TOMORROWS TRANSPORTATION NEWS TODAY!

Tag: regions

European Union implements new customs procedures

Ocean Network Express (ONE) has notified customers  that the European Union (E.U.) has implemented its new customs pre-arrival security and safety program, supported by an extensive advanced cargo information system known as “Import Control System 2 (ICS 2)”. This regulation will replace the current regulation ICS 1.

From June 2024, all goods moved by Maritime transportation which are destined for, or transiting the E.U., Switzerland, Norway, and Northern Ireland will be subject to new entry regulations – ICS2. Economic Operators (EOs) or Shippers will have to declare safety and 2 security data to ICS2, through the Entry Summary Declaration (ENS).

Paving the transition for ONE Customers At ONE, we are in the process of upgrading our systems to capture and process mandatory information, such as the 6-digit HS code, place of receipt and House Bill of Lading data ensuring we can support all our customers with their ENS submissions. Additionally, we are providing extensive training to our Magentians across all regions to equip them with the necessary information to support you, our customer during this transition. Watch out for further updates and announcements on our progress in 2024.

For more information on the upcoming ICS2, click on the link below.

https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs-4/customs-security/import-control-system-2-ics2-0_en

Copy Translate

Fiji Airways wins APEX award for best entertainment & best seat comfort in South Pacific

November 10, 2023 – Fiji Airways is closing off the airline award season on a high with two prestigious accolades in the APEX Passenger Choice Awards for 2024.

The National Airline has been honoured with the coveted awards;

  • Best Entertainment in the South Pacific
  • Best Seat Comfort in the South Pacific

This is the first time that Fiji Airways’ inflight entertainment offerings have been recognised, while the airline has won Best Seat Comfort for the second year in a row.

The company has recently added award-winning blockbuster titles from Disney and HBO to its inflight entertainment content providing more than 840 hours of content, offering guests the most comprehensive and immersive experience in the South Pacific region.

In addition, Fiji Airways has also introduced wellness content such as meditation and breath work to help guests arrive at their destination relaxed and rejuvenated.

Moreover, the airline also offers complimentary full flight Wi-Fi browsing in Business Class, 15 minutes complimentary text Wi-Fi in Economy Class, and more attractive Wi-Fi purchase plans on their A350 and 737 MAX fleet. Which means that passengers flying between the United States and Australia/New Zealand via Nadi, will have the most comprehensive Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity experience offered by any airline flying the region.

The company attributes its recognition for Best Seat Comfort in the South Pacific for two years running to the fact that it has one of the youngest and most modern fleet in the world.

The four flagship Airbus A350’s, which service medium and long haul flights, feature Collins Aerospace Super Diamond full lie-flat seats, offering extra comfort with generous bedding and amenities for Business Class guests.  A turn down service which includes a mattress, duvet, blanket and pillow is a favourite for guests on long haul flights.

The airline remains focused on inspiring and motivating travellers by offering unparalleled service, ensuring passenger satisfaction, and creating unforgettable moments.

Flair Airlines Launches Edmonton to Quebec City Route

EDMONTON, July 10, 2023 – Today, Flair Airlines, Canada’s everyday low-fare airline, kicked off its inaugural flight from Edmonton to Quebec City connecting the two cities together through direct flights for the first time ever. Flights will run twice weekly on Mondays and Fridays.

“We are excited to launch the first ever direct flight connecting Edmonton and Quebec City,” said Garth Lund, Chief Commercial Officer at Flair Airlines. “We look forward to offering Edmontonians more choice and affordable travel options as well as continuing our relationship with the Edmonton International Airport.”

One-way fares from Edmonton to Quebec City begin at $59 plus taxes and fees. All routes can be booked on the https://www.flyflair.com/ website.

Air New Zealand Updates Covid-19 Alert Levels Following New Cases in Auckland

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that New Zealand is going back into lockdown following reports of 3 new Covid-19 cases in the south Auckland area. Following the press release earlier today, Air New Zealand (OTC: ANZLY) is asking that customers traveling to and from Auckland check they are eligible to travel under the new Alert Level 3 restrictions. Customers travelling from Alert Level 2 regions on our services are able to transit through Auckland on their way to other Alert Level 2 regions.

Food and beverage service onboard domestic flights had already been suspended in response to the latest community cases and this suspension will remain in place until further notice. Water is available on request on all flights.

From tomorrow, Air New Zealand’s Auckland lounges and valet parking will close. Due to capacity restrictions under Alert Level 2, the maximum number of people able to access the airline’s lounges in other regions is capped at 100.

While the country is at elevated Alert Levels, Air New Zealand will be taking extra precautions to keep its staff and customers safe. Air New Zealand front line staff and cabin crew will be wearing masks and gloves and customers are required to continue to wear face coverings onboard.

Customers with existing bookings between Monday 15 February and Sunday 21 February who wish to rebook to travel before Sunday 7 March will have any fare difference waived, and customers can call the contact centre to arrange this.

