ESTONIA: airBaltic Will Deploy Two Airbus A220-300 In Tallinn

airBaltic has announced that as of summer season of 2019 it will base two of its new Airbus A220-300 aircraft in Tallinn, in order to serve the growing range of destinations offered to Estonian passengers.

In total, airBaltic will have three aircraft based in Tallinn next year.

Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic says: since 2014, we are continuing to grow our operations in Tallinn Airport and we are glad that more Estonian passengers choose our services. Next summer we will serve already 12 different destinations. By basing a third aircraft in Tallinn, we are further committing to the Estonian market. We see airBalticc as a true Baltic airline, and with this Estonia is part of airBaltic’s growth story.

This year we launched direct flights from Tallinn to London, Stockholm and Oslo. Next year new direct flights to Malaga, Brussels and Copenhagen will be added. By offering both direct flights from Tallinn and convenient connections via Riga, airBaltic offers the best connectivity to and from the Baltic states to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East, Martin Gauss added.

This year airBaltic expects to transport around 400 000 passengers to and from Estonia. This making Tallinn the second biggest market after Riga.

From Tallinn, airBaltic offers direct flights to Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna and Vilnius as well as convenient connections via Riga. airBaltic will launch new direct services from Tallinn to Malaga, Brussels and Copenhagen in 2019.

airBaltic serves over 70 destinations from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, offering the largest variety of destinations and convenient connections via Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, the CIS and the Middle East.

For summer 2019, airBaltic will launch a new direct routes from Riga to Stuttgart and Lviv.


Tourism Observer

LATVIA: Air Baltic Restart Riga To Dublin Flights 31st Of March 2019

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

LATVIA: airBaltic Flying To Croatian City Of Split

Low-cost carrier airBaltic has introduced Split to its flight network, becoming its third Croatian city following previous routes to Dubrovnik and Rijeka.

Over the course of 2018, the airline already launched flights to Almaty, Gdansk, Kaliningrad, Lisbon, Malaga and Sochi/Adler.

We are delighted to add the seventh new destination from Riga to our summer route map of 2018, said Wolfgang Reuss, airBaltic’s SVP of Network Management.

Reuss later added that the Croatian city is not only attractive by itself, but with its position in Central Dalmatia it is also an ideal vantage point for journeys to Croatian islands including Hvar or Brac, he said.

As of December 2017, airBaltic manages a fleet of 31 aircraft, consisting of six Boeing 737-300, five Boeing 737-500, eight Bombardier CS300, and 12 Bombardier Q400.

Additionally, the Latvian flag carrier it’s expecting 12 extra Bombardier CS300, and its upcoming new route, Riga–Bordeaux, will launch on 3 June.

May 21, 2018, the inaugural flight was operated with one of the airline’s CSeries planes.

Though regular services are scheduled to be managed on that aircraft type, airBaltic will deploy as well its Boeing 737-300s and 737-500s kinds.

The new 2-hour 40-minute service between Riga International Airport (RIX) and Split Airport (SPU) will be flown twice per week, on Mondays and Fridays, and currently, it has no direct competition.


Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways To Begin Heathrow To Marrakech Flights

British Airways has announced that the launch of its new service between London-Heathrow (LHR) to Marrakech for their Winter 2018/19 operations.

The services will commence from October 28t this year on a four times per week basis using the airline’s Airbus A320.

The airline already operates to Marrakech but from London-Gatwick (LGW) up to eight times per week.

This new LHR route will cement the connectivity that Marrakech currently has.

Flights are to depart Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Marrakech adds another exciting destination to our leisure network at Heathrow and is a fantastic starting point to explore Morocco.

From trekking in the Atlas Mountains to discovering the amazing deserts and beaches and soaking up the atmosphere of the many medinas, Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Director of Network and Alliances, said.

Marrakech is one of the key tourism destinations in North Africa, so we’re excited to serve it from two of our London airports.

On top of these flights, BA is increasing frequencies on other destinations from Heathrow.

