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IATA AGM: Icelandair and Turkish Airlines sign a codeshare agreement

eNethersole — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:30:56 +0000

Icelandair passengers in North America and Iceland can connect eastbound via Turkish Airlines’ network to Istanbul; and Turkish Airlines worldwide passengers such as Asia or the Middle East will be able to connect westbound via Icelandair’s network to Iceland and Canada.

The agreement was signed at IATA’s AGM in Istanbul earlier today. It greatly increases both Airlines’ offerings for convenient connections where customers can travel with a single ticket that their luggage can be checked through all the way to the final destination.

Turkish Airlines CEO, Bilal Ekşi said: “We are happy to sign this codeshare agreement with Icelandair. With this agreement we aim to enhance the travel options offered to our passengers through our networks. We are also so pleased to know that this partnership with Icelandair will bring a remarkable benefit to both airlines from a commercial perspective.”

Bogi Nils Bogason, Icelandair CEO added: “We are thrilled to announce Turkish Airlines, the airline that flies to more countries in the world than any other, as our latest codeshare partner. Our strategy is to partner with airlines that focus on like-minded customer service and open new and exciting opportunities for our customers. With the new agreement, the two airlines’ networks will be better connected, greatly increasing possible flight connections for our customers.”

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Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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Icelandair and Turkish Airlines have signed a codeshare agreement.

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IATA AGM: Yvonne Manzi Makolo chairs IATA Board of Governors

eNethersole — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:24:41 +0000

This became effective from the conclusion of the 79th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Istanbul, today.

Makolo is the 81st chair of the IATA BoG and the first woman to take on this role. She has served on the BoG since November 2020. She succeeds Pegasus Airlines Chairperson of the Board Mehmet Tevfik Nane who will continue to serve on the BoG.

“I am honoured and pleased to take on this important role. IATA plays a critical role for all airlines—big and small, various business models, and in all corners of the world. Leading a medium-sized airline in Africa gives me a unique perspective on issues that airlines hold in common. At the top of the agenda are decarbonisation, improving safety, the transformation to modern airline retailing, and ensuring we have cost-efficient infrastructure. I am particularly pleased to be taking on this role as IATA launches Focus Africa with the aim of unifying the continent’s stakeholders so that together we can strengthen the contribution of aviation to Africa’s social and economic development,” said Makolo.

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Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo has assumed her duties as Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG) for a one-year term.

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IATA AGM: Schiphol and South Africa named and shamed in Walsh warning

aPeaford — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 09:20:58 +0000

That was the key concern announced by IATA director general Willie Walsh as he gave his annual report on the state of the industry at the association's AGM in Istanbul today.

Walsh selected South Africa, the Netherlands, and the EU for particular attention.

Pointing out that industry had “wafer thin” margins of just $2.25 per passenger – “the value retained by airlines for the average plane trip won’t even buy a subway ticket in NYC” – but this was at risk because of some actions by airports and government actions.

Describing Schiphol Airport as “the worst in the world”, Walsh said: “Schiphol has no shame. After a self-made operational disaster in 2022 the airport continues its three-year 37% charges hike—with 12% this year.

“In South Africa, airports want a 38% charges increase, only to be outdone by ATC demands for a 63% hike.

“And, back to Europe, airlines are paying for a €1.9 billion addition to the air traffic management cost base in 2022. You’d expect good performance. But delays were triple what was anticipated. And capacity and environment targets were missed,” Walsh said.

“With such bad behavior on open display, calls for lighter touch economic regulation of our monopoly suppliers must not be taken seriously by any government,” Walsh said. “Considering these many challenges, that airlines are turning a profit at the industry level is truly impressive.”

Walsh said the financial performances are improving.

“Airline financial performance in 2023 is beating expectations. Stronger profitability is supported by several positive developments. China lifted COVID-19 restrictions earlier in the year than anticipated. Cargo revenues remain above pre-pandemic levels even though volumes have not. And, on the cost side, there is some relief. Jet fuel prices, although still high, have moderated over the first half of the year,” he said.

