Corporate Travel News

Qantas announced (23-Jun-2017) the inaugural group of startups and scaleups selected to participate in the AVRO Accelerator programme. Designed in partnership with leading corporate accelerator Slingshot, AVRO gives entrepreneurs the chance to work with Qantas Group business units to develop, incubate and scale their businesses. Six start up and six scale up businesses were selected from nearly 500 applications, and includes a mix of emerging and established businesses across traveltech, adtech, fintech, revenue management and data from Australia and USA. Examples of the organisations include: Aeroster, a tool for pilots, cabin and ground crew to view and share rosters with family, friends and colleagues; Coverhero, an insurance Robo-advisor that helps to understand, buy and manage insurance in one place; and easyshare, an online platform for bill splitting and payments. [more - original PR]

PNG Air received a sixth ATR 72-600 aircraft on 24-Jun-2017 (Post Courier, 24-Jun-2017). PNG Air COO Paul Abbot stated: "We are pleased to welcome the latest addition to our fleet and the opportunity that this brings to further increase capacity and frequency on our domestic schedule. This ATR will be used to help support the additional requirements for the recently won Newcrest Mining contract". The aircraft will now undergo modifications required to prepare the aircraft for commercial operations.

Jetstar Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka warned (23-Jun-2017) of both a lack of and the impact of overpriced infrastructure throughout Australia. Ms Hrdlicka stated: "Australia needs quality and affordable tourism infrastructure like hotels, attractions or we risk falling behind. We cannot just rely on our natural attractions to help us win over the next 20 years. The second airport in Sydney is a real positive and we think they could look at Melbourne's second airport at Avalon for some inspiration. It's important that the new airport is purpose built and not gold plated as it is likely to be catering for low fares airlines in its first 10 years of operation, much like how Stansted and Luton airports cater for London's low fares flights and Heathrow focuses on the full service airlines. We also have continued to see airport fees and charges increase while airlines are offering fares at levels significantly cheaper than they were over a decade ago". [more - original PR]

Jetstar Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka discussed (23-Jun-2017) the positive impact Jetstar's low fare philosophy is having on Australia's tourism economy. Ms Hrdlicka stated: "In FY2017, 37 million people will have flown with Jetstar, of these; 24 million Jetstar customers have paid under AUD100 (USD75.7) for a flight - that's two thirds of our customers. But it's not just consumers who benefit from low fares. It is the tourism operators, local businesses and communities that see huge benefits from low fares travel to their regions. For every AUD1 (USD0.76) spent on aviation, AUD10 (USD7.6) is spent in local communities. The stimulative effect of Jetstar is nowhere more evident than in the tourism-dependent economies of Gold Coast and Byron Bay. Since 2003, the year before Jetstar came into being; Gold Coast Airport processed 2.2 million passengers. In 2016, that number was at 6.4 million, an increase of 184%. Ballina Airport experienced 80,000 passengers in 2003. In 2016, it processed 480,000 passengers, an increase of 499%". [more - original PR]

Fiji Airways confirmed (23-Jun-2017) the acquisition of a CAE Boeing 737 MAX aircraft full simulator for the Fiji Aviation Academy. Fiji Airways MD and CEO Andre Viljoen stated: "This is one of the most important developments in Fiji Airways' and Fiji's aviation history. We are setting up a world-class aviation training academy which will have two full flight simulators installed during Phase 1 of the project. The partnership with CAE shows that we are progressing well with our plans. The next step will be the selection of a full simulator for widebody aircraft, followed by the development in Phase 2 of an 'ab-initio' cadet pilot training school with state-of-the-art fixed training devices." Both simulators for Phase 1 are planned to be installed by late 2018. [more - original PR]

Air Kiribati, via its official Facebook account, confirmed (21-Jun-2017) it completed its inaugural night test flight at Tarawa Bonriki Airport. The carrier noted: "History made! Air Kiribati was proud to undertake the maiden night flight to commission the new Bonriki airport runway lights. Congratulations to everyone involved and the GOK and MICTTD for making this happen, the contractors Orion and our two pilots who flew the maiden night flight - it's getting exciting!".

Air New Zealand adjusted equipment on proposed three times weekly Auckland-Tokyo Haneda service from Boeing 787-9 to the 777-200ER (Routes Online, 22-Jun-2017). The carrier plans to launch the service in winter 2017/18 season from 08-Dec-2017. As previously reported by CAPA, the carrier plans to split its 10 times weekly service to Tokyo Narita between Haneda and Narita, transferring three services to Haneda Airport.

Fiji Airways, via its official Twitter account, announced (22-Jun-2017) a partnership with CAE for two Boeing 737 MAX full flight simulators (FFS). The simulators will be delivered in 2018 to Fiji Aviation Academy.

Australia Labor Party Federal Member for Granyndler Anthony Albanese urged (22-Jun-2017) the government to expand Western Sydney Airport's Forum to include the Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman, as well as the Member for Lindsay Emma Husar. Mr Albanese stated the addition of Ms Husar and Ms Templeman would ensure the communities around Penrith and the Blue Mountains could channel their feedback on issues relating to the project. [more - original PR]

Qantas stated Townsville Airport's proposed increase in airport charge to fund an expansion project may cause "our Townsville services [to be] unsustainable" (Townsville Bulletin, 23-Jun-2017). Qantas insists "we need to get the balance right between cost and practicality so the upgrades don't go beyond what's required in the short term". Townsville Airport CEO Kevin Gill confirmed "we are not asking Qantas or any other airline partner to pay anything more than their fair share".