Zimbabwe to complete new terminal at main airport in June 2022

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The efficiency of passenger flow at Zimbabwe’s Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is set to improve significantly thanks to a new terminal building currently under construction.

According to a statement from the presidency, refurbishment of the current terminal will begin once the new facility is completed, after which the two facilities will be merged. When complete, the airport will handle six million passengers annually.

The project will cost $153 million and is expected to be completed by 2023.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa toured the facility on Wednesday and expressed his satisfaction with the quality of work and the progress so far.

“As time has passed, we realized we needed something better, that has international appeal and facilities that you get elsewhere should also be available here,” Mnangagwa said.

“We are happy that this airport, after completion, will match any other airport in the world in terms of facilities and the design to attract airlines coming here, as well as our own people coming here to watch as the planes arrive and have a good time.”

Zimbabwe’s aviation industry has been on the up in recent months after a turbulent period exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The national carrier Air Zimbabwe resumed domestic and regional flights in June having previously suspended all flights for most of 2020 due to operational challenges and restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, Qatar Airways, one of the world’s leading airlines, made its inaugural flight to Zimbabwe touching down in Harare with the state-owned Gulf carrier operating three weekly scheduled flights to more than 140 destinations across its network.

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Norwegian adds news routes and reopens old ones

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Based on demand, Norwegian has opened new routes to destinations in Europe this Autumn. From Bergen passengers can fly direct to Berlin, Krakow, Malaga, Alicante, Antalya, Chania, Copenhagen and London. From Ålesund there is a now direct route to Alicante.

“We have reopened several routes that have been suspended since the pandemic started. It is now possible again to travel to several cities in Europe, such as Pisa, Edinburgh, Munich, Prague and Vienna. We know that the pandemic can still affect people’s ability to travel, however, we will continue to adapt our network to the positive trend in passenger demand,” continued Geir Karlsen.

Norwegian had an average of 38 aircraft in operation in August. A total of 99.8 per cent of the planned flights were operated in August, of which 91.9 per cent departed on time.

Norwegian’s traffic figures for August show a continued increase in the number of passengers. The number of future bookings has also continued to increase in line with Norwegian’s expanding route network as more people are fully vaccinated and EU / EEA countries accept international COVID certificates for travel.

Due to increased demand, Norwegian has further expanded the autumn season route offering.

“We are pleased with the positive increase in passenger numbers and demand. Everybody at Norwegian has worked incredibly hard to achieve these results and we will continue to deliver good customer experiences while running our business as efficiently as possible”. Said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.

In August, Norwegian carried 790 220 passengers, one and a half times more than at the same time last year. Compared with August 2020, the total capacity (ASK) has increased by 129 per cent and passenger traffic (RPK) up 168 per cent. Furthermore, the load factor in August was 72.6 per cent, an increase of 10 percentage points compared with last year.

Source: Norwegian airlines

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Etihad anticipating surge in demand as Abu Dhabi opens to fully vaccinated travellers

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Etihad anticipating surge in demand as Abu Dhabi opens to fully vaccinated travellers
September 2, 2021

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is prepared for a boost in travel to and from Abu Dhabi following the government’s announcement to remove the quarantine requirement for all vaccinated travellers arriving from abroad.

Fully vaccinated travellers (with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization) can arrive from all international destinations without the need to quarantine. All travellers will require a PCR test within 48 hours of departure, a test on arrival and retesting on select days depending on the country they have travelled from. Unvaccinated travellers, however, should follow the rules according to the destination they are arriving from.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad, commented: “The news is perfectly timed to begin welcoming the world back to Abu Dhabi. We expect a huge surge in demand from tourists and visiting friends and relatives from around the world. This will also give UAE residents greater flexibility and peace of mind when travelling globally.

 

“The emirate has delivered one of the world’s best public health programmes to protect the population with an extremely high vaccination rate, and smart technologically-driven solutions such as the Al Hosn app to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.

 

“This is a huge step forward as the UAE prepares to host the EXPO 2020, the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and many more global events over the coming months.

 

“Etihad is currently operating to 65 passenger destinations with one of the world’s youngest and most sustainable fleets. We look forward to welcoming our guests to Abu Dhabi with Etihad to enjoy this world-class destination – an emirate and capital city we’re so proud to call our home.”

