JetSpeak March 2018

Aviation News
Emirates Airlines has successfully completed 10 years of offering mobile phone connectivity onboard its aircraft. The airline made history on March 20, 2008 when it became the first airline in the industry to enable mobile phone connectivity for its passengers, enabling them to make and receive calls and send SMS messages from their own mobile phones.

Since the first call on Emirates Flight EK 751, over 2.8 million calls have been made and over 87 million SMS messages have been exchanged by passengers onboard the many Emirates flights.

Emirates was also the first airline to install TV screens for every seat of all its fleet in 1992, bringing about a drastic change in the in-flight entertainment experiences. It has been a pioneer in in-flight experiences.

Currently, the airline has upgraded its fleet to offer its passengers one of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art entertainment and communications services in the skies. ice, the award-winning in-flight entertainment system, now offers over 3,500 channels of entertainment, including over 700 movies from around the world.

Over 70% of all Emirates’ aircraft offer Live TV, including all its Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER fleet. Wi-Fi connectivity is available on over 98% of the fleet, including all A380s, 777-300ERs and 777-200LRs. Customers in all cabin classes receive 20MB of free Wi-Fi data, and each month nearly one million passengers connect while in-flight.

As part of its recent expansion of the Wi-Fi offering on board, Emirates Skywards members enjoy special benefits depending on their membership tier and class of travel, including free Wi-Fi when travelling in First Class or Business Class.

To book an Emirates flight experience, contact Jetways Travels at 011-44112200 or send an e-mail to enquiry@jetwaystravels.com

Qatar Airways has announced the launch of its Qsuite Business Class seats on its flights from Chicago. Flights with the newly fitted business class seats will commence from Chicago with effect from April 1, 2018. Chicago is the third American city to be serviced by Qsuites fitted aircraft. Earlier, these innovative business class seats were launched on flights from New York & Washington D.C..

The Qsuites are an innovative, award-winning, business class seats that boast the first ever double beds in the aviation industry as well as adjustable panels that allow up to 4 adjacent business class seats to be transformed into private cabins.

The expansion of Qsuite to Chicago is part of Qatar Airways’ commitment to continuously revolutionise the passenger experience, enabling travellers to enjoy First Class amenities within the airline’s Business Class cabin. Qsuite will be fitted on the Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300 ER out of Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and will later be introduced on the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft on flights from New York City – the first U.S destination to feature Qsuite on this ultra-modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.

Commenting on the launch of the Qsuites-fitted flights, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group said, "Qsuite has already established itself as an unrivalled product, setting a new standard in Business Class travel in the aviation industry, and receiving global acclaim from industry leaders, international media, and — most importantly — our valued Business Class travellers. By building on the successful launch of Qsuite in both New York and Washington, D.C., we are now tremendously excited to bring this luxurious, one-of-a-kind product to the Windy City, enabling travellers departing from Chicago to experience this revolutionary product for themselves."

Virgin Atlantic has announced the launch of three different fare types for its Economy Class cabins. The new fare types are part of a multi-million pound investment to make Economy Class travel a better experience. The fare types have been named as Economy Delight, Economy Classic, and Economy Light. The Economy Delight option offering the best of Economy class experiences, with a 34-inch legroom seat, priority boarding and check-in, and free advanced seat assignment. Economy Classic will include free seat assignment; the new Economy Light ticket will offer Virgin Atlantic’s lowest fare and will be a hand-baggage only fare. A press release issued by the airline stated, "Recognising that one size doesn’t fit all, from spring 2018 Virgin Atlantic will introduce ‘Economy Delight, ‘Economy Classic’ and ‘Economy Light’ tickets. The three new ways to fly will allow customers to choose the product that suits their budget and travel style – but never compromise on inclusive food and drink, unrivalled service, and in-flight entertainment." "At a time when most airlines are packing seats onto planes, Virgin Atlantic is investing in extra leg room. The airline is retrofitting its fleet to provide up to 36 Economy Delight seats on every flight – offering customers an even comfier journey with spacious 34 inch legroom," the press release continued. All the passengers, irrespective of their fare types, will continue to enjoy a three course meal plus complimentary drinks and snacks. A personal USB charging point at every seat, high-speed WI-Fi on every flight, and automated baggage drop kiosks in London are some of the other features that Virgin Atlantic will be offering its passengers.

