Dave

British Airways further expands its US network

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British Airways is ramping up its US route network this summer, taking its direct US routes to London to 26. 

BA 267: Portland, Oregon International Airport welcomes British Airways and the only direct route between London (Heathrow) and Oregon.

Portland, Oregon has become the newest destination on the British Airways route map, providing the city’s only direct route to the UK.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Networks and Alliances said: 

This summer British Airways will be flying from 26 US cities to London and we’re very excited to be adding Portland to our list of transatlantic destinations. Not only are we the only airline to offer direct flights from Portland to London, but this new route also opens a wide variety of connections for our customers. Through Alaska Airlines, our oneworld partner, British Airways will offer codeshare connections to several destinations operated by Alaska Airlines from Portland.

British Airways has also relaunched its direct route from Pittsburgh to London.  It remains the only airline to offer a direct flight from the Pennsylvanian city to London.

The airline will resume a year-round four-per-week service – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

On 6 June, the airline launched a new, daytime flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow – its third daily flight from Newark to London, to support the return of business travel.

The daytime flight will depart at 7.55am from Newark – a convenient option for travellers wishing to spend an extra night in the New York area before departing, or for those who wish to arrive just in time for an evening in London. 

With this additional flight time, British Airways along with its joint business partner, American Airlines will offer ‘the most extensive network from the New York area to London’ with fifteen daily departures this summer, including eleven daily flights from JFK to Heathrow and one daily flight from JFK to Gatwick.

This summer also marks the return of daily direct flights from San Jose, California, to London on 13 June; and the return of A380 aircraft to more North American airports.

Chicago and Vancouver were the latest cities to welcome home the Airbus.

Meanwhile, Dallas Fort Worth is preparing to welcome the A380 for the first time on 1 July. 

The aircraft, which is British Airways’ and the airline industry’s largest, offers a choice of First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins and has a total of 469 seats. 

There are twelve A380s in the British Airways fleet. Image shows a British Airways Airbus flying over the cliffs at Dover, taken by Wing Commander Neil Frazer from the backseat of Red 10, one of the Red Arrows jets flown by Squadron Leader Mike Ling.
Dave

United reveal new Away kits

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Travellers flying in premium cabins on United’s long-haul international and premium transcontinental routes will experience the airline’s new, co-branded amenity kits designed exclusively for the airline by global travel lifestyle brand Away.

Inspired by Away’s iconic suitcases and versatile accessories, United offer three versions of the amenity kits, each with custom travel essentials and Sunday Riley’s United-exclusive range of clean, cruelty-free skincare products.

The collaboration signifies the first time Away, the global travel lifestyle brand, has partnered with a commercial airline.

Luc Bondar, vice president of marketing and loyalty and president of MileagePlus at United said

As travel demand continues to rise to unprecedented levels, travelers are seeking comfort and quality now more than ever when they fly—that’s why we chose to partner with Away.

Away’s mutual commitment to making travel more seamless, elevated and modern design aesthetic is in perfect harmony with United’s brand, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to be the only airline to provide this unique offering to our customers.

United and Away designed each amenity kit to be ‘the perfect accessory’ for customers to freshen up on long flights and reuse on future journeys.

The Away amenity kits offered include:

  • Hard Pod: For travellers flying in United Polaris® business on long-haul international flights. The sturdy shell and interior elastic band will help keep belongings organized.
  • Sports Pouch: For travellers flying in United Premium Plus® on long-haul international flights. Featuring a soft, protective material you can keep all your belongings organised —including your travel essentials.
  • Zip Case: For travellers flying in United Business on premium transcontinental flights. The water-resistant kit for transcontinental premium travellers is an ideal solution for storing liquids and moving quickly through airport security lines.
Left to right: Hard Pod, for travellers in Polaris Business Class; Sports Pouch for travellers in Premium Plus seats; Zip Case for travellers in Business, on transcontinental flights

Melissa Weiss, Away’s Chief Marketing Officer said

We are thrilled to partner with United to bring Away’s thoughtfully designed products to United travelers around the globe.

