Finnair and Turkish Airlines launch code shares, enabling more choice for travellers

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September 23, 2021 – Finnair and Turkish Airlines today announced a codeshare agreement that brings more choice to the airline’s customers. Starting September 29, the Finnair AY code will be added to Turkish Airlines route between Helsinki and Istanbul, and from Istanbul to Athens, Sofia, Thessaloniki, Amman, Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor, Antalya and Gazipasa.  Respectively, the Turkish Airlines TK code will be added to the following routes from Finnair’s Helsinki hub: Kuopio, Vaasa, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Reykjavik, Tallinn, Tartu, Riga, Vilnius, Antalya and Gazipasa.

“We are happy to be able to offer more options to our customers, as travel now starts to recover and our customers are again able to fulfil their travel dreams”, says Ole Orvér, Chief Commercial Officer, Finnair. “We also welcome Turkish Airlines’ customers to explore the beautiful Nordics through our extensive network of connections from Helsinki.”

“We are glad to expand our current interline cooperation in terms of this codeshare agreement with Finnair. With the introduction of joint flights on several destinations in Finland, Turkey and Baltics, Iceland, South Europe, North Africa and Middle East, passengers would enjoy more travel alternatives through the combined flights”, said Ahmet Bolat PhD., Turkish Airlines’ Chief Investment & Technology Officer.

Turkish Airlines flies to more countries and international destinations than any other airline in the world, and currently operates to more than 300 international passenger and cargo destinations in total, in 127 countries.

Further information:
Finnair Media Desk, +358 9 818 4020, comms(a)finnair.com 
www.finnair.com, www.company.finnair.com 
www.twitter.com/Finnair
www.facebook.com/finnair
www.instagram.com/feelfinnair

www.youtube.com/finnair
Images: gallery.finnair.com  
Finnair blog: www.bluewings.finnair.com

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Namibia’s Hosea Kutako Airport Upgrade Is Nearing Completion

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Namibia Hosea Kutako Airport Upgrade is nearing completion. Airports Company (NAC) spokesperson Dan Kamati has announced that rehabilitation work will be finished shortly. This, according to sources, will give the country’s tourism business a new face.

The country’s main international airport is Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital.

According to Xinhua, Kamati stated that the true completion date for the congestion reduction project is September 30, 2021. According to a NAC spokeswoman, the country’s major airport is being expanded to match international standards set by other airport terminals worldwide. He said that the airport extension will help improve the country’s image among visitors at a time when tourism is suffering because of the COVID epidemic.

According to the Nambian, the Hosea Kutako Airport Upgrade will include specialised equipment such as luggage handling and baggage claims and will be authorised and operationalised by the end of next month. The proposal also involves developing terminal facilities for domestic, VIP, and VVIP planes. Nexus Contractors is working on this project with other 100% Namibian-owned subcontracting and consulting firms.

The NAC has contributed around N$95 million to the construction budget, with the remainder coming from the national government. The project aimed to triple the airport’s processing capacity in order to manage growing passenger volume. An extra 18 check-in desks and five self-service check-in kiosks will be installed, as will departure security checkpoint stations and baggage reclamation facilities.

According to the Namibian, the project also includes expanding the departure lounge and increasing the number of departure immigration offices from three to seven to handle increased passenger traffic at the airport. Arrivals will benefit from a redesigned departure lounge with more moving room and 17 immigration desks, up from the existing eight.

The baggage reclaims corridor will be extended, and three additional conveyor belts will be added, increasing the total number of conveyor belts to five. According to Dan Kamati, nearly four airlines have expressed interest in restarting flights to Windhoek.

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Gozo air link pledge welcomed by local tourism association

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The Gozo Tourism Association welcomes the Prime Minister’s pledge to create an air link service between Gozo and Malta. (21 Sept 2021)

Gozo’s tourism operators have welcomed Prime Minister Robert Abela’s pledge to have an air link between Gozo and Malta.

The Gozo Tourism Association said on Monday that “one of its connectivity measures proposed along the years is on course to be realised”.

The association welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment, including the promise that no agricultural land will be taken up to create an airstrip.