In addition to this, customers who hold a ticket for a domestic flight scheduled to depart up until 30 March 2021 and no longer wish to travel are able to opt in for credit and can do this via the airline’s online booking tool. Customers who are unable to manage their booking online do not need to contact Air New Zealand immediately or prior to their flight’s departure – assistance will be provided at a later date to find an alternative flight option or a credit note can be arranged.

The Air New Zealand contact centre and social media team are currently experiencing very high demand and the airline is grateful to customers for their patience while it works through these changes.

For the latest information, customers can check the Air New Zealand COVID-19 Hub and travel alerts page.

Air New Zealand to Resume Taupo and Timaru Services

  • Air New Zealand will restart flights to and from Taupo and Timaru on 8 June.
Lake Taupo, New Zealand

The airline has started operating to the majority of its domestic ports with the country’s move to Alert Level 2.

Air New Zealand General Manager Networks Scott Carr says the airline has been encouraged by the customer response to its recently released schedule.

“We’re pleased to be able to restart both our Taupo-Auckland and Timaru-Wellington routes early next month and we know this news will be welcomed by these towns and their wider regions.

Timaru, New Zealand

“Bringing Taupo and Timaru back into our domestic schedule means we’ll soon operate to all 20 of the domestic destinations we serviced pre COVID-19, albeit with reduced frequencies.”

Initially the airline will operate three return services a week between Taupo and Auckland on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as three return services per week between Timaru and Wellington also on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Additional frequencies will be reintroduced back into Air New Zealand’s domestic schedule as demand permits.

Flights are available to book now at www.airnewzealand.co.nz

Deplaning passengers at Timaru Airport

Some Exhibitors Drop Out of Singapore Airshow Due to Coronavirus

  • Textron, Gulfstream no longer attending
  • Organisers expect reduction in exhibitors, visitors
  • South Korea’s air force reviewing participation

By Jamie Freed and Allison Lampert

SYDNEY/MONTREAL, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Some aerospace companies including business jet manufacturers Textron Inc and General Dynamics Corp’s Gulfstream division said they no longer planned to attend the Singapore Airshow due to the new coronavirus epidemic.

The trade portion of Asia’s biggest airshow, held every two years, is set to begin on Feb. 11 under the shadow of the fast-spreading virus that has prompted Singapore to deny entry to any non-resident with a recent history of travel to China, where the virus originated.

The death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 361 in China, bringing the number of confirmed infections to 17,205 in the country. The flu-like virus, which can be transmitted from person to person, has spread to more than two dozen other nations and regions.

Experia Events, the organiser of the Singapore Airshow, said last week the show would continue as planned, but the government measures meant it would “undoubtedly see a reduction in terms of the number of expected exhibitors and visitors this year”.

The organiser said there would be doctors and medics on standby to attend to visitors who were feeling unwell.

In 2018, there were 54,000 trade attendees from 147 countries and 1,062 participating companies who come to network, examine products and sign deals covering commercial aviation, defence, maintenance and repair operations and business jets.

Typically, it is not a major show for commercial plane orders but talks during the show can set the stage for deals that are completed later in the year.

Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin Corp , among the biggest exhibitors, said they still planned to attend the show.

Textron and Gulfstream said their decision to not attend was a precautionary measure to protect the health of employees.

Russian aerospace group Rostec plans to send a reduced delegation to the show, Russian media reported. Rostec did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

A spokesman for South Korea’s Air Force said on Monday it was reviewing whether to participate in the Singapore Airshow, but it had not made a final decision.

The deputy administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Li Jian, is no longer listed as a speaker at a pre-show leadership conference on Feb. 10.

Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), which is developing the C919 narrowbody jet, had been due to attend the show before the travel ban was announced.

COMAC did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney and Allison Lampert in Montreal; additional reporting by Anshuman Daga in Singapore, Joyce Lee in Seoul and Brenda Goh in Shanghai; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Triton’s Pacific Arrival to Deliver US Navy Better Situational Awareness

The Northrop Grumman unmanned aircraft system MQ-4C Triton has been deployed to the Pacific for the first time.

The deployment of the platform will give the US Navy greater maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to inform critical decision making in one of the most strategically important regions in the world.

Unmanned Patrol Squadron One Nine, or VUP-19, will operate out of Guam as part of Task Force (CTF) 72, 7th Fleet, and is the first squadron to operate the MQ-4C.

VUP-19, nicknamed the ‘Big Red’, was established on October 1, 2013, and later commissioned on October 28 2016.

Getting unmanned systems out in front of manned aircraft and ships in the Pacific is one of the US Navy’s highest priorities.

This is in response to the emergence of China as it has expanded and reinforced its integrated web of sophisticated anti-access/area-denial capabilities in the South China Sea.

Doug Shaffer, Vice President and Program Manager of Triton program at Northrop Grumman, said the deployment was a significant milestone in the MQ-4C Triton program.

“Our partnership with the US Navy has been crucial in developing this system that will help commanders build a better common operational picture,” he said.

Triton’s ability to fly at high altitude and remain airborne in excess of 24 hours allows commanders to surveil a larger maritime area than ever before.