 

Flying with Etihad is supported by the Etihad Wellness programme which has been introduced to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Etihad was the first airline in the world to fully vaccinate its crew on board. Etihad also requires 100% of its passengers to show a negative PCR test before boarding to protect the inflight environment, which is now recognised to be one of the best in the world.

 

The airline has implemented an extensive sanitisation and wellness programme and is practising the highest standards of hygiene at every part of the customer journey. This includes catering, aircraft and cabin deep-cleaning, check-in, health screening, boarding, inflight, crew interaction, meal service, disembarkation and ground transportation, among others.

 

More information on the stringent measures being taken by Etihad to provide a healthy and hygienic travel experience is available at etihad.com/wellness. As a precautionary measure, guests travelling on Etihad Airways flights are required to wear a face mask throughout their journey.

 

Those wishing to book with Etihad are advised to visit etihad.com to view their options and to remain informed of the appropriate entry requirements for Abu Dhabi. Flights are also available for booking through the mobile app, by calling the Etihad contact centre on +971 600 555 666 (UAE), or through a local or online travel agency.

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Botswana’s luxury airline: Fly Okavango set to launch in November

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Botswana:

The launch of an airline flying overseas visitors directly to the Okavango Delta is expected to have a positive impact on Botswana’s tourism sector.

Botswana will soon have a new charter airline that aims to bring overseas tourists back to the country, to enjoy its bespoke lodges and unspoiled tourism offering. Fly Okavango is expected to take to the skies in the next two months.

Botswana’s national airline flies to destinations within that country as well as to Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa.  Air Botswana does not operate a major international route network that facilitates the arrival of overseas tourists. 

Botswana has always relied on major international airports in neighbouring countries including South Africa and Namibia as gateways for international tourists who arrive in destinations such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Windhoek before travelling onward to Botswana.

South Africa has been cut off by several countries and international airlines for extended periods during the last year, as a result of flight and travel bans imposed due to the presence of the Beta variant.

These flight and travel bans have had a major impact on businesses in South Africa’s tourism and hospitality sectors which have caused many local businesses to close their doors for good, seek out new customer bases, or to mothball their operations.

The restrictions placed on South Africa have also impacted neighbouring countries including Botswana and Zimbabwe because international visitors heading for those countries often fly into or out of South Africa, and may even have included locations in South Africa as part of their trips.

The landlocked country which has not escaped the global slump in tourism is eager to facilitate the return of tourists by offering more convenient and Covid-19 safe travel options to tourists. Botswana’s tourism offerings are generally enjoyed by high spend tourists from parts of Europe and the United States of America.

To facilitate the return of these international tourists to Botswana, various businesses in Botswana’s tourism and hospitality sectors have come to the table to find solutions. By offering direct flights between Europe and the USA to Maun, the Okavango Delta is set to see more tourists arriving there.

Hospitality and tourism providers in Botswana have shown a keen interest in the launch of Fly Okavango’s direct flights from the USA and UK. According to Fly Okavango’s Founder Martin Steer, the airline’s flights have gathered strong interest from lodge and hotel groups in Botswana including Belmond, Great Plains, Natural Selection and Red Carnation – all of whom will benefit from increased numbers of tourists.

FLY OKAVANGO’S ROUTES

Flights are expected to start in November, using a Boeing 767-300 and an Airbus A 340-500. From the United States, flights will depart from Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, and flights from Europe will depart from Munich in Germany.

Initially, the airline will operate direct charter flights from the United States and Germany to Maun (the gateway to Botswana’s Okavango Delta) on set dates.  There are also plans to operate flights from London to Maun but these will not take effect while Botswana remains on the UK’s red list.

SAFE AND SUPERIOR SERVICES

Fly Okavango’s aircraft will offer superior comfort and exceptional health and safety standards through luxury aircraft seating arrangements that allow maximum spacing between passengers – with only 96 and 120 first-class lie-flat seats on each aircraft, depending on the route.

Fly Okavango will cater to travellers visiting the Okavango Delta on offer fully inclusive tour packages. The airline has been endorsed by Botswana Tourism. Fly Okavango says it intends to add Victoria Falls and Cape Town to its destinations in 2022.  

