News from Star Alliance

SAS launches 8th route to Poland

Tue, 29 May 2012 18:47:00 +0200

The new route will operate daily except Saturdays with a CRJ200. SAS will offer eight routes between Scandinavia and Poland as of Oct. 29: Stockholm-Gdansk, Oslo-Gdansk, Copenhagen-Gdansk, Copenhagen-Lodz, Copenhagen-Katowice, Copenhagen-Poznan, Copenhagen-Warsaw and Copenhagen-Wroclaw.

United and partners create biofuel initiative

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:30:00 +0200

"In just a few short years, aviation biofuels have developed from a hopeful vision of the future to an exciting reality of more than 1,500 passenger flights flown with advanced biofuels," said Jimmy Samartzis, managing director of Global Environmental Affairs and Sustainability for United. "Our industry is committed to advancing sustainable biofuels, and United is proud to launch MASBI with our partners to define appropriate solutions to make alternative fuel available at commercial scale, unlock the Midwest's economic potential for advanced biofuels and secure a sustainable future for aviation." With the Midwest's strong agricultural, financial and academic institutions, and large aviation industry presence, MASBI Steering Committee members view the region as critical for biofuel development. Airlines operating in the Midwest transport more than 234 million passengers and consume nearly three billion gallons of jet fuel annually. A feasibility study and an action plan to advance the biofuels industry in the Midwest will be developed.

United to begin flights to Tokyo Narita from Denver

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:17:00 +0200

United offers almost 400 departures to 125 destinations throughout the year from Denver. The flight will be the city's first nonstop service to Asia. Additionally, together with its joint venture partner ANA, United will offer connections at Narita to or from more than 20 destinations in Asia. United is one of Denver's largest private employers, with nearly 5,000 employees.

Air Canada and Turkish sign cooperation agreement

Mon, 21 May 2012 17:28:00 +0200

The agreement covers destinations in Canada including Calgary, Charlottetown, Deer Lake, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Fredericton, Halifax, Kelowna, Kingston, London, Moncton, Montreal, North Bay, Ottawa, Quebec City, Regina, Saint John, Sarnia, Saskatoon, Sault Ste. Marie, St. John's, Sudbury, Sydney, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Windsor and Winnipeg and some U.S. destinations via Canada.

Turkish signs interline agreement with JetBlue

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:30:00 +0200

Through the new partnership, customers will be able to transfer in either U.S. city between Turkish Airlines and JetBlue operated flights. JetBlue can offer Turkish customers connections to dozens of cities throughout the United States including Boston, Massachusetts; Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

15th Anniversary celebrated around the world

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:11:00 +0200

First to mark the day were employees from Air New Zealand, but as the sun rose around the globe, festivities kicked in across all time zones. Star Alliance CEO Mark Schwab took to Facebook for two live question and answer sessions with customers, and www.staralliance.com promoted special rates and contests. For more on the special day, see the Star Alliance Anniversary section in the May edition of Network (under the publications tab on this site), and watch for the June issue, which will show you how employees celebrated around the world.

Star Alliance celebrates its 15th Anniversary

Sun, 13 May 2012 14:31:00 +0200

To celebrate the anniversary on a global scale, we've started the day with our member carrier Air New Zealand, whose clock strikes May 14 first. Star Alliance has developed several ways for customers and employees to get involved in the festivities.

Thank You for 15 years of loyalty

Star Alliance is thanking its customers for their loyalty. This theme is being promoted through various channels, such as www.staralliance.com, Facebook, twitter as well as member carrier customer and in-flight magazines. In keeping with the tradition of featuring a personality in its advertising, the Alliance has selected its own CEO, Mark Schwab, who conveys the thank you message: “On behalf of all our member airlines, who are committed to working hard for you, now and in the future, I’d like to say thank you. You’ve earned it.”

CEO Customer Forum on Facebook

In line with its growing presence in social media, Star Alliance will, for the first time, hold a live customer forum on Facebook. As part of the CEO thank you message, Mark Schwab will be responding to customers’ feedback, comments and suggestions on the Star Alliance Facebook page. This will be available on www.facebook.com/staralliance on May 14from 10.00 – 11.00 and 18.00 – 19.00 local time Germany (08.00 – 09.00 GMT and 16.00-17.00 GMT).

