MOROCCO: Royal Air Maroc New Route To Miami From Casablanca Starts April 3, 2019

Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) has announced it will begin the first ever Miami to Casablanca flights on April 3, 2019, giving Miami International Airport its first passenger flights to Africa since the year 2000 and Florida’s only nonstop service to the continent.

I offer my congratulations and thanks to Royal Air Maroc for its decision to make Miami its first destination in Florida, said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

Casablanca is one of the most historic, picturesque and influential cities in Africa, and we are proud to establish this first-ever connection between our two world cities.

Royal Air Maroc will operate three weekly roundtrip flights between Miami and its Casablanca hub, where it offers dozens of connections to North African, West African and Middle Eastern destinations.

The new route will be operated with new-generation Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft configured to accommodate 18 business class and 255 economy class passengers.

Flights will depart Casablanca at 11:20 a.m. Eastern time and arrive at Miami at 7:05 p.m., to then depart Miami at 8:45 p.m. and arrive at Casablanca at 5:55 a.m. the following day.

Royal Air Maroc, born in June 1957 following the merger of Air Atlas and Air Maroc, is Morocco’s largest airline.

With a fleet of 55 aircraft and more than 90 destinations with regular frequencies, RAM connects Morocco to five continents.

Royal Air Maroc’s announcement is a major milestone in the 90-year history of Miami International Airport, said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Lester Sola.

We have long sought to re-establish nonstop passenger service to Africa, and to accomplish that with an airline and a destination of this caliber is an added bonus.


Tourism Observer

POLAND: LOT Polish Airlines Announced Warsaw To Miami Nonstop Flights From June 1, 2019

LOT Polish Airlines has announced the launch of Miami-Warsaw nonstop passenger service scheduled for June 1, 2019, giving Miami International Airport the only nonstop route between Florida and Eastern Europe, as well as the airport’s first-ever service to Poland.

Warsaw will further expand Miami International Airport’s current network of twenty European destinations, while Miami will join LOT’s five other nonstop destinations in North America.

LOT Polish Airlines is an exciting addition to MIA’s growing roster of international carriers, said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

This new connection to Eastern Europe will go a long way toward expanding MIA’s role as a true global gateway.

LOT will operate four weekly flights with new generation Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft that seat 252 passengers.

LOT’s hub operation at Warsaw Chopin Airport provides passengers more than 350 daily flights to 100 destinations worldwide, as well as extensive connections throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

Miami is currently one of the largest markets in the U.S so far not served by LOT, said Rafał Milczarski, LOT Chief Executive Officer.

It is the first such convenient connection between Central and Eastern Europe and Florida with almost half a million passengers per year traveling between the two regions.

Thanks to our broad network of connections and the most convenient transfers offered via the hub in Warsaw, I am sure that many passengers from Miami will take advantage of our latest offer and fly on our board to Budapest, Prague, Kiev or Tel-aviv.

LOT, which launched operations in 1928, is considered one of the fastest-growing airlines in Europe today, with seven million passengers onboard each year.

LOT’s fleet of 73 aircraft is also one of the youngest and most modern in Europe.

We eagerly look forward to welcoming LOT Polish Airlines’ Warsaw service next summer, said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Lester Sola.

We are proud to be their first destination in Florida and to be part of their ongoing expansion into North America.


Tourism Observer

USA: American Airlines Throws Off Musician From Flight After Boarding With Her $30,000 Music Instrument, Though She Bought Seat For It

American Airlines kicked a musician and her $30,000 cello off a flight even though she had purchased a seat for the instrument.

The incident occurred on Thursday on American Airlines Flight 2457 from Miami to Chicago.

Jingjing Hu, a DePaul University music student, had flown to Miami for a music festival.

Her husband, Jay Tang, said in a Facebook post that when they bought tickets for both her and her cello, they were assured by the airline that the cello would be allowed on Hu's departing and returning flights.

Hu said, We always buy an extra ticket for our cello so that we can carry our cello on the plane, adding that it is worth $30,000.

Nothing appeared to be problematic on Hu's first leg of the trip, she said.

When I flew from Chicago to Miami, I didn't have any trouble with that, adding that the crew on the Miami flight had given her a special strap to hold the large instrument.

But Hu said that after boarding her flight back to Chicago, an American Airlines flight attendant told her that her instrument was too big and that the aircraft, a Boeing 737, was too small to hold it.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that federal regulations allow musicians to carry instruments like cellos in the cabin if passengers purchase an additional seat.

American Airlines' policy says that if passengers buy a seat for their instrument, it must not weigh more than 165 pounds and must meet the plane's seat-size restrictions.

Hu's instrument weighed less than 10 pounds.

American Airlines representative said:

A passenger on flight 2457 from Miami to Chicago was traveling with her cello. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication about whether the cello she was traveling with met the requirements to fit onboard the particular aircraft she was flying, a Boeing 737.

