Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) plans to further expand its route network in the coming 2023-24 winter schedules. The airline will offer its first ever nonstop services between Zurich and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Dutch port city will be served six times weekly from January 22, 2024.
Rotterdam is the Netherlands’ second-largest city and a lively major port. The city itself is famed for its skyline and for such iconic structures as the Erasmus Bridge and the Cube Houses. Its impressive port is among the biggest in the world, and strongly colours the city’s character and feel. Rotterdam also boasts a varied arts scene, top-notch museums such as the Boijmans Van Beuningen and a wide range of shopping and nightlife options. The city is a cultural melting pot, too, and offers a unique blend of the past and the future that makes it a truly fascinating destination.
In adding Rotterdam to its network, SWISS is expanding its connections with the Randstad conurbation in the Western Netherlands. So in addition to its existing Amsterdam flights, SWISS will now offer a further attractive air travel option to and from the country’s economic and cultural center.
Short transits, good connections
The flight between Zurich and Rotterdam takes an hour and 30 minutes. The city’s modestly-sized airport is quick and easy to negotiate. The city centre is around ten minutes away by car traffic permitting, or 20 minutes by public transport. Rotterdam is about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam and half an hour from The Hague. Swift public transport services are also available to and from both cities.
According to the Delta Airlines website, the company will be hosting one of four mass COVID-19 vaccination sites in the state of Georgia beginning on Monday, February 22. The airline has picked the Delta Flight Museum as the location for vaccine distribution, with eligible participants being able to receive the vaccine via the drive through lane, or in the Museum itself. Delta is supporting the vaccination efforts in conjunction with its long standing commitment to protect the health and safety of their employees and customers.
Click the link below to view the full story, and check your vaccine eligibility status!
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.
Qantas has announced a program of events to farewell its last remaining Boeing 747 and provide Australians the opportunity to say goodbye to the much loved “Queen of the Skies” ahead of its retirement from the national carrier’s fleet.
The airline will operate three one-hour “farewell jumbo joy flights” departing from Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, in response to requests from employees and customers for one final chance to fly on the aircraft.
Qantas 747 Fleet Captain Owen Weaver said the 747 has a special place in the hearts of many Australians.
“The 747 has been a magnificent aircraft and it’s fitting that we celebrate the end of five decades of history-making moments for the national carrier and aviation in Australia,” Captain Weaver said.
“Since the first 747 joined the Qantas fleet in 1971, these aircraft have operated numerous rescue flights to bring Australians home during times of crisis and provided a safe passage for many travellers taking their first international flight to or from Australia.
“These three flights will offer the final opportunity to fly on the Qantas 747 before it leaves, with some of our frequent flyers and aviation enthusiasts as fond of the aircraft as we are, having spent thousands of hours onboard over the years.
“There is an enormous amount of nostalgia and affection associated with our 747 and for those who miss out on a seat on the flight, they will at least be able to catch a glimpse of the aircraft as it takes to Australian skies for the last time.”
The flights will go on sale at midday on Wednesday 8 July on Qantas.com and will operate on Monday 13 July (Sydney), Wednesday 15 July (Brisbane) and Friday 17 July (Canberra). Economy fares cost $400 and a small number of Business Class tickets will be available for $747 with additional extras included.
Seats will be limited to maximise passenger comfort (in line with other previously operated joy flights).
The flights will be operated on a cost-recovery basis and profits will be donated to the HARS Aviation Museum at Albion Park (Wollongong) and the Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach to support their efforts to preserve and promote the 747 legacy for future generations. Both museums have a Qantas 747 on public display.
The final 747-400 in the fleet will depart Sydney at approximately 2pm on 22 July 2020 as flight QF7474.
Prior to its final departure on the 22nd July, Qantas will host a hangar farewell event for employees.
Note: The farewell jumbo jet joy flights will operate with Fly Wellprotocols in place.
Core to Delta’s mission of connecting the world is our work to first reflect and respect the world. Often, misunderstanding can be one of our biggest barriers to connection.
