Ryanair has announced flights from London Stansted to Rovaniemi โ Lapland next winter.
The airline will operate four weekly flights from November 3, 2022
Located in Finlandโs northernmost region, Lapland is a stunning location filled with magical experiences that kids (big and small) will never forget. Experience a sleigh ride with a real-life reindeer, swap dog walking for husky sledding, stay in a cosy log cabin, see the Northern Lights and last but not least, meet the main man himself together with his team of elves and reindeer.
In response to the rising demand for travels, SAS is introducing more direct routes this summer.
As the world is finally opening again and the demand for travel is rising, SAS is adding several new summer routes, flying more than 200 direct routes from Scandinavia to over 100 destinations.
In response to the increasing demand for flights to Southern Europe SAS is adding more departures to popular Mediterranean destinations and will this summer offer up to 350 weekly flights between Scandinavia and Spain.
Starting end of June, SAS will fly to 11 destinations in Italy and seven destinations in Greece. Three new routes are launched from Copenhagen to Santorini, Heraklion in Crete and Corfu. In addition, routes from Oslo and Stockholm to Tivat in Montenegro will be launched. SAS started flying from Copenhagen to Tivat last summer.
SAS is also adding a seasonal route from Stockholm to the Baltic seaside resort of Pรคrnu ย – Estoniaโs โsummer capitalโ and the second biggest tourist destination in the country after the capital Tallinn.
To further meet increasing demand for intercontinental travels, SAS is expanding its network in North America and will start direct routes to Toronto from Copenhagen and Stockholm in June, as was communicated earlier. SAS will operate three weekly flights from Copenhagen and four weekly flights from Stockholm with the brand-new A321LR aircraft. The Toronto route will enable smooth connectivity to other Canadian cities like Montreal and Vancouver.
Starting June, weโll be flying to Toronto from Copenhagen and Stockholm, provided we get the necessary authorization. Ticket sales will start soon! Weโre curious – whatโs your best tips for #Toronto? ๐จ๐ฆ pic.twitter.com/ZcEwF87JiW
Finnair has signed a letter of intent for a commitment to cooperate with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to bring CO2 emissions reduction targets in line with the UN Paris Climate Agreement. Finnair sets the target within the next two years. The UN Paris Climate Agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2ยฐC above pre-industrial levels to combat the effects of climate change.
โThe climate challenges of flying need to be solved, so that the social and economic benefits of aviation can continue. Finnair has ambitious emissions reduction targets: by the end of 2025, we intend to halve the level of net emissions from 2019 and achieve carbon neutrality latest by the end of 2045. Commitment to the CO2 reduction path SBTi has developed for aviation aligns our targets with the Paris Climate Agreement,โ saysย Eveliina Huurre, SVP Sustainability at Finnair.
Finnair uses an extensive toolkit to achieve emission reductions. The key tools reducing emissions include reducing the weight of aircraft, developing fuel-efficient flight methods, using sustainable fuels (SAF) and offsets, and engaging customers in reducing aviation emissions. Finnair is also actively exploring the possibilities of introducing new technologies into its operations.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reductions targets in line with the latest climate science. It is focused on accelerating companies and financial institutions across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050. The initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments.
In other news, Finnair has resumed flights to Riga.
Yesterday marked 30 years since we resumed flights between Helsinki and Riga. The first flights to Riga started back in 1927. They were suspended due to the division of Europe during World War II and the post-war period. We currently have three daily flights to Riga. pic.twitter.com/hFlE2mt0DD
We continue supporting Ukrainians with a 95% discount on net fares for one-way tickets from Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Budapest and Prague to Helsinki. The discount is available with code Ukraine95 at https://t.co/906IMFcH8u until 14 April. Taxes and fees are added to ticket prices. pic.twitter.com/yEPqCefKEd
Etihad Airways today unveiled its new Airbus A350-1000, registration A6-XWB, on a special inaugural commercial flight from Abu Dhabi to Paris. The aircraft is the first A350 to be operated by a UAE airline, and the first of five A350s set to join Etihadโs fleet over the coming months.
The first flight departed Abu Dhabi for Paris Charles de Gaulle at 7.30am with a delegation including diplomatic dignitaries, Etihad and Airbus representatives, media, trade partners and other VIPs.
Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, commented:ย โThe Airbus A350 is an absolutely incredible aircraft, and we are proud to introduce it into the Etihad Airways network today. Our teams have worked closely together to craft a product and travel proposition that will ensure every journey with Etihad is a choice well made โ both for our guests and for the planet. With highly efficient fuel consumption and CO2 savings, the A350 will support our goals to reduce carbon emissions and deliver an unmatched flight experience for our guests.โ
Sustainability50
The aircraft, named Sustainability50, carries a unique livery in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the federation of the UAE and Etihad’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. It will join the airline’s industry-leading sustainability drive as part of a program aimed at decarbonizing aviation.
Formed as a partnership between Etihad, Airbus and Rolls Royce in 2021, the Sustainability50 program will see Etihad’s A350s used as flying testbeds of new initiatives, procedures and technologies to reduce carbon emissions, building on the learnings derived from Etihad’s similar Greenliner program for the Boeing B787 aircraft type.
The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350 is one of the most efficient aircraft types in the world, with 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previous-generation twin aisle aircraft.
Etihad recently established a formal framework with Airbus to collaborate on sustainability across a number of areas including the promotion and commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel, waste and weight management, and the development of data-driven analysis.
Network
The airlineโs new A350-1000s will be deployed on a number of short to mid-range routes in Q2, including Mumbai and Delhi, before being introduced on ultra-long-haul operations to Chicago and New York from July.
Guest Experience
The aircraft features Etihadโs newest cabin interior which is inspired by Abu Dhabi and is both more efficient and sustainable in design. Etihad is renowned for high-quality aircraft, and the A350 is filled with thoughtful design details providing exceptional comfort and enhanced privacy.
Etihadโs signature lighting design is inspired by the shadows cast by Abu Dhabiโs palm trees. The cabin lighting emulates natural ambient light and is designed to enhance the guest experience, provide an optimum environment for sleeping and reduce the effects of jetlag. The Airbus A350 also offers the quietest cabin experience for a wide-body aircraft.
Another feature to help reduce light pollution, and therefore jetlag, is the new dark-mode interface on the E-BOX inflight entertainment system. Mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity is also available throughout the aircraft.
Etihadโs โLittle VIPโ younger guests will enjoy the newly launched Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi themed family-friendly flying experience and a special feature on this aircraft is the new interactive flight map feature which means children can explore the maps with the help of some Jurassic-age friends.
Business class
The elevated Business class is home to 44 Business Studios with sliding doors that provide a high level of privacy to each suite. Every seat faces forward with direct aisle access. The Business class seat, with a width of over 20โ, converts into a fully-flat bed of 79โ in length, and features ample storage for convenience.
Noise-cancelling headphones and an 18.5โ TV screen provide a cinematic experience to enjoy Etihadโs extensive inflight entertainment offering. The Business seats cleverly feature a built-in wireless charging dock and Bluetooth headphone pairing.
Business class guests can choose from a carefully curated ร la carte menu, and guests on longer flights can enjoy Etihadโs signature โdine anytimeโ service.
Economy class
Etihadโs spacious Economy cabin is configured with 327 smart seats in a 3-3-3 arrangement, of which 45 โEconomy Spaceโ seats have been enhanced with an additional 4 inches of legroom. The Crystal Cabin Award-winning seats were selected after extensive customer trials by Etihad and based on their comfort and sustainability credentials. The seats feature Etihadโs signature supportive headrest, USB charging and Bluetooth headphone pairing, as well as a 13.3โ inch screen to enjoy Etihadโs award-winning inflight entertainment system.
Guests receive blankets and pillows for additional comfort and amenity kits on longer flights, as well as enjoying complimentary dining and beverages served by Etihadโs award-winning cabin crew.
Onboard the inaugural @etihad A350-1000 flight today from Abu Dhabi to Paris CDG. EY037, A6-XWB J44Y327 configuration. More to come shortly. pic.twitter.com/2CR05vkOIN
This week, Latviaโs oldest operating carrierย SmartLynx Airlinesย marks its 30th anniversary.ย In the summer season, the airline plans to have about 60 airplanes, becoming the largest air fleet operator in the Baltic states.
