Etihad Airways will begin flying its popular A380 on Abu Dhabi โ Paris CDG route from November 1, 2024
The Residence, the worldโs only three-room suite in the sky, serves up a chic flying experience
The Residence
At the pinnacle of comfort is The Residence, the world’s only three-room suite in the sky. Accommodating up to two guests, The Residence features a private living room, bedroom, and ensuite bathroom, complete with a shower at 40,000 feet. A dedicated team of Etihad cabin crew ensures unparalleled service.
Guests in The Residence can indulge in a culinary journey with an ร la carte menu, served on designer tableware in the private living room, or even opt for breakfast in bed. From gourmet cuisine to champagne and caviar, The Residence Signature High Tea offers a range of lavish options.
Etihad Airways flight EY1 from Abu Dhabi to New York arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday, April 22, heralding the start of the airlineโs A380 double-decker service featuring The Residence, the legendary, sumptuous three-room suite in the sky.
After a celebratory send-off in Abu Dhabi, Etihad pilots waved the US and UAE flags from the cockpit after the super-jumbo arrived on its stand in New York.
The introduction of Etihad’s A380 to the popular New York route comes just three weeks after launching its new route to Boston, underscoring the airlineโs strategy to meet increasing customer demand, service the corporate travelers and expand its network across the North American market.
The new A380 route will service one of Etihad’s two daily flights to New York, while the other will be operated by a 787-9, offering First, Business, and Economy cabins. At the pinnacle of luxury in the A380 is The Residence. Accommodating up to two guests, The Residence provides guests with unparalleled luxury and service, with a private living room, bedroom, and ensuite bathroom, complete with a shower at 40,000 feet. Guests are catered to by a dedicated team of Etihad cabin crew and are offered a range of lavish culinary options including an ร la carte menu, designer tableware, breakfast in bed and The Residence Signature High Tea.
Avianca Airlines presents new features in its Business Class product, both in twin-aisle aircraft (Boeing 787) and single-aisle aircraft (A320 family).ย ย
Moving forward, the Executive Cabin of the double-seat aircraft will be known as Avianca Insignia, which operates routes to and from Europe.
Those traveling in this cabin will be able to enjoy flatbed chairs, which recline completely, as well as a welcome drink, menu with starter, breakfast, lunch or dinner options with dessert, unlimited snacks and a selection of spirits, hot and cold drinks.
In addition, passengers have comfort elements at their disposal such as a blanket, mattress pad and an amenity kit with collectible cases designed by Mola Sasa in collaboration with the Gunadule indigenous community, made from recycled PET bottle fabric, a proposal that promotes sustainability and inclusion, as well as the formulations of Loto del Sur, a beauty brand that celebrates and captures the richness of Colombian culture, elevating the onboard experience.
โAvianca Insignia represents the consolidation of a superior experience in our Boeing 787, one of the most modern aircraft in the world,โ said Manuel Ambriz, Aviancaโs chief commercial officer. โAnd these Bogotรก to Europe flights also feature a unique design, gastronomy and wellness selection representing the best of Colombia: a menu by chef รlvaro Clavijoโone of the top 35 in the worldโand a leading brand amenity kit.โ
A Renewed Business Class for Flying on Single-Aisle Aircraft:
Additionally, starting July 1, a new version of the Business Class experience will be available in the first three rows of single-aisle airplanes on flights from Bogotรก to Santiago de Chile, Sรฃo Paulo, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Washington, New York, Boston, Toronto and Mexico City.
This offering includes a main meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner), drinks, a snack service and comfort elements (blanket, pillow and amenity kit).
Added Ambriz: โWe are thrilled to have renewed the โBusiness Classโ experience on flights to the Americasโ main capitals,,ย thereby offering our customers multiple options on how they want to fly.โ
IndiGo, India’s most preferred airline, is further defining its long-term future by strengthening its fleet with the introduction of wide-body aircraft to its fleet. Since inception in 2006, IndiGo has been successfully building its position and is now defining its future further on the path of becoming a global aviation player.
IndiGo agreed to place an order for 30 firm A350-900 aircraft, which will enable IndiGo to spread its wings further and expand its network. From the various Indian metros, IndiGo will be able to connect to the world.
The aircraft will be powered by Rolls Royceโs Trent XWB engine. The mission capability of this aircraft coupled with the efficiency of the Trent XWB engine will offer IndiGo unprecedented optionality as it embarks on the next stage of its wonderful journey of addressing the rapidly evolving needs of the Indian customer and our nation.
