Aviation
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9 : Qantas’ first Perth to London flight has taken off, marking the start of the only direct air link between Australia and Europe – and the fastest way of traveling between the two continents. The history-making QF9, carrying more than 200 passengers and 16 crew, pushed back just before 7pm on Saturday evening and will land in London at 5am on Sunday.
Operated by a Boeing 787-9, the flight reduces total travel time by eliminating stopovers and taking advantage of the most favourable winds on any given day without having to factor in a mid-point in the Middle East or Asia when choosing a flight path.
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9
“Boeing designed the Dreamliner with features to reduce jetlag, turbulence and noise. We’ve taken that a step further with our cabin design, giving passengers more space in every class as well as bigger entertainment screens and more personal storage.
“We’ve worked with the University of Sydney and our consulting chef Neil Perry to create a menu that helps the body cope better with jetlag and adjusted the timing of when we serve food to encourage sleep.”
The daily QF9 begins in Melbourne, flying to Perth before then flying non-stop to London. Qantas has adjusted the timing of some domestic services into Perth so that passengers from Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane can join the flight to London.
Today’s first flight coincided with the opening of the airline’s new Perth International Transit Lounge featuring jetlag reducing lighting as well as pre-flight stretching classes, and relocating all of the airline’s domestic and international flights into a single terminal at Perth Airport for faster, smoother connections.
Mr Joyce added: “I’d like to specially recognise the support and cooperation of the Federal Government, the West Australian Government and Perth Airport. Without their help this flight, and all its broader benefits, wouldn’t be happening.”
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, who was one of the passengers on the inaugural flight, described it as a major milestone for Australia as well as global aviation. “This is a truly historic flight that opens up a new era of travel. For the first time, Australia and Europe have a direct air link,” said Mr Joyce.
“The original Kangaroo Route from Australia to London was named for the seven stops it made over four days back in 1947. Now we can do it in a single leap.
“The response to the flight has been amazing, both for the attention it’s received since we announced it and the bookings we’ve seen coming in. It’s great for Australian tourism, for business travellers and for people visiting friends and family on both sides of the world.”
Qantas starts History-making flight Direct to London by its B787-9
NINE FAST FACTS ABOUT QF9 (PERTH-LONDON)
1. QF9 is operated by four pilots across the 17-hour journey, with one or two pilots resting at any one time.
2. The flight will follow different flight paths depending on the best winds, helping the aircraft fly faster and more efficiently. Qantas analysed a decade of seasonal wind patterns in preparation for the new service.
3. At 14,498km, QF9 is the third longest commercial flight currently in operation. It is the world’s longest Dreamliner flight.
4. QF9 will carry around 92 tonnes or 110,000 litres of fuel with the Dreamliner burning approximately 20 per cent less than traditional aircraft its size.
5. With a total seat count of 236 passengers, the Qantas Dreamliner has significantly fewer seats than many other airlines who have configured the same aircraft to carry more than 300 passengers.
6. Currently, most aircraft have cabin air pressure equivalent to that of an altitude of 8,000 ft. For the Dreamliner, Boeing cut that down to 6,000 ft, meaning it’s closer to conditions on the ground.
7. Menus for the flights between Perth and London have been designed to maintain hydration, aid sleep and reduce jetlag and include poke bowls as well as home style comfort food.
8. There are more than 21,000 individual items loaded onto the aircraft for each flight between Perth and London including 330 peppermint tea bags and hundreds of chocolate biscuits.
9. In 1947 a return flight from Sydney to London cost £525 when the average wage was £7. Today, the average Australian weekly wage is $1600 and a return fare from Perth to London can cost less than $1300.
EasyJet has announced a new route to Istanbul in Turkey from Manchester which will take off this summer. This will be the first time the airline will operate to the Istanbul Airport in Turkey’s largest city, which becomes the 156th destination on easyJet’s extensive short-haul network spanning Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Seats are on sale now at easyJet.com and via the mobile app, with fares from £51.99.*
Departing for the first time on 9th June, flights will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, providing a direct connection for customers from the North-West to this unique and iconic city, in addition to existing popular services from Manchester to Antalya and Dalaman.
Istanbul joins other destinations Bodrum, Antalya, Dalaman and Izmir on easyJet’s Turkey network and promises to offer customers something uniquely different. Straddling two continents, and famously known as the city where East meets West, easyJet’s newest destination boasts a rich history and will offer customers a variety of experiences; from the old city which reflects cultural influences of many historic empires, to world-famous landmarks like the Blue Mosque, while bargain hunters can stroll the iconic Grand Bazaar.
