Expo News – Aircraft Commerce Virtual Expo

05/052021

IAI to Establish a Boeing 777 Conversion Facility in South Korea

Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Aviation Group signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA), with the Incheon International Airport and Sharp Technics, to establish a passenger to freighter (P-to-F) conversion site in South Korea.

The facility will specialise in P-to-F conversons for the Boeing 777-ERSF, “Big Twin” aircraft. In the framework of the agreement, IAI will convert six 777-300ER and 777-200LR per year, starting in 2024.

IAI will establish more P-to-F conversion facilities around the world in order to meet the expected rise in demand for wide-body freighter aircraft with capacity for long flights.

IAI’s Aviation Group is working around the clock during this time to prototype the 777 P2F conversion and is expected to conclude the licensing process during 2023. The 777-ERSF will represents the next generation of freighter aircraft, and will join a list of IAI P-to-F conversions that include the 747, 767, and 737NG.

Yossi Melamed, EVP and GM of the Aviation Group, IAI, said: “IAI’s Aviation Group is a world class leader in converting wide-body passenger aircraft to freighter, and manages conversion lines in Israel and around the world. Signing today with Incheon International Airport and Sharp is directly connected to IAI’s close cooperation with the South Korean aviation industry.”

Recently IAI has transferred production of business jet wings, main frame, and parts of the tail to Korean companies. Furthermore, Melamed explaines that he looks forward to expanding our strategic cooperation activities with South Korean companies and government authorities.

President Kim Kyung-wook of Incheon International Airport Corporation adds: “By attracting the first overseas production base of IAI’s large-sized cargo aircraft to the Incheon Airport MRO cluster, which exclusively possesses the technology for retrofitting Boeing’s large passenger aircraft, we will grow together and contribute greatly to the development of the national and regional economy.

Based on the world-class air transportation infrastructure of Incheon International Airport, Kyung-wook belives that it will continue to attract world-class aviation MRO companies to Incheon Airport.

CEO & President Soon-Suk Paik of Sharp Technics K said, “The conversion of cargo aircraft requires tremendous investment costs, advanced technology, international certifications, and skilled aviation maintenance personnel, which reflect the high barriers to entry in the MRO industry. Although STK is a private company, as a member of the aviation industry, we will do our best in the private sector with the vision of contributing to the development and national interests of the Korean aviation industry.”

IAI’s Aviation Group is a world-class freighter conversion facility and is responsible for maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO), jet airplanes, passenger into cargo conversions, avionic assemblies and aero-structures, avionics upgrades, and more. The Aviation Group’s customers include Amazon, DHL, and FedEx.

The company has extensive operations in South Korea focused on aircraft and helicopter maintenance, airborne and ground-based radar systems, navigation and optronics systems and UAVs. Over the next few years, collaborations will also be expanded to mission aircraft, strategic UAVs and VTOL UAVs and roving and accurate armament systems.

30/032021

ASL Airlines UK Commences Cargo Operations

News

ASL Airlines United Kingdom has received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and its Operating Licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, becoming the world’s newest cargo airline.

This is the first fixed-wing AOC issued by the CAA post Brexit and ASL Airlines UK has now taken its place in the ASL Aviation Holdings group of airlines which already includes four European airlines and two associated non-European airlines.

The new airline’s first flight was operated by an ATR72-200 freighter from East Midlands Airport to Belfast International Airport. The aircraft, registered G-OASL, became the first aircraft on the AOC and it will operate to Belfast International Airport daily from ASL Airlines UK’s new base at East Midlands.

“Our decision to establish a UK airline was customer focussed”, said Colin Grant, Chief Operating Officer of ASL Aviation Holdings.

“We want to offer our customers flexibility in their route planning when they want to operate domestically in the UK, or, in time, to fly from the UK to the EU”, Colin Grant continued.

Currently the ASL Airlines UK AOC is for the operation of cargo flights on a single route, but the airline is looking at opportunities to grow its domestic UK network and is applying for an EASA Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation for cargo flights from the UK to Europe.

ASL UK will be closely aligned to ASL Airlines Ireland with common SOPs and shared support services. This corresponds to ASL Group’s programme to harmonise operations, remove unnecessary duplication and the creation of ‘centres of excellence’ serving all airlines.

“The launch of ASL Airlines UK further strengthens our customer offering as a leading global aviation services provider”, said Dave Andrew, Chief Executive of ASL Aviation Holdings.

“We will continue to explore opportunities to grow by offering all customers, new and old, a neutral service with the agility to deliver, develop and grow according to their requirements”, Dave Andrew continued.

ASL Airlines United Kingdom’s ICAO 3 letter designator is ABV and its callsign is CARGOBLUE.

ASL Aviation Holdings is a leading global aviation services provider with five European airlines and two associated airlines in South Africa and Thailand. The Group also include maintenance companies and leasing entities.

ASL has a fleet of 140 aircraft ranging from the B747-400 to the ATR72 turbo prob. The Group’s airlines operate for world-leading express parcel integrators, postal services, and e-tailers and also own-brand operates inter-continental scheduled services. Passenger services are also operated in France and in South Africa.

02/032021

LATAM Cargo Accelerate Growth Plans with 767-300BCF Order

News

LATAM Airlines Group announced a significant expansion of its cargo operations with the conversion of up to eight Boeing 767-300ER aircraft into Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) in the next three years. This represents a freighter capacity growth of up to 80%. This plan seeks to increase the service options and leverage the synergies of operating a single type of aircraft.

Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group says: “Despite the deep crisis the industry is enduring due to the pandemic, we maintain our commitment to support the region’s exporters and importers by providing them with more and better options to carry their cargo to their destinations. As a result, growth plans have been accelerated with conversion of up to eight Boeing 767-300ERs in the next 30 months.

“This investment, together with the significant cost efficiencies that we have generated during the Chapter 11 process, puts us closer to achieving our aspiration of being the best alternative for cargo customers.”

The conversion plan will be implemented in two stages and could boost the cargo operators’ s joint capacity by up to 80%. The first phase features four confirmed aircraft to be received after conversion between 2021 and 2022. The second phase consists of four additional conversion options for delivery between 2022 and 2023.

Upon completion of that phase, LATAM’s cargo operators’ fleet would reach a total of 15 Boeing 767-300ER freighters. The second phase includes four conversion options with Boeing that would allow aircraft to be added between 2022 and 2023. If all options are executed LATAM would operate a total of 19 767-300ER freighters.

