AUSTRALIA: Qantas Is The World’s Safest Airline

There is no surprise that some airlines are safer than others.

EU has a blacklist of carriers banned from flying above European airspace, but a more thorough look at the incident logs of some of the world’s oldest airlines reveals that some are so safe they’ve never or almost never had a fatal crash.

The list no longer includes Southwest. Last year, in April, an incident on one of its aircraft in which a woman died after a window was smashed by an engine part.

Though not a crash, it was the first in-flight fatality for the American airline, which has been flying since 1971.

Qantas Flying since 1921 is the third oldest airline in the world, Qantas was cited in 1988 film Rain Man as an airline to have never had an aircraft crash.

Qantas has an outstanding reputation for safety but still has accidents.

Qantas has had eight fatal accidents, all before 1951, with four taking place during the Second World War while Qantas was operating planes on behalf of the Allies. Indeed, one aircraft was shot down.

In 1951, a de Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover crashed off the coast of New Guinea after the centre engine’s propeller failed. The pilot and all six passengers were killed.

Qantas has not had a fatal accident in the jet age, however, and only a handful incidents of note.

Hawaiian has been flying planes since 1929 and never once had a fatal accident, making it, if our stats stand up, the longest functioning carrier to have never lost a passenger. It may have suffered two bankruptcies in 1993 and 2003 but it has not compromised on safety.

The airline began life flying light aircraft on sightseeing flights over O’ahu and today serves a number of Pacific destinations, including New Zealand, Australia, Asia and the US West Coast.

EasyJet has been flying since 1995 has never had an accident. In fact, its history is so incident-free, it's difficult to find any serious issues to have befallen one of its flights.

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737, on its way from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya, crashed on March 10, 2019, shortly after taking off. The plane, which went down near Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa, was carrying 149 passengers and eight crew members on board.

The airline has since said that there are no survivors. Ethiopian state media reported that the black box flight recorder was found.

Ryanair flying since 1985, in 33 years of flying, the closest the carrier has come to a serious accident was in 2008 when an aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Rome after experiencing multiple bird strikes to the nose, wings and engines.

It is believed the aircraft hit some 90 starlings. On landing, the left hand landing wheel collapsed and the plane made contact with the runway. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and two crew and eight passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Virgin Atlantic flying since 1984/2000/2007, Virgin airlines have a remarkable safety record, with decades of accident-free travel between three carriers across many continents. Both Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia rank in the top 20 safest airlines in the world according to website AirlineRatings.com.

British Airways flying since 1974 has only had one fatal accident while operating in its current form: the mid-air collision of its Trident 3B with the aircraft of a Slovenian airline in the skies above the Croatian city of Zagreb.

However, in 1985, under the moniker of BA’s British Airtours subsidiary, a 737 crashed after taking off from Manchester Airport because of an engine failure, sparking a fire that spread through the cabin killing 53 of the 131 passengers and two of the six crew members.

Since 1985, British Airways has never had a fatal accident, the closest call coming in 2008, when First Officer John Coward earned his place in the aviation Hall of Fame by landing a plane without any power.

British Airways ranks among the world’s top 20 safest airlines according to AirlineRatings. British European Airways, founded in 1946 but merged with British Overseas Airways Corporation in 1974 to create British Airways, suffered a number of fatal accidents.

Emirates flying since 1985, Dubai-based airline, now operating more than 3,600 flights a week, has never had a fatal accident, and only suffered one hull loss with write-off of an aircraft, when a Boeing 777 crash-landed at Dubai International.

The plane caught fire and exploded on the runway after the majority of passengers had evacuated. However, a firefighter was killed in the blaze.

Etihad flying since 2003 has an impeccable safety record, its only incident being a rather bizarre situation in which an aircraft undergoing ground testing at Toulouse Airport in France accelerated to 35mph before hitting a concrete wall, injuring nine people on board, four seriously.

Qatar Airways flying since 2004, has had accidents were two fires, one in 2007 and one in 2017, where planes were written off while on the ground, the former in a hangar in Abu Dhabi, the latter at Hamad International in Doha. Otherwise, Qatar has a squeaky clean safety record.

There are 42 airlines to have never suffered a fatal accident in their history, including pre-jet engines as below:

- Air Berlin

- Air Europa

- AirTran Airways

- Allegiant Airways

- Cape Air

- Chautauqua Airlines

- CommutAir

- DragonAir

- EasyJet

- Emirates

- Era Alaska

- Expressjet Airlines

- Frontier Airlines

- GoJet Airlines

- Hainan Group

- Hawaiian Airlines

- Horizon Air

- Jazz Air

- Jet Airways

- JetBlue

- Jetstar

- Lion Airlines

- Mesa Airlines

- Olympic Airways

- Oman Airways

- Pinnacle Airlines

- Qatar Airways

- Republic Airlines

- Ryanair

- Shenzhen Airlines

- Shuttle America

- Spirit Airlines

- Swiss

- Trans State Airlines

- Transaero Airlines

- Ukraine International Airlines

- Vietnam Airlines

- Virgin Atlantic

- Virgin America

- Virgin Australia

- Vueling

- Westjet

The website AirlineRatings.com assessed 409 major airlines before delivering its verdict on the safest airlines for 2018, taking into account previous incidents, the average age of their fleets, and audits from governments and the aviation industry’s regulatory bodies.

For the last four years it has singled out Qantas as the world’s safest airline, ahead of a chasing pack of 19 rivals, but this year it listed the Australian flag carrier alongside the rest of the top 20.

British Airways and Virgin are the only UK airlines at the top table; others include Singapore Airlines, recently voted the world’s best long-haul airline, Swiss, the favourite short-haul airline, as well as Air New Zealand, Emirates, Etihad, KLM and Lufthansa.

Below are 20 safest airlines:

- Air New Zealand

- Alaska Airlines

- All Nippon Airways

- British Airways

- Cathay Pacific Airways

- Emirates

- Etihad Airways

- EVA Air

- Finnair

- Hawaiian Airlines

- Japan Airlines

- KLM

- Lufthansa

- Qantas

- Royal Jordanian Airlines

- Scandinavian Airline System

- Singapore Airlines

- Swiss

- Virgin Atlantic

- Virgin Australia

Commercial aircraft are built to last more or less indefinitely, which is one of the reasons why they’re so expensive. It’s common for a jet to remain in service for 25 years or more.

As planes get older they come under ever greater scrutiny. Inspection criteria grow increasingly strict.

So if planes are built to last more or less indefinitely, why are they retired after just 30-odd years or in many cases sooner?

Planes are sold, traded or mothballed not because they’ve grown old and are falling apart, but because they’ve become uneconomical to operate.

Aircraft are tailored to particular roles and markets, and there’s a fragile balance between whether it makes or loses money. Poor performance means quick exit to the sales block. To another carrier with different costs, routes and needs, that same aircraft might be profitable.

2017 was the safest year in aviation history. According to ASN there were just 14 fatal accidents involving commercial airliners 14 or more passengers, resulting in 59 deaths. This was down from 17 fatal accidents and 258 deaths in 2016. Furthermore, none of those fatalities involved a jet aircraft.

Last year, however, there were several major accidents. On February 11, Saratov Airlines Flight 703 crashed after leaving Moscow with all 71 on board perishing. One week later 66 people died when Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 3704 went down near the city of Yasul.

US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 crashed near Kathmandu on March 12, resulting in 51 deaths. There was also a harrowing incident on a Southwest flight, where a window was smashed and a female passenger killed. And in May 112 people died when Cubana de Aviación Flight 972 crashed near Havana.

ASN’s database shows 561 deaths involving commercial flights in 2018, almost 10 times more than the whole of 2017, making it the deadliest year for aviation since 2014, with 555 deaths.

But this is still way down on the number of annual fatalities seen in previous decades. More than 1,000 deaths per calendar year was commonplace until just over a decade ago.

In 2005 there were 1,075. The figure for 1996 was 1,844. The deadliest year of all time was 1972, when 2,380 people died in 72 accidents involving commercial airliners,a number that is all the more remarkable when you consider how few departures there were compared with today around 9.5 million, compared with almost 37 million in 2017.

Modern air travel remains remarkably safe. Over the past five years, the fatal accident rate has ranged from around one for every 7.5 million departures in 2017 to one for every 1.5 million departures 2013.


Tourism Observer

NEW ZEALAND: EVA Air Leases Its Boeing 777 To Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand will use a leased plane from Taiwan's EVA Air to cover for Dreamliner aircraft that are still affected by Rolls-Royce engine problems.

An EVA Boeing 777-300 will be used on Auckland-Vancouver and Auckland-Nadi routes for a fortnight from later this month.

It is the second leased 777 Air New Zealand is using.

During a six-week period until early September, the airline has an ex-Singapore Airlines 777-200 on the Auckland Honolulu route as it works through checks and repairs, if needed, to different parts of Trent engines.

The EVA plane is believed to be about nine years old, six years younger than the ex-Singapore aircraft which has been praised as roomy but has had problems with its in-flight entertainment system.