Prague will be increasing from 27 flights weekly to 34 per week, Budapest from 20 to 23 per week, Barcelona from 46 to 53 per week, Gibraltar nine to 13 times per week, Larnaca seven to ten times per week as well as Malaga from four to six times per week.

On top of these frequency increases, the carrier has recently launched international services to Durban, South Africa as well as Nashville in the U.S.

It shows that in terms of expansive growth, British Airways are not looking to stop anytime soon and that this will continue.

This regardless of the competitive and economic climate the carrier is facing against the likes of Ryanair, Norwegian and other low-cost carriers in the region.


Tourism Observer

ICELAND: Primera Air Creates 3 New Routes

Primera Air, which is venturing into the combative transatlantic market this summer, has added three new routes from three different bases, all launched on 18 May.

Utilising a leased 757-200 from US charter carrier National Airlines, the airline started a six times weekly operation from Birmingham (BHX) to New York Newark (EWR).

Using the carrier’s single A321neo presently available for commercial flying, Primera commenced the four times weekly route from London Stansted (STN) to Boston (BOS).

Neither of these routes faces any direct competition. The final sector of the transatlantic trio launched was from Paris CDG (CDG) to Newark.

With incumbents United Airlines (12 times weekly) and Delta Air Lines (five) already operating this airport pair, Primera’s passengers will at least in the short-term be stepping on board a leased euroAtlantic Airways 767-300 to take them to New York on a daily basis.

Primera Air, has commenced its first transatlantic flights from London Stansted (STN), beginning a daily operation to New York Newark (EWR), just over a week after launching flights to Malaga and Alicante.

The start of services are being flown by a leased 757-200, to be replaced with the carrier’s A321LRs once they are cleared for operations.

While there is no direct competition on the airport pair, Air India, British Airways, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways all offer services from London Heathrow.

Primera Air inaugurated operations from its new base in Birmingham (BHX) on 14 May, with its first two routes being Spanish links to Malaga (AGP) and Palma de Mallorca (PMI).

The first two routes come ahead of the airline’s transatlantic debut from the city to New York Newark on 18 May, with Toronto Pearson flights following soon after in June.

Anastasija Visnakova, CCO of Primera Air, said of the Birmingham base opening: It was a pleasure to welcome our passengers on the inaugural service to Malaga.

The range of destinations, both European and transatlantic, at fantastic prices creates more choice for passengers travelling from Birmingham Airport.

We have growth plans for Birmingham and we look forward to working with the airport and serving the region’s leisure and business travellers throughout 2018 and beyond.

While both Spanish routes are new to Primera Air, both are already well served from Birmingham.

The 1,767-kilometre sector to Malaga is already flown by Jet2.com (nine times weekly), Ryanair (nine), TUI Airways (four) and British Airways (one).

The 1,473-kilometre jaunt to Palma de Mallorca is already flown by Jet2.com (eight), TUI Airways (eight), Ryanair (daily), Thomas Cook Airlines (four) and British Airways (two).

Along with its new routes from Birmingham, Primera Air also began services from Aalborg (AAL) to Athens (ATH) this week.

Initiated on 10 May, the route between the Danish and Greek cities will be flown by the airline weekly (Thursdays) facing no direct competition.

The 2,366-kilometre connection, along with the airline’s Birmingham services, will be flown by 737-800s. No other airline currently links Aalborg to Athens.

Primera Air has recently confirmed its intention to begin flights over the Atlantic to Boston and New York Newark, starting initially with flights to both destinations from Birmingham, London Stansted and Paris CDG/

With routes scheduled to begin in April and May next year. All routes will be flown by A321neos, of which the carrier currently has an order for eight, plus two A321LRs, with deliveries expected in Q1 2018.

It should be noted that the carrier also has a firm order for eight 737 MAX 9s.

Flights to Newark will be flown daily from all three airports, with Boston being served four times weekly from the UK airports, and three times weekly from the French capital.

