Etihad Airways Launches Cheap Flight Price For Summer Family Fares

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, will match the First or Business Class fare of any other airline over the summer months for families flying together on almost all of the routes it operates from the UAE.

The Family Fares promotion, which is launched on Thursday, June 2nd, will also see twenty percent discounts offered to families making outbound journeys in all classes – including Economy – from Abu Dhabi before June 24, and returning before September 15.

A minimum of two family members must fly together to take advantage of the deal, one of whom must be an adult.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Etihad Airways is committed to offering our Guests the very best quality service at the right price – unbeatable value. We are always looking for ways to tailor our product to guests’ needs. The summer months are an extremely popular time for families to fly together, and we are happy to be able to offer them a deal with the Family Fares promotion that potentially reduces the expense of a holiday.”

Under the Family Fares promotion, Etihad Airways will only match the published ticket price of airlines which operate non-stop to destinations served by the Abu Dhabi-based carrier.

Etihad currently serves 68 destinations in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region.

Air France Start Daily Flight Paris to Washington D.C. With Airbus A380 in June

Washington D.C. will get its first Airbus A380 service on June 6 when Air France starts daily flights between Paris and Washington Dulles International Airport.

The Air France flights, using a brand-new, 516-seat A380, will feature four classes. The aircraft will be configured with nine seats in La Première (first class); 80 seats in Affaires-Business (business class); 38 seats in Premium Voyageur (premium economy); and 389 seats in the A380?s Voyageur (economy-class) cabin. There are more seats in the economy cabin alone than in most long-haul intercontinental aircraft.

Air France’s Premium Voyageur – located between Business and Economy – offers passengers 40 per cent more space than does Voyageur. Premium Voyageur provides fixed-shell seating for privacy, a 19-inch wide seat that reclines to 123 degrees, a 39.8-inch seat pitch, noise-canceling headsets, 10.4-inch screens, a PC outlet and a business-class amenity kit. Passengers also have priority check-in and boarding.

Premium Voyageur, not yet on the Air France A380 serving New York JFK, offers business travelers who are not allowed to travel in Affaires-Business some business-class amenities nevertheless. Air France now offers its Premium Voyageur cabin on most of its long-haul aircraft, including its Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s and A340s.

The new A380 will also feature Air France’s new business class. Debuting throughout 2011 on other aircraft, the carrier’s new Affaires-Business cabin offers improved lie-flat seats; better connectivity, with USB ports and power; a new subdued, cabin ambience and more dining choices.

Washington will be Air France’s fifth A380 destination from Paris, It currently serves New York JFK, Tokyo and Johannesburg, and will be starting A380 service to Montreal on April 22. The carrier currently operates four Airbus A380s and is taking delivery of two more for the new Washington and Montreal flights.

Because the Airbus A380 seats so many more passengers than other long-haul aircraft, Air France will rationalize its capacity on its Washington D.C. and Montreal routes with the entry of the new airliner. Weekly frequencies between Paris and Montreal will decrease from 28 to 20 when the A380 starts services in April, and Washington frequencies will drop from 21 to 14 beginning June 6.

Washington Dulles is ready for service by the large-capacity, according to officials of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). The airport authority needed to design special jetbridges for the large, double-decker aircraft, install a new hydrant fuel pit for its refueling, and modify some taxiways, including relocating some lights and signs. The airport’s runways were long enough and strong enough for the plane.

An official for the MWAA said that when the airport’s underground Aero Train system was built to carry travelers between terminals, the structure of the tunnels was made strong enough so that no tunnel modifications would be necessary in order for them to bear the A380?s high weight.

Air France will use two adjacent gates for the A380 in the A concourse at Dulles – with gate A20 to be used for boarding lower-deck passengers and A22 for upper-deck passengers.

A test run of the A380-800 at Dulles was performed in March 2007, when Lufthansa brought the A380 to the airport during a series of route-proving flights. Lufthansa doesn’t currently operate the A380 to Washington.

Substantially larger than the Boeing 747-400, the four-engine, wide-body A380 is 239 feet long, 80 feet high and has a wingspan of 262 feet. Inside, the cabin is 164 feet long on the main deck, 147 feet long on the upper deck.

The A380 first went into service in October 2007 with Singapore Airlines. Besides Air France and Lufthansa, it also is operated by Emirates and Qantas. Korean Air is scheduled to begin operating the A380 this year.

