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Singapore Airlines to re-launch nonstop flights to the U.S.

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Air & Sea Air & Sea; Published: 13 October 2015 13 October 2015

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has selected Airbus’ newly launched Ultra-Long Range version of the A350-900 for non-stop flights to the US. Under an amendment to the carrier’s existing order for 63 A350-900s, seven of the aircraft will now be delivered with an Ultra-Long Range capability for flights of up to 19 hours. In addition, the carrier has placed an additional order for four A350-900s, taking its total firm orders for the A350 XWB Family to 67.

Optimised for non-stop flights to the US, the aircraft, designated A350-900ULR (Ultra-Long Range), will ‎include a modified fuel system to increase the fuel carrying capacity, an increase in Maximum Take-Off Weight, plus aerodynamic improvements, enabling service to the US West Coast, as well as to New York.

Representing a distance of some 8,700 nautical miles, the New York service will be the world’s longest commercial passenger route, with an expected flight time of up to 19 hours. Moreover, the unique flexibility offered by the A350 XWB allows operators to reconfigure their A350-900ULR to the standard long-haul A350-900 specification should they require it.

“Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” said Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong. “This is another example of how we strive to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations by remaining at the forefront of product and service innovation in our industry. It will also further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing the fastest and most convenient air connectivity between North America and Southeast Asia.”

“We are excited to be working with Singapore Airlines to re-launch its premium non-stop service to the US,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President & CEO. “The A350 is the perfect, flexible platform for such operations, offering unrivalled operating economics for the very longest routes. And the wider and quieter cabin will provide the perfect environment for passengers to enjoy the world-famous Singapore Airlines in-flight product.”

The all-new A350 XWB entered commercial service earlier this year and features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.

To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 783 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 41 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever. Singapore Airlines is the largest customer for the A350 XWB in East Asia, with deliveries of its 67 aircraft now on order starting in the first quarter of 2016. Deliveries of the carrier’s A350-900ULR aircraft are scheduled to take place in 2018.

SAS introduces new daily service between Boston and Copenhagen

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Air & Sea Air & Sea; Published: 09 October 2015 09 October 2015

Starting with its summer 2016 program, SAS is launching yet another year round service between the US and Scandinavia. From late March 2016, SAS will operate daily nonstop flights between Copenhagen and Boston. As such, SAS will be the first carrier to fly directly to Boston from Scandinavia.

As part of its determination to further strengthen its offer to frequent travelers to and from Scandinavia, SAS is now launching a year round nonstop daily service from Copenhagen to Boston. In 2016, SAS will offer approx 500 flights between Boston and Copenhagen and 6,600 flights between Scandinavia and the US – a total of 1.6 million seats between USA and Scandinavia. This further reinforces SAS’s position as the number one Scandinavian carrier:

"SAS is the absolute strongest carrier between Scandinavia and the US, a market where we are seeing growing demand amongst frequent travelers. Boston has long been high on our wish list of nonstop destinations and we are therefore delighted to start selling tickets for this direct daily service from Copenhagen. It is especially important for our customers who travel for business purposes that we offer flexible travel options, and this is why this route is aimed at these frequent travelers in particular," said SAS Group CEO Rickard Gustafson.

The route will be operated by an 86 seat Boeing 737-700 BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) and is primarily aimed at customers traveling for business purposes to meet growing demand on this route from the business segment in particular. Companies in the high tech, finance and Life Science industries plus the various top colleges and universities in both regions have long sought a nonstop daily connection with Copenhagen. With timetables that provide good connections, SAS also expects to attract a large number of passengers via Copenhagen to/from major points in Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

"The new SAS route to Boston provides daily flights between two key metropolises, benefiting both Scandinavian and North American travelers, and the strong US dollar may make even more Americans want to go to Denmark, which would benefit the entire Danish economy. The new route also strengthens Copenhagen Airport’s position as a northern European airport with some of the best connections to the important North American market," said Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Copenhagen Airports A/S.

Also Boston Airport applauds the route launch: "Boston Logan has become a terrific gateway for those traveling to Europe and beyond. We are honoured that Scandinavian Airlines added this flight and a new airline to our roster, providing yet another way for our customers to enjoy Scandinavia and Europe," Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn said.

Tickets for the new SAS route to Boston go on sale on 9 October. The route opens on 29 March 2016 and will be operated by PrivatAir with a Boeing 737 configured with 20 Business and 66 Go seats. Departure and arrival times are scheduled to connect with flights to and from Copenhagen to major airports in Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

SAS currently offers long haul flights from Scandinavian to New York, Washington DC, Chicago and San Francisco and recently launched new direct routes to the US in 2016: From Stockholm to Los Angeles, from Oslo to Miami and from Copenhagen to Miami.

Timetables Copenhagen-Boston
From Copenhagen: SK927 will depart daily at 12:50 arriving in Boston at 15:20.
From Boston: SK928 will depart daily at 17:30 arriving at 07.00 the following day.

Carnival Cruise Line launches new 'Fly2Fun' air program

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Air & Sea Air & Sea; Published: 07 October 2015 07 October 2015

Carnival Cruise Line is launching a new air program that is designed to provide guests with maximum value, choice and convenience when making their air arrangements in conjunction with their cruise.

