Amadeus applies for eMoney license: To support customers and the wider industry, as the pace of innovation continues to accelerate, Amadeus has applied to the Bank of Spain for an eMoney license to provide regulated services in Spain and, subsequently, the wider European Economic Area. Companies with an eMoney license can provide payment services such as accepting customer funds, issuing pre-paid debit cards, or offering transfers of funds on a payment account. As part of this strategy, Amadeus’ existing payments business will become Outpayce, a wholly owned Amadeus company, with assets and employees transferring to the new entity on 1 January 2023. The focus for Outpayce will be to strengthen its current end-to-end payments offering as well as develop an integrated payment ecosystem to which travel companies can connect to access the latest fintech innovations. As an Amadeus wholly owned company, Outpayce will continue supporting the payments needs of airlines, travel sellers and corporations, with the aim to improve the end-to-end payment experience for travellers and for customers in B2B payment transactions. The growth plans include several key elements: Open payments platform: The travel industry is seeing an explosion of innovation as new services like Multi-Currency Pricing, Buy Now Pay Later, and Embedded Finance help travel companies deliver the payment experience travellers have grown to expect.
Indra subsidiary wins deal for Spain: Prointec, Indra’s civil engineering subsidiary, in a consortium with Aertec and Airia, has been awarded a contract with Aena worth 25 million euros to provide the project and site management services required to materialise the investments of the new DORA II plan for the Eastern region. Aena is pushing ahead with this at the airports in the area with the aims of expanding their capacity and improving the quality and efficiency of the service they provide, thus driving the recovery of traffic, environmental sustainability and innovation. In total, it is expected to manage and supervise the work in over a hundred projects, with an investment of close to 600 million euros in the coming years, for which a team of more than 100 people will be deployed at the Huesca-Pirineos, Girona-Costa Brava, Sabadell, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat, Reus, Zaragoza, Valencia, Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández, Albacete Airports and the Region of Murcia International Airport. The service also includes the site management and the control and surveillance of the airports’ actions to undertake their most direct investments.
Travelport delivers Qantas NDC content: Travelport announced that agency customers in 52 countries across APAC and EMEA now have access to Qantas’ NDC content, via the Qantas Distribution Platform, through Travelport+. Following Qantas’ announcement on 31 August 2022 to introduce lower pricing on domestic flights via the Qantas Distribution Platform, Travelport will be providing Qantas NDC content, via the Qantas Distribution Platform, from Australia’s national carrier to travel retailers located in a total of 68 countries worldwide by the end of 2022 through both Smartpoint and Travelport’s REST/ful JSON API, with a comprehensive set of capabilities including the ability to: Search for tailored Qantas Distribution Platform offers, be they a Qantas Frequent Flyer or corporate specific including Qantas’ planned lower priced domestic fares, due to go live end of November; Place Qantas Distribution Platform bookings on hold, which can later be settled via IATA Bank Settlement Plan with cash or credit card; Subsequently modify, void, refund or exchange an NDC ticket, including the exchange of unused tickets; Automatically queue schedule changes back to the agent to manage with the passenger; Divide and service passengers from multi-passenger bookings. By the end of January 2023, Travelport will also support the ability to select a seat. This adds to the already released capability to book meals and disability special service requests. Travelport is also making NDC content more user friendly by adding the ability to mix and match different fare brands and introducing a new NDC data feed to simplify the synchronization of NDC information in agency mid- and back-office systems.
Watson Farley & Williams advises lessors on Lion Air French restructuring: Watson Farley & Williams Paris (WFW) has advised a group of lessors, together owning approximately 30 aircraft and/or aircraft engines in Lion Air’s fleet, regarding safeguard and receivership proceedings initiated before the French courts relating to the French subsidiaries of Indonesian airline group Lion Air. After several months of negotiations under the aegis of the court-appointed administrators, bilateral agreements were reached with all lessors enabling the Paris Commercial Court to validate an exit from the proceedings without the need to present a continuation plan and by extinguishment of liabilities. This consensual and innovative contractual exit made it possible to carry out a €1bn+ restructuring involving multiple international lessors, while preserving the confidentiality of all individual bilateral agreements. Indonesia’s PT Lion Group, which operates several airlines including Lion Air, Wings Air, Batik Air, Batik Air Malaysia and Thai Lion Air, is a major player in South East Asia with a fleet of 340 aircraft providing up to 630 flights a day.