Currently, IndiGo operates over 350 aircraft. Last year, in June 2023, IndiGo placed the largest ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 aircraft with Airbus. With that, the outstanding orderbook of A320 Family aircraft stands at almost 1,000 aircraft which are yet to be delivered well into the next decade.
This IndiGo order-book comprises a mix of A320NEO, A321NEO and A321XLR aircraft.
The exact configuration of the aircraft will be decided at a later stage, and the deliveries are expected to start from 2027.
In addition to the 30 firm A350-900 order, IndiGo has Purchase Rights for an additional 70 Airbus A350 Family aircraft, at its discretion, for possible future needs under certain conditions.
In calendar year 2023, IndiGo welcomed 100 million customers onboard its flights and as such, the airline is, quite literally, giving wings to our nation. IndiGo is amongst the fastest growing airlines in the world, and this order will allow it to strengthen its growth trajectory.
Before the end of this decade, the Indian economy is expected to grow from being the worldโs 5th largest today to being the 3rd largest. Specifically in aviation, the Indian government has stated its mission to ensure that by 2030 India comes into her own on the world stage of aviation leadership by building cutting-edge infrastructure and developing the country into a global aviation hub.
Southwest Airlines has announced that its Flight Attendants, represented by the Transport Workers Union Local 556, voted in favor of a new collective bargaining agreement. In addition to industry-leading compensation increases, the new agreement incorporates refined on-call scheduling for Southwest Airlinesยฎย Flight Attendants and other quality-of-life enhancements, including Company-paid maternity and parental leaves.
The contract covering nearly 20,000 Southwestยฎ Flight Attendants becomes amendable in 2028.
Since October 2022, 11 union-represented workgroups at the airline have ratified new agreements:
Appearance Technicians
Customer Service Agents, Customer Representatives, and Source of Support Representatives
American launches airlineโs first-ever rotating collection of premium onboard amenities, along with new bedding.
Throughout the year, new inflight amenities will feature diverse designers and brands, sustainably sourced materials and causes important to American and its customers.
Customers can indulge in fresh entrees, inspired by popular American Airlines destinations, across all domestic and international flights.
AAdvantageยฎ members can continue to earn or use miles for flights with these premium experiences.
American Airlines is heating up theย inflight experienceย ahead of the summer travel season with a wave of premium onboard enhancements to make travel even more enjoyable. Customers will fly in style with a new, reimagined amenity kit series and bedding, and savor new dishes throughout their journey. In the future, customers can anticipate an increasingly elevated experience with the arrival of new Flagship Suiteยฎ seats.
โWe thoughtfully curate each element of the onboard experience so every customer can look forward to the time they spend in flight,โ said Kim Cisek, Americanโs Vice President of Customer Experience. โPart of the magic of travel is connecting our customers to the people and experiences that matter most to them. Weโre taking that concept to the skies by introducing a new, dynamic onboard program thatโs inspired by feedback from our customers and team members.โ
American worked with a mix of boutique and well-known brands to create a program that will evolve throughout the years and feature rotating kit designs and high-quality skincare products in addition to the new bedding program.
A rotation of stylish new amenities and more
The new program will be on board more than 300 international and transcontinental flights beginning Memorial Day weekend in Flagshipยฎ First Class, Flagshipยฎ Business Class and Premium Economy cabins.
Americanโs primary amenity kit will be available yearlong for customers flying in premium cabins. The kit will include staple amenities customers have come to expect while in flight, such as a toothbrush, dental kit, eye mask and earplugs, in addition to new and evolving skincare products and offerings. American will cycle new brands and products within the kits for customers in all premium cabins, creating a unique customer experience several times over, based directly on customer feedback.
American collaborated with beauty retailer Thirteen Lune to curate the skincare offerings, which will feature high-quality beauty brands from Thirteen Luneโs tailored collection with wide ranging representation of diverse founders and voices such as Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
Limited-edition kits
In addition to these rotating products within the kits, customers will enjoy limited-edition specialty kits created in collaboration with diverse designers and brands based primarily in the U.S. Through the designs of these specialty kits, American will recognize specific milestones and initiatives that reflect the values and backgrounds of the airlineโs customers and team members. These limited-edition kits will debut in the months and years ahead.
In fact, the all-new amenity program will launch with a Thirteen Lune specialty kit to introduce customers to the new kit line and the opportunity to start collecting the limited-edition kits. Customers flying in premium cabins will receive the Thirteen Lune kit for the first few weeks of the kickoff to the new program. Customers can then look forward to receiving the primary amenity kit on board throughout the rest of the summer.
