In line with its ongoing inflight product improvements, Emirates airline announces the launch of a new, enhanced, Graphical User Interface (GUI) developed by Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic). This new GUI will make accessing Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice Digital Widescreen, simpler to use – information, communication and entertainment – all at the passenger’s fingertips.
The new interface will be introduced within two weeks across Emirates’ A380 fleet and subsequently over the next year across the majority of Emirates’ Boeing 777 aircraft. It will be available in all classes of service, an Emirates standard. As the world’s largest operator of the A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, Emirates will upgrade all aircraft equipped with the Panasonic eX2 platform; designed and produced with (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems.
“Emirates has been tracking the commercial progress of GUIs, where an ever-expanding array of choices are available to consumers, and we wanted to bring the same experience, look, and feel available on smart phones and tablets to our loyal customers in an aircraft environment,” said Tim Clark, President Emirates airline.
Always at the forefront of inflight innovation, Emirates will roll-out a number of additional inflight product enhancements across the next few months as part of a multi-million dollar investment in on board technology. Larger video screens, in all classes, will come into operation from May on new Boeing 777 aircraft, in addition to future Airbus A380 deliveries. An enhanced in-seat telephone handset and new Mode Controller in First Class and Business Class will also be introduced, ensuring a more seamless customer experience.
The new GUI is unique to Emirates airline and includes a wide range of advanced capabilities that enhances the distinctiveness and elegance of Emirates’ inflight system, ice Digital Widescreen. The new ice experience includes the capability for passengers to discover the full entertainment system by “swiping” or “scrolling” through the vast library of media and entertainment that is available on Emirates, send SMS and email messages, explore the moving map system, Airshow, watch the in-flight landscape cameras, and access live text news from the BBC.
Since Emirates first introduced individual seatback video screens in 1992, it has invested millions of dollars in further on board product enhancements, from the latest IFE technology, to an ever increasing choice of entertainment content from around the world.
Emirates is also committed to keeping its passengers the most connected in the sky. Every seat on all Emirates aircraft is already equipped with a seat back telephone and sms/email service and 90 aircraft feature the Aero Mobile system, allowing passengers to use their own mobile phones inflight.
In another investment in the Emirates experience, Wi-Fi connectivity for passengers was introduced to the A380 fleet in December 2011 and is now available on 18 aircraft. All remaining Emirates A380s are due to have Wi-Fi installed this year and from July of 2012 all new A380s will be delivered to Emirates with full Wi-Fi, mobile phone and data services available, allowing the Emirates passenger to be in touch like never before.
Emirates bosses are hopeful that a radical plan involving steep landing descents will allow the airline to operate more flights in and out of London’s Heathrow airport, reports the Financial Times.
The Gulf carrier says it can cut noise levels on its A380 fleet by flying the big airliners into Heathrow on steeper descents and landing them part way down the tarmac to reduce the volume for nearby homes.
Aircraft are currently banned from take-off and landing at Heathrow between midnight and 6am, but Emirates hope to reduce the curfew to between 1am and 4am.
“If you can demonstrate the noise profile is much quieter, why not look at that as a means of growing capacity,” Emirates president Tim Clark told the Financial Times.
He insists the plan – which would allow the jumbos to land 1km along the 4km runway – is safe, although admits it needs further development.
The British government has committed to maintaining the Heathrow curfew until 2014 while the Transport Department will later this year start to consider future operating hours.
Franco-Dutch airline Air France-KLM reported Tuesday increases in passenger traffic, capacity and load factor for the month of March and its first quarter. The company saw favorable comparisons in March, absent events such as the Japanese tsunami and the political crisis in Ivory Coast that hit last year’s traffic.
Passenger traffic for the month grew 6.8 percent 18.34 billion revenue pax-kilometers or RPKs from 17.17 billion RPKs in the previous year. The company said it has restated passenger data to include the passenger business of Martinair.
Capacity, measured in available seat-kilometers or ASKs, improved 1.8 percent to 22.22 billion ASKs. Unit revenue per available seat kilometer ex-currency improved in a context of a sharp rise in the fuel price, the company stated.
Load factor for the month increased 3.8 points to 82.5 percent from 78.7 percent a year ago. The number of passengers carried stood at 6.37 million, up 6.3 percent from last year.
The European network traffic, including France, improved 7.2 percent and capacity was up 2.7 percent. Load factor increased 3 points and stood at 71.9 percent.
On the Americas network, capacity increased 2.5 percent and traffic rose 9.7 percent. Load factor increased 5.8 points to 88.2 percent.
Meanwhile, cargo traffic for the month declined 3.4 percent to 995 revenue tonne-km and load factor dropped 2 points to 69.2 percent. Capacity edged down 0.6 percent to 1,438 available tonne-km.