To broaden understanding of ourselves, our world, our differences and all that we share, Delta hosted our second Day of Understanding with over 300 guests at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta.
The day was one pin on Delta’s map to seek diversity and promote inclusion, following Ed Bastian’s commitment to the CEO Action for Diversity & inclusion, a movement including more than 850 of the country’s leading CEOs and presidents to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Bastian hosted the event in partnership with the Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion and the Diversity and Inclusion Council.
“Our journey of diversity and inclusion at Delta is one of continuous progress. And it is not a journey we will win alone, nor a milestone that can be achieved overnight. Like the value diversity places on unique perspectives, it will take each of our unique commitments to seeing this succeed at Delta,” said Bastian. “I am personally invested in seeing Delta continue to grow and improve in this space, but it will truly take a shared responsibility from each member of the Delta family to make this a success.”
Eric Phillips, Senior Vice President – Pricing and Revenue Management and Chairman of Delta’s Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Council, added: “Diversity and inclusion is not this altruistic term. It’s a business imperative, and importantly, it’s a skill and a capability. We want to be world-class in diversity & inclusion the same way we’re world-class in operational reliability, the same way we’re world class in revenue generation, the same way that we’re world class in taking care of our customers.”
The event included a moderated training on how to have “R.I.C.H.” dialogues – which Reggie Butler, CEO of Performance Paradigms, calls conversations around race, identity, culture and heritage. Within the next 18 months, Delta is aiming to train people at every level of the organization with programs for employees and leaders at every level of the company to engage in a similar dialogue in smaller groups.“It’s our differences that add perspective and value that Delta needs,” said Keyra Lynn Johnson – Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. “As we talk about our similarities, I don’t ever want us to overshadow that our differences are an important part of what makes Delta unique. And we are going to put those differences to work today.”
D&I teams and employees from Coca-Cola, Expedia, The Home Depot, Korn Ferry, PwC, and UPS joined Delta’s event. Special guests also included Delta Board of Directors members Kathy Waller, William “Bill” Easter, and David Taylor.
“We have heard time and time again that it is the Delta people that make [diversity and inclusion] happen. And you ought to know that that is authentically said because in the boardroom we hear it each meeting,” said David Taylor, Chairman, President and CEO of The Procter & Gamble Company.
“To create a culture that’s truly inclusive, that unlocks the potential in this room and throughout the company… it’s going to be a force to be reckoned with. More than just the best company in your industry, you’ll impact so many people.”
Take the “I Act On” pledge to check your bias, speak up for others and show up for all here. Learn more about how Delta is seeking diversity, promoting inclusion and celebrating Black History this month here.
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.
From horseback riding to cave diving, puffin watching to hot spring soaking, Iceland has turned itself into a popular vacation destination. Until fairly recently however, beer tourists didn’t have much to entice them to this island nation in the North Atlantic. In fact, 2019 marks only 30 years since Iceland legalized the sale and consumption of beer with over 2.25% alcohol, ending nearly eight decades of a curious and narrowly defined type of prohibition. Things have changed considerably however, particularly in the last few years.
The first Icelandic craft brewery, Bruggsmiðjan, which produces the popular Kaldi, didn’t open until 2006, and as recently as 2015 there were only seven small breweries nationwide. Today, nearly 30 beer companies dot the countryside, with the highest concentration in greater Reykjavík. There’s trendy KEX Brewing in the capital city, which just opened its second location in Portland, Oregon; Ölverk Pizza and Brewery in the South, where the brewhouse is powered by geothermal energy; Brugghús Steðja, which gained publicity by making beers with unusual ingredients including smoked whale testicles; and Lady Brewery, one of the newer brands in Iceland, started by two young women in a home kitchen.
Ölverk Pizza and Brewery in Hveragerði.
“The culture has changed so fast,” says Valgeir Valgeirsson, head brewer at RVK Brewing Company in central Reykjavík. “[Craft beer] is quite a new concept. We’re just trying to build it up.”