With the news of the carrier’s transatlantic venture, Primera Air will join the list of airlines including Norwegian, LEVEL, Eurowings, WestJet and WOW air in offering low-cost long-haul flights to North America from Europe.

Based in Scandinavia, Primera Air was initially launched to operate charters for major Scandinavian tour operators, but gradually it started selling tickets on some of its fixed charters in 2013.

The continued success allowed Primera Air to increase both the number of routes and flight frequency, resulting in a mixed charter/scheduled carrier business model.

Today the majority of Primera Air flights are scheduled, although some flights combine charter and scheduled passengers, and separate full charter flights are also operated.

Currently the carrier has a fleet of nine aircraft; two 737-700s and seven 737-800s.

This year Primera Air will increase its annual seat capacity by close to 15% when referring to OAG schedules, with the airline expected to operate 1.24 million seats in 2017.

However, what is very clear is the seasonality of the carrier, with its peak month of July in 2017 seeing 187% more seats than the carrier’s lowest month this year, December.

While the carrier has increased its seat capacity this year, the airline has done it sustainably, with it not increasing its seasonality profile.

Instead it has grown capacity throughout the year, with all months except three (March, June and October) seeing double-digit growth in seat capacity.

Now while services from both Birmingham and Stansted will not see direct competition, flights from CDG will go head-to-head with a number of airlines.

United Airlines (twice-daily), La Compagnie (nine times weekly) and Delta Air Lines (daily) already link CDG to Newark, while Boston is served by Air France (13 times weekly), American Airlines (daily) and Delta (daily) this summer.

There are also 60 weekly flights in summer between CDG and New York JFK, a route that is flown by LCC Norwegian four times weekly on 787-8s.

So while Birmingham and Stansted are monopoly markets for Primera Air over the Atlantic, it will have a tough job cracking the market from the French capital.

Particularly with there already being LCC competition from Norwegian, which also links CDG to Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles.

The carrier will also in S18 serve Boston and Newark from CDG, along with routes to Denver, Oakland and Orlando.

What also makes it harder for Primera Air is that it does not have brand awareness in France or the UK, so strong marketing is going to have to be done if the venture is going to be successful.

Currently the airline’s biggest market is Denmark, with Billund (14% of weekly departing seats) and Copenhagen (13%) being the carrier’s largest bases this summer.


Tourism Observer

SPAIN: Andalusian Cuisine

Paella, Spicy Andalusian Seafood
Andalusian cuisine is the cuisine of Andalusia, Spain.

Important dishes include gazpacho, fried fish often called pescaito frito in the local vernacular, the jamones of Jabugo, Valle de los Pedroches and Trevelez, and the wines of Jerez, particularly sherry.

Frying in Andalucian cuisine is dominated by the use of olive oil that is produced in the provinces of Jaen, Cordoba, Seville, and Granada.

Malaga, Almeria, Cadiz and Huelva produces olive oil too, but in smaller amounts.

The foods are dredged in flour a la andaluza or meaning only flour, without egg or other ingredients, but may include flour from the chickpea especially for use in batters.

They are then fried in a large quantity of hot olive oil.

With five coastal provinces, the consumption of fish and shellfish is rather high: white shrimp from the Bay of Cadiz; prawns; murex; anchovies; baby squid; cuttlefish; bocas de la Isla, a dish found in San Fernando that uses a local crab that can regenerate its claw; flounder; etc.

Andalucian cuisine includes also some unusual seafood, like ortiguillas, sea anemones in batter.

Andalucian desserts are heavily influenced by Arabic medieval Andalucian cuisine.

Notable dishes include pestinos a deep-fried pastry bathed in honey, alfajores, amarguillos a form of almond macaroons from Medina Sidonia, the polvorones almond cookies of Estepa, lard bread, wine doughnuts, torrijas and Calentitos.

Pescado frito
Pescado frito or fried fish in Spanish and Judeo-Spanish, also called Pescaito frito or fried little fish in Andalusian dialect, is a traditional dish from the Southern coast of Spain.