Each specialty kit will be available for a limited time on eligible flights in Flagshipยฎ First Class, Flagshipยฎ Business Class and Premium Economy. Travelers will be able to learn about each brand and partner featured in the specialty kit by scanning a QR code found within the kit.
Elevated bedding inspired by customer feedback
Customers will travel in elevated comfort with new bedding, pillows and sleepwear that deliver on customer expectations for a restful experience on board. In Americanโs research with customers, travelers shared that 75% prefer dual-sided pillows, with different materials on each side of the pillow. Based on this feedback, customers traveling across Flagshipยฎ First Class or Flagshipยฎ Business Class will enjoy a dual-sided pillow with cool touch fabric on one side, and traditional fabric on the other.
Those traveling in Flagshipยฎ First Class on international flights will continue to enjoy a set of pajamas, based on feedback that 80% of first class customers value having pajamas onboard. In addition, travelers in Flagshipยฎ Business Class on all international flights will now enjoy slippers onboard, instead of only on ultra long-haul flights.
Customers in all cabins, including Premium Economy and Main Cabin, will enjoy enhanced bedding, with cabin-specific options such as lumbar pillows, throw blankets, premium duvets and fleece blankets โ all developed from premium brands that are leaders in their space.
American collaborated with the inflight textile company John Horsfall to develop bedding made with recycled materials from their Re-Threadยฎ collection*.
Reusable Zipper Product Bag
Bedding in American Airlines Flagshipยฎ First
Bedding in American Airlines Flagshipยฎ Business
Bedding in American Airlines Premium Economy
Bedding in American Airlines Main Cabin
Bedding in American Airlines Transcontinental Flagshipยฎ First Class
Bedding in American Airlines Transcontinental Flagshipยฎ Business Class
Nearly all of the pillows, duvets and blankets created for American flights were made with recycled fibers that maintain a premium feel, while filled bedding includes 100% recycled fill. To reduce single-use plastic waste connected to the distribution of pillows and blankets, customers traveling in Flagshipยฎ First, Flagshipยฎ Business and Premium Economy will now receive their bedding in a reusable zipper product bag also made with recycled fibers. Using the bag will save 25 tons of plastic waste a year.
New dining menus soar within the U.S. and beyond
While dining on board, customers can embrace the journey with diverse flavors and new menus that are inspired by popular American Airlines destinations worldwide. The offerings feature internationally inspired pastas, salads and more.
Travelers jet-setting to one of Americanโs new summer destinations like Nice, France; Naples, Italy; or Copenhagen, Denmark, will be able to relish delicious offerings like macadamia crusted sea bass with citrus cream sauce, quinoa, toasted orzo, and haricots verts. In addition to these offerings, pan roasted chicken, tortellini pasta and other offerings, including new pre-order options, will continue to roll out this spring for business class on flights from the U.S. to international destinations.
Customers traveling from Europe in business class can choose to indulge in menu items like chili marinated chicken with mojo verde sauce, sweet potato mash, roasted corn and mini chili or gnocchi duet with plain and beetroot gnocchi, lentil ragout, apple chutney, brown butter, roasted spring onion and sliced green onion.
Entrees: International US outbound Business Class entrees on American Airlines From left: Pan roasted chicken with pepperonata sauce, mashed potato with chives and broccolini. Macadamia crusted sea bass with lemon herb butter sauce, orzo salad haricot vert and red bell pepper. Tortellini in sauteed spinach with blushed tomato sauce and grilled zucchini and mushroom medley.
Customers traveling on domestic first class can also discover new offerings on their journey. Travelers can enjoy cuisine such as shawarma seasoned grilled chicken, three cheese sacchetti pasta, chicken enchiladas or a plant based stuffed red pepper. Customers can also choose from new pre-order options, including short rib mac and cheese.
These new options in premium cabins will provide a range of diverse culinary creations and award-winning wines. For AAdvantageยฎ members, miles and status can help unlock access to some of these premium inflight experiences.
Domestic First Class hot entrees on American Airlines Clockwise from top left: Vegetable enchilada with red rice and green chili sauce, garnished with crumbled cotija cheese. Cheese sacchetti with garlic cream sauce and marinara sauce, topped with a chopped parsley garnish. Penne pasta with plant-based meat ragu and ricotta, garnished with chopped parsley. Stuffed pepper, green rice and cilantro crema, garnished with crumbled cotija cheese.
