Archive for September, 2010
Air France is reporting that some French air traffic controllers’ trade unions will take part in the general strike set to begin in France on Thursday, Sept. 23. As a result, French Civil Aviation Authorities have limited the number of flights of all airlines. Air France said it plans to operate 100 percent of its long-haul flights, but will cancel some short- and medium-haul flights. The airline’s flight schedule is currently being updated.
Air France said it would do its utmost to inform passengers about any flight cancellations or offer alternatives where applicable, either on a flight with Air France, KLM or one of its alliance partners. The airline recommends that passengers check on their flight status before they go to the airport. Updated information on departures and arrivals can be found on the Air France website by clicking on “Flight and Destination Information.”
The Southern Caribbean archipelago of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has announced that construction is set to begin later this year on the new Argyle International airport, which will replace the existing facility when it becomes operational in the spring of 2012.
Covering 11,500sq m (123,784sq ft) of floor space, the $240m terminal will be able to handle 1.4m passengers a year, almost quadrupling the capacity of the current airport. The country hopes the new facility will attract direct flights from major North American and European destinations to boost local tourism.
The new airport is being developed by the International Airport Development Co (IADC), a company wholly owned by the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. According to IADC, construction of the terminal building will begin in the final quarter of 2010. No details of the retail or duty-free offering at the new facility have been revealed.
IADC CEO Rudolph Matthias said: “Our current airport’s short runway can only accommodate small planes traveling from neighboring islands, and its design and location prohibit planes from carrying cargo to capacity. As expansion of the current airport was technically unfeasible, SVG developed a plan to build a new international airport.”
“The new Argyle International airport will be a game changer for St Vincent and the Grenadines, as it will finally allow us to attract direct flights from major North American and European cities,” added SVG minister of tourism Glen Beache.
Argyle International airport mock-up
American Airlines has launched codesharing on flights operated by GOL Airlines between Sao Paulo and Salvador, Belem, Brasilia, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre and Recife, as well as between Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre.
The codeshare agreement between American and GOL offers customers more convenient travel when flying to and from points in Brazil not served by American. With its service to five major Brazilian cities from the United States, combined with GOL’s flights to 51 destinations in Brazil, American offers a level of accessibility between the U.S. and Brazil unequalled by any other airline.
Members of American’s AAdvantage program will continue to earn AAdvantage miles on GOL flights as well as on these new American codeshare flights operated by GOL. Members are also able to redeem miles for travel on GOL flights.
The new agreement also expands the opportunities for AAdvantage members to earn miles, points and segments that count toward qualification for elite status membership when traveling on the American codeshare flight (booked using the AA flight number) to the additional destinations flown on GOL.
With the codeshare agreement in effect, customers transferring from GOL to an American Airlines flight leaving Brazil will be able to check their luggage through to their final American Airlines destination when they check in for their GOL flight.
Similarly, customers traveling to Brazil on American and transferring to a GOL flight within Brazil, or elsewhere in South America, can purchase a single ticket for their journey, rather than multiple tickets, and check their luggage to their final destination. As always, customers will still have to clear U.S. and Brazilian customs upon arrival.
SAN FRANCISCO – Virgin America, the California-based airline that is reinventing travel, took top honors in four categories in the 2010 APEX Passenger Choice Awards.(TM) The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) is a nonprofit organization that represents over 400 of the world’s leading airlines. APEX’s Passenger Choice Awards were designed to recognize airlines for their service, products and innovations.
This is the first year that APEX has conducted the awards by surveying flyers from all over the world. Virgin America received the most honors in this year’s awards – sweeping categories that included domestic and international airlines. The airline took home the following awards:
– Best Overall Passenger Experience
– The Best in Region: The Americas
– The Best Ground Experience
– The Best In-flight Connectivity and Communications
“We are honored by the recognition we’re receiving from travelers,” said Virgin America President and Chief Executive Officer David Cush. “The idea behind Virgin America is to reinvent the travel experience through guest service, design and new technology. These latest awards are a testament to the work of our team and demonstrate that we’re hitting the mark with consumers. They also inspire us to continue to do what we do best: innovate on behalf of our guests.”
The 2010 APEX Passenger Choice Awards ceremony was held September 13 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. APEX, formerly known as the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA), hosted the awards ceremony during the APEX Annual Conference and Exhibition, the venue for exhibitors to showcase new products and innovations that will improve the airline cabin environment in the future and further enhance the air travel experience. A dozen awards in a range of categories were given to individual domestic and international airlines. Travelers voted via an online survey launched in June of 2010.