Star Alliance 15^th Anniversary Frequent Flyer Bonus Promotion

To reward frequent travellers for their loyalty, the Alliance’s member carriers will offer their most active frequent travellers a bonus of 15,000 miles/points (or equivalent value in the respective FFP). This will be awarded to the 15 members registered in each programme, who travel on the most Star Alliance member airlines between May 14 and Nov. 14, 2012. For details, refer to the individual FFPs via the link: http://www.staralliance.com/en/benefits/frequent-flyer/

Star Alliance 15^th Anniversary Competition

Star Alliance is also rewarding customers with a selection of “once in a lifetime” trips. In a web-based competition participants have to find an aircraft that is hidden somewhere on the Star Alliance network. The lucky winner and 14 friends can jet off to one of 27 global festivals. Other prizes include a business class Round the World ticket for two and 15 other round-trip air tickets to one of the 27 global festivals on offer. Further details can be found at: www.staralliance.com

15^th Anniversary Round the World Promotion

As part of a special promotion, the Star Alliance network will offer a 15% discount on the Round the World (RTW) fares in economy class. This applies to the base fare of all RTW economy class tickets sold between May 15 and May 29, 2012. All applicable taxes, fees and surcharges will not be discounted. Full details are available at www.staralliance.com.

Celebrations in Star Alliance-branded lounges

Passengers using the Star Alliance-branded lounges at Cairo, London - Heathrow Terminal 1, Los Angeles - Tom Bradley International Terminal, Nagoya and Paris – Charles de Gaulle Terminal 1, on May 14 will receive a small gift. In addition, the lounges will also be providing special cakes and other local celebratory items.

A video marking the occasion has been prepared, and is available for viewing at http://www.starallianceemployees.com/index.php?id=1063 Full terms and conditions for the contests, go to www.staralliance.com

Mark Schwab talking Star Alliance Anniversary on Facebook

Sun, 13 May 2012 14:30:00 +0200

During the first round of questions and comments this morning, Schwab noted, in response to a customer's question, that an announcement regarding the joining of Avianca, Taca Airlines and Copa would be coming soon. The two Central American airlines will boost the Alliance's presence in the Americas. He also took questions about frequent flyer programmes, our African presence, new member prospects and suggestions for new smartphone apps. He'll be answering questions he didn't have time to answer during the next round of questions later today. You can join in the discussion on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/staralliance.

Star Alliance's 15th Anniversary events coming on Monday

Thu, 10 May 2012 17:27:00 +0200

To reward frequent travellers for their loyalty, the Alliance’s member carriers will offer their most active frequent travellers a bonus of 15,000 miles/points (or equivalent value in the respective FFP). This will be awarded to the 15 members in registered in each programme, who travel on the most Star Alliance member airlines between May 14 and Nov. 14, 2012. For details, refer to the individual FFPs via the link: http://www.staralliance.com/en/benefits/frequent-flyer/

Star Alliance is also rewarding customers with a selection of “once in a lifetime” trips. Details can be found Monday at www.staralliance.com

Passengers using the Star Alliance branded lounges at Cairo, London - Heathrow Terminal 1, Los Angeles - Tom Bradley International Terminal, Nagoya and Paris – Charles de Gaulle Terminal 1 on May 14 will receive a small gift. In addition, the lounges will also be providing special cakes and other local celebratory items.

Also planned at numerous airports around the network are local celebrations for employees. Watch for announcements from local airline managers.

Full details of the entire 15^th Anniversary campaign will be announced on www.staralliance.com and www.facebook.com/staralliance on Monday.

Lufthansa takes delivery of 747-800

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:23:00 +0200

The new aircraft will feature a revamped business class. The new business class seats provide exceptional comfort, whether in an upright or reclined position or as a lie-flat bed, plus intuitive adjustments, additional storage space and an enhanced inflight entertainment system. The 747-8 Intercontinental will bring double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions per passenger over its predecessor, the 747-400. It is also much quieter, and generates 30% less noise. More information about the “Queen of the Skies” is available at www.lufthansa.com/747-8 The website also features a competition with the chance to win two flights with the Boeing 747-8.