What’s more, the new route means that brand new package holidays have gone on sale with Europe’s fastest-growing tour operator, easyJet holidays. Holidaymakers can make the most of city break packages starting at just £437 per person, including hotel, flights and 23kg luggage. The holiday provider has 13 hotels to choose from, including the 5* CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel Istanbul in the New City, the 5* Eresin hotels Topkapi in the Old City, and the 5* Wanda Vista Istanbul in Marmara.
EasyJet serves 21 UK airports, offering 482 routes to 125 destinations from the UK across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. To discover more about easyJet’s UK network and to book, visit easyJet.com
EasyJet 2070: The Future Travel Report highlights include:
The airport journey and air travel experience will be revolutionized by technological advances:
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Heartbeat and biometric passports will replace the traditional passport, for passengers to breeze through their airport. Much like fingerprints and the retina, every person’s cardiac signature is unique. Passengers’ heartbeat signatures and biometric details will be logged on a global system in the same way fingerprint scanning technology works today.
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Ergonomic and biomimetic sensory plane seats will become the norm, with smart materials adapting to passengers’ body shape, height, weight, and temperature, providing the ultimate tailored comfort flying experience
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Inflight entertainment will be beamed directly in front of passenger’s eyes, via optoelectronic devices, replacing the need for onboard screens or downloading movies before you fly
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e-VTOL air taxis will do away with the airport car park shuttle – the journey to the airport will be quicker and more convenient than ever before with 85% of passengers arriving by e-VTOLs from their homes to the terminal.
As technology advances, it will see significant advances in the accommodation experience abroad:
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3D printed hotel buffet food will allow holidaymakers to 3D print whatever they want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while reducing food waste.
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Subterranean hotels built into the fabric of the earth that are super energy efficient and at one with the environment
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All hotel rooms will be smart rooms with beds already pre-made to exactly desired firmness, ambient temperatures and favourite music playing based upon preferences you select in advance of booking the holiday
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A holographic personal holiday concierge will accompany holidaymakers to provide up to date destination information and assistance throughout their stay
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3D printed, recyclable holiday clothes on arrival at the hotel will remove the need for suitcases and fast holiday fashion as travellers can print the clothes required in their hotel rooms, tailored to their perfect fit and style, and recycle the materials for the next guest to enjoy.
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Human powered hotels which harvest energy from its guests’ footsteps in order to generate power
Four of the expert predictions have been brought to life in incredibly detailed renders, showcasing how travel could look in 2070.
The impressive visuals depict travellers using their unique heartbeats to get through security at the airport, as well as a new way of flying as aircraft are fitted with adaptable, biomimetic seats, with entertainment beamed directly into their eyes. Other images show holidaymakers viewing a true-to-life Colossus of Rhodes wearing haptic suits, and selecting delicious 3D-printed food, personalised to their tastes. Three-quarters (75%) of Brits say that these technological advances would make them more likely to go on holiday in the future.
The survey of 2,000 British adults revealed that biometric heartbeat passports and time-travelling holiday experiences are the advancements in travel that the nation would most like to see happen by 2070.
The first ever Airbus 321neo has been introduced by Air India, a Tata Group company. On Saturday, the VT-RTD-registered aircraft departed from Hamburg, Germany towards Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
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#FlyAI: We're thrilled to welcome our Airbus A321 Neo (VT-RTD).
We look forward to welcoming you onboard! #TheAIFleet #A321Neo #TravelExperience pic.twitter.com/P4aWm4mTzF
— Air India (@airindiain) March 26, 2023
Air India wrote on Twitter, “The Airbus A321 Neo, the newest member of our AI Family, is ready to be welcomed (VT-RTD). We are eagerly awaiting her arrival after it took off from Hamburg. The first A321 Neo (equipped with CFM LEAP 1A Engines) kind of aircraft to be accepted by AI is this one.”
#FlyAI: All set to welcome the newest entrant to our AI Family- Airbus A321 Neo (VT-RTD). It’s taken off from Hamburg & we can’t wait to see her land here!
This is the 1st A321 Neo (fitted with CFM LEAP 1A Engines) type of aircraft to be inducted by AI.Pic 3 by @flightradar24 pic.twitter.com/a23l4iPOAi
— Air India (@airindiain) March 25, 2023
The plane touched down at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). Since being acquired by Tata Group last year in January 2022, this is the first narrowbody aircraft that Air India has received.
