Virgin America landed at the top of the latest Consumer Reports ratings of airlines in its first appearance on the list, receiving some of the highest customer satisfaction scores any airline has in years.

The airline, which made its debut in 2007, got high marks in all areas that the carriers were judged on, especially baggage handling even though there’s a $25 charge for first and second checked bags.

Spirit Airlines found itself at the bottom of the ratings, with the lowest marks across the board. The carrier has some of the lowest fares in the industry but charges fees for everything from booking a flight to carrying on a bag. Readers also complained about Spirit’s seats, some of the tightest spaces in the industry.

Consumer Reports’ ratings are based on a February survey of 16,663 subscribers who flew a combined 31,732 domestic flights. They were asked to rate their satisfaction with the airlines’ check-in ease, cabin-crew service, cabin cleanliness, seating comfort, baggage handling, and in-flight entertainment.

Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways also were rated highly, especially for their baggage handling. Readers liked that Southwest lets fliers check in two bags for free and JetBlue lets them check one bag at no charge. The two carriers also received high marks for their check-in ease and cabin crew service.

“While other airlines on the list like Southwest and JetBlue have done a very good job of satisfying fliers, Virgin America is a cut above in the eyes of our readers,” said Amanda Walker, senior editor of Consumer Reports.

Readers said they liked flying Virgin America partly because their leather seat cushions were comfortable even in Economy class. They also rated the carrier’s in-flight entertainment system highly.

“With new planes, fleetwide WiFi, touch-screen entertainment and award-winning service, we take pride in our operational excellence and the commitment our teammates have made to creating a really great domestic airline,” Virgin America spokeswoman Jennifer Thomas told Today in the Sky. “We see today’s Consumer Reports result as continued proof that we’re moving in the right direction and delivering on our promise to guests to elevate the air travel experience.”

Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza defended his airline on CBS’ This Morning, saying that “we care what our customers care about, which is price.”

“One of the things that Consumer Reports survey didn’t ask is ‘where do you get the lowest fare?,’” He said. “They asked about leg room, they asked about check-in, bag fees, and things like that. But the total price they pay on Spirit Airlines is less than they pay on anyone else.”

Baldanza compared Spirit Airlines to McDonald’s, saying, that “No one goes into McDonald’s and is surprised they don’t see filet mignon on the menu. When they come to Spirit, they know what they’re getting. They know they’ll get a lower total price than they’ll get anywhere else.”

JetBlue also shined for its in-flight entertainment, while Southwest did not. Southwest offers wireless entertainment on your personal electronic device. JetBlue also outscored Southwest on cabin cleanliness and seating comfort. JetBlue passengers get a couple of extra inches of leg room compared with most other airlines.

Hawaiian Airlines received high marks for check-in ease, cabin service, cleanliness, and baggage handling. Hawaiian’s in-flight entertainment was not so popular.

Passengers like Alaska Airline’s check-in, cabin staff and baggage handling. Yet they weren’t so impressed with the airline’s seats and entertainment options.

Delta Airlines and Frontier Airlines got very good marks for check-in ease, but everything else was mediocre. Delta got low marks for seating comfort.

Lower-rated carriers, such as American Airlines, United Airlines, and US Airways, all received the lowest rating possible for cabin cleanliness, seating comfort, and in-flight entertainment.

The full report can be found online at ConsumerReports.org and in the July 2013 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Source: usatoday.com

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Bombardier Aerospace has expanded its Challenger family of business jets with the addition of the new Challenger 350 aircraft.

Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to begin in 2014.

The Challenger 350 jet will offer increased performance from the new twin Honeywell HTF7350 engines, each producing 7,323 lbf of thrust and reduced emissions, increased aerodynamic efficiency with its new canted winglets and will fly eight passengers 3,200 nm (5,926 km).

The Challenger 350 jet boasts an impressive direct climb to 43,000 ft (13,106 m).

“The Challenger 350 jet will take our existing Challenger family to new heights,” said Steve Ridolfi, president, Bombardier Business Aircraft.

“Designed to meet the ever growing needs of our customers, this new aircraft reflects the feedback received from our existing Challenger customers.

“Based on our owners and operators’ needs, we have taken the world’s bestselling super midsize jet and further increased its capability to better meet the growing requirements of our ever expanding Challenger customer base worldwide.”

With a flat floor and one of the widest cabins in its class, the Challenger 350 jet features an entirely new interior, that lets even more natural light into the cabin with larger windows, resulting in a jet that offers passengers state-of-the-art cabin comfort, technology and productivity.