Virgin America offers design-driven and inventive features that appeal to today’s travelers, including beautifully designed mood-lit cabins, power outlets near every seat, fleetwide WiFi and the Red(TM) in-flight entertainment platform. In just three years flying, Virgin America was named “Best Domestic Airline” in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008 and 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards and “Best Domestic Airline” in Travel + Leisure’s 2008, 2009 and 2010 World’s Best Awards. The Red platform is the most advanced in-flight entertainment system in the skies and offers both touch-screen and remote control interactivity – with over 700 hours of media content. In addition to a 30-film library, the system offers live TV, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, 3,000 MP3s, Google maps, a Shop platform and more. The airline’s unique on-demand food menu allows guests to order what they want, when they want it during a flight – right from the Red seatback screen. The airline’s menu earned it the “Best Domestic Airline for Food” title in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.
The Red platform includes:
– “Watch”: Live satellite TV, cached specialty channels, +30 on-demand
films, premium TV like HBO and an on-demand music video library;
– “Play”: A variety of videogames, including cult favorites like DOOM,
navigated by a Qwerty keyboard handset at every seat;
– “Talk”: A seat-to-seat chat feature inside the aircraft, so guests
can chat with someone in a nearby seat. Guest can also block unwanted
chat requests;
– “Journey”: Interactive Google Maps, now with terrain-view, that zoom
at eight levels and track the aircraft in-flight;
– “Eat”: A first-of-its-kind on-demand menu system that allows guests
to order what they want, when they want it during a flight;
– “Shop”: An on-demand shopping section powered by SkyMall with
hundreds of products;
– “Listen”: A 3,000 MP3 library and platform to create playlists
in-flight.
WILLEMSTAD — As of Saturday, October 9th DAE will be flying directly to Panama. As the company will be celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, by way of introduction – one can fly from Hato airport to the Tocumen International airport, Panama City for 555 guilders for the first five flights.
This introduction price includes the government taxes from Curaçao and Panama, but not the airport tax on Curaçao. After the introduction, the ticket price will start with approx. 950 guilders. Tickets can be purchased starting tomorrow.
The flight will be performed with a Fokker 100, the type of aircraft that provides for extra leg space for its maximum hundred passengers. DAE sees good possibilities for this new destination: Panama City is considered a ‘shoppers haven’ for private travelers and for merchants.
Marketing manager Steve Sloop of DAE: “In addition to authorities and media representatives, we will also be transporting entrepreneurs during the inaugural flight”. The flight departs Saturday morning at eight twenty-five Curaçao time and will land after approximately two hours at nine-forty local time in Panama.
DAE will also fly to Panama on Mondays, when the flight departs from Curaçao at five-fifteen in the afternoon and lands at six-thirty local time in Panama. One no longer has to fly to Panama via Aruba (with the Panamanian airline company Copa) or via Miami.
DAE expects to perform this service expansion excellently with its fleet of two Fokker 100 and three ATR aircrafts. The entire operation is calculated namely on one Fokker 100 and two ATR’s. One Fokker 100 is currently out of service due to maintenance and the same applies for an ATR that is expected to return next week, whereupon another ATR is due for an overhaul.
ORLANDO, Fla. – AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., today announced several new flights to Florida tourist hot-spot Ft. Myers from several points in its coast to coast network. The airline also announced additional service to Las Vegas just in time for spring travel.
AirTran Airways currently offers flights from more cities to Ft. Myers than any other airline. This latest expansion solidifies the airline as the carrier of choice in Southwest Florida.
“Ft. Myers is one of the most requested destinations in our route network,” said Kevin Healy, AirTran Airways’ senior vice president of marketing and planning. “From the pristine beaches of Sanibel and Captiva Islands to the world-class golfing and fishing, not to mention baseball spring training, Southwest Florida is one of the most popular sun and fun destinations in America.”
