Fiji Airways domestic subsidiary, Fiji Link, stated (30-Oct-2017) it took delivery of its latest aircraft, a Viking Air DHC-6 Series 400. The aircraft is the first of three the airline has purchased for Fiji Link, which will replace two of its existing three Series 300 aircraft. Fiji Airways Group MD and CEO Andre Viljoen, said: "We continue to make investments to modernise our fleet, increase capacity, grow our network, and provide a better customer experience. With more aircraft, we will be able to increase our frequencies to key domestic routes, particularly to the North, by 30%. Additionally, we plan to increase our flight frequency on our trunk route, between Nadi and Suva to daily". [more - original PR]
Corporate Travel News For The Americas
Stay Informed With The Latest Updates
Norwegian: 3Q2017 results reveal strong international passenger growth and high load factors
26 October, 2017
Norwegian Air Shuttle reported (26-Oct-2017) 3Q2017 results were characterised by strong international passenger growth and high load factors, as well as fleet growth and renewal. The airline carried a total of 9.8 million passengers, up 14% year-on-year. Norwegian recorded the highest increase in passengers in the US and Spain, up 79% and 25% respectively. The airline's load factor increased to 91.7% and the ASK growth was 25%. [more - original PR]
Air Transat increases trans Atlantic schedule with addition of A330 aircraft
26 October, 2017
Air Transat announced (25-Oct-2017) plans to expand the summer 2018 schedule to France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Israel, citing the addition of an A330 aircraft to its fleet. The carrier will offer 13 times weekly Montreal-Paris, four times weekly Montreal-Toulouse, three times weekly Montreal-Bordeaux, three times weekly Montreal-Nantes service, three times weekly Montreal-Tel Aviv, three times weekly Montreal-Madrid, three times weekly Montreal-Malaga, five times weekly Montreal-Lisbon and five times weekly Toronto-Dublin services. [more - original PR]
Nepal preparing ASA proposal with Australia
25 October, 2017
Nepal's Civil Aviation Ministry undersecretary Pramod Nepal said Nepal is preparing a proposal regarding an ASA with Australia, covering seven weekly services with any type of aircraft covering key cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth (Kathmandu Post, 25-Oct-2017). It has also proposed providing unlimited services to secondary destinations. Third country codeshare agreement, fifth freedom traffic rights, multiple designations, free pricing and unrestricted cargo are other items proposed by Nepal. Nepal has signed ASAs with 38 countries since 1963 with New Zealand and Vietnam being the latest additions. An agreement is "expected to be signed after the second phase of provincial and federal elections slated to be held on 07-Dec", Mr Nepal said.
Australian Airports Association welcomes Govt decision to boost airport security
23 October, 2017
Australian Airports Association (AAA) welcomed (23-Oct-2017) the Australian Government's decision to amend the Aviation Transport Security Regulations 2005, with plans to strengthen airport security at major airports across the country. AAA CEO Caroline Wilkie added: "These changes will enhance an already strong and robust aviation security network by strengthening the airside security requirements for airport workers and vehicles accessing the restricted areas of an airport... The AAA supports an intelligence driven, proportionate and outcomes based approach to security regulation". [more - original PR]
TAP plans trans Atlantic expansion from Porto with A321neo LR
23 October, 2017
TAP Portugal board member and shareholder David Neeleman stated the carrier plans to operate trans Atlantic routes with A321neo LR equipment, including Porto-US and Porto-Canada routes (Aeroin, 20-Oct-2017). The carrier will configure its A321neo LRs with 175 seats. The carrier plans to hire Brazilian pilots to sustain its international network expansion plans.
TAP Portugal: Azul JV will make TAP the 'strongest' European carrier serving Brazil
20 October, 2017
TAP Portugal SVP network and revenue management Elton D'Souza, speaking on CAPA TV, stated (Oct-2017) the airline anticipates approval of the JV agreement with Azul by early 2018. He said the agreement will make TAP Portugal the "strongest" European carrier serving Brazil. [more - CAPA TV ]
TAP considers San Francisco and Chicago services
19 October, 2017
TAP Portugal board member and shareholder David Neeleman stated the carrier is considering launching services to both Chicago and San Francisco (Jornal de Negocios, 17-Oct-2017). Mr Neeleman stated TAP highly regards jetBlue's destinations when planning its expansion to the US. As previously reported by CAPA, Chicago and San Francisco are among the major origins of jetBlue's passengers who transfer to TAP services to Portugal and beyond.
Guestlogix publishes study on learned helplessness and airline revenues
18 October, 2017
Guestlogix published (18-Oct-2017) an academic report entitled 'The Empowered Passenger: Break the Cycle of Learned Helplessness to Drive Customer Satisfaction and Higher Revenues' identifying the psychological concept of "learned helplessness" which inhibits airline passengers from enjoying their experience and negatively impacts airline revenues. Main findings include:
- Since airline deregulation, airlines have cut back on service quality to meet the demand for lower fares, and passengers have agreed to the tradeoff;
- Even as airline passengers become increasingly frustrated - and vocal - about the quality of service, they have no choice but to accept the situation, which leads to a "learned helplessness";
- Learned helplessness has a direct impact on airline business as air travel becomes a joyless affair and passengers interpret ancillary selling as "nickel and diming;"
- One study found that after just one negative experience, customers were 20% more likely to switch brands and 25% more likely to complain about the company. By contrast, after just one memorable experience, 19% of delighted customers said they purchased more products/services;
- While carriers are under pressure to offer ever lower ticket prices, they need to recognise the substantial upside of pursuing higher customer satisfaction at each touch point, as well as satisfaction with the overall journey, typically measured in the form of Net Promoter Scores;
- Empowering passengers to specify what they want, how and when, benefits both passengers and airlines. Mobile devices can empower passengers while giving airlines access to vast amounts of real time data, which they can use to meet and anticipate passenger needs, leading to more revenue generation opportunities.
The report notes that ancillary revenue grew from 10% to 33% of overall airline revenue, which means that airline business models are changing and airlines can no longer afford to accept the cycle of "learned helplessness" that inhibits ancillary selling. [more - original PR]
Cobalt Air CEO outlines five year plan
18 October, 2017
Cobalt Air CEO Andrew Madar, speaking on CAPA TV, stated (Oct-2017) "what we foresee in about five years is a handful of long haul routes to China, India, South Africa and US and connecting them to shorter routes within Europe and Middle East". [more - CAPA TV]