TOMORROWS TRANSPORTATION NEWS TODAY!

Tag: historic

Avelo attends new terminal groundbreaking at Hollywood Burbank Airport

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.

Avelo Airlines route map 01/25/2024

Copy Translate

Changes Adopted Following KiwiRail Track Damage Report

KiwiRail and Auckland Transport are already making changes to address issues raised by a report into track damage through Rolling Contact Fatigue that led to widespread speed restrictions across the Auckland rail network.

The Auckland RCF Working Group Root Cause Assessment Report, prepared for KiwiRail and Auckland Transport, identified multiple causes, with historic underinvestment in Auckland’s rail track infrastructure identified as one of the key factors. The report also pointed to insufficient rail grinding, poor underlying track condition, the design of the EMU trains and the wheel rail interface.  Auckland’s climate is also another likely contributor.

KiwiRail Chief Operating Officer Todd Moyle acknowledged the report’s findings, and said work was already well advanced to implement recommendations made in the report.

Todd Moyle says that 130km of rail was replaced in just seven months and KiwiRail is now working through the second phase to repair the more complex sections of track.

The track remediation work is part of a $1.5 billion programme of work to modernise and improve the Auckland metro rail network. Other projects include the ‘third main’ project to ease congestion and allow for extra services on the busiest part of the network between Westfield and Wiri, the extension of electrification to Pukekohe, and three new stations at Drury and Paerata.  When complete, Auckland commuters and freight customers will enjoy a more resilient and reliable network.

Delta Air Lines Wins Record 10th Business Travel News Award

For the 10th year in a row, corporate travel professionals have named Delta the No. 1 airline in the annual Business Travel News Airline Survey, with significant improvements over the airline’s already-leading 2019 scores.

The survey asks corporate travel professionals to rank airlines on a number of important attributes, from customer service to distribution. This year, the survey also asked participants to rank how well each airline responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, including overall response, effective communication and flexibility. Delta earned its top marks for pandemic response, customer service and communication, while also improving its score substantively in all other categories. Again this year, Delta led in all categories, and is the only airline to sweep all categories for seven consecutive years.

Delta is the only airline in survey history to win 10 consecutive times, thanks to its industry-leading employees.

“It’s always an honor to earn our customers’ trust and respect, but to receive this award in 2020 – when the stakes have never been higher – is incredibly gratifying,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “In the face of historic challenges, we’ve stayed true to Delta values and have put our employees and our customers first. This recognition tells us we’re on the right path, and I could not be more thankful or more proud of the Delta team.”

Delta’s actions in 2020, including many steps we’ve taken to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, have been guided by the airline’s “listen, act, listen” approach, which includes hearing customer feedback, taking action and then listening to make sure we got it right.

Based on survey feedback, some of the actions Delta customers have most valued in 2020 include:

– Blocking middle seats through Jan. 6, 2021 to provide space for safer travel

– Unparalleled service from Delta’s corporate sales team and employees throughout operation

– Providing constant communication to corporate customers, including personalized airport tours and Corporate Customer Town Halls so attendees could hear directly from Delta leaders and partner medical experts

– Rigorous mask compliance and more than 100 layers of safety via the Delta CareStandard

– Flexibility, from offering industry-leading flexibility to plan, re-book and travel to eliminating change fees to being the first airline to extend Medallion status and offer extensions for Delta Sky Club Memberships

Business Travel News is the leading global source of business travel information and intelligence, reaching more than 44,000 corporate executives who are responsible for setting travel policy, managing and buying business travel/meetings for their companies.

Hyatt Announces Opening of Three New U.S. Hotels

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the opening of three different distinct hotels across the United States. The new properties include the Grand Hyatt Nashville, Hotel Kansas City, part of The Unbound Collection, and the Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia.

The Grand Hyatt Nashville

“Hyatt remains committed to thoughtfully growing our full-service portfolio of brands across the United States,” said Pete Sears, Americas group president, Hyatt. “Hyatt’s purpose of care and our ability to offer guests a customized experience is at the center of these exciting new openings. We believe there is a strong pent-up demand for travel and these new Hyatt hotels are well positioned to offer locally inspired programming, curated experiences and elevated services which our loyal members and guests expect from Hyatt.”