The dish typically found in Andalusia, but also in Catalonia, Valencia, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.

Pescado frito is also consumed as a delicacy in inland Spain, being very common in the inland Andalusian provinces of Seville and Cordoba.

It is also very common throughout the Mediterranean Basin and is found in Provence and Roussillon, France and in the coastal regions of Italy where the most common variant using salt cod fillets is known as filetto di baccala.

In Greece where various fish like Mediterranean sand smelt, European anchovy, cod, common sole, greater amberjack and picarel are used.

It was also eaten by the Romans in ancient Rome.

It is made by coating the fish, usually a white fish in flour and deep-frying it in olive oil, then sprinkling it with salt as the only seasoning.

It is usually served hot, freshly fried, and can be eaten as an appetizer.

For example with a beer or wine, or as the main course. Usually, it is served with fresh lemon, which is squeezed over the fish or occasionally in escabeche.

It is also a traditional Shabbat fish dish, usually cod originating amongst the 16th century Andalusian Jews of Spain and Portugal.

The deep-frying of the fish in vegetable oil makes it crisp and light even when eaten cold, and it is a favourite dish for the late breakfast or lunch after synagogue services on Saturday morning.

There is a general belief that pescado frito was possibly an inspiration for the English fish and chips, brought to England by Spanish Jews.

Sephardim began to settle in England in small numbers in the 16th century, and in larger numbers after Oliver Cromwell lifted the formal ban in the 1650s.

The wines of Jerez also known as sherry are famous the world over, praised even by William Shakespeare.

Other standouts are the manzanilla of Sanlucar de Barrameda, the white wines of Cadiz, paxarete a sherry derivative, wines of Condado in Huelva, wines of Montilla-Moriles in Cordoba, wines of Malaga, and la tintilla of Rota.

The liquors of the region are also popular, included the anis made in Rute, and in Cazalla de la Sierra, and the rums from the Tropical Coast of Granada (Motril).

Typical Andalucian dishes include pescaito frito or fried fish, gazpacho, Cordoban salmorejo, pringa, oxtail, jamon iberico or Iberian ham, prepared olives, alboronia, polea, anise, and various kinds of wine.

These, including sherries - fino, manzanilla, oloroso, Pedro Ximenez, amontillado which are undoubtedly the most exported and most widely available of all Spanish wines, as well as Malaga wine.

The wine from Montilla, while similar to sherry, is not technically a sherry, but gives its name to amontillado, meaning in the style of Montilla.

Some other Andalucian dishes include:

- Salmorejo (Cordoba)

- Flamenquin (Cordoba)

- Ajoblanco (Malaga-Cadiz)

- Gazpacho andaluz or Andalucian Gazpacho

- Pipirrana (Jaen)

- Habas con calzones

- Huevos a la flamenca

- Alcauciles rellenos (Cadiz)

- Migas de Harina

- Gachas

- Puchero

- Gazpachuelo (Malaga)

- Bienmesabe o adobo

- Ajo harina (Jaen)

- Soldaditos de Pavia

- Pringa

- Patatas a lo pobre

- Tortilla de patatas

- Tortillitas de camarones (Cadiz)



Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways Grounds Flights Worldwide Due To Computer Problems

British Airways has cancelled all flights from Heathrow and Gatwick until 18:00 BST because of computer problems.

A "major IT system failure that is causing very severe disruption to our flight operations worldwide", the airline said.

It apologised for the global system outage and said it was working to resolve the the problem.

Heathrow Airport said it was "working closely" with BA to solve the issue.

There is no evidence at this stage to suggest the system failure was caused by a cyber attack, British Airways says.

All affected passengers will be offered the option of rescheduling or a refund.

In a statement, the airline asked passengers with flights before 18:00 BST on Saturday not to come to Gatwick or Heathrow airports, which it said had become extremely congested.

Other airlines flying in and out of Heathrow and Gatwick are unaffected.

