Although WestJet has flown to London for a few years now, this was the first transatlantic WestJet flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on April 29, 2019 that took off from Calgary and landed the next morning at London’s Gatwick Airport.

WestJet has previously operated transatlantic routes. In the past, as a low-cost carrier, WestJet offered service in two-classes on Boeing 767 aircraft.

These 767s previously flew for Qantas before WestJet took them over. This was a huge step for WestJet and the airline put their widebodies on their route to London’s Gatwick airport.

Seating up to 262 passengers, these 767s were relatively stuffed and lacked many traditional features of a full-service aircraft. WestJet’s 767s lack seatback screens and instead have a tablet holder.

There is no business class, only Economy and Premium, which really is just economy with a few extra perks and legroom.

On the bright side, the 767 is a comfortable aircraft for passengers. WestJet had a 2-2-2 configuration in Premium and a 2-3-2 configuration in Economy.

It looks like WestJet really has shed much of their low-cost model in favor of a traditional full-service approach.

No doubt, WestJet is aiming to compete against the larger and well-known Air Canada.

For WestJet, operating a newer, fuel-efficient aircraft with an upgraded hard product will easily make them a force for Air Canada to reckon with.

Air Canada really didn’t have any other full-service competition. Canada has a relatively large low-cost market with players like Air Transat and Sunwing. Air Canada ventured into the low-cost market with Air Canada Rouge.

WestJet’s 787s will go head-to-head with Air Canada’s product on key transatlantic routes including to London.

WestJet is to use the 787 to fly to Dublin, Paris, and London from their hub in Calgary. In addition, the 787 will operate flights between Toronto and Calgary. However, Air Canada flies to Heathrow while WestJet flies to Gatwick.

For WestJet, the first transatlantic 787 flight was a major success. According to their news release, the flight was completely sold out. WestJet’s 787 represent an increase in capacity from 262 passengers on the 767 to 320 on the 787.

Speaking on the launch of 787 transatlantic service, WestJet’s Chief Commercial Officer, Arved von zur Muehlen, said: the London market has quickly become an important one for us with service from six cities across Canada. It is no accident that the first transatlantic flight on the Dreamliner is to our largest international market, from our largest hub and home in Calgary.

We’re glad to see WestJet’s commence 787 transatlantic service and look forward to future advancements WestJet makes with their fleet and route network.

This is a major step forward and places WestJet at the standard of a full-service carrier. Now, WestJet will have to maintain principled growth and remain profitable in a time when many airlines have undergone rapid expansion and subsequent failure.


Tourism Observer

Icelandic budget airline WOW Air ceased operations on Thursday, stranding passengers across two continents.

In a statement on its website the airline, which had earlier suspended all its flights, told passengers there would be no further flights and advised them to check flights with other airlines for ways to reach their destinations.

The airline, founded by entrepreneur Skuli Mogensen, began operations in 2012 and specialized in ultra-cheap flights between North America and Europe, with flights to airports in cities including Washington, D.C, New York, Paris, London and its Reykjavik hub.

Its bankruptcy comes after six months of turbulent negotiations to sell the low-cost carrier, first to its main rival and flag-ship carrier Icelandair and later to Indigo Partners, an American company operating the airline Wizz.

I will never forgive myself for not acting sooner, Mogensen said in a letter to employees Thursday. WOW was clearly an incredible airline and we were on the path to do amazing things again.

Tourism is Iceland's largest industry and WOW's disappearance is set to have an effect on this summer's high season.

In its early years the airline expanded fast to 37 destinations and reported up to 60 per cent annual growth in passenger numbers. Its revenue per passenger, however, has not kept up and fell by about 20 per cent in 2017, according to the last earnings report.

WOW grounded at least six planes in North America that were set to leave late Wednesday from Montreal, Toronto, Boston, Detroit, New York and Baltimore.

In Europe, Reykjavik-bound planes from seven cities of Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Frankfurt and Copenhagen did not take off Thursday morning.


Tourism Observer

TUI Airways added 10 new routes to its schedule in the past few weeks including new long-haul links to Langkawi (LGK) in Malaysia and Utapao (UTP) in Thailand, from each of Birmingham (BHX), London Gatwick (LGW) and Manchester (MAN).