Hotel Kansas City, part of the Unbound Collection

The Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia is a brand new built 332-room upscale lifestyle hotel that includes 22 suites centrally located in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. The hotel features contemporary guest rooms and amenities, with more than 5,000 square feet worth of meeting space, a lobby bar and restaurant with American cuisine, and a grab and go market.

Located in Philadelphia’s desirable Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, the location is steps away from tree-filled parks, outdoor gardens, splendid architecture, upscale dining, boutique shops, and a robust nightlife. Located eight miles from Philadelphia International Airport, Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia connects travelers with popular Philadelphia historical and cultural attractions in the museum district and Independence National Historic Park.

Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia

Bombardier Announces Long-term Agreement with GTAA to Relocate its Global Aircraft Final Assembly

  • Ultra-modern and high-tech manufacturing facility will be located at Toronto Pearson International Airport
  • Slated for completion in 2023, the one-million square-foot facility will be home to the most advanced aircraft manufacturing processes in the world
  • Strengthened commitment to Ontario’s aerospace industry, securing job growth and supporting economic development in the region for years to come

TORONTO, Dec. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bombardier is pleased to announce that it has signed a long-term lease agreement with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) to build its new state-of-the art Global Manufacturing Centre located at Toronto Pearson International Airport. With preliminary site work underway in Mississauga and first production activities set to begin in 2023, the cutting-edge facility will optimize final assembly operations for all Global business jets, including the industry flagship Global 7500 business jet.

The Global Manufacturing Centre at Toronto Pearson International Airport, approximately 20 km from the current Global aircraft final assembly site at Downsview, will reinforce Canada’s leading position in the business aviation market.

“Today, I’m very excited to announce the relocation of our Global aircraft family production activities to a new, cutting-edge manufacturing facility at Toronto Pearson. This is a strategic move for Bombardier and a strong commitment to Ontario’s aerospace industry. It will allow us to offer world-class career opportunities and continue fueling the economic development of the region for years to come,” said Alain Bellemare, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier Inc.

The one-million square-foot facility will combine thousands of highly-skilled employees with 21st century production and tooling innovation. Bombardier employs the highest caliber technology throughout the manufacturing process of the Global 7500 business jets, including a state-of-the-art automated positioning system that uses laser-guided measuring to ensure major aircraft structures, such as the wing and fuselage, are joined consistently and perfectly each time. Combining human ingenuity with the most advanced machines, the Global 7500final assembly line in Toronto is a testament to the industry’s most advanced business jet. 

This strengthened commitment to the Greater Toronto Area will also leverage significant recent R&D investments and a continued collaboration with Ontario’s colleges and universities for world class training, research and development.

Bombardier also confirmed it will continue to support the aerospace heritage of the Downsview site with a multi-million-dollar contribution to the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research Consortium (DAIR) to develop a visionary aerospace hub for academic research and training activities. The contribution includes $2.5 million CAD in capital funding to refurbish the historic Moth Building, where wartime Mosquito fighter bombers and Tiger Moth trainers were produced.

Legacy of a Delta DC-7B Culminates in Atlanta Return

Chicago Midway Airport – Delta-C&S – Douglas DC-7 (1954)

Standing idle in the Arizona desert, a beloved historic airplane was prepped for its ultimate journey – one final flight back to where it all began. The recently discovered Ship 717, the last remaining Douglas DC-7B – last flown by Delta more than 50 years ago – drew the eye of the Delta Flight Museum as staffers worked with the plane’s owner to return the plane to its Atlanta roots.

During their heyday, Delta’s fleet of 10 DC-7Bs brought luxury to the skies, even including a lounge in the rear of the cabin. With more power and range than its DC-7 counterpart, the DC-7B was outfitted with four Wright Duplex Cyclone R-3350 engines, developed shortly before World War II before being improved and widely adopted in commercial flying. In 1968, as the aviation industry increasingly turned to newer jet engines as the preferred airplane power source, Delta said farewell to our last Douglas DC-7 type aircraft and piston-engine propeller planes – including the DC-6 and Convair 440 series.