Posted date

Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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Although airlines are currently moving toward a profitable, safe, efficient and sustainable future after the rigours of the pandemic years, the industry is being hit by governments and airports who are taking unilateral decisions that threaten the financial recovery of the air transport industry.

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Virgin Atlantic launches services to Bengaluru and bolsters Dubai

eNethersole — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 08:01:01 +0000

Since 2019, Virgin Atlantic has increased capacity to India by 250%, the airline’s largest area of growth outside the United States. Launching in Summer 2024, the addition of this new route means the airline will offer 500,000 seats (total) each year between the UK and India, while its growing codeshare with IndiGo, India’s leading airline, flies to 34 destinations across the country. Bengaluru is a rapidly growing tech hub and one of the largest corporate markets in India, whilst intrepid travellers will enjoy the city’s rich culture and beautiful gardens. The new service will offer seamless connectivity and a premium long-haul experience for those customers connecting via London Heathrow to destinations throughout North America including Seattle, San Francisco and New York JFK, with Virgin Atlantic and transatlantic joint venture partner, Delta Air Lines.

The airline has also announced its return to Dubai, operating seasonally from October through to March four times a week.

As well as flying customers, Virgin Atlantic will offer 20 tonnes of cargo capacity on each flight. This fast cargo service will offer new opportunities for companies looking to export and import goods such as fresh produce and high-tech products between the Middle East and prime markets in the UK and US.  

Posted date

Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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Signalling expansion in the country, Bengaluru will become the Virgin Atlantic’s third destination and fourth daily service to India.

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IATA AGM: Roadmaps detail critical steps to achieve net zero by 2050

eNethersole — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:10:57 +0000

The roadmaps address aircraft technology, energy infrastructure, operations, finance, and policy considerations leading to net zero.

And Marie Owens Thomsen, SVP sustainability and chief economist, said: “We believe it is possible to achieve sustainable aviation by 2050 if we all work together. The roadmaps are the first detailed assessment of the key steps necessary to accelerate the transition to net zero by 2050.”

The roadmaps are the first detailed assessment of the key steps necessary to accelerate the transition to net zero by 2050. The roadmaps are not just for airlines. Governments, suppliers, and financiers cannot be spectators in aviation’s decarbonisation journey. The roadmaps are a call to action for all aviation's stakeholders to deliver the tools needed to make this fundamental transformation of aviation a success with policies and products fit for a net-zero world.

Highlights of each roadmap include:

Aircraft Technology: the development of more efficient aircraft and engines. Particularly important are the steps needed to enable aircraft powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen or batteries. All development milestones are backed-up by announced investment and demonstrator programmes. Also included are new engines, aerodynamics, aircraft structures, and flight systems.
Energy and New Fuels Infrastructure: the focus is on the fuels and new energy carrier infrastructure upstream from airports needed to facilitate the use of aircraft powered by SAF or hydrogen. Renewable energy plays a vital role in meeting the aviation sector's energy demand, and the roadmap outlines milestones to enable the necessary infrastructure developments.
Operations: the opportunities for reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency by improving the way existing aircraft are operated. Automation, big data management, and the integration of new technologies are key enablers for optimising air traffic management and enhancing the overall efficiency of the air transportation system.
Policy: the need for globally aligned strategic policies to provide incentives and support for the aviation industry's transition to a net-zero future. As with all other successful energy transitions, collaboration between governments and industry stakeholders is crucial in creating the necessary framework to achieve the decarbonisation goals.
Finance: how to finance the cumulative $5 trillion needed for aviation to achieve net zero by 2050. This includes technological advancements, infrastructure developments, and operational improvements.

The challenges to ramp up SAF production are a good illustration of the importance of these roadmaps. As a drop-in solution, SAF is expected to deliver about 62% of carbon mitigation needed to achieve net zero by 2050. But even though SAF is expected to be fully implementable with future aircraft fleet, it still has major inter-dependencies on policy, aircraft technology, energy infrastructure, financing, and operations for which these roadmaps are critical.

"The roadmaps show where all stakeholders should focus their efforts. There are two certainties. By 2050 we need to be at net zero carbon emissions. And the steps to get there that are outlined in these roadmaps will evolve as the industry’s expertise grows. Policy is particularly important early on as it, to a large extent, sets the scene for private sector investors to move. With that, the private sector can decarbonise at scale and with speed," said Owens Thomsen.