Presently,ย SmartLynx Airlinesย operates 33 airplanes, in April three more will be delivered, and the other 22 will be delivered gradually by the end of the summer season. The companyโs fleet consists ofย Airbus A320 (25), A330-300 (6), and A321 (4) aircraft. There are two other Airbus A321F air cargo jets, and in April the company will receive the first Boeing 737 MAX.
โWe expect that in relation to the fleet size, this year we will be ahead the worldโs largest names in aviation, but we will be able to speak about it in more detail when we have received all the aircraft. The experience obtained during the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis helped us to continue sustainable development so that we could mark our 30th anniversary with a record-high number of airplanes. As our fleet is expanding, the number of our employees is also increasing โ we have already 300 employees in our Riga office, and by the end of the year we plan to fill in 40 more vacancies. We hope to see our next anniversary as the largest Latvian employer in aviation,โ saidย SmartLynx Airlinesย headย Zygimantas Surintas.
Developing new business directions during crisis
The pandemic is called the most severe crisis in the aviation history, however, despite the sudden strike, SmartLynx Airlines during this time has not only managed to maintain its operations, but also develop new business directions. The air cargo fleet has been expanded significantly, and air cargo transportation will be one of the companyโs main strategic directions also in the future. The airline announced on opening fleet service centre SmartLynx Technik in Riga and Tallinn. Meanwhile, two geographically significant players – Royal Air Maroc in Morocco and Air Peace in Nigeria were added to the client portfolio for full-service ACMI aircraft lease services.
The companyโs subsidiaryย SmartLynx Maltaย announced on a significant step, signing a partnership agreement with DHL Express, providing that the two recently refurbished cargo jetsย Airbus A321-200 will join the DHL European air fleet. The company during the pandemic has managed to keep and maintain cooperation with the largest partners from the pre-pandemic period, such as EasyJet, TUI and Jet2.
Development plans not only in Europe, but also in other continents
As the companyโs head says, the main strategic direction ofย SmartLynx Airlinesย will be to strengthen the airlineโs leading position as a trustworthy passenger and air cargo carrier not only in Europe, but also in other continents.
At present, the main business share ofย SmartLynx Airlinesย is organization of passenger charter flights to different resorts and special destinations. A large business share is related with leasing the companyโs jets, services and staff to those airlines who wish to expand their range of services.
SmartLynx Airlines long-term clients include easyJet, TUI, Jet2. Recently such companies as DHL, Qatar Airways, Air Peace, Royal Air Morocco, and others have joined the client portfolio.
Routes from Riga:
Routes from Tallinn:
Top Copyright Photo: SmartLynx Airlines Estonia Airbus A320-232 ES-SAM (msn 1896) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 927299.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is celebrating the 20thย anniversary of its foundation this year. The first-ever SWISS flight was performed from Basel to Zurich on 31 March 2002. The airline has been keeping Switzerland connected with the world ever since, bringing people together and making a vital contribution to promoting the country as an attractive place to visit and do business. โIf it werenโt for the great loyalty of our customers, the strong commitment of our employees in the air and on the ground, our fruitful collaborations with our airport partners and our suppliers and โ not least โ the firm support that we have received from the Swiss people, the Swiss political world and the banks, including in the present pandemic times, SWISS would simply not be one of the leading airlines today,โ says company CEO Dieter Vranckx. โWe have all achieved so much together. And I would like to say a sincere thank-you to everyone who has given us such strong and solid support over the past 20 years, and has helped us ensure that SWISS will continue to fly the Swiss cross with pride and with gratitude all over the globe.โ
An eventful history
SWISSโs early years, following its creation on the foundations of Crossair and of Swissairโs flight operations, were marked by rigorous restructurings and uncertainties over its continued viability. An initially oversized aircraft fleet had to be substantially downscaled, together with the original workforce, before the new company could generate profits from its flight operations. The new SWISS also lacked the critical mass required to survive alone in the fiercely competitive air travel market. Such critical mass was secured in 2005, however, through the companyโs integration into the Lufthansa Group. From then on, SWISS was able to benefit from the groupโs strength and synergies, and achieved its financial turnaround as early as the following year.
The next SWISS milestone was also in 2006, when the company joined Star Alliance, the worldโs biggest airline grouping. One year later Delhi became the first new intercontinental destination to be added to the SWISS route network since the airlineโs foundation. It was followed by Shanghai (2008), San Francisco (2010), Beijing (2012) and Singapore (2013), all key points for Switzerland and all served with non-stop flights. Two further long-haul destinations โ Washington and Osaka โ were due to be added in 2020, but had such plans shelved by the coronavirus pandemic.