SAS sells properties at three airports

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:36:00 +0200

"The transaction is part of our 4Excellence strategy, in which we focus on the core business, while releasing capital and strengthening our financial preparedness," says Benny Zakrisson, Executive Vice President Infrastructure and M&A.

The properties comprise mainly hangars, workshops, warehouses and offices.

Ethiopian receives second 737-800

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:47:00 +0200

In addition, an LED lighting system is installed in the aircraft that can be programmed to create desired effects during flight times, such as soft blue sky overhead. The cove lighting provides a welcoming feel for customers as they board the aircraft. Intuitive placement of switches and call buttons and speakers above every row of seats to improve sound quality are additional features that enhance the customer experience. The new 737-800 Sky Interior will initially be deployed on Ethiopian flights to East African tourist destinations such as Mombasa, Nairobi, Dar-Es-Salam as well as Seychelles during the day and to Dubai, Kuwait, Delhi and Bombay at night. Ethiopian Airlines is the first carrier in Africa to purchase state-of-the art Boeing 777-200LR with five of its kind in the fleet. The airline will also receive Africa’s first 787 Dreamliner this summer.

ANA to start flights to Seattle

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:17:00 +0200

The route will be flown daily, initially using the 777-300ER, with services switching to the 787 Dreamliner during the fiscal year. This will make it the first ANA service to the U.S. to use the Dreamliner. Launching the route ahead of schedule will further strengthen ANA’s business model as a network carrier and is in line with the group’s goal of accelerating its international expansion as set out in the 2012-13 Group Corporate Strategy. ANA currently serves eight destinations in the U.S. with Seattle becoming the ninth. The airline also plans to launch services from Narita to San Jose, California during the 2012 fiscal year.

United enhances carbon offset programme

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:34:00 +0200

After booking a trip with United, customers can visit United's carbon offset programme website (http://co2offsets.sustainabletravelinternational.org/ua/offsets) to make a contribution to offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with the travel. While calculations are based on a comprehensive carbon footprint of the flight operations, the calculator only assigns the emissions associated with individual passenger travel. Through its partnership with Sustainable Travel International (STI), a non-profit organization, United offers customers a choice of three carbon reduction projects in communities it serves: forest conservation near San Francisco, wind power in Texas, biodiversity preservation in Belize: Forest Conservation in California - The 23,780-acre Garcia River Forest, located in the Redwood region. The forestland was purchased by The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit dedicated to protecting America's most vital landscapes and waterways, and was established as California's first non-profit working forest. Renewable Energy in Texas - The Capricorn Ridge Wind farm is located in west central Texas and is comprised of more than 400 wind turbines that are capable of producing enough clean, renewable electricity to power approximately 220,000 homes annually. Forest and Biodiversity Conservation in Belize - The Boden Creek Ecological Preserve, which environmentalists believe is one of the most-threatened tropical forests in Central America, is made up of 13,600 acres of lowland broadleaf forest. The preserve serves as a critical wildlife corridor that connects diverse inland terrestrial ecosystems with coastal marine ecosystems. United is committed to the environment through its Eco-Skies program, which is designed to make a positive impact on the environment - in the air, on the ground, at its facilities, with business partners and across communities. Eco-Skies highlights include:

United operated the first U.S. passenger biofuel flight powered with a mixture of renewable algae-derived jet fuel and conventional jet fuel, and signed letters of intent to negotiate the purchase of more than 50 million gallons of sustainable biofuels.
The airline's investments in modern, fuel-efficient aircraft and equipment have resulted in a 32 percent improvement in fuel efficiency.
More than 300 aircraft in United's mainline operations are equipped with winglets that deliver up to a 5 percent reduction in emissions and noise.
More than 3,600 ground service equipment vehicles, or approximately 26 percent of these vehicles, are electric or alternatively fueled.
During the last five years, United recycled more than 20 million pounds of cans, paper and plastic items from waste generated inflight and at its facilities.
Eco-Teams, comprised of cross-divisional representatives, are at every hub and major maintenance facility.