Air New Zealand said that it was leasing planes because continuing to get customers to their destinations has been its first priority as it worked through disruption from engine issue.

EVA Air is a fellow Star Alliance member.

This particular aircraft is of a similar standard to our Air New Zealand fleet with business, premium economy and economy class seating, the airline said.

There are 38 business class seats, 64 premium economy and 221 economy seats.

We are pleased to confirm that Air New Zealand crew and pilots will be operating this aircraft, who will provide the friendly Kiwi service our customers are familiar with.

Earlier this year the airline wet leased older Airbus A340s from charter operator Hi Fly that needed to be staffed by its Portuguese crew.

Air New Zealand's flight schedules have been badly affected because nine of its 11 Boeing 787s have engines subject to inspections of compressors and range some can fly from airports has been restricted.

Engines have been flown to Singapore to replace cracked compressor blades, a job that can take 10 days but also stretch for weeks depending on what else is needed.

The intermediate compressor problems, and earlier turbine blade problems led to groundings and severe disruption for airlines, including Thai and LATAM which also serve this market.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines' regional carrier Scoot have also been affected by problems with Trent Package C engines, used by about a quarter of the Dreamliner fleet.

EVA Air started flying in 1991, has 78 aircraft serving 63 destinations. It had more than 12 million passengers across its network and the US is its biggest market outside of Asia Pacific.

The airline was awarded best business class and premium economy class in Asia, at the 2018 TripAdvisor Awards which are determined by airline reviews and ratings submitted by travellers worldwide.


Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: Virgin Atlantic Stops Forced Deportation Flights

Virgin Atlantic has said it will no longer carry out involuntary deportation flights for people deemed to be illegal immigrants.

A spokesperson for the airline said it had already informed the Home Office of its decision, which was made in the best interest of customers and people.

The decision follows months of controversy following the government over the Windrush scandal, the 70th anniversary of which is set to be marked later today by the mayor of London at an event at City Hall.

Virgin has provided seats on its flights for many years to detainees and accompanying security officers, with Jamaican charities that help to resettle deportees saying that regular arrivals came via the airline.

It was revealed in parliament last month that the government has spent £17m on commercial flights for deportation purposes between 2016 and 2017.

Activist groups have commended the airline for its decision, after groups like Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants received a yet to be published open letter from Virgin regarding the deportations.

Sam Bjorn from the group said, the fact that the company has finally opted to break with this controversial practice testifies to a profound shift in public opinion on deportation since the emergence of the Windrush scandal.

Public attention will now be turning to other airline companies like British Airways and Qatar Airways who are still involved in transporting deportees.


Tourism Observer

Best, Worst Airlines And Airports In The World

Qatar Airways has been ranked the best airline in the world, according to a new study.

The research, carried out by consumer group AirHelp, has put the Middle Eastern airline on top with Hamad International airport, also based in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The group ranked 72 airlines and 141 airports analysing a series of key performance indicators (KPI) including on-time performance and service quality. Twitter sentiment was also used to measure the KPI of the airports.

Closely followed by Qatar Airways is Lufthansa in second and Etihad Airways in third and Singapore Airlines and South African Airways in fourth and fifth respectively.

Among the worst airlines were Air Mauritius, EasyJet, Pakistan International Airlines, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Wow Air.

In terms of airports, Greece's Athens International came in second place, followed by Tokyo Haneda, Germany's Cologne Bonn and Changi, Singapore.

The worst were Stockholm Bromma, Sweden; Paris Orly; Lyon; London Stansted and Kuwait International.

London Heathrow did not make it into the top 10, coming in at number 81 out of the 141-strong list.

The report found that Stansted's poor standing was due to a large volume of negative tweets. Gatwick was the worst airport when considering this metric alone, it said.

AirHelp CEO and co-founder Henrik Zillmer said: For some time now UK airports have seemingly been in the news for all the wrong reasons and that has been realised in this data.

The UK is enviably positioned when it comes to physical movement of people globally, but this report needs to serve as a wake-up call when it comes to actual performance.

Passengers are clearly not happy and while it will be a challenge to address the issues highlighted in this report, it is also an opportunity to halt the decline in performance and provide consumers with a better experience.

Best And Worst Airlines

Best And Worst Airports

Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: Virgin Atlantic To Stop Flights Between Dubai And London, March 31, 2019

Daily flights between the two cities will cease on March 31, 2019.

Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will be withdrawing its flights between Dubai and London Heathrow effectve 31 March 2019.

In an official statement released to the press, the UK-based airline cites a combination of external factors that ultimately lead the route to no longer being economically viable.

It’s never an easy decision to withdraw a route, and we’d like to thank our customers and dedicated team in Dubai for their loyalty over the last 12 years, said Shai Weiss, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic.

Flying between Dubai and the UK capital for the past 12 years, the Richard Branson-founded carrier currently operates daily flights to and from Dubai International airport, and will continue to do so until its final flight next March.

If you’re worried that the carrier’s withdrawal might make it tougher to book a cheeky holiday to London come next year, fret not – Emirates offers 34 weekly flights between Dubai and Heathrow, so you’re never short on options.


Tourism Observer

USA: Virgin Atlantic To Commence Las Vegas London Flights Next Year

Virgin Atlantic has announced plans to launch flights to Las Vegas (LAS) from London-Heathrow (LHR), effective on March 31, 2019.

These new flights to LAS are being transferred from London-Gatwick (LGW) to LHR’s Terminal 3, in which Virgin has a significant presence.

The LGW flight used to be operated with the airline’s Boeing 747-400 but the new LHR operation will be operated with the much newer and efficient 787-9 Dreamliner.

Even though it’s a drop in capacity, the airline will now offer more premium seats and their signature Dreamliner product.

Virgin Atlantic have made some route announcements as follows:

- Flights to Las Vegas will now operate from London Heathrow on March 31st, 2019, on the same day that LGW operations to LAS stop, signalling a transfer of flights.

The 787-9 that Virgin will be using for this route will have a three-class configuration, offering 31 Upper-Class Seats, 35 Premium seats and 192 economy seats.

The flight will depart LHR at 12:40 local time and arrive in LAS at 19:05 local time.

In addition, there will be a second daily service to Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS), which will be operated with an Airbus A330-300.

The flight will depart LHR at 20:30 local time, arriving in BOS the next morning at 08:30 local time.

Barbados will also be returning to the network, operating between December 2018 and February 2019 with the airline’s A330-300.

Aircraft in use for LHR-LAS: 787-9 Dreamliner compared to the 747-400 indicating a capacity drop.

- A second daily LHR flight to Boston is to be added also using an A330-300.

- A winter Seasonal service to Barbados will also be operated from LHR also.

From spring 2019 we’re making it even easier for customers to travel from London-Heathrow to Las Vegas and Boston by introducing new flights.

The new services have been timed to offer convenient onward connections for UK and US customers, and feature our award-winning service, a three-course meal and in-flight entertainment on every flight, said Shai Weiss, Chief Commercial Officer for Virgin Atlantic.

We’re also pleased to bring back our popular seasonal service between London-Heathrow and Barbados to offer even more choice for holidaymakers, she added.

The fact that the flights from Gatwick to Las Vegas will be terminated in March 2019 must indicate the growth at Heathrow must be stronger than at Gatwick.

For the likes of Boston, the second daily route is largely due to the rise in demand of business travelers flying to that city more frequently, as well as it being heavily advertised as a tourist destination within the UK.

The Barbados route, however, will be returning due to its overall success in the winter season, although it seems that a year-round service from Heathrow will be on the cards when the demand for the route grows overall across the entire year.


Tourism Observer

USA: Virgin Atlantic Cancels Order For Six Airbus A380 Superjumbo

The struggling A380 superjumbo program at Airbus has been hit with more disappointment as Virgin Atlantic cancels its order for six of the 550-seat plane.

The order was placed back in 2000 and confirmed in 2001.

While an initial delivery date had been set for 2006, continued delays on Airbus’ side, followed by postponements on the side of Virgin Atlantic, meant not one of the planes ordered was ever delivered.

Virgin Atlantic was one of the very first customers to have placed an order for the new model, it’s initial order for six of the jets also came with an option for a further six.

In the meantime, Virgin Atlantic has been increasing the size of its fleet of jets with the acquisition of a number of smaller twin-engine jets from Airbus, notably the A350 – 1000.

It was revealed earlier this month that Airbus is having to consider the fate of 3,700 staff who were employed either on the A380 or A400M turboprop military plane package.

It has not all been bad news for the A380 though.

In February the whole future of the program hung in the balance until Gulf Carrier Emirates, the most prolific customer for the superjumbo, firmed up on an order for 20 of the planes.

This was with an option for 16 more, guaranteeing the programs existence for the next ten years.

This should allow Airbus ample time to attract new customers, particularly from the burgeoning China air travel market.

Deliveries of these newly ordered aircraft are expected to begin in 2020.

To date, Airbus has delivered 221 of the now revised 325 jets ordered.


Tourism Observer

USA: Delta, Air France, KLM And Virgin Atlantic To Form Alliance

Delta Air Lines and partners Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic announced a bold business deal Thursday that the carriers hope will strengthen their position in the lucrative trans-Atlantic market.