SWISS today serves 92 destinations from its Zurich hub and 46 points from Geneva. It carries more passengers and cargo than any Swiss airline has ever transported in the past. And together with its sister airline Edelweiss, which also joined the Lufthansa Group in 2008, the company is very well positioned in the premium business and leisure air travel segments.
Billions of investments in a premium product and an advanced aircraft fleet
SWISSโs takeoff into a new era was mirrored in 2011 by its adoption of a new corporate brand. Over the following decade some CHF 8 billion was invested in acquiring the most advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft, in substantially expanding its destination portfolio from Zurich and Geneva and in further enhancing its premium product in the form of new lounges and aircraft cabins. At the same time, SWISS was compelled to end its flight operations in Basel in 2015, after a changed market environment and difficult political parameters had blighted prospects and perspectives in the premium travel segment. Just one year later, though, came one of the biggest highlights in the companyโs 20-year history to date: the addition to the SWISS fleet of the worldโs first highly economical Airbus A220 (which was then known as the Bombardier C Series). The same year saw the delivery of SWISSโs first Boeing 777-300ER, its long-haul flagship, twelve of which are now in service.
SWISS will continue to promote such investments in sustainability and in its product in the years ahead. The company has set itself the two objectives of halving its carbon dioxide emissions from their 2019 level by 2030 and of making its operations carbon-neutral by 2050. โSustainability is one of our key strategic pillars,โ explains CEO Vranckx. โOver the past 20 years we have reduced our carbon dioxide emissions per passenger-kilometre by around 30 per cent. We continue to work on improving our fuel efficiency; and, among other endeavours, we are also lobbying strongly for the development and market introduction of sustainable aviation fuel, to help us achieve our ambitious ecological objectives.โ SWISS will also have welcomed 25 state-of-the-art Airbus A320/321neos into its fleet by the end of 2025. These highly advanced aircraft emit some 20 per cent less carbon dioxide than their predecessor models.
Airline of Switzerland: mission accomplished
The crisis prompted by the coronavirus pandemic has further confirmed the vital importance of having an โAirline of Switzerlandโ or a Swiss-based hub carrier. SWISS, together with its sister airline Edelweiss, performed a total of 86 flights under the biggest repatriation programme ever conducted by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to bring stranded travellers back home. Between the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 and February 2022, SWISSโs Swiss WorldCargo airfreight division also performed no fewer than 2,650 all-cargo flights that transported over 69,300 tonnes of cargo and provided Switzerland besides many with urgently-needed medical supplies such as facemasks and vaccines.
In the 20 years since its foundation SWISS has performed 2.8 million flights of an aggregate distance of 3.8 billion kilometres, or 95,000 times around the world. These flights have transported just under 266 million passengers โ about 40 times the population of Switzerland โ and 5.6 million tonnes of cargo, the equivalent in weight of some 560 Eiffel Towers.
Twenty aircraft namings and many more anniversary activities planned
SWISS is marking its 20thย anniversary with a wide range of activities and attractive offers. The latter will be launched with a 48-hour sale from 2 April in which customers can take advantage of attractive fares throughout the European network. In addition, 20 of SWISSโs advanced Airbus A220 aircraft will be formally named after Swiss tourist resorts between now and year-end. The naming ceremonies will be held in selected locations throughout Switzerland, on a โWeโll come to youโ basis.
Further anniversary attractions include a special jubilee video (above) that captures the landmark moments in SWISSโs 20-year history to date. SWISS travelers will be able to immerse themselves in the SWISS story, too: from July to September, passengers will be offered a special edition of the inflight SWISS Magazine providing intriguing insights into the fascinating SWISS world of the past two decades along with our travel specialistsโ favorite destinations. Also planned is a big 20thย anniversary competition offering various attractive prizes.
In other news, SWISS inaugurated our new Zurich-Bologna route, Bologna Airport being the 4th new destination in the summer timetable. SWISS connects the two cities with four weekly flights as of today.
With the start of the summer flight schedule last Sunday, March 27, Eurowings Discover has added a number of attractive leisure destinations to its flight schedule.
