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From aa.com

Fort Worth, Texas, May 16, 2024 — While summer kicks off, customers can get a head start on planning to get away this winter with more options to visit the Caribbean and Latin America with American Airlines. In winter 2024, American will enhance its industry-leading short-haul international network with eight new routes and increased service, offering flights to more destinations than any other U.S. carrier in the region.

American’s winter schedule will offer 11% more departures and 10% more seats compared to its record-setting winter schedule in 2023. Tickets on all routes will be available for sale at aa.com or American’s mobile app starting May 20.

New routes for new beach adventures

American will offer service to one new destination and add seven new routes to its network this winter, allowing travelers to visit familiar and unexplored destinations. American is the only major U.S. airline serving St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD) and will be the only U.S. airline flying to La Romana, Dominican Republic (LRM). These two destinations join more than 20 others in the region where American provides the only nonstop service from the U.S. among major carriers.

More service on popular routes

To give customers more choices to plan their winter travels when they want to go, American will offer extended seasons on many routes to the Caribbean and Latin America. More than 98% of the airline’s peak schedule to the region will operate for the full winter season. American will also grow service on 16 popular routes starting this December.

Image from Alstom

May 16, 2024 – Alstom, member of the HN – Light Rail Line Ltd. consortium and its partners Electra Ltd. & Minrav Ltd., signed a contract, awarded on February 2024, for the design, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of the light rail system between Haifa and Nazareth issued by Trans Israel company. The NofiT project is valued at 1 billion euro and Alstom’s share is valued at more than 700 million euro [1], including the maintenance contract worth approximately 140 million euro. 

Alstom’s responsibility includes the design, engineering, supply, integration, testing and commissioning of the light rail system including tracks, electrification, energy saving power supply, signalling, communication system, depot equipment and the supply and maintenance of 54 Citadis trams. Electra and Minrav will manage the design and construction of the civil works. The operation and maintenance will be performed by a joint venture composed of Electra Afikim, Minrav and Alstom.

This project is groundbreaking for the promotion of public transportation in northern Israel. The Line, extending from Haifa to Nazareth over 41km with 20 stations, will have state of the art trams and is expected to move 120,000 passengers per day with approximately 21 years of operation and maintenance.

[1] booking expected at financial close, expected in H1 2025/26

Image from Hitachi Rail

Washington, D.C., May 14, – Over half of Americans back reducing or eliminating short-haul flights where high speed rail alternatives exist according to a global survey commissioned by Hitachi Rail. The findings, unveiled as Hitachi Rail participates in America’s annual High Speed Rail conference in Washington, D.C. underlines a growing appetite to travel by long-distance rail as opposed to flying or driving.

The research, carried out by SavantaComres, collected data from 12,000 people in 12 different cities around the world, including Berlin, Copenhagen, Dubai, London, Milan, Paris, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, Warsaw and, Washington D.C. The results from 1,000 Washingtonians and 1,000 San Franciscans provides a statistically accurate picture of how citizens view long distance travel.

Click the link below to read the full story!

high-speed rail alternative

Image from Maersk

Rotterdam, Netherlands, May 14, 2024 – Today, A.P. Moller – Maersk has inaugurated a specialized Cross Dock warehouse in Rotterdam on its Maasvlakte II terminal. It will accelerate the flow of cargo significantly from arrival on a vessel to the point of sale – especially in the Benelux, German and French hinterland. After discharging containers from an arriving vessel, the products can be unpacked, transloaded to conventional trucks and dispatched to their final destination within hours. Maersk welcomed Starbucks as the first customer in the newly opened warehouse which features a total space of 23,000 sqm, 120 docks as well as interim storage space. At full capacity approx. more than 200 new jobs will be created in the warehouse.

The Cross Dock is located on the Maersk owned terminal Maasvlakte II, in the heart of Europe’s largest port. Terminal and Cross Dock have a direct internal road connection. Another direct road leads to the significantly enlarged STAR depot for an immediate return of emptied containers to the depot which will reduce D&D costs for customers. Finally, the Cross Dock offers a fully bonded customs environment plus a dedicated area for Value Added Services. For customers with temperature sensitive cargo like fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, meat, fish and other frozen food, a large coldstore warehouse is under construction on the same site at Maasvlakte II. It will have 40,000 sqm space with several temperature zones and is scheduled to start operations as from end of 2024.

