On the runway . . .

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has today announced that it has reached a key milestone in its ambition to attract 20% of new pilots joining the airline to be women by 2020, having achieved a new high of 15% of new entrants to the airline being female, over the past financial year.

It comes at a time when only 5% of all pilots worldwide are female, according to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots. Of that, just over 450 of them have achieved the rank of captain – which means that almost every female commercial airline captain could fit onto an A380 aircraft.

In October 2015, women only made up 6% of easyJet’s new pilot intake. As a result of the campaign in 2016, easyJet had doubled the intake to 12% and has been increasing ever since towards its ambitious target of 20% by 2020. 

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Pop-Up private beach in Lorient Bay

LINKED to the legendary service provided at Eden Rock – St Barths the Eden Rock Villa Rental has recently upgraded its villa features to accommodate guests following Hurricane Irma and Eden Rock – St Barths’ temporary closure, scheduled to reopen late 2018. New features include access to the new pop-up private beach in Lorient Bay, featuring a beach menu, and on-beach spa services.

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JAL launches new route between London & Tokyo

JAPAN Airlines (JAL) is set to launch a new direct morning flight each way between London and Tokyo starting from 29th October, 2017.

The new service will operate between Tokyo’s Haneda (HND) and London’s Heathrow (LHR) airports. The outward flight will depart from LHR at 9:30am and arrive at HND the following day at 6:25am, while the return flight will depart from HND at 2:45am and arrive at LHR later the same day at 6:25am.

With the addition of the new daily nonstop service, JAL will operate a total of four flights daily to and from Japan together with its partner airline British Airways (BA). The addition will greatly enhance choice for customers, as both outbound and inbound flights offer completely different departure and arrival timings to those of JAL’s existing services between the two countries.

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In the limelight

QATAR Airways is set to steal the limelight at this year’s Paris Air Show, taking place from 19 to 25 June at Le Bourget in Paris, with the launch of the first aircraft in its fleet fitted with the revolutionary, award-winning new Qsuite, Qatar Airways’ First in Business Class concept.

First retro-fitted in a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 aircraft, Qsuite is a unique and patented seat design that will bring the First Class experience to the airline’s Business Class cabin, setting a new standard for Premium Class travel and redefining industry expectations, in tandem with the airline’s already award-winning Business Class service. The Paris Air Show will be the first time the seat has been displayed in an aircraft, allowing visitors a unique preview of the on-board offering.

The new patented design will be showcased on a Boeing 777 before commencing service on the Doha-London Heathrow route on June 24.

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Real time tracking for Malaysia Airlines

MALAYSIA Airlines will be the first SITAONAIR airline customer to benefit from a revolutionary flight tracking partnership. Under the agreement, all Malaysia Airlines aircraft will have access to minute-by-minute, 100% global, flight tracking data.

Malaysia Airlines’ aircraft operations center will receive real-time position updates of its airborne fleet globally. Aireon’s space-based ADS-B data will also resolve any existing data feed coverage gaps that remain, particularly over oceanic and remote airspace, where there is currently no surveillance.

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Plaza Premium Group celebrates new Heathrow lounge

A NEW arrivals lounge has been unveiled at London Heathrow Airport which will benefit both passengers and airport visitors alike.

The lounge located in Terminal 4 arrivals will feature 25 luxury shower rooms, a lounge and bar area and a new and unparalleled dining concept, Flight Club.

The arrivals lounge can accommodate up to 75 people at any one time and Flight Club is unique to Plaza Premium Group offering a dining experience inspired by healthy eating. The concept has been specifically designed for travellers that are renowned for eating unhealthy whilst travelling.

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On the runway . . .

THREE of Gatwick’s major carriers will move terminals this January. 

• British Airways will move to the South Terminal,
• Virgin Atlantic will move to the North Terminal, and
• easyJet, which currently operates out of both terminals, will consolidate its operation in the North Terminal.

These changes will improve the experience for passengers at #Gatwick with brand new facilities including state-of-the-art technology at check-in, security and immigration as well as new bag-drop zones along with new British Airways and Virgin Atlantic lounges. It will also simplify and streamline the journey through the airport for passengers.

