Staying home this Easter long weekend? Pretend you’re jet-setting somewhere exotic by acting particularly interested in Travel Weekly‘s latest airline wrap.

Qatar Airways Launches Stylish and Innovative New BRIC’s Amenity Kits Collection

Qatar Airways is pleased to reveal its new line of luxurious amenity kits for passengers in its First Class and Business Class cabins. Created by BRIC’s, the celebrity-favoured premier luxury travel brand, the new amenity kits will be distributed to passengers in First and Business Class on long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights.

The new collection of BRIC’s amenity kits includes designs and contents created for both male and female passengers and features all natural Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio skin care products.

The range includes lip balm, hydrating facial mist and anti-ageing moisturiser in Business Class, with Night Recovery Cream included in the First Class kits. Socks, eyeshades and earplugs complete the range, with the addition of a BRIC’s signature spectacle pouch and hairbrush in First Class.

For the first time, the versatile First Class female kit contains an adjustable strap that transforms it into a contemporary cross-body bag, enabling passengers to continue using their unique BRIC’s amenity kit as a fashion accessory.

This kit comes in two colours, black with red trim and red with pink trim. The attractive First Class men’s kit comes in two colours, mustard yellow with navy trim and navy with green trim and can be reused as a washbag for years to come.

Air New Zealand, Microsoft, Moog and ST Engineering announce ground-breaking digital collaboration

Air New Zealand has teamed up with components and systems provider Moog, Microsoft and ST Engineering on a world-first experiment which has the potential to transform aerospace supply chains by leveraging 3D printing and Moog’s blockchain enabled VeriPart™ process to create a point of use, time of need digital supply chain.

The proof of concept has seen Air New Zealand order a digital aircraft part file from Singapore-based ST Engineering. The digital file was immediately sent to an approved printer, operated by Moog in Los Angeles, downloaded and 3D printed before being installed within hours on an Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300 aircraft ahead of its scheduled departure. The entire transaction, from purchase to installation, was logged in Moog’s VeriPart digital supply chain system, which is powered by Microsoft Azure Cloud technology.

The file was for a bumper part, which sits behind the airline’s Business Premier monitors and prevents the screen from damaging the seat when it’s pushed in.

Free two-night getaway in Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways 

Etihad Airways is encouraging Australians to swap the cold for the warmth of Abu Dhabi, enjoying a free stopover in the capital of the UAE, as part of a landmark global promotion launched today.

Abu Dhabi is a vibrant and diverse city offering Aussies the chance to explore cultural highlights, impressive architecture, world-class theme parks as well as striking beaches and desert landscapes.

The city appeals to solo travellers and couples in search of unique travel experiences as well as families looking to create extraordinary memories with children, making it the perfect destination for a holiday within a holiday.

Etihad Airways is offering two free nights of hotel accommodation in Abu Dhabi for all guests booking flights to and from all Etihad destinations via Abu Dhabi. Guests can choose from a range of 15 hotels located across the city including the five-star Intercontinental Abu Dhabi and Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, as well as the Courtyard by Marriott WTC, Crowne Plaza and Radisson Blu.
The free Abu Dhabi stopover promotion is available for bookings online through etihad.com or via a travel agent from 10 April to 15 June 2019, for flights between 21 April and 15 July 2019.

Qantas launches special fares to boost visitors to Exmouth

Qantas has worked with the West Australian Government to launch special weekend fares and add more seats to attract more tourists to Exmouth over the upcoming peak travel season. Qantas is offering 150 special fares from $169 one-way each weekend (from Fridays through to Mondays) for flights between Perth and Exmouth (Learmonth Airport) over the high season from 7 June to 30 September 2019. This is a saving of around $180 for a return trip. These special weekend fares are available where travel is booked at least 45 days in advance.

The special weekend fares will be offered as a trial for the upcoming 2019 peak season, during which Qantas will review the uptake and effectiveness.