New Arrivals Terminal at Doha International Airport Close to Completion

Doha International Airport (DIA) is preparing to open its brand new Doha Arrivals terminal as the country’s only international airport expands to receive an increasing number of visitors to the State of Qatar.

The new Doha Arrivals terminal is a separate stand-alone facility to DIA’s current Main terminal and will handle all airport passengers arriving into the country.

Residents in Qatar will be familiar with the location of the Doha Arrivals terminal as the site of the temporary terminal erected for the Doha Asian Games in 2006, across the road from Qatar Airways’ Premium Sales office. The new facility is situated on C-Ring Road between VIP roundabout and Ras Aboud flyover and is designed to greatly enhance the arrival experience for people entering Qatar.

The Doha Arrivals terminal forms part of a multi-million dollar DIA re-development plan that will enable the airport to continue its efficient operation as it prepares for the opening of the New Doha International Airport, scheduled for 2012.

Features of the new Doha Arrivals terminal include an increased number of baggage belts, more immigration counters, Duty Free retail shopping, bus and taxi stands, and an enlarged meet and greet waiting area for those receiving passengers at the airport.

Frequent shuttle buses will provide passengers who have parked their vehicles at the Main Terminal – which will be renamed the Departure and Transfer terminal – with transport from the Doha Arrivals terminal on their return.

Soon after the new Doha Arrivals terminal becomes operational, work will begin on reconfiguring the existing arrivals terminal into an expanded Departure and Transfer terminal which will accommodate increasing passenger flows. The additional work will take several months to complete.

Doha International Airport is managed and operated by Qatar Airways, the national airline of the State of Qatar.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the changes were aimed at enhancing customer experience ahead of the opening of the New Doha International Airport.

“Over the next few days, Doha International Airport and Qatar Airways will be providing more information on the new facilities to ensure passengers are fully aware of the significant changes taking place,” said Al Baker.

“It was imperative for the continued development of Qatar that the existing airport infrastructure was expanded. The new Doha Arrivals terminal is the latest step in the infrastructure improvements to handle the influx of passengers through the airport.

“We are eagerly awaiting the opening of the New Doha International Airport in 2012, which will provide an even better facility for the people of Qatar and for international travellers flying on Qatar Airways and other airlines.”

Qatar’s only international airport has received several upgrades since November 2006 when Qatar Airways’ exclusive Premium Terminal for First and Business Class passengers opened, and has subsequently seen the expansion of the airport’s Eastern Apron, including increased aircraft parking space, a dual carriageway perimeter road to the Main terminal, and the establishment of a new Satellite Transfer terminal.

In 2008, the main airport terminal was also upgraded with extra boarding gates added to accommodate the increased number of flights departing from Doha. Last year, the Premium Terminal was extended to provide additional space for the growth of the number of First and Business Class passengers flying with Qatar Airways.

Singapore Air A380 Delivery Delayed After Koito Industries Failed to Deliver Seats on Time

Singapore Air’s A380, configured to carry 471 passengers, is fitted with 60 business-class seats on the second level of the double-decker aircraft, according to its website

Singapore Airlines Ltd., the first carrier to fly the Airbus SAS A380 commercially, said the introduction of its 12th superjumbo has been delayed after Koito Industries Ltd. failed to deliver seats on time.

Singapore Airlines Ltd., the world’s second-largest carrier by market value, said the introduction of its 12th Airbus SAS A380 has been delayed after Koito Industries Ltd. failed to deliver business-class seats on time.

The plane had been due for delivery this quarter and “has been delayed as a result of the issues that Koito has faced,” Nicholas Ionides, a spokesman for the carrier, said in an e-mail reply to Bloomberg queries. He said the delay isn’t affecting the airline’s current operations and he expects the plane to arrive before the end of March.

The postponement is the second time Singapore Air has pushed back introduction of an A380 because of late Koito seat deliveries. Rivals All Nippon Airways Co., Continental Airlines Inc. and Thai Airways International Pcl have also suffered delays after Koito in February admitted it falsified test results and made unauthorized design changes to its seats for at least a decade.

“We are working closely with Airbus, Koito and the relevant regulatory authorities and expect the issues to be resolved soon,” Ionides said in the e-mail.

Koito Industries spokesman Hidetsugu Matsudaira had no comment on the Singapore Air statement.