For more information on United's environmental commitment, visit www.united.com/eco-skies.

British Midland leaves Star Alliance

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:57:00 +0200

Therefore, bmi can continue to offer all Star Alliance customer benefits and bmi Diamond Club members receive all of the Alliance privileges associated with their
membership until May 31, 2012 inclusive. These include earning and redeeming miles on the Star Alliance network. However, since the bilateral Frequent Flyer agreement between the Star Alliance members participating in Lufthansa MIles and More and bmi has already terminated, collection and redemption are no longer granted for these airlines. In all other cases, Star Alliance Gold and Silver benefits will continue to be
offered until the end of May. These include:
Priority Check-In
Lounge Access
Priority Baggage Tags
Increased Baggage Allowance
Priority Waitlist (Gold and Silver benefits, rest are for Gold only)
Priority Airport Standby (Gold and Silver benefits; rest are for Gold only) Even after bmi’s departure Star Alliance will maintain a strong presence in
the UK, with 24 member airlines providing more than 3,000 weekly
services to and from the UK. These flights connect 12 UK airports directly
to destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

TAP and FINNAIR begin codeshare

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:48:00 +0200

There is also more flight options connecting the two countries through codeshare services operated via other points in Europe including Brussels, Amsterdam, Geneva and Zurich. These new services enable both airlines to offer customers better choices and greater convenience by giving them access to a wider range of flights, issuing a single ticket that covers all their travel itineraries and allowing passengers to check in and to check their baggage through to their final destinations. TAP began operating flights to Finland in June 2010 with direct flights between Lisbon and Helsinki. Currently, the airline offers five flights a week between the two countries.

Biofuel partially powers ANA’s 787 Dreamliner

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:51:00 +0200

The delivery flight between Everett, Wash. and Tokyo Haneda Airport is also the first ever transpacific biofuel flight. “Our historic flight using sustainable biofuels across the Pacific Ocean highlights how innovative technology can be used to support our industry’s goal of carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020,” said Osamu Shinobe, ANA Senior Executive Vice President. The 787 flew with biofuel made mainly from used cooking oil and emitted an estimated 30% less CO₂ emissions when compared to today’s similarly-sized airplanes. Of the reduction in greenhouse gases, about 10% can be attributed to the use of biofuel and approximately 20% to the technology and efficiency advancements offered by the Dreamliner.

Singapore Airlines says "goodbye" to 747 fleet

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:21:00 +0200

“The 747 was truly the jewel in our fleet for nearly four decades, and we would not be the airline that we are today if we had not made the bold decision in 1972 to purchase this iconic jetliner,” said Singapore Airlines’ Executive Vice President Commercial, Mak Swee Wah.

“The jumbo enabled us to fly from Singapore to destinations that we could not previously reach. It also allowed us to do things that were previously unimaginable on a commercial aircraft, giving us the opportunity to provide our customers new standards in space and comfort.”

SIA placed its first orders for B747s in 1972 and took delivery of the first in 1973. In 1994, SIA became the world’s biggest B747-400 operator when it took delivery of its 23^rd of the type. By 2003, SIA operated a record 51 Boeing 747-400s, comprising 39 passenger variants and 12 freighters.

LOT and JetBlue announce partnership

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:10:00 +0200

LOT offers service from New York to Warsaw, where customers can connect to more than 45 destinations across Poland, Europe and the Middle East. Some of the most popular destinations include Bucharest, Budapest, Belgrade, Kiev, Lviv, Odessa, Riga, Saint Petersburg, Sofia, Tallinn and Vilnius.

In New York, JetBlue offers connections to Buffalo, Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham, New York, Pittsburgh as well as cities in Florida. Over the past year, LOT has redesigned its livery, updated its cabin crew uniform and made enhancements to its inflight and ground product. Further, it recently completed an order of up to eight Boeing 787 Dreamliners, making it the first global network carrier in Europe to operate the commercial jetliner. LOT will take delivery of the first two Boeing 787 Dreamliners in 2012.

Croatia to install new seats on A319 fleet

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:58:00 +0200

The seats were replaced in the Croatia Airlines’ hangar, which has also been used for maintenance work on foreign airlines.