This announcement follows the success of special weekend fares to Broome which were introduced last August. More than 19,000 fares have been sold, contributing to a significant increase in leisure bookings and the average length of stay for visitors in Broome.

AirAsia becomes the Official Airline of the Brisbane Broncos

AirAsia has announced a new partnership becoming the official airline of the NRL’s Brisbane Broncos.

The launch of the new ‘The Buck Stops Here’ campaign was officially unveiled as part of the partnership during last night’s clash between the Brisbane Broncos and Wests Tigers at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

Announced on field with AirAsia cabin crew and Buck the Brisbane Bronco, one lucky Broncos fan took home return flights for two to Bangkok, the airline’s first-ever route from Brisbane, which is set to commence on 26 June 2019.

Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia expand codeshare operations 

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Garuda Indonesia customers can now enjoy more options when travelling between Singapore and Indonesia as a result of an expanded codeshare agreement between the two carriers.

Under the expanded agreement, SIA and Garuda Indonesia are now codesharing on each other’s flights between Singapore and the Indonesian capital Jakarta. SIA and Garuda Indonesia each operate nine flights per day on the route.

The two carriers first started codesharing in 2010 on each other’s flights between Singapore and Denpasar (Bali).  In 2014, the agreement was expanded to include flights between Singapore and Surabaya. SIA’s regional subsidiary SilkAir also codeshares on Garuda Indonesia-operated flights to Denpasar and Surabaya, while Garuda Indonesia codeshares on SilkAir-operated flights to ten destinations in its Indonesia network.

Balikpapan, Bandung, Denpasar, Lombok, Makassar, Manado, Medan, Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta.

Discover the untouched wilderness of Vanuatu for less with Air Vanuatu’s low-cost fares

Air Vanuatu has released fantastic low-cost fares to book over Easter 2019, available on departures from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to Vanuatu for holidays until the end of the year.

Sydneysiders can start their Vanuatu trip with flights to its capital Port Vila on the main island of Efate, from just $569 return.

Queenslanders can save on flights to Port Vila, on Efate island, from just $519 return and Vanuatu’s biggest island Espiritu Santo, known for its spectacular beaches and magnificent dive sites, also from $519.

From 18 June 2019, Melburnians can soak up the action with a new direct flight to Port Vila from $633 return, on three non-stop weekly services departing Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

To take advantage of these great prices, bookings must be made by 28 April 2019 for travel between 8 April and 31 December 2019 (Sydney and Brisbane flights) and 18 June to 31 December 2019 (Melbourne flights).

Emirates to deploy its latest Boeing 777-300ER to Riyadh and Kuwait

In a move to offer a range of experiences and greater choice for its customers travelling for business and leisure, Emirates will be operating its latest Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with the ‘Game Changer’ First Class suites from Dubai to Riyadh starting from 16 April 2019 and Kuwait starting from 1 June 2019.

Travellers to/from Saudi Arabia can experience the new Boeing 777 product on flight EK 819 departing Dubai at 0655hrs, arriving in Riyadh at 0750hrs. The return flight EK 820 leaves Riyadh at 0935hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1230hrs. The new Boeing 777 aircraft will begin operating the route five times a week, and from 1 June 2019 will begin flying on a daily basis. Customers flying on the latest Emirates Boeing 777 are then able to enjoy seamless connections via Dubai to London Heathrow, Paris, Madrid, New York JFK, Hyderabad, Barcelona, Los Angeles, Geneva and Amsterdam.

Emirates will be expanding its premium Boeing 777 experience to/from Kuwait on EK 855, which departs Dubai at 0745hrs, arriving in Kuwait at 0825hrs. The return flight EK 856 leaves Kuwait at 0950hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1240hrs. The service will operate daily to Kuwait. The Dubai-Kuwait route was ranked one of the ‘World’s 20 Busiest Routes’, according to OAG Aviation, and is the busiest route across the Middle East and North Africa.