Air France Takes Delivery Of First A380

French carrier Air France has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380, becoming the first European airline to operate the double-decker jet. The aircraft, registered F-HPJA, landed at Charles de Gaulle International Airport at 1627 hrs following its delivery flight from Hamburg.

 

Configured in a 3-class layout, Air France promises greater space and comfort for the 538 passengers onboard. In the La Première cabin located at the front of the main deck, passengers are guaranteed high levels of privacy and exclusivity with only 9 seats available. The seats have also been improved with seat covers made from “Climatex” fabric and a new innovative handset. La Première passengers will also have their own private changing cabin with a dressing table opposite 2 built-in shelves containing beauty products from Clarins and a wardrobe where they can place their belongings. An exclusive bar with magazines and a buffet selection will also be available for passengers to mingle and relax.

 

Located on the upper deck, the Affaires business class cabin accomodates 80 passengers in a 2-2-2 configuration. With the larger cabin of the A380, Air France has fitted an improved version of its Affaires seat onboard. The 2-meter long seat has a more comfortable seat recline for takeoff and landing, with an in-seat power supply and 15-inch personal screen, the largest in business class across the Air France fleet. In a world first, Air France has dedicated the area in the front of the upper deck as a gallery for its premium passengers. The open-plan space incorporates 38-centimeter screens showcasing artwork from major museums and artistic institutions worldwide, with the famous Louvre museum offering the theme of “Titan, Tintoretto, Veronese…Rivals in Renaissance Venice” in November 2009.

 

449 Voyageur economy class seats are located on the main and upper decks. Fitted in a 3-4-3 configuration, passengers will enjoy greater space with the enhanced seats featuring armrests that are 30% wider and better legroom. A large 8.4-inch personal screen delivers inflight entertainment, while passengers can charge their laptops at sockets located around the cabin. Air France has also fitted 3 self-service bars (2 on main deck and 1 on upper deck), which are stocked with refreshments throughout flights.

 

The Air France A380’s inaugural flight from Paris to New York will take place on 20 November 2009, with the airline donating the proceeds from an auction of its seats to charity. The aircraft will then enter scheduled service on the route daily from 23 November 2009, with Johannesburg being introduced in early 2010. Air France is the 4th airline to operate the A380, after Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas.

 

For more information, visit www.airfrance.com.

In-Flight Internet Returns Onboard Lufthansa Flights

German airline Lufthansa is set to re-introduce its inflight broadband service FlyNet. From the middle of 2010, passengers will be able to enjoy communications options on-par with powerful wireless hotspots or upmarket hotels onboard the airline’s long-haul flights by logging on the network using their computers or GSM/GPRS-enabled devices from any point in the aircraft.

 

Partnering with Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Lufthansa aims to install FlyNet on a major part of its intercontinental aircraft fleet within the first year of operation for the service. The improved FlyNet allows passengers to not only surf the internet wirelessly, but also send and receive emails, text messages and transfer data via their smartphones. Lufthansa is focusing on the high-bandwidth service to facilitate web surfing, file transfer and Virtual Private Networks (VPN), which will benefit business travellers who need to catch up on work whilst in the air.

 

Specific prices for the use of FlyNet has not yet been determined by Lufthansa, but the Cologne-based airline has plans to introduce different pricing models, ranging from an hourly rate to a monthly flat rate. Passengers may also be able to utilize their frequent flyer miles for the use of the service.

 

FlyNet was first introduced by the airline in January 2003, before being withdrawn at the end of 2006 by Lufthansa’s then-partner Connexion by Boeing. 69 of Lufthansa’s long-haul aircraft were fitted with the system, which had approximately 30,000 users each month. Lufthansa’s re-introduction of FlyNet follows similar services offered or planned by its competitors, including American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Airlines and Virgin America.

 

Today, Lufthansa operates a fleet of Airbus A330, A340 and Boeing 747 on intercontinental flights from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich. The airline is set to take delivery of the double-deck Airbus A380 in early 2010.