The problems mean parts of British Airways's website are unavailable and some travellers claimed they could not check in on the mobile app.

BA aircraft landing at Heathrow are unable to park up as outbound aircraft cannot vacate the gates, which has resulted in passengers being stuck on aircraft.

A passenger said he had been sitting on a plane at Heathrow for 90 minutes. He said the captain told passengers the IT problems were very problematic and catastrophic.

BA staff in Heathrow's Terminal 5 were resorting to using white boards, according to passengers.

Delays have been reported in Rome, Prague, Milan, Stockholm and Malaga due to the system failure.

Passengers say they haven't been told very much just that there is a worldwide computer system failure.

They were told that we couldn't even get on other flights because they are unable to see what flights we can be moved to.

Not even flights from other countries can fly to the two airports.

British Airways staff are unable to say how long delays would take, but they say all flights are grounded around the world.

Passengers are being told their computer systems were down worldwide.

Some delayed passengers have been given vouchers for food and drink.

EU flight delay rights

- If your flight departed the European Union or was with a European airline, you might have rights under EU law to claim if the delay or cancellation was within the airline's control

- Short-haul flights: 250 euros for delays of more than three hours

- Medium-haul flights: 400 euros for delays of more than three hours

- Long-haul flights: 300 euros for delays of between three and four hours; and 600 euros for delays of more than four hours

- If your flight's delayed for two or more hours the airline must offer food and drink, access to phone calls and emails, and accommodation if you're delayed overnight - including transfers between the airport and the hotel.

I hope this is just not a cyber attack or

British Airways A320 at Malaga Rejected Takeoff Due to Safety Warning

A British Airways Airbus A320-200, registration G-GATK performing flight BA-2713 from Malaga,SP (Spain) to London Gatwick,EN (UK), lined up Malaga’s runway 31 full length and was accelerating for takeoff at 20:00L (19:00Z) when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed.

The aircraft slowed safely and vacated the runway via the first high speed turnoff about 1900 meters down the runway and returned to the apron.

The aircraft was able to depart about 80 minutes later and reached Gatwick with a delay of 2 hours.

A passenger reported the captain announced that following the rejected takeoff the tyres and brakes needed to be checked as well as the fuel being topped up. The passenger understood the captain saying that ATC had assigned them to a different runway than expected (runway 13 was obviously expected), during the takeoff run some system raised a safety issue leading to the decision to reject takeoff.

According to radar data the aircraft had arrived into Malaga as flight BA-2712 landing on runway 13 at 18:56L (17:56Z).

UNITED KINGDOM: Jet2 Unveils 57 Weekly Flights From Birmingham Airport

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays is to begin flying from Birmingham airport for the first time with the introduction of 57 weekly flights to 15 destinations.

Birmingham will become the operator and airline’s eighth base in the UK.

Destinations on sale for summer 2017 include Alicante, Crete (Heraklion), Faro, Fuerteventura, Girona (Costa Brava), Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Majorca, Malaga, Menorca, Paphos, Reus, Rhodes and Tenerife.

The flights will operate on four of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ new Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The first flights from Birmingham will take off on March 30 to Faro and Malaga.

The airline already flies out of Belfast International, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.

The company said the move will create more than 200 jobs in the region.

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive, Steve Heapy, said: “This is an incredibly exciting day for us as we announce our expansion into our eighth UK airport base, providing further growth and investment for the region.

“It’s fantastic to be bringing our friendly low fares, great value package holidays, plus our brand new aircraft to Birmingham Airport.

“This is our most significant programme launch for some time, giving local travel agents a choice of 15 of the most popular sunshine destinations, including eleven Spanish hotspots, two Greek islands, plus Paphos and the sunny Algarve.

“We’re thrilled that even more of our agents’ customers can now experience our award winning flights and holidays and we look forward to our first flights taking off next year.”

Alistair Rowland, group general manager at Midcounties Co-operative Travel, welcomed the news.