On Saturday, Abela told a session of the Labour Party’s general conference in Għajnsielem his government was committed to set up an air link between the islands. He added the development will not only mean better accessibility but also help create niche economic sectors in Gozo linked to aviation such as pilot training and drone research.

The GTA agreed that an air link could serve as a catalyst for new economic activities.

It also welcomed Abela’s commitment to have a new fourth Gozo Channel vessel, which will be more environment friendly.

“These are all significant steps towards inter island connectivity… An all year round island tourist destination, like Gozo, can only be saleable if there are reliable, consistent, effective and cost sensitive types of connectivity from and to the mainland and from the outside world,” the GTA said.

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Emirates launches an airline virtual reality application

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Emirates is claiming a first with the launch of an airline virtual reality application on the Oculus store.

The app enables prospective passengers to view facilities such as the first class product, onboard lounge, the wider cabin and explore the cockpit.

The content can be viewed via the Emirates website, mobile app and most recently via an Oculus Rift device.

According to an Emirates’ spokesperson the carrier has continued to invest in its virtual reality experience which started in 2018 with the carrier launching its first VR efforts.

“This initiative expands our global reach and ability to engage with our audiences across digital platforms. It is also particularly relevant right now, as many people have not travelled for a while due to the pandemic, and are seeking inspiration and researching and rediscovering their flight options.”

The technology was developed in partnership with Renacen and there are plans to update the content to include the airline’s Premium Economy cabin as well as its latest A380 interiors.

Customers can also view and select seats via a 3D seat map prior to check in using any VR headset such as Google Cardboard.

Emirates also plans to enable customers to explore destinations and book and pay for their flight from within the Oculus VR app. 

Diego Cachero, chief executive of Spain-based Renacen, says the development “positions and differentiates us internationally as leaders in 3D and VR development, both for web and heavy applications.”

Carriers have tested different virtual and augmented reality applications in recent years with Virgin Atlantic partnering with Sita to use VR for crew training while Air New Zealand launched an AR experience for travel inspiration. 

British Airways and Qantas have both trialled the technology for the inflight experience.

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Eurowings opens base in Sweden

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September 17, 2021 Germany’s largest and most popular vacation carrier to take off from first major Scandinavian location as of March 2022.

  • Lufthansa Group subsidiary will operate five Airbus A320 aircraft from Stockholm and add 150 crew members for the start-up 
  • Eurowings set to be the new Swedish business and vacation airline / operations will launch in March 2022
  • It will start with 20 low-cost direct flights to major European cities like Berlin, Barcelona, and Rome, as well as many holiday destinations like Palma de Mallorca
  • Eurowings CEO Jens Bischof: “We will attract many Swedish vacationers and business travelers with our cutting-edge services.”

 

Eurowings is further developing its European network to Scandinavia with the opening of its new location in Stockholm. The popular German airline is offering new services in Scandinavia and will initially station five Airbus A320 aircraft in Stockholm by March 2022. This will be the eleventh Eurowings base of operations in Europe and the fifth outside its home market of Germany after Palma de Mallorca, Prague, Pristina, and Salzburg.

For the first time, the Lufthansa Group value carrier will offer attractive direct connections from Scandinavia to business and vacation destinations throughout Europe. With its increased presence in the Nordics, Eurowings will not only provide better connections to and from Sweden, but especially flights to popular beach destinations in Southern Europe for Swedish customers. The latest Eurowings base at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport also brings hundreds of new jobs to the region and – in what is hopefully the final phase of the Corona pandemic – an important stimulus for employment in the Scandinavian aviation market.

Eurowings CEO Jens Bischof: “Sweden is a market that fits perfectly with our goal to be the number one European value carrier. Since the pandemic, many travelers are no longer looking first for the cheapest ticket, but for an airline they can unconditionally trust in terms of safety, reliability, and social responsibility. With our Lufthansa DNA – for example an attractive network of low-cost direct flights and an unmatched customer service – we can offer just that.”

In July 2021, Eurowings was again the most punctual airline in Europe and just recently was awarded triple gold at the German Customer Award presentations: best customer service, best customer satisfaction and best value for money. “We have done our homework and responded quickly to new customer needs and requests and used the crisis to make necessary changes in all areas,” Bischof emphasizes. “It is why Eurowings is more competitive today than ever before. With our consistent value-for-money approach, we are convinced we will soon also attract many Swedish vacationers and business travelers with our cutting-edge services.”