We rebooked our passenger on a flight the next morning on a larger aircraft, a Boeing 767. We provided her a hotel and meal accommodations for the inconvenience. We apologize for the misunderstanding and customer relations has reached out to her.

Tang wrote in his Facebook post that after Hu was escorted off the plane and while she was trying to find a new flight to accommodate her, she was surrounded by three police officers and told she could purchase either first-class or business-class tickets out of pocket.

After staying overnight at a Holiday Inn, Hu arrived back home in Chicago, cello in tow.

I don't think we did anything wrong here, Tang said, and I think the way they handled it was humiliating.

Tang had earlier posted a photo Hu took of the flight's captain giving her the peace sign as she was being led off the plane.


Tourism Observer

BONAIRE: American Airlines Goes To Bonaire

American Airlines officially launches its first-ever flights to Bonaire this weekend, with plans for more.

The carrier will also be adding flights on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Dec. 15 through March 30, 2019.

That’s along with the Saturday flight that launches June 9.

The American flight will leave Miami on Saturdays at 12:05 PM, arriving in Bonaire at 4:13 PM local time.

The return flight will depart Bonaire at 5:05 PM, arriving in Miami at 7:15 PM.

The move comes after the performance of the Saturday flights is booking extremely well, according to a statement from the Tourism Corporation Bonaire.

We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with American Airlines to provide additional non-stop service to Bonaire, said Maurice Adriaens, Director of Tourism Corporation Bonaire.

They are confident that the extra flights will do well.

These flights will allow us to generate more traffic to the island concurrent with the expansion of our hotel and villa inventory.

TCB said the bookings for the Saturday flight thus far had been concentrated from Miami, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Charlotte.

It all adds up to a significant boost for the Dutch Caribbean island, which is best known for its remarkable marine offerings but has increasingly put itself on the map of late in areas like food and adventure sports.

The island also added a very sleek new boutique beach resort, the Delfins Beach Resort.

Tourism Corporation Bonaire is very excited about this opportunity and we look forward to continue to build a long term partnership with American Airlines, TCB said in a statement.


Tourism Observer

ITALY: Air Italy To Commence Flights To US June 1 to JFK And Miami June 8

Italy’s newest airline is ready to launch long-haul flights under its new callsign, new colors, and recently acquired Airbus A330-200 to New York (JFK) and Miami (MIA).

Air Italy flights to the US will begin on June 1 to JFK and June 8 to MIA.

As the Italian carrier initiates its long-haul adventure under Qatar Airways’ watch, Airways will test its new premium service on both inaugural flights from New York and to Miami.

The Doha-based carrier purchased 49% of Meridiana’s shares back in February this year, then transforming the airline into Air Italy.

Qatar Airways not only invested in the small Italian airline; it also boosted its operations by leasing them five Airbus A330s, which will initiate Air Italy’s international expansion while 30 factory-fresh Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners are assembled and delivered from Boeing’s plant in Everett.

The first ex-Qatar Airways Airbus A330-200 was delivered to Air Italy on May 17, right after the plane was towed out of the painting hangar in Dublin, Ireland, sporting a fresh livery.

The remaining four A330s will arrive in the upcoming months.

On top of these wide-body planes, 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s will join the Italian airline to boost its domestic and regional networks through 2022, replacing the aging 737NGs in the airline’s fleet.

The first 737 MAX was officially delivered at Boeing’s Delivery Center in Paine Field Airport (PAE) on May 11, arriving in Italy the following morning.

Since then, Air Italy has deployed the aircraft on several domestic runs numerous times per day, including trips from MXP to Naples (NAP), Palermo (PMO), and one hop to Hamburg (HAM).

According to an Air Italy spokesperson, the plane might be deployed on future flights to the airline’s headquarters in Olbia, Sardinia. Airways will also report live from that flight.

The first A330 will then be deployed on the airline’s inaugural trip to JFK on June 1, under flight IG901, departing Milan-Malpensa (MXP) at 13:10, arriving in JFK at 16:00.

The return flight from JFK will depart at 20:30 under the callsign IG902, arriving the following morning at 10:35.

Through the airline’s website, Air Italy offers its passengers to accrue British Airways/Iberia Avios on all their flights.

Likewise, Air Italy will deploy its recently-painted A330 on the inaugural MXP-MIA route on June 8.

Flight IG903 will depart MXP at 13:00, arriving in MIA at 17:45. The return flight leaves MIA at 19:45, landing in Milan the following morning at 11:10.

Airways will also cover the inaugural MXP-MIA flight, with reporters both in the air and on the ground.

Flights to Miami are offered four times per week, whereas flights to New York are set to depart on a daily basis.

Stay tuned for more news and follow all Airways social media feeds for live coverage of these events.


Tourism Observer

ARUBA: Aruba Airlines Launches Flights To Punto Fijo In Venezuela

Aruban flag carrier, Aruba Airlines, launched the world’s shortest commercial flight by jet plane.