Beginning this spring, AirTran Airways will offer flights to Ft. Myers from; Bloomington/Normal, Ill., Buffalo/Niagara, N.Y., Moline/Quad Cities, Ill., and Rochester, N.Y.,
The following nonstop flights between Bloomington/Normal and Ft. Myers will be available beginning March 9, 2011:
Nonstop Service Between Bloomington/Normal and Ft. Myers
From To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
—- — —— ——- ——- ———
Bloomington/
Normal Ft. Myers 1638 3:14 p.m. 7:01 p.m. M, W, F
Bloomington/
Normal Ft. Myers 1636 1:04 p.m. 4:51 p.m. Sun
Bloomington/
Ft. Myers Normal 1637 12:38 p.m. 2:34 p.m. M, W, F
Bloomington/
Ft. Myers Normal 1635 10:28 a.m. 12:34 p.m. Sun
The following nonstop flights between Buffalo/Niagara and Ft. Myers will be available beginning March 8, 2011:
Nonstop Service Between Buffalo/Niagara and Ft. Myers
From To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
—- — —— ——- ——- ———
Buffalo/ Tu, Th,
Niagara Ft. Myers 1409 4:08 p.m. 7:13 p.m. Sat, Sun
Buffalo/ Tu, Th,
Ft. Myers Niagara 1408 12:38 p.m. 3:33 p.m. Sat, Sun
The following nonstop flights between Moline/Quad Cities and Ft. Myers will be available beginning March 8, 2011:
Nonstop Service Between Moline/Quad Cities and Ft. Myers
From To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
—- — —— ——- ——- ———
Moline/Quad 11:34 3:30 Tu, Th, Sat,
Cities Ft. Myers 1641 a.m. p.m. Sun
Moline/Quad 8:50 10:59 Tu, Th, Sat,
Ft. Myers Cities 1640 a.m. a.m. Sun
The following nonstop flights between Rochester and Ft. Myers will be available. Flights 1110 and 1112 (Saturday service) begins on November 20, 2010. Flights 1114 and 1115 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday service) begins on March 9, 2011:
Nonstop Service Between Rochester and Ft. Myers
From To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
—- — —— ——- ——- ———
Rochester Ft. Myers 1110 8:00 a.m. 11:09 a.m. Sat
Rochester Ft. Myers 1114 12:20 p.m. 3:30 p.m. M, W, F
Ft. Myers Rochester 1112 10:05 a.m. 1:05 p.m. Sat
Ft. Myers Rochester 1115 8:45 a.m. 11:45 a.m. M, W, F
In addition to new Ft. Myers flights, AirTran Airways is also adding service from Indianapolis to Las Vegas.
The following nonstop flights between Indianapolis and Las Vegas will be available beginning March 10, 2011:
Nonstop Service Between Indianapolis and Las Vegas
From To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
—- — —— ——- ——- ———
M, Th, F,
Indianapolis Las Vegas 1248 8:55 p.m. 10:05 p.m. Sat, Sun
M, Th, F,
Las Vegas Indianapolis 1249 10:55 p.m. 5:30 a.m. Sat, Sun
JetBlue Airways has introduced its newest tailfin livery design, “Barcode,” on the latest aircraft to join its fleet. The Airbus A320, appropriately named “All Blue Can Jet,” was unveiled to hundreds of customers and All-You-Can-Jetters at its home port of John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal 5. Barcode is the ninth tailfin design introduced by the company since it began flying in February 2000.
In keeping with JetBlue’s new fuselage design, the JetBlue logo on the aircraft is entirely dark blue and featured prominently. All future livery refresh cycles will convert the fuselage logo to the enlarged JetBlue logo. The new Barcode paint scheme will be scheduled into the airline’s current paint-refresh timeline.
Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster, WIN Group, join to develop much-needed hotel
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Sept 13 /PRNewswire/ — Argentine entrepreneur Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster, President & CEO of Basic Energy Ltd., as well as numerous other diversified entities, along with Haiti-based WIN Group, one of the country’s largest enterprises, today announced an agreement to develop a 240-room hotel with conference facilities directly adjacent to Port-Au-Prince’s Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport.
The property, scheduled to break ground by the end of 2010, has an 18-month construction window and will be Haiti’s first airport hotel. The hotel, which is yet to be named, will be independently operated.
The fully-enclosed, $33 million project will be developed on a 5.3 acre parcel (2.14 hectares), and will be completely self-contained, with on-site power plant, water treatment, sewage, and related facilities.
Construction will be achieved through a combination of standard construction methods and pre-fabricated processes. The site allows for future development, specifically commercial office and retail outlets.
The amenity-rich, seven-story property is being designed by OBM International, a 70+ year-old full-service design-consulting firm with vast experience in the hotel industry. The property will feature full conference facilities with capacity to accommodate up to 400 individuals for a single event. It will also include numerous break-out rooms, expanded food and beverage outlets, work-out center, swimming pool, spa facilities and lounges, all within lush, tropical landscaping, and will be built to meet or exceed all international earthquake standards.
“We recognize the importance of having facilities that can house individuals during the rebuilding process,” said Gonzalez-Bunster, whose holdings include energy investments in neighboring Dominican Republic. “It is currently extremely challenging to secure accommodations since so much of the infrastructure was decimated by the earthquake.”
“This is such an important project on so many levels,” adds WIN Group Managing Partner Youri Mevs. “Not only will it provide badly-needed hotel and conference facilities, but will employ hundreds of local workers in desperate need of generating revenue to support themselves and their families.”
