Malaysia Airlines Flies Daily to Kathmandu

Malaysia Airlines will be increasing its frequency between Kuala Lumpur and Kathmandu to seven times weekly beginning 1 June 2013.

At present, the airline operates five times weekly into the Nepalese state on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

On 1st September 2012, the national carrier operated its inaugural flight to Kathmandu from Kuala Lumpur on a thrice-weekly service schedule. The service was received well and the demand increased in just two months.

The introduction of the new link with Kathmandu is in line with Malaysia Airlines’ continued efforts to further strengthen its market presence in the regional market as outlined in its Business Plan announced last December.

Malaysia Airlines, Director of Commercial, Dr. Hugh Noel Dunleavy said, “We have such great demand from our passengers to fly between Kuala Lumpur and Kathmandu. With the daily frequency, our customers will be able to travel conveniently and at ease. On top of that, the increased frequency will provide excellent connectivity between Malaysia and various other destinations on Malaysia Airlines and our oneworld routes.”

“Kathmandu has been a wonderful experience for us at Malaysia Airlines and our customers. We are not only receiving good traction from the labour market but given that Kathmandu is likened to heaven on earth, many Malaysians are putting this destination in their must visit list. Kathmandu is a hub for independent travellers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets. Surrounded by serene mountains, it is a perfect place for those who yearn for a relaxing holiday or even a challenging mountain climbing adventure,” he added.

A two-class configured Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 144 economy class seats and 16 business class seats is being used for this Kuala Lumpur-Kathmandu return service. Flight MH170 departs Kuala Lumpur at 8.55am to arrive at Kathmandu at 11.30am. The return flight MH171 departs Kathmandu at 12.20pm to arrive at Kuala Lumpur at 7.15pm.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines Economy, Business and First Class travelers will get to enjoy 30, 40 and 50 kilograms baggage allowance respectively. Passengers on Economy Class are also entitled to one piece of hand baggage weighing a maximum 7 kg, while those in Business Classes are allowed two pieces.

Malaysia Airlines, Subang, 17 May 2013

First Chinese assembled A320 with Sharklets goes to China Eastern
First in China to benefit from more fuel savings

China’s largest operator of Airbus aircraft, China Eastern Airlines, has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing-tip devices, becoming China’s first carrier to do so. The aircraft is also the first Sharklets equipped A320 assembled and delivered in Tianjin.

The A320, powered by IAE V2500 engines, features a comfortable two class cabin, seating 158 passengers with eight in business class and 150 in economy. The A320 will make its first commercial flight from Shanghai to Dalian on May 18.



“As the first and biggest Airbus customer in China, China Eastern and Airbus have long-term good cooperation. China Eastern is honored to be the first customer of A320 with sharklets in China. In the near future, China Eastern will further expand our sharklet equipped A320 family fleet”, said Shu Mingjiang, Vice President Flight Operations, China Eastern.

“We are delighted that China Eastern Airlines has taken delivery of its first Sharklet equipped A320. It is a mark of our close ties that the biggest Airbus fleet operator in China is also the first Chinese carrier to benefit from up to four per cent reduction in fuel costs”, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family. They offer operators up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.

China Eastern is one of the largest airlines in China and is the first Chinese airline operating Airbus aircraft in 1985. Now it operates an Airbus fleet of over 230 aircraft including A300s, A319s, A320s, A321s, A330s and A340s.

Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre has delivered 126 aircraft since June 2009 and it plans to deliver 46 aircraft in total in 2013.

The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling and most modern single aisle aircraft Family. To date, over 9,400 aircraft have been ordered and over 5,500 delivered to more than 385 customers and operators worldwide. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single-aisle aircraft.

17 May 2013 Press Release

At a celebration in Budapest, with over 1,000 guests in attendance, Munich Airport was announced as the winner of this year's European Routes Award. This prestigious award is presented every year to recognize outstanding marketing performance by international airports. In the category of Europe's largest airports with more than 20 million passengers handled annually, Munich Airport came in ahead of Rome and Vienna to take the number one ranking. Munich was also declared the overall winner of the European Routes Award.