Maersk has set itself ambitious goals for decarbonising logistics on land, ocean and in the air with a net-zero target in 2040. Therefore, all new assets from vessels to warehouses are made for very low greenhouse gas emissions. Our new Cross Dock is built according to the BREEAM Excellent sustainability standard. Furthermore, it will benefit from the cold-store warehouse next to it. By re-using the left-over heat from the coldstore in the Cross Dock, Maersk will save annually more than 200,000 Kilo-Watt-hours in electricity.

Image from Union Pacific

Omaha, Nebraska, May, 2024 – The Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) has announced its legendary Big Boy No. 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive built to conquer mountains, will make 19 whistle-stops in five states this summer during its 2024 Westward Bound Tour from Wyoming to California.

In addition, this mighty steam locomotive will be on public display for two days each in Roseville, California, July 12-13, and Ogden, Utah, July 20-21.

Big Boy will leave its home base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on June 30, traveling across Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California. On its return trip to Wyoming, it will travel for a short stretch across southeast Idaho.

Scheduled whistle-stops:

• June 30 – Laramie, Wyoming
• July 1 – Wamsutter, Wyoming
• July 3 – Green River, Wyoming
• July 4 – Morgan, Utah
• July 6 – Wells, Nevada
• July 8 – Carlin and Battle Mountain, Nevada
• July 9 – Gerlach, Nevada
• July 11 – Oroville, California
• July 14 – Colfax and Truckee, California
• July 16 – Lovelock, Nevada
• July 17 – Carlin, Nevada
• July 19 – Montello, Nevada
• July 22 – Brigham City, Utah, and Soda Springs, Idaho
• July 23 – Kemmerer, Wyoming
• July 25 – Point of Rocks, Wyoming
• July 26 – Medicine Bow, Wyoming

Click the link below to read the full story!

Big Boy No. 4014 Returns this Summer!

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Image from Norse Atlantic

April 2024 – flying increased substantially compared to the same period in 2023 with passenger numbers more than doubling during the month. Year on year positive increases across all key figures. The month saw an average load factor of 79 per cent, representing an increase of 12 percentage points (p.p.) year on year. During April, Norse Atlantic Airways had 98,542 passengers across 398 flights, including 61 charter flights. 81 per cent of flights arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time with a completion rate of 100 per cent.

In addition, we welcomed more than double the number of passengers compared to the same period last year and look forward to a busy summer ahead. We completed a record high of 61 charter operations throughout the month, as we now move to increase flying on our own network during the summer season, I am pleased to note that we are already well positioned for longer term charter agreements for next winter,” said Bjorn Tore Larsen, CEO and Founder Norse Atlantic Airways.

Wichita, Kansas, May 7, 2024, Business Wire – Textron Aviation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced the Cessna SkyCourier twin utility turboprop has been awarded type certification by the Australia Certification & Accreditation Service Agency (ACASA), paving the way for the aircraft to serve remote communities, improve regional connectivity in Australia and cater to the region’s diverse aviation needs. This certification comes three months after the first SkyCourier order in Australia was announced at the Singapore Airshow.

The Cessna SkyCourier is meticulously designed to deliver unparalleled performance, unwavering reliability and cost-effective maintenance. With the ability to be operated by a single pilot and a generous payload capacity, the SkyCourier is the ultimate solution for air freight, passenger and special mission needs. The aircraft is highly adaptable and can easily adjust configurations to effectively complete virtually any mission, supporting a significant return on investment.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, May 7, 2024 – LOT Polish Airlines is adding the Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) E195-E2 aircraft to their fleet to enhance operational flexibility and accommodate network expansion. LOT will lease three new E195-E2 from Azorra, reaffirming their commitment to sustainable growth with the addition of the 25% more efficient E2 to their fleet. The first jet will arrive by the end of July this year, with all aircraft deliveries completed by October.

LOT requires a flexible solution for its capacity needs as the airline’s network grows. The E2 allows a seamless transition over just a few days for LOT’s existing E-Jet first generation flight crews, and offers a spacious and comfortable cabin experience for passengers, delivering an unmatched travel experience with no middle seats. The new E2’s also add flexibility, complementing LOT’s larger narrow body aircraft at similar seat costs.

The airline will configure E195-E2, which seats a maximum of 146 passengers, in a comfortable single class layout with 136 seats.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.