Airlines

Delta launches first-ever service from Los Angeles to Auckland

Delta will be the only U.S. carrier to offer service between Los Angeles and Auckland
More seats across the Atlantic than ever before, including new service from New York-JFK to Geneva and London-Gatwick and new flights from Atlanta to Nice, Tel Aviv and Edinburgh

Delta will add to its portfolio of international routes with never-before-operated service to Auckland, New Zealand, from Los Angeles beginning this fall, while also boosting its trans-Atlantic service from its New York-JFK and Atlanta hubs starting this spring.

Delta is forging its way to full network restoration, announcing its first slate of summer 2023 trans-Atlantic routes last fall to cities like Edinburgh, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Geneva and Stuttgart, many routes that have not been flown since pre-pandemic.

American Airlines offering daily flights to Tel Aviv from Miami(Opens in a new browser tab)

Daily flights between New Zealand’s largest city and Los Angeles will begin Oct. 28 on an Airbus A350-900 aircraft, as Delta becomes the only U.S. airline to provide nonstop service. This new destination joins other new Los Angeles service to Tahiti, Paris and London-Heathrow and will complement the airline’s current service from LAX to Sydney, where it operates 10 flights per week in the winter and daily service to Tokyo-Haneda. Delta operates more than 150 daily flights from LAX to 53 destinations across the globe as the airport’s leading premium global carrier.

When the Delta Sky Way at LAX project is finished this year, Terminals 2 and 3 will be a consolidated, 1.2-million-square-foot, state-of-the-art, 27-gate complex, featuring a quick airside connector to the Tom Bradley International Terminal, eliminating the need to bus between terminals.

The 10 longest routes in the world flown by airlines, ranked by distance(Opens in a new browser tab)

Delta is the leading airline in Atlanta and the Southeast, with service to over 210 destinations in more than 41 countries worldwide. The airline will deepen its investment in its hometown this year with new daily service from Atlanta to Nice starting May 12. This new route, which will operate on a Boeing 767 aircraft, marks the first time that Delta will connect customers between Atlanta and the coastal French city in over a decade.

Additionally, beginning April 16, Delta will up its Atlanta to Tel Aviv service to daily. With this increased flying, Delta is operating its busiest schedule ever to Tel Aviv, with flights departing from three U.S. gateways: Atlanta, New York and Boston.

Delta is bolstering its position as New York City’s number-one carrier by adding a third daily route from New York-JFK to Paris, which will begin May 25 and operate on a Boeing 767 aircraft. Delta offers nearly 60 peak-day departures to more than 43 international destinations from its New York-JFK hub. The third flight to Paris is in addition to Delta’s new service to Geneva and London-Gatwick, the return of Berlin and a third flight to Rome.

Delta also recently launched an enhanced Delta Premium Select experience that offers elevated dining, premium hand-crafted amenities and more dedicated service touchpoints. Customers in DPS have more space to stretch out and relax with a wider seat, additional recline, and an adjustable footrest and leg rest.

All Delta customers on board have access to personal seat-back entertainment screens featuring a wealth of premium content on Delta Studio, in-seat power outlets for their devices, fast-streaming Wi-Fi available for purchase and free mobile messaging.

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.