The new Fly2Fun program is highly flexible as it allows guests to customize their air reservations with a wide array of options, including the ability to specify their preferred air carrier, departure point, specific flight schedule, and type of accommodation (coach, business, etc.). Immediate confirmation is received once the reservation is made, thus streamlining the vacation-planning process. Flights can also be customized for those who wish to extend their vacation with a pre- or post-cruise stay.

Fly2Fun also includes the Flight Protection Program that ensures guests will be flown to the next port of call to begin their cruise should they miss their departure due to airline mechanical or weather-related issues. Carnival will cover air, hotel, transportation and meal costs for guests to meet the ship in the next port of call.

“Our new Fly2Fun program is a convenient tool that saves our guests valuable time when booking their flights while offering attractive features like the Flight Protection Program that provides peace of mind knowing we’ll fly them to the next port should they miss their cruise,” said Vicky Blanch, Carnival’s director of travel operations.

Two different options are available within Fly2Fun – Flexible Air and Restricted Air. With Flexible Air, guests or their travel agent can book travel on major carriers up to four days prior to sailing with an attractive “Book Now – Pay Later” feature in which payment for air is collected with the final cruise payment. Additionally, there are no change fees if modifications are made outside of 60 days of departure. With the Restricted Air option, tickets are non-refundable. Air tickets must be paid at the time of booking and change fees are based on the airlines’ policies once the ticket is issued.

Fly2Fun must be booked via phone. Once a cruise reservation is in place, guests can call 1-800-CARNIVAL to make the air reservation. Travel agents making air reservations for their clients can call 1-800-327-5782.

Finnair takes delivery of Europe's first Airbus A350 XWB

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Air & Sea Air & Sea; Published: 07 October 2015 07 October 2015

The first of Finnair's next-generation Airbus A350 XWB aircraft has been unveiled today at a special delivery ceremony at the Airbus delivery center in Toulouse, France. Finnair is the first European airline to fly the Airbus A350 XWB.

"This moment heralds a new and exciting chapter in Finnair's 92 year history. The A350 is the future of flying and will give our passengers a completely new and enhanced travel experience," said Finnair CEO, Pekka Vauramo.

"This is also a proud moment for all Finnair employees who have worked relentlessly on the Finnair A350 program. From route planning to pilots and cabin crew, from technical services to marketing, this is the moment we have worked for. With the A350, we get the fleet that our strategy requires, and we can start building our growth," Vauramo continued.

"At Airbus, we're proud and delighted to see Finnair, one of the world’s longest-standing and most respected airlines, become the first European carrier to fly the A350,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. “The A350's unrivalled fuel efficiency and passenger comfort make it the perfect aircraft to spearhead Finnair's Asian expansion."

Finnair intends to double its Asian traffic by 2020 from the 2010 baseline, and the A350 fleet investment is the backbone of this strategy. The company has ordered a total of 19 A350 aircraft, making it the largest investment in Finnair's history. The first four aircraft are expected to arrive in 2015, with another seven being delivered in 2016 and 2017. The complete order will be fulfilled by 2023.

The new A350 aircraft also plays a key role in Finnair's cargo strategy, providing up to 50% more cargo capacity by 2020.

The A350's first scheduled commercial flight, from Helsinki to Amsterdam and Oslo will be on October 9, 2015 as part of its crew familiarization tour. The first Finnair Airbus A350 XWB will enter into long-haul service on November 21, 2015 on Finnair's Helsinki-Shanghai route.

Finnair extends Miami route to summer season

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Air & Sea Air & Sea; Published: 25 September 2015 25 September 2015

Starting from April 2016, Finnair will extend its Miami service to be year-round, and will operate to Miami with three weekly frequencies in summer 2016.

"We are excited about extending our Miami route to cover the whole season," says Juha Järvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Finnair.

"The Miami route has proven to be popular both for our Northern European customers as well as for Miami based customers, for whom we offer excellent connections to Scandinavia via Helsinki. The new schedule will also enable excellent connections from Miami to our Asian destinations. Our oneworld partner, American Airlines, has a large hub in Miami, which enables good connections further to the Caribbean, Central and South America."

Finnair also adds frequencies to its Chicago service, increasing the weekly flights from three in summer 2015 to five in summer 2016. This will further improve connectivity beyond Chicago to American Airlines' extensive network in the Americas. This five-weekly service connects well also to Finnair’s Asian network beyond Helsinki.

Both destinations are served with Finnair Airbus A330 aircraft. The flights to Miami International Airport are operated on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays, and the flights to Chicago O'Hare are operated from Helsinki on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Finnair’s Chicago and Miami services are included in the joint business on transatlantic traffic with fellow oneworld alliance partners British Airways, Iberia, American Airlines and American’s merger partner US Airways. Miami and Chicago are hubs for American, which allows Finnair’s customers quick codeshare connections to destinations throughout the United States, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Miami and Chicago timetables connect well with passengers transferring to and from Finnair destinations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and the Baltics, including Stockholm, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, St Petersburg, Moscow and Warsaw as well as with Finnair's Asian destinations, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Seoul, Chongqing, Xi’an, Beijing, Shanghai, Delhi and Bangkok.

In addition to Miami and Chicago, Finnair operates daily to New York JFK and, together with its joint business partners, offers over 120 daily departures over the Atlantic.

The joint business between the cooperating airlines also gives customers the possibility to mix and match flights on different carriers and connecting cities for the best pricing and scheduling.