United’s mission to connect the world and their dedication to making travel as effortless as possible aligns with Away’s mission to create a more open world by making travel easier. We are certain this unique relationship between our two companies will do just that, making the travel experience more seamless for journeys near or far.

In addition to co-branded personal care essentials like earbuds, an eye mask, and a dental kit, the Away amenity kits will include United’s In-Flight Remedy skin-care products from trusted partner and customer-favorite Sunday Riley. 

Sunday Riley custom developed the In-Flight Remedy line to offer United passengers, high-end skincare products on long-haul international flights and transcontinental flights.

Formulated with hydration in mind to meet flyers’ needs for increased moisture as they travel, each amenity kit includes a variety of Sunday Riley products, from face creams and cleansing cloths to hand creams and lip balms.

Last month, United unveiled its first brand advertising campaign in nearly a decade “Good Leads The Way”, which highlights the airline’s determination to be a force for good not only for customers, but also for the communities it serves.


Dave

How airlines are marking Pride Month

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June marks Pride Month – we have taken a look at how some airlines are marking the celebration

Lufthansa

Lovehansa: June 2022’s ‘Lovehansa’ livery

To mark Pride Month, Lufthansa is taking off with a very special aircraft to destinations throughout Europe.

The Airbus A320neo with the registration D-AINY will become “Lovehansa” for the next six months.

On the outside of the aircraft, the Lufthansa livery has been replaced by a specially-designed “Lovehansa” marque, painted in the colours of the rainbow.

The welcome panel at the entrance will also have a special rainbow design.

Rainbow seats: onboard the Lovehansa

In addition, when looking out of the aircraft window, hearts in rainbow colours can be seen on the winglets. The first flight of the “Lovehansa” took place on 10 June to Billund in Denmark (LH842).

Lufthansa claims it is ‘a company that stands for openness, diversity and understanding’. And, with the “Lovehansa” special livery, ‘the company is sending another clear signal and making this important part of its corporate culture prominent and visible to the outside world’.

Virgin Atlantic

A three-year sponsorship of Manchester Pride – the UK’s largest Pride event – is probably the most public celebration of the LGBT+ community from Virgin Atlantic.

Pride: Manchester Pride’s CEO, Mark Fletcher (middle), with crew announces Virgin Atlantic’s three-year headline sponsorship of the festival

Virgin Atlantic are also the first-ever sponsor, in a ten-year agreement, of the Attitude Awards.

In 2020 the airline entered a multiyear partnership with Open for Business, launching the Caribbean Local Influencer Program to champion the business rationale for LGBTQ+ inclusion across the islands. The two-phased approach to the partnership with Open for Business consists of a research phase to understand business and socioeconomic impact of excluding the LGBTQ+ community, and a second phase to build a network of business leaders and civil society, using the research to advance LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion.

But on an individual level, Chief Commercial Officer Juha Jarvinen, has written eloquently and from the heart about his experiences in the corporate world, in a blog piece:

In the workplace, organisations that will thrive in the future are those which put inclusivity at the heart of their strategy. At Virgin Atlantic, we live by our purpose – everyone can take on the world – and we take inclusion and diversity seriously. To me, it’s so important that we foster a culture of belonging and actively encourage every single one of our people to be themselves at work every day. After years of not wanting to divulge my sexuality at work or in business networks, joining this airline in 2019 was a breath of fresh air. About one month into my role, I was asked to share an introductory post on our internal communications platform, Workplace, and it was the first time in my career that I’d felt comfortable and proud sharing exactly who I was: ‘Juha, a Finnish-born 43-year old with a love of travel, running & hot yoga, and lastly – but most importantly – happily married to my husband, Jussi’.

United

United Airlines ‘recognise, embrace and celebrate the differences that make our customers and employees unique’.

EQUAL: United’s inclusive business resource group that benefits lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally coworkers.