These six long-haul connections are all operated once every two weeks. The other four routes, including services from Dublin (DUB) to Salzburg (SZG) and Toulouse (TLS), from Gatwick to Lyon (LYS) and from London Luton (LTN) to Chambery (CMF), are not available for booking on the airline’s website, suggesting they are part of ski-season charter programmes.

The longest sector amongst TUI Airways’ 10 new routes is the 10,223-kilometre connection from Manchester to Langkawi, while the shortest is the 715-kilometre link from Gatwick to Lyon.

There is no direct competition on the six new long-haul sectors, but three of the four European airport pairs are already served by other carriers.

TUI Airways, formerly Thomson Airways and often referred to as TUI UK, is the world's largest charter airline, offering scheduled and charter flights from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.

The airline carried 11.2 million passengers in 2017, making it the third-largest UK airline by total passengers, after EasyJet and British Airways.

The registered office is at the TUI Travel House in Crawley, West Sussex but its head office is located in Wigmore House in Luton, Bedfordshire.

TUI Airways Limited holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Type A Operating Licence permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.

The airline was formed following the merger of the travel division of TUI AG and First Choice Holidays plc in September 2007 to form TUI Travel.

The two companies' respective airlines, Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways, were merged under the former's Air Operator's Certificate in May 2008 and were rebranded as Thomson Airways on 1 November 2008.

TUI Travel merged with TUI AG to form TUI Group in December 2014.

TUI Airways officially changed its legal name from Thomson Airways to TUI Airways on 2 October 2017. This was in line with sister companies TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly Netherlands and TUI fly Nordic.

All airlines in the group, excluding Corsair International, are now rebranded to TUI.

On 13 May 2015, it was announced by the TUI Group that all five of TUI's airline subsidiaries will be named TUI, whilst keeping their separate Air Operators Certificate, taking over three years to complete.

TUI Airways was the last airline to be completed in late 2017. The rebrand began in mid-2016, with the addition of the new 'TUI' titles to its fleet.

In December 2016, Thomson Holidays launched their final television advertisement using the Thomson brand, before integrating into the TUI brand.During the rebrand in 2017, the TOMSON call sign was dropped and replaced with TUI AIR.

In May 2017, the brand TUI Airways began to be used in several areas and was implemented on all flight tracker applications. Most of the aircraft had been branded with TUI titles and onboard items such as glasses and napkins carried the new brand.

Thomson Airways officially changed its legal name to TUI Airways on 2 October 2017.[ TUI's sister company, TUI UK (formerly Thomson Holidays), has ceased using the Thomson brand, adopting the TUI UK brand on 18 October 2017.

The airline's head office is in the Wigmore House near Luton, Bedfordshire. The facility is adjacent to Luton Airport.

Most scheduled flights operated by TUI Airways are on behalf of tour operators. The airline offers flights to destinations around the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean from 19 base airports in the United Kingdom.

Additionally, seasonal charter routes are served from Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm.

TUI Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft:

- Boeing 737-800: 26

- Boeing 737 MAX 8: 2

- Boeing 757-200: 13

- Boeing 767-300ER: 4

- Boeing 787-8: 8

- Boeing 787-9: 4

- Total: 57


Tourism Observer

Latvian Flag Carrier Air Baltic has announced that it will restart flights from its hub in Riga to Dublin, Ireland.

The inaugural flight will be on the 31st of March 2019, operated four times a week with the airline’s Airbus A220-300. Air Baltic had previously operated flights between these two cites, however, it discounted it in 2012.

Air Baltic was the launch customer for the A220-300 Previously Bombardier CS300 in 2016. The carrier plans to have an all A220 (CS300) fleet by 2025.

Originally founded in 1995, the airline currently flies to over 70 destinations from Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius—the carrier’s three bases.

For Summer 2019 season, Air Baltic will base A220s at Tallinn and start flights to Malaga, Brussels, and Copenhagen. In addition to Dublin, the airline will also launch Stuttgart and Lviv from Riga.

The flights will run every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Flight BT661 will depart Riga at 07:30, arriving into Dublin at 08:35 local time. The return flight BT662 will depart Dublin at 09:15 local time, arriving back into Riga at 14:10.

Martin Gauss, CEO of Air Baltic, said that he is glad to offer our guests regular flights to Dublin. This route has a strong demand for years now and we are very happy that we can add Dublin to our expanding route portfolio.

Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison also commented on the route’s announcement. This new service to Riga will further enhance the connectivity between Ireland and Latvia and is good news for passengers as it will offer additional choice and convenience, he said.

airBaltic, legally incorporated as AS Air Baltic Corporation, is the flag carrier of Latvia, with its head office on the grounds of Riga International Airport in Mārupe municipality near Riga. Its hub is at Riga International Airport with further bases at Tallinn Airport and Vilnius Airport.

The airline was established as Air Baltic on 28 August 1995 with the signing of a joint venture between Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and the Latvian state.

Operations started on 1 October 1995 with the arrival of the first Air Baltic aircraft, a Saab 340, at Riga, and that afternoon, the plane made the first passenger flight for Air Baltic.

In 1996, the airline's first Avro RJ70 was delivered; and Air Baltic joined the SAS frequent flier club as a partner. 1997 saw the opening of a cargo department and, in 1998, the airline's first Fokker 50 plane was delivered.

The adopted livery was mainly white, with the name of the airline written in blue on the forward fuselage, the 'B' logo being heavily stylized in blue checks. The checker blue pattern was repeated on the aircraft tailfin.

In 1999, Air Baltic became a joint stock company; it was previously a limited liability company. All of their Saab 340s were replaced by Fokker 50s.

By September, the airline had begun operating under the European Aviation Operating Standards, or JAR ops. Air Baltic welcomed the new millennium by introducing new uniforms and opening a cargo center at Riga's airport.

The first Boeing 737–500 joined the fleet in 2003, and on 1 June 2004, Air Baltic launched services from the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, initially to five destinations. In October 2004, Air Baltic was rebranded as AirBaltic.

Their present livery consists of an all-white fuselage and lime tailfin. AirBaltic.com is displayed on the forward upper fuselage, and the word Baltic is repeated in blue on the lower part of the tailfin. In December 2006, the first Boeing 737–300 joined the fleet and was configured with winglets.

In July 2007, AirBaltic introduced an online check-in system. It was the first online check-in system in the Baltic states. In the spring of 2008, two long-haul Boeing 757s joined the existing AirBaltic fleet.

On 10 March 2008, it was announced that in the next three years the airline would acquire new aircraft, experiencing the largest fleet expansion in the company's history. The new additions will be next generation Q400 aircraft.

AirBaltic had strong links with SAS, which owned 47.2% of the airline, and operated frequent flights to SAS hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, and the airline formerly used the SAS EuroBonus frequent flyer programme, but it now has its own frequent flyer programme called PINS.

Some of AirBaltic's products and services are still shared with SAS, including co-ordinated timetabling and shared airport lounges. AirBaltic is not a member of any airline alliance, but does have codeshare agreements in place with several Star Alliance member airlines and others.

AirBaltic had secondary hubs at Vilnius International Airport and Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport. The majority of the routes commenced from Tallinn were cancelled shortly after opening, leading to complaints from the Estonian Consumer Protection Department.

In January 2009, SAS sold its entire stake in the company 47.2% of the airline to Baltijas aviācijas sistēmas Ltd (BAS) for 14 million lats. BAS was wholly owned by Bertolt Flick - President and CEO until December 2010, when 50% of BAS shares were transferred to Taurus Asset Management Fund Limited, registered in the Bahamas.

airBaltic operates direct year-round and seasonal flights from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, mostly to metropolitan and leisure destinations within Europe. Long-haul flights are not operated.

airBaltic has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

- Aegean Airlines

- Aeroflot

- Air France

- Air Malta

- Air Serbia

- Alitalia

- Austrian Airlines

- Azerbaijan Airlines

- Belavia

- British Airways

- Brussels Airlines

- Czech Airlines

- Etihad Airways

- Georgian Airways

- Iberia

- KLM

- LOT Polish Airlines

- TAP Air Portugal

- TAROM

- Ukraine International Airlines

- Uzbekistan Airways

airBaltic fleet consists of the following aircraft:

- Airbus A220-300: 14

- Boeing 737-300: 6

- Boeing 737-500: 3

- Bombardier Q400: 12

- Total: 35


Tourism Observer

Cathay Pacific is all set to bring its brand of super efficiency and high spec in-flight service to the sky-ways of Ireland this summer, when it begins its pioneering non-stop routes linking Hong Kong with Dublin from June 2018.