Ten taps greet visitors to RVK, along with a British beer engine, traditionally used to serve cask ales. Here, in an unassuming taproom overlooking the brewery’s stainless steel fermentation tanks, those with adventurous palates can try everything from a juicy, easy-drinking pale ale with notes of tropical fruit, to a boldly flavored, high-alcohol stout made with coffee and coconut. Creativity is king in this new era of brewing, with the sky as the limit. Valgeir and a number of other brewers around the country have even made sour beers by incorporating skyr, an Icelandic cultured dairy product, into their recipes.
Meanwhile, more than 230 miles (370 km) away in the small but scenic fishing village of Siglufjörður, Marteinn Haraldsson is the proud owner of the country’s northernmost brewery, Segull 67. Marteinn, a computer scientist who grew up in town but lives in Akureyri, learned the basics one homebrew recipe at a time, but now produces much larger batches in a former fish-freezing factory a short distance from the popular Herring Era Museum. An amber lager simply called Original and Sigló, an India pale ale, sell best, but Marteinn also makes a Belgian-style wheat beer with coriander and lime peel and a pineapple summer ale—not exactly options you would have had in Iceland as recently as a few years ago.
Segull 67’s Sólstingur, brewed with pineapple.
For all of the tourists that arrive in Siglufjörður via cruise ship during the summer months, Marteinn talks about the obstacles to being a little business in a remote town of 1,200. “Most of our challenges are getting people to know about us,” he says. “We just try to take it one day at a time.”
East of Reykjavík, in the town of Hveragerði, Ölverk Pizza and Brewery has successfully gained attention since opening its doors in 2017, by combining complementary passions: wood-fired pizza, and craft brewing. General manager Laufey Sif Lárusdóttir and her partner head brewer Elvar Þrastarson don’t currently can or bottle any of the beers they make, preferring to serve them on premise by the glass, pitcher, or tasting flight. Working on a small system enables Elvar to keep the draft list varied and interesting, tempting taste buds with a mild, malty, and food-friendly Altbier alongside a hazy, hoppy, party-in-a-glass imperial IPA like Disco Juice. The couple also typically devotes two of their eight taps to other small Icelandic breweries they admire, like Ölvisholt in Selfoss or The Brothers Brewery on Heimaey in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago.
Cheese-stuffed breadsticks at Ölverk.
“It’s really small and friendly,” says Laufey of the young Icelandic beer scene. “For other industries it’s really weird. But if someone else opened up a brewery here I would say ‘Okay, I will be better.’” Ólafur Ágústsson, one of the partners behind KEX Brewing, echoes this sense of camaraderie, and explains how a desire to build and promote interest in craft brewing motivated the company to begin hosting an annual Icelandic Beer Festival at KEX’s four-story space in downtown Reykjavík eight years ago. Last year more than a dozen Icelandic brewers poured their ales and lagers alongside examples from the US and elsewhere in Europe.
“We’re not brewers at all,” he says. “I’m a chef. We’re just people who like good beer. We wanted to make the scene better. That’s what’s important right now—helping everybody and trying to grow the market.”
Something’s Brewing, All Around Iceland
1. KEX Brewing Hosts of the popular annual Icelandic Beer Festival.
2. RVK Brewing Company Fruity sours share space with easy- drinking lagers and hazy, hoppy IPAs.
3. Brugghús Steðja Sleep on the farm in an insulated cabin at this rural brewery.
4. Dokkan Brugghús The first brewery in the Westfjords, and possibly the most remote in Iceland.
5. Segull 67 Brewery Fresh beer, fishing history, and views of Siglufjörður.
6. Bruggsmiðjan Kaldi Brewery Soak in a beer spa at the country’s oldest craft brewery.
7. Húsavík Öl Expect creative saisons made with birch, rhubarb, juniper, or mint.
8. Beljandi Brugghús Approachable beers and a rustic vibe inside a former slaughterhouse.
9. Smiðjan Brugghús Try the baby back ribs cooked in Icelandic stout.
10. The Brothers Brewery Watch for puffins on the ferry ride to this island brewery.
11. Ölvisholt Brewery Don’t miss the chance to try Lava, a smoked imperial stout.
