We’re giving all you travel agents and aviation geeks plenty to talk about this week in our very VERY big Airline Wrap. Enjoy feeling like an awesome wealth of aviation knowledge.

5 tips for customers traveling through LAX May 13-17

From May 12-17, Delta and Los Angeles World Airports will orchestrate one of the largest terminal moves at an operating airport in the history of commercial aviation. The move is a major step toward the Delta Sky Way at LAX, Delta’s $1.9 billion plan to modernise, upgrade and connect Terminals 2, 3 and Tom Bradley International Terminal. On certain days of the move, Delta will operate out of four different terminals – 2, 3, 5 and 6 – so it’s important to plan ahead.
Here’s what you need to know to make the travel experience as smooth as possible:

• Download the updated Fly Delta app for an interactive LAX map with turn-by-turn walking directions and up-to-the-minute terminal information.
• Check terminal and gate information prior to arriving at LAX. Delta customers should use the Fly Delta app or delta.com and reconfirm gate information upon arrival at the airport.
• Arrive early. Delta recommends arriving three hours prior to domestic departures and four hours prior to international departures.
• When in doubt, ask for help. Delta and LAWA will have hundreds of employees and volunteers stationed throughout the impacted terminals to assist customers. They will wear bright green vests that say “Ask Me.”
• LAX!

Scoot Takes Delivery of New 787 Dreamliners; Now able to operate long-haul services

Scoot, is set to make its mark with further long-haul services after the Athens launch June 20, as its newest crew-bunk-fitted 787 Dreamliner made a landing at Singapore Changi Airport this evening.

The delivery of the Boeing 787-8, named “Mous-Scoot-Ka” (named after the popular Greek dish Moussaka) during a handover ceremony at Boeing’s Everett Delivery Centre in Seattle, USA, marks Scoot’s next phase of fleet expansion in preparation for its flights to destinations beyond the region. This includes non-stop flights between Singapore and Athens starting in June this year and direct services to another long-haul destination to be announced later in 2017.

Scoot expects to receive a total of four 787-8 Dreamliners fitted with crew bunks in 2017. These aircraft are each able to accommodate 329 guests with 18 in the ScootBiz section. In comparison, Scoot’s 787-8 aircraft without crew bunks are configured to accommodate 335 guests with 21 ScootBiz seats.

Each of these aircraft has been installed with overhead crew rests with six bunks to ensure that crew members receive their mandatory rest during long-haul flights. Such long-haul flights are usually crewed by a team of 10 to 11 cabin crew members compared to a crew of eight for shorter-haul flights within the region.

LATAM launches hot sale to celebrate new, non-stop service from Melbourne to Santiago, Chile

LATAM Airlines Group (‘LATAM’) has launched a special sale to celebrate its new, non-stop service between Melbourne and Santiago, Chile, which will commence in October 2017. Available for Australians travelling between 6 October, 2017 and 30 March, 2018, LATAM’s hot new sale and direct route make it even easier and more cost effective to visit South America. 

Available to purchase between 16 May to 6 June, 2017, departures from Melbourne to Santiago and Chile start from  AUD$1,149* and AUD$4,469* business class, while to Buenos Aires and Argentina, start from  AUD$1,219* or business class from AUD$4,489*.

 Flights to Lima, Peru are from AUD$1,299* or AUD$4,689* business class. Flights to San Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in South America, are from AUD$1,279* or business class from AUD$4,679*. Alternatively, partygoers en route to Rio Carnival (February 2018) can travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from AUD$1,279* or AUD$4,659* business class.

AirAsia sale: One-way fares to South Asia from $279

AirAsia are also offering discounts of up to 50% when you choose your seat, including Premium Flatbed!

Book now until 21 May 2017 for travel between 19 May 2017 and 4 September 2017:

• From Sydney, fly one-way to New Delhi (India) from $299*; Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $319*; Mumbai (India) from $339* or Dhaka (Bangladesh) from $357*
• From Melbourne, fly one-way to Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $319*; New Delhi (India) from $329*; Mumbai (India) from $339* or Dhaka (Bangladesh) from $357*
• From Perth, fly one-way to Mumbai (India) from $279*; New Delhi (India) from $279*; or Kochi (India) from $389*
• From the Gold Coast, fly one-way to New Delhi (India) from 279*; Kochi (India) from $318*; Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $324* or Mumbai (India) from $339*.

Fly away from the cold with Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific has launched incredible sale fares to Europe, North America, the Middle East and select destinations in Asia, for Aussies looking to chase summer and escape the winter blues.

Running until 31 May 2017, the sales offer travellers the chance to enjoy a mid-year break and rejuvenate in breathtaking cities.The sale offers select fares for departures between 12 May to 30 June, and 1 September to 30 November 2017.

Fares start from $1,310* return to Europe, $1,613* return to North America and $676* return to Asia.