 

For more information, visit www.lufthansa.com.

Singapore Airlines Inaugurates A380 Flights To Melbourne

Singapore Airlines has launched a daily A380 flight to Melbourne. The inaugural flight, SQ 227, departed from Changi International Airport Terminal 3 at 2101 hrs yesterday and arrived in Tullamarine International Airport at 0543 hrs this morning.

 

Melbourne is the second Australian destination and sixth city in the Singapore Airlines network to receive A380 service, after Hong Kong, London, Paris, Sydney and Tokyo. The airline currently operates 21 weekly flights between Singapore and Melbourne, using Boeing 777 aircraft.

 

Flight SQ 227 departs Singapore at 2100 hrs daily, arriving in Melbourne at 0610 hrs the next morning. The return flight, SQ 228, takes off from Tullamarine International Airport at 1550 hrs for a 2140 hrs landing back at Changi International Airport.

 

Singapore Airlines currently has 10 A380s in its fleet, with a further 9 aircraft on order. The airline is the second operator of the aircraft type in Melbourne, following Australian carrier Qantas, which flies the double-deck aircraft from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

 

For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com.

Singapore Airlines Opens New Lounge In Hong Kong

Singapore Airlines has opened a new Silver Kris Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport. The new facility is located on level 6 at the Main Departure Hall after the immigration/security area and offers convenient access to the boarding gates frequently used by the airline. 

 

Nearly twice the size of the old lounge, more than 210 premium passengers can relax, dine and work in comfort. Designed in modern-contemporary style, the new Silver Kris Lounge features 3 seating areas for travellers to relax in comfort before their flight, while keeping up-to-date with the latest news and other entertainment programmes from the 4 LCD televisions. An extensive selection of local and international magazines and newspapers is available to passengers who prefer to read. Passengers who need to catch up with work or surf the internet can do so from the convenience of their own computers, with wireless high-speed internet access available in the entire lounge. There are also 16 internet-ready PC and Mac workstations with power connectors for mobile devices.

 

The food and beverage offerings include a beverage and snack bar, as well as a full dining area with marble tables furnished in a long-bar setting and an intimate coffee shop-styled area. A selection of savoury snacks, ranging from dim sum to sandwiches, hot and cold foods, soups, pastries, fruits, cheese and ice cream will be served, complemented by alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including champagne, wines, beers, liquor, fresh juices and soft drinks.

 

The Silver Kris Lounge is available to all Suite, First and Business Class passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines from Hong Kong. Passengers who are holding Solitaire PPS and Star Alliance Gold status and travelling in Economy Class on Singapore Airlines or any Star Alliance member airline are also entitled to utilize the facilities in the lounge.

 

Singapore Airlines operates 5 non-stop flights daily between Hong Kong and Singapore, including the city’s only Airbus A380 service. The airline also connects Hong Kong with San Francisco daily, flying a 3-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft configured with 278 seats.

 

For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com.

A380 To Debut Over Antarctica On New Year’s Eve

Australia’s Qantas Airways will operate a special A380 charter sightseeing flight over Antarctica on New Year’s Eve. The unique service marks the first commercial flight over the southern polar region by the double-deck aircraft.

 

Organized by Melbourne-based Antarctica Sightseeing Flights, the aircraft will take off from Sydney and fly via Melbourne to Antarctica. Passengers will reach the continent at midnight and be the first in the world to view the sun rise on New Year’s Day in 2010. While the aircraft will not land in Antarctica, it will fly a figure-of-8 routing that will take passengers over the polar icecap, the South Magnetic Pole, the french scientific base at Dumont d’Urville, rugged coastal cliffs, massive glaciers and the Trans-Antarctic Range before returning to Australia.