In addition to the Irish route Cathay is also connecting Hong Kong with the Danish capital city Copenhagen on top of the non-stop flights between HK and Brussels.

Belgium introduced in March further strengthening the airline’s network as well as providing potential new trade and tourism opportunities between Europe and Asia.

Growing our reach to new destinations boosts the city’s status as Asia’s largest international hub and enables us to capture new and important sources of revenue

Cathay Pacific chief executive officer Rupert Hogg said that the announced services will meet customer demand for non-stop travel to these vibrant cities.

At the same time providing Europe-based passengers with more convenient access to key destinations in Asia and Southwest Pacific through the airline’s home in Hong Kong.

We’re excited to offer the only direct flights between Hong Kong and Brussels, Dublin and Copenhagen.

These are all fantastic destinations and attract business and leisure travellers from the world over.

We listened to our customers’ demands for more options and greater flexibility and have responded by building direct air links with these great cities.

Hogg added: Growing our reach to new destinations that aren’t served from Hong Kong boosts the city’s status as

Asia’s largest international hub and enables us to capture new and important sources of revenue.

To welcome the new European connections OZO Wesley Hong Kong is offering stays at a starting price of GBP 114+ per night including breakfast and exclusive of VAT and service charge.

This is subject to season and availability.

Meaanwhile, The first of 20 A350-1000s for Cathay Pacific has completed its initial test flight from Airbus's Toulouse plant.

Deliveries of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered aircraft to the Hong Kong carrier are scheduled to begin in June.

It will become the second operator after launch customer Qatar Airways to receive Airbus's biggest twinjet.

The new twinjets will be operated alongside Cathay's existing fleet of smaller A350-900s, 22 of which are currently in service with six more on order, according to Flight Fleets Analyzer.

Cathay will deploy the A350-1000 on its new route to Washington DC from September. The airline says that at "8,153 miles" (7,095nm/13,126km), the new service to Dulles will become the longest in its network.



Tourism Observer

Aeroflot, the Russian state-controlled airline, is to launch a direct flight from Moscow to Dublin even as Ireland’s relations with the Kremlin chill following the expulsion of one of their diplomats.

A source at the flagship Russian carrier said a decision had been taken in Moscow to proceed with a direct flight although the company has yet to decide when it will commence and its frequency.

Aeroflot, which is controlled by the Kremlin, has an almost 50 per cent share of the Russia’s domestic market.

A direct flight to Dublin could lead to an acceleration in trade and tourism between the two countries.

Industry sources were unable to say whether the scandal over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and the subsequent diplomatic fallout would affect the timing of the launch.

However, there is confidence that it will not be derailed by the current tensions.

A delegation from the Dublin Airport met senior Aeroflot management in Moscow late last year to seal the deal, and an Irish Government source indicated that an announcement on a flight would be made very soon.

Alexander Bogachev, former head of procurement for Aeroflot, is understood currently to be helping Enterprise Ireland-backed companies win tenders with major airlines.

And GTLK Europe, the Kremlin’s leasing arm in Dublin, has a portfolio of $1.5 billion in assets based out of Ireland and could be tapped to provide Aeroflot with the necessary aircraft .

GTLK, which has raised $1 billion in financing in Ireland over the past two years, says Aeroflot is its biggest client.

Irish government agencies have been lobbying hard in recent years to secure a direct flight to Moscow and will be hoping it helps a recent resurgence in trade with Russia, which was badly hit by sanctions over the Kremlin’s interference in the Ukraine conflict.

The increased focus on Russia appears to be paying off, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade estimating the value of Irish exports to Russia at €500 million last year, an increase of almost 40 per cent.

The direct link will make it easier for Irish investors to see for themselves that Russia is a place where they are welcomed and can make money, provided they don’t check in any political bias with their luggage, said Chris Weafer, the founder of Moscow consultancy Macro Advisory.

Dublin Airport is always in talks with potential new airline customers about launching new routes to and from Dublin, however we never comment on whether or not we are in discussions with a specific airline, said Paul O’Kane, a Dublin Airport spokesman.

Apart from Valletta in Malta, Dublin is the only capital in the European Union not served by a regular direct flight from Moscow.

