In July 1983, the OAMTC air rescue service started operations in Innsbruck with an AS355. Since then, the HEMS operator has expanded its service throughout the whole country, offering its life-saving services to the Austrian population from the mountainous regions in the west to the plains in the east near the borders with Slovakia and Hungary.
Today, OAMTC Air Rescue operates more than 22 HEMS bases throughout Austria, all named Christophorus after St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers. Of these, 17 are in operation all year round, while four are in seasonal operation, mainly during winter, to provide HEMS services to the country’s more than 400 ski resorts. Since 1999, OAMTC air rescue has also been operating an H135 as an intensive care helicopter, which enables inter-hospital transfers of intensive care patients to the highest standards.
Relying on the H135 family since 1997 As one of the world’s first operators of the H135 family, OAMTC has relied on the helicopter as the backbone of its missions since 1997. Since then, more than 212,000 flight hours have been logged, including 1 million take-offs and landings, and more than 400,000 missions have been flown. One of the pilots who’s contributed nearly 3,000 flight hours to these impressive figures is Robert Gallmayer, who also happens to be the head of the Christophorus 9 base in the Austrian capital of Vienna. He praises the H135 for its reliability, safety and ergonomics. He also notes that Helionix, the Airbus avionics suite that’s on board the latest version of the H135, plays a big role in ensuring mission success.
There is every indication that this joint success story will continue: In 2020, OAMTC air rescue again demonstrated its confidence in the H135 with an order for five more of these helicopters, the first four of which have already been delivered to the Austrian HEMS organization.
Vietnamese airline Vietjet Aviation will operate Rolls-Royce (OTC: RYCEY) Trent 700 engine-powered Airbus A330 aircraft in its fleet. As part of the airline’s strategic fleet decision, these will be the first widebody aircraft to join its operations as it expands its network into long-haul operations. The selection is supported by a TotalCare long-term aftermarket engine maintenance agreement. The first aircraft is expected to enter into service in November 2021.
The Trent 700 is the only engine specifically designed for the A330 and is widely recognised for its outstanding efficiency and reliability. Since its launch in 1995, the Trent 700 has dominated the A330 fleet with more than 60 per cent market share and has logged more than 60 million hours in service to date.
Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engine
Vietjet, which is Vietnam’s largest airline in terms of the total number of passengers transported domestically and the country’s second largest airline in terms of fleet size, currently has a fleet of 90 narrow-body aircraft. The airline’s ability to stay agile and financially resilient in 2020 has allowed Vietjet to navigate successfully through the market headwinds due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Supporting Vietjet’s business ambitions with the addition of its fleet for long-haul widebody operations, the Trent 700 delivers the best balance of attributes to achieve the maximum capability and efficiency on the A330. With a wide fuselage, well-established technology and sound economics, the airline aims to invest in additional A330 widebody aircraft in the next few years as part of its strategic fleet expansion plan.
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.”
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.
Delta will resume flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo beginning Feb. 12, 2021. The route will operate four times per week with Boeing 767-400 aircraft featuring the latest Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin service. Flights will depart from Terminal 4 at JFK and Terminal 3 in São Paulo, where Delta and its partners offer easy and convenient access to Delta Sky Clubs or partner lounges. The route also complements Delta’s daily service between its Atlanta hub and São Paulo, providing significant connection opportunities through two of Delta’s major hubs.
Delta has added more than 100 layers of protection through its Delta CareStandard, and has extended middle seat blocking through April 30, 2021 – the only U.S. airline to do so. To make the travel planning experience easier, Delta has created an interactive travel map to help customers understand where Delta flies and the latest travel requirements or restrictions at their destination, including more information on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control requirement that customers entering or transiting the U.S. present a negative COVID-19 test result.
Even as Delta has doubled down on its investment in safety and cleanliness, it also continues to invest in offering a superior customer experience and award-winning hospitality, including refreshing more than 300 new in-flight entertainment options and recently announced plans to bring high-speed Wi-Fi on board this year.
Transport of essential goods and services
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Delta Cargo kept the supply chain flowing with cargo-only flights. With the return of service more widely to the Brazilian market, the company’s flights will also offer larger cargo capacity – allowing Delta Cargo’s customers to transport essential goods, perishable products and supplies between Brazil and the U.S.
The cargo division also supports the delivery of vaccines in the U.S. and, since December, has been distributing shipments of COVID-19 vaccines as part of the global effort to combat the pandemic.
Detailed information on how to book a vaccine shipment is obtained from Delta Cargo’s Pharma Desk, which can be contacted by e-mail at DeltaCargoPharma@delta.com or by phone at +1 (800) 352-2746 (valid for calls originating in the U.S.). In addition, the Cargo Charters team can help with this Charter request form or by email at DeltaCargoCharters@delta.com. Additional information about Delta Cargo is available at deltacargo.com.
Delta’s flight schedule remains subject to change due to the evolving nature of COVID-19, customer demand and government travel regulations. For more information on Delta’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit delta.com.