The airline, in partnership with the Venezuelan government, inaugurated its Aruba (AUA)-Punto Fijo (LSP) route on its Bombardier CRJ-200LR yesterday.

The two airports are separated by a short 50 miles. However, the two countries are separated by 15 miles (24 km).

Currently, the world’s shortest commercial flight is Loganair’s Westray to Papa Westray, scheduled to last less than two minutes.

However, Aruba Airlines’ flight to Punto Fijo lasts less than eight minutes, becoming one of the world’s fastest active international flights by jet.

The Venezuelan state’s governor, Victor Clark, said that the opening of this route will strengthen the country’s air connectivity.

We welcome the re-start of direct flights to Aruba, said Clark.

The airline will operate the flight twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, offering connections to Curacao, Bonaire, and Miami.

Even though prices for the short hop are marketed at a high fare of US$235, the inaugural flight carried 50 passengers.

The opening of this route will increment by 45% the number of international passengers flying out of LSP.

The inaugural event was attended by regional authorities, and the airline’s staff, which will set base at the airport looking to open an air bridge between both countries.

We’re very pleased to expand our domestic and international routes out of this airport, the Governor said.

Clark also mentioned that his Government keeps an open relationship with Aruba, looking to strengthen the connectivity and the economies between both countries.

We have set the goal of becoming the country’s most important tourism destination, for both domestic and international travelers, he said.

In January, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the closure of all air, maritime, and commercial traffic to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

Maduro accused the islands of running illegal operations by extracting from Venezuela gold, copper, food, medicines, and selling them overseas.

They take away gold from this country illegally, and make it legal to sell there, Maduro said.

I didn’t want to take a measure like this one, but I am ready to take even more radical measures, he added.

The blockade lasted almost three months.

Venezuelan Vice President, Tareck El Aissami, announced in April that his government would re-instate all air and sea traffic, following negotiations with the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stef Blok.

Today, after the diplomatic spat ended, Aruba Airlines has partnered with the Punto Fijo Airport and the Venezuelan Falcon State to open this route.

The Punto Fijo Airport is poorly served by Venezuelan carriers to domestic destinations. The airport is often deserted with very little connectivity.

However, not all frontiers have been opened up between both countries.

Flights to Aruba can only depart from three Venezuelan airports: Valencia (VLN), Maracaibo (MAR), and Punto Fijo (LSP); whereas flights to Curacao and Bonaire can only depart from Caracas (CCS).

With the re-opening of the Dutch Antilles frontiers, the Venezuelan government seems desperate to keep some of its international connectivity alive.

In April, Maduro also banned Panamanian flag carrier, Copa Airlines, from flying to Venezuela.

Panama’s government followed suit and banned all Venezuelan airlines from flying into the Central American country.

However, after considerable international pressure, Maduro announced that he was restoring flights to Panama as part of an agreement that he reached with President Juan Carlos Varela.

We have agreed to have the best bilateral relations and to channel differences in the best way possible, Maduro said.

In February 2017, El Aissami was placed on the US Office of Foreign Assets Control blacklist.

According to the US Government, the Venezuelan Executive Vice President aided drug traffickers, therefore freezing all his assets in the United States.

The sanctioned list also includes President Nicolas Maduro.

According to the US Government, El Aissami allowed the shipping of narcotics from Venezuela and owned shipments of over 1,000 kg of Cocaine that left Venezuela to Mexico and the United States.

And just two days ahead of a fixed presidential election, the US Government announced further sanctions against Diosdado Cabello, the second-most powerful man in the country.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control claims that Cabello was also responsible for drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering and embezzling government money.

Aruba Airlines was founded in 2006, formally launching operations in 2012 after being awarded its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

The carrier leased its first two Airbus A320s and began flying to short destinations in Maracaibo and Panama City.

In 2016, the airline took delivery of its first Airbus A319, with which it launched flights to Miami (MIA) and Valencia (VLN).

In late 2017, the airline received two Bombardier CRJ-200s, adding up to one active Airbus A319, and one A320. The average age of its fleet amounts to 18 years.

Today, the airline flies to Bonaire, Curacao, Valencia, Maracaibo, Punto Fijo, and Miami.

But, in reality, the success of this niche route is highly unlikely.

Punto Fijo does not offer strong connecting traffic from other cities in Venezuela that require an international reach, strongly relying on point-to-point originating passengers.

And with fares as low as $235 for such a quick flight, a country that forbids transactions in US Dollars makes this new commercial service less likely to succeed.

Rumors are that Aruba Airlines is owned by a group that’s close to Venezuelan Government officials. Should it be true, the commercial rationale behind this niche route would be proven valid.


Tourism Observer

USA: Plan Your Trip To The U.S. Now Is A Digital Marketing Campaign In Mexico To Attract Mexican Tourists

A public-private partnership created six years ago to boost U.S. tourism has a message for Mexicans: We welcome you, even if it may seem like President Donald Trump doesn't.

