Aussie fare battle heats up with Jetstar ‘return free’ deals.

The battle of the fare sales continued across Australia this week with Jetstar teaming with Tourism Australia to launch a “Return for Free” campaign aimed at boosting domestic tourism. The low-cost airline is releasing 400,000 return trips across 51 domestic routes, prompting it to claim the title of the year’s biggest fare sale against Virgin …

Airbnb publicly reveals its IPO filing, giving investors their first look at the travel giant’s finances as it tries to outrun the pandemic

Summary List Placement After months of anticipation, Airbnb made its initial public offering documents publicly available on Monday, providing the most detailed look yet at the company’s inner financial workings. Airbnb’s prospectus reveals a revenue of $2.52 billion and a net loss of $696.9 million for the first nine months of the year. Airbnb was …

Buoyed by vaccine news, airlines tackle distribution issues

With the world welcoming news a second COVID-19 vaccine is producing striking results, thoughts are now turning to how to get doses of the drugs to global populations. Reports that a vaccine from Moderna is proving 94.5 percent effective in early trials come after earlier news that a vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech appeared to …

Southwest Airlines Inaugurates Miami Service (+Photos)

MIAMI – Southwest Airlines (WN) today inaugurated a much-anticipated service out of Miami International Airport (MIA) with Airways highlighting the new touchdown in South Florida. The service, running 12 daily flights to Houston William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI), and Tampa International Airport (TPA) actually began …

My 1,000th Article: An Open Letter to the Industry

LONDON – Today I have achieved a milestone in my writing career. 1,000 online articles here at Airways. In normal circumstances, I would have taken the opportunity, and highlight the last few years of the aviation industry, and pick some of its best moments. But instead, given the current situation we all live in, I …

The best Airbnbs in Savannah

 Summary List Placement Despite the continuing pandemic, as the winter months set in, many travelers are seeking warm-weather domestic getaways.  Savannah is a well-preserved historical escape offering year-round outdoor fun. Experts and the CDC agree that private Airbnbs offer a safer travel option than hotels due to the lack of encounters with other guests or …

12 easy home decor tricks to steal from the world’s top hotel designers

 Summary List Placement Although domestic travel has started to make a comeback, many people are still spending more time at home and putting travel plans on hold due to COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean you can’t recreate the aesthetic of impeccably designed hotels in your own space. Top designers who transform hotels into dreamy escapes …

Etihad Airways Announces New Israel Flights

Photo: Aidan Pullino Delight from Etihad Commenting on the news was Mohammad Al Bulooki, the Chief Operating Officer of the Etihad Aviation Group who expressed delight over the announcement. “Following the signing of the new bilateral agreement, Etihad is delighted to announce a direct link between these important cities. The commencement of scheduled flights is …

Korean Air Lines Plans to Acquire Asiana Airlines

MIAMI – Korean Air Lines (KE) has announced its plans to acquire Asiana Airlines (OZ). If the purchase is completed, KE would become the 10th-biggest airline in the world by fleet size. According to KE Chairman Cho Won-tae, the company made the purchase decision to help the country’s airline industry continue to grow. Additionally, the …

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Strikes Bear at Yakutat Airport

MIAMI – An Alaska Airlines (AS) Boeing 737-700 (N615AS) struck and killed a bear at Yakutat Airport (YAK) resulting in damage to the left engine cowling. No one was injured on flight AS66 from Cordova. The flight was scheduled to stop in Juneau next. Airport crew members cleared the runway about 10 minutes before flight …

Owners of some of the quirkiest Airbnbs in the US share how their businesses have taken off and pivoted to accommodate cautious travelers looking for an escape

Summary List Placement Between restrictions to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, consumer fears, and an unprecedented economic downturn, many facets of the traditional hospitality sector are struggling, with the American Hotel & Lodging Association reporting that US hotels have lost $46 billion in revenue since mid-February. Innovative platforms like Airbnb seem to have …

Asia-Pacific airline bosses back global COVID testing regime

The chief executives of key Asia-Pacific airlines have issued a joint call for a global COVID testing regime as part of protocols aimed at kick-starting the shattered aviation industry. They have warned that cross-border cooperation and collaboration is urgently needed to restart the aviation industry and avoid further economic damage. The call from the Association …

Korean Air to buy rival Asiana in market revamp

Korean Air and holding company Hanjin KAL on Monday confirmed they would acquire rival Asiana Airlines for 1.8 trillion won ($US1.6 billion) as part of a wider restructuring of the Korean aviation industry. The merged airline is expected to rank as one of the world’s top 10 in a  move Korean Air says is designed …

Qantas ‘ready to fly’ as it turns 100

Co-Founders Hudson Fysh (Right) and Paul McGinness1919. All Photos: Qantas It was formed by Australian Flying Corps veterans Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness together with grazier Fergus McMaster just 17 years after the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers, two years after the end of World War One and at the tail end of …

Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force MD-87 Arrives in Miami (+Photos)

MIAMI – On November 6, Miami International Airport (MIA) got a unique visitor, a 29-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-87 belonging to the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (EUDF) of the Kingdom of Eswatini. The aircraft, with registration 3DC-SWZ began a long journey from Manzini Matsapha Airport (MTS), Eswatini beginning on November 5. Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force MD-87 …

Calls for Atlas Air to Repay US Bailout Funds

MIAMI – Atlas Air (5Y) has refused to heed calls from members of the US Congress and some members of the public to repay US$406m in COVID-19 bailout funds. The primary reason given by those who want the funds repaid is the fact that cargo carriers have done well as a result of the pandemic, …

Flybe Revival at Risk with Irish Contract Miss

MIAMI – Flybe (BE), which had entered administration earlier this year, has been dealt a serious blow in terms of a possible revival. Aer Lingus (EI) this weekend dealt the blow by handing over regional operations to Emerald Airlines, an Irish upstart airline. Flybe, planning for a restart next year, placed a bid to run …

More wealthy travelers are turning to private jets this winter for travel as COVID spikes continue. Here are their top 9 destinations.

Summary List Placement Winter is fast approaching, and so is the holiday travel season.  While budget travelers shop around for the cheapest commercial airline tickets for a Thanksgiving or Christmas getaway, the wealthy are calling their aircraft brokers to book their private jet flights. Pent up demand for safe travel has brought the private aviation …

FAA warns airlines of disinfection safety risks

While airlines make a big deal about touting their disinfection procedures, the US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a behind-the-scenes warning that some actions could pose a safety risk. A Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin issued on November 4 warns that too frequent or improper use of disinfectants could cause problems such as corrosion, embrittlement, increased …

Corporación América Airports Reports October 2020 Passenger Traffic

MIAMI – Corporación América Airports, the largest private airport operator in the world by the number of facilities, reported an 80.8% drop in passenger traffic through the month of October 2020 in a year-over-year comparison, business portal Business Wire reported on November 13. According to the portal, the decline in traffic reflected “the continued impact …

Busiest Cargo Airports of North America

MIAMI – While passenger airlines have been pummeled throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, cargo airlines have seen growth, highlighting the importance of the busiest cargo airports in North America. Cargo levels year-over-year increases have been significant with a 12.5% surge in July. Perhaps the freight hub most equipped for such increases is Memphis International Airport (MEM) …

Read the pitch deck that business travel startup Lola used to secure $37 million in funding

Summary List Placement Lola.com CEO Mike Volpe thinks business travel on the whole is just horrible – but he saw that as a big business opportunity. Lola focuses on making it easier for medium-sized companies to manage corporate travel arrangements. Companies use the service to authorize employees to make travel-related purchases and set their own …

JetBlue will soon fill its planes to capacity and is offering refunds for travelers who don’t want to fly on the airline as a result

Summary List Placement JetBlue Airways is joining the growing list of airlines that plan to fill their aircraft to capacity in the upcoming months, abandoning a policy of onboard social distancing that was thought to be necessary in order to restore confidence in air travel.  Starting December 2, JetBlue will increase capacity on its aircraft to …

Avianca Reports USD$156m Operating Loss

MIAMI – Avianca Holdings for the three months ending on September 20 has reported an operating loss of USD$156m. For the same period last year, group company Avianca (AV), the flag carrier of Colombia, posted an operating profit of USD$28m. With AV ceasing operations in mid-March following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and South …

Exploring the UK’s Newest Airline, flyPOP: A Chat with CEO Nino Singh Judge

LONDON – Airways got the opportunity to speak with CEO Nino Singh Judge, who is in charge of the UK’s newest start-up carrier, flyPOP. Earlier this month, we reported that this new airline announced plans to launch in 2021 with routes to India. The format of the interview revolves around discussing the airline’s plans, as …

Private jet firm XO just added 15 aircraft to its fleet in a major fleet expansion that will help corner the new market of first-time private jet flyers

Summary List Placement XO, one of the largest private aviation firms in the country, is growing its dedicated fleet of charter aircraft with the addition of 15 light jet aircraft. Starting today, the Cessna Citation Ultra aircraft will be available for charter directly through XO, offering members more options when booking private jet travel and …

COVID crash allows Delta to accelerate $US1.8bn LAX revamp

Delta Air Lines says the COVID crisis has allowed it to accelerate its Los Angeles International Airport revamp and passengers can now look forward to an “all-new” experience by mid-2023. The $US1.83 billion Delta Sky Way project to modernize, upgrade and connect Terminals 2, 3, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal will be ready a …