A snapshot of the new Economy Class fare types:

Economy Light

Economy Classic

Economy Delight

Baggage

Hand Baggage Only

1 x 23 kg Checked Baggage + Hand Baggage

1 x 23 kg Checked Baggage + Hand Baggage

Free Seat Selection

At Check-in

In Advance

In Advance

Meals, Drinks & Snacks

Included

Included

Included

Refunds / Changes / Upgrade

No Refunds or Changes

Upgradable with Miles

Upgradable with Miles

Extra Legroom

N/A

N/A

Yes

Premium Check-in

N/A

N/A

Yes

Priority Boarding

N/A

N/A

Yes

Lufthansa Airlines has announced the launch of biometric boarding facility at the Los Angeles International Airport as part of its ongoing efforts to digitalize all its processes. The Biometric boarding facility utilizes facial recognition to minimize boarding time and eliminates the need for boarding passes or passports to be shown at the Gate.

The new facility has been developed in corporation with Amadeus, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Los Angeles World Airports Authority (LAWA), and Vision Box. The initial trials held at the Los Angeles International Airport saw an A380 complete boarding with 350 passenger is just about 20 minutes.

A press release issued by the airline stated, "With ever-increasing passenger volumes and airport infrastructure limitations, biometrics are becoming a key element to speed up the airport process while ensuring passenger safety and security. In the US, airlines will not need to create and maintain their own biometric database as it can rely on data provided from a central source – the CBP – for exceptional efficiency and accuracy."

Here is how the Biometric Boarding works:
  • Self-boarding gates with sophisticated facial recognition cameras capture passengers’ facial images as they approach the device.
  • This image is securely sent to the CBP database for real-time matching and verification.
  • After a successful, instantaneous match within a few seconds, the system recognizes the passenger as 'boarded'.
  • The passenger no longer needs to show a boarding pass or passport at the gate.
After the successful trial in Los Angeles, Lufthansa has announced its plans to expand the pilot program to additional US gateways and other passenger touch-points.

Lufthansa is not the only airline to launch biometric boarding for its passengers. British Airways has been using biometric technology to speed up international boarding at four US airports - Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. British Airways first launched the process in November 2017 and has since then developed the technology to speed up the arrival process as well. Biometric processing for arrivals is currently on trial by British Airways at Miami & New York JFK Airports.

The technology in use by British Airways has been developed in coordination with SITA, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the airport authorities in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York.

SWISS Airlines has announced its plans to launch a new lounge for its First Class passengers at the Zurich Airport. The new lounge will be dedicated for short-haul passengers and will complement the older one at Terminal E for long-haul passengers. The new lounge service is scheduled to commence with effect from March 5, 2018.

The new lounge is an exclusive lounge for the passengers flying First Class on Swiss Airlines. Sprawled across an area of 650 sq. m., the new lounge will be located at the Terminal A of the Zurich Airport and feature its own security checkpoint, check-in facilities, a barista bar, an a-la-carte restaurant, and a front cooking option. It will even have a separate smokers' lounge with its own dedicated outside area.

The new SWISS First Lounge A is available to all SWISS First Class guests and HON Circle Members of the Lufthansa Group. The lounge will be open daily from 05:30 to 22:30.

The new lounge will be accessible through an escalator from the departure concourse on Terminal A, enabling guests to check in, hand in their registered baggage, and go through a dedicated security checkpoint minus the lines. Passengers travelling in winter for warmer climes can also deposit their coat free of charge in a lockable wardrobe facility.

Passengers booked on SWISS Long-haul flights will be escorted by Limousine from Lounge A to the older lounge at Terminal E. Long-haul flights depart from Terminal E in Zurich.

Singapore Airlines has announced the launch of new range of regional cabin products. The new products have been fitted on its fleet of brand new Boeing 787-10 aircraft and include ergonomically designed seats for Economy Class passengers, flat-beds for regional Business class passengers, and personalized in-flight entertainment experiences for all passengers. The new products follow an investment of 350 Million dollars to enhance the flight experience on routes that take up to 8 hours.

Business class passengers flying on the new Singapore Airlines Boeing 787-10 will enjoy seats that recline fully to form fully-flat beds with direct aisle access, courtesy its 1-2-1 seating positions. An 18-inch Full High Definition touch screen monitor powered by the latest eX3 system from Panasonic will power their in-flight entertainment system. The new seats will also have a business panel with USB ports and in-seat power supply.

Economy Class passengers will enjoy seats with ergonomically-designed contour backrests and head rests that can be adjustable to six different positions. The entertainment system will be similar to the Business class system, with just a smaller screen-size - at 11.6 inch. A Coat hook, USB port and in-seat power supply are the other features.