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Free buses for Hogmanay revellers in Edinburgh

ORGANISERS of #Edinburgh’s #Hogmanay have once again teamed up with the world’s leading premium drinks company, Diageo, Lothian Buses and the City of Edinburgh Council to provide Free Hogmanay NightBus Services to get revellers home after the world famous Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations. 

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, which is produced by Unique Events on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, will welcome 75,000 revellers to the Street Party,
Concert in the Gardens and the Old Town Ceilidh with Belhaven on 31 December.

The Free Hogmanay NightBus Service, provided by Lothian Buses and supported by Diageo and the City of Edinburgh Council, will operate from 00:20am to 04:00am on Sunday 1 January from the city centre to a range of destinations. 

Full details of the free Hogmanay buses can be found at: 

www.edinburghshogmanay.com or www.lothianbuses.co.uk

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Picture Credit: Patrick_Down flickr.com/photos/97206958@N00/23467770264 The Year's End (365/365) via photopin

Economy class but with more choice

AN enriched Economy class offer is being introduced by Air France and KLM on all their international flights within Europe, and to North Africa and Israel. With a choice of three products, each offering specific services and conditions.

• The “Light” product for passengers looking for the lowest available fare and travelling without checked in baggage.

• The “Standard” product for an additional fee of €40-50, offers the customer additional benefits, such as the possibility to check in one item of baggage free of charge and to change their ticket for a fee. 

• The “Flex” product for an additional fee of €70-150, offering maximum flexibility (no change fees and a refund at no extra charge), the possibility to take advantage of the SkyPriority service for seamless, priority access at the airport.

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Up in the air . . .

FOLLOWING a major overhaul of the security search area for departing passengers, Bristol Airport has unveiled plans to address congestion in arrivals.

The £2.3 million project will take the number of passport control points from the current ten to a total of 17 when it opens in spring next year, including ten of the latest ePassport gates which provide a safe, secure and speedy alternative to the conventional border control process.

As well as introducing new equipment, the work will enlarge the immigration hall which will be redesigned to create a more welcoming environment and streamline the border process for passengers.

These improvements build on upgrades to other arrivals areas delivered as part of the current £24 million west terminal extension, including enlarged meet and greet and baggage reclaim zones, and a new World Duty Free store for arriving passengers.

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SWISS launches new “SWISS Holidays” travel portal

SWISS has established a new travel portal which enables customers to compile their own individual vacation packages including flights and hotels.

The airline’s new www.swissholidays.com travel portal offers scheduled flights from Switzerland on SWISS and further partner carriers, together with a selection of over 10,000 hotels and 140 vacation destinations, all of which can be freely combined.

To mark the new portal’s launch, SWISS Holidays is offering a special prize, too: an exclusive four-day city break to Barcelona with round-trip SWISS flights, accommodation at the five-star Hotel Melia Barcelona Sarriá and a culinary tapas tour.

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Picture Credit: 87857621@N00/90430542 Swiss Air Lines A330-200 winglet via photopin.com

Halal Travel

TO CATER to a growing demand for Halal travel, HalalTrip – the online platform for Muslim travelers and a sister brand of CrescentRating, the world’s leading authority on Halal-friendly travel – in partnership with Mastercard will launch a suite of innovative travel products for Muslim travelers.

According to the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2016, an estimated 117 million Muslim visitor arrivals took place globally in 2015. This number is forecasted to grow to 168 million visitors by 2020, with a market value spend projected to exceed US$200 billion.

At the event, HalalTrip and Mastercard will launch the HalalTrip City Pass, which provides Muslim travelers with exclusive access to popular tourist locales, the HalalTrip Getaway service, which allows users to customize trips to Muslim-friendly getaways according to their needs, and HalalTrip Homes, which provides a guide to Halal-friendly accommodation options. As a strategic payment partner with HalalTrip, Mastercard cardholders will get to enjoy exclusive offers.

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Report claims Gatwick expansion would create 28,000 jobs

CONSTRUCTION and operation of a second runway at #Gatwick Airport would lead to the creation of 28,000 additional jobs, according to a report by Arup.

