SAS adds more destinations to winter destinations

Responding to the increasing demand from travellers seeking winter adventures in the North, SAS is expanding its services with five new direct routes to Tromsø, Kiruna, Rovaniemi and Scandinavian Mountain Airport Sälen-Trysil.

These additions will enable more travellers to enjoy the ski resorts, dog sledging, and the opportunity to witness the northern lights during the upcoming winter season. SAS already serves the Scandinavian Mountains Airport (SCR) from Copenhagen and Aalborg during the winter season and will now open two more routes from Aarhus and London Heathrow. Additionally, three new seasonal routes are being introduced: Copenhagen to Finnish Rovaniemi, Copenhagen to Swedish Kiruna and London to Norwegian Tromsø.

Connectivity to Northern Scandinavia is further enhanced by additional frequencies to Tromsø, Longyearbyen/Svalbard, Luleå and Åre-Östersund on the existing routes from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.

“We see a significant rise in Europeans travelling to Northern Scandinavia during the winter season and we are very pleased to be able to increase our departures to this part of the world. Our winter program also includes improved connectivity between US and Asia and our Scandinavian as well as European destinations”, says Erik Westman, Chief Revenue Officer at SAS.

For Scandinavians seeking warmth during the winter season SAS is adding more flights to warm destinations such as Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Agadir. Bangkok will see a minimum of four weekly flights from Copenhagen throughout the season, increasing to five weekly from late December and daily from late January to early March. The US program is also expanding, featuring daily flights from Copenhagen to Los Angeles and Boston and double daily to New York (JFK and Newark), with improved schedules to facilitate connectivity at JFK. In addition, SAS continues its new route Copenhagen-Atlanta with five weekly frequencies during the winter season.

As is customary each winter season, there will also be a focus on European ski destinations like Zürich, Genève, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Milan, and Munich, particularly during the winter holidays.

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Data Communications Upgrade for Hawker 4000 Business Jets Earns STC Approval

Textron Aviation has confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration has granted supplemental type certification (STC) approval of a fully integrated Future Air Navigation System (FANS) and Protected Mode Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (PM-CPDLC) programme for Hawker 4000 aircraft equipped with the Honeywell PRIMUS EPIC integrated cockpit. This program allows pilots to communicate more easily with air traffic controllers and utilize the most current Data Link services offered in North America and Europe.

Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker customers receive factory-direct support, maintenance and modifications by Textron Aviation, through a global network of service and part centres, mobile service units and 24/7 1CALL AOG support.

“The new cockpit technology upgrade for Hawker 4000 business jets reduces pilot workload and offers improved efficiency,” said Brian Rohloff, senior vice president, Customer Support. “Our team is committed to supporting customers throughout their ownership experience and we made this option available through our global service network based on their feedback.”

The FANS 1/A+ and PM-CPDLC programme features:

Ease of operation by quickly and accurately loading complex instructions into the aircraft flight management system with the push of a button

Support for future FAA Next Gen Data Com capabilities

Trajectory-based operations

Consultation opens on a further proposed change to London Gatwick’s Northern Runway plan

London Gatwick has this week opened a four-week consultation on a further potential change to its Northern Runway plans. 

Airport proposes option to provide an on-airport Wastewater Treatment Works facility.

Four-week public consultation will end on 11 June, 2024.

Northern Runway plan would create around 14,000 new jobs and inject £1 billion into region’s economy every year.

    

This is the Second Notification of a Proposed Change to the airport’s growth plans.  The airport’s proposals include:

Providing an option to build an on-airport Wastewater Treatment Works facility, located within the area of the existing Self-Park North Terminal Car Park.

This bespoke facility would allow the airport to deal with all wastewater flows from the whole airport onsite, in the unlikely event that these could not be dealt with by Thames Water.

The facilities would be enclosed with roofs to prevent odours escaping.

Full details of the proposed change – including how to respond to the consultation - are available on London Gatwick’s Northern Runway webpage.

The consultation will close at 11.59 on 11 June, 2024, and is an opportunity for the public, landowners and other stakeholders to give their views on the airport’s proposed change to its DCO.

These views will be taken into account before the airport submits a request to amend its DCO application to the Planning Inspectorate. It will be for the Planning Inspectorate to decide if the changes can be made to the application and included in the examination.

