This wrap is for all our aviation lovers out there! Although we suppose we can’t stop non-aviation lovers from reading it.

Emirates Becomes Official Partner of The 2018 Ryder Cup

Emirates and the European Tour have renewed their existing European Tour Agreement for four years until 2021 – and the new deal includes Emirates becoming an Official Partner of The 2018 Ryder Cup.

The 48th edition of The Ryder Cup, scheduled to be held at Le Golf National in France in September 2018, will host 24 of the top golfers from Europe and the USA.

The agreement renewal means that Emirates will continue to be a sponsor for the existing nine European Tour events.

Emirates currently supports nineteen events on the European Tour International Schedule, as well as the Race to Dubai. The 2017 European Tour will feature the ninth edition of the Race to Dubai, the winner of which will be crowned European Number One at the end of the season.

Embraer to Hold the 2017 China Regional Aviation Forum

Embraer will hold the fourth China Regional Aviation Forum (RAF 2017) from August 29-30, in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. Co-hosted by Embraer and the West Airport Group, the theme for RAF 2017 will be “Innovation, Connectivity and The Belt & Road: Taking Regional Aviation to the Next Level.”

The event will be attended by over 200 airline executives, heads of trade associations and industry experts, including Embraer executives, who will discuss the challenges and opportunities in China’s regional aviation in the context of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Guest speakers from across the globe will share their vision and their insight on critical topics, such as the growth of regional aviation and the outlook on both the global and the Chinese markets, successful business models and case studies in regional aviation, regional airport construction and management, innovation in engine technology for regional jets and aviation financing.

Australia’s first free ground transfer service launches across all airlines

Cars on Demand, Australia’s leading limousine hire and corporate cars provider and corporate travel management business, Traveltoo, today announce an alliance to deliver free airport transfers to first and business class travellers in Australia across all airlines.

This alliance is the first of its kind in Australia between a travel agency and car service provider. The companies will ensure a continuation of free ground transfers to first and business class international travellers across Australia.

Cars on Demand and Traveltoo have worked together for many years and are deeply committed to supporting customers with streamlined and efficient services that allow them to remain optimally productive whilst in transit.  The companies’ shared vision and operating practices are well aligned and make this a perfect partnership to take the customer travel experience to a new level.

ANA Announces New Online Content “IS JAPAN COOL? DOU”

Last week, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest and only 5-Star airline, announced the launch of its new online content “IS JAPAN COOL? DOU,” which illustrates traditional Japanese culture through the use of cutting-edge technology. This content can be seen on “IS JAPAN COOL?,” a website that promotes tourist destinations and popular Japanese cultures to the world.

While Japan is widely known for its unique pop culture, “IS JAPAN COOL?,” which launched in 2012, has put much of its focus on promoting Japan’s modern culture. As the number of tourists visiting Japan exceeded 24 million people as of 2016, the project aims to provide a deeper understanding and a new perspective on the true nature of Japan by introducing “the way of life,” hereby referred to as “DOU,” a cultural asset that is valued greatly in traditional Japanese culture.

DOU is composed of “budo (Japanese traditional martial arts)” and “geido.” “IS JAPAN COOL? DOU” introduces nine forms of Japanese art along with masters from each art.

It’s flights, camera, action for Qantas Frequent Flyer members with new Hoyts partnership

Qantas Frequent Flyer and HOYTS have partnered to give Qantas Frequent Flyer members their first opportunity to use Qantas Points at the checkout simply by scanning their membership card.

Qantas Frequent Flyer members can use as few as 4,000 Qantas Points to get $20 off each transaction of tickets or candy bar treats at the cinema and online.

When they’re not using their points, Qantas Frequent Flyer members can earn Qantas Points on tickets and treats by joining HOYTS Rewards and adding their Qantas Frequent Flyer number to their account:

·         HOYTS Rewards Bronze members – 1 Qantas Point per $2 spent (no join fee)

·         HOYTS Rewards Silver members – 2 Qantas Points per $1 spent ($13 join fee or   2,600 Qantas Points

Local brick builder named Brisbane Airport’s new Artist-in-Residence

Ben Craig, aka Ben the Brick Builder, who once failed an art assignment at school because he was told building with LEGO® was not an acceptable form of art, has been appointed Brisbane Airport’s (BNE) new Artist-in-Residence.

