If you didn’t get to fly away on the long weekend, feast your eyes on this airline wrap. It’s basically the same thing, right?

Byron Bay Cookies launches new Art Series to celebrate 15 years on board Qantas

This March, the Byron Bay Cookie Company is launching a new Art Series range to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Byron Bay Cookies being served on board QANTAS.

Qantas domestic passengers have been raving about the new Sour Cherry Cheesecake Cookie which combines juicy cherries and velvety cream cheese, whilst Qantas international passengers will soon get to taste the new Choc Pretzel & Pecan Cookie, taking inflight treats to new heights of indulgence. Part of the new Art Series Collection, the dessert-inspired cookies also feature bold packaging design featuring unique artwork from Byron Bay graffiti artist Davey Mac, aka Teazer.

The same artist was commissioned to create a large scale mural with custom graffiti art for the Byron Bay Cookie Company Gift Shop, a popular pit stop for cookie lovers visiting Byron Bay. The convenient 40g pack size is served on board Qantas as part of Byron Bay Cookie Company’s ‘Snack Boxes’ which are available on selected domestic flights.

To further highlight the cookie manufacturer’s anniversary milestone with Qantas, domestic passengers are invited to select the next Byron Bay Cookie flavour, for a chance to win a Luxury Foodie Escape for 2 in Byron Bay, including a stay at the sought-after Byron at Byron Resort & Spa, valued at up to $3,800*.

Qatar Airways further strengthens ties with Russia through celebration of art

Qatar Airways has today revealed that it will further strengthen its ties with Russia through a five-year partnership with the forthcoming Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair, which commences from September this year, during the widely celebrated Year of Culture between Russia and the State of Qatar.

Today at a press conference attended by international media at the St. Regis Hotel, Moscow, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, highlighted the many benefits that the five year partnership will bring. A letter of intention between Cosmoscow and Qatar Airways was signed by H.E. Mr. Al Baker and the Founding Director of Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair, Ms. Margarita Pushkina, in the presence of Qatar’s Minister of Culture and Sports, H. E. Mr. Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser Al Ali.

The Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair is an event that unites the contemporary Russian art market and helps its contributors establish contacts with the international art community, and is a natural sponsorship choice for Qatar Airways. The airline is widely known for celebrating the arts, with its home and hub, Hamad International Airport, featuring inspiring installations such as the symbolic Lamp Bear by Swiss artist, Urs Fischer, through to the more recent installation by American pop artist and designer, KAWS.

As the General Partner of Cosmoscow, Qatar Airways will first be represented at the main venue of the Fair at Gostiny Dvor from 6 to 9 September 2018 and will have an opportunity to participate in a number of Cosmoscow projects and programmes.

Solomon Airlines Brisbane-Munda service catalyst for new dive/accommodation special

Stimulating dive-related tourism into the Solomon Islands’ Western province Solomon Airlines has combined resources with Dive Munda and the Agnes Gateway Hotel in Munda to offer a value-added eight-night package complete with return flights to Munda ex-Brisbane.

Operating via Honiara on Saturdays and returning on Sundays, the package includes all accommodation at the Agnes Gateway Hotel and 12 dives with Dive Munda.

Available for sale until 16 July and valid for travel from 07 April to 29 July 2018, the program has been scheduled to offer seamless flight connections for passengers travelling on board Solomon Airlines’ services.

These include flights to/from Adelaide, Cairns, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney in partnership with Qantas Airways. Ex-Auckland connections are available with both Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand.

AirAsia teams up with Plug and Play to find the best startups in the travel industry

AirAsia today announced a partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center, a global startup innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley. AirAsia will work as an anchor partner of Plug and Play’s Travel and Hospitality programme to mentor new businesses and collaborate with emerging technologies. This will allow AirAsia to identify, observe and support relevant startups as they develop new products and technologies for the travel sector.

AirAsia pioneered the adoption of new technologies to improve its guests travel experience. The airline was one of the first to introduce SMS bookings in 2003, followed by the airasia.com website – which allowed flight booking, check-in and booking changes – and mobile app, which clinched the World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Website and World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline App at the 2015 World Travel Awards.

At the airport, AirAsia was an early adopter of self-service kiosks that allow guests to check in, print their boarding pass and bag tags, and also introduced home bag tags and self-bag drop functions. Recently, AirAsia debuted its Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (FACES) facial recognition boarding gates, making it the first airline in Asia to be fully automated from check-in to boarding.