Condor offers Inmarsat GX service: Condor has selected Inmarsat’s high-speed GX Aviation inflight broadband for its upcoming fleet of Airbus A330-900neo aircraft, with passengers able to enjoy the award-winning service from later this year. The German leisure carrier is renewing its long-haul fleet with 18 Airbus A330-900neos, all of which will be delivered with GX Aviation as a linefit installation. The aircraft will be operated on Condor’s international route network to the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, with the first three Airbus A330-900neos scheduled to enter service by the end of this year and more to follow in early 2023. Powered by the world’s first and only globally available broadband network, GX Aviation offers reliable, consistent and high-speed connectivity that meets rising passenger expectations to stay connected, browse the internet, enjoy social media, shop online and more while on a flight. It will enhance Condor’s onboard experience and unlock new ancillary revenue streams for the airline, with passengers able to purchase a connectivity package directly from their personal devices.
RwandAir expands freighter fleet: RwandAir has taken delivery of its first dedicated cargo aircraft as the carrier expands its fleet. The Boeing 737-800 SF, which is painted in RwandAir’s first cargo livery, will be based at the carrier’s Kigali hub. The new jet will allow the Rwandan carrier to further expand its cargo operation, which has been on the rise. RwandAir will operate the new freighter to a number of key destinations in Africa and the Middle East, including Johannesburg, Nairobi, and the United Arab Emirates. Yvonne Makolo, RwandAir CEO, said: “The delivery of our dedicated cargo aircraft is a huge milestone in RwandAir’s fleet expansion plans. Cargo is of ever-increasing importance for the aviation industry, and as a landlocked country, we recognise the importance and value of good cargo connections. We want to ensure that Africa is seamlessly connected to the world, driving economic growth and valuable trade deals.”
FL Technics received aircraft engines shop certification: FL Technics Engine Services was approved by US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide aircraft engine repair and maintenance services in Kaunas, Lithuania, becoming the first organization in the country and one of the few in a region with such capacity. This is an important milestone not only for the company but for the whole industry as markets are facing disruptions in the supply chain and excessive demand for aircraft engines to meet the needs of surging operations of airlines across the globe, already reaching the pre-COVID levels. The new FAA certification is an extension of current FL Technics capabilities approved by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) enabling the company to deliver dual-release projects. Such capability allows FL Technics to maintain and repair engines that can be sold and mounted on aircraft in both EASA and FAA-regulated markets. In current industry circumstances, this creates broader and more flexible opportunities for airlines and lessors to source and use engines from across the continents or simply beyond European Union, including the United Kingdom.
SSP enters Keflavik International Airport: SSP, an operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations, has secured a contract to open two new units at Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavik, Iceland in spring 2023, which will extend SSP’s global presence to 36 countries once operational. Sense of place was a vital criteria for the client Isavia in awarding this tender, and these two new restaurants showcase the best of Iceland and modern Icelandic dining experiences. Restaurant, Jómfrúin is a favourite among both locals and tourists, having opened 25 years ago in the heart of Reykjavik to offer guests Danish food the Icelandic way. Jómfrúin’s founder, Jakob Jakobsson was the first man in the world to graduate as a ‘smørrebrødsjomfru’ which literally translates to ‘sandwich maiden’. Now, SSP is collaborating closely with Jakob’s son, Jakob Einar Jakobsson to bring the true Jómfruin experience to Keflavik Airport. SSP has also developed a bespoke F&B concept for the airport, drawing inspiration from Icelandic landscapes and nature. Called Elda, the unit will offer a seasonal menu – designed by Icelander and master chef, Snorri Victor Gylfason. The menu is inspired by both local and global street food. Elda will have something to appeal to every diner from breakfast to dinner, and those looking for a snack at all times in between. There will also be a Skyr and smoothie bar as well as a soup and salad bar for those looking for a healthier option. For travellers in a hurry, the grab and go selection is expected to be a popular choice.
GE Aerospace developing Service Technology Acceleration Centre: GE Aerospace is developing a new site dedicated to advancing inspection repair and overhaul technology that will be used at aviation service shops around the world. GE plans to invest $14 million and bring 50 salary jobs over the next two years to the Services Technology Acceleration Center (STAC), located at 175 Progress Place in the Cincinnati suburb of Springdale, Ohio. The STAC facility will be dedicated to developing engine services technologies and work processes, allowing for collaboration between engineering and manufacturing. The teams work together to demonstrate a technology’s manufacturing readiness before scaling it for use at service shops, accelerating the entry of new repairs into the market. The 85,000 square foot facility will also be used as a training centre for many of these state-of-the-art service technologies, as well as a GE Aerospace customer education centre. “We are innovating new ways of creating service solutions for customers,” said Nicole Tibbetts, Chief Manufacturing Engineer for MRO at GE Aerospace. “This site is intended to put us in an even better position to accelerate the technologies we are developing and industrializing to service our customers at the lowest cost and highest velocity possible.”