United also claim to be ‘committed to creating an inclusive work environment while contributing to the diverse communities we serve. As a part of this mission, we believe it’s important to support the LGBTQ+ community by upholding inclusive policies and practices, partnering with LGBTQ+ organisations, and hosting programmes and engagement events to honour the LGBTQ+ community’.

United maintain sponsorships of, and relationships with, several organisations:

JetBlue

JetBlue is commemorating Pride Month with a series of special events and support for various LGBTQ+ organisations and partners throughout the month of June… and beyond.

Icema Gibbs, vice president CSR and DEI, JetBlue said,

At JetBlue, we believe the LGBTQ+ community should be supported year round, beyond Pride month, and we will continue to stand for the right for every crewmember and customer to feel safe and valued—while ensuring we are marching towards a more equal, inclusive and just world.

Gender-inclusive: JetBlue’s uniform and hair and makeup policy offers crewmembers a combination of uniform pieces, rather than pre-selected items based on binary gender terms.

JetBlue is a long-time supporter of The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI), which leverages the historic significance of the New York City LGBTQ+ landmark to help other communities that don’t have the same LGBTQ+ resources or support.

The airline continues to serve as the official airline of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center – known locally as The Center. Since 1983, The Center has been supporting, fostering and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community of New York City and empowers people to lead healthy, successful lives. 

And last year, JetBlue rolled out ‘a new uniform policy with a vast range of apparel and hair and makeup preferences for all crewmembers, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, age and body type’. By adopting a gender-inclusive program, JetBlue ensures that all crewmembers, regardless of gender identity, can feel represented.

Cape Air

Cape Air, is an airline headquartered at Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis, Massachusetts, operating scheduled passenger services in the Northeast, the Caribbean, Midwest, and Eastern Montana.

Cape Air: a Pride-themed plane to its fleet for June. Pic: PROVINCETOWN BANNER/TAMORA ISRAEL

The airline introduced a Pride-themed plane at a media event hosted at Provincetown Municipal Airport.

Linda Markham, Cape Air CEO said

Putting a Pride flag not only on the wings, but on the tail of the plane means so much to us because we’re such a diverse organisation and we really want to celebrate inclusivity and equality.

American Airlines

KLM

Delta Air Lines

easyJet

Alaska Airlines

Dave

Norwegian to purchase 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft

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Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA has reached an agreement in principle with Boeing for a recommitment to purchase 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

The agreement also includes options for an additional 30 aircraft.

The 50 aircraft are due to be delivered between 2025 and 2028, at a schedule closely corresponding to current aircraft lease expirations. This entails a limited net increase of the company’s current fleet. The parties’ agreement in principle is subject to various closing conditions, which are targeted to be concluded by the end of June 2022.

The company intends to finance the outstanding balance of pre-delivery payments through positive cash flow from operating activities.

A significant share of the aircraft will be owned by the company, ensuring an optimised and balanced aircraft financing structure. Subsequent to the conclusion of these agreements, Norwegian estimates to record a net gain of approximately NOK 2 billion.

Svein Harald Øygard, Chair of the Board of Norwegian said

Svein Harald Øygard: landmark deal

This is a landmark deal that sets out a path whereby Norwegian will own a large share of its fleet.

This will result in lower all-in costs and increased financial robustness, enabling us to further solidify our Nordic stronghold.

The deal also allows us to serve our customers with state-of-the-art aircraft that can run increasingly on sustainable aviation fuel.

The airline claims the purchase agreement demonstrates Norwegian’s ‘continuously strong commitment to operate a modern and fuel-efficient fleet’.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is approximately 14% more fuel-efficient compared to the previous-generation aircraft, putting the company on strong footing to achieve its target of reducing emissions by 45%.

Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian said

Geir Karlsen: the deal will also strengthen the company’s equity considerably

The overall terms achieved are attractive for Norwegian, and the deal fits well with our long-term fleet strategy and route program.

