KLM and TU Delft present successful first flight Flying-V

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines made this announcement:

The scale model of the Flying-V – the energy-efficient aircraft of the future – has flown for the first time. A year and a half ago TU Delft and KLM announced the start of the design of the Flying-V during IATA 2019 and after extensive wind tunnel tests and ground tests it was finally ready. The first successful test flight is a fact.

Last month a team of researchers, engineers and a drone pilot from TU Delft travelled to an airbase in Germany for the first test flight. “We were very curious about the flight characteristics of the Flying-V. The design fits within our Fly Responsibly initiative, which stands for everything we are doing and will do to improve our sustainability. We want a sustainable future for aviation and innovation is part of that. KLM has been among the top three most sustainable airlines worldwide in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for many years. We want to continue to do so in the future. We are therefore very proud that we have been able to achieve this together in such a short period of time,” says Pieter Elbers, President and CEO of KLM.

The Flying-V is a design for a very energy-efficient long-haul aircraft. The design of the aircraft integrates the passenger cabin, cargo hold and fuel tanks in the wings, creating a spectacular V-shape. Computer calculations have predicted that the improved aerodynamic shape and reduced weight of the aircraft will reduce fuel consumption by 20% compared to today’s most advanced aircraft.

Collaboration and Innovation

KLM presented the scale model for the first time during KLM’s 100th anniversary in October 2019. Several partners are now involved in the project, including manufacturer Airbus. Elbers: “You can’t make the aviation sector more sustainable on your own, but you have to do it together,” says Elbers. Collaborating with partners and sharing knowledge takes us all further. That’s why we will further develop the Flying-V concept with all partners. The next step will be to fly the Flying V on sustainable fuel”.

IATA: Sluggish improvement in passenger demand continues in July

IATA issued this report:

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that passenger demand in July (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs), continued at critically low levels–79.8% below July 2019 levels. This was somewhat better than the 86.6% year-over-year decline recorded in June, primarily driven by domestic markets, most notably Russia and China. Market reopening in the Schengen Area helped to boost international demand in Europe, but other international markets showed little change from June. Capacity was 70.1% below 2019 levels and load factor sagged to a record low for July, at 57.9%.

“The crisis in demand continued with little respite in July. With essentially four in five air travelers staying home, the industry remains largely paralyzed. Governments reopening and then closing borders or removing and then re-imposing quarantines does not give many consumers confidence to make travel plans, nor airlines to rebuild schedules,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

JULY 2020 (% YEAR-ON-YEAR)	WORLD SHARE1	RPK	ASK	PLF (%-PT)²	PLF (LEVEL)³
Total Market	100.0%	-79.8%	-70.1%	-27.7%	57.9%
Africa	2.1%	-93.7%	-84.3%	43.4%	29.6%
Asia Pacific	34.6%	-72.2%	-64.9%	-17.2%	65.7%
Europe	26.8%	-81.3%	-72.7%	28.1%	60.9%
Latin America	5.1%	-87.5%	-83.2%	-22.0%	63.1%
Middle East	9.1%	-92.5%	-84.7%	-41.7%	39.6%
North America	22.3%	-80.6%	-63.9%	-41.0%	47.6%

International Passenger Markets

July international passenger demand collapsed 91.9% compared to July 2019, a slight improvement over the 96.8% decline recorded in June. Capacity plummeted 85.2%, and load factor sank 38.9 percentage points to 46.4%.

European carriers’ July demand toppled 87.1% compared to last year, improved from a 96.7% drop in June, year-over-year, reflecting relaxation of travel restrictions in the Schengen Area. Capacity dropped 79.2% and load factor fell by 33.8 percentage points to 55.1%.

Asia-Pacific airlines’ July traffic dived 96.5% compared to the year-ago period, virtually unchanged from a 97.1% drop in June, and the steepest contraction among regions. Capacity fell 91.7% and load factor shrank 47.3 percentage points to 35.3%.

Middle Eastern airlines posted a 93.3% traffic decline for July, compared with a 96.1% demand drop in June. Capacity tumbled 85.6%, and load factor sank 43.4 percentage points to 38.0%.

North American carriers saw a 94.5% traffic decline in July, a slight uptick from a 97.1% decline in June. Capacity fell 86.1%, and load factor dropped 53.0 percentage points to 35.0%, second lowest among regions.