Aeroflot previously used Shannon as stopover to the US and the hope in Government circles is that an Irish airport can once again become a Russian aviation hub.

In 1978, Aer Rianta approached Aeroflot with a proposal to store Soviet Aviation Fuel at Shannon for use on the Soviet airline’s transatlantic services.

By the early 1980s, more than a thousand Aeroflot flights a year were clocked through Shannon as the Russian carrier routed other transit flights via Ireland.

Aer Rianta’s co-operation with Aeroflot led to the opening of a string of duty-free shops in airports in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Irish investors were among the pioneers during Russia’s new era of perestroika in the 1990s.

Aer Rianta forged the way by opening duty-free shops, bars and hotels in Moscow through a joint venture with the Russian airline Aeroflot.

Many small to medium sized enterprises, involved in everything from hairdressing to butchering, followed to take a chance in what they called the Wild East.

The refuelling at Shannon ended after Aeroflot acquired longer-range aircraft, while the 1998 rouble crash and default by the Russian government forced most of the Irish community to abandon Moscow.

S7, the privately-owned Russian airline, started flights to Dublin in 2008 but scaled back after the economic crisis. The carrier only schedules weekly flights now during summer months.

Ryanair was granted permission by Rosaviatsia, Russia’s federal air transport agency, in 2013 to fly but never exercised the right.

Tourism chiefs will be hoping the start of Aeroflot flights will lead to a bonanza in revenues from Russians, many of whom have fond association with Ireland

Russians have a particular affinity with Ireland, especially since Aer Rianta ran the first foreign currency and the first airport duty free shops.

An Irish bar, the Shamrock on New Arbat, was the first foreign bar to open in Moscow, said Weafer, who has been based in Moscow for 20 years.

If attendance at the St Patrick’s Day parade is a good guide with plenty of Russians dressed in green the new air link should bring a lot of Russians curious about the country they have adopted so fondly at home.

The Russian carrier, which says its classic Soviet emblem of a winged hammer and sickle now represents a smile has undergone a transformation in recent years.

Its fleet is among the youngest in Europe, its business class is considered top-notch, and it has sent its flight attendants back to school to learn to smile.

The company has also been a leading sponsor of Manchester United and the team’s official carrier since 2013.

In April last year, Aeroflot was named number one Business Class globally by TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking site.

That gong came just after Brand Finance, the business valuation and strategy consultancy, named Aeroflot the world’s strongest airline brand.


Tourism Observer

In an effort to offer ground and inflight services of increased value and flexibility, Etihad Airways announced it is gradually proceeding with a series of changes, based on customer feedback.

According to an announcement, the airline’s complimentary chauffeur service is retained at Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub and has been replaced – as of July 3 – in all other cities with a paid option at specially negotiated rates.

The airline will also extend the paid airport transfer option to all guests across all cabins and allow Etihad Guest members to accrue miles on their chauffeur bookings.

The decision by Etihad Airways to change its offering has been taken to provide increased choice and to ensure fares remain as low and as competitive as possible, while retaining best-in-class service for all guests, in all cabins,” said Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Executive Vice President Commercial.

Guests travelling in “The Residence”, Etihad’s 3-room suite onboard the flagship Airbus A380 fleet, will continue to receive complimentary chauffeur services at all A380 destinations, specifically in Abu Dhabi, London, Paris, Sydney and New York.

First and Business Class tickets issued prior to 3 July 2017 will not be affected by these changes and will receive complimentary chauffeur service across destinations where the service is currently offered.

Furthermore, guests travelling on Etihad Airways Business Class tickets can now pay and upgrade to the airline’s luxurious flagship First Class Lounge & Spa when flying from, or transiting through Abu Dhabi.

Paid Access to Lounges for Economy Class Passengers

Etihad Airways will also offer Economy Class guests paid access to its growing portfolio of dedicated lounges around the world, including its premium lounges in Abu Dhabi, London, Manchester, Dublin, Paris, Washington D.C., New York JFK, Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles.

Moreover, the airline introduced an innovative new ‘Neighbour-Free Seat’ option in Economy Class, which provides guests with the opportunity to bid for up to three empty seats next to their original seat, thus enjoy more space, comfort and privacy, at an affordable price.


Tourism Observer
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Qatar Airways has launched a unique stopover package in partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) to promote and market Qatar as a destination of choice for international travellers, offering transit passengers the opportunity to discover Doha with free luxury hotel stays and complimentary transit visas.

