Delta to launch first biometric terminal in the U.S.

Delta Air Lines, in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), is launching the first biometric terminal in the United States at Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal (Terminal F) in Atlanta.

Beginning late this year, customers flying direct to an international destination have the option of using facial recognition technology from curb to gate, transforming the customer journey with a seamless travel experience through the airport.

This optional, end-to-end Delta Biometrics experience includes using facial recognition technology to:

Check in at the self-service kiosks in the lobby
Drop checked baggage at the counters in the lobby
Serve as identification at the TSA checkpoint
Board a flight at any gate in Terminal F
And, go through CBP processing for international travelers arriving into the U.S.

Traveling on partner airlines Aeromexico, Air France-KLM or Virgin Atlantic Airways out of Terminal F? Those customers are eligible to use this technology too — another benefit of Delta’s unmatched global network of partnerships.

“Launching the first biometric terminal in the U.S. at the world’s busiest airport means we’re bringing the future of flying to customers traveling around the globe,” said Gil West, Delta’s COO. “Customers have an expectation that experiences along their journey are easy and happen seamlessly — that’s what we’re aiming for by launching this technology across airport touch points.”

Delta employees’ input has been key to move facial recognition from testing to this full-scale launch — they’ve provided invaluable feedback on everything from the best camera angle for a successful scan to an added device enhancement that better facilitates face-to-face interactions with customers. Based on initial testing, the facial recognition option not only saves up to nine minutes per flight, but provides employees an opportunity to have more meaningful interactions with customers throughout the journey.

“This is the latest example of Delta’s investment in, and partnership with, the world’s busiest and most efficient airport. We are looking forward to bringing the future of travel to life with Delta, CBP and TSA,” said Balram Bheodari, interim General Manager, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

How it works

Customers flying direct to an international destination from Atlanta’s Terminal F wanting to use this option simply

Enter their passport information when prompted during online check-in.
- Forgot to enter passport information in advance? Don’t worry — this option will be available at the terminal after an initial passport scan and verification.
Click “Look” on the screen at the kiosk in the lobby, or approach the camera at the counter in the lobby, the TSA checkpoint or when boarding at the gate.
Breeze through once the green check mark flashes on the screen.
- Travelers will need to have their passports available and should always bring their passports when they travel internationally for use at other touch points during their trip.

And, if customers do not want to participate, they just proceed normally, as they’ve always done, through the airport.

“Delta and CBP have developed a strong partnership over the years, and share a common vision for enhancing security and the traveler experience,” said CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan. “Together with innovative partners like Delta, TSA and ATL, we are using technology to create a secure, efficient and simplified travel experience.”

Also at ATL Terminal F, customers can take advantage of industry-leading Computed Tomography (CT) scanners at two automated screening lanes, which are being installed in partnership with the TSA and the airport. This means travelers won’t have to take out electronics from their bags at the TSA checkpoint, further enabling a smooth travel experience.

“The expansion of biometrics and facial recognition throughout the airport environment represents the next generation of security identification technology,” said David Pekoske, TSA Administrator. “TSA is committed to working with great partners like Delta, ATL and CBP on developing and deploying new capabilities like these.”

The expansion of the facial recognition option with Delta Biometrics is a natural next step following CBP and Delta’s optional facial recognition boarding tests at ATL, Detroit Metropolitan Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport over the past several years. In addition, Delta recently tested a self-service biometric bag drop at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport for international customers. Delta has also tested biometric boarding at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and has launched optional biometric check-in for all domestic Delta Sky Clubs, facilitated by Delta Biometrics Powered by CLEAR.

This launch leverages technology and software developed by NEC Corporation.

Over the past several years, Delta has led the industry on a number of customer solutions like RFID baggage handling, automatic check-in and bag tracking via the Fly Delta mobile app, a cross-industry alliance that will empower customers with seamless in-cabin connectivity experience, more efficient and high-tech automated screening lanes, and a groundbreaking app that helps Delta pilots avoid turbulence for a more comfortable flight. Delta was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Worldwide in 2018, earning the No. 6 spot among travel companies.