 

Onboard the flight, passengers will be accompanied by a panel of experts, including accredited Antarctic scientists, glaciologists, explorers, adventurers and mountaineers, who will share their personal experiences. A camera in the flight deck will provide a pilot’s eye view of the terrain and videos about Antarctic life and history will be screened over the inflight entertainment system. There will also be a live jazz band to help usher in 2010 with a party onboard the aircraft. 2 full international meals, as well as snacks and drinks will be available to passengers during the flight, which is estimated to take approximately 11.5 hours, including up to 4 hours above the continent.

 

Being the only aircraft flying over Antarctica on New Year’s Eve, the A380 will be able to select from 19 flight routes depending on the weather conditions and pilots will be able to request a change of course to maximize viewing opportunities. The aircraft will be permitted to descend to a minimum altitude of 3,077 meters above sea level or 615 meters above the highest terrain under strictly controlled conditions, affording passengers the best possible views of the landscape.

 

Together with Qantas, Antarctica Sightseeing Flights have operated 85 flights over the continent and taken more than 30,000 people to experience Antarctica since 1994. 2 other Antarctic flights are planned for the southern summer, with a second A380 service from Sydney on 24 January 2010 and a Boeing 747-400 flight from Melbourne on Valentine’s Day. All flights will be operated by senior Qantas pilots, with the captain-in-command required to have previously operated Antarctic sightseeing flights.

 

For more information, visit www.antarcticaflights.com.au.

Qantas Adds Fourth A380 To Fleet

Australia’s Qantas Airways has increased the size of its Airbus A380 fleet, taking delivery of a fourth aircraft today. The aircraft, registered VH-OQD and named Fergus McMaster in honour of one of the airline’s founders and first Chairman, landed in Sydney after a delivery flight from Toulouse.

 

With the addition of the jet, Qantas passengers can look forward to further expansions to the airline’s A380 flying schedule. Beginning 7 September 2009, Qantas will operate the double-decker jet 5 times a week on its popular Sydney-Singapore-London route and 4 times a week on its Sydney-Los Angeles services.

 

Sydney – Singapore – London

Flight QF 031 will now operate with the A380 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, departing Sydney at 1625 hrs and landing in Singapore at 2230 hrs, before taking off again at 2359 hrs for a 0640 hrs arrival the next morning. The return flight, QF 032, departs London at 1215 hrs and arrives in Singapore at 0810 hrs the next morning. The flight then continues to Sydney at 0940 hrs where it lands at Kingsford Smith International Airport at 1905 hrs.

 

Sydney – Los Angeles

Flight QF 011 departs Sydney at 1015 hrs every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in Los Angeles International Airport at 0945 hrs. The return flight, QF 012, takes off from Los Angeles at 2230 hrs, arriving back in Sydney at 0615 hrs the next morning.

 

The Qantas A380 is configured with 450 seats in a 4-class layout (First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy). 2 more aircraft are scheduled to join Qantas’ fleet by the end of the year, after which Qantas will operate the Kangaroo Route daily with the A380 and increase Melbourne-Los Angeles flights to 3 times a week.

 

For more information, visit www.qantas.com.

A380 Regular Service For Melbourne, Special Flight For Birmingham

Beginning September 2009, Singapore Airlines passengers will be able to fly the Airbus A380 between Singapore and Melbourne, while Emirates has announced a special 1-day only flight between its Dubai base and Birmingham.

 

Singapore – Melbourne 

Singapore Airlines will replace the Boeing 747-400 with the A380 on flights between Singapore and Melbourne from 29 September 2009 onwards. The move marks a seamless A380 experience for passengers flying from London to a second Australian city.

 

Flight SQ 227 will depart Singapore at 2100 hrs, arriving in Melbourne the next morning at 0610 hrs (0710 hrs after 4 October). The return flight, SQ 228, takes off from Melbourne at 1550 hrs (1650 hrs after 4 October) and lands back at Singapore Changi International Airport at 2140 hrs.

 

Melbourne follows Sydney, London, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong in receiving Singapore Airlines A380 service. The aircraft is configured with 12 Singapore Airlines Suites, 60 Business Class seats and 399 Economy Class seats.