Eurowings flies from Stockholm to 20 European locations for the first time starting on 27 March, 2022. The first published routes to and from Stockholm include popular Southern European sun destinations: Palma de Mallorca, Alicante and Malaga in Spain, Faro in Portugal, and Nice in Southern France. Other attractive destinations Eurowings will initially fly to include Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Copenhagen, Birmingham, Gdansk, and Pristina. Further destinations will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets can be booked shortly via eurowings.com and the Eurowings app. Tickets are already available for booking starting at SEK 299 (29.99 euros) for a one-way flight.

Cologne-based Eurowings combines Lufthansa’s DNA with a value-for-money concept and innovative customer services: an industry-leading health and hygiene concept and the option of booking free middle seats in the rear rows of the aircraft for as little as ten euros  for comfort or hygienic reasons. This option alone has already been sold over 50,000 times in a short period and is a bestseller among Eurowings customers.

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American Airlines and GOL to Form an Exclusive Partnership

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September 16, 2021, FORT WORTH, Texas — Today, American Airlines announced that it has entered into a letter of intent to further solidify its partnership with GOL, Brazil’s largest airline. Building on the two carriers’ initial codeshare offering in 2020, the expanded partnership includes an exclusive codeshare agreement, a larger and more lucrative joint SMILES and AAdvantage® loyalty program partnership. It also expects to increase commercial cooperation with GOL to accelerate growth and create a more seamless experience for all customers.

“American has long been the leading U.S. carrier to South America and our stronger partnership with GOL solidifies that leadership position,” said Robert Isom, President of American Airlines. “Our long-haul network marries seamlessly with GOL’s strong domestic network in Brazil. Together, we will be able to offer customers flying to, through and from Brazil, access to the largest network with the lowest fares and the Americas’ biggest and best joint travel loyalty program.”

Exclusive Codeshare between the U.S. and Brazil

GOL will become American’s sole codeshare partner in Brazil and American will become GOL’s sole codeshare partner in the U.S. On their combined networks, customers can travel to more than 30 destinations served by American in the U.S. and more than 20 new destinations in South America served by GOL.

“This codeshare agreement between two of the leading airlines in the Americas combines our highly complementary route networks to offer customers a seamless travel experience with the largest number of flights and destinations in North and South America,” said GOL CEO Paulo Kakinoff. “We believe that this will bolster GOL’s presence in international markets, accelerate our long-term growth, and maximize value for our shareholders. It adds to our confidence in GOL’s growth as the economy reopens and travel demand increases.”

American has served Latin America since 1942 and offers service to 17 destinations in South America, including Sao Paulo (GRU) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG) in Brazil, from its U.S. hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA) and New York (JFK). American has flown more than 14 million customers between the U.S. and Brazil in the last 10 years – more than twice as many as any other U.S. carrier. GOL serves 63 destinations in Brazil and is the country’s largest airline.

Enhanced Joint Loyalty Offering

The largest network in the Americas will also be the most rewarding for travelers. In 2022, GOL’s SMILES and American’s AAdvantage loyalty members will gain access to their elite benefits such as priority check-in, priority security, priority boarding, a larger checked baggage allowance, lounge access and preferred seats on both airlines. The two airlines also expect to offer an enhanced joint loyalty offering to give customers more ways to earn and redeem miles.

Commercial Cooperation

The strengthened relationship will also allow for further commercial cooperation in areas such as purchasing, sales tools and systems integrations, as allowed by regulatory and contractual limitations. American will have the right to appoint one member to GOL’s board of directors, who, in addition to other duties, will be granted membership and participation on GOL’s Alliance Committee and any other board committees related to the operational partnership between GOL and American.