For Dr. Michael Kerkloh, the President and CEO of FMG, the award is an affirmation of Munich Airport's efforts to continually improve the available travel options in terms of quality and quantity. "By taking this major prize home to Munich we have highlighted our success in expanding and enhancing the quality of routes and services we offer in the increasingly fierce competition among Europe's major airports."

Press Release Flughafen München GmbH 17.05.2013

• Airport Executive Board, US Ambassador and Austrian CCO open maiden flight
• Non-stop flights to Chicago five times a week featuring new Austrian long-haul cabin
• 26 non-stop flights a week to North America

From today, Austrian Airlines is offering another North American destination in its flight schedule. Flights will leave for Chicago five times a week on a Boeing 767, which will already be equipped with the new long-haul cabin.

Julian Jäger, Chairman of the Executive Board of Flughafen Wien AG, the US Ambassador William C. Eacho, and Austrian CCO Karsten Benz welcomed the first passengers onto the flight today, and celebrated the opening of the new route to Chicago.



The new route means Austrian Airlines will be offering a total of 26 non-stop flights a week to North America, including daily flights not just to Chicago and New York on a Boeing 777, the largest long-haul aircraft in the Austrian fleet, but also daily flights to Washington and Toronto on a Boeing 767.

AUA 17.05.2013

Improving On-Time Performance with New Boarding Process

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines today launched a new systemwide boarding process that saves overall boarding time by allowing customers who are traveling light to board earlier. Customers traveling with one personal carry-on item that fits under the seat in front of them will be invited to board before Group 2.

The new boarding process is another example of how American is reinventing itself by continuously seeking out ways to streamline processes, creating a more efficient and enjoyable customer journey. With on-time performance being a key factor in the airline's dependability rating, every minute saved during boarding allows American to push back from the gate earlier, resulting in a more timely departure and arrival.

"For customers, departing on time and arriving at their destination on time is a huge factor in how they feel about their overall experience," said Carol Wright, American's Vice President – Customer Planning. "Our tests indicate that this new boarding process will improve our dependability and on-time performance, while being easier and more enjoyable for our customers. It's another example of our promise to put our customers at the center of everything we do."

The new boarding process follows successful testing done earlier this year at American Airlines gates at airports in Austin, Texas (AUS), Baltimore (BWI), Denver (DEN), Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (FLL), Kansas City, Mo. (MCI), Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) and Washington-Dulles (IAD).

The test received overwhelmingly positive feedback from American's customers, and agents like the new process because it allows for smoother and quicker boarding for everyone. American expects to see a notable reduction in average boarding time per flight with the new boarding process.

American is continually looking for innovative ways to enhance the customer experience. Other recent enhancements designed to give customers more choices when traveling include:

The expansion of American's next-generation kiosks with self-tag capabilities for checked baggage, speeding up the check-in process
New fare choices with perks that include preferred seating, early boarding and same-day flight changes
More power ports onboard to help customers stay charged and connected throughout their journey

American's baggage policy allows each customer to take onboard at no charge one personal item that will fit under the seat in front of them and one bag that meets the FAA-mandated carry-on size requirements to fit into the overhead storage compartment. With the new boarding process, customers who wish to board early before Group 2 can gate-check their carry-on bag at no charge.


SOURCE American Airlines

Boeing, Southwest Airlines announce launch of 737 MAX 7
- Southwest converts existing 30 Next-Generation 737 orders to 737 MAX 7s
- Dallas-based carrier launches another 737 model

Boeing and Southwest Airlines announced today the launch of the 737 MAX 7, the third member of the 737 MAX family. The Dallas-based carrier and launch customer for the 737 MAX program became the first airline to order the 737 MAX 7, when it converted 30 existing orders for Next-Generation 737s into orders for the 737 MAX 7.



Southwest also exercised options to add five more Next-Generation 737-800s to its fleet. These airplanes, along with the 737 MAX 7s, are part of Southwest's ongoing effort to improve fuel efficiency and profitability. The 737 MAX 7 supports Southwest's expanding fleet modernization effort. Southwest is expected to take its first 737 MAX 7 delivery in 2019.