Koito rose 3.5 percent to 150 yen at the 3 p.m. close of Tokyo trading. Parent Koito Manufacturing Co., part-owned by Toyota Motor Corp., advanced 0.2 percent to 1,270 yen. Singapore Air fell 0.6 percent to S$15.70 at the 5 p.m. close in Singapore trading.

Seat Glitch

Singapore Air’s A380, configured to carry 471 passengers, is fitted with 60 business-class seats on the second level of the double-decker aircraft, according to its website. The carrier received its 11th superjumbo in July, six months late because of the seat glitch.

The airline plans to operate its 12th A380 between Singapore and Los Angeles, via Narita, Japan, when it’s delivered, Ionides said today. The aircraft will replace the Boeing Co. 747-400 currently used on the route.

Koito said in April it would stop taking orders for plane seats for as long as three years to focus on maintenance, including checking about 1,000 commercial planes in which its seats are installed. The Yokohama-based seat manufacturer paid 3.6 billion yen ($43 million) in compensation in the year ended in March and expects to pay another 3.3 billion yen this fiscal year.

Thai Airways, Thailand’s largest carrier, said in October it’s seeking as much as $180 million in compensation from the seatmaker.

Koito also makes business-class seats for Singapore Air’s Airbus A340-500s, as well as first-class seats for its Boeing Co. 777-300ERs, according to Ionides.

Jet Airways to Start Daily Non-Stop Flights From Delhi to Milan

Jet Airways will commence daily non-stop flights from New Delhi to Milan from December 5, the airline said.

The service on the India-Italy route will make Milan the 24th international destination on Jet Airways network, it said.

The airline will operate the new service by using Airbus 330-200 aircraft. Configured in two classes, there will be 30 seats in Première (Business Class) and 190 seats in Economy Class.

Shares of the company gained Rs 10.75, or 1.33%, to trade at Rs 818.10. The total volume of shares traded was 94,518 at the BSE (10.31 a.m., Friday).

Qatar Airways Adds Business Class Nonstop Flight Phuket to Thailand Flight Routes

Qatar Airways will expand and strengthen their first and business class offering with the addition of Phuket to the airlines Thailand routes. This non-stop flight will be the third for Qatar Airways from Doha. The flight will travel to Bangkok and extend from the capital to Vietnam.

This is a huge advance for Qatar, which will see the airline step forward and attempt to contend with Middle Eastern airlines and other giants offering first and business class flights like Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways. These airlines previously used Thailand as an establishing point for their services.

From October the Phuket routes will be phased into the already demanding and daily flights. The route will fly via Kuala Lumpur and will become the first airline in the Middle East to fly to the Thai island in the Southern part of the globe.

Flights in November will also alter, with flights from Bangkok beginning to take place. These flights will fly to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and will run regularly, four times a week.

Qatar airways is well established as a five-star airline that caters to the increasing demand in premium class travel. These additional first and business class flights will further strengthen the airlines impressive credentials and is sure to increase the amount of passengers who fly with the carrier dramatically.

United Airlines Flight Test for Flight Business Class Seat

Aircraft United Airlines Boeing 747-400.
Route San Francisco to Sydney.
Class Business, seat 13K (upper deck).

Seat pitch and width 77 inches between rows of seats on main deck; 74 inches on upper deck; 23½ inches between armrests.

Seat configuration 2-4-2 layout on lower deck; 2-2 on upper deck; 52 business seats in total. Plum spot is a window seat on the upper deck because of the smaller cabin and the extra storage bin under the window.

Luggage allowance Two checked pieces, each up to 32 kilograms. One bag and one personal item for carry-on.

Scheduled flight time 13 hrs, 54 min.

On-time performance Pushed back a few minutes late; arrived 10 minutes early.

Lounge access United Red Carpet Club in San Francisco. Large but basic compared with other business-class lounges. Free soft drinks and two drinks vouchers for the bar. Free snacks limited to cheese and biscuits. More substantial meals cost $US5-10 ($5.60-$11). Outbound flights from Sydney use the superior Air New Zealand lounge.

Aircraft condition Good. United’s revamped international business class was rolled out two years ago. It has been completed on the airline’s international 747 and 767 fleet, but 777s are still under refurbishment. The upgrade includes 180-degree lie-flat seats.

Entertainment Thirty-nine-centimetre screen in seat back, with good range of TV shows but limited movie selection: 25 in total and only 12 new releases. There’s a facility to listen to iPod through entertainment system. Noise-reducing headphones. Six audio books and a variety of games.

