News

Emirates Airline announced (14-Mar-2023) it has increased operations by 31% (total ASKs) since the start of FY2023 and will increase frequency on the following services:

• Europe:
  • Amsterdam: From 14 to 19 weekly from 02-Apr-2023; 
  • Athens: Addition of a daily seasonal frequency to serve summer demand from 01-Jun-2022 to 30-Sep-2023;
  • Bologna: Five times weekly to daily from 01-May-2023; 
  • Budapest: Five times weekly to daily from 01-Jun-2023
  • London: Start of second daily frequency to London Stansted Airport on 01-May-2023. This will take Emirates London operations to 11 daily frequencies, including six times daily to London Heathrow Airport and three times daily to London Gatwick Airport;
  • Venice: Five to six times weekly from 26-Mar-2023, increasing to daily from 01-Jun-2023;
• Africa:
  • Cairo: From 25 to 28 times weekly by 29-Oct-2023;
  • Dar es Salaam: Five times weekly to daily from 01-May-2023;
  • Entebbe: Six times weekly to daily flights starting 01-Jul-2023;
• Australia and New Zealand:
  • Emirates nonstop Australia flights will resume to pre-pandemic levels to Sydney from 01-May-2023, Melbourne from 26-Mar-2023 and Brisbane on 01-Jun-2023;
  • Brisbane: Additional daily frequency starting 01-Jun-2023 will take Emirates to 14 flights per week to Brisbane;
  • Christchurch: Resumption of daily service from Dubai via Sydney from 26-Mar-2023;
  • Melbourne: Addition of third daily frequency to Melbourne from 26-Mar-2023 via Singapore. This adds capacity to Melbourne and re-establishes connectivity between Singapore and Melbourne. The other two daily flights from Melbourne fly nonstop to Dubai;
  • Sydney: Addition of third daily nonstop frequency from 01-May-2023.
• East Asia:
  • Bangkok: Addition of fifth daily frequency from 01-Aug-2023;
  • Beijing: To commence daily nonstop Boeing 777-300ER service from 15-Mar-2023, upgrading to an A380 from 01-May-2023. A second daily frequency will commence from 01-Sep-2023 with A380 aircraft;
  • Hong Kong: Addition of a daily nonstop frequency from 29-Mar-2023. This increases Emirates' operations to 14 weekly flights including its existing daily Dubai-Bangkok-Hong Kong service;
  • Kuala Lumpur: Addition of a third daily frequency from 01-Jun-2023;
  • Tokyo: Resumption of service to Tokyo Haneda Airport with daily flights on 02-Apr-2023. This takes Emirates Japan operations to 21 weekly frequencies, including a daily A380 service to Tokyo Narita and a daily Boeing 777 service to Osaka. [more - original PR]

Victoria's Government and El Al signed (15-Mar-2023) a LoI to work together to secure nonstop Tel Aviv-Melbourne service by Jun-2024. The carrier is interested in operating three times weekly on the route and adding 44,000 seats p/a. The service will mark the first time for an airline to operate nonstop between Israel and Australia. [more - original PR]

oOh!media, in conjunction with Qantas Airways, introduced (13-Mar-2023) new digital advertising screens at all Qantas domestic lounges and foyers across Australia. The lounge assets have also received a refreshed content platform to engage and inform premium passengers with high-quality news, sport, travel, and luxury lifestyle content to connect with travellers in long dwell environments. With domestic travelling booming and returning to near pre coronavirus levels, oOh! has completed the upgrade of more than 75 assets with LED screens, offering best in market digital assets and integrated advertising tailored to the interior and aesthetics of each individual Qantas lounge. With curated content from The Australian, as well as live flight, weather and gate information, advertisers have the unique and category exclusive opportunity to engage for over 40 minutes with Qantas' most premium customers during a lounge visit. Coverage includes lounge foyers and inside Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra Qantas Club, Business and private lounges, as well as inflight entertainment video opportunities onboard all Qantas jets. Inflight entertainment video can also be segmented to target economy, business, and first class customers domestically and internationally. [more - original PR]

Qantas Airways announced (10-Mar-2023) Qantas Loyalty unveiled 'Qantas Marketplace', a new online shopping experience which will allow Frequent Flyers to earn and use their Qantas Points on 900 premium and household brands and more than 20,000 products. The launch of Qantas Marketplace is the biggest online retail expansion of the Frequent Flyer programme, offering more opportunities for members to be rewarded and enjoy more value when they spend. The platform will bring together brands and products curated by Qantas across fashion, beauty, homewares, appliances and technology. [more - original PR]

UK Visas and Immigration stated (09-Mar-2023) travellers who do not need a visa to come to the UK will soon be required to have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). The ETA will be electronically linked to travellers' passports and will be valid for two years. Travellers will not need an ETA if they have a British or Irish passport; permission to live, work or study in the UK; or a visa to enter the UK. Travellers with an ETA may visit the UK for up to six months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study; for up to three months on the Creative Worker visa concession; or to transit through the UK. Nationals of Qatar will require an ETA from 15-Nov-2023. Nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will require an ETA from 22-Feb-2024. More countries will be added to the scheme in future. [more - original PR]

Australia's Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler announced (09-Mar-2023) Australia's pre departure coronavirus testing requirements for passengers arriving from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, will cease applying to services that land in Australia from 00.01 on 11-Mar-2023. The measure commenced on 05-Jan-2023 and was initiated out of caution in response to a significant wave of coronavirus infections in China and the risk of potential new emerging variants. [more - original PR]

Virgin Atlantic Airways joined (02-Mar-2023) SkyTeam at a signing ceremony in London, becoming the alliance's first UK member airline. Virgin Atlantic customers will benefit from booking every SkyTeam member flight on a single ticket, checking in with baggage just once through their final destination. The move builds on the carrier's 2019 trans-Atlantic JV partnership with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM and is expected to enhance its trans-Atlantic network to and from London Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport, as previously reported by CAPA. Codeshare agreements are already in place with Aeromexico and Middle East Airlines, with options for more codeshares to follow later in 2023. SkyTeam CEO and MD Patrick Roux stated: "We are delighted to welcome Virgin Atlantic into SkyTeam, taking an already close relationship to new heights and elevating our customer offering with more routes to exciting destinations and access to aspirational airport lounges... The UK is a key market for SkyTeam and with Virgin Atlantic on board, customers can look forward to more opportunities to earn and redeem miles as they fly, enjoying the iconic travel experience that makes our newest member a globally loved airline". [more - original PR]

Etihad Airways announced (21-Feb-2023) online check-in will be temporarily unavailable for all customers from 04-Mar-2023 to 12-Mar-2023 as the carrier migrates to Amadeus' Altea Passenger Service System (PSS) from 08/09-Mar-2023. [more - original PR]

Air New Zealand announced (24-Feb-2023) updates to its northern summer schedule for travel between 26-Mar-2023 to 25-Jun-2023. The schedule changes will be progressively out from 27-Feb-2023. Additional schedule changes will be rolled out over the coming weeks for travel up to the end of Oct-2023. [more - original PR]

BCD Travel expanded (21-Feb-2023) its agreement with Amadeus as the travel management company (TMC) refines its global technology approach to best capitalise on opportunities in the new era of business travel. The organisations will partner on multiple initiatives designed to provide BCD Travel with a platform for growth, productivity improvement and technological innovation. BCD Travel will leverage Amadeus' technology, travel expertise, content and global footprint to support its operations in additional markets. This includes incorporating Amadeus' NDC content and end-to-end workflow capabilities. For Amadeus, the new agreement also means increased business with a global TMC, including opportunities in the UK, Ireland, and North America. [more - original PR]