Passengers worldwide are demanding more personal control over their travel writes Peter Needham for eGlobal. In particular, they want a single biometric security token that covers all aspects of travel procedures, according to a large-scale survey commissioned by IATA to find exactly what travellers want. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) based its 2017 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) on 10,675 responses from around the world. The responses provide insight into what passengers want from their air travel experience. Topping the list were: Automation of more airport processes; A single identity token for all travel processes using biometric identification; Real-time information…

Air New Zealand will fly daily to Houston for most of next winter as demand for travel between New Zealand and Texas continues to soar. Air New Zealand currently operates five services per week to Houston year-round. From 25 March to 27 October 2018 it will increase to a mix of daily services and six services per week, a capacity increase of 16,000 seats on the route over this period. The airline will deploy its newly configured 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft on Auckland-Houston from December 2017, the first time the Dreamliner will regularly service one of Air New Zealand’s North American…

The first of Air New Zealand’s new-look Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners has touched down in Auckland, with a freshly configured interior offering more premium seating options for customers. The airline has refreshed the cabin configuration for its next four Dreamliner deliveries in response to growing demand for premium travel, increasing the number of Business Premier seats from 18 to 27 and Premium Economy seats from 21 to 33. Air New Zealand Chief Marketing and Customer Officer Mike Tod says the airline is expecting the new cabin layout to be popular with customers. “Since we introduced the Dreamliner, we have seen strong…

A³ by Airbus is serious about getting Transpose in the air. Technical reviews are ongoing with Airbus cabin and structural engineering, and engagement continues with the likes of the FAA and EASA. The idea of reconfigurable aircraft cabins has been around for a while and although some in the air transport industry still refuse to entertain the notion that they could become reality in the near to medium term, others are making big strides forward. Jason Chua, Project Executive at A³ by Airbus Group, is among the latter and at FTE Global 2017 in Las Vegas earlier this month he…

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee is encouraging all New Zealanders in, and travelling to Bali to register with Safe Travel. “Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority has raised the volcanic alert level for Mount Agung to level four, the highest level on their scale,” Mr Brownlee says. “Bali is a popular holiday destination for New Zealanders, and I encourage Kiwis living or travelling to Bali to register with SafeTravel. “Registered New Zealanders will receive updated advice and information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the event the situation deteriorates. “Residents and tourists have been warned to stay at least…

Air New Zealand has announced it will continue to operate its seasonal non-stop service to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, following strong customer demand. For its 2018 season, the airline will operate two direct services a week between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesdays and Saturdays, using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This will be the third consecutive year of Vietnam operations. Air New Zealand Chief Revenue Officer Cam Wallace says there has been a huge appetite for travel to Vietnam by Kiwis since the airline introduced a direct seasonal service to Ho Chi Minh City from Auckland in…

Changi Airport’s new Terminal 4 is scheduled to commence operations on 31 October. With the final set of checks and reviews now being undertaken, FTE explores how self-service and biometric technology is being used to create a seamless passenger experience. Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST)Technology is at the heart of the new Terminal 4, which will be the first terminal at Changi Airport to offer end-to-end Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) for departing passengers. The implementation of FAST across the terminal means that at all passenger touch-points – from check-in and bag drop to immigration and boarding – self-service and…

Air New Zealand is continuing to experience disruption to its operations following a temporary shut-down of Refining New Zealand’s pipeline into Auckland. The shut-down is currently impacting all airlines operating into and out of Auckland Airport and limiting the volume of jet fuel able to be uplifted to 30% of normal usage. It’s estimated around 2,000 Air New Zealand customers will be affected by flight cancellations today as the airline works to consolidate passenger loads and minimise fuel usage. In addition to the cancellations, some long-haul services to and from Asia and North America will undertake refueling stops at selected…

Associate Tourism Minister Nicky Wagner today announced a funding boost of more than $2 million for safety improvements on four Great Rides in Waikato, East Coast, Hawke’s Bay and West Coast. The funding is part of a $25 million investment announced in Budget 2016 to further enhance and extend the Great Rides of Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail. “The Great Rides are such a fantastic resource — not only are they a fun and healthy way for Kiwis to enjoy the outdoors, but they’re also a means of attracting high-value visitors to our regions,” Ms Wagner says. “The…

Emirates is set to introduce a fourth daily service between Sydney and Dubai from March 25, 2018, complementing its existing three daily A380 services. The new service will be operated by Emirates’ iconic A380 aircraft and will increase passenger capacity on the route by 6,846 seats a week, inbound and outbound between Sydney and Emirates’ hub in Dubai, and represents a 7.3% increase in capacity for Emirates’ Australian services. It also builds on Emirates’ partnership with Qantas, meeting continued demand for services to Dubai and complementing Qantas’ re-routing of its current Sydney to London service via Singapore (instead of Dubai).…

Auckland Airport | As part of its major upgrade of the international departure experience, Auckland Airport has opened a new $4 million, 185-seat lounge for international passengers, known as the “Strata Lounge”. Richard Barker, Auckland Airport’s general manager retail and commercial, says, “the Strata Lounge is an exciting part of the upgrade of Auckland Airport’s international departure area – which creates a new and uniquely New Zealand departure experience.” “We have already opened the first stages of our new and expanded security screening and processing area for all passengers, as well as part of the new stores for our two…