Oman beefs up fleet
May 23, 2013 by AFP
Filed under Aviation, Middle east, News
PARIS, 23 May 2013: Oman Air has placed an order for three long-haul Airbus aircraft, the European aerospace giant said on Wednesday.
The order for three A330-300 aircraft has a total catalogue value of US$718.2 million (555 million euros).
The aircraft, each with a capacity of nearly 300 passengers, will be used by Oman Air on long-haul routes, Airbus said.
Meals pre booked on Qantas
May 22, 2013 by e-NewsWire
Filed under Aviation, News
SYDNEY, 22 May 2013: Qantas has announced an extension of its Select on Q-Eat, allowing business customers travelling internationally to pre-order a celebrity chef-designed meal prior to flying.
From Thursday (flights departing 23 May), Qantas will extend Select on Q-Eat to flights from Singapore to Australia and flights between Australia, London and Dubai.
The extension is a result of a trial of Select on Q-Eat on flights from Los Angeles to Australia, which launched in September 2012 and on flights from Dallas to Brisbane in December 2012.
Business jets search for wings
GENEVA, 22 May 2013: Manufacturers of business jets can look forward to climbing sales in the years to come thanks to emerging markets as they gather in Switzerland for an annual air show, having survived the turbulence of the global financial crisis.
But “we’re still waiting for the real recovery,” noted Eric Trappier, chief executive of Dassault Aviation, which will have three versions of its luxurious Falcon jet on display on the tarmac at Geneva at the three-day EBACE show that opens Tuesday.
In 2012, the French company sold 58 jets compared to 36 the previous year, to take a 17% market share according to analysts at the Teal Group aviation consultancy.
Croatia back in the air
ZAGREB, 22 May 2013: Croatia Airlines cabin crew on Tuesday ended their eight-day strike after agreeing to new contracts, including salary cuts, in a move to re-establish the loss-making airline’s flight schedule.
“Flights scheduled on Wednesday will be operated according to regular timetable,” Croatia Airlines said on its website.
Union leader Ivana Lojo said cabin crew employees had accepted nine percent salary cuts, less than that initially sought by management, state-run HINA news agency reported.
TG adds services in low season
May 21, 2013 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under Aviation, News
BANGKOK, 21 May 2013: THAI Airways International has increased flights in response to rising tourist traffic during what was always the traditional off peak months for tourism to Thailand.
THAI president, Sorajak Kasemsuvan, said according to the airline summer traffic programme THAI has adjusted its flight schedules to meet higher traffic demand evident in advance bookings, 31 March to 26 October.
According to the latest adjustments, 1 July to 18 August, TG952/953 routed Bangkok-Copenhagen-Phuket-Bangkok will be rerouted Bangkok-Copenhagen, but will increase from two flights weekly to daily using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
UA Dreamliners back in the skies
NEW YORK, 21 May 2013: United Airlines resumed Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights Monday after the advanced plane was globally grounded four months ago due to overheated battery incidents.
United, the only US carrier that owns the high-tech jetliner, relaunched 787 passenger service with a flight from the airline’s hub in Houston, Texas, to Chicago, where Boeing is based, United said in a statement.
The biggest US airline, owner of six 787s, also announced it expected to take delivery of two more Dreamliners in the second half of 2013.
Ryanair’s profits rise
DUBLIN, 21 May 2013: Irish no-frills airline Ryanair said Monday that annual profits rose slightly last year, aided by higher revenues, and hiked its traffic forecast for the current financial year.
Earnings after taxation grew 1.5% to 569.3 million euros (US$731.2 million) in the 12 months to the end of March, the Dublin-based carrier said in a results statement.
That marked a record high, according to Ryanair, and compared with net profit of 560.4 million euros in 2011 to 2012.
Hot-air balloons collide
ISTANBUL, 21 May 2013: Three Brazilian tourists died Monday and 22 other people were hurt after two hot-air balloons collided in a beauty spot in central Turkey, officials said.
The accident occurred over Cappadocia’s sculpted rock formations when one balloon’s basket ripped another’s envelope in mid-air, the governor of Nevsehir province, Abdurrahman Savas, told Anatolia news agency.
“The lower balloon was torn and fell quickly,” he said, citing witness accounts.
AoT airports make gains
May 20, 2013 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under Aviation, News
BANGKOK, 20 May 2013: Airports of Thailand reports April data showed increases in both aircraft movements and passenger traffic at six airports under its management.
AoT released details, late last week, revealing improvements in aircraft movements of 13.72%. Flights increased from 41,295 to 46,962. The entire system handled 1 million more passengers than in April last year. It represented a 15.87% increase in passenger traffic up from 6,334,758 to 7,340,021 for all airports.
It is indicative of the passenger traffic boom mainly from Asian airports. AoT is now playing catch up as traffic growth begins to put pressure on capacity and facilities at Suvarnabhumi (April: 4.3 million passenger traffic) and Phuket airports (900,000).
TripIt Pro tracks the best seats
May 20, 2013 by PRnewswire
Filed under Aviation, News
SAN FRANCISCO, 20 May 2013: TripIt, a mobile trip organiser from Concur , now features Seat Tracker, which alerts travellers when a better seat may be available on their flight. With Seat Tracker, flyers can define their preferred seats and be the first to know when the seat they want can be claimed.
TripIt Pro, Seat Tracker helps travellers to get their preferred seats by the following features:
• Pick window, aisle or either;