For the first quarter, passenger traffic grew 5.5 percent to 51.73 billion RPKs and capacity increased 1.6 percent to 63.39 billion ASKs. The number of passengers grew 5.6 percent to 17.46 million and load factor improved 3.1 points to 81.6 percent.
In Paris, Air France-KLM shares are currently trading at 3.92 euros, down 0.08 percent.
Kenya Airways has announced its commencement of flights to New Delhi the Indian Capital city, starting May 15, 2012. The much anticipated service marks Kenya Airways’ 57th global destination and second in India. The launch of this new route highlights KQ’s efforts to provide seamless travel and accessibility to travellers from Africa to Indian subcontinent and vice versa.
Kenya Airways flights to New Delhi will be four times a week on a Boeing 767-300. The new route highlights Kenya Airways ambitious growth plans to expand its network as part of its 10-year growth strategy. “New Delhi is the second city after Mumbai that we will be flying to India, we intend to open four more destinations in the subcontinent as part of our 10-year expansion strategy,” said Dr Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.
Kenya Airways remains the fastest growing airline in the continent and is pursuing a network expansion strategy that targets to link all African countries with the world, making it the airline of choice for travellers in the continent. India has been aggressively promoting trade with Africa as it seeks to gain access to the continent’s emerging markets.
The new route to Delhi seeks to expand and promote the bilateral and commercial relations between India and the African region. Kenya Airways, a Sky Team Member, operates 3 flights a week from Muscat to Nairobi and offers excellent Holiday Safari packages to Kenya.
Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines announced the launch of nonstop flights to Seychelles from Addis Ababa beginning 01 April 2012.
The Airlines is pleased to begin services to Seychelles, which is famous for its beauty and the home of two UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites, according to Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian.
The CEO underscored that the Airlines is among the leading transporters and has fulfilled the necessary safety requirements.
Ethiopian Airlines used to fly to the Seychelles 32 years ago, which was disrupted due to capacity and other reasons.
In a harsh time where many airlines companies are closing due to the rising fuel cost, Ethiopian Airlines has managed to fly to more destinations with its established cost effective system to fulfil its aim of becoming a globally leading one by 2025.
Culture and Tourism Minister of the Seychelles, Alain St. Ange for his part said Ethiopian Airlines flight to his country will ensure mutual benefits.
According to ERTA, Ethiopian Airlines has introduced complete travel packages to the Seychelles, which include airfare, multiple-night stays at a variety of properties and unforgettable activity offerings.
Seychelles would be the 41st African destination and the 66th globally for Ethiopian Airlines.
Posted in Ethiopian Airline International Air Transport Association (IATA) by .
TANZANIAN airline, Precision Air, set flights to Zimbabwe soon, as it emerged that officials from the airline will visit the country this week to meet authorities in the aviation industry. The team will also meet officials from the tourism industry.
Precision Air’s national sales manager, Tuntufye Mwambusi, told a Zimbabwean delegation on the sidelines of the premier world and travel fair in Berlin of its intentions to fly into the country soon.
The Zimbabwean team had officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
Mwambusi further revealed that they recently acquired a Boeing 737 aircraft, which is set to be delivered in April this year.
The aircraft will service the Harare-Dar-es-Salam ro-ute.
Previously, this route was being serviced by the national carriers of the two countries, Air Zimbabwe and Air Tanzania, both of which have since pulled out owing to viability problems.
Commenting on this development, ZTA chief operating officer, Givemore Chidzidzi, said that the coming of Precision Air would certainly boost tourism, trade and commerce between the connected countries.
“This is a morale booster from a tourism perspective and we are convinced that this development will further enhance our tourism and bilateral cooperation with Tanzania in all spheres of life including trade and commerce”, said Chidzidzi.
Precision Air was established in 1993 and listed on the Dar-es-Salam Stock Exchange last year.
Kenya Airways has 49% in the airline with the remainder owned by a Tanzanian businessman, according to its website.
Its fleet include five 70-seater ATR 72-500, four 47-seater ATR 42 and one Boeing 737. Plans are underway to expand the fleet further by acquiring a second Boeing 737-300, more E-jets and ATRs.
The carrier set flights to Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya as well as flights to Entebbe in Uganda.
Meanwhile, Air Namibia, which has been launching flights to Victoria Falls twice a week, has announced that it will be doubling its frequency and start flights to Harare on March 15 2012.
Air Namibia sales executive Ireen Schroder said this development has been prompted by the unprecedented and renewed interest in Zimbabwe by travellers.
“We used to fly two times a week into Victoria Falls but we are going to be setting flights to Harare now four times a week starting from 15 March”, said Schroder.
Despite efforts being invested by the ZTA to market Zimbabwe globally, the issue of air access has continued to pose a menace to tourism development and this has been aggravated by the failure of Air Zimbabwe to service its routes.