The addition of these aircraft would consolidate LATAM Group as the leading group of cargo operators in South America. It will allow the cargo affiliates to reinforce their operations from North America and Europe into South America, as well as expand operations in the flower markets of Ecuador and Colombia.

Andrés Bianchi, LATAM Cargo’s CEO, highlighted the advantages of the Boeing 767-300ER freighter: “Combining the passenger belly operations of LATAM Airlines Group with 15 to 19 Boeing 767-300ER freighters efficiently strengthens our customer value proposition.

“These conversions will enable the cargo affiliates to grow in key segments such the Colombian flower market or imports to Brazil. It also allows our affiliates to expand their network in domestic markets where e-commerce is rapidly generating an increase in air cargo traffic. Growing with Boeing 767-300BCFs is extremely efficient as it is the optimal aircraft for all these undertakings and we can take advantage of the benefit of operating a single fleet type.”

The decision to incorporate additional 767-300BCF was based on the operational flexibility of the aircraft and its levels of efficiency.

19/012021

Etihad Airways to Offer IATA Travel Pass App for its Passengers

News

Today Etihad Airways, have announced the launch of its IATA Travel Pass for Etihad Airways’ passengers, in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The travel pass is a mobile app to help passengers manage their travel in line with government requirements for COVID-19 tests or vaccines. This will enable Etihad passengers to create a ‘digital passport’ to receive COVID test results and verify they are eligible to undertake their journey.

“The Etihad Airways partnership to launch the IATA Travel Pass is an important milestone on the road to meaningfully restarting international travel. Our aim is to give all governments the confidence to re-open borders to travellers based on verified vaccine and testing data. The initial stage of the Etihad launch will focus on all four elements of the IATA Travel Pass modules, one of the first airlines in the world to do so,” saidIATA senior vice president, airport, passenger, cargo and security, Nick Careen.

Importantly, IATA Travel Pass will keep passengers in control of their data and facilitate the sharing of their test with airlines and authorities for travel. It will also make it convenient for passengers to manage travel documentation throughout their journey.

Initially the service will be offered to Etihad’s guests on selected flights from Abu Dhabi in the first quarter of 2021. If successful, the pass will be extended to other destinations on the Etihad network.

“COVID-19 tests and vaccinations will be key to get the world flying again. Since 1 August 2020, Etihad is the only airline requiring a pre-departure negative PCR test result for all passengers worldwide, and again on arrival in Abu Dhabi, giving our guests the added assurance of safety when they travel with us,” explains chief operating officer, Etihad Aviation Group, Mohammad Al Bulooki. “The high priority for Etihad is for our guests to have an easy, secure and efficient way to identify and verify their information. Being one of the first airlines globally working with IATA as a pioneer partner on the IATA Travel Pass is a big step forward for Etihad’s guests and for the industry.”

Etihad has been actively exploring the roll out of digital health certification for its guests, and this latest partnership with IATA, alongside similar programmes the airline has in development, shows the technology is advancing quickly to make it a reality. To standardise the way in which passenger wellness can be assured during the COVID-19 pandemic, at an industry level, Etihad is actively campaigning for collaboration and a united regulatory response to restore confidence in flying.

IATA Travel Pass has been developed as four independent modules that can interact with each other. These modules cover registries for regulatory entry requirements and labs/test centers, verified certificate issuance, digital identity and the possibility for passengers to share their tests results along their journey via their mobile device. These modules can work together as one complete end-to-end solution. Or they can be used separately to complement systems that others are building. IATA has developed these modules to ensure they are interoperable with other industry solutions.

17/122020

FedEx Upgrades Feeder Aircraft Fleet with New Build ATRs

News

FedEx announced the delivery of the first ATR 72-600F aircraft to its feeder aircraft network. The ATR 72-600F is the first-ever production freighter built by ATR and it has the ability to carry heavier payloads than ATRs converted from passenger configuration.

FedEx originally announced the purchase agreement with ATR in November 2017. Under the agreement, FedEx Express made a firm purchase of 30 ATR 72-600F aircraft with options to purchase up to 20 more. Subsequent deliveries will be about six aircraft per year over a five-year period. The first ATR aircraft will be operated by ASL Airlines Ireland, a FedEx ATR operator since 2000, as part of the FedEx Express Feeder fleet.

The aircraft has a large cargo door, allowing for carriage of bulk cargo as well as unit load device (ULD) configurations. It has a bulk capacity of 2,630 cubic feet (74.5 cubic meters), and when in ULD mode it can accommodate up to seven LD3 containers or five 88 x 108 pallets.

“The arrival of the first ATR 72-600F is a major milestone in the modernization of our feeder aircraft fleet, and it positions us strongly to continue growing our global footprint and serve more customers in locations that aren’t always accessible by our larger jet fleet,” said Scot Struminger, EVP and CEO of Aviation, FedEx Express. “The ATR 72-600F was constructed with input from FedEx engineers every step of the way, so we’re proud and excited to finally take possession of this impressive aircraft.”

FedEx currently deploys 364 feeder aircraft operating in 56 countries. Most of these feeder aircraft are owned by FedEx and leased and operated by different third-party air carriers under their own operating certificates.

The FedEx feeder fleet is comprised of aircraft under 60,000 pounds maximum gross take-off weight and allows the company to provide fast, economical services to small and medium-sized businesses around the world.

15/122020

Etihad Greenliner Programme Driving Sustainability

News

Following the launch of the Etihad Greenliner Programme at the 2019 Dubai Airshow, and the arrival of the flagship Greenliner in January 2020, Etihad Airways today officially inaugurated the latest aircraft in its journey towards sustainability, with the pioneering 2020 ecoDemonstrator entering commercial service following a series of industry-leading test flights across the United States.

The aircraft, a brand-new Boeing 787-10 registered A6-BMI, is the latest arrival to Etihad’s 39-strong fleet of 787 Dreamliners, making the UAE national airline one of the world’s largest operators of the technologically advanced aircraft type.

As the 2020 ecoDemonstrator, in partnership with Boeing, NASA and Safran Landing Systems, Etihad’s 787 Dreamliner was used as a flying testbed to accelerate technological developments with the goal of making commercial aviation safer and more sustainable.

A familiar sight in the skies over the American Northwest in recent months, the uniquely branded Dreamliner, kitted out with complex testing equipment, conducted extensive research flying above Montana and between Washington state and South Carolina.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: “As the first 787-10 to take part in the ecoDemonstrator programme, this very special aircraft stands testament to the innovation and drive for sustainable aviation that forms a core element of Etihad’s values and long-term vision. This is in line with the tremendous strides being made by Abu Dhabi, and the UAE, in the research and development of viable solutions to combat climate change.