“We are pleased with the opportunity to be part of such an integral project,” states Douglas A. Kulig, AIA, CEO of OBM International. “The hotel will be elegant, with a distinct Creole feel, as well as provide an all-inclusive element for its guests from the moment they pass through the property’s entry-gate.”
“Our goal is to encourage long-term sustainable investment in Haiti,” notes President Bill Clinton, UN Special Envoy to Haiti and co-chair of the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC). “An adequate network of hotels is crucial to the country, and this venture is one example that the numerous facets needed to rebuild Port Au Prince are slowly getting under way.”
For additional information about the project, please contact Edmund Miller at 305.987.0995.
About Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster
Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster is President & CEO of Basic Energy Ltd., an international electrical power company. Mr. Gonzalez-Bunster is engaged in diversified agribusiness and is currently a principal in several projects in Argentina, Paraguay and Dominican Republic. He is a partner in Remington Realty, a Texas based commercial real estate holding company and AquaCube, a Scottish manufacturer of portable water treatment and purification plants. Gonzalez-Bunster is a Trustee of the William J. Clinton Foundation and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative.
About WIN Group
The Haiti-based, Mevs family-held WIN Group is one of the Caribbean’s largest conglomerates with stakes in diverse industries such as warehousing and storage, port operations and ethanol processing. WIN’s holdings include SHODECOSA, the largest privately-owned industrial and commercial park in Haiti, Varreux Terminal, the largest privately-owned general cargo shipping terminal, and WINECO, the largest liquid bulk storage facility, among other enterprises. The fourth generation family has always had a significant impact on the country through its social service-based endeavors, and actively supports numerous organizations providing both immediate relief, and long-term infrastructure development. For additional information, visit www.wingrouponline.com.
About OBM International
For over seven decades, OBMI has been the premier full-service design-consulting firm in Bermuda and the Caribbean. Today, with seven multinational offices, projects throughout the world and a diverse team of experts, OBMI is a global leader in architecture, master/town planning, interior design and project management with landmark projects in the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe and the Arabian Peninsula. OBMI currently has design offices located in Antigua, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Madrid, Miami and Trinidad and Tobago, a strategic alliance in the Bahamas and in Muscat, Oman. For more information visit, www.obmi.com.
A new record was set by Abu Dhabi International Airport as 1,008,228 passengers travelled through the airport in one month, July 2010.
This new record was revealed as Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) announced the results of its monthly traffic report, which shows an increase of 9.2% in passenger traffic for the month of July 2010, over the same month in the previous year.
For the first time in the airport’s history, more than one million passengers travelled through the airport in any one single month. Aircraft movements increased by 10.1%, while cargo traffic increased by 12.3%, with a total of 36,755 tons transported through the airport.
The July results indicates that North America was the region witnessing the largest growth as passengers traffic grew by 76% in July, followed by Southern Africa with a 27% increase, and Europe in third place, up by 15% compared to the same month in 2009.
Ahmed Al Haddabi, Senior Vice President Airports Operations at ADAC said: “In July, we have celebrated our busiest month to date at Abu Dhabi International Airport, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones. The traffic growth is a reflection of the interest Abu Dhabi is attracting from international markets and its strength as a connecting hub between the East and the West, as last month, the airport recorded a significant passenger traffic increase in three major routes: the USA, which grew by 110%, the Philippines, up by 47.8%, and Germany, with a 19% increase.”
The traffic report revealed the top five city destinations for the month of July to be London, Bangkok, Cairo, Manila, and Doha, together accounting for 19.1% of all traffic at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Source AA
Maastricht, the Netherlands – An average air traffic growth of 4% in the airspace controlled by the Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) in the last four months clearly shows that the aviation industry is starting to recover, says Karl-Heinz Kloos, Director MUAC.
MUAC handles air traffic in the upper airspace of the Benelux and North-West Germany.
So far, the month of July recorded the highest traffic upturn of the year, with a growth of close to 5% on 2009. The year’s peak day was 9 July with 4,822 flights, which is close to the all-time high of 5,024 flights recorded on 4 July 2008.
Despite dramatic reductions in air traffic due to the Icelandic volcanic eruption in the spring and unfavourable weather conditions during the summer months, traffic levels from January to August 2010 remained at the level of the previous year. The ash cloud resulted in a reduction of more than 21,000 flights in MUAC airspace owing to the unprecedented total or partial airspace closures.
“Currently 99.7% of the aircraft using the MUAC airspace are enjoying a delay-free service. The forecast for 2010 is for a 2% growth and our objective is to keep this excellent level of performance which requires an ongoing focus on efficiency,” Karl-Heinz Kloos added.
Source Eurocontrol