Zimbabwe: THE National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe will soon launch the National Heritage Day to celebrate the country’s cultural history, achievements and heritage. Chief curator with the department, Mr Kundishora Tungamirayi Chipunza said celebrating such a day was one way of rallying cultural support and building the country’s cultural capital.
“It is a day on which Zimbabweans will reflect and inter-relate culturally and think outside politics and identify themselves as Zimbabweans.
“We are going to hold a fundraising dinner on April 30 to start the programme. Everyone should be culture conscious and have moments to reflect on who they are, so this day will provide that opportunity,” he said.
Mr Chipunza said nations were not born but they become.
The cumulative experiences of any country, he said, formed the cultural capital that anchored the culture of any country and essentially become the heritage.
“The cultural capital of Zimbabwe is very big. It has an outstanding mining heritage that shows that there were 4 000 gold mines prior to colonisation.
“There was extraction and value addition of the gold that was later sold to markets in the Far East and India. There were also 500 copper mines. Our metallurgical advancement saw us making alloys well before the whites came,” he added.
Mr Chipunza said Zimbabwe had magnificent engineering and architectural skills as demonstrated in the construction of phenomenal structures such as the Great Zimbabwe, which was a capital for at least 350 other similar sites.
Great Zimbabwe was the command capital and political state running the nation’s affairs with the help of Mwari (God) while the epicentre of the activities was at Matobos, which was the command capital of the bulk of Southern Africa.
He said his department was charged with the preservation and fostering of the national heritage whose history should be taught to the young generation.
“All generations in Zimbabwe should accept the currency of this capital found in the monuments. People must appreciate the heritage we have so we are deliberately rolling out a programme targeting school children.
“We run competitions on the history, culture and heritage of Zimbabwe on the 18th of May every year. We have been doing it for the past 16 years,” said Mr Chipunza.
Zanu-PF Women’s League chairperson, Cde Oppah Muchinguri, said the idea of celebrating national heritage was commendable.
“Every nation has a history with which they identify themselves. We identify ourselves through some of our monuments, our culture and even the heritage.
“We have the Great Zimbabwe. Egyptians have their pyramids and they respect that a lot,” she said.
Cde Muchinguri said it was important to preserve the national heritage adding that most people were no longer doing so but focusing on getting an education then a job later and making money.
She urged Zimbabweans to separate politics from national issues and be proud of who they were.
Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Cde Lazarus Dokora who is also a Zanu-PF Politburo member said the idea was noble.
“Part of the burden of any nation is to foster the participation of citizens in matters that have a bearing in their identity and originality,” he said.
Zanu-PF Youth League Secretary Cde Absolom Sikhosana, lauded the idea saying leadership should do more to educate the youth on the history of the country, its culture and heritage.
“Most of us are in the late-afternoon stages of our lives so we need to groom people who will take the baton from us when we depart. The educational system that was there in the recent past did not touch our history accurately.
“The young generation surprisingly knows people from the Western history more than they do our local heroes. They need to know our history. A nation without a history is lost,” he said.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi, said his Ministry was happy with the idea.
“We cannot operate outside the national heritage. When tourists come to Zimbabwe they are coming to connect with our past which is part of our heritage.
“Last year I appointed a National Heritage and Tourism Advisory Council to help us in re-defining the history of the country. The council also has people from NMMZ to demonstrate that we are intricately connected. We are like Siamese twins,” said Cde Mzembi.
Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing African airline, is proud to announce that effective 15 June 2012, the airline will launch new flights to Cotonou non-stop from Addis Ababa, the economic capital of the Republic of Benin. The introduction of the new services will expand Ethiopian extensive network in West Africa.
The Republic of Benin is a small but influential country in West Africa, with a significant amount of trader activity. Cotton is also a major contributor to Benin’s economy.
Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines said, “Ethiopian Airlines offers easy and convenient access to East-West and North-South African destinations through its strategic hub in Addis Ababa. The new service to Benin will further strengthen Ethiopian Airlines’ presence in the West African markets by widening flight options to its passengers.”
With this new flight, Ethiopian Airlines will offer more seamless travel options for tourists, traders, and businessmen to and from Benin. Passengers from Cotonou will also be easily connected to the vast Ethiopian network worldwide, with fast and frequent flights to Nairobi, Kigali, Beijing, Guangzhou, Bombay, Hong Kong, Dubai, Riyadh, and Beirut.
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates a total of 40 weekly flights to nine West African countries with daily East-West connections within the continent.
