United Airlines Resumes Flights to Hong Kong from Singapore and San Francisco: United Airlines announced that its service between Singapore (SIN) and San Francisco (SFO) via Hong Kong (HKG) is scheduled to resume on Wednesday 8 July (eastbound). The service will allow customers in Singapore to visit the United States via Hong Kong, while offering nonstop service for customers travelling between Hong Kong and San Francisco, as well as between Hong Kong and Singapore. United’s SIN-HKG-SFO route is operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft which features 48 seats in United Polaris business class, 88 seats in United Economy Plus and 116 in United Economy.
Travelport completes sale of Locomote: Travelport said it has completed the sale of Locomote, a technology solution enabling travel agencies and travel management companies to manage corporate travel. Ross Fastuca and David Fastuca, the original founders of Locomote, have acquired Locomote. After leaving the company in 2018, the two have focused on investing and advising technology-based businesses, while working on philanthropic ventures. As part of the sale, Travelport will provide technology and helpdesk services to the business through to the end of the year to ensure a smooth and successful transition to the new owners. Travelport will remain a reseller of Locomote and all current customer agreements with Travelport or Locomote are unaffected by this sale. Travelport first invested in Locomote in 2014, taking full ownership in 2017. The commercial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.
Emirates reinstates ground services: Emirates’ premium customers can now enjoy the airline’s signature Chauffeur Drive service (CDS) and airport lounge at its Dubai hub with the restart of these services following a full health and safety review. Emirates has implemented a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the customer journey to ensure the safety of its customers and employees. To start, Emirates will open one lounge in Terminal 3 Concourse B, Dubai International Airport (DXB) to serve First Class, Business Class and eligible Emirates Skywards members from 1 July. Emirates has also resumed its complimentary Chauffeur Drive service for First and Business Class customers in Dubai and other cities. Lounge facilities and amenities have been modified to ensure customer comforts are offered in keeping with the highest health and safety standards, reducing contact and risk of infection.
Qatar Airways adds destinations: Qatar Airways said it has relaunched 11 destinations on 1 July and said by mid-July the airline’s network will expand to over 430 weekly flights to more than 65 destinations with the addition of flights to several destinations, including Edinburgh from 1 July (three weekly flights), Toronto from 4 July (three weekly flights, new destination), and Venice from 15 July (three weekly flights).
New general counsel at IATA: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Karen Clayton has taken on the duties of general counsel in addition to her responsibilities as corporate secretary effective today, 1 July. Jeff Shane retired as IATA’s general counsel on 30 June 2020 after seven years of service. Clayton joined IATA in April 2019 from Air New Zealand, where she held the role of general counsel and company secretary since 2016. A national of the United Kingdom, Clayton holds a law degree from Sheffield University and a diploma in legal practice from Exeter University. She was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1999.
Changi Airport goes contact-less: Changi Airport has begun transforming the passenger experience with new contact-less and cleaning innovations for a safer, but yet seamless, airport journey. These measures will be rolled out airport-wide in preparation for when air travel into and out of Singapore gradually resumes. At Changi’s automated kiosks, new proximity sensors are being installed progressively to eliminate the need for travellers to touch the electronic screens when they check in or drop off their bags. Used for the first time in any airport, infrared sensors will enable passengers to select options and key in their travel details by pointing their finger close to the screen without touching it. For those who need to check in at counters staffed by customer service agents, acrylic screens will provide a safe barrier between passengers and staff. Changi’s contactless passenger experience will also extend to immigration. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority has upgraded the automated immigration lanes at Changi Airport with a new biometric system that uses face and iris recognition technology as the primary means for identity verification. This replaces traditional fingerprint scanning.
FlightSafety opens new learning centre in Australia: FlightSafety International now offers maintenance technician training at a new learning centre located at the Sunshine Coast Airport in Queensland, Australia. “We are pleased to serve technicians who maintain aircraft equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada engines and Honeywell engines and APUs, at this new Learning Centre in Queensland,” said Nathan Speiser, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing. “FlightSafety offers conveniently located programs to our customers in the Pacific Rim and elsewhere, through our global network of Learning Centres and training facilities.”