Corporate Travel News

Qantas confirmed (29-Aug-2017) it plans to take delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 in Oct-2017 with the aircraft operating on domestic sectors for six weeks for crew training and familiarisation before its first scheduled Melbourne-Los Angeles service on 15-Dec-2017. [more - original PR]

ViaSat announced (28-Aug-2017) the opening of its new Asia Pacific headquarters in Melbourne. The office is intended to help the company to further build on commitments made to existing customers, including Qantas, as well as expand its services and support efforts in the region. The office will also serve as the regional base for the ViaSat-3 ultra-high capacity satellite platform, offering broadband internet services and video-streaming WiFi on commercial aircraft, business jets, government aircraft, maritime vessels and for rural communities. ViaSat already has Australia offices in Sydney and Canberra and expects to grow significantly over the next two years, bringing new team members onboard across engineering, sales, marketing and operations disciplines. [more - original PR]

Fiji Airways and Fiji Rugby Union announced (Aug-2017) the carrier will become the inaugural naming rights sponsor of the Fijian Drua team which will compete in Australia's National Rugby Competition. The team will now be known as the Fiji Airways Drua and prominently feature the airline on the front and lower back of all playing kits. [more - original PR]

Brisbane Airport welcomed (29-Aug-2017) Qantas' announcement it will base four Boeing 787-9s at the airport, which will create 120 full time equivalent (FTE) direct jobs and 348 FTE indirect jobs over the first five years of operation. Airport CEO and MD Julieanne Alroe stated the 787-9's range of nearly 16,000 km is capable of "opening up a new world of opportunities…for many years to come". The basing agreement was part of a coordinated proposal by the Queensland Government, Brisbane Airport Corporation, Brisbane Marketing and Tourism Australia, "which shows foresight in realising opportunities for the US market for our city and state" said Ms Alroe. Ms Alroe added the decision is "very timely…given Brisbane's new runway will open in a few short years", continuing "While other ports are reaching maximum capacity, the new runway will double flight capability to and from Brisbane, positioning Brisbane and Queensland as the logical future major gateway to Australia". [more - original PR]

Kam Air renewed its operating licence and received approval from the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) to operate Europe services (TOLOnews, 28-Aug-2017). ACAA is working to have Afghanistan's airlines removed from the EU blacklist and Kam Air hopes to commence Europe services "in the near future", according to deputy president Farid Paikar.

Vule Airways MD Robert Mwesigwa Nviiri said the airline intends to commence operations with six aircraft and aims to serve more than 20 destinations from its Entebbe hub, including "major airports" in East African Community states, Southern Africa, Dubai, Guangzhou, London, Moscow and Tel Aviv (The Independent, 28-Aug-2017). The airline is negotiating codeshare agreements with other carriers and also aims to attract cargo traffic, particularly exports from Uganda. The airline reportedly aims to break even in 2020/21 and be profitable from 2021/22. The carrier is awaiting approval from Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority to commence operations in Nov-2017.

Cairns Airport reported (Aug-2017) traffic grew 3.4% year-on-year on regional routes in Jun-2017 despite an overall decrease in domestic passenger number for the month. Growth was attributed to mine development in Cape York and more international travellers visiting central Australia. The airport also received 6% increase in transfer and transit passengers connecting to/from regional services in Cairns. [more - original PR]

Ireland West Airport Knock announced (28-Aug-2017) the airport's EUR15 million three year transformation programme will commence in winter 2017/2018. Upgrades include new passenger facilities and infrastructural works across the airport and runway. The airport will also complete a EUR4 million upgrade of infrastructural projects to improve operational efficiency by year ending 2017. [more - original PR]

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill urged local residents to support a local campaign to have Qantas back a proposed AUD3 (USD2.38) per passenger airport charge, to support a planned AUD40 million (USD31.7 million) redevelopment of the Townsville Airport terminal (Townsville Bulletin, 29-Aug-2017). Qantas stated negotiation about the development halted in Jan-2017, after the carrier proposed a fee that was lower than the airport though necessary to fund the upgrade.

Samoa Airways CEO Seiuli Tupuivao Alvin Tuala said Samoa "is well placed in the Pacific" for tourism, and the country "desperately needs to be in the game that Fiji has run ahead and in terms of tourism, we need this partnership" (Samoa Observer, 28-Aug-2017). Samoa Airways has been established under an MoU between the Samoan government and Fiji Airways, and plans to launch operations on 14-Nov-2017.