American will invest US$200 million in 22.2 million newly issued preferred shares of GOL in a capital increase, for a 5.2% participation in the Company’s economic interest. The completion of the agreements described in this press release, including the proposed equity investment are subject to conditions, including the negotiation, execution and delivery of definitive documentation, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

About American Airlines Group
American’s purpose is to care for people on life’s journey. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

About GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
GOL is Brazil’s largest airline, leader in the corporate and leisure segments. Since its founding in 2001, it has been the airline with the lowest unit cost in Latin America, which has enabled the democratization of air transportation. The Company has a strategic alliance with American Airlines and Air France-KLM, in addition to making available to Customers many codeshare and interline agreements, bringing more convenience and ease of connections to any place served by these partnerships. With the purpose of “Being First for Everyone”, GOL offers the best travel experience to its passengers, including: the largest inventory of seats and the most legroom; the most complete platform with internet, movies and live TV; and the best loyalty program, SMILES. In cargo transportation, GOLLOG delivers parcels to various regions in Brazil and abroad. The Company has a team of 15,000 highly qualified airline professionals focused on Safety, GOL’s number one value, and operates a standardized fleet of 127 Boeing 737 aircraft. GOL’s shares are traded on the NYSE (GOL) and the B3 (GOLL4). For further information, visit www.voegol.com.br/ir.

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LATAM Expands Exciting Qantas Codeshare Agreement 2025

LATAM plans to resume flights to Mendoza

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Argentina:

After the Argentine government confirmed the authorization of Mendoza’s El Plumerillo International Airport as a «safe corridor», LATAM Airlines confirmed to Aviacionline that it has requested authorization to resume operations from Santiago de Chile and Sao Paulo.

The intention is to restart flights from October 18, in both cases with three weekly frequencies, subject to government approval.

Mendoza was the first Argentine airport (besides Buenos Aires) to be authorized to receive scheduled passenger flights as of March 2020. Today Aerolíneas Argentinas also announced that it will fly from Mendoza to Santiago de Chile.

This puts an end to the unequal situation experienced by passengers from the provinces, who had to travel via Buenos Aires to enter or leave Argentina, since the land crossings are not enabled either.

Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, Mendoza was connected to Panama City (one daily flight by Copa Airlines), Lima (one daily flight by LATAM), Santiago de Chile (10 weekly flights by LATAM and four by SKY) and Sao Paulo-Guarulhos (two weekly flights by LATAM and two by GOL).

Spotted in www.aviacionline.com

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Qatar airways plans to resume non-stop flights to the capital of Bulgaria from Doha later this year

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September 14, 2021 – Qatar Airways marked a milestone in its history with Bulgaria, celebrating 10 successful years since its first flight between Doha and Sofia Airport (SOF) on 14 September 2011.

The service is currently operated by Qatar Airways’ modern Airbus A320 featuring 12 seats in Business Class offering the luxurious 79-inch long, 21-inch wide 180° lie-flat bed, and 120 seats in Economy Class. All benefit from the famous Oryx One on-demand in-flight entertainment system.“It is a testament to both strong demand and our deep commitment to the country, that we are set to recommence direct flights between Doha and Sofia, from December this year.”

Current Sofia Flight Schedule: 7x per week (local timings)

Doha (DOH) to Sofia (SOF) QR 395 departs: 08:30 arrives: 15:35 (one stop in Bucharest for one hour)

Sofia (SOF) to Doha (DOH) QR 396 departs: 16:35 arrives: 23:15 (one stop in Bucharest for one hour)

 

Sofia Flight Schedule From 16 December: 4x per week non-stop (subject to confirmation)

Doha (DOH) to Sofia (SOF) QR 227 departs: 07:30 arrives: 11:35 non-stop

Sofia (SOF) to Doha (DOH) QR 228 departs: 12:35 arrives: 18:15 non-stop

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KLM prepares for countries introducing vaccination obligation

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September 14, 2021

Starting 14 September, KLM is requesting that all KLM flight personnel who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 and who cannot, therefore, meet the entry requirements set by certain countries, report their vaccination status to KLM Health Services. KLM Health Services will register this as a travel restriction, so that unvaccinated crew are not deployed to destinations with entry requirements which they cannot meet. This is in line with standard KLM procedures for crew members who have travel restrictions for personal, visa or health reasons. Managers do not have access to the reasons behind a travel restriction.

From the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, KLM worked hard to maintain its global network as much as possible. This meant that customers were able to make (necessary) journeys and cargo flights, including shipments of medical supplies and vaccines, could continue. We now want to carry on offering our customers as many destinations as possible.