The Heron TP RPAS produced by UAV PEO at the Directorate of Defense Research & Development at the IMoD and Israel Aerospace Industries has made its maiden flight over Germany

The German Heron TP (GHTP), produced by UAV PEO at the Directorate of Defense, Research and Development at the IMoD and Israel Aerospace Industries, has flown in German airspace for the first time. The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) was customized for the unique requirements of the German Ministry of Defence, as part of a joint venture between IAI, Israel’s Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), and Airbus.

The close cooperation between Airbus, IAI, DDR&D and the German Armed Forces, ensured the development of a RPAS which exhibits both advanced performance and operational readiness while also providing the German Armed Forces with additional capabilities. The flight was conducted in the presence of the senior representatives from the German Air Force, the DDR&D at the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Airbus and, IAI. This historic event is an important step towards reaching full operational capability.

President and CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Mr Boaz Levy:" The deployment of Heron TP (GHTP) RPAS in Germany signifies a milestone achievement for Israel Aerospace Industries, reinforcing its position as a leading provider of cutting-edge aerospace and defence solutions on the global stage. This collaboration sets the stage for continued innovation and collaboration in addressing the ever-evolving challenges in the defence sector."

SkyCell launches free CO₂ calculator to help pharma companies achieve net zero emissions

95% of all logistics companies’ emissions come from transport 

SkyCell, the purpose-led technology company transforming the pharmaceutical supply chain has launched a free carbon calculator, SkyMind DECARBONIZE™. The tool empowers companies to calculate and track their CO₂ footprint and identify key areas for emissions reduction. Based on a study by MIT University's Center for Transportation and Logistics, SkyMind DECARBONIZE sets a new standard for accurate emission monitoring. Alongside this, SkyCell will also be launching a paid service helping pharma companies and their suppliers to achieve their scope 3 reduction targets through education and consultancy services. This will be enabled through SkyCell’s proprietary AI-powered learning system SkyMind,  delivering insights and best practice from SkyCell’s 10-year journey to continuously reduce scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions. 

With the implementation of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) this year, large and small companies, including pharma will need to report on Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions) and show plans for reduction. Any company with a presence in the EU will need to comply with the directive and non-compliance could see companies face legal penalties. 

SkyCell’s freemium CO₂ calculator simplifies the reporting process, allowing companies to easily track emissions and optimize shipping routes to minimize their environmental impact. It enables companies to calculate CO₂ footprints across all Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes and quantifies the reduction potential across fleet, buildings, packaging and investments.  

Recognizing the varied needs of supply chain companies, SkyCell will offer a two-tiered service. The freemium model caters to smaller companies, while the paid service provides ongoing support to larger companies — to empower teams to implement CO₂ reduction measures on their journey to net zero emissions. As part of the SkyMind platform, it can simulate the cost, risk and CO₂ footprint of lanes, on all modes of transport – trucking, ocean, airfreight showcasing and tracking improvements.  

Finnair issues EUR 500 million notes

Finnair Plc issues new inaugural rated senior unsecured notes in the aggregate principal amount of EUR 500 million (the "Notes"). The Notes will mature on 24 May 2029 and carry a fixed annual interest of 4.750 per cent. The issue date for the Notes will be 24 May 2024.

“I would like to warmly thank all investors who invested in our new senior bond for their trust in Finnair. The new bond completes our comprehensive measures to restore a healthy balance sheet. The company is now well positioned to continue implementing its strategy and creating value for all stakeholders”, says Finnair’s CFO Kristian Pullola.

The Company will submit an application for the Notes to be admitted to trading on the official list of Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.

The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Notes, less costs and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with the issue of the Notes, to fund the purchase of existing notes of the Company due 2025 pursuant to the tender offer announced on 14 May 2024 and refinancing and other general corporate purposes of the group. The final tender offer results will be announced as soon as practicable after the expiry of the offer period.

Danske Bank A/S, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Nordea Bank Abp, OP Corporate Bank plc and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) act as Bookrunners for the issue of the Notes

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Air Serbia starts new direct Belgrade-Mostar service

Air Serbia has launched a direct service between Belgrade and Mostar which will operate three times a week, with services on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flight takes about 50 minutes and is currently being operated by Bulgaria Air Embraer E190 jets. 