The research examined the current range of jobs at Gatwick and assessed the types of jobs and skills needed for the airport to grow, both as part of its current investment plans and if the Government approves a second Gatwick runway.

The report claims that a second runway at would boost employment across the region and create opportunities for young people and skilled workers by directly supporting 28,000 additional jobs. It is also estimated that expansion would stimulate 120,000 jobs across Britain.

The report says that Gatwick already supports at least 21,000 jobs directly and a further 10,000 jobs indirectly, and also that the airport acts as a catalyst boosting wages across the local economy.

Almost half (48%) of staff are currently employed by airlines or their handling agents, with the largest single proportion working as air cabin crew (21%). Most Gatwick employees currently work full time.

Gatwick Airport Limited has announced a new partnership with three leading universities to establish an engineering graduate programme. The partnership with the University of Brighton, University College London, and Imperial College London will see three engineering graduates join Gatwick’s engineering team each year. This complements Gatwick’s engineering apprenticeship programme, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year.

Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate said: ‘Gatwick’s second runway will not only connect the UK to existing and emerging markets around the world, it will also provide thousands of jobs across the South-East and deliver a once-in-a-generation opportunity for young people to directly benefit from expansion. This is an example of how Gatwick expansion is a nationally-significant project and can provide a positive boost to the local area, to the region, and to the UK as a whole.

‘Gatwick can deliver a new runway faster and have a spade in the ground before 2020 which means, after decades of delay, Britain can finally benefit from airport expansion.’

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Bristol Airport opens terminal extension

BRISTOL AIRPORT has opened its terminal extension to passengers as the airport prepares for a busy summer holiday season.

The first phase of a £24 million expansion, a 9,000 square features the latest technology in an enlarged security search area which will comprise 12 security lanes, including a Fast Track zone which will go live later this year.

A pre-boarding preparation area offers new space for passengers to get their belongings ready for screening, and an automated tray return system with extended conveyor belts to streamline the process through metal detectors, x-rays and security scanners, where required.

Following the current extension, the immigration hall will be developed in 2017, with plans for the installation of up to 10 of the latest ePassport gates.

Robert Sinclair, chief executive officer at Bristol Airport, said: ‘We want to make Bristol Airport the first choice for passengers across the South West of the UK by combining world class facilities with West Country hospitality. This terminal extension raises the bar for regional airports by combining a spacious feel with the latest technology and a real sense of place.

‘Seven million passengers use Bristol Airport every year, but the same number again travel to airports in the South East in order to fly. By providing an even better local alternative, we can generate time and cost savings for travellers while freeing up capacity in the congested London airport system.’

Bristol Airport is also expanding its route network, with direct services to 117 destinations and frequent daily services to major hubs including Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, and Frankfurt, as well as a recently launched WOW air service to Reykjavik, with onward connections to North America. From May 2017, Thomson Airways will operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Florida and Mexico, with more direct long-haul destinations in future. 

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2016 boom for Corsica ferry bookings

DIRECT FERRIES – an online ferry comparison site – says the French island of Corsica is its number one island destination this year with bookings up by 163% in the first six months of 2016.

The island has more than 200 beaches and clear waters, making it attractive for holidaymakers interested in scuba-diving, jet-skiing, yachting, and canoeing. Inland, activities include hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, rafting, and canyoning.

Direct Ferries flags up six lines that offer a total of 21 routes to Corsica from France and Italy.

Departures from mainland France are available from Toulon, Nice, and Marseille, while from Italy, ferries depart from Savona, Genoa, Livorno, and Piombino. Crossings operate year round.

Prices start at £168 return for a car and up to four passengers.

www.directferries.co.uk 

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£110 million make-over for Luton Airport

LUTON AIRPORT has announced a £110 million re-development programme that will increase annual capacity from 12 million to 18 million passengers by 2020.

Improved transport access to the airport is on the way, with a major upgrade to J10a of the M1, planned to make it easier for the majority of air passengers who choose to travel to the airport by car.