Latin American airlines experienced a 95.0% demand drop in July, compared to the same month last year, versus a 96.6% drop in June. Capacity fell 92.6% and load factor sank 27.1 percentage points to 58.4%, highest among the regions.

African airlines’ traffic dropped 94.6% in July, somewhat improved from a 97.8% contraction in June. Capacity contracted 84.6%, and load factor fell 47.1 percentage points to 25.4%, which was the lowest among regions.

Domestic Passenger Markets

Domestic traffic fell 57.5% in July. This was an improvement compared to a 68% decline in June. Domestic capacity fell 42.2% and load factor dropped 22.9 percentage points to 63.3%.

JULY 2020 (% YEAR-ON-YEAR)	WORLD SHARE1	RPK	ASK	PLF (%-PT)²	PLF (LEVEL)³
Domestic	36.2%	-57.5%	-42.2%	-22.9%	63.3%
Dom. Australia	0.8%	-90.0%	-82.8%	-34.7%	48.5%
Dom. Brazil	1.1%	-77.7%	-74.9%	-9.5%	75.2%
Dom. China P.R.	9.8%	-28.4%	-18.3%	-10.5%	74.4%
Dom. Japan	1.1%	-65.2%	-44.0%	-27.2%	44.6%
Dom. Russian Fed.	1.5%	-17.7%	-0.8%	-15.7%	76.5%
Dom. US	14.0	-72.6%	-50.7%	39.7%	49.6%

China’s carriers’ traffic was down 28.4% compared to July 2019. Recovery had slowed modestly in June amid new virus outbreaks but resumed its pace from mid-July.

Russian airlines’ domestic traffic was down 17.7% in July, dramatically improved compared with 58% decline in June. Demand has been supported by low domestic fares and a boom in domestic tourism.

Swoop announces its winter schedule

Swoop released its winter schedule, unveiling the new markets the ultra-low fare airline will serve as it begins operations from Toronto Pearson International Airport on October 25, 2020.

Swoop’s winter schedule includes the restart of operations at Kelowna International Airport and the addition of non-stop service to popular sun destinations. These consist of flights from Toronto to Montego Bay, Cancun, Las Vegas, Orlando and Tampa Bay.

Highlights of Swoop’s winter schedule operating between Oct. 25, 2020 – Apr. 24, 2021, can be found below. Winter flying from Edmonton, with service to six destinations, was previously announced. Traveller demand, travel advisories, and health and safety conditions will be monitored over the coming weeks and months, which may cause adjustments to this schedule. For added flexibility, Swoop travellers have the option to purchase ModiFly, which grants them a one-time date and time change to their booking.

Toronto and Abbotsford will operate up to 6x weekly, with service every day except Saturday
Toronto and Edmonton will operate 6x weekly with service every day except Saturday
Toronto and Kelowna will operate up to 4x weekly with service on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Toronto and Halifax will operate daily
Toronto and Las Vegas will operate up to 4x weekly on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Toronto and Orlando will operate up to 5x weekly on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Toronto and Tampa Bay will operate up to 4x weekly on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Toronto and Cancun will operate up to 5x weekly, with service on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Toronto and Montego Bay will operate up to 5x weekly, with service on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Edmonton and Hamilton will operate up to 4x weekly with service on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Edmonton and Abbotsford will operate up to 14x weekly with double daily service.
Edmonton and Mesa will operate up to 4x weekly with service on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Edmonton and Las Vegas will operate up to 4x weekly with service on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Edmonton and Puerto Vallarta will operate 2x weekly, with service on Tuesday and Saturday
Edmonton and Mazatlán will operate 2x weekly with service on Wednesday and Saturday

Alaska Airlines joins the group, drops change fees

Alaska Airlines is giving guests more peace of mind and effective immediately will eliminate change fees on all domestic and international tickets.

“COVID has taught us that flexibility in travel is key. As we evolve our approach to travel to include more than 100 safety actions, it’s important to give our guests flexibility when they book by eliminating change fees,” said Andrew Harrison, executive vice president and chief commercial officer for Alaska Airlines.

The new change-fee policy applies to all tickets, except for Saver fares. Previously, Alaska’schange fee of $125 applied to all non-Saver travel, except for guests traveling on refundable tickets and Mileage Plan top elite status members.