"We are thrilled to announce that Southwest Airlines and Boeing have entered into an agreement for Southwest to be the launch customer for the Boeing MAX 7 series, with deliveries beginning in 2019," said Gary C. Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO. "The 737 MAX 7 builds on the strengths of today's Next-Generation 737-700, incorporating the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines is expected to reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions by an additional 12 percent over today's most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplane."

The 737 MAX 7 brings the most advanced engine technologies to the world's best-selling airplane, building on the strengths of today's Next-Generation 737-700. The 110-ft long airplane incorporates the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines to deliver improved efficiency with the most reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 7 also will extend the range over today's 737-700 by approximately 400 nautical miles (741 km).

"Southwest has been a valued partner in the evolution of the 737 program," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. "We have worked together to launch several models of the 737 including the 737 MAX family in 2011. We are excited to bring the 737 MAX 7 to market with Southwest."

With the MAX 7 conversions and exercised options for 737-800s, Southwest's unfilled orders consist of 180 737 MAX airplanes and 137 Next-Generation 737s. The 737 MAX now has orders for 1,315 airplanes.

SEATTLE, May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/

GROUND HANDLING STRIKE AT BRUSSELS AIRPORT IS UNACCEPTABLE; COST OF DISRUPTIONS PAID BY AIRLINES

Since Sunday, air passengers and airlines have found themselves been caught in the middle of an
industrial dispute at Swissport, one of the ground handling service providers at Brussels Airport. The
action has had a major impact as flight schedules have been disrupted and passengers suffering
delays of several days, waiting for their luggage. The Association of European Airlines (AEA)
condemns this intolerable situation.

The wildcat industry action started on Sunday evening without prior notice, and as a result airlines
were not able to prepare or anticipate the consequences. This has been the fifth strike at the
company in five years. According to preliminary estimations, over 20,000 passengers on 33 airlines
are affected each day and the strike is planned to continue until further notice. Some airlines have
been forced to cancel their flights to and from Brussels or divert them to other airports.

The strike has a detrimental effect on passengers and consequently on airlines, which as clients of
the ground handling companies carry the financial burden of the disruption. “AEA finds this situation
unacceptable. Airlines and airports are making efforts to ensure the highest quality of service and
care for the benefit of passenger” said Mr Athar Husain Khan, acting Secretary General of AEA. “We have been calling for the gradual opening of the ground handling market, which would enable
airlines and airports greater freedom of choice in the selection of service providers. We also urge
European policy-makers to provide clear guidance on liability in the frame of the proposed revision of
the passenger rights’ regulation in order to provide a better guarantee of passenger convenience.”

AEA 15 May 2013

DUBAI, U.A.E., 16th May 2013: Brisbane is set to become Emirates’ third Australian destination to welcome the airline’s flagship Airbus A380, with the announcement that Emirates will operate the A380 on the Dubai to Brisbane and Auckland route from 1 October 2013.  

Adding the A380 to one of Emirates’ two daily Brisbane services will see an increase in capacity of 135 seats for sale per flight and 1,890 week, reinforcing Emirates’ commitment to its Queensland and Auckland passengers. The double-daily service is currently operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. 

“On the back of growing passenger demand on the route as well as demand for our flagship aircraft, we will become the first airline to bring the state-of-the-art A380 to Brisbane, offering Queenslanders the chance to experience this revolutionary aircraft and the best service in the sky first-hand,” said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, Far East and Australasia. 

“The Dubai-Brisbane-Auckland route is a popular choice among business and leisure travellers alike and the new Emirates A380 service will be instrumental in helping Emirates meet its passenger demand as well as deliver considerable economic benefits through inbound seats and travel connections,” he continued. 

“Australia represents an important market for Emirates and ranks in the top three countries on Emirates’ global network. Central to this relationship is the ongoing support for tourism and trade provided by adding larger capacity aircraft between our two countries, and this fourth A380 for Australia will further complement our partnership with Qantas,” Mr Obaidalla concluded. 

Together with Qantas, from October a total of six daily A380 services will operate to Dubai, offering a seamless A380 experience through Dubai International Airport’s Concourse A, the world’s first purpose built A380 concourse, to 21 A380 serviced destinations on the network including London Heathrow, Manchester, Paris and Rome. 