After a drop in travel since Trump took office in January, Brand USA is launching a digital marketing campaign in Mexico this month with the slogan "Planifica tu viaje a USA ahora" -- Plan your trip to the U.S. now.

The goal is to convince Mexicans that Trump's vow to build a wall along the southern border, ban travelers from some countries and tighten visa screenings shouldn't keep them from packing a suitcase and heading north.

Nothing has changed about how our friends and visitors from Mexico plan their trip to the U.S. and how they enter the country, said Chris Thompson, chief executive officer of the Washington-based group.

We're really working on separating the perception versus the reality. There's been a lot of conversation, but nothing legally has changed.

The reason behind the push is simple: Mexicans are the second-largest group of visitors to the U.S. after Canadians, and in 2015 alone they spent almost $20 billion.

But the task isn't easy. Anti-Trump sentiment and a weaker peso have already affected travel to the U.S. Air traffic from Mexico to U.S. leisure destinations dropped for the first two months of the year, according to Mexico's Communications and Transportation Ministry.

It's not that Mexicans aren't traveling; they may be headed to Canada instead.

Airports in Miami, Orlando, San Antonio and Denver clocked fewer visitors from Mexico City and Guadalajara in the first two months of 2017, while Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver saw a surge in traffic from Mexico's capital.

Brand USA's public money comes from $10 out of every $14 that travelers under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program pay to register every two years.

That money is set aside in a tourism trust fund, Thompson said, of which the organization takes $100 million each year and matches it with private funds from its partners.

The federal government provides the seed money but requires us to make sure that we match every federal dollar with a private dollar, Thompson said.

This fiscal year, the budget stands at $165 million, which will be deployed in similar campaigns in 40 different markets, he said.

Some of Brand USA's board members include Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson; Kyle Edmiston, Louisiana's tourism director; and Rossi Ralenkotter, president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Board members are appointed by the U.S. secretary of commerce in consultation with the secretary of state and the secretary of homeland security, according to the organization's website.

The Brand USA marketing campaign could be welcome news for Mexican airlines, which had a tough first quarter. Grupo Aeromexico SAB posted a net loss and retired additional aircraft, and Controladora Vuela Cia. de Aviacion, or Volaris, missed estimates.

Regarding uncertainty in immigration policy in the U.S., we saw some softness, said Andres Conesa, CEO of Aeromexico, in an April 26 investor call. The quarter was very challenging for the Mexican aviation industry.

Volaris also saw its first-quarter results slide, which the company attributed in part to "the U.S. discussions on travel bans, talks about stricter passenger-screening methods" as well as visa and migratory-status debates, CEO Enrique Beltranena said in a call with investors.

Mexico is a hugely important market to the U.S., Thompson said. Nothing about what makes the U.S. a compelling place to visit has changed.

Aeroflot Almost Doubles Flights To London

Aeroflot almost double increase the frequency of flights from Moscow to London this winter.

The number of flights will increase from current 18 to 32 flights a week. This is due to the opening of the flights to the second most important airport of London - Gatwick. Also, "Aeroflot" opens a new daily flight to the British capital's main airport - Heathrow.

Previously, the British low-cost airline “EasyJet” performed flights from Gatwick to Moscow. But in late March, the carrier closed this destination due to falling demand.

In addition, the weekly frequency of flights in winter schedule will increase to Bangkok (from 7 to 14) Lyon (from 4 to 7), Guangzhou (from 5 to 7), Hanoi (from 5 to 7), Miami (from2 to 5).

According the "Winter-2016/2017" schedule, the flights to 50 countries, including seven of the CIS countries, are planned. Own flights will be performed to 131 destination, including 46 points in Russia, 14 - in CIS.

PERU: LatAm's Most Visited City For Third Year In A Row Is Lima

Lima has retained its position as Latin America's most visited city for third consecutive year, the 2016 Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index revealed.

As is known, the Inca nation capital has also been crowned top-ranked destination city in Latin America in 2015 and 2014 editions.

According to the Mastercard report, the city has recorded over 4 million tourists this year, a 1.7% increase compared to the previous year.

“Lima is the top-ranked destination city in Latin America with over four million international visitors. Mexico City follows in second rank with almost three million visitors. Punta Cana, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires come after that in third, fourth and fifth ranks respectively,” the Index underlined.

Likewise, Peru's capital is featured as the region's fastest-growing destination city, with Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGR) of 9.9%, followed by Bogota (9.6%), Punta Cana (7.3%), Rio de Janeiro (6.5%) and Mexico City (6.2%)

As for purpose of visit, the study shows 76% of visitors arrived in the coastal capital on leisure trips, whereas the remaining 24% represents business travels.

Peak months of tourist inflow are May, July, August and October.

