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Southwest Airlines adds several enhancements to Rapid Rewards program for 2024

Dallas, Texas – Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE: LUV) today announced five enhancements to the award-winning Rapid Rewards®1 program. The enhancements reward the airline’s loyal Members by making it easier for Customers to earn tier status; awarding A-List Preferred Members with up to two complimentary premium drinks; and allowing Customers to pay for Southwest® flights using a combination of cash and Rapid Rewards® points.

  1. Earn A-List Status Faster: Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Southwest Rapid Rewards™ Members only need to fly 20 one-way qualifying flights2 (previously 25) or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points3 to reach A-List status.
  2. Earn A-List Preferred Status Faster: Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Rapid Rewards Members only need to fly 40 one-way qualifying flights2 (previously 50) or earn 70,000 tier qualifying points3 to earn A-List Preferred status.
  3. Earn Tier Qualifying Points Faster with Southwest Rapid Rewards™ Credit Cards from Chase: Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers will receive 1,500 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 spent4 (previously $10,000) on purchases using their Rapid Rewards Premier, Premier Business, Priority, or Performance Business Credit Cards from Chase.
  4. New Perk Alert—Complimentary Premium Drinks for A-List Preferred Status: Starting Nov. 6, 2023, A-List Preferred Members can receive up to two complimentary premium drinks per flight, added directly to their mobile boarding passes.5
  5. Redeem with Cash + Points: Starting in spring of 2024, Rapid Rewards Members will have the option to pay for their flight with a combination of cash and points, starting with as few as 1,000 points.6

 

 

 

 

 

Hola

Saab opens new radar production site in Fareham, Hampshire, England

Saab (SAAB-B.ST) UK’s Sensor Systems business operates from Saab’s site in Fareham, with a team also located in Farnborough. The skilled staff in Fareham primarily produce and integrate the new Deployment Set, a configuration of the Giraffe 1X highly mobile, compact, rapidly deployed, software-based, 3D AESA radar. This increases Saab’s production capacity for its Giraffe 1X Deployment Set and the first units are already in production at the Fareham site.

Saab UK’s Sensor Systems business will also act as a Centre of Excellence developing follow-on UK Intellectual Property in the radar domain. It will also grow to maintain existing radars in-service with the UK Ministry of Defence, such as Giraffe 1X and Giraffe AMB air defence radars and artillery locating MAMBA (Arthur) radars.

Saab UK’s Fareham site has been growing with the announcement in February 2023 of the expansion of its Underwater Systems business of Seaeye autonomous and remotely operated vehicles. Across the UK, Saab has eight principal sites which focus on software engineering, underwater robotics, training services, radars and more.

Saab UK’s presence has been growing at pace, with employee numbers quadrupling through consolidation, acquisition and organic growth, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation.

The whole site in Fareham benefits 400 jobs at Saab, in established and future roles across various business activities.

 

 

Rolls-Royce to complete initial F130 engine testing for B-52J by year end

Rolls-Royce (OTC: RYCEY) today announced that it is on track to complete initial F130 engine testing for the United States Air Force B-52J Stratofortress by the end of the year. Continued Rapid Twin Pod Tests at NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi have accomplished all of Rolls-Royce’s initial goals and allowed for the gathering of unprecedented amounts of data early in the program, further de-risking the integration of the F130 engine onto the B-52J.

In September 2021, Rolls-Royce F130 engines were selected by the Air Force to replace the existing powerplants in the B-52 fleet, with over 600 new engine deliveries expected. The new engines will extend the life of the B-52 aircraft for 30 years and are so durable they are expected to remain on wing for the remainder of the aircraft life.

F130 engines will be manufactured, assembled and tested at Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis, the company’s largest production facility in the U.S. The F130 is derived from the Rolls-Royce BR family of commercial engines, with over 30 million hours of operation and a high reliability rate. It’s a proven, dependable engine with a fuel-efficient design.

 

 

Hola

KiwiRail announces changes to avoid repeat of Wellington rail disruption

September 3, 2023

KiwiRail has welcomed the Government’s rapid review into its handling of disruptions to passenger services in Wellington earlier this year and has already moved to change its systems.

