End of ALITALIA

In a bid to get travel back to normal, BA has launched 2 new ticket types which are aimed at business travellers and can be only purchased at present via travel agents and not online. The new fares; Select and Select Pro allow for a full or partial refund with a cancellation fee of a little as UK£50.

They will be on sale to the public when ‘Book With Confidence’ option currently running is withdrawn.

Select and Select Pro both allow free changes to your ticket, but with the fare difference being paid. Select Pro is fully refundable, but is only available on long-haul routes. Select is refundable with a fee.

The only difference between Select Pro and a traditional ‘Fully Flexible’ ticket is that you must actively cancel a Select Pro ticket before departure. You cannot ask for a refund in the future.

As Italian national carrier, Alitalia sees no signs of improving its financial standing, the Italian government wants to create a new national carrier from it, which would be called ITA (Italy Air Transport).

Approval from the EU is scheduled but it seems that after 75 years Alitalia will close as the European ‘Union’ refuses to save the national airline of one of its ’united’ members, despite letting another ‘member’ country rescue its own airline (Lufthansa) with UK£ 7.78 billion.

This is the same path that the Greek national carrier, Olympic Airways, which now runs domestic flights within Greece had to take.

It is hoped that Italy Air Transport (Italia Trasporto Aereo) could begin operations this year.

XINJIANG BUILDS 37 AIRPORTS IN 5 YEARS TO ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS

Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is set to construct 15 civil airports within the next 5 years. In the past 5 years, the number of civil airports grew by 22. This is all part of the wider 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) which aims to bring 37 airports to the region.

Expansion to the Kashgar and Turpan airports is scheduled in 2021 as well as the beginning of construction of the Zhaosu and Tashikurgan airports. New airports will begin construction in Qitai, Bayanbulak, Barkol, Wusu, and Hoboksar by the end of 2021. Airports are also planned at Aheqi, Baicheng, Qinggil and Jeminay.

This expansion not only gives wider connectivity but aims to bring in more tourists in years to come.

FALKLANDS SUSPENDS LINKS TO CHILE AND BRAZIL

The Falkland Islands has suspended commercial air links with Chile and Brazil until 29 June 2021, due to continued issues with the global pandemic.

With travel restrictions, global border controls and the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus the decision was made to put back to opening up of the islands.

KENYA AND NIGERIA AUTHORISE RETURN OF 737 MAX

Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority have both announced that the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft can fly into their airspace.

Nigerian airlines has orders for the aircraft which include Air Peace (ten 737 MAX 8s), Arik Air (eight 737 MAX 8s) and Green Africa Airways (50 firm orders and 50 options).

Kenya's airlines do not currently operate any Boeing 737 MAX, but the certification will allow other carriers, like Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines to fly the 737 MAX into Kenya’s airspace.

Ethiopian Airlines will restart Boeing 737 MAX operations in July 2021. Currently, Ethiopian Airlines has 4 Boeing 737 MAX 8s in its fleet.

The Kingdom of Jordan and State of Israel have reached an historic agreement to allow flights to cross over each country’s airspace. This will allow for direct routes and will shorten flight times. This is the latest in a number of political and strategic agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

CHINA DESIGN AND BUILD NEW PHNOM PENH AIRPORT

Cambodia’s new international airport in Phnom Penh will be designed and built by a Chinese company, Metallurgical Corporation. This is the latest in a number of projects funded by China in the country.

The new 700-hectare Phnom Penh airport is located approx. 35kms south of the capital which is part of a larger residential-commercial development spanning 2,600 hectares.

and military use. The new airport is scheduled to open its 1st Phnom Penh’s existing airport, which saw a new Japanese-built terminal open a couple of years ago will remain open but will operate domestic flights, air cargo, state delegations phase in 2023, as part of the country’s strategy to increase tourism.

In addition, another China-backed airport is being built in Siem Reap Province, the location of the famous Angkor Wat Temple. The airports are currently French owned, going back to French occupation, however it looks likely they will be bought out allowing for full Chinese control to run all of Cambodia’s airports.

US BILLIONAIRE PLUS 3 PEOPLE TO BE 1st ALL CIVILIAN SPACE FLIGHT

Later this year, SpaceX aims to send the 1st all civilian flight into space, with one seat filled via a lottery system.

The 4-place flight has been bought by a US billionaire, Jared Isaacman who is donating the other 3 seats to people from the general public to raise money for the St Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The aim is to raise at least UK£143million for the medical facility.

29 year old Hayley Arceneaux, who beat cancer as a child, has been confirmed as one of the other crew members on the Inspiration 4 mission.

POBEDA AIRLINES BEGINS NEW FLIGHTS TO ANTALYA FROM YEKATERINBURG AND PERM

Low-cost airline Pobeda, part of the Aeroflot Group, has begun new international scheduled flights from Ekaterinburg to Antalya, Turkey and from Perm to Antalya. Flights to Antalya from Yekaterinburg will begin 4th June 2021 and operate 3 times a week and from Perm from 5th June 2021, operating twice a week. As part of the 2021 summer schedule, regular flights to Antalya will operate from Moscow and Kazan.

Low-cost airline Pobeda is the leading domestic airline in Russia aiming to increase with air mobility and transport accessibility of the regions of Russia for its population.

FRONTIER AIRLINES TO ESTABLISH ATLANTA BASE

From May 2021, low cost airline Frontier Airlines will have a crew base at Tampa International Airport, USA, hosting 250 flight attendants and 140 pilots initially with numbers reaching approx. 400 by the end of 2021.

The airline also plans to open a crew base at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport later on in 2021. These bases are in light of the growth of the low-cost and leisure sectors with new routes due to open this year.

From now on, Heathrow Airport will charge an additional UK£8.90 tax to all tickets, in a bid to make up for lost fees during the pandemic.

The new tax is a ‘United Kingdom Exceptional Regulatory Charge’. It applies to anyone departing from London Heathrow Airport. This is on top of the other taxes already in place; air passenger duty, passenger service charge, etc. It is hoped that the tax could be eliminated by the end of 2021, if the pandemic subsides.

EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL GRANT

London Heathrow Airport

Edmonton International Airport (EIA) will receive a government grant of UK£10.18 million under the National Trades Corridor Fund to upgrade 3 infrastructure assets at the airport.

The improvements will help to increase the region’s capacity to handle inbound and outbound commerce. The airport’s Apron 7 will be expanded by 47,000m² to accommodate two additional wide-body aircraft parking positions.

EASTERN AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES NEW SERVICES FROM SOUTHAMPTON AND BIRMINGHAM TO GIBRALTAR, UNITED KINGDOM

At the end of May 2021 the UK based airline, Eastern Airways is to begin operations twice a week to the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar leaving from Birmingham and Southampton.

The routes will use the Embraer 190 eJet fleet. This will be Eastern Airlines first regular scheduled services to Gibraltar. In turn the new route will grow the number of destinations served by both Birmingham and Southampton airports. Gibraltar is a popular short break destination with British citizens.