Domestic First Class cold entrees on American Airlines Clockwise from top left: The Mediterranean bowl with garlic aioli dressing, couscous spiced with potatoes, almonds, baby arugula, shaved red cabbage, roasted red pepper hummus, tomato & cucumber salad and roasted spiced cauliflower. The bistro grain bowl with red long grain rice, crumbled blue cheese, fresh cucumber, Roma tomato, red onion, green scallion, hard-boiled egg, sorghum and Frisรฉe and Mesclun salad mix. The pesto pasta salad with baby arugula, pesto salad, red and yellow blistered cherry tomatoes, red pepper, sliced mozzarella, and a nut-free basil pesto sauce. The edamame and mandarin orange slaw salad with baby spinach, wonton strips, roasted cashews, green scallion and red miso vinaigrette
Suite experience
Beyond the new inflight amenities, bedding and dining options on board this summer, customers can look forward to an even more elevated experience onboard future Boeing 787-9, 777-300 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft, featuring a new interior with the Flagshipยฎ Suite seat and refreshed seats and amenities across Premium Economy and Main Cabin.
Customers traveling in the Flagship Suiteยฎ seat will be surrounded by comfort and convenience including wireless charging, Bluetooth capability and multiple storage spaces. With standard features such as lie-flat seats and direct-aisle access, American has modernized the experience by adding privacy doors and the ability to relax in a chaise lounge position, making the Flagship Suiteยฎ seat a personalized experience in the skies.
American Airlines Flagshipยฎ Suite Preferred seat
American Airlines Flagshipยฎ Suite Preferred seat
Customers looking for even more luxury will be able to further enhance their experience with a distinguished front row experience on new Boeing 787-9 and retrofitted 777-300 aircraft through the Flagship Suiteยฎ Preferred seat. This seat will offer customers expansive space, several storage areas and exclusive amenities like a Nest Beddingยฎ mattress pad, a throw blanket, a memory foam lumbar pillow, Nest Beddingยฎ pajamas and an exclusive amenity kit featuring additional skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
For AAdvantageยฎ members, using miles can help unlock access to upgrade into these enhanced premium experiences, including new inflight amenities, sleepwear, bedding and dining options.
Status members may also receive complimentary upgrades, further enhancing their premium travel experience.
The program rewards members for the time they spend with American, and also provides them with rewards and benefits. New in time for summer, members traveling on tickets purchased with miles can now receive upgrade offers to buy into a higher cabin via aa.com or mobile app when traveling within the contiguous U.S.
*Re-Threadยฎ products are made with certified materials.
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):
JetBlue Airways has announcedย Blueprint by JetBlueโข, a personalized inflight experience platform that will provide customers with more customizability across their travel journey, beginning with new inflight entertainment features, some of which have never before been implemented on a U.S. airline.
At-Home Entertainment in the Sky
As JetBlue continues to innovate industry-leading onboard technology, Blueprint by JetBlue brings new seatback touchscreen features that mimic what customers are used to experiencing with their favorite streaming platforms at home. Some of the new functions that customers can look forward to seeing on their seatback screens include:
Watch party:ย Watch the same film or TV show at the exact same time with up to five other customers on the flight. JetBlue is the first airline to allow up to six customers to watch entertainment content at the same time to enjoy family-style viewing. Play and pause can be controlled on all linked screens, regardless of where each viewer is seated.
Content recommendations:ย Receive personal recommendations for inflight entertainment based on previous viewing history.
Pick up where you left off:ย Whether connecting with a layover or flying next month, never miss the end of a film or television showโautomatically pick up where you left off from flight to flight.
Saved favorites:ย Save film and TV show selections to watch on future flights so you can spend less time searching and more time watching.
Saved settings:ย Accessibility and system settings, such as volume, language, parental controls and close captions preferences can now be saved and carried over from flight to flight.
Content partnerships:ย First-of-its-kind partnerships such as JetBlueโs exclusive streaming partner,ย Peacock,ย provide customers with access to exclusive entertainment and offers.
These new personalization features on JetBlueโs award-winning inflight entertainment system will give customers a bespoke inflight experience, not only throughout their current journey, but extending into subsequent flights when customers opt-in to securely authenticate their profiles on AVANT seatback touchscreens.
Tailored Touchpoints for Seamless Connection
Beyond inflight entertainment options, Blueprint expands on JetBlueโs existing products that give customers a more personalized experience and brings their entire travel journey to their fingertips:
Personal greetings:ย Customers can now change their preferred name on their JetBlue travel profile to be displayed in a personal welcome message on seatback screens, whether or not they identify with their legal name.
JetBlue is the only airline that greets customers with confetti graphics and a complimentary drink (21+) when flying on their birthday.
Flight connect:ย Customers can access information regarding their JetBlue connecting flights and gates right at their seat.