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New flights from Tel Aviv to Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE

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Tel Aviv, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain
Direct connecting Tel Aviv with airports in the UAE, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain will expand the travel and tourism reach in the Middle East.

The world for Israelis became a lot larger with US president Trump negotiating a peace deal with a growing number of countries in the Middle East and the Gulf Region.

 
America First is the slogan by US President Trump and the means weapon sales since it is expected all these countries will now be allowed to obtain military equipment from the U.S. This is good for the ailing US economy but also dangerous if implemented too quickly and with the purpose to win a US election.

Earlier, following an announcement by US President Donald Trump of a peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner revealed that two Arab states have agreed to open their skies to transit flights to and from Israel, including Bahrain, which is set to join the signing of the UAE-Israeli deal.
Morocco and Israel are set to establish direct air flights as a to normalize Arab-Israeli relations, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday.

The report came as part of the Arab-Israeli normalization efforts launched by the Trump administration after reaching the UAE-Israeli agreement. The signing of an agreement is scheduled to take place at the White House as soon as next Tuesday.

 
On 15 August, The Times of Israel reported, citing anonymous US officials, that Morocco would be the next Arab country to normalize relations with Tel Aviv, after the UAE. Although Morocco has no official diplomatic relations with Israel, there are tourism and trading relations between the two nations. In addition, Moroccan Jews are the second-largest Jewish community in Israel, after Russian Jews, exceeding one million people.

On Wednesday, Trump’s son-in-law and senior White House adviser, Jared Kushner, told reporters that Saudi Arabia and Bahrain had agreed to open their skies for flights to and from Israel.

On Friday, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain announced agreeing to join the Tuesday signing of the UAE-Israeli peace deal. UAE and Bahrain will become the third and fourth Arab states, respectively, to normalize relations with Israel.

In the past, only Egypt and Jordan have had official relations with Tel Aviv, but even in Qatar Israel trade offices operating in secret had been in place for years.

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Virgin Atlantic announces codeshare with Middle East Airlines

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Lebanon
Virgin Atlantic has announced a new codeshare agreement with Middle East Airlines-Air Liban (MEA), offering connections between the US and Beirut via London Heathrow.

The codeshare will allow customers booking through Virgin to travel from Boston, New York JFK and Los Angeles to Beirut and vice versa via London Heathrow Terminal 3. 

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented: 

“We’re delighted to launch this new codeshare partnership withMEAMiddle East Airlines -Air Liban. As werecover from the pandemic,partnerships are more important thanever,andwe look forward tobuilding on the incredibly successful interlinerelationship we have hadin place for a number of years.   

“With a large diaspora population of Lebanese living in the US, this new partnership aims to respond to the large, fast-growing demand to visit friends and relatives as people start to travel to visit their loved ones post Covid-19.  We also expect to capture demand for business and leisure travel to the vibrant city of Beirut as travel restrictions begin to relax and global economies gradually recover from the impact of the pandemic.” 

Walid Abillama, Head of Commercial Strategy and Alliances at Middle East Airlines, commented: 

“Our interline relationship with Virgin Atlantic was the first to target the US travel market to Beirut, and so it is natural for us to partner with Virgin Atlantic and build the first US codeshare agreement targeting Beirut.” 

“We are hopeful that this partnership will reintegrate Beirut within the global economy as a post Covid-19 travel destination and will maintain its promise of resilience.” 

Middle East Airlines-Air Liban is a Skyteam member and operates flights to 32 international destinations in Europe, the Middle East and West Africa.

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The World’s Best Airports in 2021

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Singapore Changi Airport falls from top spot as world’s best airports for 2021 revealed

For the first time in nearly a decade, Singapore’s Changi Airport has lost its place at the top of Skytrax’s annual ranking of the world’s best airports at the World Airport Awards.

 
Doha’s Hamad International Airport, which has been climbing the ranks for years, has been rewarded with the number one spot in 2021 in the “World’s Best Airport” category.
 
This year, Changi placed third — an achievement for any other airport, but perhaps not from the perspective of its superfans, who regularly praise the airport’s ease, comfort and top-notch food and drink options.
Doha’s ascendance coincides with hard work from its flagship airline, Qatar Airways. The Qatari government has invested heavily in both its national carrier and its airport, with pretty spectacular results.
 