Featuring Lufthansa Technik’s next generation nice HD cabin management system, the cabin includes a complete redesign of the way passengers control the cabin environment, complemented by contemporary seat design, a new modular galley and an advanced sideledge featuring an authentic metal trim.

The Challenger 350 aircraft’s cockpit will feature Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 Advanced.

Features of the new avionics include, among others, synthetic vision, dual inertial reference systems, a completely paperless cockpit and Multiscan Weather Radar.

In preparation for a smooth entry-into-service, Bombardier Aerospace is currently reconfiguring a flight training device and Level D full-flight simulator at its aircraft training centre in Dallas, Texas.

Source: Breaking travel news

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has concluded an agreement with the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the establishment of its Gulf Area office in Abu Dhabi, effective 1 June.

“We are very pleased to be moving to our new home in Abu Dhabi. Today’s agreement reflects the recognition by the government of the UAE of the importance that aviation plays in driving economic growth and development,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Tyler signed the agreement with Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Mohammad Bin Butti Al Hamed in the presence of the Foreign Minister HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This formally establishes IATA’s presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council with an office covering activities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, in addition to the UAE. It supersedes an agreement with the Sharjah Airport Authority, under which IATA’s first office in the UAE was established in 1996.

“I thank our hosts in Sharjah for their support over the last 17 years. Over that period our activities have grown rapidly in parallel with the development of the airlines in the Gulf area. Having formalized our position at the national level, I am confident that we will be able to provide the region with even more effective support for its impressive development,” said Tyler.

The Abu Dhabi office will report to the Association’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Office in Amman, Jordan. Together they will make available the full range of IATA’s services and member benefits to airlines operating in the region. This includes managing the local operations of the IATA Industry Settlement Systems, the IATA Operational Safety Audit and delivering leadership as the industry establishes and implements global standards to support the flagship Simplifying the Business program, among other activities.

Source: Breaking Travel News

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Qatar Airways has resumed Boeing 787 Dreamliner services between Doha and London Heathrow after a worldwide grounding of the aircraft in January.

The Doha-based carrier was the first to launch Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights to the UK in December, and the return to service means it remains the only airline in the world to operate scheduled 787 flights to and from the United Kingdom.

Landing at London Heathrow at 11.19am local time May 15, QR075 was the airline’s first Boeing 787 to resume flights to the capital. The aircraft returned to Doha a few hours later as flight QR076, one of the airline’s five daily services between the UK and the State of Qatar.

The first of the airline’s five Boeing 787 Dreamliners returned to service on the Doha – Dubai route on May 1. The airline will be gradually phasing in Boeing 787 flights over the next few weeks on long-haul routes such as Munich, Frankfurt and Zurich.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “The Doha – Heathrow route is one of our most popular international services, and so I’m thrilled that our Dreamliners are back in the skies, providing our passengers with an unparalleled level of service and comfort to and from the UK.

“I have always hailed the Dreamliner as the state-of-the-art aircraft destined to change the way people travel. After a setback that not only affected our own worldwide operations, but those of many carriers worldwide, we look forward to now deploying the Dreamliner on other key routes over the coming weeks.”

Qatar Airways UK Country Manager Richard Oliver said: “We are absolutely delighted to be back in the air with the Boeing 787s in the UK providing our passengers with a unique travel experience.

“With our Heathrow operations going back up to five flights a day following the re-introduction of the Dreamliner on the London route, we fly to our Doha hub and offer passengers a raft of excellent connections to cities across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.”

Made up of composite materials, the 787 Dreamliner is lighter and more fuel efficient than any comparable aircraft of its size and range.

Qatar Airways has 254 custom-made seats across its 787 Business and Economy Class cabins with specially designed interiors. Business Class is configured 1–2–1 with 22 seats, while Economy has 232 seats in a 3–3–3 layout.

The airline’s 787s are the world’s first fully connected Dreamliners with wireless facilities for passengers to remain in touch with friends and colleagues on the ground through the internet and SMS mobile texting across both the Business and Economy cabins.

Unique features of the 787 Dreamliners include larger windows, reduced cabin noise and cleaner cabin air.

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 124 aircraft to 126 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.

Qatar Airways has so far launched four destinations this year – Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Najaf (Iraq), Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Chicago (USA).

Over the next few weeks and months, the network will grow further with Salalah, Oman (May 22), Basra and Sulaymaniyah (Iraq on June 3 and August 20 respectively), Chengdu, China (September 3) and recently-announced new routes of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (September 18), Clark International Airport, Philippines (October 28) and Philadelphia, USA (2 April 2014).