The Airbus A320, A320neo, and A321neo, all from the European aircraft manufacturer, will be joined by the narrow-body aircraft on the domestic routes by which they will be used. An agreement between Air India and Airbus was just completed, and it calls for the purchase of 250 aircraft. Both Airbus narrow-body and wide-body aircraft will be added to Air India.
Vistara Welcomes India’s 1st Airbus A321LR To Its Fleet(Opens in a new browser tab)
“Airbus and Air India are experiencing a historic time. According to Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International at Airbus, “India is on the verge of a revolution in international air travel, and we are honored that our partnership with the Tatas and our aircraft solutions will write that new chapter for the country’s air-connectivity.”
The A321neo is the single-aisle Airbus model with the longest fuselage, comfortably seating 180 to 220 passengers in a conventional two-class configuration and up to 244 in a higher-density configuration.
Qantas will resume direct flights between Melbourne and Tokyo for the first time in more than three years, creating more options for Australians traveling to Japan.
The new service is the first non-stop flight between Melbourne and Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport by any airline, saving passengers nearly two hours of travel to downtown Tokyo compared with Narita Airport, which the flight operated to before the pandemic.
Qantas Takes off again between Brisbane and Tokyo(Opens in a new browser tab)
The year-round flights will operate four days per week with an Airbus A330 aircraft and add to Qantas’ existing flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Haneda Airport. Together, these flights offer customers more than 420,000 seats between Australia and Japan annually and the choice of double daily flights to Tokyo.
Qantas has this week announced a multi-million dollar investment in new menus, larger meals and premium produce across all cabins in its regional, domestic and international network, including flights to Tokyo. The new menu changes will roll out on 29 March and will feature seasonal ingredients, including plant-based options, coinciding with Autumn. Seasonal grilled chicken, steamed rice, miso soup with Japanese pickles, and pork ramen with pickled shiitake mushroom, shallot and nor, are some of the items which feature on the menu for Qantas’ flights between Australia and Tokyo.
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The Melbourne-Tokyo (Haneda) route launch will be soon followed by the national carrier’s new Melbourne-Jakarta service which is set to commence in mid-April.
The Qantas Group operates up to 35 return flights per week from Australia to Japan. This includes Qantas’ flights from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to Haneda and Jetstar’s flights from Cairns to Narita and Osaka, and Gold Coast to Narita.
Airlines
Inflight Ramadan Experience: Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways Offer Traditional Meals and Religious Content for Passengers
The most well-known Middle Eastern airlines are providing special Ramadan meals to its customers. Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad have developed distinctive food in response to the holy month of Ramadan.
Emirates
Emirates is preparing thousands of Ramadan meal boxes for fasting passengers both onboard and Iftar boxes at boarding gates, an array of religious content and Ramadan series on ice, and traditional Ramadan refreshments and meals in the lounges.
The Ramadan meal boxes will include light dishes and starters such as hummus and spinach bil zeit, Greek salad and cauliflower bil tahini, falafel sandwiches, pasta salad and fried aubergine with mint, zaatar chicken salad and cauliflower bil tahini, chicken musakhan sandwiches with Arabic bread, as well as staples like traditional dates and refreshing laban. A smaller Iftar box will also be served at boarding gates at Iftar time including all the essentials to comfortably break the fast.
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Emirates’ Ramadan and Iftar boxes will be served to complement the regular hot meal service and menu’s will be refreshed on a weekly basis to ensure a best-in-class dining experience during the Holy Month. The boxes will be served on flights to select destinations during times that coincide with iftar, on flights to and from the Gulf region, as well as flights catering to Umrah groups traveling to Jeddah and Medina during the month of Ramadan.
Qatar Airways
It offer a bespoke Iftar to passengers on board and at Al Safwa, Al Mourjan and Global Premium Lounges. Special Ramadan offerings will be available on flights to the GCC, Middle East, and some Indian Sub-continent, African and Asian destinations.
Similarly, Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge and Al Mourjan Business Lounge will announce the prayer call; in readiness for passengers to utilize the prayer rooms.
Travelers can choose from a selection of traditional Ramadan favorites for a fulfilling dining experience in addition to the Qatar Airways customary dining experience served alongside Qatar Airways’ signature Ramadan-themed lantern.