“This is great news for the Midlands and our loyal customers who already love Jet2.com and Jet2holidays. We already send tens of thousands of our customers from East Midlands with them and look forward to the new Birmingham routes offering more choice and great value.

“Our partnership is already very strong and we look forward to working even closer in the future with Jet2.com and Jet2holidays and our number one airport in Birmingham.”

SWITZERLAND: SWISS Feb – Aug 2016 Boeing 777 European Operations

In recent schedule update, SWISS has further updated planned Boeing 777-300ER operation within Europe, which sees the 777 also scheduled to operate service to Athens, Prague and Venice, while overall 777 European operation extended into August 2016.

As of 17DEC15, planned 777-300ER European operation as follow.

eff 08FEB16 Zurich – Geneva LX2802/2807, 777-300ER operation extended until August 2016
08FEB16 – 18FEB16 Day x6
19FEB16 – 25MAR16 Day 357 (Except 12MAR16 – 19MAR16)
27MAR16 Day 7
29MAR16 – 06APR16 Day x4
07APR16 – 29AUG16 Daily

on 24MAR16, 777-300ER will operate service LX2806/2811

eff 08FEB16 Zurich – Barcelona LX1956/1957, 777-300ER operation added in late-March 2016
08FEB16 – 18FEB16 Day x56
19FEB16 – 25FEB16 Day 245
01MAR16 – 10MAR16 Day 24
22MAR16 – 24MAR16 Day 24

eff 08FEB16 Zurich – Frankfurt LX1072/1073, 777-300ER operation added in May and June 2016
08FEB16 – 19FEB16 Day x6
23FEB16 – 22MAR16 Day 24
03MAY16 – 06MAY16 Day 25
01JUN16 – 08JUN16 Day x67

eff 12FEB16 Zurich – London Heathrow No changes to planned 777-300ER operation
LX326/327 12FEB16 / 13FEB16 / 20FEB16
LX318/319 13FEB16 / 20FEB16

eff 27FEB16 Zurich – Athens LX1830/1831, 777-300ER operation added for this route
27FEB16 – 26MAR16 Day 6
17APR16 – 01MAY16 Day 7
07MAY16 – 05JUN16 Day 67
03JUL16 Day 7

eff 27FEB16 Zurich – Hanover 777-300ER moving 2 weeks earlier instead of mid-March 2016, while operation extended into August 2016
LX814/815
13MAR16 – 18MAR16 Day 357
01APR16 – 07APR16 Day x1
09APR16 – 13APR16 Day 367
20APR16 – 27APR16 Day 3
01MAY16 – 09MAY16 Day x56
16MAY16 – 23MAY16 Day 1
01JUN16 – 08JUN16 Daily
01JUL16 – 08JUL16 Daily
01AUG16 – 08AUG16 Daily

LX828/829
27FEB16 – 14MAR16 Day 6
15MAR16 – 17MAR16 Day 246
18MAR16 – 26MAR16 Day 6
02APR16 – 09APR16 Day 46
24APR16 – 29APR16 Day 257
05MAY16 Day 4

eff 01APR16 Zurich – Prague 777-300ER operation added for this route
LX1486/1487
01APR16 – 07APR16 Daily
09APR16 – 15APR16 Day x14
19APR16 – 29APR16 Day 235
01MAY16 – 09MAY16 Day x6
11MAY16 – 03JUN16 Day x67
04JUN16 – 09JUN16 Day x5
01JUL16 – 08JUL16 Day x7
01AUG16 – 07AUG16 Daily

LX1498/1499
01APR16 – 06APR16 Day x467
15APR16 – 22APR16 Day 5
01MAY16 – 08MAY16 Day x34
13MAY16 – 28MAY16 Day 56
01JUN16 – 08JUN16 Daily

eff 03APR16 Zurich – Venice 777-300ER operation added for this route
LX1664/1665
03APR16 – 10APR16 Day 7
12APR16 – 19APR16 Day 27
01MAY16 – 08MAY16 Day x146
11MAY16 – 02JUN16 Day x56 (No 777 service on 23MAY16)
04JUN16 – 08JUN16 Day x45
01JUL16 – 08JUL16 Daily
01AUG16 – 07AUG16 Daily

777-300ER also scheduled to operate LX1660/1661 on 06MAY16

SWISS’ planned 777-300ER operation to Hamburg and Malaga on Saturdays, between 27FEB16 and 26MAR16, is now cancelled.