“Etihad’s partnership with Boeing, and participation in the programme with NASA and Safran, is one the UAE’s national airline is incredibly proud of. This exciting and progressive programme will have a real-world impact on our industry as part of Etihad’s Greenliner Programme and demonstrates Etihad’s ambitious sustainability strategy. As a prime example of industry collaboration, this aircraft is a unique example of how the aviation industry can come together for a more sustainable future.”

To celebrate its launch into regular service, the special aircraft has been fitted with a commemorative plaque highlighting its contribution to sustainability, while its fuselage still retains some of the original ecoDemonstrator flight-test branding, including the ecoDemonstrator and Boeing logos, in addition to the words ‘From Abu Dhabi for the World’, a reimagined version of the airline’s famous tagline.

During the ecoDemonstrator programme, A6-BMI was decked out with special equipment for eight days of specialised testing on seven initiatives to enhance safety and reduce CO2 emissions and noise. Flights took place in Glasgow, Montana, and during two transcontinental trips between Seattle, Washington, and Charleston South Carolina. During testing, a series of flights gathered the most detailed NASA aircraft noise information to date from approximately 1,200 microphones attached to the outside of the 787 and also positioned on the ground.

The information will improve NASA’s aircraft noise prediction capabilities, advance ways for pilots to reduce noise and inform future quiet aircraft designs. Two cross-country flights across the United States demonstrated a new way for pilots, air traffic controllers and airline operations centres to communicate simultaneously, resulting in optimised routing, arrival times and reduced CO2 emissions.

“Boeing’s partnership with Etihad Airways on this year’s ecoDemonstrator program elevated the strategic sustainability alliance we formed last year to a whole new level,” said Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. “Collaborations like these are invaluable to accelerate innovation that further enhances the safety and sustainability of flying. The testing we conducted, in partnership with NASA and Safran Landing Systems, will benefit aviation and the world for years to come.”

As part of the programme, Etihad and Boeing tested two innovative ‘wellness’ technologies that will help airlines combat the treatment of COVID-19, by safely and quickly cleaning high-touch surfaces. These were a handheld ultraviolet light disinfecting system and an antimicrobial coating that helps prevent the growth of bacteria on tray tables, arm rests and other surfaces.

The highest permissible blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) was used throughout the programme, as well as on the delivery flight from Charleston to Abu Dhabi. As a result, over 60 tonnes of emissions were avoided on the delivery flight alone.

The aircraft’s delivery flight to Abu Dhabi saw Etihad collaborate with multiple Airspace Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) including the FAA, UK NATS and EUROCONTROL to optimise the flight path, cutting fuel burn by more than one tonne and CO2 emissions by approximately four tonnes. Following Etihad’s special flights to Brussels and Dublin in January and March 2020 respectively, this initiative continues to demonstrate Etihad’s strong track record in collaboration with ANSPs to optimise airspace utilisation to deliver lower fuel consumption, noise and carbon emissions.

Etihad and Boeing also collaborated on testing new route planning technology on A6-BMI’s delivery flight. Boeing’s in-development capability forecasts a range of potential weather scenarios and suggests best available route options.

Etihad and Boeing’s partnership on the ecoDemonstrator programme delivers on the airline’s commitment for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners to be a testbed for technology acceleration as part of the Etihad Greenliner programme, and has demonstrated Etihad’s relentless commitment to sustainability in spite of the current COVID-19 crisis. Etihad continues to be comitted to a minimum target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and halving of the airline’s 2019 net emission levels by 2035.

In line with Abu Dhabi’s vision and commitment to the reduction of Carbon Emissions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, sustainability and environmental protection is in Etihad’s DNA. Playing its part as the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s flag carrier, Etihad’s focus on sustainable developments in aviation aligns with many other initiatives of both the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the whole of the UAE.

As an active member of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UAE was among the first countries to voluntarily sign the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Today, the UAE is working closely with the ICAO international fuel group on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) as well Low Carbon Aviation Fuel (LCAF), both of which can play a critical role in enabling the safe and sustainable growth of the aviation sector while reducing its carbon intensity.

14/122020

Fraud Proof Secure Health Passport for Air Travel

News

Fake coronavirus and ‘immunity health passports that use unsecure QR code technology are believed to be a serious threat to Air Travel, and sales for fraudulent test certificates is booming.

British cyber technology company VST Enterprises (VSTE) has today launched a ‘fit-to-fly’ secure health passport called V-Health Passport designed for air travel.

According to VSTE it is believed to be worlds first publicly available secure digital health passport that the public can download and use alongside any form of Covid-19 testing and vaccination that does not use unsecure bar codes and QR code technology.

In addition to this, airlines and operators can also download and access the system.

It comes at a time when security over the use of bar codes and QR codes in airline travel has come under intense scrutiny following the cyber attack on the former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot. The former PM had his Qantas airline boarding pass hacked.

The wider threats of fake Covid-19 test certificates have also been prevalent with an alarming rise in the sales of fake Covid-19 certificates booming in Russia and the Middle East.

The V-Health Passport uses next generation VCode code scanning cyber security technology. Using the most advanced closed loop technology with end to end encryption, V-Health Passport has 2.2 Quintillion collision free combination codes. These decode based on geo location, time & date, device type and user login… meaning it cannot be hacked.

It can provide airline passengers and airlines with a secure digital passport that validates the passengers’ identity, authenticates their Covid-19 test result and vaccination/immunization details in one secure app. The V-Health Passport also uniquely provides airline passengers and airlines with a contact tracing technology which uses anonymized data.

The technology does not track your live location and provides all data in a secure GDPR compliant framework giving citizens a unique ‘self sovereign identity’ style technology putting them in control of who, when and how they share their data.

VSTE CEO and inventor of the VCode technology and V-Health Passport Louis-James Davis says: “We are the first technology company in the world to have developed a secure, multipurpose, cross corporate & cross government digital health passport that does not rely on using bar codes or QR codes as its authentication technology.

“Both bar codes and QR codes have huge potential security implications as they can be cloned and hacked with the latter being subject to a process called ‘attagging’. Therefore any suggestion of using this type of technology in a health passport for air travel has very real security risks.

“Not only is a citizen’s personal information at risk, but their coronavirus test status, vaccination records and also their credit card information. All of this can lead to the very real potential of a massive data breach and a persons personal information and data hacked and stolen. This is of particular concern when using a bar code or QR code technology designed for use to authenticate a persons Covid-19 testing and/or vaccinations records.”

The increase of sales in fake Covid-19 test certificates puts a threat on passenger safety and has the potential to infect and contaminate other passengers.