Etihad Airways
Etihad’s regular hot meal service will be complemented by the Iftar meals onboard, and guests will be treated to meals including Saffron curry crusted seabream, Lamb shank with black lime jus, Lentil soup, Chaami and beetroot salad, Machboos chicken ciabatta sandwich, Aseeda cheesecake, Saffron pot de creme with batheeta crumble and more. A selection of the bespoke recipes will be available online or by scanning QR codes placed at the bottom of the onboard menu, allowing guests to recreate Etihad’s unique inflight meals at home.
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The Etihad Ramadan experience starts from the lounges at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which will also feature Ramadan dishes and beverages as well as dedicated prayer rooms. Travellers breaking their fast prior to departure or just before landing will be provided with takeaway bags containing dates, a drink and a snack.
The airline’s inflight entertainment system, E-box, will be updated with a selection of Ramadan content in addition to recordings of the Holy Quran and the Mecca Qibla pointer that are always available on board.To view Etihad’s special Ramadan menu and select recipes, click here.
The completed prototype of Iran’s homegrown trainer jet was shown, bringing the country’s military forces one step closer to self-sufficiency. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammadreza Ashtiani attended the inauguration of the aircraft’s production line as the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) Air Force welcomed the second “Yasin” advanced trainer jet.
For the next phase of training its pilots for Su 35 aircraft, Iran unveiled the first Indigenius trainer aircraft. Despite Western sanctions, Iran is actively producing its own aircraft and developing its manufacturing capabilities.
The second 2nd Yasin advanced trainer jet has finally been unveiled, after the first prototype appeared in 2019
A production line has been formed. If there's still plans for a CAS variant, we'll likely see the design for it soon https://t.co/jLiEwUhpCK pic.twitter.com/UTABSYMk1o
— Iran Defense|نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (@IranDefense) March 11, 2023
The Yasin is a twin-seater, single-engine aircraft that can be used for pilot training, advanced pilot training, and weapon delivery training. It has a maximum speed of around 1,000 km/h and a range of approximately 900 km.
The Yasin’s development is a significant step for Iran’s defence sector because it demonstrates the nation’s capacity to manufacture cutting-edge military equipment at domestically. Iran has been under international sanctions for many years, which has made it difficult for the country to import advanced military equipment from other countries.
The Yasin is part of a larger effort by Iran to strengthen its military capabilities and reduce its reliance on foreign military equipment. It’s also a symbol of Iran’s technological and scientific progress and its ability to achieve self-sufficiency in various areas, including defense.
Following the FAA’s Safety Summit last week, the agency issued a safety alert with specific steps it wants airlines, pilots and others to take.
The FAA is urging the following actions:
- Ensure pilots and flight attendants have the same understanding of what “sterile flight deck” means and the risks associated with extraneous communication during this time.
- Emphasize the importance of awareness of the aircraft in relation to taxiways, runways and other aircraft. This includes reviewing the following previously published SAFOs:
- Encourage personnel to identify and report existing and emerging safety issues through voluntary reporting programs and understand the usefulness of voluntary reporting systems for the operation in which you are engaged.
- Reinforce adherence to published processes and procedures, including checklists, Air Traffic Control instructions, and internal company procedures.
- Ensure Safety Management Systems are accounting for the high rate of change and churn in the industry.
EasyJet launches flights for the first time to Istanbul
“Biomimetic Seats and Time Travel: easyJet’s Vision for Travel in 50 Years”
Air India Welcomes Its First Airbus A321neo Aircraft
Qantas resumes flights between Melbourne and Tokyo
Inflight Ramadan Experience: Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways Offer Traditional Meals and Religious Content for Passengers
“The Yasin Jet Trainer: Iran’s Answer to Sanctions and Self-Reliance in Defense”
FAA Urges Airlines, Pilots and Others to Take Key Safety Actions
Israel’s El Al to resume India flights using Saudi corridor
United airlines announces first Electric Air Taxi Route in Chicago
Off-duty pilot helps land 737 after Southwest pilot falls ill during flight
Virgin Atlantic has a surprise for passengers who steal its salt and pepper shakers from flights
Woman’s ‘genius’ revenge hack for people reclining seats all the way on airplanes
United Airlines Blocking Seats Due To Passenger Weight
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The B777’s new livery and impressive cabin of Air India pleased the customers.
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Boeing 747 jet clocked up just 42 hours in the sky is scrapped
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