Still in prime flying shape after its Delta career, Ship 717 finished its flying career helping to fight fires on the West Coast before enjoying a sunny desert retirement in 2008. When the Delta Flight Museum became aware of the classic plane several years ago, the museum jumped at the opportunity to make the purchase.

In quiet Coolidge, Ariz., where summer temperatures near 110 degrees, mechanics spent days and nights making repairs, running tests, making more repairs, replacing multiple engines and testing all four engines again – all with the goal of making this DC-7B ready to take to the skies for the first time in 11 years. The trip to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which included an overnight stop in Midland, Texas, was a flown at 9,500 feet in the now-depressurized aircraft for a combined 6.5 hours in the air. 

“Saying goodbye to this beautiful airplane is truly a bittersweet moment for me,” said Woody Grantham, the longtime owner of this DC-7B and the founder of International Air Response. “Even as we fly on some of the latest and greatest new airplanes of today, I think it’s so important that we never lose our touch with history, and I can’t express how happy it makes me to see the DC-7B going home to be celebrated and immortalized at the Delta Flight Museum.”

Touching down in Atlanta at shortly after 5 p.m. EST Sunday and soon to be heading to Delta’s TechOps facility, the final chapter of this DC-7B’s story has yet to be written.

Amtrak Winter Park Express 2020 Tickets Now Available

Three roundtrips now every weekend from January 10 through March 29, with the popular $29 starting fares again this season

WINTER PARK, Colo. – Every weekend this ski season can last for three days instead of two, with Amtrak “ski train” roundtrips between Denver and Winter Park Resort on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, starting Jan. 10. Adult fares start at $29 each way and tickets are on sale now at Amtrak.com/WinterParkExpress. Each ticketed adult can bring a child age 2-12 for half the adult fare.

This will also be the second season of snack and beverage service using a Superliner® Sightseer Lounge Car, with windows from floor level and into the top of the railcar. Since 2017, more than 52,000 customers have avoided frustrating stop-and-go ski traffic on the roads to enjoy the service partnership on the rails by Amtrak and the resort named last year as the “Best in North America”. The 2019 season set a ridership record on a transportation mode that is reliable, sustainable and friendly.

The 2020 Amtrak Winter Park Express will run each Friday, Saturday and Sunday through March 29. The Amtrak trains depart Denver Union Station at 7 a.m. and arrive at the resort at approximately 9 a.m., leaving Winter Park at 4:30 p.m.to return to Denver at 6:40 p.m. All times Mountain. The station is served by the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) commuter trains to Denver International Airport, light rail, local or intercity buses, ride-sharing services and taxis.

The public can choose from 36 roundtrips for the comfortable and scenic ride using RTD, BNSF Railway and Union Pacific tracks to pass through the historic Moffat Tunnel. 

Investments at the resort for this season include the new six-person Sunnyside lift, a $6 million upgrade to reduce the ride time from 8 minutes to under 4 minutes and give improved access to some of the most beloved intermediate terrain in the Mary Jane territory. This season will also see the first “Winter Park Fireworks & Family Fests” on Saturday nights Dec. 14, Jan. 18, Feb. 15 and Mar. 14 for fireworks, slope-side bonfires and more. Questions about the resort and its many features can be answered by calling the resort directly: 888-923-7275.

Amtrak and Winter Park Resort have also made it easy to book group travel by calling 800-USA-1GRP for a train/ski package – including lodging – crafted by representatives of the resort and Amtrak.

Get Your Commemorative Pass for Final MD-80 Flight

American Airlines is retiring its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 fleet to Roswell, New Mexico, Sept. 4. We understand what the iconic aircraft means for our customers and our team members. To help commemorate this historic day, we have created a special retro American Flight 80 boarding pass. Personalize, print and display your pass today.

First Boeing 777 Finds New Home In Tucson

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) – Aviation history was made Tuesday morning when the very first Boeing 777 ever flown made its final landing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

The former Cathay Pacific airliner was donated by the company to the Pima Air & Space Museum. Built in 1994, the massive aircraft was a test plane before becoming a part of Cathay Pacific’s commercial fleet in 2000, operating more than 20,000 flights across the globe over 18 years.

I’ll have to go check it out this Saturday!

Click the link below for the full story and video!

First Boeing 777 Finds New Home