Delta will buy a 10% stake in Air France-KLM for €375 million ($438 million), deepening an already entrenched partnership between the companies. Meanwhile, Air France-KLM is buying a 31% stake in Virgin Atlantic for £220 million ($287 million).

The airlines hope the move paves the way for a formidable joint-venture alliance between the four airlines.

Delta already owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic in a deal that closed in 2013, allowing those two carriers to launch a joint-venture of their own.

The partnership lets Delta and Virgin Atlantic to coordinate flights and fares, helping them against rivals in the trans-Atlantic market.

But, until Thursday’s announcement, Air France and KLM were not closely aligned with Virgin Atlantic. Air France and KLM merged in 2003 to become a single company (Air France-KLM), though each continues to operate under its own brand.

In selling part of his stake in the company, Virgin Group tycoon Richard Branson said the move would help the airline he founded in 1984 to better compete with British Airways and other rivals flying across the Atlantic.

Delta has helped us considerably with feed from America, but because we don’t have more slots at Heathrow or Gatwick we’re unable to enjoy feed from Europe or provide extra onward journeys for those customers we are now carrying to London,Branson said in an open letter to Virgin Atlantic employees.

To address this we’ve been in discussions with Delta’s partners in Europe, Air France and KLM, to give us that network and connections.

The intention, Branson says, is to form a four-way strategic joint venture.

Branson continued in the letter, appearing to get nostalgic in explaining a new path for his airline.

As I get a little older, I want to be certain that all the necessary building blocks are in place for Virgin Atlantic to continue to prosper and grow for the next 50 years, the 67-year-old wrote.

The airline industry has consolidated over Virgin Atlantic’s lifetime and it’s now our turn to put ourselves at the heart of an important alliance, to create a stronger customer champion and build an airline which provides great opportunities for our team around the world.

That alliance theme also was played up Virgin Atlantic's potential new partners.

With our partners Delta and Virgin Atlantic, we are pleased to reinforce our trans-Atlantic partnership, offering our customers even more choice between Europe, UK and the United States via twelve hubs on both sides of the Atlantic, Air France CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac added.

Specific passenger-facing details weren't spelled out, but the deals could greatly expand the reach of the carriers via connections and their share resources.

On the connecting front, the airlines could for example sell a single-ticket itinerary where a passenger flies KLM from Amsterdam to London to catch a Virgin Atlantic flight to Las Vegas.

Such a scenario would match the set-up already in place between Delta and Virgin Atlantic and between Delta and Air France-KLM.

Such an alliance could also allow the carriers to pool their slots at coordinate schedules at crowded airports, notably at London Heathrow, where Virgin Atlantic has a big presence.

Delta, Air France and KLM are all key members of the SkyTeam frequent-flier alliance, while Virgin Atlantic is not.

There already had been speculation Virgin Atlantic's closer relationship with Delta might lead it to join SkyTeam.

Now, if Virgin Atlantic does end up in cahoots with Air France and KLM, that chatter is only likely to increase.

Ahead of such speculation, the deals announced on Thursday still must win shareholder and regulatory approval.

If OK'd, Branson's Virgin Group would retain a 20% stake and the chairmanship of Virgin Atlantic, according to that airline.

Virgin Atlantic would retain its independence as a UK airline with a UK operating certificate, and will continue to fly under the Virgin brand, Virgin Atlantic said in a statement, appearing to try to address concerns about whether the carrier would remain in compliance with the United Kingdom's laws on foreign ownership of airlines.

Beyond Virgin Atlantic, the strategic business deals announced by Delta and its partners didn’t end with the trans-Atlantic development. In addition to Delta’s 10% stake in Air France-KLM, Shanghai-based China Eastern – also a partner of Delta – said it also would take a 10% in Air France-KLM.

The strategic, commercial and equity investment of these partnerships will position Air France-KLM as the European pillar of the leading global airline network,Air France-KLM said in a statement announcing the deal.

The deals come as the involved parties faces intense competition both from aggressively expanding low-cost carriers such as Norwegian Air and WOW and from high-end Gulf carrierssuch as Emirates and Qatar Airways.

Combining forces to offer coordinate schedules and fares and to offer more connecting options -- would theoretically strengthen the hand of Delta, Virgin Atlantic and Air France-KLM against those foes.

The moves also underscore a recent trend in the airline industry where airlines buy equity stakes in partner carriers.

Qatar Airways, for example, is now the single largest sharehold in the parent company of British Airways. Each are members of the oneworld frequent-flier alliance and now offer reciprocal flight benefits and codeshare connections on certain routes.

Delta also has taken stakes in several of its key partners. Aside from Virgin Atlantic, Delta recently bought its own stake in China Eastern and has similar deals with Aeromexico and Brazilian carrier GOL.

Still, the strategy has risks. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has been one of the most aggressive in pursuing so-called equity partnerships, but not all have worked out.

Etihad's sizable investment in Italy's perennially troubled Alitalia failed to stem losses at that airline, which has since filed for bankruptcy protection again.



Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com

Best Airline Experiences, But With Which Airlines?

Airline photos from the 1950s capture the glamour. The passengers, dressed to the nines, recline in comfort – yes, even in economy. Instead of dining off meal trays, armed with plastic cutlery, they feast on generous serves of roast beef carved on a trolley, washed down with champagne served in a crystal flute.

These days, things look very different. Instead of an elite activity, flying has become an everyday event, albeit one with some distinctly unpleasant aspects. Shuffling barefoot through security, peeling the lid off airline meals that can be not so much as inedible as unidentifiable; all too often, flying becomes a test of endurance.

Planes that are quieter and more comfortable than ever before. A dizzying array of entertainment choices, in-flight bars and on-the- ground lounges are little luxuries that can take the rough edges off even the longest trip. And it's not just happening at the pointy end of the plane.

Conventional wisdom would have it that Boeing's long-awaited and admittedly fairly sexy 787 Dreamliner is the world's best aircraft. It is, after all, extremely quiet, fuel efficient, has larger windows than any other commercial jet and a lower cabin pressure to reduce jet-lag. And yet, it's still not as good as the Airbus A380.

It's the feeling of spaciousness that really sets this behemoth apart. Sure, there might be something like 500 people on board with you, but the A380 never feels crowded. Favoured by Emirates and Qantas for their long-haul journeys, these Airbuses are like cruise ships of the sky.

Their spacious upper decks, unique to the A380, are reserved solely for business and premium economy passengers on Qantas, while on Emirates it's business and first class only, with a stand-up bar area at the back of the plane.

On the A380's lower deck, meanwhile, there might be more people crammed in, but there are still ample toilet facilities, windows that appear deceptively large and let in plenty of light, and low noise levels despite the four huge jet engines blasting away just outside. Plus, with the connection of multiple air bridges, the A380s tend to unload surprisingly quickly.

The sad news for fans, however, is that despite their popularity with passengers, worldwide demand for A380s is waning among airlines, due to the superior cargo haulage and running costs of Boeing's 777s,plus the fact many airlines are favouring smaller planes over shorter routes, meaning these huge jets could soon become a thing of the past.

Singapore Airlines is so well known for high-quality service that it's almost a cliche to mention them here. But really it's impossible to avoid, because SQ's reputation for excellence is more than just a good marketing ploy: the Singapore experience is a cut above the rest.

It starts from check-in, where staff are friendly and helpful, and continues on through the whole flight. Unlike many other airlines, the "Singapore Girls" – and, given it's the 21st century now, Guys seem to be genuinely interested in ensuring you enjoy your experience.

Need help with your hand luggage? They're on it. Feel like a drink? It will arrive. Getting hungry mid-flight? They'll sort out a snack.

There are plenty of airlines that offer this sort of service up the front of the plane, but few who continue that attention to detail right the way back into economy. Singapore, however, does.

On SQ flights there's a dedicated drinks run as soon as the seatbelt sign has been switched off, so you'll be relaxing with a glass of wine and, if you insist, a glass of water before you know it. Food is served on large, spacious trays with proper cutlery and a real glass. Staff treat passengers like valued customers, rather than a source of annoyance.

In fact the entire flying experience is delivered with such professional courtesy and almost automaton-like efficiency that you're never left questioning why Singapore has earned its reputation as the clear leader in the field.

This recommendation should come with a serious caveat: not all Singapore Airlines economy class cabins are created equal. If you're flying on one of the old 777s, which occasionally still operate out of Sydney, you'll wonder what we're on about here.

Those clunkers have tiny, low-res entertainment screens, limited facilities and fairly outdated cabin designs. Blergh. On the newer planes, however the A380s and the new or retro-fitted 777s life in SQ economy class is beautiful.

How beautiful? Start with the service. No need to wait hours for the meal run to get your hands on a cocktail, the SQ staff begin the flight with a lap of the drinks trolley, meaning you'll have a Singapore Sling in front of you as the opening credits roll on your movie of choice.

