Germany's Lufthansa Group extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman and Erbil again on Monday, with flights now affected up to and including August 26. The group, which includes carriers Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings, will also be avoiding Iranian and Iraqi airspace up to and including that date, it said, over fears of an escalation in the Middle East.<br/>
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On September 1, 2024, a partnership will start in the European aviation market: Norwegian airline Widerøe and the Lufthansa Group have signed a new codeshare agreement that will impact air connections in Scandinavia and beyond. This cooperation is not only a response to the absence of SAS Scandinavian Airlines from the Star Alliance, but also marks a strategic expansion of the presence of both airlines in the region.<br/>With the partnership starting on 1 September, the codeshare agreement between Widerøe and the Lufthansa Group will make a significant contribution to connecting the Nordic regions. The new agreement will enable Widerøe passengers to travel seamlessly from eleven Norwegian cities such as Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø to the major European hubs Frankfurt and Munich. This gives Widerøe customers access to over 250 destinations served by the Lufthansa Group. The connections to the major Lufthansa hubs in Germany are particularly important as they provide access to an expanded international network. In addition, Widerøe will also offer flights with Brussels Airlines and its main hub in Brussels, giving passengers an even greater choice of destinations in Europe. In return, Widerøe will add Lufthansa Group flight numbers to domestic flights in Norway, giving passengers an even closer integration of the two networks.<br/>
Lufthansa Technik is to coat four Boeing 777-200ERs from sister carrier Austrian Airlines with its low-drag AeroShark surface film. Austrian is the latest Lufthansa Group airline to benefit from the film – developed in collaboration with chemical company BASF – with 17 of the group’s long-haul aircraft already equipped with the AeroShark technology. The film, measuring 50 micormilimeters thick, replicates shark skin, and reduces aerodynamic drag on the airframe, lowering fuel consumption and emissions by 1-2%. About 830sq m (8,930sq ft) of the film will be used to cover the fuselage and engine nacelles. “We take our responsibility seriously and take every possible step to reduce CO2 emissions within our flight operations,” Francesco Sciortino, says COO at Austrian Airlines. “At 1%, the sharkskin’s efficiency potential may not sound like much, but in total it will save thousands of tons of CO2 per year on long-haul flights.” Total savings of the Austrian installation are expected to be about 2,650t of fuel and more than 8,300t of CO2 over a service life of four years. That corresponds to about 46 flights between Vienna to New York, Lufthansa Technik says. The re-fit will be complete by March 2025, the company adds. <br/>
“On August 16th morning, at Mumbai Airport in India, a baggage container carrying baggage checked in for ET641 in the ramp area was observed with fire,” said the airlines in a statement over the weekend. It said the fire accident was not within the aircraft. It happened at the ramp as the luggage containers were being transported from “baggage make-up area to the aircraft,” the airline said. Emergency response for Mumbai airport (Airport Safety, Security, and Fire teams) extinguished the fire immediately, according to the update from Ethiopian Airlines. Authorities from Mumbai Airport have reportedly launched an investigation into the container and baggage that caught fire. It is unclear how it happened. However, Ethiopian Airlines announced that the required safety procedures were completed for the aircraft to fly. “The aircraft was dispatched following the standard safety procedures as nothing had happened at the aircraft side. We will provide updates as more information becomes available,” it said. <br/>
Ethiopian Airlines has inaugurated its new Silver Lounge at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, exclusively for ShebaMiles Silver members. The 810-square-metre facility, designed to accommodate up to 200 guests, offers a tranquil environment for travellers to relax and enjoy various amenities. The lounge features dining areas with buffet services, comfortable seating, a smoking room, a children's corner, and ample storage space. This addition complements the airline's existing lounges for Cloud Nine, ShebaMiles Platinum, and Star Alliance Gold members. CEO Mesfin Tasew stated, "The Silver Lounge embodies our vision to enhance the travel experience and solidify Addis Ababa as a leading African aviation hub." This latest development underscores the carrier's commitment to providing comfort and hospitality to its passengers, reinforcing its position as Africa's most expansive airline.<br/>
hina’s Juneyao Air will begin direct flights from Shanghai to Melbourne this year, adding a dash of competition to a route solely flown by China Eastern. The new flights mark Juneyao Air’s debut in Australian skies. One of China’s largest privately-owned airlines – unlike the heavyweight trio of largely state-backed carriers Air China, China Eastern and China Southern – Juneyao Air has a well-established network across mainland China, throughout Asia and to key European destinations. Beginning December 19, Juneyao Air will fly its modern Boeing 787 jets between Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport and Melbourne. Flight HO1655 departs Shanghai at 5.30pm, reaching Melbourne at 7am; flight HO1656 departs Melbourne at 9am, reaching Shanghai at 4.10pm. Although Juneyao Air will start its Australian schedule with three flights per week between Shanghai and Melbourne, this moves up to daily flights across the January-February peak season – a period which includes Chinese New Year beginning January 29. It’s also been reported that Juneyao Air is planning Shanghai-Sydney flights for the same period, although this has yet to be confirmed.<br/>
An Air India hostess was assaulted by an intruder at her hotel near Heathrow airport in London last week, reports said. Her colleagues in the adjacent room heard her cries for help and nabbed the intruder, The Indian Express reported. The incident allegedly took place at the Radisson Red hotel on Thursday night. “The crew member was sleeping when an intruder attacked her in her room around 1.30am. Startled, she woke up and screamed for help. He attacked her with a clothes hanger and dragged her on the floor when she tried to escape towards the door,” an unnamed source was quoted as saying by the Times of India. “The intruder was arrested.” The Independent has reached out to Radisson Hotel Group for comment. Air India confirmed the incident. “We are deeply anguished by an unlawful incident of intrusion at a hotel, operated by a major international chain, that affected one of our crew members,” the airline said. “We are providing all possible support to our colleague and their broader team, including professional counselling.” The airline said they were “working with the local police to pursue the matter to the fullest extent of the law, and with the hotel management to ensure such incidents are not repeated”.<br/>