Tag: Marseille

Alstom to Construct the New Metro for the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence

November 27, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom is to carry out the renewal and automation of Marseille metro for the sum of 430 million euros financed by Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence. As part of this contract, Alstom will develop, supply and install the operating system and equipment for the automatic operation of the network’s two lines. Alstom will also commission 38 new rubber-tyred metros (4 cars) and modernise all the audiovisual passenger information inside the stations. The new trains are scheduled to enter service in early 2024.

The trains will run in semi-automatic mode with drivers until mid-2025 on line M2 and until 2026 on line M1, before switching to full automation.

“It is a great honour for us to contribute to modernising the mobility offer of Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence. Our metro experts are already at work on several of our French sites to get started quickly with developments,” says Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, Senior Vice-President France at Alstom.

The new trains, based on Alstom’s rubber-tyred metro solutions, will incorporate the latest technological developments to increase comfort, availability, accessibility and passenger information, as well as facilitate maintenance.

Each 4-car train, 65 metres long and in “boa”[1] configuration, will be able to carry up to 500 passengers[2]. The sleekly designed trains will feature large bay windows, a highly efficient air conditioning system and modern passenger information systems, providing a pleasant on-board experience. Alstom called on Marseille designers Ora-ïto and Fabien Bourdier for the design and the sound conception of the new trains.

Three designs were proposed to the Metropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, which chose to set up an Internet consultation to give residents the opportunity to give their opinion on the design they would like to see selected.

The new metros for Marseille are environmentally friendly and will be eco-designed, enabling them to be 96% recoverable at the end of their lifespan. They will consume 25% less energy than the metros currently in service, thanks in particular to electric braking (up to 0 km/h), LED lighting and other optimisations.

For the automation system, Alstom will provide its Urbalis 400 solution, already deployed on more than 1,500 kilometres of metro lines worldwide. The Marseille metro will benefit from a proven, continuously improved system (on-board computers equipped with the latest technology, vital computers that are over 99% available, beacon tracker, etc.).

Alstom currently equips 25% of the CBTC[3] metro automations in service (60 lines, including 28 fully automated lines).

In total, more than 400 people in France will work on this project, including more than 60 in Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence. Jobs will also be generated at our suppliers in France, but also in the Métropole for the installation and deployment of the signalling system.

Alstom will draw on the excellent skills of six of its French sites: Aix-en-Provence for the project management, Valenciennes for the design, interior layout, assembly, tests and validation of the trains, Ornans for the engines, Le Creusot for the bogies, Villeurbanne for the on-board electronics, passenger information, predictive maintenance and signalling system equipment, and Saint-Ouen for the coordination of the artistic design, development and integration of the signalling system.

Ryanair Opens New Toulouse Base and S20 Schedule

September 28, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

23 ROUTEs (13 NEW), 1.4m customers & 33% GROWTH

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (27 Sept) celebrated the opening of its new Toulouse base (its 3^rd in France) and the launch of its new summer 2020 schedule, with 2 based aircraft and 23 routes (13 new), connecting Toulouse to Athens, Brest, Budapest, Dublin, Lille, Luxembourg, Marseille, Oujda, Palermo, Palma, Porto, Tangier and Valencia, which will deliver 1.4m customers p.a. at Toulouse.

Ryanair’s new Toulouse base will deliver:

2 based aircraft
23 routes in total
13 new routes to/from Athens (2), Brest (3), Budapest (2), Dublin (daily), Lille (daily), Luxembourg

(3), Marseille (5), Oujda (2), Palermo (2), Palma (2), Porto (3), Tangier (2) &

Valencia (2)

More frequencies on 2 other routes to/from Fez (3) & Seville (4)
4 million customers p.a. (+33%)
1,000* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Toulouse consumers and visitors can now book their holidays for summer 2020 enjoying the lowest fares and Ryanair’s industry leading on-time performance and customer care improvements.

To celebrate the launch of its new base, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares on its new Toulouse routes available from just €9.99, for travel until November, which must be booked by midnight Sunday (29 Sept) on the Ryanair.com website.

In Toulouse, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“We are pleased to open our third French base in Toulouse, with 2 based aircraft and 23 routes, delivering 1.4m customers p.a., supporting over 1,000* airport jobs.

We are also pleased to announce our biggest ever Toulouse S2020 schedule, with 23 routes, including 13 new routes to and from exciting cities such as Athens, Dublin, and Tangier. To celebrate we are releasing seats for sale on these new routes from €9.99 for travel until November, available for booking until midnight on Sunday (29 Sept) Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”

Philippe Crébassa, Chairman of the Board of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, said:

“After arriving in 2016, Ryanair strengthens its local presence with the opening of an operational base at our airport. Ryanair’s presence will generate local jobs and offer 13 additional destinations to France and Europe this autumn to our passengers. Our region is thereby even more connected internationally and will welcome new customers in the coming weeks from Luxembourg, Budapest or Tangiers.”

Ryanair Launches Irish Summer 2020 Schedule

September 25, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

4 New Dublin Routes To Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica & Verona

Ryanair, Ireland’s No.1 airline, today (25 Sept) launched its Irish Summer 2020 schedule, with 160 routes in total, including 4 new Dublin routes Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica and Verona, and 3 new summer services from Cork to Katowice and from Dublin to Billund and Toulouse, which will deliver 17.2m customers p.a. and support 12,900* jobs at Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Knock and Kerry airports.