During the pandemic Alaska is also extending its flexible travel policy for all new ticket purchases, including Saver fares through Dec. 31, 2020.

Alaska Airlines continues to add travel-friendly policies and actions to its layered approach to safety. As part of nearly 100 Next-Level Care safety measures, designed to keep guests and employees safe, Alaska has:

Flown more than a million passengers, 99.99% of whom have adhered to Alaska’s“No Mask. No Travel.” policy. To date, the airline has suspended travel for 75 guests due to non-compliance.
Rolled out a series of innovations making it easier for guests to travel touch-free.
Extended physical distancing on board for fall travel, with blocked middle seats on all mainline flights and reduced capacity on regional flights through Oct. 31.
Continued its enhanced aircraft cleaning program, sanitizing planes between flights, including disinfecting high-touch areas of the plane such as tray tables, armrests and buckles.
Extended 2020 elite status through next year. Additionally, miles earned between January 2020 – April 2020 can be used towards earning status for 2022.
Learn more at Next-Level Care.

WestJet concerned third-party charges undermining Canada’s economic recovery

WestJet today announced an increase to domestic traveller surcharges to account for NAV CANADA rate increases of almost 30 per cent starting September 1.

WestJet is increasing the surcharge it charges for air traffic control services between $4 and $7 per guest depending on flight duration. NAV CANADA is Canada’s air traffic control operator, responsible for Canada’s civil air navigation system. WestJet is investigating an appeal of the rate increase and will remove the additional surcharge if the appeal is successful.

“We are deeply concerned the NAV CANADA rate increase will lead to a further reduction in the number of travellers,” said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. “We are sympathetic to their situation, like ours, where a lack of sector-specific federal support has hindered their ability to recover. Burdening travellers who have been severely impacted by this pandemic with incremental costs will only serve to undermine Canada’s economic recovery.”

Effective today, NAV CANADA rates will increase by an average of 29.5 percent. Due to the increase, WestJet will increase the surcharge on all domestic tickets from September 5, 2020 onward to partially recover the airline’s costs. The estimated NAV CANADA rate increase will range from $6 to $9 per guest paid by the airline, while WestJet’s surcharge increase will range from $4 to $7 per guest.

“Countries around the world have taken action to limit or defer costs to the aviation industry, yet our situation remains exacerbated by double-digit increases that are beyond our control. Some airports have indicated they are increasing their Airport Improvement Fees (AIF) by as much as 52 per cent which doesn’t help this challenging situation.”

Air travel is critical to the Canadian economy, supporting 633,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributing $64 billion to the Canadian GDP.

Qatar Airways resumes three-weekly flights to Mogadishu, Somalia

Qatar Airways has announced the resumption of three-weekly flights to Mogadishu, Somalia from September 6, 2020. Service to the capital city of Somalia will be operated by an Airbus A320 featuring 12 seats in Business class and 120 seats in Economy class.

The award-winning airline will operate this service as a tagged flight to its existing operations to Djibouti which resumed last month. The resumption of three-weekly flights to Mogadishu, Somalia, will see Qatar Airways network in Africa expand to nine destinations. With the addition of Mogadishu, the airline will operate 40 weekly flights to the continent across nine destinations including Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Nairobi, Tunis and Zanzibar.

Since the onset of the pandemic Qatar Airways’ network has never fallen below 30 destinations with continuous services to five continents, enabling the airline to accumulate unrivalled experience in carrying passengers safely and reliably. The national carrier of the State of Qatar has led the recovery of international air travel with the airline rebuilding its network to more than 550 weekly flights to over 85 destinations across six continents.

Qatar Airways operations are not dependent on any specific aircraft type. The airline’s variety of modern fuel-efficient aircraft has meant it can continue flying by offering the right capacity in each market. Due to COVID-19’s impact on travel demand, the airline has taken the decision to ground its fleet of Airbus A380s as it is not commercially or environmentally justifiable to operate such a large aircraft in the current market. The airline’s fleet of 49 Airbus A350 and 30 Boeing 787 are the ideal choice for the most strategically important long-haul routes to Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.

Qatar Airways’ onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew include the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers. Business Class passengers on aircraft equipped with Qsuite can enjoy the enhanced privacy this award-winning business seat provides, including sliding privacy partitions and the option to use a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations including London, Paris, and Frankfurt.