Passengers looking to experience Cathay Pacific’s home in vibrant Hong Kong can take advantage of their “Welcome to Hong Kong Sale” with huge savings in Economy Class from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Cairns.These fares are for Economy Class travel on select flights between 15 May to 30 November 2017. Fares start from $667* return.
for a full list of destinations and conditions, please visit: www.cathaypacific.com.au

AirAsia and Everbright Sign China Joint Ventrure Mou

AirAsia Berhad has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Everbright and Henan Government Working Group to establish a low-cost carrier (LCC) in China. It outlines how the parties will incorporate a joint venture to be known as AirAsia (China) for the purposes of operating a low-cost aviation business based in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province in central China.

In addition, AirAsia (China) will invest in aviation infrastructure, including a dedicated LCC terminal at Zhengzhou airport and an aviation academy to train pilots, crew and engineers, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities to service aircraft.

The MoU was exchanged between AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Everbright Financial Investment Holding Executive Director and President Wang Weifeng and Henan Airport Group Vice Chairman and President Li Weidong at China World Hotel.

The exchange was witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Malaysian Ambassador to China Zainuddin Yahy.

Vanuatu welcomes runway rehabilitation news

Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) welcomes the news that the Vanuatu Government officially signed the contract for phase two of the Port Vila’s Bauerfield International Airport rehabilitation works on Friday 12 May, 2017.

The project, which will commence in July, is set to modernise Vanuatu’s main gateway, whilst also extending the runway to be able to accommodate larger aircraft and welcome more visitors to the region. The airport will continue to operate throughout the construction period.

Contracted developers, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and its joint venture partner North West Civil Airport Construction Group, have advised that the World Bank funded project is set to be completed around April 2018. Further negotiations are also underway for upgrades to Tanna’s Whitegrass International Airport and Espiritu Santo’s Pekoa International Airport.

Star Alliance celebrates Unveils new Strategy, and Customer Competition

Star Alliance returned to Frankfurt, the place of its birth, to celebrate 20 years of “Connecting People and Cultures”. For the next decade, the Alliance announced a strategy of harnessing digital technology to further enhance the travel experience of Alliance customers.

In Alliance first, in the unlikely case of missing miles, members in any Star Alliance frequent flyer programme (FFP) can now claim these online, through their own FFP website, even when the miles were collected on another Star Alliance member carrier flight. The baggage hub, the most recent IT hub project, went live at the end of 2016, and facilitates baggage message transfer between the member airlines, their ground handlers and the baggage handling systems at the airports. This allows the airlines to better steer baggage operations and to keep customers informed on the status of their bag.

Star Alliance will be running a global competition, inspired by the theme of “Connecting People and Cultures”, which will offer winners the chance to become a mileage millionaire. Each of the Alliance’s 21 FFPs is offering one million miles (or equivalent) to one competition winner. Entrants are asked to upload a picture of themselves and to share a cultural experience they enjoyed at www.staralliance.com/mileagemillionaire. The competition runs from May 14th to July 31st, 2017.

Emirates to launch third daily flight between Brisbane and Dubai

Emirates will add a third daily return flight between Dubai and Brisbane from 1 December 2017. The direct service, to be operated on a B777-200LR aircraft with eight seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 216 in Economy Class, will increase capacity on the route by 3,724 seats a week, inbound and outbound between Brisbane and Emirates’ hub Dubai.

This will provide Australian passengers a seamless connection to Emirates’ global route network including destinations in Croatia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

For inbound passengers, Emirates’ partnership with Qantas gives travellers the option of connecting to all regional and major cities in Australia, including the popular Queensland regions of Tropical North Queensland, the Whitsundays and the iconic Great Barrier Reef, further underpinning Brisbane as the most connected airport in Australia.

The third daily Emirates’ service between Brisbane and Dubai will depart BNE at 10.25pm each day, arriving in Dubai at 7.00am the following morning. The inbound flight will depart Dubai at 10pm, arriving in Brisbane at 6.15pm.

Southwest Airlines completes transition to Amadeus Altéa

Southwest Airlines Co. and Amadeus IT Group today jointly announced the carrier’s transition to the Amadeus Altéa Passenger Service System (PSS). At 101 airports across nine countries, all Southwest® domestic and international flights operating today and beyond will be managed through Altéa functionality, giving the carrier more flexibility to improve the Customer Experience and enhance revenue performance.

During the course of three years, a team of more than 1,500 people from both Southwest and Amadeus collaborated to bring together multiple reservation system capabilities onto one common platform under the Altéa Suite of products.

The new reservation system brings an array of features designed to allow Southwest to: optimise its flight schedule, including improved connection times; more easily manage inventory between any given origin and destination; govern the value of potential ancillary services; and automate re-bookings during flight disruptions, such as those caused by extreme weather and other operational challenges.

Southwest expects the new reservation system to generate approximately $500 million in incremental annual earnings before interest and taxes by 2020 through added functionality and operational capabilities.