 

For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com.

 

Dubai – Birmingham

On 9 September 2009, Emirates will operate a special A380 roundtrip from Dubai to Birmingham in the UK. The aircraft will be a highlight of the airport’s 70th anniversary and marks its first A380 scheduled service.

 

The airline’s 3-class A380 will replace the regular 2-class Boeing 777-300 on flight EK 039, departing Dubai at 0805 hrs and arriving in Birmingham at 1235 hrs. The jet will operate the return EK 040 at 1415 hrs, landing back in Dubai International Airport at 0015 hrs the next day.

 

Passengers will enjoy the amenities of the Emirates A380 onboard, including the unique showers available in First Class. With the aircraft deployed to Birmingham, its regular Dubai-London-Dubai EK 001/002 flights will be operated by a 3-class Boeing 777-300ER on that day.

 

The Emirates A380 was first deployed on the Dubai-New York route in August 2008. The aircraft currently operates flights between Dubai and Auckland, Bangkok, London, Sydney and Toronto, with services to Melbourne, Paris, Rome, Seoul and Singapore announced.

 

For more information, visit www.emirates.com.

November Debut For Air France A380

Air France has revealed details of its Airbus A380 superjumbo. The aircraft has just been painted in the airline’s revised livery in Hamburg and will enter service in November 2009 on the Paris-New York route. Air France will be the first to operate the aircraft on a transatlantic flight from Europe.

 

The aircraft will initially be configured in a 3-class layout, with 9 La Premiere first class, 80 Affaires business class and 449 Voyageur economy class seats onboard. Air France will also introduce its new Premium Voyageur product when it takes delivery of its seventh A380, with earlier aircraft progressively retrofitted.

 

Air France has 12 A380s on order, of which 4 aircraft are due to be operational by early 2010. From Paris, the airline flies 4 nonstop flights daily to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport.

 

For more information, visit www.airfrance.com.

Qantas To Increase A380 Flights To London And Los Angeles, Expand European And North American Networks

Sydney-based Qantas has announced it will increase the number of flights on the Sydney-Singapore-London and Sydney-Los Angeles routes operated by its Airbus A380s. The airline will also expand its network in Europe and North America through codeshares with Oneworld partners Iberia and American Airlines.

 

More A380 Flights

The Australian airline is scheduled to take delivery of 3 more aircraft by the end of this year, allowing it to operate more services with the aircraft. From 6 August 2009, Qantas will fly the double-decker aircraft 5 times a week between Sydney and London, via Singapore.

 

Operating flight QF 031, the A380 will depart Kingsford Smith International Airport at 1625 hrs every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, landing at Singapore Changi International Airport at 2230 hrs before taking off again at 2359 hrs for London, where it arrives at Heathrow Airport at 0640 hrs the next morning.

 

The return flight, QF 032, departs London at 1215 hrs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, arriving in Singapore at 0810 hrs the next morning. The flight continues to Sydney at 0940 hrs, where it arrives at Kingsford Smith International Airport at 1905 hrs.

 

The Qantas A380 will also fly between Sydney and Los Angeles 4 times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with effect from 6 August 2009. Flight QF 011 departs Sydney at 1305 hrs, arriving in Los Angeles at 0945 hrs. The return flight, QF 012, takes off from Los Angeles at 2230 hrs and arrives back in Sydney at 0615 hrs 2 days later.

 

By November 2009, Qantas will offer daily A380 flights to London and Los Angeles and will increase its Melbourne-Los Angeles A380 service to 3 times weekly. Since its introduction in October 2008, more than 200,000 Qantas passengers have flown onboard the giant aircraft, equipped with 14 First Class, 72 Business Class, 32 Premium Economy and 332 Economy Class seats.

 

Codeshares With Iberia And American Airlines

From 15 July 2009, Qantas will codeshare with Spain’s Iberia on its flights to Madrid from Frankfurt and London, offering passengers greater convenience when flying between Spain and Australia. The Spanish airline will in turn, place its own code for the first time on Qantas-operated services from Frankfurt and London to Sydney.