For the next 12 months, as part of the BricksBNE project, Ben will be creating two ‘walls’ of artwork – depicting favourite travel experiences from passengers – entirely from LEGO bricks.

Throughout the year travellers will be encouraged to share their travel experiences for the opportunity to be recreated in LEGO bricks.  Anchoring the displays in each wall will be two large scale works by Ben – one showing a day in the life of Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal (with some quirky characters included) almost two metres in length and the other a detailed model of a new aviation wonder more than a metre in length.

Together the passenger inspired creations and larger centrepieces will form two patchwork walls of art celebrating the best of aviation and travel.

Ben will also host a series of public workshops in and around the airport to share his LEGO-building skills and tips.

Emirates celebrates 15 years of connecting Perth to the world

Emirates is celebrating 15 years of flying to Perth this month after commencing services in August 2002. Originally operating four flights a week, Emirates now flies twice daily between Perth and Emirates’ hub in Dubai, including one service operated by its iconic A380 aircraft.

Since its launch in 2002, Emirates has carried more than 4.5 million passengers on this route, connecting travellers from around the world to the Western Australian capital.

Emirates operates 14 flights per week between Perth and Dubai, bringing its total Australian services to 77 weekly flights, including services to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

United Airlines Brings Fashion, Function and Comfort to the Friendly Skies

United Airlines announced last week that it has partnered with three world-class design and apparel companies – Brooks Brothers, Tracy Reese and Carhartt – to inspire and create a new line of uniforms for the carrier’s more than 70,000 front-line employees.

Additionally, United will partner with TUMI, the leading international brand of premium travel, business and lifestyle accessories, to be the official luggage provider for all 24,000 flight attendants.

Working closely with labor leadership for all front-line teams, employee feedback will be used to inform every aspect of the design process, which will be followed by multiple thorough wear tests with employees to ensure optimal comfort and functionality of designs and materials. The process is structured to deliver comfortable, durable and fashionable uniforms that United’s talented aviation professionals will feel proud to wear while performing their varied roles.

Based on employee feedback from focus groups, open houses and surveys, United identified a variety of distinct brands to meet the needs of employees and help deliver the company’s next-generation uniform program. Over the last several months, Tracy Reese and representatives from Brooks Brothers and Carhartt met with employees at all of United’s U.S. domestic hub locations. United anticipates rolling out new uniforms in 2020.

Great trade rates on airport lounges

Plaza Premium are offering great rates for Aussie’s and New Zealand trade visiting Plaza Premium lounges. Trade benefit from a 30 per cent saving off the walk-in rate for both the Plaza Premium Lounge in Brisbane and the SkyTeam lounge in Sydney’s International Airport.

Trade will also enjoy 20 per cent off at all of Plaza Premium Lounge’s internationally including lounges in popular destinations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, London Heathrow, Abu Dhabi, Vancouver and the soon to be opened Plaza Premium Lounge in Rome.

The discount also applies to the new arrivals lounges in London Heathrow which are a great place to relax and rejuvenate after those epic long-haul flights from down under.

Plaza Premium Lounges offer a stylish airport experience which is open to all passengers whether they are flying economy class or business class.

KLM announced as first non-Chinese airline to offer WeChat Pay

As of last week, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offers customers the opportunity to pay for tickets and ancillaries via WeChat Pay on KLM.com and WeChat. KLM is the first non-Chinese airline to offer this payment option on the number one social media platform in Mainland China.

WeChat has over 963 million monthly active users of which 600 million have activated WeChat Pay. This is a payment feature integrated into the WeChat app, which makes it possible for users to complete payment quickly with smartphones without leaving the platform.

WeChat Pay is accepted pretty much everywhere you go within China and over 40 per cent of all mobile transactions is being executed this way. The service is available for all users that have a Chinese bank account.