Improvements made include:

  • Use of the TEC to achieve network compliance is now part of a wider Infrastructure Integrated Plan, with a longer-term (12 month) plan around its use nationally. While there have been detailed operating plans for each area the TEC assesses, this change introduces a national level of oversight, linked into when track safety cases expire.
  • Developing robust processes and procedures around the escalation, prioritisation and approvals required where the TEC schedule cannot be met.This is an important backup if it is looking unlikely the TEC will be able to carry out required work in time. The issues that resulted in the Wellington disruption were escalated too late for KiwiRail to take effective action to avoid the speed restriction being put on the Kāpiti Line.
  • Developing better resilience around the TEC, through a review of the tasks needed to ensure its successful operation – including a review of existing staff resourcing and formalising training processes. This is to ensure the TEC is able to operate effectively.
  • Reviewing the maintenance programme for the TEC. The TEC is 41 years old and will be replaced in FY2027. A procurement process for a new vehicle is well underway. The maintenance programme review, and any changes that come from it, will help ensure the TEC can continue operating reliably until the new vehicle arrives.

General Manager Metros Jon Knight says KiwiRail has made a huge commitment to the local commuter rail network, and will work hard to deliver on the Government’s investment.

 

 

First Time Ever! Southwest Airlines Launches Buy One, Get One 50% Off Base Fares Promotion for Upcoming Travel

Dallas, Texas, August 1, 2023 – Today, Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) launched a buy one, get one 50% off base fares promotional offer. This exciting offer is valid for only a short time—now through Aug. 3, 2023, and Customers can book their upcoming August and September travel and even save on a future trip to kick off 2024.1

“We’re so grateful for the loyalty our Customers share with Southwest every day and we know they’re ready to make some travel plans in 2024,” said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing at Southwest Airlines. “This extra discount on our already low fares enhances the value of our frequent flights, flexible policies, and the unmatched friendliness of our People. We hope it underscores our gratitude for the relationship between Southwest and those who choose to fly with us.”

To qualify, Rapid Rewards® Members must:1

  1. Register for the promotion and purchase a Southwest® revenue flight (one round trip or two one-ways), starting today through Aug. 3, 2023; and
  2. Travel by Sept. 30, 2023.

To use the promotion code Members must:2

  1. Book new travel using the 50% off promotion code beginning Oct. 17, 2023, through Nov. 23, 2023; and
  2. Travel Jan. 8 2024, through March 6, 2024. (Travel blacked out Feb. 15, 2024, through Feb. 19, 2024; Feb. 23, 2024, through Feb. 25, 2024; and March 3, 2024.)3

Visit Southwest.com® for the full list of terms and conditions.1

Rolls-Royce to deliver 70 mtu engines to support semiconductor industry in China

Rolls-Royce (RR.L) will provide 70 of its mtu Series 4000 engines, produced in Yulin by MTU Yuchai Power, the Chinese Joint Venture with Yuchai Diesel, for use in generator sets that will be packaged and distributed by emergency power systems provider Hefei Calsion Electric System Co., Ltd. The gensets will be installed at multiple semiconductor manufacturing locations in China to ensure that chip production is not affected by power failures.

The rapid expansion of information technology applications such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data and Internet of Things (IoT), has resulted in growing market demand for semiconductor products. In recent years, Chinese semiconductor enterprises have experienced a significant growth period due to the acceleration of domestic insourcing and the upgrade of industrial technologies.

The guarantee of continuous power supply is critical for semiconductor factories, as the manufacturing process is very sensitive. The products on the production line are at risk of being scrapped after even a few minutes of power disruption. The mtu engine-powered generator sets installed by Calsion will provide uninterrupted switching between diesel engines and grid power to deliver continuous loading capacity under high load conditions, helping to ensure the stable operation of production lines and special process systems such as safety, clean room, and cooling and pure water systems.