"Air Serbia strives to be a link connecting the Western Balkans and is succeeding thanks to good communication with partners in the region. The air connection established today between Belgrade and Mostar is the result of excellent cooperation and strong support provided by Mostar Airport. We believe the direct route will contribute to stronger and more efficient networking of countries in the region, as well as greater opportunities for travel to Western and Northern Europe. We expect great interest from passengers, especially those who want to travel between Mostar and Europe or North America, via Belgrade, the main hub of the national airline of the Republic of Serbia," said Jiri Marek, CEO of Air Serbia.

From Mostar, via Belgrade, Air Serbia’s passengers now have a quick and comfortable way to reach Paris, Düsseldorf, Zurich, Amsterdam, Oslo, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Larnaca, Stockholm, Prague, Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Venice, Bologna, Bucharest, Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, Hanover, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Nuremberg, Brussels, Lyon, and many other cities.

By adding Mostar to its network, the Serbian national airline has expanded the number of its regional destinations. During the summer season, Air Serbia will operate flights between Belgrade and as many as 16 cities in the former Yugoslavia.

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London City Airport appoints Alison FitzGerald as new CEO

London City Airport confirmed that Alison FitzGerald has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Alison, who held the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at London City Airport since September 2016, assumes the role of CEO with immediate effect. Since January 2024, Alison served as co-CEO of London City Airport alongside Chief Financial Officer, Wilma Allan. The appointment of Alison follows a thorough process by the Board of London City Airport.

Alison began her unique journey at London City Airport over a decade ago, joining as Chief Information Officer (CIO) in January 2014. Since then and in her role as COO, she has been responsible for leading the airport’s success in becoming the first major UK airport to fully deploy next generation CT security scanners for its passengers, enabling travellers to pass through security without removing laptops and liquids from their hand luggage, the implementation of the world’s first major Digital Air Traffic Control Tower, and has worked with aircraft manufacturers and airlines to enable the introduction of next generation aircraft into the airport.

In her new role as CEO, Alison’s key priorities will include continuing to grow the business by working with new and existing airlines to offer new destinations to passengers and build on London City’s excellent punctuality, speed of service and award-winning customer experience.

SunExpress to operate new routes from Glasgow to Antalya and Dalaman for Summer 2025

A new airline partner for one of the leading Scottish airports, Glasgow,  SunExpress is going to introduce services to two of Turkey’s most popular destinations next summer from Glasgow Airport.

The airline, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, will offer six flights a week from Glasgow next summer – four weekly to Antalya and twice weekly to Dalaman. Both services will start at the beginning of April 2025.

Tobias Bracht, Head of Sales for SunExpress, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our exciting new routes from Glasgow direct to Antalya and Dalaman - two of Türkiye’s most popular destinations.  We are dedicated to offering exceptional value and convenience to our passengers with direct flights and look forward to connecting them with Türkiye."

Christopher Tibbett, Aero Director at AGS Airports, which owns Glasgow Airport, said: “We are thrilled to offer a warm welcome to SunExpress, which is also a new airline partner for Glasgow Airport. Both Antalya and Dalaman are firm favourites with our customers, so the addition of an extra 1,200 seats per week bound for two of Türkiye’s most popular destinations is fantastic news. These six new flights per week will deliver even more choice and greater convenience for Scottish travellers keen to visit this stunning country often referred to as the bridge between Europe and Asia.”  

Drawing inspiration from Scotland's rich sporting heritage, particularly its passion for golf, SunExpress’ passengers from Glasgow will soon be able to tee off against picturesque backdrops and experience the perfect blend of leisure and adventure.

In addition to ‘summer sun and beach’ travel, SunExpress aims to cater for numerous other types of travel for which Türkiye is popular including cultural, archaeological and culinary tourism.

SunExpress is a value carrier with a strong presence on the Turkish Riviera and in Anatolia. It is operating a total of 200 routes to 68 destinations across 35 countries in 2024. SunExpress is the leading carrier between Germany-Austria-Switzerland and the Turkish Riviera and Anatolia.

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Ascend Airways starts first summer with two Boeing 737 jets flying on behalf of TUI Airways

One of the UK's newest additions to the aviation scene, Ascend Airways, is celebrating a new contract for the summer season operating flights for TUI Airways in the UK.

The Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance lease of the carrier's two Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft kicked off with the first flight on 1st May. The two jets will be based at London Gatwick for the summer and fly off to various key European and North African holiday destinations for the holiday giant TUI.   

