Airlines

Qantas apologizes to travelers for operational challenges

Qantas is formally apologizing to its millions of customers for recent operational difficulties and thanking them for their patience as the national carrier works to resume its best practices following COVID.

Qantas to Redesign A350-1000's Fuel Tank for Project Sunrise Flights

In addition to dealing with high levels of sick leave (caused by the virus, COVID, and isolation restrictions) as well as a labor scarcity across the sector, the airline is implementing a number of efforts to improve mishandled luggage and on-time performance.

Qantas has hired 1,500 new people since April with more to come, adjusted flight schedules, and invested $15 million in new technology at key airports to help smooth the travel experience. Speaking directly to Frequent Flyers via an email and video message being sent on Monday, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce acknowledged while it was great to see people back on board after so long on the ground, the return to flying hasn’t all gone smoothly.

“As well as saying sorry, we also want to say thank you. We’re investing in a range of initiatives including status extensions for Frequent Flyers Silver and above, thousands of Qantas Points, and lounge passes. All our Frequent Flyers in Australia and New Zealand will be offered $50 towards a return Qantas flight, which equates to many millions in discounts,” added Mr. Joyce.

Qantas will also extend its commitment of up to 50 percent more Classic Reward seat availability through to 30 June 2023 with the first tranche of additional seats released from 12pm Monday across international and domestic flights. Reward seats are booked using Qantas Points.

Qantas first announced its commitment to increasing Classic Reward seats in October last year. Since then, Frequent Flyers have redeemed more than 80 billion Qantas Points, with one in every 11 passengers carried by Qantas flying a reward seat.

Airlines

Air India Rolls Out A350s for Delhi-New York JFK and Newark Routes

In a major development for North American travelers, Air India has announced the deployment of its state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft on two key routes: Delhi to New York and Delhi to Newark.

The service on the Delhi-New York route will commence on November 1, 2024, while the Delhi-Newark route will see its inaugural flight on January 2, 2025.

The introduction of the air india a350 will bring significant enhancements to Air India’s offerings, particularly with the launch of its Premium Economy class. air india retrofit This new class will feature 24 wide seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, providing passengers with extra legroom and a more comfortable flying experience.

Soon, Air India aircraft will feature onboard WiFi & all-new cabins: Click here

“We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our air india a350 interior to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement,” said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Air India.

The A350’s Business class will set new standards with 28 private suites, each equipped with full-flat beds, direct aisle access, and personal wardrobes. Economy class will be configured to accommodate 264 passengers in a 3-4-3 layout. Across all cabins, passengers will enjoy the latest Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system, offering over 2,200 hours of content.

Air India’s First A350-900: Interior, Routes, &Inflight Features: Click here

This strategic deployment marks a notable enhancement in Air India’s U.S. operations, with 60% of its flights to the U.S. now featuring new or upgraded cabin interiors. The air india new international routes currently operates 51 weekly flights to five U.S. destinations: New York JFK, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco.

The revamped cabins, advanced in-flight entertainment systems, and improved service standards represent air india wifi commitment to providing a superior travel experience. “We believe this enhanced offering will solidify Air India’s position as a leading carrier and attract travellers seeking a world-class flying experience between India and the United States,” the airline stated.

Seats on these flights are now available for booking on Air India’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents, ensuring that passengers can easily plan their journeys on these newly upgraded routes.