The commencement of new flights to Benin will increase the number of Ethiopian on-line destinations to 66 worldwide and 42 in Africa. The new service will be operated per the following schedule:
| Flight | Days | Origin | Departure | Arrival | Destination |
| ET917 | Mon/Wed/Fri | Addis Ababa | 10:10 | 13:50 | Cotonou |
| ET916 | Tue/Thu/Sat | Cotonou | 12:35 | 20:00 | Addis Ababa |
About Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines, one of the largest and fastest growing airlines in Africa, made its maiden international flight to Cairo in 1946 and with the new additional services to Seychelles and Cotonou, the Airline will provide dependable services to 66 international destinations spanning four continents.
Ethiopian is proud to be a Star Alliance Member. The Star Alliance network is the leading global airline network offering customers convenient worldwide reach and a smoother travel experience. The Star Alliance network offers more than 21,000 daily flights to 1,290 airports in 189 countries.
Ethiopian is a multi-award winner for its commitment and contributions towards the development and growth of the African aviation industry and in recognition of its distinguished long-haul operations enhanced by the introduction of new routes and products. Recently, Ethiopian won Gold in the African Airline of the Year 2011/2012 Awards organized by the African Aviation News Portal. Ethiopian also received the 2011 AFRAA award for being consistently profitable over the years and has won the “AFRICAN CARGO AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2011 Award” for its excellence in air cargo. Ethiopian also won the NEPAD Transport Infrastructure Excellence Awards 2009 and “the Airline of the Year 2009 Award” from the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).
With its acquisition of and firm orders for several new modern fleet, the airline is well positioned to pursue aggressively the implementation of its 2025 strategic plan to become the leading aviation group in Africa.
Posted in Africa civil aviation authority Ethiopian Airline by .
Emirates Airline said on Monday that it was strengthened its commitment to Pakistan by adding a fifth daily flights to Karachi and from the city of Karachi.
Effective August 1, the airline will be operating to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi five times a day.
The Dubai carrier said the move reinforced its presence in the Pakistani landscape and provided passengers with “more flexibility and options” when travelling to the country’s commercial hub.
It added that it planned further improvements to its services to Pakistan in the future.
“This is very exciting news for us as Karachi was the inaugural destination of Emirates when the airline began operations in 1985,” said Badr Abbas, vice president Pakistan & Afghanistan, commenting on the development.
“Today we are proud to have announced a fifth daily flight to Karachi in a move to better serve our Pakistani passengers and strengthen the historic relationship between Pakistan and UAE.
“We hope to continue on this path by further expanding our services in Pakistan and are grateful to all the relevant government and aviation authorities for making this possible.”
Karachi is known as the financial capital of Pakistan and the additional flight will also boost economic activity by providing increased cargo capacity for popular Pakistani exports to many destinations on Emirates’ global network.
In the past six months, Emirates said it has experienced robust growth and increased its presence in Northern Pakistan by starting additional flights to Peshawar, Lahore and Islamabad.
Starting August, Emirates will be operating 54 weekly flights to and from four cities in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar – of which two frequencies are subject to Government approval.
Kenya Airways has announced its commencement of flights to New Delhi, the Indian Capital city, starting May 15th 2012. The much anticipated service marks Kenya Airways’ 57th global destination and 2nd in India subcontinent.
The launch of this new route highlights KQ’s efforts to provide seamless travel and accessibility to travelers from Africa to India subcontinent and vice versa.
Kenya Airways flights to New Delhi will be four times a week on a Boeing 767-300.
The new route highlights Kenya Airways ambitious growth plans to expand its network as part of its 10 year growth strategy. “New Delhi is the second city after Mumbai that we will be flying to India, we intend to open four more destinations in the sub continent as part of our 10 year expansion strategy,” said Dr. Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer.
Dr. Naikuni noted that the destination has great business prospects as New Delhi is one of the largest cities in India, and the most preferred city in terms of information technology, investments, healthcare and government relations.
India’s economic growth has averaged around 7% each year since 1997, making it one of the world’s largest emerging markets. According to industry forecasts, traffic flows between sub-Saharan Africa and India are expected to grow at a rate of 7.1% per annum over the next decade.
Kenya Airways remains the fastest growing airline in the continent and is pursuing a network expansion strategy that targets to link all African countries with the world, making it the airline of choice for travelers in the continent.
lndia has been aggressively promoting trade with Africa as it seeks to gain access to the continent’s emerging markets. The new route to Delhi seeks to expand and promote the bilateral and commercial relations between India and the African region.
India is Kenya’s sixth largest trading partner, with a vast business presence in the country. Recently, Kenya-India relations have improved buoyed by increasing bilateral trade that hit US $4.8 billion in 2010/2011.
Recently the airline announced a right issue offer to be launched on March 30th. The company hopes to raise Kshs20.7 billion from its shareholders.
Proceeds from the rights issue are projected to fund implementation of an ambitious 10-year expansion plan dubbed Project Mawingu; which would see the airline increase it number of destinations from the current 56 to 115 destinations by the year 2021.
Posted in Airlines Asia civil aviation authority by .