It will enable us to serve our customers with modern fuel-efficient aircraft with the latest technology, significantly reducing our carbon footprint.

The deal will also strengthen the company’s equity considerably, further solidifying Norwegian’s financial position.

Norwegian has been voted Europe’s Best Low-Cost airline by Skytrax for six consecutive years and won Airline Program of the Year Europe & Africa at the Freddie Awards for four consecutive years. Since 2012, Norwegian has won over 55 awards for our service, product, and innovation in the industry.

Dave

Iberia launches new uniforms designed by Teresa Helbig

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Spanish carrier Iberia has released details of its stylish new staff uniforms.

Flight crews and ground staff of Spanish carrier Iberia will showcase new uniforms from June.

Nearly 7,000 company employees will showcase the new designs in a major international display: the nearly 140 destinations in 43 countries to which the airline flies. The new uniform will be debuted by flight crews and airport staff at the Madrid Hub.

Teresa Helbig joins the list of Spanish courtiers – including Pedro Rodríguez, Manuel Pertegaz, Elio Bernhayer, Alfredo Caral, and Adolfo Domínguez –who, since 1952, have lent their talents and skill to the design of Iberia’s uniforms

Iberia’s news uniforms are designed by Barcelnoa-based Teresa Helbig, the first woman to design a uniform for Iberia.

The Catalan designer takes classic tailoring as a starting point to create light and modern designs which are not anchored to current trends and remain timeless.

The collection combines craftsmanship, haute couture and avant-garde materials in a look to the past with an eye on the future, to continue reinventing what is to come.

The airline claims that the new uniform ‘displays a sober, elegant, and functional design that represents a natural balance between Teresa Helbig’s hallmarks and the current image of the airline’.

The uniforms are the culmination of the rebranding process that it embarked on in 2013.

The uniform’s colour range remains faithful to navy blue, fawn, and Iberia’s characteristic red and yellow.

It includes twenty elegant pieces that give no sense of rigidity, aiming for timelessness with some retro touches and some more edgy elements, such as pleats and strong shoulder lines.

In terms of its innovations, the uniform includes the very modern and functional sports shoes, along with a feather gilet and an updated design on the collars of the knitwear.

As for the accessories, the uniform’s ‘personality’ is enhanced by scarves, ties, gloves, and a bag, all of which lend it an elegant and avant-garde style.

Gemma Juncá, Iberia’s Brand & Marketing Manager, said

The new uniform is a key part of our brand, a sign of identity that reinforces our commitment to fashion and to the values of Spanish culture. We want our employees to feel proud to wear it and to represent Iberia.

The colour of the collection is based on navy blue and fawn, alongside Iberia’s “official” colours: red and yellow.
The new uniform will be debuted by flight crews and airport staff at the Madrid Hub, before being worn by staff at the rest of the airline’s stations around the world.

Dave

Trees4Travel announces partnership with Eurostar

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Eurostar, the high-speed rail service linking the UK and mainland Europe, is launching a new partnership with Trees4Travel which offers passengers the opportunity to plant a tree when they book their journey via the Eurostar for Business platform.

The new initiative comes after growing demand from Eurostar business travellers to further support sustainable travel initiatives. Passengers can now choose to plant a tree when booking on the Eurostar for Business platform at a cost of £3 or €3.50 per tree and Eurostar has pledged to match each tree purchased.

Launched in September 2020, the Eurostar for Business platform offers organisations of any size a seamless start to their travel experience with all bookings easily accessible in one place, as well as access to promotional fares.

“Planet and people positive”: Trees4Travel always seeks to create partnerships that go further than simply neutralising carbon.

Trees4Travel will facilitate the activation for Eurostar, undertaking reforestation projects in developing countries to restore eco-systems, biodiversity and in support of indigenous communities through the dignity of employment.

Furthermore, Trees4Travel also assigns each tree planted with a share of an investment into a United Nations Certified Emissions Reduction renewable energy programme, which, they explain, is suitable for corporate mandatory reporting.