Today’s announcement caps off a range of recent upgrades to Emirates’ Australian services, including the introduction of a daily Melbourne A380, a daily Adelaide service and a three times daily Perth service. A second A380 for Sydney from June has been announced. 

“This is also a significant announcement for New Zealand where we are continuing our growth, from 2 October Auckland will be welcoming its third daily Emirates A380. Emirates currently operates its A380s from Auckland to Melbourne and Sydney and on to Dubai and Emirates’ ever expanding global network. The third A380 will give our New Zealand customers more flexibility on their routes to Australia and onwards,” added Mr Obaidalla. 

Emirates sets the pace for A380 deployment, with the aircraft having carried 14 million passengers on 35,000 trips spanning 200 million kilometres since A380 operations commenced five years ago. In 2012 alone, Emirates added 11 A380s to its fleet and is the largest operator of the aircraft, with 33 in the fleet and 57 on order. 

The Emirates A380 is set in a three-class configuration, with 399 seats in Economy Class on the lower level and 76 fully flat-bed, mini-pods in Business Class and 14 First Class Private Suites on the upper level. Passengers in the First Class cabin can freshen up in one of two on-board Shower Spas before joining fellow premium class travellers in the On-Board Lounge where they can enjoy complimentary beverages and canapés.

Source: emirates.com

15 May, 2013

-- Seamless connections to be made even easier at JFK from U.S. cities to Dubai --

NEW YORK and DUBAI, 14th May 2013: JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU), New York’s Hometown Airline™, and Emirates, the Dubai-based international carrier and one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, today announced intent to expand their current partnership to include bilateral codesharing, pending FAA and DOT regulatory approval and subject to receipt of foreign government operating authority. Under the expanded agreement, JetBlue will place its “B6” airline code on all flights currently operated by Emirates between the U.S. and Dubai International Airport, as well as between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Milan, Italy.

The agreement deepens a three-year partnership between JetBlue and Emirates. Emirates started placing its code on select JetBlue-operated flights in April 2012, expanding an interline agreement that dates back to 2010. Current codeshare routes offered by Emirates on JetBlue-operated flights cover 28 destinations including Boston, Chicago, Orlando and Puerto Rico. Since March this year, Emirates also began placing its code on additional JetBlue routes, including Bridgetown, Barbados, Cancun, Mexico, Montego Bay, Jamaica and Santo Domingo, Santiago and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Through the existing agreement, customers enjoy the convenience of a single combined ticket for Emirates and JetBlue-operated flights, plus other benefits including one-stop check-in and baggage transfer.

Members of Skywards, the Emirates reward program, can earn miles on JetBlue-operated flights and also redeem miles for flights to any of JetBlue’s 77 destinations (and counting) throughout the Americas. Similarly, members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty program can earn points for Emirates-operated flights worldwide.

“As Emirates continues to expand its presence in the U.S. market, our partnership offering with JetBlue provides customers with convenient connections from its extensive network to our seven U.S. gateways, including our twice daily A380 service non-stop from JFK to Dubai,” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President of Passenger Sales Worldwide. “Offering a boost to tourism and added convenience for inbound travellers, the codeshare also gives Emirates’ customers a new choice of destinations with the benefit of a single combined ticket.”

“Putting our code on another airline is a significant milestone for JetBlue; we’re proud to do it with Emirates, a fantastic partner for JetBlue over the past years,” said JetBlue’s Chief Commercial Officer Robin Hayes. “Emirates’ product and network is exceptional and has been providing our customers easy access to all corners of the globe in comfort and style. We trust this expansion will create additional ease of travel for our customers.”

Emirates’ global network encompasses 133 destinations in 77 countries across six continents and the airline currently operates 56 passenger flights per week between Dubai and the U.S. including flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and the twice daily A380 service from JFK to Dubai International Airport. , Emirates’ extensive network gives travellers in the U.S. access not only to the carrier’s home of Dubai, the commercial and tourism hub of the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region, but also to cities across Africa, India, and throughout Asia Pacific.