ATL F Biometrics: By the Numbers

ATL F Biometrics: How It Works

JetBlue brings EatUp® Café fresh food to more Latin America and Caribbean routes

JetBlue Airways today announced that starting this month it will now offer fresh food on select Latin America and Caribbean routes for the very first time.

Popular on domestic long-haul flights, EatUp Café menu items are now available for purchase on international flights longer than four hours departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Additionally this month, the airline introduced three all-new EatUp snack boxes featuring refreshed, curated treats for all tastes.

“We are always looking for new ways to push the envelope when it comes to serving food at 35,000 feet,” said Elizabeth Windram, vice president of marketing, JetBlue. “Imagine having a Mediterranean salad shaker on your way to Costa Rica. The Latin America and Caribbean regions account for one-third of our flying, so it’s only natural that we bring this fresh food offering to even more JetBlue customers.”

Bringing EatUp Café to More Latin America and Caribbean Routes

EatUp Café has been available on more than two dozen transcontinental routes from John F. Kennedy International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Now, the airline is bringing its popular fresh food offering to more Latin America and Caribbean flights, providing customers with freshly-prepared meals on more than 70 domestic and international routes combined.


New Routes to/from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and:

Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda (ANU)				Nassau, Bahamas (NAS)
Aruba (AUA)				Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP)
Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI)				Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (PLS)
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (BQN)				Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP)
Cartagena, Colombia (CTG)				Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (POS)
Curaçao (CUR)				Ponce, Puerto Rico (PSE)
Grenada (GND)				Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
Grand Cayman (GCM)				St. Lucia (UVF)
Havana, Cuba (HAV)				Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)
Kingston, Jamaica (KIN)				San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR)				Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI)
La Romana, Dominican Republic (LRM)				St. Maarten (SXM)
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ)


New Routes to/from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and:

Aruba (AUA)				Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP)
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (BQN)				Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI)				Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)
Cancun, Mexico (CUN)				San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR)				Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI)
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ)				St. Lucia (UVF)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (PAP)

Available on flights scheduled to depart between 5:57 a.m. – 8:59 p.m.

Fresh food is not available on overnight flights.

Introducing Three New EatUp Snack Boxes

JetBlue’s new EatUp snack boxes – FuelUp, SavorUp and PartyUp – are now available for purchase onboard domestic and international flights longer than two hours.

The refreshed options offer delicacies for the most discerning foodies, and feature a variety of curated brand-name treats, allowing customers to indulge in their choice of high protein, Mediterranean-inspired or easily shareable snacks. JetBlue will continue to offer its signature PickMeUp cheese tray in addition to the three new boxes.

Products may not be available on all flights and product substitutions may take place. JetBlue only accepts credit cards, debit cards or Apple Pay onboard.

All photos by JetBlue Airways.

American joins the club; raises checked bag fees

American Airlines issued this statement:

American Airlines is raising the price of a first and second checked bag by $5 each, to $30 for a first checked bag and $40 for a second checked bag. The change is being implemented for tickets purchased beginning Sept. 21, for travel in the U.S. and other North America and Caribbean destinations.

Common Main Cabin Checked Bag Fees (Beginning Sept. 21)	1st Bag	2nd Bag
Domestic U.S. and Canada (including Puerto Rico (PR) & U.S. Virgin Islands (VI))	$30	$40

See optional service fees/baggage fees on aa.com for complete details, including other destinations and regions, exceptions, and size and weight limitations.

Certain customers will continue to be eligible for free checked bags, including American’s elite status AAdvantage® members: Concierge Key and AAdvantage Executive Platinum®; AAdvantage Platinum Pro®; AAdvantage Platinum® and AAdvantage Gold®; eligible AAdvantage® Aviator® and Citi®/AAdvantage® cardmembers on domestic itineraries operated by American Airlines; customers confirmed in the first or business class cabin; customers in Premium Economy; other travelers booked in the same reservation as the eligible customer; and customers traveling on military fares (including spouse and immediate family).

The previous bag fees will apply for tickets purchased prior to this change.

This is the first time American has changed its domestic checked bag fees since 2010 and follows similar changes made by other airlines.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by @lucky21b): American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N838AA (msn 40659) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 943398.

American Airlines (Boeing) aircraft slide show:

Nigeria Air revival is suspended

Aviation Minister of Nigeria Hadi Sirika made this announcement on social media:

I regret to announce that the Federal Executive Council has taken the tough decision to suspend the National Carrier Project in the interim. All commitments due will be honoured. We thank the public for the support as always.