In a constantly changing world, we are seeing that more and more countries are making it obligatory for aircrews to be vaccinated, or are considering such a move. Trinidad & Tobago is introducing a vaccination obligation for aircrews on 16 October. Canada and other countries have also indicated that they are considering introducing a vaccination obligation for aircrews soon. Moreover, an increasing number of the hotels where our crews stay now expect to be shown proof of vaccination.

We expect more countries to introduce a vaccination obligation in the near future, which means we will be unable to deploy unvaccinated crew to these destinations. This may also apply to routes over countries that have a vaccination obligation for aircrews. This is due to strict flight safety requirements, which demand that it is always possible for a flight to change course and land in an emergency. For the time being, KLM will do its best to deploy crew with travel restrictions on flights to destinations that do not have entry requirements. But, as the number of countries with a vaccination obligation grows, so too will the associated operational complications for KLM.

KLM will not compel its staff to receive a Covid-19 vaccination. This remains an employee’s personal choice. However, KLM does need to know which employees cannot meet certain entry requirements and who, consequently, cannot be deployed to all our destinations. Employees to whom this applies have been asked to report to KLM Health Services, who will communicate the travel restriction to the KLM planning department.

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Uganda Airlines Boosts Local and International Flight Connections 2024

airBaltic charts course for recovery as restrictions loosen

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airBaltic carried 280,800 passengers in August 2021, 104 % more than during the same period last year.

The figure is also up by a third on the number for July. The Latvian carrier performed 3,070 flights last month, as the recovery from Covid-19 continued.

Martin Gauss, chief executive of airBaltic, explained: “With each passing month we see that the demand for travel continues to grow.

“With the help of eased travel restrictions and attractive leisure destinations, we have showed a strong performance this summer.

During August, the 15-minute flight punctuality indicator for airBaltic reached a level of 79 per cent.  This means that more than 78 out of every 100 airBaltic flights departed at the planned time or with a delay of no more than 15 minutes.

Currently airBaltic offers more than 70 direct destinations from Riga, including seven destinations in Italy, seven destinations in Greece and six destinations in Spain in addition to many other leisure destinations.

airBaltic launched direct flights between Riga and sunny Tenerife (Spain) on September 4th and plans to commence daily flights to Dubai (United Arab Emirates) on September 27th.

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New airline replaces Alitalia and starts October 15 – ITA

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The new airline being created to replace the long financially ailing Alitalia will take off on Oct. 15 with its first flights.

Alitalia stopped selling tickets for flights after 15 October as ITA moves closer to take-off.

Italia Trasporto Aereo is scheduled to launch on 15 October, having obtained its operating licence from the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC last week.

At midnight last night, 24 August, Alitalia ceased selling tickets for flights departing after 15 October, the day ITA takes to the skies.

In a statement, the ministry said the new company, ITA, will be fully operating on that date, following the positive outcome of discussions with the European Union’s executive commission. Alitalia’s last flights apparently will operate on Oct. 14.

EU competition officials expressed concerns for years that the Italian government’s financial support for Alitalia violated the bloc’s rules.

“The discussion with the European Commission has permitted to arrive at a constructive and balanced solution that guarantees the necessary discontinuity in respect to European rules,″ the ministry said.

ITA stands for Italia Trasporto Aereo, or Italy Air Transport. But precisely what name or logo will be on the new airline’s planes is still unclear. There will be public bidding for the brand “Alitalia,” which ITA said it will compete for.

The deal to create the new airline calls for slashing the number of slots, especially at Rome’s main, Leonardo da Vinci airport. Milan’s Linate Airport, popular with business travelers since it is close to Italy’s financial and fashion industry capital, will also see some slots reduced.

Among its routes, ITA said it plans to operate flights to New York from Milan and Rome, and to Tokyo Boston and Miami from Rome. Destinations from Rome and Milan’s Linate airport will include Paris, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Geneva.

Italian news agency LaPresse, quoting a statement from ITA, reported that ITA’s board on Thursday approved an industrial plan for the new company starting this year and running through 2025.

ITA, according to its statement, plans to operate a fleet of seven wide-body and 45 narrow-body aircraft at the start and to add 26 more planes later this year. By the end of 2025, ITA aims for a fleet of as many as 105 aircraft.