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Qatar Airways has resumed its Boeing 787 services May 1st after a worldwide grounding of the aircraft in January.

The airline’s fleet of five Dreamliners was grounded earlier this year following a directive from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States and Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker was the first passenger to board the airline’s reinstated Dreamliner 787, joined by President Boeing Middle East Jeffrey Johnson, Boeing’s Deputy Fleet Chief David Silver and a delegation of regional and international media.

Al Baker said he was delighted to be back on board the Dreamliner. “I always said I would be the first to fly on Qatar Airways’ 787 once it returned to service, and I’m thrilled that our Dreamliner fleet is back in the skies, providing our passengers with an unparalleled level of service and comfort,” he said.
“After a setback that not only affected our own worldwide operations, but those of many carriers worldwide, we look forward to now deploying the Dreamliner on other key routes over the coming weeks.
“I have always hailed the Dreamliner as the state-of-the-art aircraft destined to change the way people travel and I was delighted to be on board our first 787 to take to the air again.
“Throughout the grounding of our fleet we have worked closely with Boeing to monitor the situation and work towards getting our fleet up and running again.
“Safety has always been the number one priority for Qatar Airways and I have full confidence in the safety and security of this aircraft.”

President Boeing Middle East, Jeffrey Johnson said: “Today’s flight is a tribute to the spirit of partnership, which led to the solution that made it possible. “It is also testament to Qatar Airways’ continued support for the 787 Dreamliner program and to the strength of its relationship with Boeing.”

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 123 aircraft to 126 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.

Over the next few weeks and months, Qatar Airways will launch scheduled flights to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Salalah, Oman (May 22); Basra, Iraq (June 3); Sulaymaniyah, Iraq (August 20); and Chengdu, China (September 3), with many more start-ups to be announced.

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To the dismay of many travellers, on Wednesday, Frontier Airlines announced it will start to charge passengers a fee of anywhere from $25 to $100 for using the overhead bin. This would occur if they book their tickets from anywhere other than the airline’s website.

“Frontier’s most loyal customers have made it very clear that finding overhead bin space for carry-on bags has become unacceptably difficult,” said the airline in a statement. “In response, Frontier will be introducing a charge for carry-on bags for customers buying Basic fares through third party sites.”

Passengers who book at the airline’s website, FlyFrontier.com, will continue to be able to use the overhead bins at no charge. Luggage that fits under the seat will remain at no additional charge, whether tickets are booked through the airline’s website or not.

This process is following suit with other low-cost carriers, such as Spirit and Allegiant, both of which already charge for bin-bound carry-on bags regardless of where passengers buy their tickets.

Whether other airlines will continue with this trend is unknown.

In the meantime, the battle over the overhead bins will continue for at least a while longer. Frontier doesn’t expect to implement this new charge until this summer with an official date expected to be announced later this spring.

Source: Rob Lovitt, NBC News

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NEW YORK – April 22, 2013 – The Hedge Fund Association (“HFA”) today announced that it has teamed up with global travel management company The Appointment Group (“TAG”) as its exclusive travel partner. In this partnership, the HFA’s members will be able to take advantage of TAG’s quality service offerings geared specifically for the hedge fund traveler, which include specially negotiated hotel rates and international airfares, along with in-house 24-hour customer service to meet their complex and ever changing schedules.

“Given the constant travel required by hedge fund executives, we are looking forward to offering the HFA’s members a hassle-free and cost-effective way to book their trips, with the highest possible service and other attractive amenities for their business excursions,” said Daniel Price, Managing Director, TAG.

“With the costs to run a hedge fund increasing due to both investor and regulatory demand, prompting allocators, hedge fund managers and service providers to spend more money overall than in previous years, the HFA’s members will be able to save money on travel expenses by taking advantage of TAG’s appealing offerings,” said Mitch Ackles, HFA’s President.

About The Hedge Fund Association

The Hedge Fund Association (www.theHFA.org) is an international not-for-profit organization made up of hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, family offices, high-net-worth individuals and service providers. In the U.S., the HFA has chapters in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and on the West Coast. Internationally, the HFA has chapters in Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America and the Cayman Islands. HFA works on behalf of the entire hedge fund industry, including more than 9,500 hedge funds in the U.S. and abroad which collectively manage in excess of $2 trillion in assets, as well as sophisticated investors and industry service providers.