NORWAY:Norwegian Starts Oslo Gardermoen (OSL) and Stockholm Arlanda (ARN)

Crew and passengers enjoyed the route launch cake at Oslo Gardermoen used to mark the start of flights to San Juan in Puerto Rico on 1 November. Weekly flights are operated by the LCC’s 787-8s.

Norwegian used the second week of the W15/16 season to start six new routes from five of its bases – including long-haul services from Oslo Gardermoen (OSL) and Stockholm Arlanda (ARN).

The average sector length of these routes is 4,290 kilometres (up from 2,251 last week) – with the longest route being the 8,530-kilometre Stockholm Arlanda to Las Vegas (LAS) airport pair (last week it was the 4,126-kilometre Gran Canaria to Karlstad route), while the shortest was again a Spanish domestic rotation, this time with the 1,410-kilometre link from Malaga (AGP) to Gran Canaria (LPA).

The average weekly frequency of the new routes was 1.8, down significantly from last week’s result of four. This was due in no small part to the two new weekly long-haul operations.

GERMANY: Jetairfly Expands Seasonally With New Routes

Berlin Tegel Airport welcomed with a ribbon cutting ceremony on the apron the arrival of Jetairfly’s thrice-weekly departures from Antwerp.

Jetairfly, the Belgian subsidiary of TUI Airlines, expanded its seasonal offering with the addition of eight new routes during the course of last two weeks. Six of these new airport pairs were introduced from Antwerp (ANR), to Alicante (ALC), Barcelona (BCN), Berlin Tegel (TXL), Malaga (AGP), Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Palma de Mallorca (PMI). Interestingly, Jetairfly will face no direct competition on any of the new additions. See how Berlin Tegel Airport’s FTWA compares to others from around the world.

SPAIN: Air Europa To Fly To Canary Islands In October

The Spanish company Air Europa will launch at the end of October two new domestic routes to Tenerife North airport: Alicante from Saint-Jacques de Compostela, while Norwegian Air Shuttle provides the same period to connect different islands Canaries from Barcelona, ​​Madrid and Malaga.

The Norwegian Air Shuttle low cost will multiply the roads to the Canary Islands in October. From 25 October: from Madrid to Tenerife North and Gran Canaria (daily flights). From Barcelona to Tenerife North (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) and Gran Canaria (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) from 26 October to Fuerteventura from 27 October (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). From Malaga to Tenerife South from October 26 (every Monday and Friday) and Gran Canaria (from 30 October). All these flights are operated by Boeing 737-800 univalves 186 seats, with Wifi service.

Norwegian operates 133 routes to 15 Spanish airports, including six bases (Alicante, Barcelona, ​​Gran Canaria, Madrid, Malaga and Tenerife South). She keeps one fifth of its fleet of 96 aircraft and employs nearly 900 people. Since the beginning of its operations, Norwegian has carried over 17 million passengers in Spain.

Another company will build on the Canary Islands this fall. From 26 October, Air Europa will link Alicante indeed every Monday at Tenerife North. Flights operated by Boeing 737-800 of 183 seats including 15 in Business Class depart at 11:55 for arrival at 15.45, the return flight starting again at 16.35 and finish at 18.30. And from next October 31, Tenerife North airport will be connected to Saint Jacques de Compostela departing every Saturday at 12:45 and finish at 14:30 (2:45 flight). The return flight off again at 15:30 for arrival at 19:10. Note that Air Europa is already serving the airport Reina Sofia Tenerife South from Saint-Jacques de Compostela.