Delta schedule for New York (JFK) – São Paulo (GRU) flights*
On behalf of EVA Air, we offer our sincere apology to frontline epidemic prevention teams, health-care workers and the general public for the impact on public epidemic prevention efforts our dismissed pilot’s regulation violations have caused.
We treat all our employees equally and apply the same standard to each and everyone who works at EVA, no matter what rank or title. If anyone is found to have violated epidemic prevention rules, we will immediately investigate and take disciplinary action if it’s warranted.
On December 23, 2020, after a thorough evaluation of facts and evidence, EVA’s Disciplinary Committee dismissed a Captain for violating epidemic prevention rules and filing an untruthful report. He disregarded Taiwan Civil Aeronautics Administration and Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Operational Principles, requiring Air Crew Members of Taiwan-based airlines to comply with health controls in addition to Article 43, Paragraph 2 of the Communicable Disease Control Act, stating “relevant personnel shall not refuse, evade or obstruct the laboratory testing, diagnosis, investigation…, jeopardizing the good name and reputation of the company.”
The dismissed pilot’s irresponsible disregard for the well-being of First Officers in the cockpit with him, ground crew and others he came in contact with also meets criteria for disciplinary termination under Article 12, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 4 of Taiwan’s Labor Standards Law. Following Articles 13.3.6 and 14.3 of its Pilot Administration Manual, EVA’s Disciplinary Committee made a unanimous decision to terminate the pilot, effective immediately.
The dismissed pilot failed to mention his own noncompliance or epidemic prevention rule violations by any other crew member in reports he submitted for the cargo flights he commanded. On the evening of December 17, a female First Officer who had flown with the dismissed pilot notified EVA that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and mentioned that the dismissed pilot had not worn a mask when they were on duty in the cabin. Following Central Epidemic Command Center guidelines, we began investigating the dismissed pilot on December 18. Another First Officer who had flown with the dismissed pilot tested positive for COVID-19 on December 19. EVA contacted both First Officers to ensure their wellbeing and verify details of the situation. The First Officers confirmed that the dismissed pilot had not worn masks when he was on duty in the cockpit with them though he was asked to do so. The EVA Disciplinary Committee considered this information within the evidence they reviewed.
The dismissed pilot is from New Zealand, the female First Officer is Taiwanese and the other First Officer, Japanese.
We also immediately began improving our epidemic prevention practices and management procedures. For example, we established more rigorous rules for crew members when they collect food during overseas layovers in hotels. We now require everyone to wear masks, goggles and gloves when they receive food. During flights, only one pilot at a time can remove his or her mask to eat or drink. We equipped our dormitories with new door locks that record all entries and exits. We also created a new reporting mechanism to make it easy for employees to report violations they may witness, regardless of the offender’s position in the company. EVA will investigate all reports of violations and take disciplinary action whenever it is warranted.
EVA strictly complies with all government epidemic prevention policies and requires all crew members and staff to follow applicable rules. Unfortunately, one irresponsible employee’s thoughtless behavior spoiled the hard-earned success that other EVA pilots, crew members and staff have worked so hard to achieve. While EVA does not ever cut corners in practices or procedures, this situation exposed vulnerabilities in our epidemic prevention efforts. We met with Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center and Civil Aeronautics Administration to discuss additional measures we can take to make our operations more secure. And we will use what we learned from this situation as we continue to do our best to strengthen and improve our epidemic prevention practices and management procedures.
The health and safety of our customers and employees remains our top priority. The Delta CareStandard encompasses more than 100 protective measures, such as sanitizing every flight, a comprehensive employee COVID testing program, and the use of industrial-grade HEPA filters that extract more than 99.99% of particles, including viruses. Read more about the Delta CareStandard.
Taking the Stress Out of Flying
Delta is making it easier to plan and book your next trip.
Delta launched a new interactive map on delta.com that gives customers the power to search, view and click-to-book their desired destination all in one place, giving full control and a better understanding of current travel restrictions and what to expect upon arrival.
The data is curated from government agencies and the International Air Transport Association to provide detailed insight into quarantine and testing requirements, travel forms and paperwork, local health information, local COVID-19 guidelines, and links to necessary forms and applications needed prior to travel.
In addition to a new trip planning tool, we’re offering greater flexibility if you ever need to change your plans, including:
No change fees for a U.S. domestic ticket or domestic award ticket, excluding Basic Economy fares.
No change fees for all domestic and international tickets purchased through Dec. 31, 2020, even if scheduled to travel next year.
Extending the use of travel credits through December 2022 for travel originally scheduled to depart before March 31, 2021 (if the ticket was purchased before April 17, 2020).
TEL AVIV, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Cash-strapped El Al Israel Airlines raised $148 million in a government-mandated share offering on Wednesday that will enable it to receive a state bailout package.
In a regulatory filing in Tel Aviv, Israel’s flag carrier said it sold 753.35 million new shares at 0.671 shekels ($0.1963) each.