Nico Nicholas Co-founder and Chief Eco Officer at Trees4Travel said,

We are so delighted to be working with this most sustainability forward-thinking transport provider.

This Eurostar initiative will not only draw down more than double the carbon created by any of the journeys it represents, but also should inspire other carriers to recognize that so much can be done, if we only work together on climate action.

Eurostar’s Head of Indirect Sales & Distribution, Paul Brindley, said

We are proud to be the greener way to go between the UK and the continent and we are committed to reducing our own impact on the environment. We know that sustainability is at the heart of business travel policies and we are always looking for more ways we can help our business travellers to be part of creating a more sustainable future.

We are pleased to partner with Trees4Travel to bring this to the Eurostar for Business platform and look forward to growing our relationship and many trees on behalf of our travellers.

Scott Pawley, Managing Director of Global Travel Management, said

Trees4Travel and Eurostar working together demonstrates how joined-up thinking and a passion for the environment can lead to positive actions.

We’re proud that Global Travel Management was the first UK travel management company to partner with Trees4Travel when we launched the GTM Carbon Offset Programme. So, to have Eurostar also involved with Trees4Travel is a further vindication of the decision we made.

Many of our customers take pride in the virtual forests they are investing in. And the great news is that we’re adding more trees – and offsetting more carbon – every single month.

You can find out about the GTM Carbon Offset Programme and see the latest data on numbers of trees planted and amounts of greenhouse gas sequestered in the following article:

We plant trees to offset carbon dioxide
Dave

Air France to introduce new La Première cabin

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Air France has announced it is working on the design of a completely new La Première cabin.

The airline states this ‘confirms the airline’s commitment to continue to offer its most exclusive and elegant service, regularly rewarded for its quality and excellence’.

Now in the design phase, the new concept will be unveiled during the 2023/2024 winter season.

The future cabin will be the longest on the market and will offer up to three modular configurations that can be fully privatized for an even more exceptional journey: a seat, a sofa and a fully flat bed.

The new cabin will equip a larger number of aircraft than at present.

Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM said

La Première represents the highest level of French excellence and is an intrinsic part of Air France’s DNA. Even at the height of the Covid crisis, we could see the attractiveness of such an offer for our customers, particularly on the North Atlantic route, where load factors in the La Première cabin are currently higher than they were back in 2019. We look forward to unveiling this new cabin, which is set to meet the highest global standards.

The large-scale project is part of Air France’s strategy to ‘move upmarket’, which also covers fleet renewal, lounge renovation and the development of a more sustainable catering offer, signed by Michelin-starred chefs in the airline’s Business and La Première cabins. 

Introduced in 2014, Air France’s La Première suites are currently available on board select Boeing 777-300s serving top destinations in North America, South America, Africa and the Middle East.

The introduction of the new La Première cabin comes just days after Air France announced its new long-haul Business seat. The airline’s completely redesigned iconic seat features even more enveloping curves and extra comfort.

New Business seat: Rolled out on 12 Boeing 777-300s from September 2022, each aircraft will be equipped with 48 seats in Business class

This seat’s design is based on ‘the three Fs’

  • Full Flat, meaning that the seat transforms into a real bed almost two metres long,
  • Full Access, providing all passengers direct access to the aisle,
  • Full Privacy, ensuring optimal privacy.

A new sliding door allows passengers to create a totally private space, out of sight from the other passengers in the cabin. To create a greater sense of privacy for passengers travelling together, the seats located in the centre of the cabin are now equipped with a central panel that can be lowered by pressing it down, creating a convivial space in which to make the most of the flight together.

The seat also features a wide 17.3-inch 4K High-Definition anti-glare screen with a noise-reducing headset, a new Bluetooth connection allowing passengers to use their own headphones and several electric sockets.

As passengers board the aircraft, they are greeted by a backlit winged seahorse, ’embodying the company’s founding myth and rich history’.