“Without the right policy incentives and bold investments, many of the technologies and innovations simply won’t happen at scale. Everything is related, and that is why we have the five roadmaps to tie all the parallel elements together and give our stakeholders, including governments, a complete understanding of everything that needs to happen,” said Owens Thomsen.

Owens Thomsen added: “I believe, as a European, in the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital. Together, we can achieve net zero by 2050."

Posted date

Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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IATA has unveiled a series of roadmaps aimed at providing step-by-step detailing of critical actions and dependencies for aviation to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

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SalamAir introduces non-stop flights between Salalah and Bahrain

eNethersole — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 06:19:26 +0000

Commencing July 5th, this strategic initiative aims to cater to the growing demand from travellers seeking a seamless travel experience between these two popular destinations.

SalamAir's CEO, Captain Mohamed Ahmed, said: “We are proud to announce the launch of a new non-stop flight route between Salalah and Bahrain during the Khareef season in response to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's direction to the concerned authorities to provide direct subsidies on fuel prices at Salalah Airport, equivalent to fuel prices at Muscat International Airport.” Captain Mohamed Ahmed added, “The introduction of non-stop flights between Salalah and Bahrain supports the growing inbound tourism sector and contributes to the realization of Oman's ambitious Vision 2040.”

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Mon, 05/06/2023 - 12:00

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SalamAir has introduced non-stop flights connecting Salalah and Bahrain during the Khareef season.

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IATA AGM: Unruly passenger incidents in post-pandemic increase

eNethersole — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 13:41:36 +0000

IATA called for more states to take the necessary authority to prosecute passengers under Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14).

Latest figures show that there was one unruly incident reported for every 568 flights in 2022, up from one per 835 flights in 2021. The most common categorisations of incidents in 2022 were non-compliance, verbal abuse and intoxication. Physical abuse incidents remain very rare, but these had an alarming increase of 61% over 2021, occurring once every 17,200 flights.

The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying. Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience on board. For that, passengers must comply with crew instructions. While our professional crews are well trained to manage unruly passenger scenarios, it is unacceptable that rules in place for everyone’s safety are disobeyed by a small but persistent minority of passengers. There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s deputy director general.

Although non-compliance incidents initially fell after the mask mandates were removed on most flights, the frequency began to rise again throughout 2022 and ended the year some 37% up on 2021. The most common examples of non-compliance were:

Smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes and puff devices in the cabin or lavatories

Failure to fasten seatbelts when instructed

Exceeding the carry-on baggage allowance or failing to store baggage when required

Consumption of own alcohol on board

Two-pillar strategy

A two-pillar strategy is in place for the needed zero-tolerance approach to unruly behaviour.

Regulation: Ensure governments have the necessary legal authority to prosecute unruly passengers, regardless of their state of origin and to have a range of enforcement measures that reflect the severity of the incident. Such powers exist in the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14), and IATA is urging all states to ratify this as soon as possible. To date, some 45 nations comprising 33% of international passenger traffic have ratified MP14.

Guidance to prevent and de-escalate incidents: Prevent incidents through collaboration with industry partners on the ground (such as airports, bars and restaurants and duty-free shops), including for example awareness campaigns on the consequences of unruly behaviour. Additionally, sharing best practices, including training, for crew to de-escalate incidents when they occur. A new guidance document was published at the beginning of 2022 gathering best practices for airlines and providing practical solutions to governments on public awareness, spot fines, and fixing jurisdiction gaps.

“In the face of rising unruly incident numbers, governments and the industry are taking more serious measures to prevent unruly passenger incidents. States are ratifying MP14 and reviewing enforcement measures, sending a clear message of deterrence by showing that they are ready to prosecute unruly behaviour. For the industry’s part, there is greater collaboration. For example, as the vast majority of intoxication incidents occur from alcohol consumed prior to the flight, the support of airport bars and restaurants to ensure the responsible consumption of alcohol is particularly important.