Those movies, too, are a pleasure to watch on Singapore's high-res 10.6- or 11.1-inch screens, and you can still track your flight mid-movie on a separate mobile phone-sized screen below. There are more than 1000 options to choose from on Singapore's in-flight entertainment system, including more than enough English and foreign-language TV shows and movies to get you through long-haul hell.

There's more good news, too: seat pitches on Singapore Airlines economy range from 32 inches to 34 inches, which is slightly more than standard on other full-service carriers. Those seats are also extremely comfortable for this class, and all on the A380s have AC power, as well as Wi-Fi access.

The food is also excellent, with both Western and Asian options designed by SQ's "International Culinary Panel" of eight renowned chefs, including Australia's Matt Moran and Frenchman Georges Blanc.

There aren't many airlines that have committed so fully to the premium economy concept as Qantas. Some offer larger seats, but with the same food as economy class. Some feature AC power outlets for laptops, but without enough space to get your elbows out and start working. Others still offer better entertainment than economy, but with the same lousy headphones as everyone up the back of the bus.

Qantas, however, has gone the whole hog. Seat pitches range from 38 inches on standard planes to 42 inches on the A380, as opposed to 31 inches in economy.

All seats have laptop power through an AC outlet. Passengers are allowed 10 extra kilograms of checked-in luggage, get priority check-in and boarding through a dedicated lane, begin the flight with a glass of sparkling wine just like the fancy people in business class, plus are given noise-cancelling headphones and a new Country Road amenity kit with eye-mask, socks, toothpaste and toothbrush.

The highlight of Qantas' premium economy offering, however, is the food. As well as being able to pre-order your meal through the Q-Eat system (Qantas's online food directory), there's a permanent snack bar available on the A380s, and on all flights the meals are inspired by Neil Perry (though admittedly we're not entirely sure what that means) and are served up on proper tableware, a la business class.

No more plastic containers with foil lids for you. And when those meals include dishes such as barramundi with yellow curry, and tagliatelle with grilled chicken, washed down with a glass of premium Australian wine, you'll never want to go back to cattle class again.

There's plenty to like about Emirates' business class, starting with the complimentary limousine service to the airport, an efficient and courteous check in, and a good lounge with full bar service, tasty food and plenty of seating.

On board, multi-lingual staff tends to professionalism over overt friendliness, which results in quick response times and both cabin and loos kept clean and tidy. The brilliant in-flight entertainment system, with its choice of 190 movies and dozens of TV channels, can be accessed in any class, but A380 business-class seats are the most comfy in the skies in which to lie back and enjoy the show.

Seats extend two metres, allowing you to fully stretch your legs; have an in-built mini-bar and massage system; and come with a woollen blanket and down pillow. Useful little storage compartments allow you to have all your belongings within arm's reach. Meals are good, attentively dished up on Royal Doulton and never hurried through by flight attendants.

On the A380, a bar-lounge at the rear offers some rare alternative space in which to relax and chat to fellow passengers. And finally, it's hard to resist the amenities bag, one of the best in the skies, with Bulgari products and a decent toothbrush that doesn't bend at a touch.

In short, while no one aspect of Emirates' business-class service is necessarily better than that of some other airlines, it's the cumulative considerations that quickly add up, bringing you close to that unattainable goal, a pleasurable long-haul flight.

Forgetting the gorgeous lounge experience and cutting straight to onboard, they have us at hello – the tip of Qantas' pointy end is also the zenith of its generally excellent people power.

Those perky back-of-the-bus attendants are charming, but there's an elite squad up here, who know your name and seem to be very much looking forward to attending to your every whim, starting with a glass or two of vintage bubbles and a discussion of the Neil Perry menu before take off.

That menu is among the best in the sky, with recipes lifted from Perry's much-lauded Rockpool restaurant offerings played out with intriguing high-end ingredients. The accoutrements: amenity kits, comfy pyjamas and on some flights, virtual reality goggles are top notch.

The space per passenger is, well, very spacious, with room to invite someone over to dine with you. The privacy level is highly adjustable and the seat/bed, with its swivel-capability, massage functions and quality sleep accessories including sheepskin underlays and warm Doonas do everything an inanimate object possibly can to ensure you arrive refreshed.

The large screens, plentiful entertainment, thoughtful touches such as an easily-found countdown to landing clock are all just so. And look, we know, lots of airlines have their versions of those things. But it's that crack team of flight attendants who elevate the experience above and beyond.

They make you feel special with a way that is a deft mix between flawless silver service and friendly Australian character. And they are the reason Qantas First Class has won numerous awards.

Despite its slightly unfortunate slogan – "Enjoy ICE" – the Emirates in-flight entertainment system really is the one you would want on the journey of your dreams. There's a reason, after all, that Skytrax has awarded Emirates "World's Best In-flight Entertainment System" for 11 years running.

The system's name stands for "Information, Communication, Entertainment", and it features more than 2500 channels to keep you occupied through the flight. The information section has features such as the flight tracker, news and sports headlines, and three onboard cameras. In communication, you have "Wi-Fi in the sky" – all passengers get 10MB of free data – in-seat phone, SMS and email, and seat-to-seat messaging. However, it's the entertainment section that is the most exciting.

On selected Boeing 777s, passengers are able to watch live sport, as well as live news programs from the likes of BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera. On all flights there's a huge amount to both watch and listen to, from new-release and classic movies from Hollywood and the world, to box sets of great TV shows, plus selected episodes of thousands of other programs, music videos, documentaries, radio stations and even podcasts.

And passengers can navigate through all of this on Emirates' industry-leading 13.3-inch seatback screens in business class those screens blow up to 23 inches wide, and it goes up to 32 in first class, which is pretty much the IMAX of the skies.

It takes almost 14 hours to fly from the east coast of Australia to Dubai, but you'll still walk off the plane wishing you'd had time to watch just a few more shows.

Never underestimate the civilising effect of a scone. Halfway through a long flight, smoothing jam and clotted cream onto a warm cake transports you to a calmer, more Zen place. At least, that's the effect it has on me. And that's what I enjoy most about Emirates' economy food. More than their multicultural menu – ranging from chicken biryani to Szechuan prawns (yes, in economy) – it's the small indulgences. A dessert, cheese and crackers AND chocolate? Yes, please.

For main meals, there's usually fresh salad followed by four main-course choices, including meat, fish and vegetarian options. Signature Chinese dishes such as tender braised beef are excellent. Cheese plates tempt with interesting choices (all-Swiss cheese on a Zurich flight, for example); chocolates and Illy coffee follow. Breakfasts, often a poor afterthought on flights, are worth waking up for: plenty of juices, smoothies, berries with cinnamon-flavoured muesli, and fluffy omelettes that actually taste like eggs.

Interesting wines in business class start with Billecart-Salmon champagne from a family-owned French producer, offered on boarding. Regular promotions highlight regional wines or certain wine styles, such as a recent Argentine promotion featuring three Malbecs and a Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon, with an informative accompanying leaflet describing both the wines and Argentine wine regions.

The airline carries about 80 wines from other countries such as Australia, Austria, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and the US.

At the back of the plane in business class on an Emirates A380 there's a semi-circular bar with adjacent sofas and dedicated bar tender. At 38,000 feet, you can order a martini, served up in a proper glass, toothpick, olive and all. Striking up a chat with an adjacent passenger, you get to feel like Daniel Craig, probably minus the sharp suit. Or the physique. Or the license to kill.

Trust an airline run by an Italian-Australian, born in a small town near Rome, not to tolerate the sludge that has long substituted for in-flight coffee. John Borghetti's Virgin Australia has done more than most, if not any, airline by collaborating with Nespresso and B/E Aerospace to deliver, initially on its A330 domestic business class, a near enough to cafe-standard coffee in the clouds.

The catch is that, internationally, you can only enjoy it on the carrier's business class Boeing 777 services as well as in the newly-introduced in-flight bar and in its "refreshed" premium economy. But, hey it's a start.

The modern frequent flyer might travel by air as often as people in the Golden Age rode in cars. But that doesn't mean we don't still want a sense of occasion. That's where Virgin Atlantic's fabulous Upper Class check in at Heathrow excels.

The theatre starts as soon as your chauffeur pulls into the drive snaking around a huge, gold, suspended sculpture and a concierge shepherds you and your luggage into the Upper Class Wing, a sexy gold- and red-accented private check in. Whiz through the private security channel and in no time and no stress, you're sipping Grey Goose martinis in the Clubhouse.

Designed by Studioilse, the London-based design studio led by Ilse Crawford, The Pier feels more like a luxury apartment than an airport lounge. They deliberately chose art, plants, furnishings, music and considered lighting to help any traveller forget they are in a transitory state. There's also a complimentary foot massage, showers, day suites for snoozing and an a la carte restaurant. The only downside is looking at the screen to realise your flight is boarding.

It used to be that you would dread a long layover in Santiago, Chile. It's far from the world's most exciting airport. However, Santiago is now a joy thanks to the recent opening of LATAM's new business class lounge, a two-storey monstrosity that's the largest in South America, and comes equipped with proper lie-flat beds in a darkened room, plus showers, dining rooms, meeting rooms, and even a video game and entertainment room.