 

The new Iberia-operated services complement the Australian airline’s existing codeshares to Spain with Oneworld partner British Airways from London and offers an alternative routing via Germany. Qantas currently operate 35 services between Australia and Europe, connecting with 23 codeshare destinations.

 

In North America, Qantas will expand its existing codeshare agreement with American Airlines. Beginning 17 June 2009, the “QF” code will be placed on selected American Airlines-operated flights to Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detriot, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Tampa from its hubs at Chicago and Dallas.

 

Passengers flying to/from Australia can connect with the new flights via existing codeshare services with American Airlines from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Chicago and Dallas. With the new destinations, Qantas’ North American network now comprises of 36 cities in the USA and 6 Canadian destinations.

 

For more information, visit www.qantas.com.

Korean Air Introduces New Inflight Product On Selected Routes

Korean Air has introduced its new inflight product on selected flights operating the Seoul-New York and Seoul-Ho Chi Minh City routes. The product enhancements are part of the Incheon-based airline’s extensive refurbishment plan of its mid- and long-haul aircraft with next-generation seats and improved cabin services.

 

Operated by Korean Air’s new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, flight KE 081 departs Seoul at 1100 hrs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport at 1150 hrs. The return flight, KE 082, takes off from New York at 1400 hrs, landing in Seoul at 1735 hrs the next day.

 

Korean Air will also fly the twin-engined jet to Vietnam. Flight KE 681 departs Seoul Incheon International Airport at 1900 hrs and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 2220 hrs. The return flight, KE 682, takes off from Tan Son Nhut International Airport at 2350 hrs, arriving back in Incheon at 0700 hrs the next morning.

 

Kosmo Suites, Prestige Sleeper and New Economy

In service since 3 June 2009, the 180-degree full-flat Kosmo Suites offers passengers a wider 26.5-inch seat and a larger 23-inch LCD monitor from which they can enjoy the audio-video on-demand entertainment system. The seat also features one-touch controls, greater storage space, individual reading light and a large privacy partition.

 

In Prestige Class, the new Prestige Sleeper seat is the first business class full-flat seat by a South Korean airline and offers greater comfort from the use of better fabric materials, a larger privacy partition and an additional 26.4 inches of space to the seat in front. A large 15.4-inch monitor paired with audio-video on-demand, as well as adjustable reading light lets passengers relax or work in comfort during a flight.

 

Economy Class passengers can look forward to new, ergonomically-designed slimline seats with adjustable headrest and a coat-hanger on the seatback. A large 10.6-inch LCD monitor lets passengers enjoy the same audio-video on-demand inflight entertainment system available in premium cabins.

 

The new seats will be progressively fitted to Korean Air’s fleet of 96 mid- and long-haul aircraft, including the new Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s.

 

Laurent Perrier Champagne In Premium Cabins

First and Prestige Class passengers on Korean Air flights to Europe, North America, South America and Oceania can enjoy specially selected champagne from French champagne house Laurent Perrier.

 

The Grand Siècle, a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, is offered to First Class passengers on flights to and from Europe, North America and South America. Most notably served on French presidential flights, its aroma hints of honey, hazelnuts, grilled almonds and fresh pastry.

 

The popular Cuvée Rosé Brut, Laurent Perrier’s best-selling rose champagne, is available to First Class passengers on all Southeast Asia and Oceania flights. The salmon-pink coloured wine features hints of soft red fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, red currants and black cherries.

 

Prestige Class passengers enjoy the Brut L-P, available on all routes. Produced since Laurent Perrier’s founding in 1812, the pale gold coloured champagne boasts fine and persistent bubbles, with a delicate and fresh aroma featuring hints of citrus and fruit.

 

Korean Air currently serves 42 wines from 11 countries onboard its flights.

 

For more information, visit www.koreanair.com.