It documented that bar codes and QR codes can be hacked so any airline who considers using a health passport for Covid-19 testing and vaccination using this method of authentication risks a serious potential breach of its passenger data.

QR codes can be subject to a process called ‘Attagging’ or ‘cloning.’ The process of ‘Attagging’ is where a ‘genuine QR code’ is replaced by a ‘cloned QR code’ which then redirects the person scanning that code to a similar website where personal data can be intercepted and breached. The problem is that serious that in India alone there are over 1 billion fraudulent financial transactions each day using QR codes. As the scanning user journey is the same, it is only tech savvy individuals that may notice the domain name has changed.”

As reported by a recent Forbes Magazine investigation, it is predicted that over 11 Million households in the US alone will scan a QR code this year and the majority of them, some 71% of people who have interacted with a QR code will not know if it is the start of a malicious hack. It is envisaged that over 5.3 Billion QR codes will be redeemed this year making it one of the fastest growing tech scanning interactions and also posing one of the greatest cyber threats.

QR codes can be cloned and redirected to other information points or websites. Often criminals and hackers will exploit this by putting a fake QR code over a genuine QR code. On scanning the QR code would link to the genuine website but a fake QR code can be made up printed off and placed over the genuine code.

This point the member of the public is tricked into entering their personal information, private data and financial information. The rogue website looks and feels exactly like the genuine one and is made to mirror it precisely.

VCode which is the ultra secure digital code which powers the V-Health Passport cannot be cloned. Even if it was printed off, or a photograph was taken and placed over a VCode or V-Health Passport it simply wont scan as it works on a call and response system of information between the code and web platform to verify location of the code, user ID and time and date and much more.

13/112020

Wizz Air Launches Carbon Offsetting Scheme

News

Wizz Air has launched a carbon offsetting scheme as part of its wider commitment to reducing emissions, enabling passengers to calculate their flight’s environmental impact and offset the carbon emissions thereof.

The scheme, in partnership with climate-focused technology company, ‘CHOOOSE’, provides passengers with the option to offset their journey by supporting trusted, high impact climate projects around the world.

Marion Geoffroy, chief corporate officer at Wizz Air, said: “We strive to be the greenest airline of choice as we work hard on continuously decreasing our environmental footprint. Through a wide range of sustainability initiatives, we are proud to already have one of the lowest emission rates in the European aviation industry and are delighted to be working with CHOOOSE to provide carbon offsetting to our passengers.

“Together with our modern aircraft fleet, variety of fuel saving initiatives, maximization of passenger load factor, a network design which avoids unnecessary connecting flights and the lightest materials used in the cabin, we are ensuring that Wizz Air is the best and greenest choice passengers can make when they fly.”

By inputting flight details to the travel footprint calculator at wizzair.com , passengers can easily calculate and offset their flight’s carbon emissions. To account for their carbon emissions, passengers simply make a payment supporting a verified carbon offset and receive a certificate in return, recognizing the emissions they have offset.

Wizz Air is initially supporting two verified carbon-reducing projects; The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST) in Uganda, an award-winning and longstanding reforestation project, and the Pichacay Landfill Gas to Renewable Energy Project in Ecuador, which recovers and repurposes landfill methane to produce clean electricity. Both projects are certified by the Verified Carbon Standard to measurable reduce emissions.

Wizz Air’s carbon-dioxide emissions were the lowest among European airlines in FY2019 (57.2 gr/km/passenger)

AirBaltic se salva de la quiebra con una inyección de 250 M € de Letonia _ Transportes

12/112020

Going Green: airBaltic to Save 1.8 Tonnes of Paper Each Year by Digitalization

News

Latvian airline airBaltic has taken yet another step to reduce paper usage by digitalizing passenger onboarding lists and other necessary daily operational documentation. The paperless initiative is expected to save approximately 1.8 tonnes of paper each year.

Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic says: “Sustainability is an integral part of our business and each of us strives to make this world better on a daily basis. Digitalized passenger onboarding lists is the next step forward. Our colleagues have done a significant job and we are happy to see that our cabin crew are excited about this improvement. From now on airBaltic cabin crew will not be using long paper lists anymore, instead all data will be received on iPads.”

Much of the paper documentation that has been eliminated relates to the airline’s ground operation’s department, and includes pre-boarding information, trip information and fuel figures.

In 2014 airBaltic introduced iPads to pilots allowing them to avoid carrying between 10-15 kg of flight details, manuals and reference material to each flight. Three years later iPads were introduced also for airBaltic cabin crew.

In October 2020, Latvian airline airBaltic published its annual sustainability report, providing information of airBaltic and its subsidiaries performance in this segment for 2019.

Full airBaltic sustainability report is accessible from:

https://www.airbaltic.com/about/investors/sustainability_report_2019_en.pdf

11/112020

Uganda Airlines Chooses Established Content Service Provider

News

Inflight Dublin has been awarded a 5-year contract for the provision of inflight entertainment (IFE) by Uganda Airlines, the national flag carrier of Uganda. The agreement sees Inflight Dublin providing IFE content services to Uganda Airlines with quarterly updates commencing in January 2021.

According to CEO Uganda Airlines, Cornwell Muleya: “As this is a new venture into the inflight entertainment space for Uganda Airlines, we wanted to choose an experienced and stable partner and Inflight Dublin ticked all the boxes. To partner with such a prominent operator will ensure a smooth entry into service and we look forward to working with them to continue providing the highest level of service to our passengers.”

Inflight Dublin is one of the largest content service provider (CSP) in Africa, currently in partnerships with more than ten airlines in the African region. This experience and knowledge of the African market allows Inflight Dublin to curate a bespoke content package for Uganda Airlines’ passenger audience, including local and international content. The extensive catalogue also consists of Hollywood movies, TV shows, boxsets, music, games and publications.

Maintaining a current fleet of four Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft, Uganda Airlines links Uganda to the rest of Africa by operating flights to nine destinations across the continent including Kenya, Somalia, Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo. In December 2020, Uganda Airlines will take delivery of brand new Airbus A330-800neo and thereafter launch intercontinental flights to Europe, Asia and the Middle East

21/102020

Singapore Airlines’ Travelers to get More Options with Kris+ App Upgrades

News

Singapore Airlines has rolled out Kris+, an all-new app that brings payment, lifestyle and rewards services together in one platform for its customers. Building on the strengths and popularity of the KrisPay app, Kris+ goes beyond being a loyalty wallet and combines the best in dining, retail and entertainment discounts.