Alastair Willson, CEO of Ascend Airways said "We are excited to commence operations for TUI Airways. We are extremely grateful for the confidence that they have shown in Ascend Airways and we are proud to have TUI Airways as our launch customer.  We will be fully focused on repaying the faith TUI"

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The new TUI deal comes hot on the heels of the fledgling airline's first-ever commercial flight, which was flown on Friday 26th April from London Southend Airport. Ascend operated the charter flight on behalf of Chapman Freeborn Airchartering Limited, also part of the Avia Solutions Group.  

Tony Carder, Commercial Director at Ascend Airways said “We are so pleased to have commenced commercial operations with our first-ever charter, operated on behalf of Chapman Freeborn Airchartering. This is a landmark day for the company, the start of an exciting journey and we are ready for a busy summer with our damp lease operations commencing in May. Today’s achievement is something the entire team of dedicated professionals at Ascend Airways can be very proud of and is the fruition of a lot of hard work over the last 9 months. Everyone has played a huge part in making this a reality.”
Neil Smith from Chapman Freeborn Airchartering said “It was a great honour and privilege to work with Ascend Airways on their first-ever charter flight. Our client was very impressed with the service from start to finish and thanks must go to Alastair Willson and the entire team, and especially the crew, at Ascend Airways for a job well done. It’s great to have another UK operator gracing our skies and we wish them all the best for the future.”

airBaltic and Bulgaria Air start codeshare deal

                               The Latvian national airline airBaltic and the flag carrier of Bulgaria – Bulgaria Air – announce the commencement of a codeshare partnership, effective as of May 8, 2024. The agreement enables both carriers to provide more flexibility to their passengers on flights between Latvia and Bulgaria and beyond.

Martin Gauss, President and CEO at airBaltic: “We are glad to enter a codeshare agreement with Bulgaria Air – shortly after the launch of our first direct route from the Bulgarian capital to our home base in Riga. This partnership benefits local Baltic travellers with access to the versatile network of Bulgaria Air and local travellers in Bulgaria can now enjoy easier access to airBaltic’s destinations in Europe. We are looking forward to a successful, long-standing collaboration together.”

Hristo Todorov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bulgaria Air: “We are delighted to partner with a great company like аirBaltic. With this codeshare collaboration, our passengers can now enjoy seamless connections between our networks, opening up new travel opportunities across Europe with direct flights from Riga to key Scandinavian destinations such as Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Helsinki. These routes further strengthen our commitment to providing exceptional service and connectivity to Bulgarian passengers as a national flag carrier.”

Ronald Leitch appointed Chief Operating Officer of AGS Airports

AGS Airports Ltd, which owns and operates Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, has confirmed that Ronald Leitch has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer.

Ronald brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise in the aviation industry having worked in several senior leadership positions at both Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports.

Recently, Ronald had been Interim Chief Operating Officer at AGS Airports and had also been working as Operations Director at Glasgow Airport.

On his appointment Ronald, said: “I am truly honoured and excited to be named Chief Operating Officer of AGS Airports.

“I am eager to contribute to the group’s continued success.

“I look forward to the challenges ahead and working alongside our talented team to deliver exceptional experiences for our passengers and stakeholders.”

In his new position, Ronald will be responsible for overseeing and improving the operational performance of AGS Airports along with capital development and delivery ensuring the highest level of customer service for passengers.

Andy Cliffe, CEO of AGS Airports said: “With his strong leadership skills and strategic vision, Ronald will play a pivotal role at AGS Airports driving innovation, efficiency and growth across all three of our airports.”

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London Southend Airport to become easyJet's 10th UK base.....

London Southend Airport is celebrating after one of the biggest budget carriers, easyJet announced it will be basing three aircraft at the airport, making it the 10th UK base for the airline.

From next March easyJet will have three 186-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft at the airport, creating around 130 direct jobs for pilots and crew in the UK and supporting many more indirect jobs. 

Three A320neo aircraft will be based at London Southend, with six new routes launching to popular leisure destinations for summer 2025 

The UK is easyJet’s largest market with 56% of all easyJet passengers flying to and from UK airports and this announcement comes as the airline is set to operate more UK flying than ever before this year with over 57 million seats – a 10% increase versus last year – and has launched 70 new routes from the UK, fuelled by strong consumer demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays. 

The airline already serves international routes from London Southend to popular beach and city destinations Amsterdam, Geneva, Faro, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Paris Charles de Gaulle and has flown over seven million customers from London Southend since operations began in 2012. 