Lima’s top feeder city is Santiago, accounting for 661,000 visitors and US$164 million of spending), followed by Buenos Aires (375,000), Bogota (352,000), Miami (328,000), and Mexico City (305,000), whose visitors are the fastest-growing.

Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index (GDCI) ranks 132 cities by overall tourist spend, total overnight visitors, pace of growth, and volume within regions.

The Index charts also show the way these cities are connected through air travel.

HAITI: Suddenly A Medical Tourism Destination

While others spend on promoting medical tourism, one hospital has fallen into it by accident. Haiti centre is attracting medical travel patients from Miami and Turks and Caicos.

While others spend on promoting medical tourism, one hospital has fallen into it by accident.

The Holy Name Medical Centre in Haiti suddenly started attracting medical travel patients from Miami and Turks and Caicos last year.

A shocked Holy Name CEO Michael Maron explains, “I never thought in a million years that would ultimately occur. It is also one of the greatest compliments to have a hospital in the middle of nowhere and get a reputation, for people from abroad to come here for care.” Most are people from Haiti who moved overseas to find work.

The 200-bed facility has a $3 million operating budget. The same size operation anywhere in the U.S. would be at least $300 million, says Maron. The medical expertise is largely pooled from volunteer teams around the USA who want experience in non-resource-heavy medical care, which helps to keep operational costs low.

Holy Name was approached by the ministry of health in Turks and Caicos to officially treat all insured Haitian natives at the Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Haiti.

It has had so many patients that the hospital has been able to upgrade from a 1900s-style, large wards only building, to include four private, air-conditioned rooms.

The hospital has a problem that most medical tourism destinations would envy. Maron worries, “This all seems to be good news but we must never become a destination to the detriment of those living locally. Our goal is to be self-sustaining.”

CUBA: Tourism Cash Flowing To Cubans' Pockets

In Havana, hotels are near capacity, providing an opportunity for locals to rent rooms through Airbnb for $250 per booking, on average.

The crowd-sourced housing site, based in San Francisco, is offering more than 4,000 rental properties across the island nation of Cuba. That will provide a windfall for people with an average salary of $20 a month. Today, Airbnb is going door-to-door recruiting rooms for rent outside of Havana in a town that has no hotels.

Just this week, Starwood Hotels, based in Connecticut, announced it will renovate and operate three hotels in Cuba, the first American hotel company to do so in almost 60 years.

U.S. airlines are competing to bring Americans to Cuba. Later this year, there will be 110 daily commercial flights to Cuba, 20 of those to Havana. And just today, Carnival announced they will be beginning cruises to Cuba from Miami in May.

Air France Adds New Airbus To Caribbean Flights

Air France has added a new aircraft to its regional network in the Caribbean.

The French carrier has added a new Airbus A320 with 168 seats, 12 business and 156 economy.

The new plane has a completely redesigned seat for all passengers in the Caribbean network, including leather seats, lighting and headrests, among other amenities.

Air France flies between Pointe a Pitre, Fort de France, Cayenne, Port au Prince and Miami in its Caribbean regional network.

It operates more than 30 weekly flights between these cities.

QATAR: Qatar Airways With 168 Aircraft And 330 Jets On Order, Lands Its Newest Plane To America

Qatar Airways is ramping up its expansion into the United States regardless of whatever concerns American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines may have.

This week, Qatar Airways announced plans to commence service between its home base in Doha, Qatar, and the US using its new fleet of Airbus A350 jets.

A350 service in the US kicks off January 1 on the airline's Doha-to-Philadelphia route.

"We are proud to be the first commercial airline to land the Airbus A350 in the United States," Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.

"As the global launch customer of this new-generation aircraft, we are excited to introduce it to the American market."

Qatar Airways currently flies to 152 destinations around the world, including New York, Philadelphia, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Houston, and Washington, D.C.

The airline plans to open routes from Doha to Los Angeles in January, Boston in March, and Atlanta in June.

The Persian Gulf-based airline has grown rapidly over the past decade and now boasts a fleet of 168 aircraft with another 330 jets on order, which are valued at more than $70 billion.

In June, Qatar Airways was named Airline of the Year for 2015 by the leading aviation consumer organization Skytrax. It's a prize the airline also took home in 2011 and 2012.

Qatar's success has not come without pitfalls. American, United, and Delta Air Lines have accused Qatar along with Etihad Airways and Emirates of fueling its palatial terminals, luxury service, and massive fleets with $42 billion in government subsidies.

Qatar, Emirates, and Etihad deny these accusations. The coalition of US airlines has petitioned the US State Department to reevaluate the "Open Skies" agreements between the US and the Gulf states that allow airlines to fly freely between the countries.

Al Baker said that whatever money his airline had received from the Qatari government had been in the form of investment in exchange for equity.

Etihad CEO James Hogan echoed Baker's sentiments, telling Business Insider: "At the end of the day. We have a shareholder who placed equity in the airline who gave us loans to be repaid. That's what people do when they invest in the business."

