Corporate Travel News For Europe/MEA

AerCap, in its 2017 Investor Day presentation, reported (15-Nov-2017) it has 33 used aircraft requiring placing in 2018 and another 85 requiring placing in 2019. The company has placed 100% of its order book for 2018 and only requires another 18 aircraft to be placed for 2019. [more - original PR]

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced (15-Nov-2017) plans to discontinue social servicing for customers asking questions on LinkedIn from 01-Dec-2017. KLM stated: "It is not us that decide where we should offer servicing, it is the customer that decides... it not necessary anymore to offer service on LinkedIn". KLM still offers responses via Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. 80% of the carrier's social servicing volume is handled via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, while its dedicated social servicing team has "become the largest in the world", with over 250 agents offering 24/7 service in nine languages on Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, WhatsApp, WeChat and KakaoTalk. [more - original PR]

Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfaz Garayev announced (14-Nov-2017) the need to make use of opportunities for the increase of mutual tourist traffic to Egypt. Mr Garayev added the launch of nonstop air services could contribute to the development of tourism. Southern Sinai Province Governor Khalid Fuda confirmed readiness to cooperate. [more - original PR - Azerbaijani]

Icelandair Group's board decided (15-Nov-2017) to make the following structural changes to the company:

• Operations of Icelandair Group and Icelandair will be integrated under one CEO and the finance departments of the companies will be combined;
• The CEO of the company will be Björgólfur Jóhannsson and the CFO will be Bogi Nils Bogason;
• Two subsidiaries of Icelandair Group, IGS and Icelandair Cargo, will become part of Icelandair but both companies are now subsidiaries of Icelandair Group;
• Birkir Hólm Guðnason will leave the position of Icelandair CEO.

According to Icelandair Group, the changes will lead to a clearer focus on the core business of the group and the integration will facilitate simpler and more efficient operations. Chairman Úlfar Steindórsson stated: "This change strengthens the Company's platform for growth and enables it to further meet the needs of its customers in an efficient way with a focus on great customer service". [more - original PR]

Wizz Air signed (15-Nov-2017) a MoU with Airbus on the purchase of a further 72 A320neo and 74 A321neo aircraft. Deliveries will commence from 2022, with the bulk of the aircraft to be delivered in 2025 and 2026, following on from the delivery of the 110 A321neo aircraft ordered by Wizz Air in 2015. The MoU provides Wizz Air with the right to substitute a number of the A320neo aircraft with the A321neo and vice versa, depending on future requirements. At current list prices, the additional 146 aircraft are worth more than USD17.2 billion, subject to discounts by Airbus. Completion of the order remains subject to approval by Wizz Air shareholders. The new order would bring Wizz Air's outstanding orders with Airbus to 282 aircraft, including eight A320ceo and 18 A321ceo aircraft, deliveries of which will continue to early 2019, and 110 A321neo aircraft, deliveries of which are planned to start in 2019 and continue until the end of 2024. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - Polish - II]

Finnair launched (15-Nov-2017) ticket sales via its official WeChat account in China. Finnair customers are now able to search for Finnair tickets, book flights and complete purchases with WeChat Pay. Finnair CCO Juha Järvinen stated: "China is one of our most important markets, and we want to be where our customers are. Enabling ticket sales through WeChat and enabling WeChat Pay are important steps in better serving our customers in this rapidly growing market". Finnair is the first European airline to utilise the Chinese payment platform. [more - original PR]

Aigle Azur and Corsair entered (14-Nov-2017) an "operational and commercial partnership agreement" designed to expand cooperation and "accelerate their development, especially towards Africa" from Dec-2017. Corsair plans to launch weekly Paris Orly-Bamako service from 30-Jan-2018, on which Aigle Azur will codeshare. Corsair will add a second weekly frequency from Apr-2018. Aigle Azur will continue to operate three times weekly Paris Orly-Agadir-Bamako service. The companies said codesharing will enable "a wider choice in terms of flexibility and fare combinations" for customers. Corsair and Aigle Azur will also pool for joint management of Bamako and Dakar and conduct joint marketing. Aside from Africa, the companies plan reciprocal codeshares on a wider range of destinations to Lebanon, Germany, Russia and Portugal. [more - original PR - French]

WOW air announced (15-Nov-2017) plans to increase Reykjavik Keflavik-Baltimore/Washington frequency to 11 times weekly, effective 18-May-2018 to 16-Sep-2018. By adding the extra frequencies, WOW air's 2018 summer capacity on the route will increase 45% in comparison to summer 2017. According to OAG data, WOW air is the sole operator on the route. [more - original PR]

Russian Railways CEO Oleg Belozerov stated (15-Nov-2017) development of railway and transport infrastructure development projects in the Moscow region will contribute to the development of Moscow aviation hub. Mr Belozerov said that the projects will ensure travel between Moscow airports will require less than one hour. Work to construct roads, junctions, metro lines, improve commuter traffic and building new main tracks is expected to commence in 2018. [more - original PR - English/Russian]

Ireland's Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) stated (15-Nov-2017) Dublin Airport complied with the 2016 maximum level of airport charges of EUR10.30 per passenger, as required by a 2014 determination. Additionally, CAR confirmed the provisional maximum level of airport charges for 2018 at Dublin Airport will be EUR9.59 per passenger. [more - original PR]