While flying around South America on LATAM Airlines there were always frequent announcements made by pilots revealing the day's soccer scores. These were invariably met with a cacophony of whooping, clapping or jeering depending on the result. In an age of increasingly serious air travel, such incidents provide a welcome injection of humour and a wonderful reflection of the culture of one of the world's liveliest continents.

The trolley pulls up and there's a moment of recognition on the face of the flight attendant. She shoots a glance at my frock and then hands me the Kate Spade amenity kit in the exact same pattern. No need to buy a clutch for a night on the town at my destination then. Inside the Kate Spade and Jack Spade (for men) kits are superlative Australian-made ASPAR by Aurora Spa products, plus all the essentials including toothpaste and brush, earplugs, eye mask and travel socks.

It all started in 2009 with air crew in body paint. Air New Zealand has turned safety videos into an art form, collaborating with the likes of Peter Jackson, Bear Grylls and the All Blacks to produce a succession of entertaining instalments. The result? Passengers actually watch them and the all-important safety message is delivered with wit and panache. Many other airlines have tried to follow suit, but Air New Zealand still sets the benchmark.

Since a significant, much needed re-design last year, Qantas is the leading in-flight read. The editorial content is an engaging mix of inspiring travel, business and culture pieces with a clean, classy design that places a heavy emphasis on strong photography. The publication has also been well integrated with its corresponding app, website and social media portals.

Scoot around eBay, and you'll see American Airlines' PJ sets for sale alongside other fashion items. Undoubtedly, the airline doesn't condone the on-sale, but the fact that there's a black market for them – black being the operative word – is testament to the appeal of AA's new sleepwear.

While some in-flight PJs of lighter hues can be a tad revealing of what lies beneath, AA's version is a flattering black with a red trim and comes with matching slippers and a drawstring bag.

We types who like to change from street wear to comfy flying gear inflight know a thing or two about what makes a good plane loo. So too, do parents with infants and other small children who might need nappies and full sets of clothes changed. The main thing is space. And the Emirates A380 business class loos have it in spades. You could hold a conference in one of those cubicles. Combine that with frequent cleaning, nice-smelling amenities, great lighting and a pretty bunch of fresh flowers.

USA: Delta Air Lines Is A Leading Global Airline

Delta customers in Greater Boston will have more flights and new destinations this summer as the airline adds new nonstop service to Austin, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.*; Jacksonville, Fla.*; Buffalo, N.Y.*; and Norfolk, Va.*; – a new nonstop destination for Bostonians - as well as a second daily flight to Nashville, Tenn.*, from Boston Logan International Airport beginning Sept. 10.

“Delta is committed to being Boston’s global carrier of choice with service that meets the needs of both business and leisure travelers,” said Bob Cortelyou, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Network Planning.

“Our growing network is built to support the diverse travel demands of our customers with unparalleled overall operational performance, and innovative products and services.”

On Dec. 21, Delta will expand weekend West Palm Beach, Fla., and Fort Myers, Fla., flights to daily, as well as increase weekend Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., flights to twice daily. Delta will also continue to support strong holiday travel demand with nonstop flights to popular Caribbean destinations including Montego Bay, Jamaica; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas; beginning Dec. 21.

“Delta’s new flights and growing presence at Logan Airport are welcome news to the Commonwealth as we strive to strengthen our economic environment and create more connections across the country and globe,” said Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.

“Not only will these new flights increase options for travelers coming to and from Boston, but the planned increase to more than 100 daily flights out of Logan is a clear indication that connecting to the Commonwealth continues to be in demand."

Delta’s previously announced nonstop service to Dublin, beginning May 25, and transcontinental service to San Francisco, beginning June 8, combined with the other eight routes, complements existing trans-Atlantic service to Amsterdam, London-Heathrow and Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

When paired with additional joint venture partner and SkyTeam flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, London-Heathrow, Manchester, Rome and Mexico City, the combined group of Delta, Air France-KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Alitalia and Aeromexico offers customers seamless, one-connection access to 174 destinations in Europe and Latin America.

Delta offers more capacity to Europe from Boston than any other U.S. carrier, and is the only U.S. global carrier to offer full flat-bed seats in Delta One.

In addition, Delta One customers enjoy Westin Heavenly In-Flight Bedding featuring a full-size pillow and quilted comforter, chef-designed cuisine, a wine program curated by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, a TUMI amenity kit featuring Kiehl’s Since 1851 skincare products and an Alessi-designed collection of serviceware.

Customers flying in Delta Comfort+ will benefit from up to four additional inches of legroom and 50 percent more recline than Main Cabin seats, as well as priority boarding, and every customer will enjoy Delta Studio, which includes hundreds of complimentary movies, TV shows, songs and games, and the ability to connect with Wi-Fi on every flight.

Delta offers the most first class seats of any airline from Boston, and by this fall will operate more than 100 peak day departures to 32 destinations. The airline’s rapid growth includes 12 new destinations since November 2016.

“Logan International Airport has seen tremendous growth over the past decade and we are pleased that Delta is continuing that streak with this exciting announcement,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “Over 36 million people traveled through Logan last year, many of them on Delta, and with this new milestone, we are looking forward to serving even more.”

Delta is the No. 1 carrier between Boston and New York connecting business travelers with the Delta Shuttle, operated by Delta and its connection partner Shuttle America, with hourly service 16 times daily between Logan Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport as well as offering eight daily flights to JFK.

Delta Sky Club operates two locations in Terminal A providing customers with several healthy and fresh food choices and a number of complimentary drink options including local Samuel Adams craft beer and Starbucks coffee. THE BAR at Delta Sky Club offers wines and premium spirits.

SkyMiles members can use miles for premium drinks with a swipe their boarding pass.

Delta offers Delta Studio, the airline’s industry-leading suite of onboard entertainment, free for all customers on two-class aircraft. Delta operates the world's largest Wi-Fi-equipped fleet, with more than 1,000 connected Delta aircraft, including the airline’s entire fleet of 680 domestic mainline aircraft, Delta Connection two-class regional jets and all of its widebody international fleet.

*Flights operated by Delta Connection carriers Republic Airline or Endeavor Air.

UAE: Emirates To Launch Triple Decker Plane Featuring A Swimming Pool, Games Room, Gym And A Park

Emirates Airline is all set to launch another game changer, if we are to believe the Dubai-based airline.

One of the world's leading airlines just unveiled plans for a commercial aircraft with jaw dropping - almost unbelievable - facilities.

On Friday midnight, Emirates took to Twitter to announce its plans to launch the world's largest commercial plane, a triple-decker 'APR001', featuring a swimming pool, games room, gym and a park!

However, aviation enthusiasts and flyers, who like to travel in style, will have to wait since this 'larger than life' is nothing more than an April Fool's Day prank by Emirates.

But then who is to say what the future hold for the future of aviation. Until then, enjoy Emirates' current world class facilities the next time you fly with them.

Besides Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways - to name a few - attempted to prank people by announcing a plane with 'flaps' and a Corgi Class.

In a statement issued by Virgin Atlantic today, the airline spoke about its new innovation, the 'flapenergy':

After nearly 30 years of offering customers the ultimate long-haul flying experience, Virgin Atlantic and its founder Richard Branson are once again breaking barriers by announcing a world first in aircraft innovation.

Almost a decade in the making, Virgin Atlantic has today announced that its world-class engineering team have been secretly working on the design and production of the world's first-ever aircraft using new patented technology - flapology - to create the world's first aircraft with flappable wings.

Named the Dreambird 1417, the new aircraft has been inspired by the innovative engineering of a bird in flight and its flapping wing. The Dreambird 1417 boasts wings that bend and flex to create a flapping motion that not only propels the aircraft forward but generates its own power to meet every electronic need onboard.

The flamboyant Sir Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic and popular prankster said:

"Birds are the ultimate flying machine and it's been a lifelong ambition of mine to harness their energy and apply it to a passenger aircraft. Engineers all over the world have been trying for years to mimic a bird in flight and thanks to the perseverance and dedication of the team at Virgin Atlantic, we've finally succeeded. Not only have we harnessed this but we've also created a faster, cleaner more self-sustaining aircraft."

But Virgin Australia took their April Fool's prank further by 'unleashing' cabin crew of dogs, aptly called - Canine Crew:

NIGERIA: Arik Air Being Forced Into Receivership

2016 marked the 10th anniversary of Arik Airline. The airline rose from the ashes of the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways, and efforts to create another one in partnership with Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic.

When Joseph Arumemi-Ikhide saw this vacuum, he thought he could fill it. According to information on Arik’s website, he bought a Hawker jet aircraft. “Colleagues and contacts in the gas and oil industry started using the Hawker jet to fly themselves around Nigeria,”

continues the report. “So, another jet was acquired and, before long, a corporate jet business was launched. The next step was to find the right people and the right aircraft to build an airline that would set new standards and change the face of aviation in Africa. Arik Air was born — an airline with whom “Nigeria and the rest of Africa would be proud to fly.”

