Corporate Travel News

Qantas confirmed (11-Oct-2017) Emirates will no longer operate services between Melbourne and Auckland and between Brisbane and Auckland, effective 25-Mar-2018. Qantas customers holding a valid ticket issued on/before 11-Oct-2017 for travel on/after this date who are affected by the changes will be permitted to rebook on Qantas services. [more - original PR]

Aircalin announced (11-Oct-2017) a firm order for two A320neo narrowbody aircraft and two A330-900 widebody aircraft. The carrier's A320neos will be configured with 168 seats and will be deployed on regional routes to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The A330-900s will have 291 seats in three classes - 26 in business, 21 in premium and 244 in economy. As previously reportedly, CAPA - Centre for Aviation, in its analysis of Airbus' delivery and order information for Sep-2017, earlier stated (09-Oct-2017) Aircalin was the most likely customer for an undisclosed order for the aircraft. The order was made on 05-Sep-2017. [more - original PR]

Brisbane Airport opened (11-Oct-2017) 'Changing Places' a dedicated facility for passengers with special needs. The facility provides additional space and specialised equipment such as an adult change table, hoist and toilet fitted with movable handrails for the use of people with severe disabilities and their personal carer providers. The first facility is located at the domestic terminal ground floor, with plans underway for a second facility at international terminal in 2018. The initiative is part of the airport's wider Disability Access Management Plan which saw more than AUD3 million (USD2.3 million) invested between 2012 and 2017 for improvements. [more - original PR]

Qatar Airways announced (11-Oct-2017) plans to introduce A330 equipment on Doha-Seychelles service, effective 29-Oct-2017. The aircraft is configured with 24 business class and 236 economy class seats and the change will increase capacity by 130%. [more - original PR - English/Arabic]

Ethiopian Airlines MD Ethiopian International Services Esayas WoldeMariam said the airline aims to increase Addis Ababa-Victoria Falls frequency to daily and deploy widebody aircraft on the service as traffic increases (NewsDay.co.zw, 10-Oct-2017). Mr WoldeMariam noted: "The number of tourists coming to Victoria Falls has increased because Ethiopian Airlines made a lot of investment to popularise that destination". The airline operates the route four times weekly with Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft, according to OAG.

Air Austral and Air Madagascar signed (09-Oct-2017) a strategic partnership agreement on 09-Oct-2017, formalising the terms and conditions of the acquisition of a 49% stake in Air Madagascar by Air Austral. Madagascar's Government will retain a 51% stake and appoint the airline's chairman, while Air Austral will propose a CEO. Air Austral will invest USD40 million in Air Madagascar and provide technical and operational expertise. The agreement triggers an interim phase of the implementation of the partnership, which will be concluded with a shareholder agreement scheduled to be signed at the end of Oct-2017. The partnership aims to make Air Madagascar a profitable and sustainable company providing competitive passenger and cargo services in domestic, regional and long haul markets. The parties also aim to improve the efficiency of Air Madagascar's subsidiaries. The transformation plan will be implemented in two phases over 10 years. The first phase of three years will focus on the recovery and restoration of business fundamentals. The second phase will concentrate on growth, including fleet development and new routes. The parties aim to improve services, strengthen business and administrative processes, develop systems and technology, strengthen human resources and management and develop new business partnerships with other companies. Recovery of the national carrier is expected to have a positive impact an all sectors of Madagascar's economy, particularly tourism. [more - original PR - French]

Georgia's Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Giorgi Gakharia announced (06-Oct-2017) development plans for Kutaisi Airport in 2017 and 2018. Mr Gakharia confirmed the commencement of new terminal construction and plans to launch a railway line to the airport. The railway line will connect Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi and is scheduled to open from Mar-2018 (Bizzone.info, 10-Oct-2017). [more - original PR]

Qantas and Emirates announced (11-Oct-2017) additional network changes under their joint partnership, to offer greater year round frequency and more services between Australia and New Zealand. The carriers stated the changes reflect customer demand and the airlines' respective network strengths and provide more options for customers to travel between Australia and New Zealand to Asia, the UK/Europe, Middle East and Africa.

• Enhanced trans Tasman connectivity:
  • Emirates:
    • Airline to halt services from Melbourne and Brisbane to Auckland from Mar-2018;
    • Carrier to focus on nonstop Auckland-Dubai service;
    • Emirates will retain existing daily A380 Dubai-Sydney-Christchurch route. The airline is also evaluating potential new nonstop services between New Zealand and Dubai;
    • Emirates will reschedule Australian flights to create a better spread of departure times throughout the day.
  • Qantas:
    • Qantas will increase Australia and New Zealand frequencies. Melbourne-Auckland to increase by seven weekly frequencies. Brisbane-Auckland to add two weekly frequencies. Some services to be upgauged from Boeing 737 to A330 equipment;
    • Emirates will codeshare on Qantas' new trans Tasman services. Qantas will offer seamless connections to its London services via Perth or Singapore and to Emirates' services between Australia and Europe via Dubai.

These changes are included in the airlines' application to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and New Zealand Ministry of Transport for the extension of authorisation of their joint business for another five years (until 2023). The airlines' joint submission also includes Qantas' re-routing of its Sydney-London service via Singapore rather than Dubai and Emirates' new, fourth daily A380 Sydney-Dubai service. [more - original PR]

Emirates: "Reauthorisation of the partnership will allow us to leverage our combined network strengths to offer customers even more flight choices and reciprocal benefits for our millions of frequent flyer members. It will enable us to continue developing world-class customer experiences, and contribute to stimulating increased opportunities for international trade, tourism and commerce", Sir Tim Clark, president. Source: Emirates, 11-Oct-2017.

Jazeera Airways delayed a planned expansion into long haul operations to focus on extending its existing network to serve the Indian subcontinent (Live Mint, 10-Oct-2017). Jazeera, which has previously been limited to operations within the Middle East, will commence service to Hyderabad in India and Lahore in Pakistan in Oct-2017, before adding Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai by the end of 2017, according to Jazeera Airways chairman Marwan Boodai. On plans to commence inter-continental services, aided by an alliance with a major airline based in Europe or Asia. Mr Bodai said the plan remains "alive," but not for 2017 after the carrier reset its priorities in light of surging short haul demand. "The opportunity for the Indian subcontinent was so overwhelming we had to redirect our resources to that", he said.

Pico Airways announced its official public launch (radiopico.com, 10-Oct-2017). Pico Airways, via its official website, stated its objective is to ensure "adequate air access to Pico" and the Azores Islands as a whole, identifying the "real air transport needs" and the major markets for the islands, in order to ensure a sustainable business strategy. The start up is the idealisation of Pico Island business entrepreneurs and will operate initially, as a charter company.