Travelers on Qatar Airways who have a connecting flight at HIA can enjoy free city tours, gratis accommodation and food (depending on the length of the layover) and a VIP transfer service where airline employees meet visitors as they de-plane and guide them seamlessly through the airport and onto their connecting flight.
 
Airports in Europe and Asia dominated the rest of the 2021 list. Japan was voted best-rated country overall, with three airports in the top 10, including both of Tokyo’s airports (Narita and Haneda).
 
The World Airport Awards are voted for by customers in a global airport satisfaction survey conducted from August 2020 until July 2021.
 
Here’s the full list of the top 10 in the “World’s Best Airport” category:
1. Hamad International Airport (HIA)
2. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
3. Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
4. Incheon International Airport (ICN)
5. Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT)
6. Munich Airport (MUC)
7. Zurich Airport (ZRH)
8. London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
9. Kansai International Airport (KIX)
10. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
 
 
 
 

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Eurowings starts flights to Armenia

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COLOGNE/BONN, AUGUST 6,
Source: ARMENPRESS.  Eurowings airline is launching a new direct connection and will fly its passengers from Cologne/Bonn to the Armenian capital Yerevan for the first time.

Starting August 6, every Friday, an Airbus A320 takes off for Armenia at 2.20 pm, arriving at 8.40 pm. The return flight departs on the same day at 9.30 p.m. and lands at Cologne/Bonn Airport at 00.20 am the next day. All flight times are local times, the airline said in a news release.

Marcelo Wende, Director of “Armenia” International Airports” CJSC, said: “We are happy that Eurowings is entering the Armenian market. We congratulate the airline and wish them successful operation and safe flights. From now on, opportunities to travel directly to Europe will increase.” 

“It a big pleasure for us at Eurowings to serve for the first time the Armenian market and offer the regular Eurowings flights from “Zvartnots” International Airport of Yerevan to Cologne. Together with Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa as of next Friday and now Eurowings, as one of the leading European Low Cost Carriers, we are glad to increase our Lufthansa Group presence in Yerevan and therefore offer more opportunities for travelers from Armenia” René Koinzack, General Manager Sales Ukraine, South Caucasus, Belarus and Turkmenistan at Lufthansa Group.

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SAA 2.0 to start flying in September 2021

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South African Airways will resume flights on 23 September, more than 15 months after it was grounded by Covid-19 and business rescue.

The national carrier said that voyager bookings and travel credit voucher redemption will be available from 6 September 2021. The airline will initially operate flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka and Maputo.

More destinations will be added to the route network as it ramps up operations in response to market conditions.

“After months of diligent work, we are delighted that SAA is resuming service and we look forward to welcoming on board our loyal passengers and flying the South African flag. We continue to be a safe carrier and adhering to Covid-19 protocols,” said interim chief executive Thomas Kgokolo.

“There is a profound feeling of enthusiasm within Team SAA as we prepare for takeoff, with one common purpose – to rebuild and sustain a profitable airline that once again takes a leadership role among local, continental, and international airlines.”

Kgokolo said that aviation sector is going through a testing period, and SAA is aware of the tough challenges that lie ahead in the coming weeks.

“As we are now poised for takeoff, we see this as a major milestone for SAA and the country.”

SAA has failed to make a profit for almost a decade, surviving on state bailouts and government debt guarantees, while it was placed under administration a year ago.

The carrier has been lying dormant since March 2020, when the fleet was grounded due to travel bans to contain the Covid-19 coronavirus.

In June 2021, the government agreed to sell a majority stake in the carrier to a local jet-leasing company and private-equity firm.

A consortium comprised of Johannesburg-based Global Airways, which owns recently launched domestic airline Lift, and private-equity firm Harith General Partners will take a 51% shareholding in South African Airways.

The group, Takatso, will invest as much as R3.5 billion over the next three years, Lift co-founder Gidon Novick and Harith chief executive officer Tshepo Mahloele said.

“Government will have no further financial obligations to the company, outside of the existing liabilities that they will settle,” Novick said. “Route networks we are still working on, and it will be a phased rollout based on demand re-emerging post-Covid.”