Its stock earlier had closed 5.6% higher at 0.774 shekel.
Demand reached 654 million shekels while El Al accepted 505 million shekels ($148 million) worth.
El Al did not give further details of the offering which took the total number of shares outstanding to above 1.2 million.
But Israeli media reported that Eli Rozenberg had obtained a controlling stake via the offering, with 44.9% of the airline’s shares. He is the son of American businessman Kenny Rozenberg, CEO of New York-based nursing home chain Centers Health Care.
Rozenberg in July had offered to funnel $75 million into the airline in return for a 44.99% stake.
An El Al spokesman said he could not immediately confirm the reports about Rozenberg’s bid.
Newspapers said the state’s overall stake would now be as much as 15.5%, while the current controlling shareholder – Knafaim Holdings – would see its stake fall to about 15%.
Israel’s Finance Ministry said it paid $34 million for its shares and that although it pledged a $150 million safety net, it was barely needed.
“The results of the offering express investors’ trust in the company’s business plan and in state aid,” it said in a statement.
El Al has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak and the government has for months offered to intervene to help it avoid bankruptcy.
That has included mandating a share offering and steep spending reductions to receive a $250 million loan that will be 75% backed by the government and used partly to pay back customers whose flights were cancelled.
The airline has reported losses for two years running, racked up debt to renew its fleet, and suspended flights when Israel closed its borders and furloughed most of its employees.
($1 = 3.4185 shekels) (Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Steven Scheer; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
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
Vic Scheibert (l), President of Alaska Operations, Trident Seafoods, and Joe Bundrant, CEO, Trident holding up the first Copper River salmon.
Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Copper River Marketing Association and Tom Douglas partner to salute local medical professionals
Alaska Airlines Captain Brent Carricaburu presenting the first Copper River salmon, which weighed in at 33 pounds.
More than 200 health care workers at Swedish Medical Center – Ballard will be among the first to enjoy the season’s first catch of prized Copper River salmon. Alaska Air Cargo this morning delivered the first catch of fresh, sustainable Copper River salmon to Seattle, which will be delivered to grocery stores across the country.
Helping fishing communities, fisheries and processors like Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Cooper River Seafoods get the coveted salmon to market, often in less than 24 hours from being pulled from the water, is Alaska Air Cargo’s specialty. The airline plays a critical role in the economic vitality of Cordova, Alaska, where more than 50 percent of residents work in the fishing industry.
“Alaska Air Cargo has long been a partner of the Alaska seafood industry,” said Torque Zubeck, managing director of cargo for Alaska Airlines. “Now more than ever, we provide a critical service that directly impacts the economic vitality of the region. In Cordova alone, more than half of residents are directly involved in the fishing industry or related business.”
As a thank you for their efforts on the frontlines of the battle against coronavirus, Alaska Airlines, Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Copper River Seafoods, Copper River Marketing Association and famed Seattle chef Tom Douglas are partnering to provide a delicious meal to health care heroes, and feed the community, while raising money for Food Lifeline.
“I love everything about Copper River salmon,” said chef Tom Douglas. “I love the richness of its delicate flesh and flavor. It’s very short season makes it a true delicacy. I am glad we get to share it with our health care workers and the Greater Seattlecommunity.”
Alaska Air Cargo employees begin to unload 9,000 pounds of Copper River salmon, part of the first shipment to arrive in Seattle.
Douglas will feature salmon donated by the seafood processors and the Copper River Marketing Association to prepare over 200 meals for Swedish Hospital medical professionals working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Pilots, flight attendants and management employees from Alaska will be on hand Saturday to deliver the meals and thank workers for their efforts.
“We’re thankful for Alaska Airlines, Copper River Marketing Association, Trident, Ocean Beauty, Copper River Seafoods and especially Tom Douglas for providing our heroic health care workers at Swedish Ballard with the meal today,” said Swedish Ballard Chief Operating Officer Kasia Konieczny. “While this pandemic has been difficult for us all, it is great to see the community coming together, like these partners, to provide for one another.”
On Sunday, May 17, fish lovers are invited to partake in the festivities, while social distancing, of course. For a limited time and while supplies last, Trident and Douglas will be “Grilling for Good.” He and his Serious TakeOut team will prepare grilled Copper River sockeye salmon entrees available for purchase through the Tom Douglas website, with all proceeds donated to Food Lifeline.
Alaska Air Cargo transports more than 30+ million pounds of cargo annually—including seafood, mail and freight —and operates the most extensive air cargo operation on the U.S. West Coast of any passenger airline.
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve more than 115 destinations across the United States and North America, providing essential air service for our guests along with moving crucial cargo shipments, such as food, medicine, mail and e-commerce deliveries. With hubs in Seattle; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Anchorage, Alaska, the airline is known for low fares, award-winning customer service and sustainability efforts. With Alaska and its Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 800 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
Vic Scheibert (l), President of Alaska Operations, Trident Seafoods, and Joe Bundrant, CEO, Trident holding up the first Copper River salmon.