Ryanair’s Irish Summer 2020 schedule will deliver:

At Dublin:

4 new routes: Marseille (5 per week), Palanga (3), Podgorica (2) & Verona (3)
2 new summer services: Billund (2), Toulouse (daily)
More flights on 4 other routes: Bristol (3 daily), Bydgoszcz (3), Riga (daily) & Vilnius (4)
105 routes in total
14.3m customers p.a.
10,725* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Shannon:

15 routes in total
775,000 customers p.a.
580* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Cork:

1 new summer service to Katowice (2)
More flights on 2 other routes: Malaga (6) & Palma (4)
23 routes in total
1.2m customers p.a.
900* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Knock:

11 routes in total
600,000 customers p.a
450* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Kerry:

6 routes in total
310,000 customers p.a.
210* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Irish consumers and visitors can now book their holidays on 160 routes as far out as October 2020, flying on the lowest fares and with the greenest/cleanest major airline in Europe, with the lowest CO₂ emissions.

To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares on its Irish routes available from just €14.99, for travel until the end of November 2019, which must be booked by midnight Friday (27 Sept), only on the Ryanair.com website.

In Dublin, Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said:

“Ryanair is delighted to bring the lowest emissions and fares to Ireland with our Summer schedule 2020, with 4 new Dublin routes to Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica and Verona, and 160 routes in total, which will deliver 17.2 million customers p.a. and support over 12,900* jobs at Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Knock and Kerry airports.

Irish customers and visitors can now book low fare seats on 160 routes as far out as October 2020. To celebrate, we are releasing seats for sale from just €14.99 for for travel until the end of November 2019, which are available for booking until midnight Friday (27 Sept). Since these amazing low prices will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said:

“Against the current economic backdrop, we welcome the fact that Ryanair capacity for 2020 will be up by +1%. Most of the routes which are important for Irish tourism will be retained and we look forward to co-operating with Ryanair to maximise the promotion of its new flights from Marseilles and Verona to Dublin Airport. As an island, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights cannot be overstated – they are absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism.”

Ryanair’s Low Fares Coming To Georgia

August 21, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

4 New Routes, 170,000 Customers Annually At Tbilisi & Kutaisi Expected

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (21 August) announced its first ever flights from Georgia, the 39^th country in the Ryanair network, with a new route from Tbilisi to Milan Bergamo and two new routes from Kutaisi to Bologna and Marseille, which start in November as part of Ryanair’s Winter 2019 schedule. Ryanair will also connect Tbilisi to Cologne in April as part of Ryanair’s Summer 2020 schedule and deliver 170,000 customers annually to/from Ryanair’s Georgian airports.

Ryanair’s Georgia 19/20 schedule will deliver:

2 new routes from Tbilisi to Milan Bergamo (4 pw) starting from November & Cologne (2pw) from April20
2 new routes from Kutaisi to Bologna (2 pw) & Marseille (2 pw)
170,000 customers p.a.
Over 100* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Georgian consumers and visitors can now book their holidays as far out as October 2020, enjoying even lower fares and Ryanair’s recently announced 2019 customer care improvements, including:

Lowest Fares –find a cheaper fare within 3 hours, get paid the difference plus €5 MyRyanair credit
Punctuality – deliver 90% target (excl. ATC) or 5% off following month’s air fares
Customer Care Charter – EU261 claims processed in 10 days, new 24/7 support, connect in 2 mins
Care Improvements – 48-hour free of charge grace period for changes to bookings
Environmental Improvements – carbon offset programme, environmental partners & plastic free in 5 years
New Ryanair Choice – €199 annual fee for free seats, fast-track & priority boarding for freq. guests
Digital Improvements – new fare finder, sports tickets, bespoke travel guides & faster mobile

To celebrate the launch of its first Georgian airports, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares from just €9.99, for travel in November and December, which must be booked by midnight Friday (23 Aug) only on the Ryanair.com website.

Ryanair’s David O’Brien said:

“We’re pleased to announce Ryanair’s low fares have arrived at Tbilisi and Kutaisi, our newest airports and 1^st airports in Georgia. These four new routes that will start in November (except Cologne, starting in April next year), will further promote Georgian tourism, and will deliver over 170,000 customers annually to/from two European countries to one of Europe’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. We look forward to developing new Georgian traffic growth, new routes, and jobs in the coming years.

To celebrate, we are releasing seats for sale on our network from just €9.99 for travel in November and December which are available for booking until midnight Friday (23 Aug). Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out.”

Welcome to Tbilisi International Airport

Fate of Mexico City’s New Airport Up For Public Vote

August 24, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Mexico’s next president has called a referendum so the public can decide whether to continue the construction of the capital’s major new airport, designed by Norman Foster and Fernando Romero.

President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador will hold a public vote in October 2018 to determine the fate of the New Mexico City International Airport project, he announced last week, despite the fact that construction has been ongoing since 2015.

Click the link below for the full story!

Fate of Mexico City’s new Airport