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PLAY Airlines unveils exciting schedule through 2026

KLM flies travellers to Canada again

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07 September 2021
KLM flies to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal several times a week. KLM also operates an even larger network in Canada in collaboration with its partner Westjet. Vaccinated travellers who have a negative PCR test result will be able to make use of this service again starting Tuesday 7 September, when they can once again fly to Canada.

Pieter Elbers, President and Chief Executive Officer, KLM: “We are delighted that the Canadian government is setting a good example by allowing vaccinated people to travel again. Thanks to its decision to ease restrictions, we can once again do what we do best: connect people and give them an unforgettable experience. Our customers can now reunite with their families in Canada, or do business face-to-face. Being able to fly passengers to our various Canadian destinations is an important milestone and another step on the road to recovery. We hope that travel restrictions to and from the US will also be lifted soon.”

KLM: strict hygiene standards, flexible booking and outstanding customer ratings

KLM is committed to flying passengers to their destinations as safely as possible. KLM maintains the highest possible hygiene standards before, during and after the flight. Its efforts have been recognised with the APEX Diamond Award, making KLM one of the leading airlines in terms of hygiene and health safety. KLM offers its customers maximum flexibility when it comes to booking, rescheduling or cancelling their trip and has retained its five-star APEX status based on global passenger service and product ratings.

Canadian network

KLM is offering the following flights to destinations in Canada in September:

Destination

Days of the week

Times

Vancouver

Tue/Thu/Fri/Sat

departure 11:15 arrival 12:05

Toronto

Daily

departure 10:50 arrival 12:45

Montreal

Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun

departure 15:20 arrival 16:50

Calgary

Daily

departure 12:10/12:25 arrival 13:15/13:30

Edmonton (via Calgary)

Thu/Sat

departure 12:10 arrival 16:15

source: KLM

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Lufthansa – mobile check-in possible again on many flights

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Mobile check-in possible again on many flights with Lufthansa

  • EU vaccination certificates now digitally verifiable
  • Automatic issuance of boarding pass now possible on all weekly 2000 flights from non-risk areas of the Schengen area

Lufthansa is once again offering its passengers a more convenient check-in process. On all 2000 weekly flights from non-risk areas of the Schengen area (currently from Spain, Italy or Sweden, for example) to Germany, travelers can once again have their boarding pass issued directly on their smartphone when checking in. This is made possible by the automatic and digital verification of EU vaccination certificates, which prove full vaccination protection, and Covid-19 test results from the Centogene laboratory.

During mobile check-in, the QR codes of the paper certificates can now be scanned and thus checked quickly and conveniently. This means that the digital boarding pass can be issued and an additional document check at the check-in counter at the airport is no longer necessary.

But the same applies to many other flights: anyone who is concerned that they do not have the right certificates for the trip can have them checked by a Lufthansa Service Center up to 72 hours before departure. These can be proof of tests, a survived Covid-19 disease and vaccinations. Confirmations of digital entry applications can also be checked in this way. Thanks to new digital solutions, the check is now partly automatic and therefore much faster, also at the Service Center.

The airline advises its guests that in addition to the digital proof, the printed original certificates must still be carried on the trip until further notice.

Which documents must be carried and where Covid-19 tests can also be made for the return journey can be read here lufthansa.travel-regulations.com.

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Qatar Airways – Strong in Africa, restarting routes to Ghana, Egypt and two New Gateways in Africa- Lusaka and Harare

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Lusaka and Harare Now Boarding – Qatar Airways Debuts Two New Gateways in Africa

The award-winning airline now operates to 27 cities in Africa, including six new destinations introduced during the COVID pandemic, further consolidating its strong network position on the continent among other international airlines

Passengers can enjoy greater travel options to the widest global network operated by any airline based in the region, via Hamad International Airport, the Best Airport in the Middle East

DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways enhanced its presence in Southern Africa with the launch of a new linked service between Doha and Lusaka, Zambia and Harare, Zimbabwe. To mark this milestone, the new linked service was inaugurated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 featuring 36 seats in the award-winning Qsuite Business Class and 247 seats in Economy Class.