The unique offer is part of a broader campaign called +Qatar which looks to encourage all transit passengers to consider adding Qatar to their itinerary.

This unique offer from QTA and Qatar Airways allows passengers travelling through Doha to experience a taste of the Middle East for free.

Throughout the summer, the national carrier, with the support of QTA, will give passengers the chance to turn a layover into a stayover by offering four and five star hotel accommodation at no charge to those transiting through Doha.

The promotion invites all Qatar Airways passengers to add Doha to their vacation by taking advantage of a free one-night hotel stay from a selection of the country’s best four- and five-star hotels in Doha.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is more than just a national flag-carrier for Qatar; we are proudly patriotic and want to share Qatar’s many exciting attractions with our passengers from around the world. This exclusive initiative provides the opportunity to add an extra element to our passengers’ existing travel plans with a complimentary hotel stay in some of Doha’s finest hotels.

We want to ensure that our passengers have a memorable experience every time they travel with Qatar Airways, and now, we’re going even further to make sure that we exceed their expectations.”

Chief Tourism Development Officer, Qatar Tourism Authority, Hassan Al Ibrahim, said: “It was a great source of pride for all of us in Qatar when we launched the transit visa last November. We have already seen a surge in stopover passengers, with a 53 per cent increase recorded in March 2017, compared to the same month last year.

With the launch of +Qatar today, we aim to convert a larger portion of the 30 million passengers passing through Hamad International Airport into stopover visitors. We are delighted to make Qatar more accessible to people from around the world and invite them to discover our country, our cultural heritage and our natural treasures.”

Passengers transiting through Doha can extend their stay to make the most of their journey taking in the sights of Doha with a completely free night courtesy of Qatar Airways and QTA or stay a little longer with a second night’s stay for a modest $50 booking fee.

Passengers can choose from hotels such as The Four Seasons, Marriott Marquis, Radisson Blu and Oryx Rotana.

The free hotel accommodation, available throughout the summer, will offer passengers the opportunity to explore Doha and experience city tours, desert safari adventures or a dinner cruise aboard a traditional dhow, giving visitors a taste of authentic Arabian hospitality, courtesy of Discover Qatar.

To be eligible for this offer, passengers simply book their flight on www.qatarairways.com, select ‘multi-city’ and choose their hotel once they receive their flight confirmation. The online transit visa application is also free and is eligible for those in transit between five and 96 hours.

This ground-breaking offer is available for all Qatar Airways passengers, both Premium and Economy, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to its brand ethos of ‘Going Places Together’.

To maximise their time in Qatar, visitors can explore additional stopover packages offered by Discover Qatar.

This unique offer with QTA has been launched by Qatar Airways' newly created destination management company, Discover Qatar, and is just one of many new initiatives that will be launched over the coming months to generate awareness of, and visits to, Qatar.

It was designed to kick off the newly launched campaign ‘+Qatar’ from Qatar Tourism Authority and is aimed at supporting the growing demand for tourism in Qatar.

This exciting and innovative announcement comes as the airline celebrates its 20th year of operations, marking two decades of growth, industry leadership and innovation.

This year, Hamad International Airport (HIA) was also ranked the Sixth Best Airport in the World by the 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards, as well as having been named Best Airport in the Middle East for the third consecutive year, and recognised as having the Best Staff Service in the Middle East for the second year in a row.

Known for introducing industry firsts, Qatar Airways is one of the fastest-growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of 197 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. Exciting new destinations being launched in 2017 include Nice, Chang Mai, Dublin and Skopje.

Qatar Airways invites passengers to start planning their next trip with amazing discounts on flights across all cabin classes. With the airline’s Global Sales Campaign, which starts on April 26 and lasts through May 3, families, friends and couples can book flights to any destination across the airline’s network of more than 150 destinations across the globe, with validity to travel until June 21, 2017.

Travellers can now avail offer of up to 40% off on all-inclusive fares. To take advantage of this offer, travellers should visit their travel agent, any Qatar Airways sales office or qatarairways.com/travelnow.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Ehab Amin said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our passengers such a wide variety of choice in choosing a destination. With this new promotion, passengers can easily choose where to go next with amazing offers across all of our cabin classes. Travellers are truly spoilt for choice with Qatar Airways’ extended network of more than 150 destinations.”