12. Ölverk Pizza and Brewery Pair a tasty ale with the surprisingly delicious banana pizza.
Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana, first for Spain;
El Metropol Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton, first for Madrid;
Atocha Hotel Madrid, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, first for Spain and first outside Americas
MADRID and MCLEAN, Va. – Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the signing of three hotel franchise agreements with strategic investor partners, bringing three new brands to Madrid, of which two mark brand entries to the country. The addition of Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana; El Metropol Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton; and Atocha Hotel Madrid, Tapestry Collection by Hilton represents a significant milestone for the global hospitality company, illustrating Hilton’s continued investment in Madrid as a premier tourist destination and its ambitions to further expand across Spain.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, EMEA, Hilton, said: “Spain has seen a surge in popularity, and Madrid is a particularly strong tourist market that has so much to offer. In 2018 the city welcomed a record-breaking 10 million visitors, making Madrid one of Europe’s most dynamic destinations for both business and leisure travellers. Responding to the increasing demand for great hotels combined with opportunities from world-class infrastructure investment and regeneration programmes, Hilton has expanded its portfolio to bring some of our most popular brands to Spain. Our new Madrid hotels will offer fantastic guest experiences and enrich communities.”
Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana
In partnership with Hotel Investment Partners (HIP), Hilton introduces its upper-upscale lifestyle brand, Canopy by Hilton, to Spain. HIP, Blackstone’s hotel investment platform, own the property and intend to invest €34 million in the hotel’s transformation, which will offer 311 guest rooms and multiple dining outlets, including a terrace restaurant overlooking Carlos Trias Bertran Square and a signature lobby café, Canopy Central. Expected to open in 2021, Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana is a perfect venue for guests looking to explore the capital. Situated close to the Paseo de la Castellana, one of the longest and widest avenues of Madrid, the hotel is near vibrant neighbourhood bars and restaurants, commercial buildings and international company headquarters, as well as Madrid’s world-famous Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid Football Club.
El Metropol Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton
Joining a global portfolio of more than 70 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts and located at the corner of Calle de la Montera and Gran Via, El Metropol Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton is in the heart of Madrid’s historical town centre and close to the lively Puerta del Sol neighbourhood. With many rooms facing Gran Via, one of the city’s bustling streets with theatres, cinemas, shopping, restaurants and bars, guests can enjoy a stunning view of Madrid city life. Guests at the 93-room upper-upscale hotel will enjoy a range of facilities and amenities, including a rooftop bar with unbeatable city views. Its central location means many tourist attractions are within walking distance with easy access to Madrid’s metro network and connections to its business district. In partnership with owning company Montera 47, El Metropol Madrid is slated to make its debut in January 2021, joining existing Curio Collection hotels in Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga and Ibiza.
Atocha Hotel Madrid, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Atocha Hotel Madrid, Tapestry Collection by Hilton joins a portfolio of hotels that offer guests unique style and an authentic connection to their destination. Brought to market by hotel operator Panoram Hotel Management, the 46-room hotel on Calle Atocha is just metres from Madrid Atocha railway station, the busiest in Spain, and is within walking distance of popular tourist attractions, including the Museo Reina Sofia, Prado Museum and the El Reitro Park. The first Tapestry Collection hotel to open in Spain and the brand’s first outside the Americas, Atocha Hotel Madrid will introduce the Tapestry Collection experience to Madrid locals and visitors alike. Amongst the amenities available, guests can select to stay in one of four Five Feet to Fitness rooms, a revolutionary in-room wellness concept created by Hilton allowing guests to work out in their guest room, with more than 11 pieces of fitness equipment and accessory options to choose from. The hotel is anticipated to open in the first quarter of 2020.