From JFK, Emirates offers two daily nonstop flights to its global hub at Dubai International Airport – both aboard its flagship A380 – offering travellers fine dining, personalized service and multi award-winning entertainment options. From Dulles, Emirates offers one daily nonstop flight to Dubai. Winner of over 500 international awards, Emirates’ unique service offering includes complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers for premium customers, privacy suites in First Class, amongst the most generous baggage allowance in the industry with two pieces of check-in baggage of up to 23kgs each permitted in Economy Class and an inflight entertainment system featuring over 1,400 channels of new release Hollywood movies, TV, music and games. Emirates will further expand at Kennedy International Airport later this year with new daily nonstop service to Milan, Italy, beginning Oct. 1, 2013.

Known for its award-winning customer service, JetBlue offers transfer customers from Emirates’ network of global destinations a premium experience that includes all-leather seating, unlimited free snacks and drinks, plus the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet wide seat-pitch). JetBlue operates one of America’s youngest airline fleets, with Airbus and EMBRAER aircraft. At JFK Airport, JetBlue operates from its acclaimed 26-gate Terminal 5, while Emirates operates from the adjacent Terminal 4, allowing for fast and easy connections between flights.

Passengers travelling in First Class and Business Class on Emirates-operated flights, as well as Skywards Platinum and Gold members, have access to the Emirates Lounge at JFK which was named one of the Top Airport Lounges in North America by Frommer’s Travel Guides in 2011. Premium passengers, including Gold and Platinum Skywards members, will also have access to lounges at the other Emirates gateways, including the dedicated Emirates’ lounge in San Francisco.

Emirates.com

Traffic Results for April 2013: Increased capacity utilization in Europe
• January-April 2013: passenger load factor up to 74.6 percent
• April 2013: decline in capacity utilization to 76.3 percent due to public holidays (Easter)

The number of passengers carried by the Austrian Airlines Group in the period January-April 2013 declined by 3.7 percent from the previous year to approximately 3.2 million. On balance, Austrian Airlines reduced capacity by 9.8 percent, which is related to the harsh winter as well as the streamlining of the fleet. Within the context of a fleet harmonization program, the fleet was reduced by four medium-haul aircraft. In addition, one long-haul aircraft was taken out of service because it is being equipped with the new cabins tailored to long-haul flights. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) were down by only 7.0 percent. As a result, capacity utilization (passenger load factor) improved overall compared to the previous year by 2.3 percentage points to 74.6 percent.

Considering the month of April 2013 in itself, Austrian Airlines carried about 922,300 passengers. Austrian Airlines had five fewer aircraft in operation in April 2013 than in the previous year. Capacity in available seat kilometers (ASK) was reduced by 11.1 percent. Due to public holidays (Easter) the revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) were down by 11.7 percent. The passenger load factor fell slightly by 0.5 percentage points from the prior-year level to 76.3 percent.

"We have succeeded in continuing the positive trend with respect to productivity and capacity utilization", says Karsten Benz, Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines. "It is apparent that we are maintaining our ability to orient our capacities quite well to market demand."

Europe
In April 2013, a total of 796,600 passengers flew with Austrian Airlines in Europe. This comprises a decline of 4.6 percent from the prior-year level. However, the passenger load factor could be increased by 1.7 percentage points to 75.7 percent.

In the period January to April 2013, Austrian Airlines carried more than 2.7 million passengers in Europe, corresponding to a capacity-related decline of 2.7 percent. In contrast, the passenger load factor during this period rose by 3.3 percentage points to
72.3 percent.

Intercontinental
In April 2013 capacity on intercontinental flights was down by 13.4 percent in a year-on-year comparison due to the technical downtime required for converting its long-haul aircraft. The number of passengers carried on intercontinental flights decreased by 16.5 percent to about 125,800. Accordingly, the passenger load factor was 76.8 percent during the period under review, or 2.5 percentage points below the prior-year level.

In the period January to April 2013, Austrian Airlines carried a total of approximately 481,400 passengers on its intercontinental flights, a drop of 9.3 percent from the previous year. The passenger load factor climbed 1.4 percentage points to 76.8 percent.

AUA 14.05.2013