Economy Class & Beyond

FCO Travel Advice on Egypt

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With the protests in Egypt, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has modified its travel advice for travel advice: The FCO recommends against all but essential travel to Egypt - except for the resorts on the Red Sea in South Sinai and those resorts on the Egyptian mainland in Red Sea area. The FCO recommends British Nationals already in Egypt in areas where we advise … [Read more...]

The Saga of Berlin Airport: Some of it might open in December… Maybe.

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If there is something that has turned from a bad joke to a farce, it's the ongoing shambles that is Berlin-Brandenburg Airport. As we're aware, there been four attempted openings of this new Berlin Superhub airport - all of them been and gone, with the date pushed further back each time. Well, there may be some positive news with plans to open a part of the new BER airport … [Read more...]

Germanwings formally relauches

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The low-cost arm of Lufthansa - Germanwings has been relaunched as of Monday. Rendering: Germanwings/Lufthansa Group. In real terms, it means that short-haul flights that don't head to Lufthansa's main hubs of Frankfurt or Munich will be slowly switched over to Germanwings. The aim of this upheaval is to help Lufthansa's short-haul division back into … [Read more...]

European Mobile Phone Roaming to fall again

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In what can be described as some good news, European mobile phone operators are being forced by the European Union to lower the amounts they charge for roaming within the EU area. This year as well as the price of voice and text going down, Data prices will be going down The new prices go into effect tomorrow on the 1st July 2013: Service Summer 2012 … [Read more...]

Norwegian Air Shuttle takes delivery of its first 787

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A bit later than planned due to the issues that plagued the 787 fleet over the first part of this year, but Norwegian Air Shuttle have taken delivery of their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner today Norwegian 787 during tests - Image, The Boeing Company. The plane is also International Lease and Finance Company (ILFC) first 787, whom Norwegian Air Shuttle is leasing the … [Read more...]

United launches new wingtips on their new 737-900ER’s

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This is something that didn't appear on my Paris 2013 radar, but quite important for those of you looking out of the window... and noticing the wingtip device on the edge of the wing. We're all aware of wingtip fences (as used on A320's and A380's), winglets (as used on the Boeing 747-400 and A330), Blended Winglets (as used on Boeing 737NG, Boeing 757's and 767's), … [Read more...]

British Airways first 787 arrives, first routes and specials announced.

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British Airways has taken delivery - and have flown their first Boeing 787 to London today. Flight BA787 - http://www.flightradar24.com/BAW787 - touched down at Heathrow at 12:07 Local time (after a few loops around the Bovington Stack.. a rather appropriate welcome to its new home) This is the first of 24 aircraft, with BA holding options and orders for all three subtypes of … [Read more...]

British Airways to allow Electronic device useage after landing

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Ok, who here is guilty of turning on their phone the moment your plane lands - even when the flight attendants or cabin crew tell you not to? Thought so. British Airways seems to recognised this, and has agreed a safety case with the Civil Aviation Authority that will allow passenger to switch on phones and other electronic devices after landing after leaving the … [Read more...]

Bombardier CSeries First Flight: Pushed back a month

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As the Airbus A350-900 has taken flight (multiple times now), it's time to turn our attention back to the other brand new plane in the world - the Bombardier CSeries. FTV-1 sitting at Mirabel Airport. Image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CS100-FTV1.jpg – Image Alexandre Gouger The first flight of the first aircraft - FTV1 was due to be "towards the end … [Read more...]