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American Airlines to fly between Chicago and Costa Rica

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Costa Rica
August 20, 2021: American Airlines to fly between Chicago and Costa Rica

American Airlines will soon fly nonstop between Chicago and Costa Rica, the Tourism Board (ICT) announced Friday.

Starting November 2, the Texas-based airline will offer the following new routes to Costa Rica:

  • Chicago (ORD) to the San José area (SJO): 3x weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Returns the following days (Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays).
  • Chicago (ORD) to Guanacaste (LIR): 1x weekly on Saturdays. Returns the same day.

“American Airlines has a strong commitment to Costa Rica, as evidenced by the 84 weekly flights that we will be operating in the fall from five destinations — the largest operation we have had during our 31 years in Costa Rica,” said Rafael Sánchez, Regional Manager of Central America for American.

“We are proud to start a new route from San José and Liberia, offering our clients greater travel options, now to Chicago, one of our most important hubs in the United States.”

American will compete with United Airlines, which also flies to Costa Rica from O’Hare Airport in Chicago.

With the new routes, American Airlines will soon offer nonstop service to Costa Rica from: Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; New York City (JFK); and Miami.

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Italia Trasporto Aereo, Alitalia Replacement, Announces Launch Plans

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Following Alitalia’s cease of operations on October 15, Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA) will replace the state-owned airline and will start flying from that date. As reported by ReutersItaly reached a deal with the European Commission after months of haggling over the fate of the failing airline. ITA was originally intended to begin operations as soon as April 2021.

A key portion of the negotiation was focused on ensuring ITA was independent of Alitalia, so that it was not liable for paying back billions of euros the old carrier had received in state aid. The new airline said in a statement it will aim to raise initial capital of roughly $826 million in order to buy assets from the old company and begin operating.

Another result of the negotiations is that ITA will inherit only part of Alitalia’s flight slots, which are a major asset and proved a major sticking point in the talks. Specifically, the airline will receive 85 percent of the Alitalia slots at Milan Linate Airport and 43 percent at Rome–Fiumicino International Airport.

ITA will initially operate a fleet of 52 aircraft, seven of which are wide-body and used for longer-haul routes. The number is expected to increase to 105 aircraft (including 23 wide-body) by 2025. Eighty-one of these aircraft will be new generation, having replaced the older technology.

At the start of operations, the airline will serve 45 destinations with 61 routes, which will rise to 74 destinations and 89 routes in 2025. In the winter 2021 season, ITA will operate routes to New York (from Rome and Milan), TokyoBoston and Miami (all three from Rome). In summer 2022, the company plans to launch new flights to Washington, D.C.Los AngelesSão Paulo and Buenos Aires. Short and medium-haul flights will include those to ParisLondonAthensMadridAmsterdamBrusselsFrankfurt and Geneva, along with Tel AvivCairoTunis and Algiers.

Of the 11,000 Alitalia staff, between 2,750 and 2,950 will be employed in the ITA’s aviation unit this year, rising to 5,550-5,700 by 2025.

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Qantas to launch ‘vaccination passport’ for international flights

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Qantas will introduce a ‘digital health’ smartphone app for international flights, with the ability to securely store and present proof of Covid vaccination as well as the results of pre-departure Covid tests.

The airline has settled on the Travel Pass platform developed by the International Air Transport Association to spearhead an industry-wide push to streamline a return to the skies for business and leisure travellers –  especially as countries begin to insist on vaccination or negative test results for inbound passengers.

The airline says that final development work is now underway to ensure the Travel Pass app is ready for use on Qantas and Jetstar international flights when they resume, which is expected to span from later this year for New Zealand and other potential travel bubble countries such as Singapore, to early-mid 2022 for the bulk of routes to Asia, the USA and the UK.

However, a Qantas spokesperson told Executive Traveller that the airline is also looking to integrate Travel Pass functionality into the airline’s own smartphone app so that passengers would eventually need just the one app.

“We want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work and a digital health pass will be a key part of that,” said Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully.

“The IATA Travel Pass will allow travellers to have their Covid test results and vaccine information verified securely, which will be their green light to fly internationally with us.”

“A digital health pass will connect customers with Covid testing facilities, health authorities and airlines, and ultimately enable the opening of more travel bubbles and borders,” Tully elaborated.

By using the Travel Pass app, passengers will be able to confirm specific ‘health requirements’ for their flight, including the entry conditions of the country they’re travelling to.