The planned addition of more aircraft is already enabling the airline to launch six new routes to Pisa, Gran Canaria, Dalaman and Antalya, Marrakech as well as Enfidha in Tunisia. easyJet holidays will be on sale from tomorrow with departures from 1 May 2025, meaning package holidays from London Southend will be available seven days a week, with flights on sale in the coming months. 

The most successful April ever for Air Serbia

During April, Air Serbia carried 303,189 passengers during its regular operations, marking the best April result since the company started in 2013 and the first time that the number of passengers exceeded 300,000 in that month. Looking back to April 2023, the Serbian national airline carried 7% more people on a total of 3,271 flights operated from Belgrade, Niš, and Kraljevo airports. So far in 2024, Air Serbia has carried more than a million passengers.

“Last year was record-breaking for us, and already at the beginning of 2024, we noticed that the trend of increasing passenger numbers continues. The results achieved so far show that all four months of the current year are more successful than the same months in 2023. The summer season has started dynamically, and everything indicates that it will continue this way,” said Boško Rupić, General Manager of Commercial and Strategy at Air Serbia.

The most popular destinations in the network of the national airline of the Republic of Serbia in April 2024, when it comes to Western Europe, were Paris, Zurich, Milan, London, Rome, and Amsterdam. In the region, Podgorica and Tivat were the most popular, while flights to Istanbul, Athens, Barcelona, and Larnaca were in the highest demand in the broader Euro-Mediterranean zone. High cabin load factors were also recorded on other Air Serbia routes.

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Last month, Air Serbia's eighth ATR 72-600 aircraft arrived at its Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport base. The new aircraft is nine years old and bears the registration mark YU-ASF. It was painted in the Serbian national airline’s livery in Toulouse, and since 10 March, it has been undergoing handover procedures and technical inspections in France. 
 Milan Malović, Chief Operations Officer at Air Serbia welcomed the aircraft on 17th April: “Our eighth ATR 72-600 has just landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. Its arrival represents a step forward in our continuous efforts to improve our regional fleet and network of destinations. With the introduction of this aircraft into service, we will contribute to even better connectivity between the countries in the Western Balkans region, providing passengers with more opportunities for fast and comfortable travel,” said
The first Air Serbia ATR 72-600 aircraft, registered as YU-ALY, landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport on 27 January 2022, the second, YU-ALW, arrived on 14 May 2022, followed by the third, YU-ALX, on 14 July 2022. The fourth ATR 72-600, YU-ALZ, joined the Air Serbia fleet on 1 December 2022, while the fifth, YU-ASA, and sixth, YU-ASB, aircraft of the same type entered the fleet on 12 January and 23 June 2023, respectively. The seventh ATR, YU-ASD, joined the Air Serbia regional fleet on 8 September 2023.

Cathay enhances lifestyle partnership to bring more perks to members travelling to Thailand

Cathay members travelling to Thailand can now enjoy seamless two-way points conversion and exclusive member offers at ICONSIAM, Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery.

Overseas Cathay members1 travelling to Thailand can now seamlessly and instantaneously convert between ONESIAM Coins and Asia Miles to enjoy even more rewards on the ground and in the air. Members from selected countries2 can also enjoy the convenience of points conversion from outside of Thailand. Previously available to members in Thailand only, the partnership was first launched by Cathay and Siam Piwat Group in August 2023.

Cathay continues to expand its lifestyle offerings and provide members with more ways to earn and use Asia Miles wherever they are in the world. The partnership with Siam Piwat spans across four popular shopping malls in Thailand under the Siam Piwat Group, namely ICONSIAM, Siam Paragon, Siam Centre and Siam Discovery. Cathay members can enjoy:

• Convenient two-way instant points conversion
• Exclusive mall benefits and ONESIAM SuperApp privileges, including discount codes and bonus points (applicable until 31 July 2024 or for the first 10,000 redemptions)
• Exclusive tourist privileges, including gift cards and special offers from more than 100 participating stores (applicable until 31 July 2024).

On top of shopping and dining at these malls, ONESIAM Members, too, can convert their ONESIAM Coins to Asia Miles and use their miles for flights, hotel stays, and many more exciting lifestyle and travel rewards from Cathay’s extensive network of more than 800 partners worldwide. More details of this partnership can be found on Cathay’s website.