The company’s growth was rapid. By the end of 2012, Arik Air had successfully flown over 10 million passengers in less than six years of operation across a network of 41 domestic and international routes. It was operating an average of 120 flights daily from its two hubs at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria.

At the peak of its growth, Arik was the darling of many Nigerians. It commanded 55% of the airline load in the country.

However, it is said that success breeds complacency and complacency often leads to failure. Soon, the airline’s management took the wrong turn, somehow. And the centre could not hold any longer.

Delays in flight departure and outright cancellation soon became the hallmark of the airline.

One after the other, all the core values of the airline were gradually compromised; safety and reliability; honesty and integrity; and respect for the dignity of our customers, fellow colleagues and our communities became hollowed and mere rhetoric.

Last Thursday, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), announced a takeover of Arik Air to prevent it going bust.

Akin to the euphemism “too big to fail” that gained currency from the act of Government bailout of US and European banks in the years following the subprime loans bust of 2008, Nigeria’s biggest national carrier, Arik Air, is being forced into receivership because it will be too costly to allow it to fail with a whopping N300 billion debt overhang.

Like other similar interventions by AMCON, especially in the banking sector, this one too is aimed to “instill sanity” in the country’s aviation sector and to prevent a major catastrophe.

Before now, AMCON intervened to save Aero Contractors, another airline on the verge of total collapse, with greater relief to the aviation industry.

Similar interventions by AMCON in the banking industry have helped brought stability in the financial sector of the country.

Since its establishment in 2010 AMCON has acquired about 13,774 Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) worth N3.6 trillion from 22 commercial banks, in the process saving our banking system, while its provision of financial accommodation of N2.2billion protected about N4.7trillion of depositors’ funds and interbank takings as well as saved approximately 14,000 jobs.

AMCON has, through these interventions in the past, helped a lot of businesses bounce back and hit the path of recovery. In one of his numerous interactions with the media, the Managing Director of AMCON, Mr. Ahmed Kuru, has underscored the raison d’être of his organization’s interventions thus:

“We don’t want any business to suffer because of their debts.

We are not out to kill businesses but to encourage them to grow by following the global best practices in debt reconciliations and settlements. Our desire is to recover the money for the nation through painless processes.”

News reports have it that the beleaguered airline was indebted to the tune of over N300bn, with AMCON alone owing N135bn; while its obligations to aviation fuel suppliers, insurance firms, aircraft maintenance organizations, the Federal Government and the various aviation agencies, as well as food vendors, made up the balance.

This was a clearly precarious situation that pointed to the fast deterioration of the Arik Air services on both its domestic and international routes.

A passenger reported his experience with Arik services in the following words:
“To fly Arik often means never getting off the ground. I was at Enugu airport when I was told my flight was cancelled. The man beside me at the check-in desk just shook his head – all his flights had been cancelled for the past two days.

“Customer service at Arik Air is at times non-existent. When the airline cancels a flight, most of the time its ground staff flee rather than deal with the fallout from irate passengers.”

As the company’s troubles mounted at the end of last year, 70% of its international flights were delayed.”

“The firm’s staff bears the brunt for an airline that even by Nigerian standards is a byword for utter dysfunction. Last month the company was forced to issue a plea for passengers not to attack its employees.”

Indeed, hardly will you find a frequent flyer of domestic flights in Nigeria without a bitter and hard-to-forget experience of flying on Arik.

Nothing explains this recurrent unfortunate experience by Arik customers better than lack of strict adherence to the tenets of corporate governance by its management.

Its poor services became a far cry from the airline’s sublime objective “to operate above and beyond the highest standards of safety and security and to offer a superior level of customer service and to deliver on all promises made to our guests.”

Early this year the patience of Arik passengers was pushed to its limit. A video that went viral on the Internet on January 5 depicted the customer liaison manager of Arik being assaulted by a group of aggrieved passengers whose flight to Johannesburg was cancelled three times.

The management of the airline was quick to blame frequent flight cancellation on aviation fuel shortages in the country. Although that could be true to some extent, there are other failings from the management of the airlines that became noticeable — such as the strikes embarked by its staffs or the shutting down of the airline offices throughout the country by a couple of unions that brought untold hardship on its passengers last December.

Many other serious failings of the management of Arik were reeled out by AMCON in the wake of the takeover of the airline by the corporation. They include, among others, poor corporate governance, demotivated pilots, poor safety measures, which is unacceptable in aviation business and the Airline inability to meet its financial obligations.

Arik management may attempt to contest the takeover, as the Deputy Managing Director, Captain Ado Sunusi, is reported to have said, but in the reckoning of stakeholders, the Arik takeover by AMCON is a welcome intervention. As clearly stated, AMCON intervened to afford Arik the opportunity to go back to regular and undisrupted operations, avoid job losses, protect investors and stakeholders’ funds as well as ensure safety and stability in the already challenged aviation sector.

What can be a better option for Arik than this? In all honesty can the management of Arik afford its blooming debt burden? What has become evident is that the Buhari administration has seen positive results in these takeovers by AMCON and has been inclined to encourage it to the delight of Nigerians. Surely, AMCON is in good hands of its Managing Director and his team enjoying his experience and expertise as a thorough-bred banker and risk management guru. I have two pieces of advices to all stakeholders.

The first is for all stakeholders in this unfolding event to manage their expectations of AMCON’s takeover—we should not expect magical turnaround of Arik in a month or two. The rot in Arik that have seen it plummeting from commanding of 30 aircrafts in its heydays to just 9 today cannot be purified in few months’ time.

The second is for all to put their sentiments aside and cooperate with the new managers and the receivers in their efforts to see to it that Arik navigates out of the current turbulent weather to a steady cruising level that will eventually land it into safer rebirth.
– Hassan contributed this piece from Abuja

CUBA: Tourism Boom Not Supported By Facilities

Cuba is an attractive destination for British travellers as airlines launch new routes and cruise tourism surges. But as the boom continues, confusion has taken hold over whether Britons are able to board the new direct US-Cuba flights.

Passengers flying to the Caribbean island from the UK with Virgin Atlantic (VA) have also experienced difficulties as the airline gets to grips with the ticketing system alongside its new partner, Delta.

Customers have been unable to book flights online by card, or use Air Miles plus money, and they must, instead, call a Cuba phoneline at Virgin Holidays. Miles then need to be converted into vouchers to be discounted against a normal fare.

VA said the issue was temporary, but Rob Miller, director of the UK-based Cuba Solidarity Campaign, accused the airline of discriminating against the communist nation. “Virgin Atlantic must end this discriminatory policy impacting on travellers wanting to use their Air Miles to travel to Cuba,” he said. “The US blockade is at the heart of this latest travel dispute.

“We have written to the British Government, and Virgin Atlantic, calling on them to take immediate action to ensure that all passengers are treated fairly whether they are travelling to Cuba or elsewhere.”

A VA spokesperson apologised for any inconvenience: “This is just a different way to pay for this route, on a temporary basis. We certainly aren’t discriminating against Cuba. However, our technology is currently restricted, meaning we can’t take bookings.”

The airline launches its second UK route direct to Cuba on April 2, to Juan G Gomez airport. Thomson, too, is adding a route to Cayo Santa Maria from May; Thomas Cook’s inclusion of the small set of islands off the coast from 2018, takes its total of Cuban destinations to four.

Last year, 10 US airlines made the first direct flights to the island in more than 50 years, following a thaw in US-Cuba relations. Meanwhile, cruise firms cannot organise itineraries fast enough and the demand for hotel rooms has soared. Tour operators were halting bookings to the island as its infrastructure struggled to cope with demand.

Swiss chain Kempinski will open Cuba’s first truly glamorous five-star hotel, Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana. Further luxury hotels will follow.

Less positive has been the ambiguity facing British travellers flying to Cuba from the US. Travel for tourism purposes remains illegal for US citizens under a trade embargo. They may only fly direct to Cuba for one of 12 reasons listed by the US Treasury’s Cuba sanctions office (OFAC). The same applies to Britons. Since self-certification (an honour system) for travel was permitted last year by the Obama administration, UK travellers, like US citizens, are ticking one of the officially-approved categories (educational) for travel on airline sites.​

Comparison website cheapair.com advises: “Keep receipts for cultural activities to demonstrate your visit was filled with 'authorised’ travel activities… keep records of museums visited, local tours you took, cultural activities attended, etc… most of the time, no one will ask.”

The Foreign Office advises that travel between the US and Cuba is permitted as long as visitors comply with US law. The OFAC’s press office has not yet responded to our inquiries.

USA:Virgin Atlantic Ushers Festive Feast

Passengers flying with Virgin Atlantic next week will be offered a festive feast, with the airline preparing to serve 27,000 Christmas dinners at 38,000ft.

From December 24-26, customers can receive a complimentary three-course Christmas meal.

In total, Virgin Atlantic will serve up about 2,000 kilos of turkey, 100,000 sprouts, and 82,000 roast potatoes on-board flights to the US, Africa, UAE and China.

Customers travelling in upper class or premium economy can also choose from a selection of winter cocktails.

