Big Fat Airline Wrap

Osaka, Japan - November 29, 2013: Japan Airlines Boeing 777 taking off at Osaka International Airport in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan.

Your Tuesday made sweeter with this delightful and informative Airline Wrap. You’re welcome.

Tigerair Australia announces boost for Canberra with new Brisbane-Canberra route and more services between Melbourne and the Capital 

Tigerair Australia has announced a new route between Brisbane and Canberra. The airline will also launch additional services between Melbourne and Canberra following a strong positive customer response since Tigerair first launched flights on that route in December 2016.

From 14 September, Tigerair will operate three weekly return services (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) between Brisbane and Canberra, providing the only low cost air travel option on this route, delivering opportunities for that weekend away, trip to the snow fields or to catch a world class art exhibition. The new services are scheduled for a mid-morning departure from Brisbane and a lunchtime departure from Canberra.

In further good news for the region, the airline is also adding an additional weekly return service between Melbourne and Canberra on Fridays from 15 September, taking the number of Tigerair return services between Melbourne and Canberra to eight per week.

Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp says the additional low cost flights announced today were in direct response to overwhelming consumer demand.

“With eight weekly return services from Melbourne and three from Brisbane, Tigerair Australia will be providing close to 4,000 seats weekly through Canberra Airport or over 200,000 seats annually to the doorstep of the nation’s capital city.”

JAL Launches New Melbourne=Narita Route

Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced that it will launch new nonstop services between Melbourne and Tokyo (Narita) starting September 2, 2017. Melbourne will become the second destination in Australia within JAL’s international network. The new route will be operated with the airline’s well-received JAL SKY SUITE configured aircraft in order to provide both business and leisure customers with greater convenience and comfort.

Over recent years there has been a significant increase in travel between Victoria and Japan. Last year, 283,000 people travelled between the two destinations and from 2012 to 2016, the market has increased on average by 20 per cent year-on-year.

Tourism Australia Managing Director John O’Sullivan said the new JAL service was perfectly timed, with visitor numbers from Japan having grown 23 per cent during 2016. Tourism Australian will be working closely with JAL and Visit Victoria to ensure the new service was actively marketed within Japan.

Melbourne to Narita route, flight schedule, and aircraft

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Special fares

In celebration of Jal’s inaugural flight, special fares for flights to Tokyo for Business / Premium Economy and Economy Class are available until 31 July.

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Jet Airways to introduce a third non-stop daily flight between Mumbai and London Heathrow

Jet Airways – India’s full-service, premier international airline, has announced the introduction of its third, non-stop, daily service between Mumbai and London Heathrow.

Effective October 29, 2017, and as part of the airline’s forthcoming Winter schedule, the new daytime service – 9W 116 will depart from Mumbai at 0905 hrs.to arrive in London Heathrow at 1335 hrs. (Local time).

On its return, the planned departure for 9W 115 from London Heathrow is at 1530 hrs. (local time), arriving in Mumbai at 0555 hrs., giving guests a head start to their day in India’s economic capital.

Air travel between India and the United Kingdom has shown a steady annual growth of nearly 10 percent over the last few years. The new flight will boost Jet Airways’ passenger and cargo capacity between India and the United Kingdom by almost 33 percent, allowing the airline to capitalise on the growing round-the-year demand being witnessed from EU and non-EU countries to India and other emerging economies, on the back of fast expanding relationships in the areas of trade, commerce, tourism, culture, and, education.

The third frequency will enhance onward connectivity over London Heathrow to North America with partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic. Jet Airways will now offer improved connection time and 13 destinations over London Heathrow to North America including Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Washington (Virginia).

American Airlines opens Flagship First Dining and Flagship Lounge in New York’s JFK Airport

American Airlines has debuted its newly renovated Flagship Lounge and brand new Flagship First Dining at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. In addition to the JFK lounge opening today, new or renovated Flagship Lounges are planned for:

  • Chicago O’Hare (ORD) (new location within ORD)
  • Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) (new)
  • Los Angeles (LAX)
  • London Heathrow (LHR)
  • Miami (MIA) (new)
  • Philadelphia (PHL) (new)

American began renovations to its Flagship Lounges and announced its plan for Flagship First Dining last year as part of a $200 million investment in the luxury travel experience.

Flagship Lounge

American is expanding access for Flagship Lounges to include Business Class customers traveling on qualifying international and transcontinental flights, in addition to First Class customers on those flights who previously had access.

The renovated and larger Flagship Lounge at JFK provides customers with quiet rooms, individual work pods and showers. There is a range of food options including a robust hot and cold food buffet; an a la carte dining menu and a chef’s table with a rotating menu of made-to-order entrees. They can pair their meals with premium wine and champagne or a drink from our “make your own cocktail” station.

Flagship First Dining

Customers traveling in First Class on qualifying international and transcontinental flights will have exclusive access to Flagship First Dining, located within the Flagship Lounge. The sit-down restaurant experience will offer customers complimentary, full-service dining with locally-inspired menus.

The JFK menu will feature ingredients from local purveyors including cheese from Sprout Creek Farms and grass-fed beef from Joyce Farms that will be used in American’s signature Flagship Burger, an item that will be available in all of our Flagship First Dining locations. There will be specialty cocktails designed by New York mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer, and a range of hand-selected wines.

American plans to add Flagship First dining this year at Miami and Los Angeles, and later at Dallas Fort Worth and London Heathrow.

Flagship First Check-In

Additionally, customers on qualifying international and transcontinental itineraries can start their journey with Flagship First Check-In, an exclusive check-in area in JFK’s terminal 8 and other airports, helping them get to the Flagship Lounge faster.

Customers will be greeted by Premium Customer Service representatives who will assist with check-in, check their luggage and escort them to an expedited security line. Flagship First Check-In is also currently available at Chicago O’Hare, London Heathrow, Los Angeles, and Miami, with plans to add it at Dallas Fort Worth.

Get on board with AirAsia sales

Discover some of the world’s best breaks for less with the world’s best low cost airline, AirAsia.

Get on board with these great deals and book now until 4 June 2017 for travel now until 23 November 2017:

  • From Sydney, fly one-way to Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) from $239*; Taipei (Taiwan) from $269*; Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $299* or Lombok (Indonesia) from $323*
  • From Melbourne, fly one-way to Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) from $219*; Malé (Maldives) from $390*; Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $299*; Taipei (Taiwan) from $279*
  • From Perth, fly one-way to Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) from $219*; Phuket (Vietnam) from $229*; Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $260* or Taipei (Taiwan) from $269*
  • From the Gold Coast, fly one-way to Taipei (Taiwan) from $269*; Da Nang (Vietnam) from $300*; Lombok (Indonesia) from $303* or Colombo (Sri Lanka) from $324.*

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