Corporate Travel News For The Americas

TAAG reported (22-Aug-2017) more than 10,000 passengers on connecting services from Southern Africa to destinations in Europe and South America, including Lisbon, Porto, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, in 1H2017. The airline plans to operate twice daily Lisbon and three times weekly Porto services for the winter 2017/18 season. The carrier will also increase Luanda-Cape Town frequency from three times weekly to daily in Oct-2017. [more - original PR - Portuguese]

Icelandair announced (21-Aug-2017) the schedule for twice weekly Reykjavik Keflavik-Tampa service, launching on 06-Sep-2017. The service will allow passengers to connect with services to four UK destinations: Manchester, Glasgow, London Heathrow and London Gatwick. [more - original PR]

Norwegian Air Argentina outlined (21-Aug-2017) a five to seven year plan which includes launching international services to Australia, the US, Europe and South America. [more - original PR - Spanish]

Delta Air Lines announced (20-Aug-2017) plans to launch three times weekly New York JFK-Lagos service on 24-Mar-2018, complementing four times weekly Atlanta-Lagos service. The carrier will deploy A330-200 aircraft on the route. SVP for trans atlantic Dwight James noted: "Nigeria has been a strategically important market for Delta over the past 10 years and is a mainstay in our African network. As we look ahead to the next decade, we are improving the product offering with the A330 and increasing the number of seats from Lagos". Arik Air previously operated the route in early 2017, according to OAG. [more - original PR]

Kuwait Airways chairman Sami Al-Rasheed said the airline aims to increase market share in Kuwait from 35% to 50%, modernise its fleet and expand its network over the next five years (aviator.aero, 16-Aug-2017). The airline expects to require government support until it breaks even in 2021. The carrier retired four aircraft in Aug-2017 and intends to take delivery of one Boeing 777-300ER, ending the month with 25 aircraft. The airline plans to commence Taif service in Nov-2017 and is considering destinations in East Asia, Europe and the US.

New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MIBE) released (14-Aug-2017) a report providing a snapshot of the experiences of international visitors to New Zealand from 3Q2013 to 1Q2017. Key highlights:

• A high proportion of visitors say New Zealand met or exceeded their expectations, and satisfaction was consistently high across different amenities;
• Most visitors were highly satisfied with their visit to New Zealand;
  • Overall, visitors reported high levels of satisfaction with visiting New Zealand, rating their visit on average 9 out of 10.
  • Visitors were most satisfied with the natural and built environment (9.1 out of 10) and with their sense of safety (also 9.1 out of 10);
  • Visitor satisfaction was higher among visitors from the US and UK. The US and the UK had the highest average overall satisfaction scores (9.4 out of 10), with Japan and South Korea having the lowest (8.8 and 8.7);
  • Other characteristics (such as age and gender) did not seem to influence visitor satisfaction;
• Most visitors said their experience in New Zealand met or exceeded their expectations;
  • Over 95% of visitors said their trip in New Zealand met or exceeded their expectations;
  • Visitors from the US and UK were more likely than visitors from other countries to say New Zealand exceeded their expectations;
  • More than 98% of visitors said New Zealand's environment met or exceeded their expectations. Environmentally conscious visitors were more likely to say the environment exceeded their expectations;
• Visitors were very likely to recommend New Zealand as a holiday destination;
  
  • New Zealand had a positive net promoter score of 78% when it comes to visitors recommending New Zealand;
  • More than 80% of visitors were likely to recommend New Zealand, with visitors from the US and UK being the most likely to say this;
• Among visitors who were less satisfied, common themes appeared in their reasons;
  
  • Of those visitors who gave lower satisfaction scores (1-7), high prices was a commonly listed reason;
  • Other reasons cited included no free WiFi or internet, and inconsistent quality of facilities, of public transportation and customer service. [more - original PR]

Australia's International Air Services Commission (IASC) issued (11-Aug-2017) a series of determinations covering capacity allocations for Italy, New Zealand, the US, Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa:

• [2017] IASC 119 allocating Virgin Australia 300 third country codeshare seats per week to Italy covering codeshare services with Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways;
• [2017] IASC 113 allocating to Virgin Australia unlimited passenger and freight capacity in each direction to New Zealand. The determination also permits the use of capacity by Virgin Australia for the provision of codeshare services with Etihad Airways, Delta Air Lines, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Alitalia, airberlin, Air Canada and Hong Kong Airlines;
• [2017] IASC 114 allocating to Virgin Australia unlimited passenger and freight capacity in each direction to the US with permission to use the capacity for codeshare services with Delta Air Lines;
• [2017] IASC 115 allocating to Virgin Australia 1260 seats per week in each direction to Fiji;
• [2017] IASC 116 allocating to Virgin Australia 180 seats per week in each direction to Fiji;
• [2017] IASC 117 allocating to Virgin Australia 720 seats of capacity per week in each direction to Vanuatu, and permitting the use of the capacity for codeshare with Singapore Airlines;
• [2017] IASC 121 allocating to Virgin Australia 180 seats of capacity per week in each direction to Vanuatu, and permitting the use of the capacity for codeshare with Singapore Airlines;
• [2017] IASC 120 allocating to Virgin Australia 880 seats of capacity per week to Samoa. [more - original PR]

Australia's International Air Services Commission (IASC), via its official website, updated (04-Aug-2017) the status of a variety of applications from Virgin Australia. These include:

• An allocation of 300 third country seats per week, to be used to codeshare with Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways on the Italy route. The Commission received further information from the applicant nominating Tiger International Number1 Pty Ltd as the wholly-owned subsidiary of Virgin Australia International Airlines;
• New Zealand determination [2007] IASC 118, which allocates unlimited passenger and freight capacity. The request for the capacity to be utilised by a wholly-owned subsidiary has been withdrawn;
• US determination [2008] IASC 110, which allocates unlimited passenger and freight capacity. The Commission received further information from the applicant nominating Tiger International Number1 Pty Ltd as the wholly-owned subsidiary of Virgin Australia International Airlines;
• Fiji determination [2013] IASC 106, which allocates 1260 seats of capacity per week in each direction. The request for the capacity to be utilised by a wholly-owned subsidiary has been withdrawn;
• Fiji determination [2013] IASC 107, which allocates 360 seats of capacity per week in each direction. The request for the capacity to be utilised by a wholly-owned subsidiary has been withdrawn;
• Vanuatu determination [2013] IASC 108, which allocates 720 seats of capacity per week in each direction. The request for the capacity to be utilised by a wholly-owned subsidiary has been withdrawn;
• Vanuatu determination [2013] IASC 109, which allocates 180 seats of capacity per week in each direction. The request for the capacity to be utilised by a wholly-owned subsidiary has been withdrawn;
• An allocation of 880 seats per week of passenger capacity on the Samoa route. The Commission received further information from the applicant nominating Tiger International Number1 Pty Ltd as the wholly-owned subsidiary of Virgin Australia International Airlines.

Samoa Airways revealed its new branding and logo as it prepares to launch international services (Samoa Observer, 06-Aug-2017). As previously reported by CAPA, Samoa Airways is being reformed as an international carrier by the Government of Samoa. The start up will be established under an MoU between the Government and Fiji Airways. The logo features an adapted version of the iconic coconut tree which since 1959 has been the symbol of the national carrier.