About The Appointment Group

With offices in New York, London, Los Angeles and Melbourne, The Appointment Group LLP (http://www.appointmentgroup.com) has been providing high service travel management for hedge funds and financial clients for over 25 years. With a global presence, TAG can cater to the most demanding of itineraries, while reducing the overall stress and hassle of the traveler.

Media Contact: Mitch Ackles; Hedge Fund PR; 646-657-9230; Mitch@HedgeFundPR.net

TAG Contact: Daniel Price; Managing Director; 646-412-3601; Daniel.price@appointmentgroup.com

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Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways have filed an application with the US Department of Transportation (DoT) seeking anti-trust immunity for their planned trans-Atlantic joint venture.

If approved by competition regulators, the partnership would allow the two carriers to join forces on a series of sectors between the US and UK, coordinating flight schedules and pricing.

“Our proposed joint venture will mean an expanded schedule with more frequencies and destinations for customers travelling between the key business markets in the US and the UK,” said Delta’s president, Ed Bastian. “Approval of anti-trust immunity would allow travellers to take full advantage of all the aspects of the Delta-Virgin joint venture and enjoy the benefits of increased competition, particularly on flights to and from London Heathrow Airport.”

If approved, the two carriers would operate a total of 31 peak-day round-trip flights between the UK and North America, 23 of which would operate at London Heathrow. In their filing, Delta and Virgin noted that nearly 60% of existing slots at Heathrow are controlled by British Airways and American Airlines in their joint venture.

Delta already operates a trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia, and the new joint venture would pave the way for five-way coordination of trans-Atlantic routes between North America, the UK and continental Europe. If anti-trust immunity is awarded, Delta also plans to launch a new service between Heathrow and Seattle.

Last year, Atlanta-based Delta agreed to a 49% equity stake in Virgin Atlantic’s parent company.

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US aviation authorities have approved Boeing’s Dreamliner battery solution, paving the way for the aircraft to resume commercial flights.

Boeing submitted the solution to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in February and following a series of tests, the regulator has decided the new battery is safe to use. Airlines will now need to install the new battery units before they are able to relaunch Dreamliner flights. The new units will also be added to all new B787s during production, meaning Boeing will also be able to resume deliveries.

“FAA approval clears the way for us and the airlines to begin the process of returning the 787 to flight with continued confidence in the safety and reliability of this game-changing new airplane,” said Boeing’s chairman, president & CEO, Jim McNerney. “The promise of the 787 and the benefits it provides to airlines and their passengers remain fully intact as we take this important step forward with our customers and programme partners.”

While the FAA directive only applies to carriers in the US, its approval is likely to lead other regulatory bodies to ease their restrictions on the B787. The US and Japan have been working closely on the Dreamliner solution, and major customers All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) are likely to be among the first to resume flights. The Dreamliner’s lithium-ion battery is manufactured by Japan-based company GS Yuasa.

The global fleet of B787s was grounded on 16 January 2013 when a Dreamliner operated by ANA was forced to make an emergency landing after is battery overheated. This incident came a week after a JAL Dreamliner battery caught fire on arrival at Boston’s Logan airport, following a flight from Tokyo.

Following these incidents, Boeing worked on a new casing for the battery which prevents fire and isolates any problems from the rest of the aircraft. Following Boeing’s tests, the FAA examined the new enclosure over a month-long period beginning in early March, leading to Friday’s validation.

“The FAA set a high bar for our team and our solution,” said McNerney. “We appreciate the diligence, expertise and professionalism of the FAA’s technical team and the leadership of FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood throughout this process. Our shared commitment with global regulators and our customers to safe, efficient and reliable airplanes has helped make air travel the safest form of transportation in the world today.”

Boeing added that is has now deployed teams around the world to begin installing the new battery systems on its customers’ B787s. At present, nine airlines operate a total of 50 Dreamliners: ANA (17), JAL (7), Air India (6), United Airlines (6), Qatar Airways (5), Ethiopian Airlines (4), LAN Airlines (3) and LOT Polish Airlines (2). Orders have been placed for a further 840 aircraft.

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Trade union Verdi has called on thousands of workers at German airline  Lufthansa to go on strike on Monday to increase pressure on management in pay  negotiations.

Verdi, representing about 33,000 employees, described a pay offer put forward  by Lufthansa management on Wednesday as “scandalous” and said that it would  represent a drop in pay in real terms over the next 12 months.

We recommend that all travellers check the status of their individual flight on the Lufthansa website www.lufthansa.com prior to their journey and to make use of our electronic check-in (online or at the check-in machine at the airport).

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