JoAnn Tan, acting senior vice president Marketing Planning, said: “Our vision is to create a comprehensive and updated lifestyle and payments ecosystem with Kris+. This will offer even more and better options and benefits for our global customer base, and bring additional value to our partners around the world.”

With an updated interface and user experience, Kris+ will also allow Singapore Airlines to personalise offers for its global customer base via location-based or interest-based recommendations, offer discounts, miles-back, instant rewards and exclusive birthday and PPS privileges via an easy-to-use platform.

It also offers customers the option to earn miles from everyday spend, or pay for purchases and experiences with these miles.

Kris+ has more than 150 partners with over 650 outlets in Singapore providing customised deals with privileges for our customers. Products, services and experiences from our partners have been curated with our customers in mind, and offered with comprehensive discounts. More partners will be progressively added in the coming months.

In addition, Singapore residents who travel abroad will also enjoy special offers and rewards from January 2021 when Kris+ brings on board overseas partners and merchants in selected destinations to the platform.

KrisPay, the world’s first blockchain-based airline loyalty digital wallet, has also been integrated into Kris+. It will soon be enhanced with other in-app payment options, allowing users to simultaneously earn more miles with each purchase. Kris+ users can look forward to more features along with the progressive addition of more merchants and services to the app.

Kris+ has already been downloaded over 130,000 times at the App Store and Play Store on Google Play.

SIA’s investment in Kris+ is part of the Company’s ongoing strategy to drive non-airline revenue streams in the coming years. The Kris+ ecosystem, which has been built to enhance customer-merchant relationships, will further power growth for the KrisFlyer frequent flyer business and broaden its brand appeal and recognition.

This will allow customers to enjoy attractive discounts on their everyday purchases while merchants are able to reach out to SIA’s highly-valued 4.7 million-strong KrisFlyer base.

To celebrate the much-anticipated launch of Kris+, there will be a slew of promotions for users including 30% instant miles-back on purchases redeemed with miles from now until 26 October 2020.

Other deals over October and November include bonus miles earn campaigns, more mile-back campaigns, $1 and $2 deals from selected partners, one-for-one dining deals and discounts at selected retail partners in Singapore. For more information, download the Kris+ app today.

19/102020

Qatar Airways More Than 99.988% Covid-19-Free

News

Since February 2020, Qatar Airways announced 582 positive cases across more than 4.6 million passenger flown sectors and over 33 billion revenue passenger kilometers (RPK). Furthermore the airline reported extremely low numbers of secondary cases on board with more than 37,000 transmission free flights since February 2020.

The success of the airline’s robust Covid-19 monitoring, detection and hygiene programme has resulted in more than 99.988 per cent of passengers travelling COVID-19-free on board, with significantly less than one per cent of passengers confirmed to have tested positive by local authorities following a Qatar Airways flight.

In addition to this, significantly less than one per cent (0.002%) of operating cabin crew have been affected on board to date, with no new cases recorded since the airline introduced its full PPE in-flight uniform in May 2020, as well as the inclusion of passenger face shields on all flights.

Qatar Airways chief executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “These latest statistics are a clear indication that, with the adoption of the right measures such as meticulous on-board safety, hygiene and social distancing procedures in place at airports, and compliance with the testing and entry requirements of local authorities, air travel does not need to be a source of concern to passengers.

“From the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have introduced the most rigorous and stringent virus monitoring, detection and on-board hygiene programme in existence within the global aviation community. As an industry, we want to ensure the recovery of commercial aviation by encouraging passengers to feel confident that they are safe and protected, from departure to arrival, with all airlines.

“Our risk-based approach has seen us adopt a number of additional measures such as the introduction of PCR testing for passengers departing from ‘high risk’ countries, and the use of the most advanced HEPA air filtration systems on board our aircraft, wherever possible.

“This is in addition to the recent introduction of Honeywell’s Ultraviolet Cabin System, operated by Qatar Aviation Services, as an additional step in the cleaning of our aircraft and yet more evidence of Qatar Airways commitment to enhancing its safety practices.

“We have also done everything possible to protect our crew and employees from exposure to infection, with specialist onboard infection prevention training and the introduction of full PPE in-flight uniform in May completely eradicating this risk to date.

“As a result of these important measures we are able to report that 99.988 per cent of the more than 4.6 million passenger flown sectors operated have been Covid-19-free on board our aircraft since February 2020. In addition, significantly less than one per cent of Qatar Airways’ more than 37,000 flights have been confirmed to have carried an infected passenger.

“Given the extremely low numbers of cases travelling on flights and the even lower risk of transmission, with a recent IATA study finding 1 in 27 million travellers had contracted Covid-19 on board a flight, passengers can travel with peace of mind with the knowledge that flying continues to be the safest form of travel.

“Whilst these numbers may be low, we will continue to fastidiously monitor global developments in the fight to control the spread of Covid-19, as well as work closely with local health authorities to support with tracing activities whenever a positive case is confirmed and they have travelled with us within the time range of the incubation period.

“As an industry, we must remain vigilant and avoid any complacency, but ensure that we have strong safety and security procedures in place to instill confidence in passengers and provide reassurance, whether they are travelling home, visiting friends and family, or taking a leisure trip.”

According to the latest IATA data, Qatar Airways has become the largest international carrier between April to July by fulfilling its mission of taking people home. This enabled the airline to accumulate unmatched experience in carrying passengers safely and reliably and uniquely positioned the airline to effectively rebuild its network. The carrier has stringently implemented the most advanced safety and hygiene measures on board its aircraft and in Hamad International Airport.

Qatar Airways’ onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew include the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers. Business Class passengers on aircraft equipped with Qsuite can enjoy the enhanced privacy this award-winning business seat provides, including sliding privacy partitions and the option to use a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations including Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, London and New York.

For full details of all the measures that have been implemented onboard and in HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety.

Qatar Airways’ home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), has implemented stringent cleaning procedures and applied social distancing measures throughout its terminals. It is the first entity in the world to achieve independent verification from BSI (British Standards Institution) for its implementation of COVID-19 ICAO Aviation Health Safety Protocols.

The verification was conducted following successful audits for Compliance to International Civil Aviation Organization Civil Aviation Recovery Taskforce ICAO CART. This important achievement marks the State of Qatar as the first country in the world to be verified by BSI for its Covid-19 Aviation Health Safety Protocol Implementation.

HIA continues to maintain a 1.5m physical distancing across all passenger touchpoints around the airport, through floor markings, signage and distanced seating. All passenger touchpoints are sanitized every 10-15 minutes. All gates and bus gate counters are being cleaned after each flight.