Earlier this month plans were announced to build a £260 million mass passenger transit link to connect the rail station with the terminal. The link will replace the existing shuttle bus and cut journey times from St Pancras Station to approximately 22 minutes, bringing the airport closer to central London than both Gatwick and Stansted airports.

The airport has flights to 174 destinations worldwide.

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Manchester-Beijing direct

THE first direct scheduled service from outside London to mainland #China has taken off from #Manchester Airport. The four-times-a-week Hainan Airlines service to Beijing has been hailed as a significant boost for the region and the government’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’ ambitions. 

The flights will give the 100,000 passengers who travel each year between the two cities the convenience of direct scheduled services.

The Manchester-Beijing route is estimated to be worth at least £250 million in economic benefits to the UK over the next decade. Two-thirds of this is expected to directly benefit the northern economy in terms of increased jobs, economic activity, and tourism.

Sally Balcombe, VisitEngland/VisitBritain chief executive, said: ‘We want to deliver a world-class visitor experience for Chinese visitors and making it easier for them to get here is a crucial part of our competitive tourism offer. We want to double the spend from Chinese visitors to £1 billion by 2020 and Hainan’s new direct route to Manchester will not only make it easier for visitors to come and explore regional Britain but also help us to deliver our ambitious plans for growth for this rapidly expanding market.’

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport John Whittingdale added: ‘This new route is a major breakthrough that will help boost tourism in the north of England. China is a hugely important trading partner, and more Chinese visitors coming to the UK is great news for the tourism industry and the whole economy.’

The service departs on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday, with return fares from £487.

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Picture Credit: Tempio d'estate @Bejing via photopin.com

St. Helena airport opening postponed

THE OPENING of a £250 million airport on the island of St. Helena has been postponed indefinitely after trial flights showed dangerous wind conditions.

The Earl of Wessex was due to conduct a ceremony at the cliff-top airport on the remote South Atlantic island after arriving on the inaugural flight. Tests with a Boeing 737-800, which will fly a weekly service to Johannesburg, revealed a problem with turbulence and wind shear on the approach to the runway, the Times reported.

The 737, operated by British Airways’ South African subsidiary Comair, had to make a second attempt at landing on the first trial flight.

St. Helena commissioned a safety study from the Met Office, which said that although the risk of wind shear was relatively low, other problems such as cross winds had not been anticipated.

Until now St. Helena, Britain’s second oldest and most remote overseas territory, could be reached only by sea. The ageing Royal Mail Ship S.t Helena is due to be retired, leaving the island with no outside link to the world until the airport can be made safe.

A statement from the island’s government said it was committed to the swift commissioning of the airport, but safety was paramount. It said that more observational equipment must be installed close to the runway to understand the localized wind risks.

The island gets more than £25 million in annual budgetary aid from Britain. The hope is that an airport will encourage tourism and stop the fall in the population.

The Royal Mail ship is to pay a final visit to London in June, where it will be moored beside HMS Belfast and used to encourage tourists to visit the island. It might, however, be forced back into service.

One of the main attractions will be the final home of Napoleon, who spent six years in exile there until his death in 1821. He was buried on the island before his remains were returned to Paris to be entombed in Les Invalides.

The average price for a return ticket to the UK with British Airways via Johannesburg is expected to be around £1,400. A return trip by sea from Cape Town takes almost three weeks.

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Turkey specialist tour operator fails

TURKEY AND GOA specialist Jewel in the Crown Holidays has ceased trading and gone into liquidation.

The company, based in Crawley, England, had been trading for 29 years.

The company said in a statement: ‘The business to Turkey has been challenging for the last two years. We had hoped that the political situation in Turkey would improve, but sadly this has not happened.’


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Two-year visa introduced for UK visitors to China

BRITISH tourists can now get two-year, multi-entry visas to #China, enabling visitors from the UK to make multiple trips for longer periods. 

‘This is great news for people visiting China and will allow travellers to return to China and see even more areas of this incredible country without the need to apply for another visa,’ says Laurence Hicks, managing director of Wendy Wu Tours.

Chinese visitors to the UK will have the same visa arrangement.

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Picture Credit: By d'n'c - Wangfujing Xiaochijie (Wangfujing / Beijing), CC BY-SA 2.0