Corporate Travel News

LATAM Airlines Group SVP cargo Andrés Bianchi stated LATAM Cargo's planned Boeing 767F consolidation will allow the carrier to "build a schedule that's more robust and less vulnerable to market fluctuations" (CargoForwarder Global, 17-Dec-2017). He added: "It has successfully provided the bulk of our capacity on North America-South America markets and we can build on that base to support our European operation". The carrier plans to add services to Boston, Lisbon, Rome and Tel Aviv in 2018.

Iberia and Air Nostrum announced (18-Dec-2017) plans to increase capacity in Santander by 25% in 2018. The carriers will offer a combined average of 30 weekly Madrid-Santander frequencies in 2018, deploying around 365,000 seats p/a. The carriers plan to increase capacity by 37% during summer 2018. Madrid-Santander demand increased 12% year-on-year in the 10 months to Oct-2017. Santander has important markets in Mexico, US, Italy, France and the UK and Iberia plans more efficient connections to stimulate the destination. [more - original PR - Spanish]

Qatar Airways introduced (18-Dec-2017) the 'Qsuite' business class product on Doha-New York JFK service. The product was rolled out on London Heathrow and Paris CDG services and will soon be introduced on Washington Dulles service. 'Qsuite' features "industry first" double beds and private cabins for up to four passengers with privacy panels that stow away. [more - original PR]

American Airlines announced (18-Dec-2017) plans to launch weekly Dallas/Fort Worth-Flagstaff service on 07-Jun-2018. The carrier will operate the route on a seasonal basis to determine if the market will support additional service. American will be the sole operator on the route, according to OAG. [more - original PR]

Germania confirmed (15-Dec-2017) plans to add five services from Berlin to Turkey in summer 2018. Germania said weekly services will operate to Adana, Dalaman, Gaziantep, Kayseri and Samsun, bringing the carrier's total from Berlin Schoenefeld Airport and Berlin Tegel Airport to Turkey to 10 weekly services. [more - original PR]

Bombardier VP communications and public affairs Mike Nadolski responded (18-Dec-2017) to the hearing on 18-Dec-2017 before the US International Trade Commission. Mr Nadolski stated: "We are very pleased with the evidence presented today by Bombardier, Delta, and others demonstrating that Boeing's petition is an unfounded assault on airlines, the flying public, and the U.S. aerospace industry. That has been true since the start of the investigation, and recent developments make it even clearer". Bombardier noted the Bombardier/Airbus C Series partnership will include construction of a new US manufacturing facility in Alabama, providing US airlines with a US built aircraft "thereby eliminating any possibility of Boeing being harmed by imports". Bombardier estimates the new Alabama assembly line will add 400 to 500 direct jobs in the US. The Commission also heard evidence that the "C Series simply does not threaten Boeing". Bombardier noted: "Boeing did not compete in the Delta campaign. It has not made a plane sized to Delta's needs for many years, since it stopped producing the 717 and 737-600. Moreover, Boeing has acknowledged that it has oversold its 737 production capabilities and has a backlog of more than 4,300 aircraft orders". [more - original PR]

Fiji Airways‏, via its official Twitter account, confirmed (18-Dec-2017) the opening of the new 200 seat premium lounge at Nadi International Airport. [more - original PR]

Air Terminal Services (Fiji) (ATS) stated discussions are continuing to resolve a dispute which affected airline services to and from Fiji (Fiji Village/Fiji Times, 18-Dec-2017). Following a meeting involving Minister for Aviation and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, ATS, Fiji Airways, Airports Fiji Limited, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji and Air New Zealand, the parties "agreed to cooperate, share and outsource resources in order to maintain operations, commercial flights and keep the Nadi International Airport open and fully functional". The parties stated: "While industrial matters are being addressed, the industry stakeholders will continue this approach until the situation normalises". As previously reported by CAPA, around 100 employees were locked out of their workplace, with the Government declaring strike action over the weekend of 16/17-Dec-2017 as illegal. ATS provides ground handling services at Nadi Airport.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko expressed (18-Dec-2017) interest in nonstop Kiev-Lisbon service. Mr Poroshenko said: "Today we have clearly stated that there should be a direct air connection, preferably a low-cost flight, between Lisbon and Kyiv". [more - original PR - English/Ukrainian]

Aviation Australia received (18-Dec-2017) approval to continue delivering nationally recognised aircraft maintenance training in Victoria, with the assistance of Victorian Government funding. Training will take place at Aviation Australia's facility at Essendon Fields. Plans to grow the campus to include instructor led training for block release apprentices, on site practical assessment activities of apprentices and upskilling of already qualified aircraft maintenance engineers are underway. Aviation Australia is preparing for the 2018 intake of apprentices and engineers, commencing training in Jan-2018. Additional training for licenced aircraft maintenance engineers is expected to commence in 2018. [more - original PR]