HIA’s retail and food and beverage outlets encourage contactless and cashless transactions through cards and are considering introducing online or in-app purchases in the future. The airport also conducts regular disinfection of all baggage trolleys and tubs.

09/102020

London City Airport Achieves International Health Accreditation Standard

News

London City Airport has become the latest international airport, and second in the UK, to be awarded with certification from the Airports Council International (ACI) airport health accreditation programme.

Alison FitzGerald, Chief Operating Officer said: “This is a significant achievement for the airport and recognition of our unwavering commitment to keeping our airport Covid secure and to deliver a clean airport environment. I hope this award, alongside our continued focus on delivering safe, careful and speedy journeys, will give passengers more confidence to travel and to choose London City Airport.

The programme, which was introduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, recognises airports across the world that deploy world leading health and safety practices.

Prior to re-opening on June 23, London City carried out a root and branch review of airport operations, for both passengers and staff, to ensure it was COVID secure. Measures introduced included an enhanced cleaning regime, including a long-life anti-microbial surface treatment used throughout the airport and Advanced crowd monitoring technology to identify and manage busy areas, using CrowdVision.

Other precautions include touch-free hand sanitiser stations and perspex screens at key points of interaction, such as check-in desks.

“Looking ahead, we stand ready to do more at the airport. Testing is critical to not only reducing the current 14-day quarantine and getting Britain flying again, but giving passengers greater peace of mind. And, as soon as we receive the green light from Government, we are ready to implement a testing regime on site,” says Fitzgerald.

The ACI Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) programme assists airports by assessing new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic in accordance with ICAO Council Aviation Restart Task Force recommendations, and in alignment with the joint EASA and ECDC Aviation Health Safety Protocol and ACI EUROPE’s Guidelines for a Healthy Passenger Experience at Airports.

08/102020

Limited Edition Amenity kits will be Available on Qatar Airways Flights

News

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Qatar Airways will offer its passengers an exclusive ‘Think Pink’ experience in the sky as well in its lounges, offering custom-designed limited edition amenity kits and pink-themed special menus.

Qatar Airways group chief executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is a very strong supporter of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we are pleased to offer these unique luxury amenity kits to our passengers, As an airline, we are inspired by the tremendous global effort that has gone into fighting this disease. We hope our message of breast cancer awareness reaches as many people as possible.”

For the fourth year, the airline continues to show its commitment to raising awareness of breast cancer, offering passengers travelling on long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights in Business Class a luxury amenity bag designed in-house and created exclusively for Qatar Airways by stylish Italian luggage brand BRIC’S.

The exclusive amenity kits are made from vegan leather and there are male and female options available. Both kits feature a unique zipper pull in the shape of the iconic breast cancer ribbon.

This highly sought-after kit is further customised with a message imprinted on a band, reading: ‘Think pink and support the fight’. Each kit contains select products from Italy’s Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio, the environmentally friendly and innovative nutrition-centric olive oil company.

The skin care range includes lip balm, hydrating facial mist, and anti-ageing moisturiser, as well as pink socks and eyeshades.

Additionally, on flights departing from Doha, passengers travelling in Business Class will have the opportunity to savour exclusive pink-themed treats onboard such as pink guava and grape lemonade and assorted desserts with the iconic pink ribbon. On all ultra-long-haul flights departing from Doha, passengers will be served a special pink afternoon tea menu featuring raspberry macaroons and opera cake.

Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge will feature pink flower arrangements, serve refreshing pink mocktails to passengers and offer a variety of pink sweet treats as well as the ‘Think Pink’ afternoon tea menu, which also includes a delicious selection of finger sandwiches, scones and pastries.

Economy Class passengers travelling on overnight long-haul and all ultra-long-haul flights are also offered limited edition breast cancer awareness amenity kits. The bags feature the pink ribbon and include eyeshades, socks, earplugs, lip balm, toothbrush and toothpaste. Pink raspberry or strawberry mousse desserts will be served on all lunch and dinner services on all flights departing from Doha.

Qatar Airways, in partnership with Qatar Cancer Society (QCS), has joined forces with Hamad International Airport (HIA), Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) and Qatar Duty Free (QDF) to show their united support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month ‘Think Pink’ activities to raise awareness of breast cancer prevention and control.

08/092020

That’s Entertainment: Global Eagle Enables Southwest Airlines’ Passengers to go APP Free

News

Global Eagle Entertainment is launching a series of improvements across Southwest Airlines’ inflight entertainment (IFE) portal which will allow customers to stream inflight content direct to their smartphone, laptop or tablet without having to download an app before they board.

According to Per Norén, President, Global Eagle: “At Global Eagle, we are passionate about providing airlines and their customers with a seamless access to IFE. This latest release enhances the passenger experience and leverages engagement and consumption of onboard content and connectivity.”

Hollywood movies and TV series protected under digital rights management (DRM) can now be played on Southwest’s IFE portal via selected iOS, Android or Windows operating systems on selected browsers.

Global Eagle utilizes the latest media encryption standard by the way of its common media application format (CMAF). This reduces encoding requirements to enable multiple DRM technologies to be used on a single video file.

As part of the series of updates, Global Eagle is introducing cinemagraphs to the Southwest IFE portal, displaying an animated movie poster to further engage customers.

01/092020

Going GoGo Gone: Intelsat Acquire GoGo Commercial Aviation Business

News

Gogo announces entry into agreement to sell its commercial aviation business to Intelsat for $400 million. Today the company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its commercial aviation (CA) business to Intelsat, subject to customary adjustments.

Intelsat expects to finance the transaction utilizing cash on hand and borrowings under its $1 billion debtor-in-possession credit facility and has obtained support from key economic stakeholders, as well as approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, to complete the acquisition. The transaction, which is expected to close before the end of the first quarter 2021, remains subject to customary closing conditions and certain regulatory approvals.

“Following a competitive strategic review process, we’re confident this transaction unlocks the full value of the CA business for shareholders,” said Oakleigh Thorne, Gogo’s president and CEO. “Combining CA, the leading inflight connectivity provider, with Intelsat, the world’s largest global satellite operator, will create the leading vertically-integrated IFC business in the world, with the additional resources and scale to support continued growth and innovation as demand for commercial air travel recovers.”

“With shared values and a clear commitment to working with the CA team to grow the business, we are confident Intelsat is the right partner. I am extremely grateful for the CA team’s efforts over the past few months. Today’s announcement is a testament to the strength of the business they have built,” said Thorne.