As the leader of semiconductor power system solutions, Hefei Calsion Electric System Co., Ltd.  specializes in the R&D, manufacturing, marketing and services of generator sets, and has R&D centers, modern production bases and first-class test systems. Its original semiconductor power system solution has won a market share of more than 70% of the domestic semiconductor industry emergency power system solution-based projects in China. It is a strategic partner and designated OEM manufacturer of Rolls-Royce in China, as the two parties have maintained close cooperation for 18 years.

GlobalFoundries to Expand Capacities, Build a Fab in China

Union Pacific Railroad Collaboration and Visibility Provide Supply Chain Solutions

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.

ATR Outlines Plan for Recovery in 2021 and Beyond

Toulouse, 17 March 2021 – ATR is determined to emerge stronger from the COVID crisis by strengthening its global presence in the next decade and by continuing to offer the most sustainable and modern option for regional air travel.

In 2020, ATR was quick to react to the circumstances by supporting its customers with rapid freight conversion solutions, sanitary tutorials as well as storage and maintenance instructions. Throughout its sites, the company put in place operational and sanitary measures.

Last year, the world’s leading regional aircraft manufacturer delivered 10 aircraft and received six gross orders. Despite the unprecedented market conditions for aircraft manufacturers, 2020 saw nine new operators using ATR aircraft and 84 new routes opened. In addition, ATR operators launched services in three new countries. Last December, the first purpose-built freighter (ATR 72-600F) was delivered to FedEx.
Whilst air travel is still in its early phases of recovery, ATR has a clear and actionable plan to overcome the current challenges by continuing to pioneer sustainable and cutting-edge solutions for regional connectivity.

ATR’s plan for recovery includes:

  • The implementation of incremental improvements into the aircraft family, to enhance operational efficiency and reduce maintenance costs through system upgrades and state-of-the-art avionics, maintaining the competitive and environmental advantage we offer to our customers
  • Following the delivery of the first new purpose built freighter to FedEx, ATR is well positioned to benefit from the resilience of the cargo market, already at pre-Covid level. Air cargo is expected to double its capacity in the next 20 years, and point to point express deliveries can best be served by our aircraft
  • The Short Take Off and Landing variant of the ATR42-600 will open a range of opportunities in airports with airstrips between 800 and 1,000 m
  • Around 900 ageing regional turboprop will need to be replaced in the next years, and a more sustainable, cost-efficient and modern aircraft like the ATR can ensure profitability for its operators.

ATR has already flown with a combination of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) and is further investigating its possibilities. To fill the gap from today until new disruptive technologies will be made available, ATR will explore new solutions to further reduce the carbon footprint of the aircraft.

The ATR joint venture was born with the mission to deliver a cost-effective, low fuel consumption aircraft that could reach small or remote airports with little infrastructure and short runways, and continue to pioneer cutting-edge technology fully oriented towards its customers’ requirements and the need to connect local communities with the global economy, healthcare, education and culture.

Aeromexico Announces New Agreements with Medical Laboratories

Mexico City, February 19, 2021- Aeromexico has signed agreements with four medical laboratories, in addition to the two it already formalized to offer discounts and other benefits on Covid-19 tests for customers with a valid reservation with the airline or partner Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL).

Operating in Monterrey and metropolitan area:

  • Laboratorios Dr. Moreira with 28 Covid-19 branches.
  • Swisslab Laboratorio de Analisis Clínicos with 19 Covid-19 branches. Operating in Mexico City and metropolitan area:
  • Olive Diagnosticos Medicos with 22 Covid-19 branches.
  • Biomedica with 13 Covid-19 locations.

In addition to special discounts for PCR and Rapid tests for Antigen Detection, customers will have access to other benefits: an exclusive helpline for Aeromexico and Delta Air Lines clients, bilingual advisors, delivery of results in Spanish or English, and at-home service. Club Premier members will also have an exclusive phone line and at-home service at no additional cost.

The results will be delivered 24 hours for PCR tests and 30 minutes for Rapid tests for Antigen Detection.

Laboratorio Medico del Chopo and LAPI Laboratorio Medico continue to offer their services with specific benefits for Aeromexico and Delta passengers.

Aeromexico recommends customers with an international flight to check the destinations’ requirements at the following link: Country Requirements

To consult the details of laboratories’ agreements, click on Laboratory Alliances

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