"We've done nothing improper," Hogan continued. "We've created a great airline, with great service, created value, and the accounts are audited by one of the top accounting firms in the world."

Qatar is the launch partner for the Airbus A350-900 twin-engine long-range airliner. The airline expects to have eight of the jets in its fleet by the end of the year, with 72 more on order.

The A350 is powered by two powerful and efficient Rolls-Royce Trent turbofan engines. The jet can carry as many as 325 passengers in three different classes, with a fuel range of about 8,700 miles.

USA: Aeromexico Vacations Adds Flight And Hotel Packages In Cozumel

Building on new daily Aeromexico Airlines air service from Mexico City, Aeromexico Vacations announced that it is now offering flight and hotel packages on the Mexican resort island of Cozumel.

“Cozumel is a stunning destination and we are pleased to make it available to our Aeromexico Vacations customers,” said MLT Vacations President John Caldwell. “Known for its world-class diving and relaxed atmosphere, Cozumel is an ideal getaway for couples, families and anyone else wanting to experience the very best of Mexico.”

Aeromexico Vacations, the premier vacation package provider for Aeromexico, offers 17 resort properties on Cozumel that can be bundled with flights for added value. Ranging from budget-friendly to upscale luxury, these properties represent a variety of accommodation levels to fit just about any budget.

Aeromexico offers convenient daily connecting service to Cozumel through Mexico City from cities across the U.S. Leading gateways with nonstop service to Mexico City include Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston and Miami.

One of Aeromexico Vacations key U.S. gateways to Mexico City is New York’s JFK International Airport. From New York, travel agents and their clients can choose from four daily nonstop flights on Aeromexico, one of which is aboard one of the world’s most advanced aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Flexible excursion vouchers available
Along with flights and hotel stays, Aeromexico Vacations also offers several tours and activities on Cozumel. These include scuba diving, ATV adventure rides, off-road Jeep tours and swimming with dolphins.

For vacationers that want to include activities during their stay but that are unsure when or what they would like to do, Aeromexico Vacations is offering excursion vouchers. These credits provide vacationers with the flexibility to plan their activities while in destination based on the weather, their own schedules and other factors.

Aeromexico Vacations excursion credits are fully-commissionable for travel agents and are available in a variety of dollar amounts.

Along the convenience of one-stop-shopping for hotel stays and flights aboard Aeromexico, travelers booking with Aeromexico Vacations also enjoy a number of other benefits. These include earning credited flight kilometers for Club Premier members and special savings and discounts.

ARGENTINA: Aerolineas Argentinas Shows 11% Decline In Seat Capacity To Europe; El Calafate Is Airline’s Fastest Growing Airport

The latest route launch by Aerolineas Argentinas was on 4 July from Cordoba to Miami. The route is currently the only international route for the airline out of Argentina’s second city. The airline also operates services

Argentina is South America’s third largest country after Brazil and Columbia in relation to population, with a total of approximately 43 million people. The national flag carrier for the nation is Aerolineas Argentinas. Founded on 7 December 1950, the airline has two core hubs, both situated in the capital of Buenos Aires. Ezeiza Airport is the hub for international and long-haul services, while Buenos Aires Aeroparque’s operation is concentrated around domestic services, although the airline does have a few short-haul international routes to fellow neighbouring countries from the airport.

Venezuela sees biggest growth

For 2015, Aerolineas Argentinas is recording an overall increase in seat capacity of just under 14% compared to the same period last year, with the fastest growing country market being Mexico, up 54%. The domestic market dominates the airline’s top 12, accounting for 85% of overall seat capacity. Incidentally, the domestic market (highlighted in light green) for the carrier has grown 15% in the past 12 months, while no new country markets have been added to the route network. Other countries showing a rise in capacity are Venezuela (45%), Peru (13%) and the US (9.4%). The largest declining market was Chile (-15%), followed by Spain and Italy (both -11%), the only European countries Aerolineas Argentinas serves. However, despite the variation in rises and declines in seat capacity, Venezuela is the only country to climb up the top 12 to eighth. All countries above eighth stayed in the same position, while others dropped one place as a result of Venezuela’s growth.

European decline

Of Aerolineas Argentinas’ top 12 airports (all in Argentina), only San Carlos Bariloche (highlighted in light green) showed a decline in seat capacity when compared with 2014 (-5.3%). The average growth of the airline’s top 12 airports is 16%, with El Calafate reporting the biggest rise (35%). For airports outside of South America, Miami’s seat capacity increased 13%, a result of the recently launched service to Cordoba, while New York JFK’s seat availability remained on a par to its 2014 level. Miami is also the top route in relation to weekly ASKs, reporting just over 30 million for the w/c 10 August, a rise of 12% on last year’s figures. Services to Europe however are at the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to those of the US, with Barcelona (-20%), Madrid (-5.2%), and Rome Fiumicino (-11%) all reporting declines in seat capacity, and a total combined loss of 5.7 million weekly ASKs to Argentina’s capital.