Wizz Air announces major changes in Poland, drops Poznan

Wizz Air has announced network adjustment and market optimization plans of its Polish operations to reflect changing customer demand.

On March 30, 2019, the airline will close its base in Poznan and add one Airbus A320 aircraft to its Gdansk fleet, allowing to launch four new services from the Pomeranian region.

Wizz Air also announced that due to high customer demand it will convert its Warsaw fleet to an all-A321 fleet, adding two new routes and increasing capacity in the Polish capital, and also add one new service from Wroclaw to Kharkiv in Ukraine.

Wizz Air has decided to adjust its Poznan network plan, close the base and take advantage of growth opportunities by reallocating the capacity to other Polish routes with higher demand effective from March 30, 2019. Wizz Air will continue to operate a number of its routes from Poznan, including the Paris-Beauvais, London-Luton, Eindhoven, Doncaster-Sheffield and Torp-Sandefjord services. All affected employees at the Poznan base will be offered opportunities elsewhere in the Wizz Air network.

As a result of the optimization, 7 aircraft (Airbus A320) will be added to the Gdansk fleet, expanding the network with four exciting new routes connecting Gdansk with Kharkiv from October 28, 2018 and Oslo, Kutaisi and Bremen, from early April, as well as increasing the number of weekly flights on popular routes to Aberdeen, Lviv, Gothenburg and Kyiv. The new aircraft will also facilitate the creation of more than 30 additional direct jobs with the airline at the Gdansk base.

Underpinned by strong customer demand in the region, by April 2019 Wizz Air will upgrade its Warsaw fleet to an all-A321 fleet, consisting of eight 230-seat aircraft and adding 11% more capacity to the airline’s operations from the capital, while continue to keep its fares low. The all-A321 fleet will contribute to a more efficient, more silent and more environment-friendly operations thanks to the state-of-the-art ergonomics of the Airbus A321.

The aircraft, which were allocated to Katowice and Warsaw for the 2018 peak summer season, will return to these bases for the coming 2019 summer season and remain part of the operations. In 2019, Wizz Air will have almost 10.5 million seats on sale on its low-fare routes from its eight Polish airports, which represents a 2.5% capacity growth year over year.

Wizz Air’s first flight took off from Poland in May 2004 and since then, the airline has constantly expanded its operations carrying over 63 million passengers on its low-fare Polish routes. In the first eight months of 2018, over 6.3 million passengers flew with WIZZ to and from Poland, 19% more than in the same period of the previous year.

WIZZ AIR’S NEW ROUTES FROM POLAND

Route	Days	Starts	Fares From*
Gdansk-Kharkiv	Wednesday, Sunday	28 October 2018	PLN 39 / EUR 9.99
Gdansk-Kutaisi	Tuesday, Saturday	2 April 2019	PLN 89 / 19.99 EUR
Gdansk-Bremen	Tuesday, Saturday	2 April 2019	PLN 89 / 19.99 EUR
Gdansk-Oslo	Daily	4 April 2019	PLN 89 / 19.99 EUR
Warsaw-Vienna	Daily	28 October 2018	PLN 119 / EUR 27.49
Warsaw-Marrakesh	Wednesday, Sunday	31 October 2018	PLN 189 / EUR 44.99
Wroclaw-Kharkiv	Wednesday, Sunday	28 October 2018	PLN 39 / EUR 9.99

WIZZ AIR’S FREQUENCY INCREASES FROM GDANSK

Route	Days	Additional frequency	Starts
Gdansk-Aberdeen	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday	2xà3x	31 March 2019
Gdansk-Lviv	Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday	2xà4x	31 March 2019
Gdansk-Gotenburg	Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday	4xà5x	31 March 2019
Gdansk-Kyiv	Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday	2xà3x	31 March 2019

*one-way, including taxes and non-optional charges

**ACI suggests creation of 750 on-site jobs for every 1 million carried passengers per year

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Wizz Air): Wizz Air (wizzair.com) (Hungary) Airbus A320-232 HA-LWF (msn 3562) BSL (Paul Bannwarth). Image: 943580.