Qantas passengers without smartphones or who choose not to use the Travel Pass app will be able to present their vaccination certificate or proof of a negative test at the airport.

The Australian government is also developing a ‘vaccination passport’ and has been in discussion with IATA on possibly adopting the Travel Pass as a national standard.

This would enable vaccinated flyers more freedom of movement and in the short term, potentially return from some countries into seven days of home isolation rather than 14 days of hotel quarantine.

No jab, no fly…

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce has previously said that vaccination would be mandatory for passengers on all international Qantas and Jetstar flights.

“Once a safe and effective vaccine becomes readily available, it will be a requirement for travel on our international services,” Joyce declared in December 2020.

He also cited widespread support for mandatory international vaccination among the airline’s passengers, saying that a recent poll indicated 87% were willing to take the vaccine if it was required to travel internationally, while “85% thought it should be required for travel to at least some countries.”

How the Travel Pass works

The Travel Pass allows passengers to create a digital health wallet linked to their passport. Once they have been tested and/or vaccinated, labs will securely send that data straight to the app, without being stored on a central database.

IATA maintains its app “has been developed with the highest levels of data privacy and security, so passengers always remain in control of their COVID-19 health information.”

The app then checks the destination’s requirements for travel against the data, and passengers who meet those travel requirements will be given the green tick to travel.

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Ghana national airline takes another step forward

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Ghana
National airline takes another step forward

EgyptAir’s help has been enlisted to help dream become a reality.

According to Bloomberg, the new “Air Ghana” is likely to begin operations in a couple of months’ time.  

EgyptAir is looking to expand on the African continent as air traffic recovers from the covid-19 pandemic.

Roshdy Zakaria, Chief Executive of EgyptAir Holding Co. told reporters in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the emirates of the UAE, that the new airline, likely called Air Ghana, will probably begin operations “in a couple of months”, adding EgyptAir will provide four Boeing Co. 737-800 aircraft to the Accra-based airline in which it will have a 75% share.

The company is also in talks with Sudan Airways, the troubled state carrier of Egypt’s southern neighbour, for an initiative that might involve establishing a transport hub, Mr. Zakaria said.

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FlyWestair launches two new routes to north-eastern Namibia

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Namibia:
FlyWestair launches two new routes to north-eastern Namibia. Press release

FlyWestair is proud to announce the addition of two new destinations to their flight schedule – Rundu and Katima Mulilo. Departing from Eros Airport in Windhoek, the incorporation of these new scheduled routes will connect Namibians and visitors between the capital and the north-eastern regions and beyond.

FlyWestair’s domestic flight schedule, offers five (5) weekly flights between Eros Airport in Windhoek and Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo Airport in Ondangwa. We will offer two weekly flights service between Rundu and Windhoek as of 24th of August 2021. As well as three weekly flights between Katima Mulilo and Windhoek starting 25th August 2021.

These destinations are integral hubs for so many of our nation’s north-eastern denizens. FlyWestair would like to continue our pledge to support and connect Namibians, Katima Mulilo, the capital of the Zambezi Region, is an important gateway to other SADC nations, notably Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Not only will the introduction of these two destinations help relieve the weight of travel for those who live there and conduct business, but it will also support our crucial, currently downtrodden tourism industry. The introduction of Katima and Rundu is set to ease travel for visitors to Namibia who would like to include the Kavango and Zambezi regions in their itinerary, but do not have sufficient days in their schedule for the long drives. It’s about time to connect!

Since restarting operations in October 2020, FlyWestair has focused on simplifying the travel experience for all clients. For international travellers, FlyWestair is offering easy and convenient COVID testing at our Eros Airport offices. FlyWestair requires all passengers to follow strict COVID-19 regulations and to wear their mask correctly for the duration of every flight.
At FlyWestair, customer service is our top priority, which has led to the introduction of our new Customer Call Centre, which is operational 24/7. Contact us on +264 83 339 0011. We have also added a temporary policy where clients receive one free date amendment on their booking. We are here to support you during these uncertain times.