Gogo, which will remain a public company, will use the proceeds from the transaction to improve its net debt position and continue to invest in growth opportunities such as Gogo 5G. With greater financial flexibility, including a lower cost of capital over time, the new Gogo will be better positioned to enhance the scale and profitability of its business aviation (BA) segment, which is uniquely well-positioned in an attractive and under-penetrated market.

“This transaction creates a stronger and more focused Gogo, with the singular strategic imperative of serving the business aviation market with the best inflight connectivity and entertainment products in the world,” Thorne said. “The BA market continues its sharp recovery and strong demand growth trajectory, and our BA segment is exceptionally well-positioned to drive long-term value creation in that industry.”

As part of the transaction, Gogo will enter into a 10-year network services agreement under which Intelsat will have exclusive access to Gogo ATG services for the CA market in North America, subject to minimum revenue guarantees of $177.5 million.

Intelsat intends to operate the CA business as an independent business unit, led by current CA President John Wade. The CA business will remain based in Chicago.

BDT & Company served as primary financial advisor to Gogo, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as financial co-advisors, and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP served as legal advisor.

30/082020

Turkish Airlines: Digitally Future Proofing the Passenger Retail Experience with Amadeus

News

Turkish Airlines makes the digital shopping experience quicker, accurate and relevant with Amadeus. This new long-term IT agreement combined with a recent fleet expansion will take the airline into its next phase of international growth.

Deal will bolster the airline’s digital infrastructure to pave the way for content to be distributed in the near future. Following a recent expansion of its fleet, Turkish Airlines is now fueling its vision with new technology. The airline has signed an IT deal with Amadeus that will help it deliver personalized offers to travelers across all platforms and devices.

The Turkish flag carrier is aiming to expand its customer reach with a series of new shopping solutions from Amadeus’ Offer Suite. These flexible and modular solutions will allow the airline to connect with new market channels and develop a future-proof retail strategy.

Most significantly, Turkish Airlines will be the first airline to adopt Massive Search, a solution which will help it deliver the most relevant and bookable fares to travelers. Massive search capabilities are becoming more and more critical for the entire travel industry as digital infrastructure must swiftly deliver results in the face of rising look to book ratios, which have grown from 10:1 to 1000:1 over the last two decades.

Whether customers are searching for flights on Turkish Airline’s own channels, through a metasearch, online travel agency, or an online ad, Amadeus’ technology will ensure that travelers get a consistent, accurate and fast response.

This standalone IT agreement follows an extended distribution agreement signed with Amadeus last year. Amadeus’ global network of travel sellers continue to support the airline’s expansion plans, extending its reach efficiently and delivering its offers consistently to all travelers.

The airline was already using the Amadeus Flex Pricer solution and it has now signed for the entire Shopping portfolio in the Amadeus Offer Suite, comprised of features such as, Flex Pricer Premium, Massive and Instant search and including Fare Quote and ATC Reissue, Shopper and Refund.

The suite will equip Turkish Airlines to be able to integrate content via new distribution capability (NDC) into the airline’s existing infrastructure, catapulting it to distribute content via NDC in the near future.

The deal comes at a time when Turkey’s national flag carrier – currently operating with 360 aircraft, and flying to the most destinations in the world, over 320 across 126 countries – continues to expand its operations. From 2017 to 2019, the airline increased its passenger numbers from 69 million to 75 million and it expects to reach 120 million by 2023.

“These are exciting times at Turkish. Now, as the sector eyes recovery, we will push the bar when it comes to searching and shopping for our fares, delivering the content our travelers want in a quick and consistent way, no matter the channel,” said Ali Serdar Yakut, CIO, Turkish Airlines.

“Istanbul is at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, and our new hub inaugurated last year gives us more capacity to connect to new destinations. The new facility will serve 200 million passengers annually, unlocking momentous opportunity for growth. Amadeus’ trusted technology and solid on-the-ground support will help us reach our ambitions,” adds Serdar Yakut.

According to Maher Koubaa, executive vice president, airlines, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Amadeus says: “This partnership with Turkish Airlines is a testament to our simple, agile and open approach that allows our partners to easily integrate our technology within their own IT ecosystem. We look forward to further continue our work with the airline in the field of merchandising as we support the airline’s ambitions to deliver a world-class experience to its travelers.

“We are particularly proud to be part of Turkish Airline’s expansion at a time when Istanbul is reinforcing its position as a major global aviation hub with the addition of new capacity and its third independent runway just completed a few months ago.”

Amadeus’ solutions connect travelers to the journeys they want through travel agents, search engines, tour operators, airlines, airports, hotels, cars and railways.

We have developed our technology in partnership with the travel industry for over 30 years. We combine a deep understanding of how people travel with the ability to design and deliver the most complex, trusted, critical systems our customers need. We help connect over 1.6 billion people a year to local travel providers in over 190 countries.

24/082020

American will be the First Airline to use SurfaceWise2 to Fight the Spread of COVID-19

News

American Airlines is upgrading its Clean Commitment by adding the electrostatic spraying solution SurfaceWise®2 from Allied BioScience to its multitiered cleaning and safety program in the coming months.

The SurfaceWise2 solution is the first-ever long-lasting product to help fight the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) that is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“The American Airlines Clean Commitment is our promise that we’re taking bold measures and using the latest products and technology to help ensure our customers’ well-being when they travel with us,” said David Seymour, American’s Chief Operating Officer. “Thanks to rigorous evaluations conducted by the experienced professionals at the EPA, the American Airlines team and Allied BioScience, our multitiered program will become even stronger at safeguarding our customers and team members from virus such as coronavirus and the flu.”

According to said Maha El-Sayed, PhD, Allied BioScience Chief Science Officer:“SurfaceWise2’s long-lasting defense provides a layer of protection against viruses not offered by any other solutions on the market. We look forward to also seeing SurfaceWise2 used in offices, schools, gymnasiums and other high-traffic areas to support the nation in safely reopening.”

In the coming months, American will begin using SurfaceWise2 for electrostatic spraying on surfaces inside its aircraft with plans to use the product throughout its entire fleet, including those in its American Eagle regional partners. Other elements of the airline’s multitiered Clean Commitment, include enhanced aircraft cleaning performed before every mainline flight and an even deeper overnight cleaning.

“SurfaceWise2 creates an invisible barrier on surfaces, which physically breaks down and kills virus cells,” said Dr. Charles Gerba, a leading infectious disease expert. “This helps protect passengers and crew members against the transmission of coronavirus via surfaces, particularly on high-touch areas such as seats, armrests, tray tables and overhead bin doors.”

