star

Eve Air Mobility and United Airlines have partnered on an Urban Air Mobility project to bring the first electric commuter flights to San Francisco, US. The partnership will see both companies working with local authorities and providers to bring the infrastructure necessary for launching electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the region. Eve’s offering says it will allow United’s customers quick, low-carbon access to its hub airports and offer a new commuting option in dense urban environments. Eve co-CEO Andre Stein said: “Our shared goal is to provide residents and visitors to the San Francisco Bay area with efficient and cost-competitive transportation in one of the most densely populated urban areas in the US. The Bay Area is perfect for eVTOL flights given its size, traffic, focus on sustainability, innovation and commitment to add other options for mobility.” The San Francisco announcement is the latest step in the two companies’ relationship following a $15m investment into Eve by United last year, alongside a conditional purchase agreement for 200 eVTOLs. Eve’s eVTOL aircraft are expected to enter service in 2026 and will have a range of 60 miles (100km), it will be manually piloted upon its launch but the company aims to offer uncrewed operations in the future. United Airlines Ventures president Michael Leskinen said: “Urban Air Mobility has the potential to revolutionise how United customers work, live and travel. Eve’s proposed route is a critical first step towards making this all-electric and quiet commute a reality for Bay Area residents.” <br/>

Air Canada plans to launch non-stop flights to Singapore from its hub at Vancouver International airport beginning in April 2024, a move coming as Singapore Airlines prepares to axe the route. The Montreal-based carrier said on 14 June that it intends to operate four-times weekly flights between Vancouver and Singapore Changi airport using its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Singapore Airlines has flown the route since December 2021 using Airbus A350s, but will nix the flight after September, Cirium schedules data shows. Air Canada sells seats on those flights under a codeshare partnership with Singapore Airines. Both carriers are also members of Star Alliance. Cirium fleets data shows that Air Canada has 38 787s in service. The aircraft are configured with three cabins – economy, premium economy and Signature Class with lie-flat beds. The new route capitalises on “growing business links” to the Asia-Pacific region and ”Canada’s changing demographics”, the carrier says. It also fits into Air Canada’s plan to grow Vancouver International as a “premier transpacific hub”, says Mark Galardo, executive vice-president of revenue and network planning at Air Canada. ”Singapore is a top global financial centre, a multicultural destination that offers an abundance of tourism and food experiences, as well as an important gateway to destinations in Southeast Asia, Southern India and Western Australia,” he adds. Air Canada is returning to Singapore Changi airport after a three-decade absence, according to Lim Ching Kiat, executive vice-president for air hub and cargo development at Changi Airport Group. ”The resumption of the Vancouver-Singapore service strengthens the connectivity between Canada and Asia, and will facilitate growth in both business and leisure travel,” Kiat says. <br/>

Turkish Airlines has been named Türkiye’s most valuable brand for the sixth consecutive time in the 2023 study by Brand Finance, an international leading brand valuation organization. Turkish Airlines has successfully increased its value from $1.6b in 2022 to $2.02b, representing a 26% growth. The flag carrier airline, deserving of this title for the sixth consecutive time, solidified its position at the top. On the title, Turkish Airlines Chairman Prof Dr. Ahmet Bolat stated: "We are proud to be Türkiye’s most valuable brand for the sixth consecutive time. We will continue to bring our brand, which represents the wings of Türkiye as dreamed 90 years ago, to even greater achievements. Just as we soar high in the blue sky, we will continue to soar high in the realm of brands. I thank all my colleagues who have contributed to this success."<br/>

EGYPTAIR has announced it will offer a new direct service from Manchester Airport to Cairo from next month. Travellers from the city who will be looking for a new adventure will soon be able to ticket off this bucket list travel destination when flights start on July 15. Cairo is close to the world-famous sights such as the pyramids and the sphinx of giza which are all in easy reach for tourists. The route will be the only flights to Cairo leaving the UK outside of London that will have a direct link to Egypt’s capital city. Flights will leave Manchester Airport five times a week, including every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm each day. EGYPTAIR will operate services taking 154 passengers to the Egyptian capital each flight. Chris Woodroofe, managing director of Manchester Airport, said: “Having a direct route to Cairo is fantastic news for travellers in our region, giving them a straightforward means of visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. This link also offers businesses in our region access to a fast-growing market and adds another in-demand route to our growing network, cementing our place as the UK’s global gateway in the North."<br/>

Direct flights between Western Australia and Japan are set to resume after more than three years. All Nippon Airways (ANA) will resume its Perth to Tokyo (Narita) route on 29 October, flying return services three times per week on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and adding almost 75,000 seats back into the market. The route was popular both inbound and outbound until it was suspended in March 2020, said Perth Airport Acting CEO Kate Holsgrove. “The return of ANA to Perth is a major step forward in rebuilding international aviation connections and we expect there to be huge demand for this route when it resumes later this year,” she said. “We will continue to work closely with ANA to rebuild confidently towards a daily service with strong passenger demand all year-round. This represents another success story for the Team Perth approach of working with tourism, businesses, exporters and the State Government to grow the aviation sector in Western Australia.” ANA first launched non-stop services between Perth and Tokyo (Narita) in September 2019, but was forced to halt them just six months later after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. ANA’s original Perth-Narita route, which used 787-8s as opposed to the slightly larger 787-9, connected Western Australia with Japan for the first time since 2011, when Qantas ended its three-times-weekly flights with Boeing 767-300ERs.<br/>

Air New Zealand has retained its place at the top of the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index for the ninth consecutive year. The national carrier was followed closely by Mitre 10 and Pak’nSave. All three companies scored a rounded 109 in the RepZ index with Air New Zealand just fractions of a point ahead of Mitre 10 (third last year) and Pak’nSave (up from fifth). Toyota and TVNZ were close behind on rounded scores of 108. Established in 2015, the index uses Kantar’s own RepZ framework, which looks at standardised reputation attributes including trust, leadership, fairness, and responsibility. The survey, conducted between February and April 2023, provides insights into the public perception of New Zealand’s top 50 consumer facing corporates. Air New Zealand had a marginal decline in its overall score of 110 from last year but secured the highest scores for trust (115) and responsibility (110), while also attaining a fifth rank in leadership (110).However, it fell short of the resilient zone in the fairness attribute (97). An overall score of 105 or higher equates to a world-class rating. Chief client officer of Kantar Insights Sarah Bolger highlighted the transformative power of companies that pushed boundaries, embraced experimentation, and actively prioritised their impact on both people and the natural environment. But she said the call to ensure employees' wages kept pace with mounting living costs was being heard throughout the country. The rising cost of living crisis had made it even more important for companies to prioritise fairness in their operations. Fairness was a pivotal pillar that defined and shaped overall reputation, she said.<br/>