The in-flight entertainment experience can be personalized through myKrisWorld and KrisFlyer members can even bookmark and resume content, besides customizing and saving preferences for subsequent flights. Passengers can even play a a series of games from Toca Boca and Sago Mini on KrisWorld.

The new 787-10s will also be equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi supported by Panasonic’s Global Communication Services and GSM phone services provided by Panasonic’s wholly owned subsidiary Aeromobile.

Commenting on the launch of the new cabin seats, Mr Goh Choon Phong, CEO, Singapore Airlines said, "The introduction of the new cabin products on our Boeing 787-10 fleet reinforces our unwavering commitment to product leadership, one of the key pillars of our brand promise."

"The new products were the result of a series of consultations with customers, and from working closely with our seat designers and manufacturers. We are confident that the new regional cabin products, with full-flat beds in Business Class and the many new features in Economy Class, will offer our customers a more comfortable in-flight experience even on the shortest flights," he continued.

The new aircraft will operate on the routes to Osaka and Perth, initially, with effect from May 2018.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced that it discontinue the sale of cigarettes on board its flights with effect from July 1, 2018. The tax-free range will be extended with other goods, replacing cigarettes.

Commenting on the move, Boet Kreiken, EVP of Customer Experience, KLM said, "We at KLM feel it is no longer suitable to sell cigarettes aboard our flights. KLM supports good health and sportsmanship, which simply cannot be combined with cigarettes. This move reaffirms our pledge to assume our responsibility towards broader society."

IndiGo Airlines and SpiceJet Airlines have announced their plans to partially shift their operations to Terminal 2 at the Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport with effect from March 25, 2018. The shift is in support of the renovation of Terminal 1.

Shifting of IndiGo Airlines Flights:
All IndiGo flights numbered from 6E 2000 to 6E 2999 will depart from and arrive at Terminal 2. To smoothen the move, the airline will be following a series of steps including informing affected passengers through SMS, phone calls, e-mails and through their respective Travel Agencies to ensure that passengers are not inconvenienced.

The airline has also requested passengers are requested to take note of the following:

  • IndiGo is reaching out to all affected passengers and their respective travel agents via SMS, calls, and emails provided in reservation
  • Passengers can also reach us at 9910 383838, follow us on twitter @IndiGo6E, message us on Facebook or initiate web chats
  • There is a shuttle service is being provided by the airport authorities every 10 minutes from ground level located near Medanta Clinic. Passengers can alternatively explore local transportation including cab, auto/ bus service available in and around airport area
  • To facilitate this transition during initial days, IndiGo will make best efforts to transfer customers who might reach the wrong terminal
  • In case an IndiGo passenger misses the flight due to the change in terminal, IndiGo will rebook you flight at no extra charge.
  • In case passenger’s flight is arriving into one terminal and departing from another, passenger can avail of the shuttle service provided by the authorities. Passengers are required to collect their baggage and check-in again at the transit station
  • Passengers are requested to check the itinerary which clearly mentions the terminal
Shifting of SpiceJet Airlines Flights:
SpiceJet will shift 22 of its flights from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. The flights that will be shifted have flight numbers beginning from SG 8 and will serve the sectors of Ahmedabad, Cochin, Goa, Gorakhpur, Patna, Pune, and Surat. br>
To smoothen the process and minimize the inconvenience caused, the airline will be contacting all affected passengers about the terminal change through their registered contact information. Arrangements for regular bus service between the terminals has been made for the use of transit flyers as well as those who might come to the wrong terminal for their flight. br>
For more information, please get in touch with your Jetways Travels point-of-contact. br>

New Flight Launches
SpiceJet has announced the launch of flights to Leh, making it the 46th domestic destination to be added to the airline's domestic network. Services on the new route will commence with effect from May 1, 2018. Direct daily flights will ply on the route. Flights will be operated from Terminal 1 D at the Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport. To celebrate the launch, SpiceJet has announced a limited period special introductory all-inclusive one-way fare of Rs. 3999/- and return fare of Rs. 7799/- applicable for bookings made on a first-come first-serve basis.

Schedule of new SpiceJet Flights to Leh:

Flight No.

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

Special Fare

Return Special Fare

Effective Date

SG 121

Delhi

Leh

0605 hrs

0725 hrs

Daily

Rs. 3999/-

Rs. 7799/-

01-05-18

SG 122

Leh

Delhi

0755 hrs

0910 hrs

Daily

Rs. 3999/-

01-05-18

All flight timings are local times

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of scheduled flights to Baku, Azerbaijan. The new flights between Abu Dhabi and Baku are the first and only flights between the two cities.