Paired with the use of face coverings, thorough cleaning protocols and HEPA filters, the use of SurfaceWise2 will help make the travel experience even safer for team members and customers who are ready to return to the skies.

20/082020

ABX Air Using Smart Data to Streamline Operations

News

Aviation software leader Comply365 has announced ABX Air will soon leverage the power of structured authoring for its manuals. This will enable ABX Air to always be audit ready, and better equipped to scale its authoring process when publishing cross-referenced, tail-specific maintenance and flight operations manuals.

ABX Air, a subsidiary cargo airline of Air Transport Services Group, Inc., recently added ProAuthor and Forms365. ProAuthor is Comply365’s end-to-end operational content and compliance management system that enables faster, more routine manual revisions while enabling the airline to always be audit ready by running reports of standards mapped during the authoring phase.

“We’ve had a great experience working with Comply365 to distribute important content to our flight operations team, making them an innovative partner to turn to as we advance in our digital strategy to support our airline’s growth,” said John Maloney, vice president of flight operations. “We’re excited to upgrade to a more robust solution that will provide efficiencies for our Technical Publications team, as well as deliver smart data to our crews, enhancing safety by making it easier and faster for them to find exactly what they need.”

The Ohio-based airline expects a 30-percent reduction in total end-to-end publication time, while also reducing the lead time to get new procedures to pilots, loadmasters, mechanics, and ground crews. Current manuals are published in PDF and provide no inter-connectivity, forcing users to search each one individually for information. Using ProAuthor, their new manuals will allow cross-referencing with other manuals for the first time, eliminating confusion and decreasing the chance of errors.

The cargo airline has responded quickly to the global pandemic, helping to maintain the flow of vital supplies and increased e-commerce shopping under very challenging conditions. ProAuthor will allow the carrier to scale – authoring 30 to 50 percent more publications – while maintaining its existing team thanks to automated workflows.

ABX Air has been leveraging the power of Comply365’s mobile app with Document & Communication Manager (DCM) since early 2018 to provide its flight crews immediate access to manuals and important memos needed on their mobile iOS devices.

“It’s been wonderful working with ABX Air, and it is an honor that they have chosen to expand that relationship with the addition of ProAuthor for the next stage of their transformation,” Comply365 CEO Tom Samuel said. “Amid this challenging time for the aviation industry, it’s important to recognize the tremendous benefits ABX will realize by investing in a solution that will provide higher-value content to their users to enhance safety, compliance, and efficiency.”

Comply365 is the leading provider of enterprise SaaS and mobile solutions for content management and document distribution in highly regulated industries including aviation, rail, and energy.

19/082020

Test-on-Arrival: Coronavirus Testing Procedure Could End Quarantine for Travelers

News

Collinson and Swissport are working with Heathrow Airport to offer a pilot of their Covid-19 testing procedure. The pilot, the first of its kind in the UK, will mean passengers can be checked for Covid-19 upon landing at Heathrow and know just hours later if they have tested positive for the virus.

All three organisations are hoping the ‘Test-on-Arrival’ procedure could provide a solution to those travelling from places not exempt from quarantine. The announcement comes a couple of weeks after Collinson and Swissport announced ‘Test-on-Arrival’ as a potential alternative to the blanket 14-day quarantine policy.

The experts in global medical and travel experience services and the airport ground and cargo handling service joined forces to devise the testing process and are now partnering with Heathrow to roll out the pilot.

If embraced by the Government, the tests can build on the first step that was made with the traffic light system and help travel sector recovery by enabling even more people to travel from ‘red’ countries where quarantine is still required. And while maintaining public confidence around preventing the spread of the virus.

According to Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye: “The Government made a significant step forward last week by removing quarantine for visitors from many countries, but we still need a solution that safely allows passengers to travel to and from higher risk countries.

“This trial with Swissport and Collinson will provide a much-needed alternative to quarantine for those arriving passengers and should add further momentum to the Government’s push for Common International Standards which are needed for the resumption of global travel.”

The pilot of the new testing procedure would be available as a private service to anyone with a flight landing in Heathrow Terminal 2. Passengers will need to set up an account and book their test online, before beginning their journey to the UK.

The tests will be carried out at the facility on arrival at the airport. During the appointment, a swab will be taken for testing, which is then sent to a Collinson biotech lab, Heathrow, using the same transportation protocols the NHS uses for home swab tests.

The tests, which use the gold standard of virus detection, RT-PCR testing, are sensitive enough to detect Covid-19 particles, even when a passenger has displayed no symptoms.

If travelling from a country where quarantine is still required, passengers will be asked to continue from Heathrow to the address they provided at the time of booking, while they await their test results, which they’ll receive within 24 hours.

If this arrivals testing model is added by the Government as an additional exemption to the quarantine policy, the long-term ambition is for passengers to be free to leave quarantine measures when given the all clear. In the less likely event that the test comes back positive, they’ll be asked to abide by isolation requirements, staying at their given quarantine address for the next 14 days.

“We launched the tests to help get the travel ecosystem moving again, using science to reassure the public it’s safe to do so,” said David Evans, Joint CEO at Collinson. “PCR testing is the gold standard of Covid-19 testing, used by the NHS and Public Health England, as it is able to detect the virus even when someone is asymptomatic.”

In these trials, travellers were tested on arrival and again five days later. They showed zero cases of someone testing negative in the first instance and then positive in the second, proving the sensitivity of the tests when carried out on arrival.

“Test-on-Arrival perfectly complements last week’s list of countries exempt from quarantine,” said Richard Cawthra, Chief Commercial Officer, Swissport. “Should the Government also grant the exemption we are seeking, travellers could go to countries beyond those on the list with confidence, knowing that they would not face a quarantine upon landing in the UK as long as they test negative.

“This would not only stimulate inbound and outbound tourism and business travel in the UK, helping the economy and the travel sector back on their feet, but it would also safeguard the success of reopening up routes with the countries on the list.

“For example, if a country’s status was changed to ‘red’, testing would allow the Government to keep the route open with quarantine reintroduced unless they test negative. That is why this testing pilot with Heathrow is so vital – it’ll allow for more flexibility with how people can travel, while keeping the public safe.”

London Heathrow is the UK’s busiest airport. Last year, more than 80 million passengers passed through its four terminals. It is the UK’s only hub airport connecting Britain to over 203 worldwide destinations.

As well as offering ‘Test-on-Arrival’ to passengers landing in the UK, Collinson and Swissport are also exploring options to work with other airports and governments worldwide in order to offer the tests to outbound passengers, reducing the need for people leaving the UK to quarantine in other countries.