Recently the airline revealed its latest premium class product “Qsuite,” a fully transformable suite of seats that allows parties of two, three or four to create their own unique space within the Business Class cabin.

This game-changing patented design is set to transform the face of aviation and Business Class travel by bringing a First Class product to the Business Class cabin. Qsuite also features the first ever double bed in Business Class, another ground-breaking innovation brought to passengers by Qatar Airways.

The airline was named the World’s Best Business Class by Skytrax in 2016, and its home hub, Hamad International Airport, was also recently given five stars at the Skytrax World Airport Awards, as well as being named the World’s Sixth Best Airport.

Qatar Airways is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, with a network of more than 150 destinations. The airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network in 2017, including Chiang Mai, Yanbu, Dublin, Nice, Skopje and many more, flying passengers on board its modern fleet of 195 aircraft.

A Flybe passenger was kicked off a plane shortly before take-off after he allegedly snapped photos of a flight attendant’s buttocks.

The man starting taking photos with his mobile phone as the female cabin crew member delivered her pre-flight safety demonstration while the plane taxied to a runway.

When he was caught allegedly taking inappropriate pictures of her he was ordered off the Embraer E195 aircraft at Dublin Airport before it flew to Cardiff.

The man was asked to delete the photos from his smartphone, but he claimed he was unable to do so.

Just before take-off, while staff were going through the safety demonstration, a worker claimed that a man was taking pictures of her.

‘The individual was asked to remove the pictures.

‘He initially refused to, but then said he wasn’t able to, which is hard to believe. Security staff were then called.’

Police were notified and the plane, which has a capacity for 118 passengers, returned to the terminal, where the man was removed.

The aircraft then made the 30-minute journey from Dublin to Cardiff.

The man was not arrested and it is believed no further action will be taken in relation to last Friday’s incident.

A Flybe spokeswoman said, the safety and security of our passengers and crew is Flybe’s number one priority and, as such, we have a zero-tolerance policy with any form of on-board behaviour that might in any way compromise this.

‘Should such disruptive behaviour persist, those involved would be immediately reported to the police and the necessary action taken.’

In April, a passenger on board an IndiGo plane in India was charged after he allegedly recorded video of cabin crew members as they served drinks and snacks on board a flight from Kolkata to Mumbai.

The man continued to record the female employees after he was ordered to stop, said passengers.

Last October, a Turkey-bound flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a man from Ireland stripped naked and asked a Sun Express flight attendant for sex.

The man removed his clothes shortly after the plane left Dublin for Izmir and started to wave his penis around in front of horrified holidaymakers.

Crew tried to calm him down, but he reportedly became aggressive and started jumping on seats as he was cheered on by his friends, said fellow passengers.

The plane made an emergency landing at Nikola Tesla Airport in Serbian capital of Belgrade, where the man was escorted off the plane.

Blue Air, the well-managed and fast growing, low cost airline of Romania, has chosen Dublin as an airport for expansion for its Summer 2016 flying programme with more services to Bucharest and Bacau, plus a a new twice weekly flight to the regional city of Cluj, in Transylvania.

The new services to Cluj will leave Dublin Airport at 17:55 every Tuesday and Saturday landing in Cluj at 23:35, returning from Cluj at 15:30 landing at Dublin Airport at 17:10.

Blue Air already fly from Dublin to its home base Bucharest (Otopeni) and Bacau which will now have increased frequencies rising to four times and three times a week respectively for Summer 2016.

James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways officially opened the airline’s First and Business Class Lounge at JFK International Airport. The new lounge is the second in the United States to join the airline’s collection of premium lounges offered worldwide for its guests.

Conveniently located close to the gate area after the security checkpoint in JFK’s International Terminal 4, the new lounge offers guests a unique travel environment reflecting twenty-first century Abu Dhabi modernism and embodies the highest levels of luxury and comfort for discerning travelers accustomed to world-class air travel experiences.

Mr. Hogan said, “The opening of Etihad Airways’ new First and Business Class Lounge at New York’s JFK International Airport reinforces our commitment to investing in the travel experience and providing our guests with the highest levels of comfort, luxury and world-class hospitality at every point in their travel journey – on the ground and in the air.”

