Corporate Travel News For The Americas

Stay Informed With The Latest Updates

Tourism Ireland welcomes overseas visitors, continued concern for decreasing UK market

2 October, 2017

Tourism Ireland welcomed (29-Sep-2017) figures published showing 6,714,600 inbound tourists visited Ireland from Jan-2017 to Aug-2017, representing a 2.5% year-on-year increase. Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons added: "North America and our long haul markets continue to perform very well. Arrivals from North America are up +17.9% for January to August... However, the decline in visitor numbers from Britain continues to be a real concern, down -7.1% for the January to August period". [more - original PR]

Air Malta plans new routes and additional frequencies under five year development plan

1 October, 2017

Air Malta plans to increase aircraft and frequency, in accordance with its growth focused five year development strategy, as confirmed by chairman Charles Mangion (Malta Independent, 01-Oct-2017). Mr Mangion said: "The growth is in terms of revenue and commercial growth...The first focus was on revenue growth. We have looked at existing routes and decided to have an additional aircraft and open up new routes...There are also plans to introduce routes to Manchester and Malaga next year, and other new routes are in the pipeline". The carrier will focus on core business activities and outsource ground handling to a government owned company.

Qatar Airways formalises acquisition of 49% stake in Meridiana

29 September, 2017

Italy's Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Graziano Delrio announced (28-Sep-2017) Qatar Airways finalised acquisition of a 49% stake AQA Holding, the new parent company of Meridiana. Alisarda maintains the right to appoint the majority of the board members, with the company retaining a 51% stake. Mr Delrio stated the partnership "means new prospects for development not only for Sardinia but for Italian aviation mobility", adding Meridiana employees also have more job security. Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker, said: "We look forward to working together to reinforce its position to provide even more connectivity to Italy and other European destinations, as well as those in the US and beyond". Italy handled almost 100 million passengers in the first seven months of 2017, an increase of 6.8% year-on-year. [more - original PR - Italian] [more - original PR - English/Italian - II] [more - original PR - III]

airberlin to cease long haul operations on 15-Oct-2017, suspends Hamburg-Munich and Cologne-Munich

27 September, 2017

airberlin, via its official Facebook account, confirmed (25-Sep-2017) plans to cease all long haul operations on 15-Oct-2017, adding leased A330 aircraft are gradually being returned to lessors. airberlin also confirmed Duesseldorf-Los Angeles service was suspended on 25-Sep-2017. The carrier also plans to discontinue Hamburg-Munich and Cologne/Bonn-Munich from 29-Sep-2017.

KLM CEO: Fortaleza 'fits perfectly into our network strategy'

26 September, 2017

KLM president and CEO Pieter Elbers stated (25-Sep-2017) Brazil "is an important focus market for KLM". He commented on plans to launch Amsterdam-Fortaleza from May-2018, which will be KLM's third Brazilian destination. Mr Elbers said the plans open "new air routes between major cities in the north and northeast of Brazil", adding: "KLM's partnership with the Brazilian airline GOL creates a new strategic hub, which firmly links Amsterdam and South America... Fortaleza fits perfectly into our network strategy". [more - original PR]

Air France sets 01-Dec-2017 launch date for Joon

26 September, 2017

Air France confirmed (25-Sep-2017) various aspects of Joon, referring to the new carrier as "designed to meet the expectations of a new generation of travellers". Details comprise:

  • Fleet: Mix of A320, A340 and A350 equipment. Joon expects to receive its first A350 in 2019, and will operate 28 aircraft by 2020 (18 medium haul and 10 long haul);
  • Routes, with fares from EUR39, effective from 01-Dec-2017:
    • Paris CDG-Barcelona: 51 times weekly;
    • Paris CDG-Berlin: 37 times weekly;
    • Paris CDG-Lisbon: 28 times weekly;
    • Paris CDG-Porto: Three times weekly;
  • Routes effective from summer 2018:
    • Paris CDG-Fortaleza: Twice weekly from EUR249;
    • Paris CDG-Seychelles: Three times weekly from EUR299.

According to Air France's official Twitter account, Air France-KLM chairman and CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac said the carrier's business model is "between traditional and low cost". The carrier will also allow earning and usage of Air France's Flying Blue Miles. [more - original PR]

Samoa Airways requests 30 day extension to operate cabotage on Pago Pago-Manua Islands route

24 September, 2017

Polynesian Limited d/b/a Samoa Airways requested (23-Sep-2017) approval from the US Department of Transportation to extend cabotage operations on Pago Pago-Manua Islands route through 14-Nov-2017, beyond a current deadline of 15-Oct-2017. The carrier pointed out it remains the only carrier able to provide transportation between the two points, preventing severe hardship to American Samoa residents. The Pago Pago-Manua Islands route is still without US carrier service and "there is no indication this will change". [more - original PR]

Delta Air Line and Aeroflot resume codeshare on 14 routes: report

21 September, 2017

Delta Air Lines and Aeroflot reportedly resumed codesharing on Aeroflot operated services from Moscow Sheremetyevo to Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, Kazan, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Perm, St Petersburg, Samara, Sochi, Ufa, Volgograd and Yekaterinburg (Routes Online, 20-Sep-2017). As previously reported by CAPA, in Apr-2017 Delta Air Lines requested a renewed authority from the US Department of Transportation to operate scheduled service on a codeshare basis with Aeroflot. Delta requested the renewals for a period of at least two years.

Brussels Airlines to commence route integration with Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium from 29-Oct-2017

20 September, 2017

Brussels Airlines plans to commence route integration with Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium (TCAB) from 29-Oct-2017 (Routes Online, 19-Sep-2017). Brussels Airlines' SN code will eventually replace TCAB's HQ code from 29-Oct-2017, with the following routes subject to the change:

  • Brussels-Agadir;
  • Brussels-Almeria;
  • Brussels-Boa Vista-Sal Amilcar-Brussels;
  • Brussels-Djerba;
  • Brussels-Enfidha;
  • Brussels-Funchal-Gran Canaria-Brussels;
  • Brussels-Gran Canaria;
  • Brussels-Hurghada;
  • Brussels-Lanzarote;
  • Brussels-Lanzarote-Fuerteventura-Brussels;
  • Brussels-Marrakech;
  • Brussels-Marsa Alam;
  • Brussels-Palma Mallorca;
  • Brussels-Tenerife Sur.

As previously reported by CAPA, the Belgian Competition Authority approved the integration of TCAB assets into Brussels Airlines on 12-Sep-2017. Under a partnership agreement announced in Mar-2017, Thomas Cook will transfer 160 crew members, airport slots and two A320 aircraft of TCAB into Brussels Airlines.

Tourism Ireland reports 31% growth in North American visitors to Northern Ireland

20 September, 2017

Tourism Ireland reported (19-Sep-2017) a 31% year-on-year increase in North American visitors to Northern Ireland in 1Q2017. Tourism Ireland is engaged in an extensive North American promotional programme over 2017, including highlighting Northern Ireland's tourism offerings in partnership with Tourism NI. [more - original PR]

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