Virgin Atlantic executive vice president of customer care Jill Brady said: “To make our customers' journey that little bit more special we’re serving Christmas dinners on board all flights to the US, South Africa, Asia, and UAE between December 24 and December 26. We started developing the special festive menus in June to ensure we’re providing an extra tasty treat for everyone travelling with us this Christmas.”

2017 Best Airlines

For many locals and expatriates in the UAE, frequent travel is a part of life. They spend a great deal of time in the stratosphere, jetting off to another country three times a year, on average, according to a study. This is why choosing the best airline to travel with is very important for a lot of people.

AirlineRatings.com, which regularly reviews carriers around the world, has recently released its list of top 10 airlines for 2017, to let flyers know which ones excel in offering safety, comfort and service in the sky, and are able to maximise their profits at the same time.

According to the ratings agency, the airline that shows "exceptional performance" is Air New Zealand.

Winning the "airline of the year" award for the fourth time in a row, the Kiwi airline bested other carriers for its exemplary financial performance, in-flight innovations, operational safety, environmental leadership and motivation of its staff.

“In our objective analysis, Air New Zealand came out number one in virtually all of our audit criteria, which is an exceptional performance,” said AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas.

Also worthy of high praises are other airlines that comprise the rest of the top ten list for 2017: Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic/Virgin Australia, British Airways, Etihad Airways, All Nippon Airways, Eva Air and Lufthansa.

AirlineRatings picked the top ten airlines using four major international industry and government audits and nine key criteria, including fleet age, passenger review ratings, profitability, investment rating and key product offerings.

Emirates, included in last year’s edition, is missing in the top ten, but it did get the best in-flight entertainment award.

“The crash of the 777 was a serious blow to the airline’s safety record and thus, it has slipped out of the top ten,” Geoffrey Thomas, editor-in-chief, AirlineRatings.com, said.

Qantas scooped three awards for offering the best domestic airline service, catering and lounges.

The UAE’s Etihad Airways earned the award for having the “best first class”, while Virgin Australia won best business class.”

The “best cabin crew” award went to The Virgin Group
- Virgin Australia
- Virgin Atlantic
- Virgin America.

For excellence in long haul travel, the following airlines did it best:
- Delta Air Lines (Americas)
- Virgin Atlantic (Europe)
- Etihad (Middle East/Africa)
- Singapore Airlines (Asia/Pacific).

In terms of value and safety in the low-cost airline sector, the following stood out:
- Virgin America (Americas)
- Norwegian (Europe)
- Kulula.com (Africa/Middle East)
- Scoot (Asia/Pacific)

Virgin Atlantic, Delta, Jet Airways To Expand Codeshare Cooperation

Delta Air Lines and joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic will expand the airlines’ existing cooperation agreement with India’s Jet Airways, the carriers announced Oct. 31.

Beginning Nov. 2, Delta and Virgin Atlantic passengers flying from the US into London Heathrow (LHR) will be able to make connecting flights to Mumbai and Delhi on Jet Airways.

Simultaneously, Jet Airways passengers will be able to connect through London Heathrow onto Delta routes to nine US cities: Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Salt Lake City and Seattle.

The new London-Mumbai/Delhi connections complement Delta and Jet Airways codeshare agreements already offered out of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport.

“With up to 11,000 people flying daily between India and North America, and with trade and tourism flows increasing between the US, UK and India, we are giving our customers more … options between North America and India,” Delta SVP-Europe, Middle East, Africa and India Nat Pieper said. “Customers will be able to hold a single Delta ticket from North America through London to India.”

Virgin Atlantic already has a codeshare agreement with Jet Airways on flights between five Indian cities and London Heathrow via Delhi. In 2017, subject to government approval, the airlines plan to expand their codeshare agreement when Virgin Atlantic places Jet Airways’ marketing code on flights from London Heathrow to 10 North American cities.

Frustration With SA Visa Rules

There is growing frustration in South Africa's tourism industry as the fallout from onerous requirements becomes clear, with fewer tourists visiting the country and hotel rooms left empty.

The new regulations - which make it more difficult for travellers with children and for visitors from countries such as China that require visas - are biting at a time when the South African economy badly needs a boost.

South Africa's home affairs department has said the measures are intended to prevent child trafficking and government officials claim 30 000 children are trafficked in the country every year.

However, the department has recorded just 23 cases of child trafficking over the past three years.

Grant Hughes, 45, from Suffolk, was booked to fly from Heathrow to Addis Ababa and on to Durban with Ethiopian Airlines last Wednesday.

He was travelling with his fiancée to the city for their wedding and was accompanied by his children, 11 and 15.

But the airline, which had not told them birth certificates were obligatory, refused to let them board the plane.

Responsibility rests with passengers to ensure they have the necessary documents to enter a country.

Airlines face fines from the South African authorities if they carry passengers under 18 who do not have a birth certificate and are therefore inadmissible.

“I would have accepted it had it just been me who had made an oversight,” said Mr Hughes.

“However, we were told that this is a regular occurrence and roughly 10 families a night are being turned away across various airlines.”

David Frost, chief executive of the Southern African Tourism Services Association, said: “It's an appalling way to behave when we should be doing everything to foster tourism. With the rand so favourable, we should have had double-digit growth but, out of the UK, we have been basically flat.” On a typical long-haul flight departing for South Africa, he said, between 10 and 20 people are being denied boarding.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and South African Airways, which fly direct from the UK to Johannesburg and Cape Town, say they do all they can to inform passengers about the rules.

BA emailed all customers who have travelled to South Africa in the past year, as well as those with advance bookings.

The majority of denied-boarding cases known to The Independent involve passengers who book through online travel agents for airlines that do not fly direct.

A leading travel industry figure, who did not want to be named, said: “South Africa looks intent on shutting down family tourism. Kenya and Tanzania can't believe their luck - this is the best promotion they've ever had.”

Lorenzo Fioramonti, a University of Pretoria professor and Unesco chair in regional integration and migration issues, said criminals behind child trafficking “can easily bribe officials or forge [birth] certificates to travel... Any graphic designer with basic abilities could forge one.”

An official at Johannesburg's main airport was recently suspended over accusations he tried to solicit a “fine” from a group of schoolgirls on a student exchange by claiming they had the incorrect documents, according to the Association of Southern African Travel Agents.

Other tourists have been prevented from boarding flights, included a group of Dutch teenagers travelling to do aid work.

In a separate immigration requirement, as of last year visitors from countries requiring visas, such as China and India, must apply in person at a South African office in their home country so that their biometric data can be collected.

Often this would mean a flight to the nearest big city so many tourists are simply choosing to go elsewhere.

An open letter from 20 international airlines last year warned that the immigration requirements would be a “tourism, PR, economic and political disaster”.

The South African government conceded in October that the new rules had had “unintended consequences” and promised a number of revisions but domestic tourism officials say it is dragging its feet on implementing changes.

Brexit Affects Commercial Aviation

The United Kingdom (UK) has voted to leave the European Union (EU). The so-called “Brexit” is the culmination of years of building anti-European sentiment in the UK, and it will immediately trigger a two-year negotiated exit from the EU once the Prime Minister formally invokes Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). While the consequences of this decision naturally have a major impact across Britain’s society and economy, the impact on aviation will be particularly acute.

The gating question for how large the impact of Brexit will be on British aviation is whether UK will remain a part of the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA), which includes all of the EU member states as well as Norway, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo. Right now, as an EU member, British carriers may fly any route to and from any country in the ECAA (e.g. London – Athens), any route between two separate countries in the ECAA (e.g. Paris – Milan), and even domestic routes within any country in the ECAA (e.g. Berlin – Munich). Of course the same right applies to other European airlines (hence Ryanair’s massive operation at London Stansted).

Europe is by far the largest market for most UK airlines, whether through routes to and from the UK for the likes of British Airways and Monarch, or from bases in Europe for low-cost carriers (LCCs) like EasyJet. This makes maintaining access to the ECAA absolutely critical, and there is certainly a precedent for non-EU members to gain access to the ECAA. As long as Britain maintains access to the ECAA, the overall effects of Brexit would be muted, though the question of outside bilateral agreements would be solved separately. Moreover, the ECAA would require Britain to continue complying, to a certain extent, with EU aviation law.

While the EU is the primary market for UK airlines, it is by no means the only one, and right now the UK latches onto several open skies and bilateral agreements that the EU has signed with other countries, including notably the United States and Canada, with initiatives underway to expand access to Turkey, China, Brazil, and ASEAN (a conglomerate of Southeast Asian countries). With or without access to the ECAA under Brexit, the UK would likely need to either negotiate continued access to these bilaterals via negotiation with the EU, or enact its own bilateral agreements with these countries.

As now the UK has voted Brexit, here is some risk of losing access to the ECAA. In particular, a precursor to participating in the ECAA is “close economic cooperation” with the EU, which means a rather broad alignment with EU economic policy (including regulations). One of the big selling point for voters who supported the “leave” option is the potential for eliminating the most cumbersome of EU economic regulations, and indeed this is where a large part of the case for Brexit boosting long run economic growth. If Britain holds its ground on regulatory matters and negotiations with the EU turn acrimonious, its airlines could find themselves unceremoniously booted from the ECAA altogether.