Seatback ordering:ย JetBlueโs seatback ordering feature that lets customers make meal selections directly from the seatback screen now extends to its A321neo with Mint aircraft, further elevating dining on all transatlantic flights.
Loyalty made easy:ย Customers can enjoy easy one-click sign-up to JetBlueโs TrueBlue loyalty program through a QR pop-up on seatback touchscreens that automatically populates first and last name directly on a personal device.
The new personalization functions have begun rolling out on JetBlueโs AVANT touchscreen aircraft powered by Thales and are expected to be completed next month.
โJetBlue has always been an innovator as the first to have seatback screens and fast, free and unlimited Wi-Fi on every aircraft,โ said Jayne OโBrien, head of marketing and customer support, JetBlue. โBy launching Blueprint by JetBlue, we are doubling down on our commitment to help customers create an inflight experience tailored to their needs and preferences, making their flight as comfortable as their own living rooms.โ
Since its inception in 2000, JetBlue has been the architect of industry-leading, customer-centric products that have pushed the industry standard forward. Whether with seatback entertainment at every seat, free Wi-Fia that allows for a multi-screen experience, the most legroom in coachb, or self-service snacks in the JetBlue Pantryยฎ, JetBlue consistently provides a seamless, customer-first onboard experience.
This is just the beginning for the airlineโs inflight personalization capabilities, which will continue to roll out under the Blueprint by JetBlue platform in the future.ย
Introducing Blueprint by JetBlueโข, a personalized inflight experience, giving you new ways to use your seatback screen with watch parties, the ability to resume your content on your next flight, entertainment recommendations and real-time arrival details.๐ Available on selectโฆ pic.twitter.com/KCg5StLNNV
The airlines in the United States were seeing a tremendous return of traffic and were adding back a lot of routes and returning laid-off employees and aircraft as the number of COVID-19 new infections dropped.
That changed in early June as summer travel increased.
All of this positive news is now being overshadowed by a gradual rise of new infections of the Delta variant, mainly by unvaccinated people. Is this a temporary blimp or a new trend?
Travel stocks, especially United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and cruise ship lines, are now on the defensive as concerns relating to the more contagious Delta variant increase. Most states are now reporting an increase in cases.
Contrary to this,ย the TSA is not reporting a slowdown in airline travel for the month of July:
As traffic returns, airline prices have been on the rise. Will this continue?
Many of the returned routes were to Florida (especially for the coming winter) which is now red on John Hopkins map (above) with the highest increase in new COVID-19 cases.
How will the airlines react if this trend continues?
“Not since the aftermath of 9/11 has there been such a fear of flying.
Why it matters: The novel coronavirus has the airline industry bracing for the worst downturn since the Great Recession. Even though the government says it’s safe to fly domestically, the drumbeat of news about COVID-19ย has cautious employers stifling business travel and worried families rethinking their summer vacation plans.
Driving the news: Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said Thursday the sudden drop in domestic air travel “has a 9/11-like feel.”
“We could discount prices tomorrow and it wouldnโt do any good,” said Kelly.”
AirlineRatings.comย has cautioned travelers to steer clear of the LET410, Antonov An-12, Ilyushin Il-76, and CASA 212 aircraft which have the worstย crash rateย over the past 10 years.
AirlineRatings.comย which rates 425 airlines for both safety and product has completed a comprehensive analysis of the crash records of 55 different aircraft in active service.
Editorย Geoffrey Thomasย said thatย AirlineRatings.comย had only looked at the records for the last ten years as they were relevant to today’s travelers.
“Theย crash ratesย of aircraft that dominated the 1970s and 1980s but are no longer in passenger service are irrelevant today,” saidย Mr Thomas. “We only looked at aircraft that are carrying passengers in 2013.”
“We have used theย Boeingย database which is an industry standard and supplemented that with our own records and those ofย Aviation-Safety.netย and Ascend,” he said.
The survey also ignores piston-powered planes and those smaller aircraft used mainly for charter work.ย “Clearly flying on pure jet powered aircraft is far safer as seven out of the ten aircraft with bad crash rates are turboprops.”
“Aircraft such as the 777, A380, A340, 717 and 787 have never had a fatality,” said Mr Thomas.
However, Mr Thomas said that while some aircraft such as the Twin-Otter have a high crash rate it did not mean that it is a dangerous aircraft.
“It’s actually a great aircraft but you have to look also at which airline is operating them and how and where they are flying,” said Mr Thomas.
“For instance operating into mountainous regions in a third world country with limited navigation aids can be dangerous.”
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