Only one long-haul route in top 12

After reporting that Miami has the largest ASKs of all of Argentinas Aerolineas’ routes, it’s of no surprise to see it appearing in the top 12 routes for seat capacity (highlighted in light green). The only other international route making the airline’s top 12 is the sector from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to Sao Paulo Guarulhos. In total the airline will serve 58 airports this summer, up from the 57 served last summer. The new addition to the airline’s network is Salvador in Brazil.

SOUTH KOREA: Seoul Is Preferable Destination For Wealthy Travellers

THE BUSTLING metropolis of Seoul, South Korea has topped a new survey ranking the luxury travel destinations that attract – and retain – wealthy tourists the longest.

For the 2015 Luxury Travel Index, prepared by technology and booking company Switchfly, analysts looked at the average length of stay that affluent travelers spend at top destinations around the world.

And while the list of 15 destinations is dominated by European cities and islands, the top spot goes to the South Korean capital, where wealthy travelers spend an average of 13 days shopping, eating and sightseeing – and dropping their money.

After Seoul, Dubai and Milan round out the top three spots.

The list, which is meant to serve as a snapshot into the traveling habits of tourists who fly first class and sleep in five-star hotels, also shows that interest in the Americas for deep-pocketed travelers is weak: The only two destinations to crack the list are Sao Paulo and Miami.

Here are the luxury destinations where wealthy travelers choose to spend the most time – and money – according to Switchfly, which powers booking and loyalty redemption programs for leading international hotel brands:-

1. Seoul, South Korea (13.0 days)
2. Dubai, UAE (12.7 days)
3. Milan, Italy (12.3 days)
4. Athens, Greece (11.5 days)
5. Singapore (11.1 days)
6. Frankfurt, Germany (11 days)
7. Sao Paulo, Brazil (tied 10.6 days)
7. Hong Kong, China (tied 10.6 days)
8. Bali, Indonesia (10 days)
9. Lisbon, Portugal (9.7 days)
10. Tokyo, Japan (9.6 days)
11. Crete, Greece (9.2 days)
12. Mykonos, Greece (8.7 days)
13. Rome, Italy (8.5 days)
14. Miami, Florida, USA (8.3 days)

USA: US Eases Rules For Travel

The Obama administration eased rules Friday for U.S. citizens wishing to travel to Cuba or do business with its growing ranks of independent entrepreneurs, hoping to kindle greater economic freedom on the island.

The Treasury and Commerce departments said the regulations that take effect Monday simplify procedures for tourism, telephone and Internet investments, and money transfers to Cuba.

The changes were first reported Thursday and come as both countries seek to transform their new diplomatic relationship into deeper commercial ties. By the end of the year, the former Cold War foes should resume direct postal service for the first time in five decades and clinch an agreement on regularly scheduled commercial flights, a U.S. official familiar with the process said.

"A stronger, more open U.S.-Cuba relationship has the potential to create economic opportunities for both Americans and Cubans alike," Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said in a statement. Easing the embargo on Cuba, he said, will "support the Cuban people in their effort to achieve the political and economic freedom necessary to build a democratic, prosperous and stable Cuba."

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said the new rules could "stimulate long overdue economic reform across the country."

When President Barack Obama laid out his vision of improved U.S.-Cuban relations nine months ago, he said his objectives were twofold: ease economic hardship in Cuba and aid the development of a private market outside of state control.

In January, he eased economic restrictions on Cuba in potentially the most dramatic manner since relations between the countries broke down after Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959 and the subsequent Bay of Pigs invasion and Cuban missile crisis. Only Congress can end the embargo.

The action sought to cut red tape for U.S. travel to Cuba, permit American companies to export telephones, computers and Internet technology, and allow U.S. firms to send supplies to private Cuban enterprises. But efforts to expand business, tourism and other exchanges ran into an overlapping thicket of U.S. laws and hindrances, not to mention an uneven response from Cuba's political leaders.

Many U.S. travelers still need to go on supervised group trips. Routine airline service hasn't satisfied various federal conditions. Cruise ships and ferries are still trying to finalize regular maritime routes with Cuban authorities. Credit card and other companies still can't transfer payments to Cuba. Telecommunications companies haven't been able to set up shop and get equipment to the island 90 miles south of Florida. And Cuba's government isn't even running its Internet connections anywhere near capacity levels.

Authorized American citizens now will be able to travel by cruise ship or ferry to Cuba without seeking specific authorization from the U.S. government, though a U.S. official said earlier this week that a direct maritime route probably won't be established until next year. The official wasn't authorized to speak publicly on the process and demanded anonymity.

All U.S. citizens who fall under permitted rules for travel also are permitted to open and maintain bank accounts in Cuba.