Wizz Air aircraft slide show:

JetBlue and Airbus take to the sky using renewable jet fuel

JetBlue Airways today received its latest Airbus A321 aircraft from Airbus’ U.S. A320 Family production facility in Mobile, Alabama. The acceptance flight followed by JetBlue’s scheduled ferry flight, taking place on September 20, marks JetBlue’s first-ever flights fueled with renewable jet fuel blend. The fuel for these flights, provided by Airbus and certified by Air BP, consists of 15.5 percent renewable jet fuel blended with traditional jet fuel.

Four more A321 aircraft will be delivered to JetBlue from Airbus’s U.S. facility by the end of 2018. All of these customer acceptance and delivery flights will be fueled with renewable jet fuel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved renewable jet fuel safe for use. Renewable jet fuel is chemically equivalent to conventional jet-A fuel, and poses no difference in performance or safety. To date, thousands of commercial, revenue flights have flown on different types of renewable jet fuel.

Following the deliveries in the U.S. to JetBlue, Airbus will determine the next steps toward offering this option to more customers taking aircraft deliveries from Mobile. Longer term, Airbus envisions supporting industrial production of sustainable fuels for aviation in the U.S. In another commitment to sustainability throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle, Airbus also announced its U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile officially received its ISO 14001 certification. Airbus was the first aircraft manufacturer to be certified ISO 14001 for all its sites, products and services.

JetBlue is proactive about mitigating the impact of changes in the fuel market by flying more efficient aircraft, optimizing its fuel consumption, moving to renewable jet fuel, and more. With an aviation industry-wide goal to cap net greenhouse gas growth from 2020 onward, renewable jet fuel is a key aspect of JetBlue’s emissions reduction strategy. In 2016, JetBlue signed a deal and made an offtake agreement with SJ Preston for renewable jet fuel at New York’s JFK Airport.

JetBlue’s Focus on the Environment – JetBlue depends on natural resources and a healthy environment to keep its business running smoothly. The airline is committed to taking steps to address the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from its flights and empowers and inspires its customers and crewmembers to offset GHG emissions when they fly. The airline is constantly looking for ways to become more fuel efficient and embrace efficient technologies. For example, JetBlue planes feature Airbus’ Sharklets, which improve aerodynamics and cut fuel burn and emissions.

Spirit Airlines is coming to Jacksonville

Spirit Airlines beginning on December 20, 2018 will begin nonstop daily service from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).

Jacksonville will mark Spirit’s 69^th destination in its growing network, and joins Spirit’s other Florida stations of Orlando, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Fort Myers, Tampa and West Palm Beach.

Jacksonville (JAX) to/from	Starts:	Frequency:
Chicago – O’Hare (ORD)	December 20, 2018	Daily
Detroit (DTW)	December 20, 2018	Daily

This latest service expansion comes just months after Spirit announced it was launching nearly a dozen new routes from Orlando, Florida to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Spirit): Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-232 WL N653NK (msn 8012) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 943095.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Small Planet Airlines will restructure its German business

Small Planet Airlines Germany GmbH, a part of Small Planet Group, has commenced a restructuring process. The German Civil Aviation Authority has no objections that the Air Operator’s License (AOC) will remain in place and therefore, all scheduled flights of Small Planet Airlines GmbH will continue to operate as before.

Small Planet Airlines GmbH has been operating as an independent entity in Germany since the year 2015 and acquired Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) in the spring 2016. This year Small Planet Airlines Germany has decided to go for rapid expansion which didn’t go according to plan.

“After Air Berlin went bankrupt last year, a niche emerged for the other carriers, and Small Planet Airlines Germany chose to almost double in size year on year in order to take advantage of these newly opened possibilities in the market. However, the company struggled to manage this successfully due to several factors: late delivery of aircraft before the start of the summer season, shortage of crews in the market, unreliable sub charter aircraft and unforeseeable technical events had a devastating impact on a very intense schedule, which led to flight irregularities which in turn led to increasing cost burden. The financial losses incurred by the German company forced it to file for a restructuring process under the German law. Nevertheless, the company continues operations under restructuring”, said Vytautas Kaikaris, the CEO of Small Planet Group, adding “we all stand together in this period to achieve the best possible result out of restructuring for our employees, clients and partners”.

