Feb 07, 2018  -  Singapore Airlines, one of the world’s leading airline operators, is set to launch a blockchain-based loyalty wallet to enhance and further frequent flyers’ spending of accumulated air miles.

Singapore Airlines (SIA), has announced its plan to launch a loyalty digital wallet based on blockchain technology for its KrisFlyer frequent-flyer program, enabling travelers to easily spend their air miles at retail partners. The application will help with ‘everyday spending’ of passengers’ digital KrisFlyer miles in ‘point-of-sale transactions at participating retail merchants,’ the announcement added.

Feb 05, 2018  -  Avalon Airport is going international. AirAsia will move its Melbourne operations there from Melbourne Airport later this year and Avalon Airport expects to move about 500,000 international passengers in its first year of operation.  AirAsia X Malaysia will operate twice daily flights as the first international carrier at the airport. The carrier and the airport say this will make long-haul flying affordable for Melbourne and the Victorian region, and improve access to more than 130 destinations in Asia and beyond.

Feb 01,  2018 -   Emirates, the world’s best airline according to TripAdvisor 2017, plans to launch a new, five times a week service from Dubai to Santiago International Airport (SCL) in Chile, starting on July 5, 2018.

Jan 31, 2018  -  Qantas has overhauled its Brisbane to Los Angeles, replacing the Boeing 747-400 currently operating this route with Dreamliners.  The Dreamliner will then continue on as QF11/12, Qantas’ connecting service between Los Angeles and New York (JFK), carrying passengers connecting from Sydney and Melbourne services as well as from Brisbane.

It seems like a silly thing to say, but we really had no idea about the sheer amount of blood, sweat and tears that go into creating an Airbus.  We get how big they are, but who would’ve thought they are made of 4 million separate pieces.

Jan 24, 2018  - Singapore Airlines has just announced a major change to its Wellington operations unveiling it will 'de-link' the service from Canberra and connect Wellington to the world via Melbourne.

Norwegian has set a new record time for the fastest ever transatlantic flight by a passenger aircraft this week using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.The Norwegian flight DY7014 from New York JFK to London Gatwick on Monday 15 January completed the full duration of the flight in 5 hours and 13 minutes.

This is now the fastest transatlantic flight recorded on a subsonic commercial Norwegian sets new transatlantic recordaircraft, with the previous record being 5 hours and 16 minutes.The flight carried 284 passengers and left New York at 11:44am, arriving in London at 9:57pm – 53 minutes early.

‘The passengers and crew were very pleasantly surprised that we were already landing in London,’ says Captain Pascal Niewold at Norwegian.‘It was a very smooth flight with almost no turbulence.’

Source: TravelMemo  ||  January 23, 2018   ||

Jan 19, 2018  -  United Airlines intends to add a premium economy section with comfortable recliner seats on long-haul aircraft soon, matching a product already offered by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, its two main competitors.

United will call the cabin Premium Plus, and it will feature several free perks business class travelers usually receive, including meals served on china, alcoholic beverages, a Saks Fifth Avenue blanket and pillow, and an amenity kit. In an internal note, later put on the company blog, United said it will “begin to introduce” the product later this year, though it’s not clear on what flights or routes.

United’s seat is expected to be similar, if not identical, to the recliners Delta and American already fly. Both competitors have seats that are nearly identical to U.S. domestic first class, with seats about 18 or 19 inches wide, with roughly 38 inches of pitch.

Delta introduced its Premium Select cabin late last year on its new Airbus A350s, which fly some of its longest routes, often to Asia, and plans to add the cabin on its Boeing 777s. Last month, Delta executives told investors that on the Detroit to Tokyo Narita route, the first with premium economy, the product had an 85 percent load factor during its first month, with an average fare at 1.7 times coach.

American also started selling Premium Economy last year, with its Boeing 777-200s and Boeing 787-9s getting it first, followed by Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A330-200s.

United should debut its version just as it ends first class service on long-haul routes. Some of United’s Boeing 767-300s and Boeing 777-200s still have a true first class cabin, a relic from before United’s merger with Continental Airlines. Under the new cabin arrangement, United will again have three classes, but they’ll be different — business class, premium economy, and economy class.

A United spokeswoman declined to add information about the airline’s plans for Premium Plus, saying “we will have additional details to share at a later date.”

Polaris Lounges

Also, United intends to soon commit to customers that it will open four Polaris lounges for long-haul business class customers later this year, according to employee communications.

The lounges have been delayed due to construction problems, and recently United removed expected opening dates from its website, leading some to ask if any lounges would open in 2018. But United now plans to tell customers that lounges in San Francisco, Newark, and Houston will open this summer, with Los Angeles coming this fall.

The lounges, which are more opulent than United’s typical clubs, feature shower suites, rest pods with day beds, and preflight dining.

United’s only existing lounge, in Chicago, has been so popular it often has been overcrowded, forcing the airline to expand it.

Source:  Skift   | January 18, 2018   |||

Jan 19, 2018 - Dubai, UAE – Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, today announced a US$ 16 billion (AED 58.7 billion) deal for 36 additional Airbus A380 aircraft, with 20 firm orders and 16 options. Emirates’ A380 fleet operates both GE and Rolls-Royce engines, and the airline is evaluating engine options for its latest A380 order.

Jan 18, 2018  - Hawaiian Airlines and Jetstar Group have launched a new interline partnership offering travellers from cities in New Zealand convenient flight connections to Hawai'i and the USA mainland.