Lufthansa Cargo’s chief commercial officer will be promoted to chief executive following the departure of Dorothea von Boxberg to Brussels Airlines. Ashwin Bhat is set to lead the business from 15 April, the Lufthansa Group carrier says, while retaining responsibility for products and sales. Von Boxberg is lined up to become the new chief executive of group stablemate Brussels Airlines on the same date, following the recent departure of Peter Gerber to Condor. Bhat became chief commercial officer at Lufthansa Cargo in 2021, having previously headed the cargo business at another Lufthansa Group carrier, Swiss. In a separate development, Bhat was elected to the board of Swiss in February.<br/>
star
Ethiopian Airlines, is celebrating the 50th year of the commencement of its service to China. The Airline made its first flight to Shanghai on 21 February 1973 and operated there for a while before it shifted its flights to Beijing on 07 November 1973, which is one of its very popular destinations in Asia. Ethiopian Airlines is the first African carrier to fly to China and has been connecting the country with the whole of Africa for half a century now. China is now one of the biggest markets for Ethiopian Airlines with more passenger services to four destinations, namely, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hong Kong. Marking the 50 years of service to China, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew said, “The beginning of flights to China 50 years ago heralded an important milestone in the history of the Airline. Ethiopia was among the first to serve China and has ever since been providing reliable services to the country. As China is one of the key destinations in Asia, we will maintain our commitment to serving the country, thereby providing access for the Chinese people to the big African market. China-Africa relation is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, and Ethiopian Airlines continues to serve the needs of the traveling public by availing the best connections to Africa and beyond, using its ultramodern aircraft. We are pleased to have served the people of China for the last 50 years, and we will continue to be a bridge connecting China with African nations.”<br/>
Flights to Beijing from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) will resume this week, with four flights per week to Beijing Capital International Airport from 1 April. Eventually, flights to Beijing from LGW will increase to daily services from 24 April. Flights have not run between these airports since early 2020. Stephanie Wear, VP Aviation Development, Gatwick Airport said: “We are delighted to welcome Air China back to London Gatwick, providing a vital connection between two of the world’s most influential capital cities. “China is the world’s second-largest economy, so by offering direct flights between London and Beijing, Gatwick is providing an important service to people and businesses across the Southeast. “It is also great news for tourism and hospitality across the region. Chinese visitors are traditionally high spenders so the return of regular flights will help support these sectors, which suffered so badly throughout the pandemic.”<br/>
Boeing and EVA Air today finalized an order for five additional 787-9 Dreamliners, a repeat order for Boeing's super-efficient widebody jet. EVA Air's follow-on investment in the 787 will enable the airline to further reduce carbon emissions and sustainably grow its fleet. "Our 787 fleet has become the foundation of our carbon-neutral growth strategy and we will continue to leverage this airplane's unrivaled efficiency and performance for many years to come," said Clay Sun, President of EVA Air. "This new order supports our ongoing commitment to operate a more sustainable fleet that will enable us to reduce carbon emissions while providing our passengers with world-class service." Built with lightweight composite materials and powered by advanced GEnx engines, the 787-9 will provide the five-star airline with increased capacity, greater range, and 25% better fuel efficiency compared to earlier-generation jets. EVA Air's 787 fleets has provided the airline with added flexibility on long-haul routes to North America, Europe, and Asia.<br/>
Singapore Airlines has increased flights to Denpasar Bali. It has added a sixth daily service, with the first in July. This is the carrier's highest regular frequency on the 1,037-mile (1,669 km) airport pair. Coincidentally or not, the added flight comes a month after Emirates will begin using the A380 to Bali. From July 1st, Singapore Airlines will serve Bali six daily, a frequency which will continue until October 28th, the last day of the northern summer season. They're summarized in a table in story. As reported by Aeroroutes and confirmed on the Star Alliance member's website and in OAG schedules, the sixth daily is SQ948 out and SQ949 back, using the Boeing 737 MAX 8. Previously, no aircraft would have remained in Denpasar overnight. Given how badly afflicted Asia was by the pandemic, it is much more meaningful to analyze booking data from 2019. That year, Singapore Airlines and (now defunct) SilkAir had five daily Bali flights. In 2019, they carried approximately 745,000 roundtrip passengers, with a seat load factor of about 83%.<br/>