Small Planet Airlines in Lithuania, Poland and Cambodia will continue to operate their flights as planned and prepare for the upcoming winter season by cooperating with the tour operators and carrying passengers to the popular tourist destinations. Lithuanian and Polish entities will also continue implementing its seasonal winter projects in Asia, aimed at increasing the aircraft utilization and balancing seasonality. By the end of this year, Small Planet Airlines expects to fly 3,9 million passengers, an increase of 29% from 2017.

As for today, Small Planet Airlines fleet consists of 29 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. The airline operates around 240 leisure routes from 15 European bases.

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR THE PASSENGERS ABOUT THE INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS

Dear Passengers,

Small Planet Airlines GmbH has decided to restructure its business and today filed an application for insolvency proceedings in self administration with the aim of maintaining the airline’s flight operations in the long term.

This means:

All flights from and to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and The Netherlands will continue to be operated by Small Planet Airlines Germany
Booked tickets retain their validity
All flight schedules remain valid

FAQs

Will flight operations in Germany and the Netherlands continue with Small Planet Airlines?
The current flight program and all scheduled flights under 5Pxxxx flight code will be continued according to an agreement with the German civil aviation authorities about further continuation of the flight operation.

Where will I receive a confirmation that my flight will take place?
No separate confirmation about flights that take place will be send. All (electronic or paper) tickets remain valid.

I have booked a package holiday and am flying with Small Planet Airlines Germany – will this still go ahead?
Yes, all flights will be continued as planned. At this point a cancellation of a ticket for a future flight is not permitted. In case a flight will be changed, your tour operator will inform you accordingly with an upfront notice about any change.

Is it safe to fly with Small Planet Airlines?
Yes, Small Planet Airlines is operating under highest European Civil Aviation standards and is safe and will continue to be safe to fly on board of our aircrafts. “Safety first” remains our top priority.

Will there be any changes in the service level during flights with Small Planet Airlines?
During the flight, our crew will continue to keep up the same service level. Food and drinks will still be available during the flight for purchase.

Can I still book a seat reservation, extra luggage or sports equipment without losing my money? What happens with bookings I already made?
All seat reservations, as well as bookings for extra luggage or sports equipment for all flights remain valid. New services can still be booked through our “check-in” function on our website at http://www.smallplanet.aero.

How can I contact Small Planet Airlines for further information?
We ask for your understanding that due to the current situation the amount of passenger requests will be exceeding our capacities. We can therefore only respond to those which are relevant for the current flight operation.

How can I request special services like Wheelchairs or medical equipment?
Please continue to use info@smallplanet.aero yet put “special service request” into the heading. These will be attended to with priority.

Will I still receive compensation for cancelled flights and delays?
Due to the opening of any insolvency proceedings of Small Planet Airlines GmbH Compensation claims for flight delays prior to 18.09.2018 will have to be lodged to the list of creditors. For this purpose, all affected passengers will automatically receive a form with instructions on how to proceed.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Small Planet): Small Planet Airlines (Germany) Airbus A321-211 D-ASPD (msn 808) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 941834.

Small Planet (Germany) aircraft slide show:

“Beer on tap” on board Lufthansa’s traditional costume flights

Lufthansa has announced:

Fresh draft beer available on board again after 50 years to celebrate Oktoberfest
Lufthansa traditional costume flights taking off from Munich to New York, Singapore and Shanghai
“Leberkäse”, pretzels, white sausage available in Lufthansa Lounges during Oktoberfest

Lufthansa crews are soon taking off in traditional Bavarian costume – just in time for Munich’s Oktoberfest. As the yearly tradition, Lufthansa’s cabin crews are wearing traditional Bavarian costume on selected flights from Munich instead of their uniforms. Additionally, Lufthansa is bringing beer kegs on board to serve fresh draft beer to customers as this year’s special treat on these flights. For the first time ev-er, the crew has participated in developing an exclusive Oktoberfest menu for Business Class customers, that pairs perfectly with the fresh draft beer. This year, the first Lufthansa traditional costume flight will be taking off from the Bavarian capital on September 19, heading for New York (Newark). The second traditional costume flight is on September 25 from Munich to Singapore.” And lastly, passengers travel-ling from Munich to Shanghai on October 6 can also experience this special flight just before Oktoberfest officially ends. There will also be further crews in traditional costumes on selected European flights.