Qatar Airways’ home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), has implemented stringent cleaning procedures and applied social distancing measures throughout its terminals. Passenger touchpoints are sanitized every 10-15 minutes and boarding gates and bus gate counters are cleaned after each flight. In addition, hand sanitizers are provided at immigration and security screening points. HIA was recently ranked “Third Best Airport in the World”, among 550 airports worldwide, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020. HIA was also voted the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row.

Mogadishu Flight Schedule*: Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday

Doha (DOH) to Mogadishu (MGQ) via Djibouti (JIB) QR1459 departs: 03:40 arrives 12:00

Mogadishu (MGQ) to Doha (DOH) via Djibouti (JIB) QR1460 departs: 13:30 arrives 22:10

*Flight timings may change

Air France increases its flight operations out of Paris Orly

Air France made this announcement:

With the reopening of Paris-Orly airport at the end of June, Air France is adapting its network and progressively increasing its flight capacity. As from 31st August, more than 20 destinations in Metropolitan France and the Overseas Departments are being served on departure from the South Parisian airport. Air France welcomes its customers at Paris-Orly Halls 1B and 3 depending on their destination.

To date, Air France is operating services from Paris-Orly to the following destinations –

> Metropolitan France:
Ajaccio, Aurillac, Bastia, Biarritz, Brest, Brive, Calvi, Castres, Figari, Montpellier, Pau, Perpignan, Tarbes-Lourdes, Toulon as well as La Navette flights to Marseille, Nice and Toulouse.

> Overseas Departments:
Cayenne, Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre and Saint-Denis de La Réunion.

Flight schedule to/from Paris-Orly as from 31st August 2020 available at www.airfrance.fr

Air France has reopened its lounges in line with the strictest hygiene safety standards and welcomes customers* who wish to enjoy the comfort and services provided in these spaces exclusively dedicated to their well-being.

SkyPriority customers can once again take advantage of the exclusive benefits reserved for them throughout their journey at Paris-Orly airport – priority check-in and boarding, priority baggage delivery, privileged access through security checkpoints, etc.

Air France is monitoring the changing global health situation on a daily basis. In line with its “Air France Protect” label’s health and hygiene commitments, company staff remain committed to guaranteeing customers a safe trip.

All Air France staff are pleased to welcome customers back to Paris-Orly airport since its reopening.

Video:

American also drops change fees

American Airlines made this announcement:

No more change fees. Change fees for all domestic and short-haul international flying on Premium Cabin fares and most Main Cabin fares will be eliminated.
Fly standby for free. All customers will have the ability to fly standby on earlier flights for the same destination on the same day at no charge starting Oct. 1, 2020.
More to Basic Economy. Basic Economy fares now come with the ability to tailor your travel experience including upgrades, Preferred and Main Cabin Extra seats, priority boarding and same-day flight changes.
Same AAdvantage® benefits during your journey, no matter the fare. AAdvantage® elite members will be able to apply their current travel benefits on all tickets, including when purchasing a Basic Economy fare.

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) is making travel easier and less complicated for customers. These new customer-friendly initiatives give travelers even more flexibility when they travel on American.

“In a world that’s constantly changing, American is resolute to our purpose of caring for customers at all points of their travel journey,” said American’s Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja. “American is offering more flexibility and ease than ever before, should travel plans change. By eliminating change fees, giving customers an opportunity to get where they want to go faster with free same-day standby on earlier flights and providing access to upgrades and seats for all fare types, we’re giving customers the freedom to make their own choices when traveling with American.”

No more change fees

Effective immediately, American will eliminate all change fees for First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Main Cabin tickets for all domestic and short-haul international flying.

No change fee applies with the following locations and cabins:

You’re flying to…	And you’re flying in…
Any of the 50 U.S. states Canada Mexico Caribbean Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands	Main Cabin (except Basic Economy) Premium Economy Business Class First Class

American will also allow customers to keep the full value of their original tickets if they change their travel plans prior to the scheduled travel. Although customers will have to pay the fare difference for a new flight, customers will not lose their ticket value if the new flight is less expensive. For example, if a customer paid $500 for their flight and change to a flight that costs $300, American will give the customer a $200 voucher to use for a future trip.

The new change fee policy applies to AAdvantage® award tickets as well.

