Economy Class & Beyond

Change at the top of Qatar Airway Group

23/10/2023 by Kevincm

Something quick before I head into the air. - and it seems that changes are afoot at Qatar Airways, with the shy and retiring CEO Mr. Akbar Al Baker is stepping down as Head of the Group. The move comes after he has spent 27 years building the airline from near enough nothing to a major force in the region - competing with Emirates and Etihad, whilst battling other … [Read more...]

Airplane Art – Asiana Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F arriving at Chicago O’Hare International

22/10/2023 by Kevincm

It's Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane Art. This week, we have an Asiana Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-400F on final approach to Chicago O'Hare International Airport as it completes the leg from Anchorage to Chicago O'Hare International. Asiana Airlines Cargo fleet is made up of four Boeing 747-400F, six Boeing 747-400BDSF (BeDek Special Freighter) … [Read more...]

Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond (21st October)

21/10/2023 by Kevincm

Good afternoon from the Windy City. I'm downroute on a trip, but it is still Saturday, so I need to publish a list of links with some witty commentary. It's time for Last Week at Economy Class and Beyond. Viewing out of the hotel to Rosemont L Station on the right, and O'Hare International Airport to the far left. New Aircraft news Copa Airline unveils … [Read more...]

American Airlines signs for a further four Embraer E175s

21/10/2023 by Kevincm

American Airlines has signed a firm order with Embraer for four new E175s as they continue to expand their regional fleet. The aircraft will be operated by American’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Envoy Air. With all deliveries in Q4 2024, Envoy’s all-E-Jet fleet will grow to over 150 aircraft by the end of 2024. The contract value is US$230.6 million at list … [Read more...]

British Airways to return to Abu Dhabi

20/10/2023 by Kevincm

After a four-year break, British Airways is continuing to expand its reach in the Middle East, with plans to serve Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The route is available to book, with it commencing operations on 20 April 2024, serving the UAE’s capital on a year-round basis from London Heathrow. The planned timings are as follows: Abu Dhabi International … [Read more...]

Copa Airline unveils a special livery to encourage people to take checking for cancer

20/10/2023 by Kevincm

Copa Airlines has unveiled a special livery on one of their new aircraft to highlight the need to check for both breast and prostate cancer. Copa Airlines has joined the Pink Ribbon initiative through the “Get Tested Early” campaign. This year, the airline renews its commitment to Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness about the importance of early … [Read more...]

Emirates continues to expand its Business Class Meal Pre-Ordering offering

19/10/2023 by Kevincm

Emirates is pushing ahead with offering its Business Class passengers the option of pre-ordering their inflight meals. This has now been expanded to 92 routes globally, with 30 new routes including Riyadh, Jeddah, Delhi, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur offering the service from today. More than 10,000 preorders have already been delivered on over 3,000 … [Read more...]

Porter Airlines signs Viasat for additional in-flight connectivity for further deployments

19/10/2023 by Kevincm

Canada’s Porter Airlines and Viasat have announced that Viasat’s in-flight connectivity and wireless In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) systems will be factory-installed on an additional 20 new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft on order. The first of these new aircraft is scheduled to begin service next year. Porter placed an initial order with Viasat to outfit 30 E195-E2 … [Read more...]

Emirates and Neste continues their partnership with more Sustainable Air Fuel on the way

18/10/2023 by Kevincm

We've talked about Sustainable Air Fuel a bit on this blog, and how airlines are adopting it to reduce their carbon footprint as they attempt to hit net zero. We're focusing on Emirates today. Emirates and Neste have expanded their partnership by solidifying their collaboration for the supply of over 3 million gallons of blended Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel in 2024 and … [Read more...]

The early morning journey

18/10/2023 by Kevincm

Ah. The early morning coach. My favourite place in the world - a National Express Coach. Oh, I know that’s a fat lie, but there are worse lies in the world. Maybe worse truths. Both blend into each other some days. For me, it signifies that I’m doing something, as opposed to rolling out of bed, looking in the mirror and pondering how many times I can say “Let’s … [Read more...]