Japan Airlines renews long-term partnership with Sabre to enhance global footprint

Sabre Corporation, the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, today announced a renewed long-term agreement with Japan Airlines, marking the continuation of a strategic partnership between the companies as Japan Airlines increases their global footprint and caters to the country’s fast-changing travel industry.

Tourism in Japan is undergoing a rapid transition with over 28.7 million inbound visits in 2017. As Japan Airlines faces robust domestic and international demand from consumers, it continues to stay focused on delivering its brand promise and providing the very best travel experience to its passengers.

Under the renewed agreement with Sabre, the airline will have the capacity to leverage Sabre’s group booking tools for the first time, providing the necessary support to manage their high-volume of group business. Access to Sabre’s innovative solutions will help drive efficiency and expand the airline’s reach by empowering Sabre connected agencies to promote its content with groups. Travellers globally will now have more options to book their travel on Japan Airlines with their trusted agencies.

Cathay Pacific opens up Global Gateways for Adelaide with Sixth Service

Cathay Pacific today announced its commitment to South Australia increasing its Adelaide to Hong Kong service to six per week, adding over 26,000 seats annually and creating a major boost in tourism and export opportunities.

The additional service operated by an Airbus A330, which commences from 28 October 2018, will mean great things for South Australians, as global gateways become more accessible. Travellers will be able to take advantage of a number of connections to popular locations in North Asia, China, North America and continental Europe, including Cathay Pacific’s new Dublin route.

Operating via a split schedule* means more flexibility and ease for passengers, with an early afternoon departure from Adelaide on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and an evening departure on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The spread of connections into Adelaide will also boost tourism for the city and more broadly, South Australia.

Cathay Pacific is committed to their growth plans in Adelaide, which were cemented with an official Port Adelaide Football Club partnership extension announced this month. The club will play an historic match against the Gold Coast Suns in Shanghai in May, which Cathay Pacific is supporting via special flight packages including flights, game tickets and the option of accommodation.

Singapore Airlines unveils new regional cabin products

Singapore Airlines (SIA) today unveiled the next generation of regional cabin products, fitted on its new Boeing 787-10 fleet, which will redefine travel on flights up to eight hours.

The new cabin products feature fully-flat beds and direct aisle access for all Business Class customers, ergonomically-designed contour backrests with six-way adjustable head rests in Economy Class, and personalised in-flight entertainment (IFE) experience for all customers through myKrisWorld.

They were unveiled for the first time today at a launch event in Singapore. The launch followed the arrival of the world’s first 787-10 from Boeing’s production facility in North Charleston, South Carolina.The new 787-10s are configured with 337 seats in two classes, featuring 36 Business Class seats and 301 Economy Class seats.

Manufactured by Stelia Aerospace, the new regional Business Class seats on the 787-10s are arranged in a forward-facing 1-2-1 staggered configuration to provide every customer direct aisle access. Designed and built by RECARO, the new Economy Class seat also offers an enhanced in-flight experience. Arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration, each of the 301 Economy Class seats on the new 787-10s has an ergonomically-designed contour backrest that provides greater comfort, with a six-way adjustable headrest with foldable wings to provide more neck support.

British Airways offering complimentary upgrades to first

British Airways’ ever popular complimentary one-way upgrade to First is back. The limited-time offer is available on bookings from now until April 12, 2018 and is valid for travel on flights departing Sydney from May 01, 2018 until July 31, 2018. Customers have the opportunity to enjoy a one-way upgrade to First for free when they book return Club World business class flights to London from AUD$7,717* on ba.com.

Customers taking advantage of this offer will enjoy the unprecedented comfort that First has to offer including the privacy of their own suite with a fully flat bed, refined menus and the most attentive service. Customers in First will also be entitled to a complimentary chauffeur service to or from Sydney International Airport.

All premium customers arriving at British Airways’ award-winning home at London Heathrow Terminal 5 can enjoy the facilities at the Arrivals lounge, which includes showers, breakfast and complimentary Elemis Spa Treatments. Customers in First can enjoy champagne at the exclusive Galleries First lounge and the recently-revamped Concorde Room prior to their departure.

On board, customers can dine in British Airways’ exclusive First class restaurant in the sky, with a full ‘a la carte’ menu, designed by leading chefs from around the world, offering the finest of wines and champagne. Customers can also enjoy a carefully selected collection of wellbeing essentials, a pair of wonderfully soft cotton pyjamas and sink into a quilted mattress for a great night’s sleep.