An Airbus A320 with 16 seats in Business Class and 120 seats in Economy Class will operate on the route thrice a week. The schedule has been set to provide convenient connections to the larger route network of Etihad Airways.

Commenting on the launch of the first flight, Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways said, "We are tremendously excited to be launching scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Baku, the only scheduled service linking the two capitals. There is strong demand from both markets for a direct, full-service operation on the route, and we have responded to this increasing customer requirement. The new flights will further boost traffic from the UAE and strengthen the bilateral relations between the two nations."

"The visa waiver programme introduced for UAE nationals by Azerbaijan in 2015 has greatly stimulated interest in the country, resulting in a surge of visitors since its implementation," he continued.

Schedule of the new Etihad flights to Baku

Flight No.

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

Effective

 

EY297

Abu Dhabi

Baku

1010 hrs

1315 hrs

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

03-03-18

EY298

Baku

Abu Dhabi

1630 hrs

1925 hrs

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

03-03-18

All flight timings are local times

Emirates Airlines has announced its plans to introduce a second daily flight to Prague, Czech Republic. The new flight from Dubai to Prague will commence services with effect from July 1, 2018 and will complement an existing flight service.

A Boeing 777-300ER with 8 Private Suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat Business Class seats, and 310 seats in Economy Class will operate on the route. Passengers will benefit from a baggage allowance of up to 50kg in First Class, 40kg in Business and 35kg in Economy.

Flight No.

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

Effective

EK137

Dubai

Prague

1530 hrs

1955 hrs

Daily

01-07-18

EK138

Prague

Dubai

2135 hrs

0530 hrs (+1)

Daily

01-07-18

All flight timings are local times; +1 denotes arrival on next day

The Cathay Pacific Group has announced the launch of its new flight services from Hong Kong to Brussels, Belgium and Jinan, China. The new flights to Brussels will be operated by Cathay Pacific, while the flights to Jinan will be operated by Cathay Dragon.

New Cathay Pacific Flights to Brussels, Belgium:
The new Cathay Pacific flights to Brussels will the airline's first non-stop flight service between Brussels and Hong Kong. The route will have a four-times-weekly service; an Airbus A350-900 aircraft will operate on the route.

New Cathay Dragon Flights to Jinan, China:
The new Cathay Dragon flight service will connect the cities of Hong Kong and Jinan with a Four-times-a-week service, complementing an existing service of ten weekly flights to another city in the same province.

An Airbus A320 with a two-class configuration will operate on the new route.

Flight No

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

CX 339

Hong Kong

Brussels

0035 hrs

0655 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

CX 338

Brussels

Hong Kong

1310 hrs

0655 hrs (+1)

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

All flight timings are local times; +1 denotes arrival on next day

Lufthansa Airlines has announced the launch of two separate non-stop flights from Frankfurt to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as part of its new Winter Flight schedule. Until the launch of the new flights, Jeddah and Addis Ababa was serviced by a single flight, with a lengthy stop-over at Jeddah.

New Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa:
The new Lufthansa flights to Addis Ababa will have a 5 days a week frequency. An Airbus A340-300 will operate on the route. The new flight will have a high advantage over the flights with stop-overs at Jeddah and a reduction in the flight time by 7 hours on average.

Flight No

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

Effective

LH598

Frankfurt

Addis Ababa

1410 hrs

2255 hrs

Except Tuesday &  Sunday

29-10-18

LH599

Addis Ababa

Frankfurt

0055 hrs

0635 hrs

Except Tuesday &  Sunday

29-10-18

All flight timings are local times

New Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt to Jeddah:

The flight service to Jeddah will be operated on all days except Wednesday. An Airbus A330-300 will operate on the route.

Flight No

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

Effective

LH652

Frankfurt

Jeddah

1410 hrs

2140 hrs

Except Wednesday

29-10-18

LH653

Jeddah

Frankfurt

0150 hrs

0545 hrs

Except Wednesday

29-10-18

All flight timings are local times



Tickets for both the new flights are currently available for booking. For additional information, or to book flights, contact Jetways Travels at 011-44112200 or send an e-mail to enquiry@jetwaystravels.com.
United Airlines has announced its plans to launch a new flight to Auckland. The new service, in collaboration with Air New Zealand, will connect the city of Chicago to Auckland with a non-stop flight service, thrice a week. Services on the new route will commence with effect from November 30, 2018.