Designed to operate in a manned-unmanned teaming concept, Triton provides viability over massive swaths of ocean and littoral areas, enabling manned aircraft such as the US Navy’s P-8 Poseidon to focus on anti-surface and anti-sub-surface warfare.

The Triton is the US Navy’s newest and most technologically advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform

Its autonomous suite of maritime sensors allows operators to detect, track, classify and identify vessels on the ocean or in the littorals in some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Australia is committed to the purchase of the Triton for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with the prospect of six aircraft to be added to the RAAF’s inventory as part of the AIR7000 program.

Designed to operate in conjunction with Australia’s planned fleet of 12 manned P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft, the Tritons will provide a quantum leap in the nation’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The first of the RAAF’s Triton aircraft is expected to be introduced into service in mid-2023, with all six aircraft to be delivered and in operation by late 2025, based at RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia.

The RAAF investment in the Triton program is $1.4 billion.

The facilities and crew required to operate, train and maintain the fleet will be part of the initial $1.4 billion investment, which includes $364 million on new facilities at RAAF Bases Edinburgh and Tindal (in Northern Territory).

Alstom Begins Delivery of New Regional Trains to Veneto and Liguria in Italy

Alstom has delivered the first Coradia Stream “Pop” trains destined for operation in Italian regions of Veneto and Liguria. The trains are part of the framework agreement signed in 2016 between Alstom and Trenitalia for a total of 150 new medium-capacity regional trains. Veneto will receive a total of 31 trains, Liguria 15. Deliveries will continue at a rapid pace into 2020.

14 Coradia Stream trains are already in passenger service in Emilia Romagna, the first region to have placed a firm order under the 2016 agreement. 

The new trains are part of a wider relaunch plan initiated by Trenitalia (FS Italian Group) to develop regional transport. This plan foresees a total investment of around €6 billion for 600 new trains, lead to the renewal of 80% of the fleet within 5 years. Due to the number of trains and its value, it is an unprecedented project for Italy.

The Coradia Stream, dubbed “Pop” by the Italian customer, is a single-deck electric multiple unit (EMU) designed for regional lines. It represents the latest generation of the Coradia family of trains. It can transport 300 passengers seated, has a top speed of 160 km/h, and offers easy accessibility thanks to its low floor. Designed to be eco-friendly, Coradia Stream consumes 30% less energy than previous train generation. 

“Over the past 15 years, more than 412 regional trains have been designed, produced and put into commercial service by Alstom in Italy. To these figures, we will gradually grow the Pop fleet. We are proud to have been chosen by Veneto and Liguria, and to support Trenitalia in this major project to improve regional and intercity transport throughout the country,” said Michele Viale, Managing Director of Alstom in Italy and Switzerland.

The Coradia Stream trains are manufactured by Alstom in Italy. Project development, most of the manufacturing and certification are performed at Alstom’s site in Savigliano (CN). Design and manufacturing of the traction systems and other components takes place at the Sesto San Giovanni (MI), and the on-board signalling systems are delivered by the Bologna site.

Talgo, Transport Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Sign Framework Agreement

Talgo, together with Scottish Enterprise and Transport Scotland, has signed a jointly agreed framework for the establishment of Longannet, Fife as a manufacturing base for Talgo UK. The agreement is part of arrangements to ensure that Talgo UK will be ready to deliver contracts that Talgo is currently bidding for (and future bids), should the company be successful.

The framework agreement sets out each party’s commitment – to ensure that the proposed multi – million £ factory at Longannet is prepared and delivered at an agreed time and to an agreed specification. This milestone will ensure that Talgo will meet contractual deliverables for the contracts that are being evaluated and proposed.

TALGO is a leading specialised rolling stock engineering company mainly focused on designing, manufacturing and servicing technologically differentiated, fast, lightweight trains.

There are TALGO solutions in 44 countries, and TALGO has an industrial presence in 7 regions, including Spain, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, the Middle East and the United States. TALGO is renowned worldwide for its innovation, its unique technology, and reliability.

A key part of TALGO UK’s strategy is ‘knowledge transfer’ – building UK domestic capacity for Research and Development. An innovation hub is also planned in Chesterfield. It will act as a focal point for TALGO UK’s Research and Development, bringing together networks of engineering excellence, and creating new opportunities throughout the British Isles.

Talgo President, Carlos de Palacio y Oriol, said: ‘We are committed to Scotland in our bid process. Today’s milestone marks a new phase in an excellent relationship with’ team Scotland. Now let’s get on with securing orders that will bring more jobs and ‘true manufacturing’ of rolling stock back to Scotland’

Executive Director, Scottish Enterprise, Paul Lewis, said: “This Framework agreement is another significant milestone in our work with Talgo, to achieve its ambition of establishing a world-class high value manufacturing facility at Longannet. Scottish Enterprise and our partners are incredibly excited by Talgo’s plans for Longannet, which would deliver 1,000 direct jobs and a host of supply chain opportunities for companies in Scotland’