For the first time, the young leisure airline also took off this week from its Munich hub to three long-haul destinations: Las Vegas, Punta Cana and Cancรบn. From now on, travelers can look forward to two weekly flights to each of these three dream destinations.
From Frankfurt, the young Lufthansa Group airline will fly to Panama City for the first time. The nonstop flight is offered three times a week from Frankfurt – all year round. This makes Eurowings Discover the only airline to offer a year-round direct connection between Germany and Panama City.
Two flights took off on Monday, March 28, bound for North America, to Las Vegas in the state of Nevada and to Fort Myers in Florida. From now on, there will be four flights a week from Frankfurt to Las Vegas, and three flights a week to Fort Myers all year round. Eurowings Discover offers the only direct connection between Germany and Fort Myers.
Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is another very special destination in the flight schedule from Frankfurt. Three flights a week will fly passengers to Victoria Falls until mid-November, with a short stopover in Windhoek, Namibia. Eurowings Discover is the first European airline ever to offer direct flights to Victoria Falls.
In the course of this summer, more long-haul flights from Frankfurt will be added to the flight plan, including Malรฉ (April 23), Calgary (May 23), Salt Lake City (May 23), Kilimanjaro (June 6), Halifax (June 13) and Anchorage (June 13). The airline is also expanding its short- and medium-haul program to North Africa, the Canary Islands, the Greek islands, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Turkey.
Top Copyright Photo: Eurowings Discover Airbus A330-203 D-AXGF (msn 616) FRA (Rainer Bexten). Image: 955382.
Two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began in Europe, and five weeks after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, A4E CEOs are navigating back-to-back crises and have called on European policy makers to take urgent action on key legislative proposals that would strengthen airlinesโ recovery prospects, protect and accelerate decarbonisation efforts and help rebuild passenger connectivity.
European aviation remains one of the sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2020-2021, A4E airlines lost over 500m passengers compared to 2019, and some experienced staff cuts (-150,000 employees) due to the pandemic. According to the latest IATA forecast, Europeโs airlines are not expected to post a profit until 2023, or 2024 at the earliest. A thriving and economically viable aviation sector in Europe is a key enabler for other industriesโ recovery, including tourism.
With fuel representing up to 35% of airlinesโ operating costs, and energy prices expected to remain high until at least 2023, EU aviation policies must reflect the โnew realityโ airlines in Europe are facing. Despite strong pent-up demand among Europeans to travel again, record oil and carbon pricesย 1ย combined with lengthy detours around Russian airspace will weaken competition between European and non-European carriers for flights to/from Asia.
Key policies must be re-assessed and swiftly updated to help airlines mitigate rising costs on multiple fronts and operate more efficiently. For example, more cost-efficient air navigation services for flights within Europe could be realized along with an up to 10% reduction in CO2 emissions by implementing the Single European Sky, which remains in trilogue negotiations between the European Council, the European Parliament and European Commission.
Without appropriate mitigation measures, future energy and climate policies will erode airlinesโ competitiveness and lead to carbon leakage.
CEOs reiterated their commitment to reaching net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 and support European carbon reduction targets โ but stressed the need for global climate action and pricing support measures to level the playing field. ย A4E CEOs want global uniform regulation, including a global carbon price for aviation which would stimulate low carbon technology development โ as well as using the system of ETS allowances to support the uptake of sustainable fuels.
โEurope can become a global leader in decarbonising aviation. But achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 should not erode the competitiveness of European airlines nor lead to carbon leakageโ, said Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa Group CEO and A4Eโs 2022 Chair. โTo be successful, policies must be designed to avoid distorting competition between European stakeholders within the single aviation market โ as well as between European and non-European airlinesโ, Spohr added.
The long overdue reform of EU air passenger rights rules (EU261) will ensure better information for passengers, reduce complexity, and incentivise airlines to minimize the impact of flight disruptions. For example, a list of so-called โextraordinary circumstancesโ will help passengers know when they can claim compensation. As key issues are not defined in the current legislation, the total cost of European airlinesโ compliance to EU261 has risen from โฌ1.6 bn in 2011 to โฌ5.3 bn in 2018.ย 2ย It is vital that EU261 is streamlined and made future-proof should aviation be affected by another crisis like COVID-19.
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