Comfort Comfortable seat with a large shelf under screen for storage. I slept for seven hours in the flat-bed position.

Service Friendly and efficient cabin crew who ensure dinner is served promptly so passengers can sleep on the night flight.

Food and beverages Very good. Smoked salmon followed by steak and a glass of Australian shiraz. Tiramisu, cheese and port for dessert. Mid-flight snacks available and a decent omelet for breakfast.

Flight frequency Daily between San Francisco and Sydney. I checked four dates and United’s business fares averaged 30 per cent cheaper than Qantas, V Australia and Air New Zealand on this route.

Online unitedairlines.com.au.

British Airways Launches Flight Services to Gothenburg

British Airways is launching flight services to Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city, with flights from as little as £55.50 in Euro Traveller one-way including taxes fees and charges. Customers can also book Club Europe, British Airway’s Business Class cabin.

The twice daily flight to Gothenburg from Heathrow Terminal 5, goes on sale July 20th, and is available from the start of the winter schedule on November 28th, 2010.

Richard Tams, British Airways’ head of UK and International sales, said: We are really excited about flying to this fabulous city on the south west coast of Sweden. It boasts Michelin star restaurants, culture and the best views of the famous Northern lights. The schedule is perfect for UK originating day round trips, and for connections onto the worldwide network.

British Airways offers a selection of hand picked 2 to 5-star hotels in Gothenburg, ideally suited to the urban tourist seeking sophistication. The 4-star First Hotel G is one choice for a stay in Gothenburg, located just above the central station in the heart of the city. Another choice is the 3* Apple hotel, offering easy to use public transport links and close to the famous Boulevard Avenue with plenty of bars, restaurants and shops.

As well as the soon to be launched flights to Gothenburg, British Airways also offers daily flights to Stockholm, known for striking architecture and its beautiful waterside setting. Spread across 14 islands, Stockholm has a range of hotels, including the 4-star Stureplan and the stylish 4-star Hellsten.

Avis car hire is available at both Gothenburg and Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport and can be purchased as a package including flights and car hire from ba.com.
Flights and city breaks to Gothenburg are on sale now.

Lufthansa Airlines Launches Direct Flight Services from Luxembourg To Munich

As from October 31, Lufthansa airlines starts daily flights from the city of Luxembourg to the Bavarian capital. With the beginning of the winter timetable, Lufthansa is extending its network out of the Benelux region. As of October 31, passengers departing from Luxembourg will be offered up to two daily flights to Lufthansa’s Southern hub of Munich.

A modern Bombardier Regional Jet CRJ-700 of Lufthansa CityLine will be operating the new route, offering up to70 seats in Economy and Business Class.

Lufthansa completes the offer of its partner Luxair which connects up to three times a day Luxembourg with Munich. Passengers will have the choice between 31 weekly flights between the two cities.

“The opening of direct flights out of Luxembourg confirms Lufthansa’s strong commitment to the European market. With this new connection, the German carrier operates services to all major European business and leisure cities”, says Karsten Benz, vice president sales and services Luft­hansa Europe.

“Next to our daily flights from Brussels and Amsterdam to Munich, we will now also be connecting the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg with the Bavarian capital, offering even more flexibility to our customers.

“In addition, the new direct flights offer ideal connections to the worldwide network of 114 destinations in 44 countries operated out of the dedicated Lufthansa and Star Alliance Terminal 2 in Munich,” remarked Claus Becker, General Manager Lufthansa Benelux and France.

Munich is not only a very popular destination in terms of business and leisure travel, but the airport has very recently also been voted Europe’s best Airport at the World Airport Awards 2010, achieving the highest approval rating from customers.

Thanks to the special design of the building, transit passengers can catch their connecting flights within 30 minutes.

British Airways Passenger Traffic Declined 2.6 Percent Last Month

British Airways Plc said passenger traffic fell 2.6 percent last month as it raised ticket prices at the expense of volumes. Analysts said demand was probably also hurt by concern about disruption from acabin-crew strikes.

Economy-class travel fell 3.2 percent in July, outweighing a 0.8 percent increase in first- and business-class bookings, as British Airways cut discount deals in an effort to bolster fares or yields, Treasurer George Stinnes said. Traffic tumbled 14 percent on Asia-Pacific routes and 1.2 percent to the Americas.
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