Hilton opened its first hotel in Madrid in 1953 and has since continued its commitment to investing in the city and supporting its growth as a leading tourist destination. Other Madrid properties include Hilton Madrid Airport (284 rooms), DoubleTree by Hilton Madrid Prado (61 rooms) and the 138-room Hampton by Hilton Madrid Alcobendas, located on Avenida de Fernando Alonso, which is set to open in January 2020.
Expansion on the Iberian Peninsula is a strategic focus for Hilton, and the company is growing faster in the region than ever before. It has signed a new Franchise or Management Agreement for a hotel in Spain every two months for the past two years, which represents more than 1,800 new keys. Hilton’s current Spanish portfolio of 12 hotels and resorts offers more than 2,000 hotel guest rooms and suites.
Two ATRs to be part of the permanent exhibition as early as 2020
A spectacular operation took place from the 26 – 30 August, centred around Aeroscopia: five aircraft were delivered in convoy to the aeronautical museum, where they will be on public display as of next year. Those five aircraft included the third ATR to come off our assembly lines, an ATR 42, and our penultimate prototype, an ATR 72, offered to the museum run by Toulouse Métropole.
Dozens of people, officers from the gendarmerie and police officers, employees of Blagnac city council and Manatour – the firm that operates Aeroscopia – plus staff from Airbus and ATR, worked as a team for five days to carry out this mission successfully: a unique task on an unprecedented scale. All roads around the museum had to be closed for an entire working week, but even more overwhelmingly, one of the five aircraft was an A380, requiring a military-style preparation of the route and the utmost precision on the big day.
The operation was a resounding success. Put the date in your diaries: in 2020, the entire ATR family will be among the treasure trove of aeronautical masterpieces on display at Aeroscopia!
World’s largest airline honors Greatest Generation 75 years after beach landings
FORT WORTH, Texas — Eight veterans of the D-Day invasion, which marked a major turning point in World War II, arrived in France on Monday and Tuesday aboard American Airlines flights from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Miami (MIA).
The airline hosted many of them and their guests at a luncheon Sunday at the CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. The event included a Color Guard flag presentation and a national anthem performance. After lunch, these esteemed members of the Greatest Generation traveled to Paris (CDG), where they were greeted with cheers, waving flags and a water cannon salute.
“These veterans fought so bravely to give us the freedom to fly that we have today,” said Philippe Serafino, General Manager at CDG for American Airlines. “Our team members in Paris are always looking for ways — big and small — to express their infinite gratitude to the individuals who fought to liberate France and serve the Allied cause during the war.”
In Paris, the group, which includes two veterans who haven’t been back to Normandy since the days following June 6, 1944, will join their fellow soldiers, sailors and airmen to observe reenactments of the invasion and participate in ceremonies commemorating their bravery and service to the nation and the world.
“I feel this will be closure for me because I had turned down going a long time ago,” said Jack Gutman, a U.S. Navy corpsman first class on D-Day. “Having my son with me to experience what I went through and for him to see it in a different light and understand what I went through is so important to me.”
“I’m overwhelmed and speechless,” added Carl Felton, a U.S. Navy petty officer first class on D-Day. “I couldn’t be more excited and more humbled with all of the praise that has been heaped upon us.”
The flights and luncheon are part of a larger initiative American is supporting alongside Let Freedom Ring, a nonprofit organization founded by D-Day veteran George Ciampa, who is on the trip. Four American team members are also volunteering their personal time to accompany the D-Day veterans in support of that organization.
“After serving 27 years and multiple deployments, I have a small sense of sacrifice these World War II veterans gave to this country,” said ORD-based First Officer John Gorse, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force who is on the trip. “Their service truly saved the world from the darkest of days. I’m sure the feeling they felt on that day 75 years ago will come rushing back and there is no way to describe that terror. They survived so we could survive as a nation.”