FlyWestair is a proudly Namibian privately owned airline, the first of its kind in Namibia. Committed to providing an admirable travel experience with consistent on-time performance. The airline remains focused on assisting the Namibian travel and aviation industry recover in a post-COVID environment. Namibian scheduled passenger airline and forms part of the Westair Aviation Group of Companies. FlyWestair remains committed to developing and expanding the local Namibian aviation infrastructure by growing and investing back into the local aviation businesses and the communities in which we operate within.

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Ryanair partners with the Greek National Tourism Organization

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Ryanair announced its latest partnership with the Greek National Tourism Organization in a bid to boost tourism recovery in the Hellenic country.

Ryanair and GNTO will partner in a joint communications campaign with the aim of strengthening Greece’s positioning as a tourist destination in the British, German and Italian markets and attract more tourists from here.

The campaign “All you want is Greece” will promote the Greek Islands as a must destination for a summer getaway through Ryanair’s owned channels as well as external digital platforms. Famous for their amazing beaches, clear-blue waters, incredible sunsets, ancient temples and mouth-watering food – the campaign is sure to attract many holidaymakers eager to enjoy a long-awaited sun break.

Ryanair’s Director of Marketing, Dara Brady said: “We are delighted to partner with the Greek National Tourism Organization and work together to rebuild Greece’s leading tourism industry.

“We have significantly increased connectivity to/from the Greek Islands with new routes and additional frequencies from all across Europe. This partnership will promote the wonders of this beautiful region and highlight each of Ryanair’s routes to the Islands, which have proven to be a clear favourite among our customers. Europeans can now enjoy a well-deserved sun break travelling on the lowest fares to the likes of Mykonos, Santorini, Chania, Kos and Rhodes.”

GNTO’s Director for UK & Ireland, Emy Anagnostopoulou, said: “We are very excited to announce this international collaboration with Ryanair in the UK, Italian and German markets respectively, and to introduce to their clients, all that Greece has to offer. We are sure that the Ryanair customers will enjoy the crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches as well as the mouth-watering gastronomy of Greece. Undiscovered island gems are waiting to be discovered and unique cultural treasures can be explored throughout the breath-taking landscapes of both the mainland and the numerous Greek islands.”

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New flights Emirates

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Emirates adds new UK, US and Africa flights as borders reopen

Emirates is responding to a spike in travel demand across its network through the scaling up of its operations.

The decision follows a recent announcements that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would be added to the amber list in the UK.

At the same time, the UAE has eased entry protocols for 12 countries, including South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

In line with the easing of restrictions, the airline will be restoring capacity across 29 cities on its network on over 270 flights.

By October, the airline will increase its services to 73 weekly flights to the UK, including a six times a day London Heathrow operation, double daily A380 flights to Manchester, ten weekly services to Birmingham and daily services to Glasgow.

From today, Emirates will begin serving London Heathrow with three daily flights, all operated by its flagship A380.

Throughout August and September, Emirates will gradually increase its operations to London Heathrow, and by the middle of October, the airline will have restored its operations to six daily flights, of which four will be served by the A380.

Emirates currently flies to 12 cities in the United States on over 70 weekly flights, and will be adding additional frequencies to Houston, Boston and San Francisco over the course of August to accommodate for the seasonal influx of travellers.

The airline will also be boosting capacity on its four weekly services to New York JFK to its flagship A380 from August 13th, improving travel options for customers connecting to/from the major US city from across the airline’s network.

Emirates has increased flights to Johannesburg from daily to 11 weekly flights, with the addition of four linked flights with Durban, and the airline also flies to and from Cape Town with three weekly services.

The airline has also reinstated capacity on its flights to and from Lusaka (linked with Harare) and Entebbe with five weekly flights each.

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Delta airlines increases flights to London

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Delta airlines increases flights to London

Delta airlines increases flights to London

Boosts UK connections

After the easing of quarantine rules for American travellers, Delta is making it easier for trans-Atlantic families and friends to reunite in England as it ramps up service to offer nearly 30 weekly flights to London Heathrow this autumn.

Customers can choose non-stop service to London Heathrow via four United States hubs as Delta restarts three-times-weekly service from Seattle on October 7th, and four-times-weekly service from Detroit starting October 11th.

Delta airlines increases flights to London

Additionally, New York-JFK flights will double to twice a day beginning October 6th.

Customers can also continue flying daily from Atlanta.