The U.S. official described significant progress in U.S.-Cuban discussions since the pair reopened embassies in each other's capitals in July. At a meeting in Havana last week, delegations from each side established a plan to settle a half-century of economic and legal disputes within the next 15 months.

While difficult questions related to human rights and compensation claims won't be resolved immediately, the official said first steps toward a broader normalization of ties would come quickly.

Washington and Havana are slated to begin a "pilot program" allowing Cubans and Americans to send mail directly to one another, the official said. Direct mail service was halted in 1963, though letters and packages travel back and forth through countries like Canada and Mexico. The postal program will use the Miami and Havana airports, the official said.

Also, the U.S. and Cuba should finalize an agreement on resuming direct, commercial airline routes, though the first flights wouldn't start until next year.

NIGERIA: Arik Air

Arik Air Boeing 737–800

Arik Air is a Nigerian airline operating a domestic, regional and international flight network. It operates mainly from two hubs at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Arik Air's head office is the Arik Air Aviation Center on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.

On 3 April 2006, Arik Air took over the former Nigeria Airways facilities in Lagos,some three years after its liquidation, and began reconstruction work. On 14 June 2006, Arik took delivery of 2 new Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft to fly domestic routes throughout Nigeria and, within the African continent from Summer 2006, 2 ex-United Airlines Boeing 737–300s and 3 50 seat Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft.

In August 2006, the Federal Ministry of Aviation granted Arik Air authorisation to fly to Trinidad and Tobago and Amsterdam, London, Madrid in Europe. Furthermore, the airline then planned to fly to Atlanta, Miami, and Houston in the United States and Birmingham in the United Kingdom. On 30 October 2006, Arik began scheduled passenger flights with four flights between Lagos and Abuja using CRJ 900 aircraft. Flight operations began to Calabar on 15 November 2006 and services to Benin City and Enugu started on 7 January 2007.The airline is wholly owned by Ojemai Investments.

The Nigerian government set a deadline of 30 April 2007 for all airlines operating in the country to re-capitalise or be grounded in an effort to ensure better services and safety. The airline satisfied the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)’s criteria in terms of re-capitalisation and was re-registered for operation.

On 4 April 2008, Arik Air was given permission to fly to the United States by the US Department of Transportation.Arik Air started international operations to London-Heathrow on 15 December 2008, using an Airbus A340-500 aircraft damp-leased from Hi Fly.It added Johannesburg on 1 June 2009,New York JFK on 30 November 2009,and Dubai on 28 July 2014.

Subsidiary airline Arik Niger (IATA code: Q9) commenced operations in April 2009, but was shut down in February 2010.

Arik Air transported its 5 millionth passenger on 6 August 2010 and it transported its 10 millionth passenger on 18 September 2012, both on flights beteween Johannesburg and Lagos.

On 20 September 2012, the airline cancelled all its domestic operations after aviation officials raided the airline's office in Lagos, Nigeria.Flights resumed on 23 September.

Arik Air had placed an order for five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which was cancelled in 2011.Rumours have spread that Arik Air converted an order for two Boeing 747-8I aircraft back into an order for two 777-300ERs in 2013, however, no such cancellation has materialised, nor was the order of two 777-300ER aircraft confirmed by Boeing. The order for 2 747-8I aircraft still stands and is still listed by the Boeing company.

FLEET
Airbus A330-200 2
Boeing 737-700 9
Boeing 737-800 4
Boeing 747-8I Deliveries start in 2016
Boeing 787-9 Deliveries start in 2016
Bombardier CRJ900 4
Bombardier CRJ1000 1
Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 4
Total 26

USA: XTRA Airways Introduces New Livery, Completes Move To Miami Area

XTRA Airways (stylized as XTRAirways) (formerly Casino Express Airlines) (Boise, now Miami) has introduced a new livery.

The charter airline has also acquired ex Airberlin/Orenair Boeing 737-86J now registered as N625XA (msn 32625, Ex D-ABBC/VP-BEZ). The new addition was painted this week at Roswell, New Mexico.

The company recently announced on May 29 that it had completed the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Boise, Idaho to its new home at Coral Gables, Florida near Miami International Airport.

XTRA with the move, had also opened its new Operations Control Center (OCC). XTRA’s new OCC, which includes Flight Dispatch, Maintenance Control, Flight Crew Scheduling and Flight Logistics Support, is now co-located with its parent company (AerLine Holdings, LLC) at AerLine’s existing headquarters at 121 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables, FL.

XTRA Airways, which also operates 150-seat Boeing 737-400 series aircraft (above), was founded in 1987 as an FAA Certified, 14 CFR Part 121 Air Carrier, and was acquired by AerLine Holdings, Inc. in December 2014.

According to the company, “XTRA has operated for over 25 years specializing in providing safe and reliable air travel, while focusing on personalized customer care in the demanding commercial jet charter market.”