“No one wants to stop people having a good time when they go on holiday—but we all have a responsibility to behave with respect for other passengers and the crew. For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behaviour of a tiny number of travellers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else,” said Clifford.

Posted date

Sun, 04/06/2023 - 12:00

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IATA has released a new analysis showing that reported unruly passenger incidents increased in 2022 compared to 2021.

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IATA AGM: Riyadh Air gets RX as designation says Douglas

aPeaford — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 08:43:08 +0000

This announcement was made during the airline’s first public appearance since launch, with Tony Douglas, CEO and official delegation from Riyadh Air in attendance at this 79^th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit.

Riyadh Air's main hub and operations will be based in Riyadh, connecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capital to more than 100 destinations around the world by 2030. As a digitally-native, full-service carrier, Riyadh Air will pioneer new technologies and innovations whilst offering guests an authentic and warm Saudi hospitality style, according to the airline which is funded by Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Operations are scheduled for early 2025. In March, the airline ordered 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and is widely expected to order up to 150 Boeing 737 Max aircraft soon.

During the event Riyadh Air also released first images of its new livery on social media.

While Saudi Arabia already has a successful flag carrier in Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), Riyadh Air was established to support both the Kngdom's national aviation strategy and the wider national transport and logistics strategy, which aspires to fulfil its Vision 2030 goals. As part of this, Riyadh Air will optimize the nation’s strategic location of connecting the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, facilitate the growth and diversification of the Kingdom’s economy and create more than 200,000 job opportunities directly and indirectly.

The new CEO of RX, former Etihad chief, Tony Douglas, speaking ahead of IATA event’s opening, said: "It has been an absolute pleasure to be on the ground at the IATA AGM. The Riyadh Air team is able to meet with industry stakeholders and experts to discuss safe, efficient and technologically advanced topics in the global air travel industry.

"We are delighted to announce that we have obtained “RX” as our IATA code, which will be on every touchpoint that our guests see as they take flight with us. The code reflects our ambition to be a digitally led airline, having the connection of innovation and state-of-the-art technology. Riyadh Air has made another strategic milestone towards its operations in 2025, and we are so excited for our guests to be able to travel to over 100 destinations with our code on their bag tags, booking documents and digital services."

IATA codes are considered an integral part of the travel industry and the commercial organisation of air transportation of passengers and cargo. They are essential for the identification of an airline, international bookings and in the work of ground service teams at airports.

Since the airline’s launch in March 2023, the airline’s careers web page has received job applications from over 300,000 applicants across 182 countries around the world.

Posted date

Sun, 04/06/2023 - 12:00

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Saudi Arabia’s new “world class” national carrier, Riyadh Air, announced at the IATA annual general meeting (AGM) in Istanbul today that it has obtained “RX” as its airline designator code.

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Emirates’ A380 lands in to Bali

eNethersole — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 20:01:54 +0000

It became the first-ever scheduled A380 service to Indonesia.

Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ senior vice president, commercial operations, Far East, said: “We are extremely excited that our iconic A380 aircraft has arrived in Bali. This has been the result of months of careful planning and execution. The commencement of our A380 operations in Indonesia is also an extension of our long-standing commitment to the market, and a testament to the solid partnership we have with the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and the local authorities. We look forward to offering our A380’s best-in-class services to our valued customers flying to and from Denpasar, while simultaneously serving the increased demand for international travel with the Superjumbo being one of two daily services to the island.”

Mohammad Al Attar, Emirates country manager for Indonesia, added: “The deployment of our iconic A380 aircraft on flights to Denpasar will significantly contribute to serving the increased customer demand. We’re pleased to achieve this milestone that will greatly strengthen our operations in Indonesia, as well as future commercial plans for the market.”

Emirates launched a non-stop daily service from Dubai to Bali in 2015, adding to its scheduled flights to Jakarta which began in 1992. The airline currently serves Indonesia with 28 weekly flights to both Bali and Jakarta and offers increased connectivity to 29 more domestic cities via the two gateways through its partnership agreements with both Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air.

Posted date

Fri, 02/06/2023 - 12:00

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Emirates’ flagship A380 has achieved a milestone as it made a landmark touchdown at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport earlier today.

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