Airlines

Lufthansa plans 205 destinations during summer 2023

Lufthansa plane was delayed 8 hours after it diverted twice

Lufthansa is starting the summer of 2023 with new European destinations from Frankfurt and Munich. In total, the airline offers more than 205 destinations worldwide, almost as many as before the Corona pandemic. The number of connections from Frankfurt and Munich reaches 5,200 weekly frequencies, up to 87 per cent of the pre-crisis level.

Lufthansa flies to the Northern Irish capital Belfast four times a week with the flight number LH1528, linking the region with Lufthansa’s large network. Twice a day, the airline flies to London-Gatwick, located in the south of London, with the flight numbers LH1520 and LH1522. It is the third airport in London that Lufthansa offers in its flight schedule. The airline is therefore assuring its participation in the growth potential of the Greater London area. With Belfast and Gatwick, Lufthansa will connect a total of eleven destinations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 23 April.

First Lufthansa Boeing 787 arrives in Frankfurt(Opens in a new browser tab)

Asturias situated on Spain’s Atlantic coast is also new to the flight schedule. The capital Oviedo and the largest city in Asturias, Gijon, can be reached easily from here. Lufthansa offers the connection three times a week with the flight number LH1552. Oviedo is an ideal starting point for tourist trips to the north of Spain.

In addition, Lufthansa is offering Skopje for the first time from 23 April and will connect the capital of northern Macedonia up to two twice a day. The flights with the flight numbers LH1540 and LH1542 are scheduled to be attractive for both business travellers and tourists. Lufthansa is strengthening its position in Eastern Europe by adding Skopje.

New is Biarritz (France), which will be on the flight schedule for the first time from 29 April. LH1550 will then fly to the elegant seaside resort on the Atlantic coast every Saturday.

American man allegedly carried live albino alligator in suitcase at German airport: report(Opens in a new browser tab)

Lufthansa will also start flights from Munich to the region of Asturias. LH1792 flies to the north of Spain every Saturday. Also new is Bordeaux (France), known for its world-famous wine region. The flight departs three times a week from 25 April. Rzeszów is back in the Munich flight schedule as well. The city in south-eastern Poland will be connected daily with the southern hub from 23 April with the flight number LH1604.

Next summer, Osaka and Mexico City will again be on the flight schedule from Munich. Lufthansa will be offering Osaka (Japan) from 2 May with LH742 three times a week. From 2 June, LH520 will take off three times a week to the Mexican capital. A state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient Airbus A350 will be used for both destinations.

Airlines

Turkish Airlines in Talks for New Planes, with New MRO Facility

Turkish Airlines is set to embark on a significant expansion journey, eyeing the acquisition of 235 new aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing.

Chairman Ahmet Bolat recently disclosed this development, emphasizing the airline’s commitment to balanced engagement with both major aircraft manufacturers. This move comes in the wake of Turkish Airlines‘ ambitious 10-year fleet plan, unveiled last year, which aims for a substantial increase in its fleet size by nearly 600 planes. As reported by Reuters.

In December, the airline solidified a substantial portion of this plan by securing a deal with Airbus for 355 firm and optional orders, encompassing A321 narrow body and A350 wide body aircraft.

During an event in Istanbul attended by representatives from Airbus and Rolls-Royce, Bolat underscored the airline’s strategy of maintaining equilibrium between Airbus and Boeing. He also highlighted Turkish Airlines’ patience in awaiting resolution of Boeing’s challenges before finalizing its decision.

Moreover, Bolat revealed discussions with Rolls-Royce regarding the potential establishment of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities within Türkiye, along with exploring additional avenues for supply-chain sourcing.

Recently, Turkish Airlines is set to redefine luxury air travel with the introduction of its next-generation business class suite, codenamed “Crystal,” slated for release in 2025. These luxurious private suites will first be introduced on the Boeing 777 fleet, with plans to expand to Airbus A350-1000 jets in the future.

The Crystal Suites will feature private compartments with sliding doors, offering passengers an intimate and secluded space to relax and work during their journey. Boasting a 1-2-1 configuration, each seat will provide direct aisle access, ensuring maximum convenience for travelers.

Airlines

Singapore Airlines Ordered to Pay $3,580 to Couple over Faulty Seats

Image:Wikipedia

Following a dispute over defective seats during their voyage from India to Australia last year, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been compelled to pay a sum exceeding S$3,500 to an Indian couple.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad ruled in favour of Ravi and Anjali Gupta, who on May 23, 2023, had problems with their business class seats that were meant to automatically recline on their flight from Hyderabad to Australia via Singapore.

Reports from media outlets in India highlighted the discomfort experienced by the couple, who were compelled to endure the entire journey without the benefit of reclining seats, despite having paid a significant amount which cost around 66,750 rupees (S$1,090) for each ticket, lodged a complaint during the flight, expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation.

Singapore Airlines initially offered compensation in the form of 10,000 KrisFlyer miles per person, which was declined by the passengers. As reported by CNA, Singapore Airlines apologised for any difficulty the technical failure may have caused and acknowledged the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Hyderabad’s ruling.

SIA clarified that while the automatic recline feature on Mr. and Mrs. Gupta’s seats experienced a glitch, the manual recline function remained operational during the flight from Hyderabad to Singapore.

Regrettably, due to a fully occupied flight, SIA staff were unable to arrange alternative seating within the business class cabin. However, the airline asserts that its crew diligently monitored the couple’s comfort throughout the journey, offering to manually adjust the seats as needed.

Airlines

Cathay Pacific asks business class customers to bring their own cutlery

In an innovative move towards sustainability, renowned Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific has recently floated an unconventional idea to its business class customers.

Bringing their own cutlery sets onboard. This initiative, revealed through a member survey circulated within the airline’s “Cathay Lab” community – a platform comprising frequent business class travelers – has stirred a wave of curiosity within the aviation industry.

With sustainability becoming an increasing concern in aviation, Cathay Pacific’s survey aimed to gauge passengers‘ willingness to partake in various eco-friendly practices during their journeys.

Among the initiatives presented, including refilling reusable water bottles and recycling plastic, the prospect of bringing personal cutlery garnered significant attention. Some members expressed practical concerns, questioning the feasibility of carrying cutlery through airport security and the potential inconvenience for passengers unaware of regulations.

Others suggested that Cathay Pacific should simply provide reusable cutlery onboard instead. Furthermore, there were suspicions among some respondents that the BYO cutlery proposal might be a precursor to introducing additional charges, with one user humorously envisioning a scenario where the airline lends cutlery sets for a fee.

Despite the skepticism surrounding the proposal, Cathay Pacific’s exploration of innovative sustainability measures reflects a broader industry trend towards environmental consciousness.