Lufthansa employees in traditional Bavarian costumes

The attire of Lufthansa’s long-haul crew was designed and custom-tailored by the Munich traditional costume specialist Angermaier. The Oktoberfest Dirndl worn by the female flight attendants is dark blue with a silver-gray apron and their male colleagues will be wearing short Lederhosen, with a dark blue waistcoat made from the same material as the Dirndl. This is the third year running that Angermaier has dressed the cabin crews to celebrate the largest folklore festival in the world. As in previous years, Lufthansa passengers can also enjoy seeing the traditional costumes on flights departing from Munich to selected European destinations. From October 5 to 7, one of the crews on the Lufthansa CityLine will swap their uniforms for traditional costumes. Their destinations this year are Berlin, Cologne/Bonn, Luxembourg, Pisa, Genoa, Amsterdam, Rzeszow, Timisoara, and Cagliari.

The tradition also continues for Lufthansa employees working in Passenger Services at Terminal 2, as they will also continue welcoming passengers in Bavarian costumes during the Oktoberfest. Instead of the Lufthansa uniform, female staff may wear a Dirndl and their male colleagues can opt for Lederhosen. The service employees in Lufthansa’s First Class Lounges will be wearing traditional costumes in black and gold.

Draft beer on board and an Oktoberfest menu created by the flight attendants

Passengers enjoying freshly-tapped beer on Lufthansa flights, goes as far back as the 1960s. Back then, the “Lufthansa Senator Service” served draft beer and now, the beer kegs are coming back on board again this year. An “airworthy” keg was selected specifically for the Lufthansa traditional costume flights. In this special keg, the carbon dioxide pressure is regulated by a valve. This prevents the pressure from becoming too great on board so that tapping the keg can be done even at an altitude of 10,000 meters. And to go with the fresh beer, passengers in Business Class will also be served a special Oktoberfest menu. For the first time, these have been created by Lufthansa’s flight attendants in cooperation with the culinary experts at LSG Sky Chefs. The ideas and experiences of the crew on previous traditional costume flights were taken into account while developing the menu. The selection this year includes ox tartare with truffle, followed by char with Riesling sauce and Bavarian cream with pistachio pesto. In September and October, Lufthansa passengers in Business Class can enjoy the Oktoberfest menu on all intercontinental flights.

Oktoberfest in the Lufthansa Lounge

Munich’s Lufthansa Lounges are also ready for the Oktoberfest. As was the case last year, more than 4,000 kg of “Leberkäse”, more than 38,000 pretzels, and about 750 kg of white sausage will be consumed in the twelve lounges located in Terminal 2 and in the satellite building. The Oktoberfest menu in the restaurants of Lufthansa’s First Class Lounges, which will be decorated accordingly, will begin with an Oktoberfest soup followed by duck served in a rustic style. For dessert, there will be apricot and plum dumplings with vanilla espuma. The Senator and Business Lounges will offer their guests an “Andechser” goulash soup or mushrooms in cream with dumplings. And, of course, all the lounges will be serving Oktoberfest draft beer.

Oktoberfest box for passengers

Passengers who land at Munich’s Terminal 2 during the first weekend of the Oktoberfest will receive a special free Oktoberfest box. It contains everything you need for the festivities – a ribbon for a beer mug, vitamin drink, some salty pretzels, and fruit gummies in the shape of a beer mug.

All photos by Lufthansa.

easyJet flies record number of passengers for busiest day

easyJet welcomed over 330,000 passengers on its flights last Friday (September 14, 2018) in the busiest day in the airline’s history, with more than 1,941 flights taking off across its network.

This compared to 2017’s peak summer travel day on September 8, 2018 when more than 267,000 customers flew across the network.

In the UK alone, over 170,000 passengers flew to or from easyJet’s UK airports on over 1,007 flights setting another record for the most customers travelling with the airline on one day.

Barcelona, Faro, Malaga, and Palma de Mallorca topped the list of most popular destinations.

Photo: easyJet.