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner will operate on the route and complete the flight from Chicago to Auckland in just over 16 hours. The return journey takes 15 hours. Flights will arrive into and depart from Terminal 5 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

The airline has also announced its plans to change its flight services between San Francisco and Auckland into a year-round service, instead of a seasonal service, with effect from April 2019.

Commenting on the new launch, Christopher Luxon, CEO, Air New Zealand said, "We expect the addition of Chicago to our network to be an attractive option for Americans keen to explore New Zealand and Kiwis wanting to visit Chicago or head on to other North American destinations."

Patrick Quayle, International Network Vice President, United Airlines added, "By adding Chicago to the Air New Zealand route network, and with United's increased service between San Francisco and Auckland, we are proud to offer our customers more ways to get between the United States and New Zealand and more connection opportunities in those cities than any other airline in the world."

Schedule for the new flights:

Flight No.

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Effective dates

Frequency

NZ26 (UA6728)

Auckland

Chicago

20:10

16:15

30 Nov 2018 –
8 Mar 2019

Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

NZ26 (UA6728)

Auckland

Chicago

20:10

17:15

10 Mar 2019 – 29 Mar 2019

Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

NZ27
(UA6727)

Chicago

Auckland

19:10

06:30 (+2)

30 Nov 2018 –
8 Mar 2019

Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

NZ27
(UA6727)

 

Chicago

Auckland

20:10

06:30 (+2)

10 Mar 2019 – 29 Mar 2019

Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

All flight timings are local times; +2 denotes arrival after two days
All flight timings are local times; +2 denotes arrival after two days

Jet Airways has announced its plans to launch 144 new weekly flights as part of its new summer schedule to strengthen its domestic presence. The new launches will be a mix of new flight connections between cities on the existing route network as well as flights to newly added cities.

As part of its efforts to strengthen its connectivity to North East India, the airline will be launching flights to Aizawl, Jorhat, Silchar and Imphal from Delhi. The airline will also be introducing flights to Imphal from Mumbai and Pune. In addition to the flights to North East India, Jet Airways will be launching new flights from Amritsar, Indore, Patna, and Tiruchirapalli.

Schedule of new Jet Airways flights:

Flight No.

City of Departure

City of Arrival

Time of Departure

Time of Arrival

Frequency

Type

9W 852

 Aizawl

Delhi

1530 hrs

1835 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Non Stop

9W 851

 Delhi

Aizawl

1105 hrs

1405 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Non Stop

9W 358

 Mumbai

Tiruchirapally

1225 hrs

1410 hrs

Daily

Non Stop

9W 311

Tiruchirapally

 Mumbai

1440 hrs

1650 hrs

Daily

Non Stop

9W 991

Delhi

Silchar

1100 hrs

1350 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Non Stop

9W 992

Silchar

Delhi

1530 hrs

1830 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Non Stop

9W 956

Delhi  

Jorhat

1100 hrs

1400 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Non Stop

9W 957

Jorhat

Delhi

1520 hrs

1820 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Non Stop

9W 2540

Patna

Pune

0245 hrs

0505 hrs

Monday, Tuesday. Wednesday,  Thursday, Friday,  Sunday

Non Stop

9W 2539

Pune

Patna

2300 hrs

0120 hrs

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,  Sunday

Non Stop

9W 183

Pune

Raipur

1140 hrs

1350 hrs

Sunday

Non Stop

9W 184

Raipur

Pune

1510 hrs

1720 hrs

Sunday

Non Stop

9W 935

Mumbai

Imphal

1010 hrs

1500 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Direct

9W 842

Imphal

Mumbai

1435 hrs

1915 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Direct

9W 921

Mumbai

Jorhat

1010 hrs

1450 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Direct

9W 936

Jorhat

Mumbai

1435 hrs

1915 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Direct

9W 917

Delhi

Jorhat

0920 hrs

1310 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Direct

9W 918

Jorhat

Delhi

1420 hrs

1855 hrs

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

Direct

9W 358

Delhi

Tiruchirapally

0900 hrs

1410 hrs

Daily

Direct

9W 311

Tiruchirapally

Delhi

1440 hrs

2020 hrs

Monday, Tuesday,  Wednesday,  Thursday, Friday

Direct

9W 982

Imphal

Pune

1530 hrs

2335 hrs

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Direct

All flight timings are local times