With Delta’s joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic, customers can also seamlessly connect to LHR with over 30 flights from Boston, Los Angeles and Miami, as well as ATL and JFK.

Today, the airlines offer a combined 43 weekly flights, operated in conjunction with KLM and Air France.

“This long-awaited reopening marks a major milestone since the borders closed to most travellers, more than a year ago,” said Joe Esposito, Delta senior vice president, network planning.

“We’re excited to help customers reclaim their joy of travel, always keeping their health and safety our top priority amid the dynamic environment of global travel.”

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4 New Airline Routes That Will Supercharge Your Travel Plans in 2024!

Air France opens 6 new routes this winter

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The carrier is adding flights from Paris-Orly to Berlin and Munich. 

Air France is adding six routes, including four served from Paris airports, for its upcoming winter season.

From Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) the flag-carrier will serve Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain (TFS) from Nov. 1 2X-weekly and Rovaniemi, Finland ({{RVN}) with “up to two weekly flights” from Dec. 4 to March 5, 2022. Both routes will be operated by Airbus A319s configured to carry 143 passengers. 

Across town from Paris-Orly (ORY) Air France will operate daily to both Berlin (BER) and Munich (MUC) from Oct. 31. Both routes, which are in addition to flights Air France already operates from CDG to BER and MUC, will be operated by A318 aircraft configured to seat 131 passengers.    

Air France will also operate 2X-weekly flights from Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe (PTP), to Montreal (YUL) and New York (JFK) starting Nov. 23 and Nov. 24, respectively. Both routes will be operated with A320 aircraft configured to seat 168 passengers.  

Air France added that routes started this summer from CDG—to Las Palmas, Canary Islands (LPA); Palma de Mallorca (PMI); Tangiers, Morocco (TNG); Faro, Portugal (FAO); Djerba, Tunisia (DJE); and Krakow (KRK)—will be continued for the upcoming winter season. 
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Austria

Etihad Airways to Launch Flights to Vienna, Austria

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Austria:

Etihad Airways has confirmed that it will launch flights to Vienna, Austria, next month.

The service will operate twice weekly with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, starting 18 July 2021.

Austria is currently open to nationals and residents of Austria, residents of Schengen-member states and Switzerland, business travellers and students.

To simplify the travel experience and provide additional peace of mind, Etihad recently launched Verified to Fly, allowing guests to validate their COVID19 travel documents before arriving at the airport.

Travellers who use Verified to Fly can enjoy fast track check-in at the airport.

To use the Verified to Fly service, travellers simply need to sign-up by visiting Manage my Booking and from there they will receive further information on how to submit their documents.

Travellers can also check-in for their Etihad flight from the comfort of their own home up to seven hours before their flight. Passengers can check-in their bags, choose their seat and collect their boarding pass and luggage tags from their home in Abu Dhabi.

Once at Abu Dhabi International Airport, all non-transit passengers who have used the home check-in service can skip the queues bag-free.

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Kazakhstan Increases International Air Travel

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Kazakhstan:

Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines resumed its Aktau – Yerevan route starting June 25. The flights are operated on Fridays on the Bombardier CRJ-200. The tickets are already on sale. 

Starting June 23, the airline, which now flies to Turkey, Egypt, Russia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia, and the United Arab Emirates, also increased the number of flights on the Aktau – Istanbul route. The flights are operated on Wednesdays and Sundays.

On June 21, Kazakhstan’s low-cost airline Fly Arystan started flying to Tashkent from Almaty and Nur-Sultan. 

“The unique azure mosques of Samarkand, centuries-old architectural masterpieces of Khiva, ancient citadels and luxurious palaces of Bukhara, historical and modern museums of Tashkent are now even closer,” said the airline in a statement. 

From July 14, the airline will launch flights to Kutaisi from Shymkent. Flights will be operated on Wednesdays and on Sundays.

Kazakhstan also resumed its air travel with Warsaw. LOT Polish Airlines resumed flights on June 10 from Nur-Sultan to Warsaw and will fly once a week on Mondays on Boeing-737 aircraft.

As the summer season is close to its peak and the desire of people to travel is stronger after more than a year of the lockdown, the officials still urge people to limit their travel amid the worsening epidemiological situation and the spread of the new Delta variant worldwide. 

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