Fly standby on the same day for free

Starting Oct. 1, 2020, all customers will have the ability to stand by on flights on the same day as their original departure for the same destination at no charge. This flexibility extends to domestic and international travel, regardless of the ticket purchased.

More to Basic Economy

American is enhancing Basic Economy fares, keeping the same competitive low price, but now allowing customers to purchase products to enhance their travel experience. Customers who purchase Basic Economy tickets on Oct. 1, 2020, and beyond will be able to purchase:

Upgrades
Priority boarding
Preferred/Main Cabin Extra seats
Same-day confirmed flight changes

As a reminder, American allows one personal item and one carry-on item for customers traveling on a Basic Economy ticket.

Same AAdvantage® benefits during your journey, no matter the fare

Later this fall, members who have achieved Elite status with the AAdvantage® program will receive the benefits they’re accustomed to no matter the ticket they purchase. In addition to enjoying Priority Access/Preferred Boarding, our elite members who purchase a Basic Economy fare will now be able to access their:

Upgrade privileges.
Elite seat privileges, including access to Main Cabin Preferred and Main Cabin Extra seats.
Same-day confirmed flight change benefit.

Effective Jan. 1, 2021, Basic Economy tickets will no longer earn elite qualifying dollars, miles or segments toward future status.

Giving customers additional flexibility the rest of the year

In addition, American is also providing customers additional flexibility by extending its offer to waive change fees for customers booking tickets for any new travel purchased by Dec. 31, 2020. This offer applies to tickets that meet the following criteria.

Any First, Business, Premium Economy, Main Cabin, or Basic Economy ticket purchased on or before Dec. 31, 2020, for future travel will not incur change fees prior to travel. Customers must pay any fare difference, if applicable, and fare rules may apply depending on the ticket.
All AAdvantage® award tickets are included in this offer.
Customers are allowed to change their origin and destination cities as part of this offer.

Delta also eliminates change fees

Delta Air Lines made this announcement:

At Delta’s Investor Day in December 2019, the airline shared its intent to overhaul its change fee structure, delivering the flexibility and simplicity customers are looking for. Since then, Delta has put its full focus into taking care of customers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including implementing a waiver to eliminate change fees in March 2020. Delta is now doubling down on its mission to make it easier for customers to book, change or cancel their travel plans by making this policy permanent for tickets purchased for travel within the U.S.

“We’ve said before that we need to approach flexibility differently than this industry has in the past, and today’s announcement builds on that promise to ensure we’re offering industry-leading flexibility, space and care to our customers,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “We want our customers to book and travel with peace of mind, knowing that we’ll continue evaluating our policies to maintain the high standard of flexibility they expect.”

The elimination of change fees is effective immediately and includes tickets purchased for travel within the domestic U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands in Delta’s First Class, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin, with the exception of Basic Economy tickets.

Additionally, Delta will extend its waiver on change fees for newly purchased flights, including international flights and Basic Economy fares, through the end of the year and will extend its expiration on travel credits through December 2022 for tickets booked before April 17, 2020.

Other steps Delta has taken to deliver flexibility and a superior experience to customers include:

Blocking middle seats through Jan 6, 2021, ensuring more space for safer travel, on all flights and including for Basic Economy customers
Giving customers industry-leading flexibility to plan, re-book and travel, Delta has provided more than $2.6 billion in cash refunds in 2020
Delta was the first airline to Extend Medallion Status through 2021, and offer extensions for Delta Sky Club Memberships and more
Offering a 24-hour risk free cancellation policy when customers purchase a new ticket
Empowering our employees to use situational flexibility when customers need it most

As customers consider future travel, Delta’s multi-layered approach to their health and safety ensures peace of mind throughout the travel journey. These include, but are not limited to:

Sanitizing all aircraft with electrostatic spraying before departure and extensive pre-flight disinfection of high-touch points throughout the aircraft interior.
Using state-of-the-art air circulation systems with HEPA filters that extract more than 99.99% of particles, including viruses.
Requiring face masks throughout the airport, in Delta Sky Clubs and on board the aircraft

Boeing to ground 8 787 Dreamliners due to manufacturing problems

Boeing issued this short statement:

“Boeing has identified two distinct manufacturing issues in the join of certain 787 aftbody fuselage sections, which, in combination, result in a condition that does not meet our design standards,”