The airline’s new JFK lounge – which enhances its global lounge facilities in Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin, Paris, Sydney and Washington, D.C. – is designed with the “Facets of Abu Dhabi” brand theme and exclusively offers guests of Etihad Airways a series of signature moments of discovery and relaxation throughout the space. The lounge is adorned with the brand’s geometric design concept and uses a color palette that reflects the varying hues of the landscape of the UAE, from the darker sands of Liwa to the lighter colors seen in the Northern Emirates, designed by Chicago-based architect firm Gensler and global brand consultants Landor Associates. The new JFK lounge opening expands upon the airline’s strategic lounge development plans.

Amenities in the JFK lounge include a sculptural showcase bar and lounge with an extensive and bespoke cocktail and mocktail offering developed in partnership with a leading London-based beverage consultancy, Fluid Movement – underpinning Etihad’s commitment to culinary innovation and world class food and beverage. In the lounge’s dining area, guests can select from a choice of a la carte and international buffet options.

The lounge is appointed in custom furnishings by Boss, offering a range of distinct seating styles throughout the extensive seating areas available within the lounge. Further features include luxurious restrooms with showers and changing rooms, dedicated male and female ablution and prayer rooms, a library and luggage storage.

Etihad Airways guests travelling in The Residence by Etihad™, First Apartments or Business Studios have access to the lounge pre-flight. A private lounge is accessible exclusively to guests travelling The Residence by Etihad™, complementing the private luxury offered with this service in-flight.

Etihad Airways’ A380 featuring The Residence by Etihad™, First Apartments, Business Studios and Economy Smart Seats commenced service between Abu Dhabi and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on November 23, 2015. The daily A380 service replaces a Boeing 777 and complements a second B777 daily flight between the two cities (operated by Etihad Airways on a Jet Airways-branded aircraft).

Etihad Airways commenced services to New York’s JFK Airport on October 26, 2006 and today offers twice daily non-stop flights to Abu Dhabi. Additionally in the United States, Etihad offers daily service between Abu Dhabi and Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as service three times a week to Dallas/Fort Worth.

The Independent Flight Attendant’s Organization (UFO) has announced strike action for all Lufthansa flights from/ to Frankfurt and Dusseldorf on Monday, 9.11.2015 between 4.30 and 23.00 and flights from/to Munich between 4.30 and 00.00.

Flights operated by Lufthansa CityLine, Germanwings, Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, SWISS and Brussels Airlines are not affected by potential strike actions and will therefore run as planned.

Lufthansa will do its utmost to keep the effects of a strike to a minimum and to inform passengers as soon as possible. For that reason, Lufthansa requests all passengers early on to stay up-to-date by checking the flight status on LH.com.

On Monday, out of the approximately 3.000 planned connections about 929 continental and intercontinental flights had to be cancelled. Affected by these cancellations are in total approximately 113.000 passengers.

Lufthansa did publish a special timetable. Nearly all continental and intercontinental flights had to be cancelled. Exceptions are a few flights between Munich and Frankfurt to London Heathrow, Dublin, Ashgabat, Delhi, Hongkong and Tokio.

Flights from Lufthansa CityLine, Germanwings, Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Austrian Airlines, SWISS and Brussels Airlines are not affected by the strike actions and will therefore operate as planned.

Lufthansa regrets any inconveniences caused by the strike.

sought
Two American citizens owed are owed the money after a 2007 court ruling.

CONGO Airways, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s new national carrier, has said one of two new aircraft the government recently purchased was blocked from leaving Ireland because of a legal dispute.

“Congo Airways confirms the seizure of its second A320 in Dublin, following a dispute between the Congolese state and a third-party,” the airline said in a statement on its Twitter account on Monday. The Irish Times reported Aug. 21 that the High Court in Dublin prevented the Airbus Group SE aircraft from leaving Ireland following an application by two U.S. citizens owed $11.5 million after a 2007 court ruling.

The U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, confirmed the arbitration award in March, ruling that a balance of $11.6 million was still owed by the Congolese government to the petitioners, according to documents obtained from the court’s website.

Prime Minister Matata Ponyo said Monday that the situation was being reviewed by the Ministry of Portfolio.

Neither the Portfolio Minister Louise Munga Mesozi nor the managing director of Congo Airways, Claude Kirongozi, were immediately available when a comment was sought.