Qatar Airways wins Money Magazine “Best in Travel” Award for second consecutive Year

Qatar Airways has been named “Best Regional Middle East/Africa Airline” by the esteemed Money magazine’s 2018 “Best in Travel” awards for the second consecutive year. The award, one of the highest honors in the industry, recognises the airline for its unparalleled value, comfort and prestige, and complements a triumphant 2017, which saw the airline receive more than 50 awards across multiple categories.

The Money magazine annual “Best in Travel” awards are presented to companies that demonstrate exemplary quality of service and receive high praise from customers in overall value. In 2017, Qatar Airways won “Best Regional Middle East/Africa Airline” and was the runner-up for the title of “Best Overall International Airline.”

Earlier this month Qatar Airways was awarded the APEX Passenger Choice awardTM for ‘Best Overall Airline: Middle East’; ‘Best Food and Beverage: Middle East’; ‘Best Cabin Service: Middle East’; and ‘Best Seat Comfort: Middle East’ by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) during a ceremony at APEX Asia held in Shanghai, where the airline also received a 2018 Five-Star APEX Official Airline rating.

During the past several months, Qatar Airways has unveiled a new standard of travel with the launch of its revolutionary Business Class seat, Qsuite, on flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport. Qsuite, known as First
in Business, features the first-ever double bed available in Business Class, as well as movable panels that permit passengers to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine or socialise together. When passengers wish to relax or sleep, they can transform their space back into their own private room for the ultimate in privacy and comfort.

Up, up and away to Mallorca: Hahn Air Lines is flying to the Balearics this summer

The German scheduled and charter airline based at the airports in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt Egelsbach is delighted to announce the addition of a new route to its network.

As of May 2018, Hahn Air Lines will be operating a weekly flight from Düsseldorf (DUS) to Palma de Mallorca (PMI) with one of its business jets, a Cessna Citation Sovereign.

Flights to the new destination will be scheduled for 19:15 every Friday throughout the 2018 summer season, with the return flight at 16:45 on Sundays.

Etihad Airways eliminates 195,000 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2017

Etihad Airways successfully eliminated around 195,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2017, thanks to a wide range of fuel-saving initiatives across its network.

Following a number of improvements aimed at enhancing operational efficiencies, Etihad was able to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by its aircraft by over 62,000 tonnes of fuel. The result represents a 3.3 per cent improvement from the year before, and is the equivalent of 850 flights between Abu Dhabi and London.

For instance, flight plan adjustments across the network reduced approximately 900 hours of flying time, leading to a saving of 5,400 tonnes of fuel and eliminating approximately 17,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Last year, Etihad Airways also retired several older aircraft in favour of the Boeing 787, one of the most fuel efficient commercial aircraft in operation due to its lightweight composite structure. Etihad currently operates 19 Boeing 787s in its 115-strong fleet of passenger and cargo aircraft, which is one of the youngest in the skies at an average age of 5.4 years.

JC International Airlines and Lanmei Airlines partner with Sabre to bolster Cambodia’s evolving tourism industry

Sabre Corporation, the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, today announced a new agreement with Lanmei Airlines and JC International Airlines, two rapidly expanding carriers based in Cambodia, who will now offer their content to travel agencies across the globe.

The announcement of this new partnership is timely, as data reveals that inbound tourism reached an all-time high in Cambodia last year, and the growth of these figures is not expected to slow down any time soon[1]. A recent report from CAPA – Centre for Aviation indicates that the rise in tourism throughout Cambodia is driving an important shift in the aviation industry. With seven airlines now in operation across the country, in comparison to just two only four years ago, start-up airlines such as Lanmei and JC International are shaping the future of Cambodia’s air travel infrastructure.

Sabre announces these new partnerships with Lanmei Airlines and JC International Airlines as they take on more aircrafts and establish new routes across the Asia Pacific region, and to further anchor itself as a trusted technology partner for Cambodia’s travel industry.

Lufthansa and SWISS will be the first partner airlines to participate in the Singapore Airlines HighFlyer Programme

With effect from 2 April 2018, businesses that are members of the Singapore Airlines HighFlyer programme in Singapore and Australia can earn HighFlyer points when flying on Lufthansa and SWISS operated flights ticketed by Singapore Airlines on eligible sectors.

This partnership is part of the joint venture agreement signed between the two airline groups in November 2015, which aims to deepen co-operation in key markets in Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia.

The HighFlyer Programme, designed primarily for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, allows companies to earn five HighFlyer points for every S$1 spent on tickets booked through Singapore Airlines’ corporate booking platform or an appointed travel agent.  These points can be used as full payment, or part payment with a cash top-up, for tickets, upgrades and selected ancillaries used by employees of HighFlyer Programme participants.