The seat’s padding adds softness and a feeling of cosiness. Wool, brushed aluminium, full-grain French leather are the ‘noble, soft and natural materials’ chosen by Air France for the manufacture of its seats. Each seat is also embroidered with the company’s trademark red accent.


Dave

Virgin Atlantic celebrates the Platinum Jubilee with treats at 38,000 feet

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Virgin Atlantic is marking the momentous occasion that is The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next weekend.

Customers flying to the US and Caribbean over the bank holiday weekend will be treated to extra special delicacies to celebrate Her Majesty’s historic 70-year reign.

Those travelling in Virgin Atlantic’s Economy class will be greeted with a milk chocolate crown lolly wrapped and tied with a festive red ribbon.

Virgin Atlantic is celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Premium and Upper Class customers will be offered a delicious Platinum Jubilee Mile High Tea, including a duo of finger sandwiches and a selection of mini patisseries.

The delectable cakes will be a Victoria sponge financier, a chocolate and tonka macaron, and a delicious vanilla and strawberry Battenberg with Virgin Atlantic purple-coloured marzipan.

A quintessentially English cocktail will accompany the bespoke Mile High Tea, using Hambledon English Sparkling Wine and Fever-Tree sweet British Rhubarb and Raspberry tonic.

The personalised beverage will also be available in the Virgin Atlantic London Heathrow Clubhouse, which will be wonderfully decorated to commemorate the occasion. 

Pratt Standard’s Earl Grey Vanilla Syrup, available only seasonally, is inspired by the London Fog

The celebrations are also stretching to the United States, with Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses across America also honouring the Platinum Jubilee.

Customers stopping by in San Francisco, JFK and Washington DC Clubhouses will have the chance to try out a special ‘Earl Grey Jubi-Tea’ cocktail, created with the Pratt Standard Cocktail Company’s Earl Grey Vanilla Syrup.

Pratt Standard are a woman-owned business based in Washington DC that prides itself on responsibly sourced ingredients and quality, perfectly aligning with the Virgin Atlantic five-star experience. 

Corneel Koster, Chief Customer & Operating Officer, Virgin Atlantic said:

We’re delighted to take part in the celebrations for the momentous occasion that is The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next weekend. The Jubilee weekend marks a significant moment in history and we look forward to celebrating this memorable moment with our customers.

At Virgin Atlantic, creating personalised experiences and magical moments for our customers is what we do best, from the moment they arrive at the airport to when they land at their destination. From enhancing our already delicious inflight

Dave

Virgin Atlantic returns to daily Heathrow-Cape Town flights

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Virgin Atlantic has announced its return to Cape Town.

A new daily service starts on 5 November 2022 and the service will operate on a Boeing 787-9 with Virgin stating fares start from £711 return in Economy.

The aircraft boasts three classes, Upper Class, Premium and Economy offering different experiences for customers as well as the airline’s world-famous social space.

The new winter service runs until 24t March 2022 and will complement the existing year-round daily service to Johannesburg. 

The airline stated that ‘with demand for travel increasing’ passengers can ‘take full advantage of the beautiful destination with easier access than ever before’.

Business travellers often extend their trips to take in Robin Island, where customers can visit the prison where Nelson Mandela was held; and some wish to challenge their adventurous side by riding the cable cars to Table Mountain’s flat top for sweeping views of the city.

Cape Town is the gateway to the Cape Winelands, the country’s top region for wine tasting tours. 

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented:  

We’re incredibly excited to return to the fabulous city of Cape Town with daily services from November. 

Although a little later than we we’d have liked due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the move reflects the fact that travel is recovering and global demand for holidays to sunny, premium destinations is returning at pace.

We’re expecting a high proportion of leisure travellers on this route who will rightly be taking advantage of the winter sun, exploring the world-renowned wine regions and soaking up the rich culture this incredible country has to offer.

Route facts

Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2021, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the fifth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. 
Dave

Protected: A month’s train travel in Germany for just €9

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