstler holds a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She is a Board Member of NASA’s Advisory Council Aeronautics Committee and Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL), in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports, today announced a $125 million commercial redevelopment program for Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The project will feature a new Great Hall and is expected to bring more than 60 new shopping and restaurant offerings to the terminal. With an emphasis on locally owned and diverse businesses that will create economic opportunities for the community, the new program will showcase New York’s world-renowned culinary scene and establish a unique sense of place for travelers.
Following the recent completion of a $400 million expansion of Terminal 8, the commercial redevelopment will further enhance the customer experience at the terminal with a complete redesign and expansion of the concessions program, including dining, retail, duty-free shopping, performance space and new digitally enabled experiences for American’s customers.
Terminal 8 has also become a world-renowned gateway for American’s oneworld partners. Within the past year, British Airways, Iberia and Japan Airlines relocated operations and Qantas returned service to Terminal 8.
American selected JFK T8 Innovation Partners, a joint venture led by URW, to lead the redevelopment. URW is an owner, developer and operator of sustainable, high-quality real estate assets across Europe and the U.S. Also joining the T8 Partners team, with a 30 percent equity stake, is Phoenix Infrastructure Group, a minority-owned, Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)-certified investment firm focused on critical infrastructure projects; and Holt Construction, one of New York’s premier construction management firms with experience in more than 100 aviation projects at airports across the country, including the expansion of Terminal 8, where Holt exceeded its 30 percent Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation goal.
The three unit FLIRT Akku used for the record journey has been developed by Stadler since 2016 as a local CO2 neutral mobility solution for the climate-friendly operation of unelectrified railway routes. The vehicle was approved by the German Federal Railway Office and introduced to the public for the very first time in 2018. Ever since when the FLIRT Akku test carrier has travelled around 15,000 kilometers in battery only operation, before setting the world record for a regional train journey in battery-only mode without additional charge now.
Climate friendly bestseller FLIRT
The first Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train was developed in 2002 at the request of the Swiss Federal Railways SBB for the Zug city railway. Ever since the unit was put into service, the FLIRT has turned into an international bestseller with over 2,000 vehicles sold. These vehicles are being operated in 20 countries in virtually all climate zones, from the equator to the polar circle, with 528 of them operating in Germany alone. The single-decker regional and intercity multiple unit convinces with its flexibility in the process. The trains are configured for normal and broad gauge tracks, with top speeds of 160 to 200 km/h. Thus, the FLIRT can be customized to any individual client requirements in terms of its drive technology, number of seats, passenger flow and interior design. The lightweight aluminum construction and common components help to keep the operating, energy and maintenance costs low. Besides electric, diesel or bi-modal drives, the FLIRT is also available with climate-friendly battery and hydrogen propulsion.
With the FLIRT Akku train sets, Stadler has developed a so called BEMU (battery-electric multiple unit) that will run as both a classic EMU (electric multiple unit) under overhead contact cable or battery-operated on un-electrified routes. This makes it optimal for partly electrified routes that currently still need to be served with diesel trains. Stadler had already won the first green technology tender in Germany and sold 55 FLIRT Akkus to NAH.SH, the Schleswig-Holstein Local Transport Association in 2019. In November 2021, another order for 44 vehicles followed from Deutsche Bahn Regio. In addition Stadler is also building the first hydrogen-powered FLIRT for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) in the USA.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 27, 2021 – The Port of Long Beach (POLB), the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA), and Union Pacific Railroad (NYSE: UNP) announced today a bold initiative that brings rapid relief from existing port congestion by optimizing rail deliveries between California and Utah.
The initiative is the first implementation of an agreement between POLB and UIPA that focuses on reducing congestion and cost associated with cargo movement through the corridor by optimizing the existing on- and near-dock rail system of the Port of Long Beach to reduce dwell times and improve the speed and consistency of rail deliveries to and from Utah.
Millions of TEUs of international goods are imported to or exported from the Intermountain West annually, but only 10% of this cargo currently moves by rail. This initiative aims to provide consistent, reliable movement of cargo on rail that improves fluidity and reduces delays of shipments already set to come to the Intermountain region, rather than increase cargo volume.
Loading 100 intermodal rail cars equates to 300 trucks off the road. An analysis by the Association of American Railroads concluded railroads are, on average, four times more fuel efficient than trucks and moving freight by rail instead of truck lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent.
Improving visibility of cargo is also a key component to untangling the supply chain and improving capacity. UIPA has announced the Intelligent Crossroads Network (“ICN”), a private 5G and artificial intelligence network built in partnership with QuayChain Technologies that will allow cargo tracking, monitoring and planning, and even greater efficiencies for users throughout the corridor connecting Long Beach and Utah.