The biggest losers in such a scenario would be the UK’s Low-cost carriers, particularly EasyJet, which has bases and routes all throughout Europe, the majority of which do not touch the UK at all. Without a strong bilateral access, it would be unclear whether EasyJet would be allowed to persist as an entity (in all likelihood its UK entity and European entities would have to be spun off from each other, with the latter transferred to new, European ownership). This would be a disastrous scenario for EasyJet, particularly if accompanied by bilateral uncertainty.

The effects are likely to be more mixed for the UK’s primary full service carrier, British Airways, as its focus is more on longer distance routes from its London Heathrow hub that would likely be maintained outside of the ECAA. Virgin Atlantic, without a short haul network in Europe at all, would be even more insulated. The flip side is that British Airways is more dependent on business travel, which would suffer in the wake of a likely post-Brexit recession (particularly on its European network), and Virgin Atlantic would see similar effects.

For British Airways, the other risk comes in the form of its parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), which now includes Spain’s Iberia, low-cost carrier Vueling, and Ireland’s Aer Lingus. IAG’s transnational holdings structure is only allowed as a result of the EU’s existence. IAG has generated significant benefits for British Airways, many of which would disappear if British Airways was forcibly spun off in the wake of Brexit.

In general terms, Brexit would cause plenty of harm to Britain’s full service carriers. The one saving grace for the airlines (though certainly not one for consumers), is that Britain might be able to negotiate more aggressive bilateral agreements that curtailed access for the so-called Middle East Big 3 (or perhaps for all but IAG investor Qatar Airways). Perhaps of more interest would be restricting LCC Norwegian Air Shuttle from flying long-haul, low-cost routes at London Gatwick. The long arc of protectionism would be an easy temptation for a Britain without the shackles of the EU (fitting tonally with “Leave”proponents,) but would be a disaster for consumers.

Beyond the airline industry, there are also aerospace considerations from Brexit, in particular the British operations of Airbus and the entirety of Rolls-Royce. These would be affected less by the specifics of the ECAA and more so by whether Britain remains a part of the European common market. As long as it remains, the impact on British aerospace industry would be limited. But if Britain exits the common market, it could wreak on Airbus for a while, and push the European airframer to shift jobs back to the continent.

The overall question of Brexit’s impact on British aviation and aerospace really depends on how severe Brexit actually is. If Brexit is more bark than bite, and the UK complies with the provisions to remain in the ECAA and common market, there will be almost no effect (perhaps a marginal decline in tourism as a result of having to obtain a visa). Conversely, if Britain is booted from the ECAA and common market, it would mean a massive upheaval for its airlines and aerospace companies.

UNITED KINGDOM: Will United Kingdom Sustain Travel & Tourism? After Voting To Exit European Union

Travelers and the travel industry are taking stock and making plans.

For anyone who has been thinking about visiting London and other destinations in the United Kingdom, tour and travel agents will advise that you must go now.

"In the short term, it will be business as usual, except tourists will probably get an even better value now than they have in decades," says Jack Ezon of luxury leisure travel agency Ovation Vacations.

The British pound took a beating after Thursday's vote, and is hovering at trading levels lower than they've been in the past 30 years.

The fluctuations led the Thomas Cook travel company and some banks to temporarily suspend foreign currency exchanges.

But wherever the pound settles, U.S. visitors to the United Kingdom for now, anyway will get a lot more for their travel dollars, especially in London, a traditionally expensive city for visitors.

"There is no better time to visit the U.K.," Ezon said. "Prices are now 10 to 15 percent lower than last week and 30 percent lower than two years ago. Go now and go for that better room while you can afford it."

Attraction admissions, hotel stays, meals, shopping and other purchases are at least 10 percent cheaper now, said George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com, noting that now is a good time to buy pounds for any upcoming trips.

And "if you pre-booked a hotel or other land arrangements, check to see if you can rebook at a better price now that exchange rates have been hammered," he added.

Although many airline stocks dipped in the wake of the Brexit decision, airfares to the U.K. currently aren't expected to spike and, in fact, may dip deeper as well, experts said.

"One reason airfares from the U.S. to Europe have gone down so much this year is because they're not coming over here," Hobica said.

And because now "fewer Europeans and Brits will visit the U.S. than ever, expect airfares from the U.S. to Europe and Britain to go even lower," he added. "The day after the Brexit vote, we saw airfares to London on Virgin Atlantic and other airlines for fall travel reduced to $500 round-trip."

Those deals-savvy buyers willing to book a ticket a few months ahead may find even better fares.

While the U.K. market currently only represents 10 percent of WOW Air's business, the Icelandic discount carrier has been aggressively expanding the number of U.S. cities it serves with rock-bottom — sometimes $199 one-way — fares to Europe.

"Market uncertainties have also put pressure on oil prices, which we think remain in the current range for some time," said Skuli Mogensen, WOW Air founder. That's "allowing us to continue to offer these great fares."

The United Kingdom may not officially leave the European Union for at least two years, so for now, many travel plans and strategies, such as using London as a travel hub, can stay the same.

"Today, you can travel from London to Paris without going through immigration, and taking the Eurostar is as simple as commuting from New York to Washington," said Ezon of Ovation Travel.

But, he warned, once the U.K. breaks from the EU, "you'll most likely have to go through immigration and customs between borders. And that will make it a lot more cumbersome and time consuming."

While the world mulls over the impact of the British vote to exit the European Union, travelers and the travel industry are taking stock and making plans.

In the short term, it will be business as usual, except tourists will probably get an even better value now than they have in decades, said Jack Ezon of luxury leisure travel agency Ovation Vacations.

The British pound took a beating after Thursday's vote, and is hovering at trading levels lower than they've been in the past 30 years.

The fluctuations led the Thomas Cook travel company and some banks to temporarily suspend foreign currency exchanges.

But wherever the pound settles, U.S. visitors to the United Kingdom — for now, anyway — will get a lot more for their travel dollars, especially in London, a traditionally expensive city for visitors.

"There is no better time to visit the U.K.," Ezon said. "Prices are now 10 to 15 percent lower than last week and 30 percent lower than two years ago. Go now — and go for that better room while you can afford it."

Attraction admissions, hotel stays, meals, shopping and other purchases are at least 10 percent cheaper now, said George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com, noting that now is a good time to buy pounds for any upcoming trips.

And "if you pre-booked a hotel or other land arrangements, check to see if you can rebook at a better price now that exchange rates have been hammered," he added.

Although many airline stocks dipped in the wake of the Brexit decision, airfares to the U.K. currently aren't expected to spike and, in fact, may dip deeper as well, experts said.

"One reason airfares from the U.S. to Europe have gone down so much this year (already) is because they're not coming over here," Hobica said.

And because now "fewer Europeans and Brits will visit the U.S. than ever, expect airfares from the U.S. to Europe and Britain to go even lower," he added. "The day after the Brexit vote, we saw airfares to London on Virgin Atlantic and other airlines for fall travel reduced to $500 round-trip."

Those deals-savvy buyers willing to book a ticket a few months ahead may find even better fares.

While the U.K. market currently only represents 10 percent of WOW Air's business, the Icelandic discount carrier has been aggressively expanding the number of U.S. cities it serves with rock-bottom — sometimes $199 one-way — fares to Europe.

"Market uncertainties have also put pressure on oil prices, which we think remain in the current range for some time," said Skuli Mogensen, WOW Air founder. That's "allowing us to continue to offer these great fares."


The United Kingdom may not officially leave the European Union for at least two years, so for now, many travel plans and strategies, such as using London as a travel hub, can stay the same.

"Today, you can travel from London to Paris without going through immigration, and taking the Eurostar is as simple as commuting from New York to Washington," said Ezon of Ovation Travel.

But, he warned, once the U.K. breaks from the EU, "you'll most likely have to go through immigration and customs between borders. And that will make it a lot more cumbersome and time consuming."

The day after the Brexit vote, we saw airfares to London for fall travel reduced to $500 round-trip.

After the U.K.-EU breakup, Ezon worries that hotel rates, tour and car driver rates, food costs and other travel expenses may rise in Britain if non-British citizens end up losing their service industry jobs and the cost of labor rises.

That's all the more reason to make travel plans now, he said and don't just limit yourself to the United Kingdom.

"Hotel occupancy and rates will likely decline in markets that rely heavily on British business but trade in another currency," said Ezon, "So think Barbados, Maldives, Dubai.

Some travelers and travel companies are already making their move.

"We're buying lots of pounds," tweeted Jonathan Epstein, of Celebrated Experiences, which books luxury travel to the U.K., Ireland and Italy.

"Just booked a trip to Belfast, where it is 10 percent cheaper than before Brexit," Kendall Creighton of the travelers' rights group FlyersRights, posted on Twitter.

"Other EU sights were high on the wish-list, including Amsterdam, Belgium, Stockholm, the Alps and Transylvania. But we're taking full advantage of this sale."