Qatar Airways now operates to Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN). The country’s largest city and commercial centre, Lusaka is the gateway to experiencing Zambia’s legendary tourist attractions from the Victoria Falls which it shares with Zimbabwe, to game reserves and a variety of wildlife. Meanwhile, Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, will be served via Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (HRE) is also a destination with rich culture, World Heritage–listed archaeological sites, and diverse natural landscapes. The aircraft was greeted in Lusaka and Harare by traditional water cannon salutes upon arrival.

The airline has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic having significantly grown its network by adding four routes to Accra, Abidjan, Abuja, Luanda and restarting services to Alexandria, Cairo and Khartoum bringing its footprint to 27 destinations in 21 countries. Earlier this month, Qatar Airways also signed an interline agreement with RwandAir giving customers greater access to the combined networks of both airlines.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We have ambitious plans for Africa which is one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world, with rising consumer demand and an abundance of natural resources. We see enormous potential in not just outbound travel from Zimbabwe and Zambia, but also inbound traffic from India, UK, and Americas. We look forward to strengthen trade and tourism links between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and destinations on the Qatar Airways network, and steadily grow these routes to support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”

Businesses and traders will also benefit from the airline’s cargo offering, allowing more than 30 tonnes of cargo capacity per week, each way to support the two countries’ exports such as vegetables and flowers to destinations on the Qatar Airways network such as London, Frankfurt and New York and multiple points in China.  Imports will consist of pharmaceuticals, automotive and technology equipment.

Customers can look forward to the quintessential on-board hospitality from Qatar Airways’ cosmopolitan cabin crew, including Zambian and Zimbabwean nationals, and a generous baggage allowances ranging from 46 Kg for Economy Class split over two pieces and 64 Kg split over two pieces in Business Class. For more information, please visit https://www.qatarairways.com/en-qa/baggage/allowance.html

As travellers return to the skies with Qatar Airways, they can take comfort knowing that they are travelling with the only airline in the world that has, together with its state-of-the-art global hub Hamad International Airport, achieved four 5-Star Skytrax ratings – including the prestigious 5-Star Airline Rating, 5-Star Airport Rating, 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating and 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating.

For full details of all the measures that have been implemented on board and in HIA, please visit www.qatarairways.com/safety.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. Hamad International Airport was also recently announced as the “World’s Best Airport” in the Skytrax 2021 World Airport Awards.

Flight Schedule:

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (all times local)

Doha (DOH) to Lusaka (LUN) QR1455 departs: 02:20 arrives: 08:50

Lusaka (LUN) to Harare (HRE) QR1455 departs: 10:20 arrives: 11:20

Harare (HRE) to Lusaka (LUN) QR1456 departs: 18:55 arrives 19:55

Lusaka (LUN) to Doha (DOH) QR1456 departs: 21:25 arrive 05:55 (+1)

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MoU signed to grow Africa’s largest aviation hub

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Ethiopian Airlines Group, the Largest Aviation Group in Africa is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed a new passenger terminal at its hub Addis Ababa Bole International Airport with emphasis on Bio Security and Bio Safety measures.

The new terminal has check-in hall with sixty check-in counters, thirty self-check-in kiosks, ten self-bag drop/SBD/, sixteen immigration counters with more e-gate provisions, sixteen central security screening areas for departing passengers are the new faces of the airport. In addition, it has three contact gates for wide body aircraft along with ten remote contact gates with people mover – travellator, escalator, and panoramic lifts. It will house thirty-two arrival immigration counters with eight e-gate provisions at the mezzanine floor level.

Regarding the expanded infrastructure, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines remarked, “I am very pleased to witness the realization of a brand-new terminal at our Hub. While Addis Ababa Bole International Airport has overtaken Dubai to become the largest gateway to Africa last year, the new terminal will play a key role in cementing that position. What makes the new terminal unique is that it’s the first terminal in the world to be completed after Covid-19. It was designed, not re-purposed, with Bio safety and Bio security in mind.  I’m sure our esteemed customers will highly appreciate that. “

Aviation infrastructure expansion is one of the core pillars of Ethiopian’s Vision 2025. Ethiopian is continuously working on expanding airport facilities. The features of the new airport play a key role in protecting passengers’ and employees’ safety as airport experience becomes contactless.

About Ethiopian

Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the Pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to 127 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft. Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with Six business units: Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian ADD Hub Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services. Ethiopian is a multi-award-winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.

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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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