In partnership with Living Map, Star Alliance has begun developing a set of location and map-based digital tools for integration into the mobile apps of their member airlines. The first of these, Star Alliance’s digital version of its Connection Service product, launched last September with Singapore Airlines at London Heathrow Airport, and is planned for rollout to other member airlines and additional transfer intensive airports. The digital Connection Service is designed to curate the airport connection journey with route guidance based on the individual passenger’s location, itinerary and profile, including guidance from arrival to departure gate, transit time and, in the case of critical connections, a digital express connection card that will allow expedited passage through checkpoints. The product will see continual development releases that will add to and enhance connection journey features, whilst adding new user journeys in the future.<br/>
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Air Canada dropped as much as 6.2%, the most since Dec. 21, as the Canadian government considers tougher measures to limit travel into the country because of new variants of Covid-19. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet have talked openly about tightening rules to discourage international trips. The country requires anyone boarding a flight to Canada to have a negative virus test, and most are also required to quarantine for 14 days when they arrive. Those measures have not stopped some Canadians from making winter trips to warmer destinations where travel isn’t as restricted. Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland reinforced the warnings against international flights at a news conference Monday. “I can’t emphasize too much how important that is for all of us just to stay home,” she said. “As for additional border measures, those are actively being considered.”<br/>
China's three major state-owned airlines put off delivery of over 100 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus last year -- but kept every single order from Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, in a show of support for the domestic manufacturer during the coronavirus pandemic. Their choice highlights COMAC's strategic importance. But given the dominance of the American and European behemoths, the Chinese airlines are expected to fulfill most of their orders in the coming years, as recovery of their domestic aviation market is way ahead of the others. The big three Chinese carriers -- China Southern, China Eastern and Air China -- held off on a total of 58 planes from Boeing and 53 from Airbus in 2020. Comparing the actual changes in each of their fleets with plans disclosed in their respective annual reports last April, China Southern has put off a net 44 planes, followed by China Eastern's 43 and Air China's 24. The airlines had not responded to queries on Nikkei Asia's calculation by the time of publication. In the case of China Eastern and Air China, Airbus had more orders postponed than Boeing. Both airlines were planning a mass introduction of Airbus -- mostly its A320 series -- in 2020. But while they planned to increase their Airbus fleets by 37 and 31 respectively on a net basis, actual net delivery was only nine planes each. The two carriers had placed very few orders with Boeing in the first place. While Airbus added a net 18 planes in their combined fleets, Boeing lost a net 13 planes.<br/>
ANA Holdings said Tuesday it would suspend 16 international routes and reduce service to three other routes during the summer as the COVID-19 pandemic restricts travel around the world. Announcing its interim flight schedule for the financial year starting in April, ANA said domestic routes would be the main source of income for fiscal 2021 as it reorganises routes to match travel demand. Japan has effectively shut its borders to foreign non-residents as it aims to contain the spread of coronavirus infections, leading to an 87% plunge in foreign visitors in 2020 to a 22-year low. ANA’s newly released flight schedule covers the period from March 28 to Oct. 30, which overlaps with the Tokyo Olympic Games due to start on July 23. ANA said it would adjust the schedule as needed on a monthly basis, adding it would continue to monitor demand and could resume or increase flights.<br/>
ANA Holdings said Tuesday that domestic routes would be the main source of income in the fiscal year starting in April, and that it would reorganise its routes as COVID-19 clouds the outlook for travel demand. Announcing its interim flight schedule for fiscal 2021, ANA also said its flights would mainly be operated using smaller aircraft to temporarily downsize operations and reduce costs. <br/>
Air NZ will require the use of face masks on all international flights to and from New Zealand from Tuesday, as a result of updated overseas government border requirements and as a further proactive safety measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Currently, customers travelling on the airline domestically, as well as between Australia, Rarotonga, Samoa, South Korea and Tonga are subject to local government requirements to wear masks inflight. Air NZ Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer David Morgan says the airline is continuing to review operational processes to keep its customers, employees and New Zealand safe. "As COVID-19 cases around the world continue to rise, particularly with new variant strains, we've put this requirement in place to further ensure the safety of our customers, aircrew and broader New Zealand. Our customers are already required by law to wear masks in flight to a number of our destinations, so extending this mandate to the remainder of our network provides a further safeguard against any potential spread of the virus," Morgan said. "To date our customers have been overwhelmingly supportive of the requirement to wear masks and we thank them for their ongoing cooperation." <br/>