Etihad reintroducing A380: Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it is reintroducing four of its A380s from the summer of 2023. The move follows a surge in demand for air travel across the airline’s network and customer feedback for the return of one of the most remarkable commercial flying experiences in the sky. Etihad’s A380s feature The Residence as well as three cabin classes on the double-decker aircraft, including 9 First Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 405 Economy Smart Seats. This includes 80 Economy Space seats with a seat pitch of up to 36 inches. The nine First Apartments set across a single-aisle, offer a private living space with a large leather lounge chair and an ottoman which opens up to become a separate 80.5″ long fully-flat bed. The First Apartment is one of the most spacious in its class and also offers a 24″ swivelling LCD TV monitor and personal vanity unit. For the first time, Etihad plans to eventually offer The Residence as an optional extra for guests to further enhance their First experience. Etihad expects to return four of its A380s to the fleet in the summer of 2023, with plans to operate to London Heathrow, freeing up capacity for increased frequencies on existing routes and the launch of new destinations.
Vistara adds Muscat to route schedule: Vistara, a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines, has started daily, non-stop flights between Mumbai (India) and Muscat (Oman), its fourth destination in the Gulf region. Muscat is the third Gulf city that Vistara has added to its network in the last four months. The inaugural flight will depart from Mumbai at 2000 Hours (IST) and arrive in Muscat at 2135 Hours (GST). With this, Vistara becomes the only carrier to offer the choice of Premium Economy class on the route, in addition to Business and Economy class. There has been a consistent increase in demand for travel between India and the Gulf region and Vistara’s middle eastern routes have been performing remarkably well. The airline has focussed on expanding its presence in the region this year with the launch of services to Jeddah and Abu Dhabi in August and October, respectively. Vistara also operates daily flights to Dubai to/from Mumbai.
Blueberry Aviation completes remarketing of 11 ATR72-600s: Blueberry Aviation announced that it has recently delivered the last of 11 ATR72-600s to US lessor Jetstream Aviation Capital. This delivery marks the completion of a repossession and remarketing project which started in 2021 following Avianca’s Chapter 11. Blueberry Aviation was mandated by the French and Italian Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) to support the negotiation with the airline and manage the full repossession project. This included the on-site physical and records inspections as well as the valuation of the fleet, recovery from three different countries, ferry to and storage in France, managing the aircraft insurances as well as the remarketing and redelivery of the entire fleet to its new owner. Allen & Overy acted as legal advisor to the ECAs. “The delivery of these aircraft is a true reflection Blueberry Aviation’s unique expertise. This project which took 18 months to complete is a demonstration of our team’s professionalism, requiring the highest level of technical, legal, commercial, administrative, project management skills and total dedication to the project. The strong level of teamwork and cooperation with the ECAs and their legal advisor also played a key role in this successful process,” said Francois Gautier, CEO and founder of Blueberry Aviation.
CargoWise connects with IAG Cargo: WiseTech Global announced that IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), is now directly integrated with CargoWise, enabling freight forwarders to efficiently choose, book, confirm and change shipments, in real-time from within the industry’s leading logistics execution platform. IAG Cargo uses the freight capacity of passenger aircraft of International Airlines Group (IAG), which consists of British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus and LEVEL. With five airlines, and over 500 aircraft it’s a model that provides IAG Cargo with great capacity and a truly global network. IAG Cargo has become one of the largest cargo operators in the world, serving key sectors of the global economy including ecommerce, tech, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical and aerospace. Direct data connection with IAG Cargo’s operational data allows CargoWise customers direct access to schedules, dynamic rates, capacity and allotment bookings. The integration also allows CargoWise users to easily change digital bookings without leaving the application, supporting IAG Cargo’s Destination Digital strategy.
Airbus delivers first Sentinel-4 air-monitoring instrument to ESA: Airbus Defence and Space has successfully delivered the first Sentinel-4/UVN (Ultraviolet, Visible and Near Infra-Red) multispectral instrument flight model to the European Space Agency (ESA). It will be integrated onto the Meteosat Third Generation Sounder (MTG-S1) satellite next year. The instrument will continuously monitor key air quality trace gases and aerosols from geostationary orbit with Europe and North Africa in the field of view. Trace gases it will monitor include: nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), formaldehyde, glyoxal, and aerosols which are vital for assessing air quality. The development and manufacture of the Sentinel-4 spectrometer for the Copernicus programme was led by Airbus in Ottobrunn/Munich. Understanding the atmospheric composition will help to reduce the risks of phenomena such as desert dust plumes, long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants including pollen, as well as ash plumes from volcanic eruptions. The Sentinel-4 instrument is a high resolution spectrometer with a fast revisit time operating in three bands covering the ultraviolet (305-400 nm), the visible (400-500 nm) and the near infrared (750-775 nm) wavelength ranges. The first model of the instrument will be embarked on the MTG-S1 spacecraft which is scheduled for launch in 2024 and the second yet to be built will fly on board MTG-S2 to be launched in 2034. The purpose is to ensure data availability to the scientific community over a period of two decades.
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