VIRGIN ATLANTIC ESSENTIAL MAINTENANCE

 
'Due to some essential maintenance work that we need to do, you'll be unable to assign seats between 04:30 and 07:00 BST on Wednesday 1 June 2016. We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes'.

Iberostar to open first US properties

Spanish hotel group Iberostar is to open its first US properties this year. A 250-room New York hotel is set to be rebranded on June 15, and is located at 70 Park Avenue within “an iconic stone and red brick building dating back to 1928”.

Jet Airways to take back B777s from Etihad

Jet Airways is take back six Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from investor and codeshare partner Etihad Airways.

The aircraft had been wet leased to Etihad, which owns a 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways. 

Jet Airways' chief financial officer and acting CEO Amit Agarwal said:

 

"Our wide body (Boeing 777) aircraft currently on lease to partner airline Etihad will be taken back and operationalised from August.

"Based on the market condition, our plan is to upgrade some of the existing A330 routes with B777s. This will subsequently result in additional capacity in our core markets, India and Gulf.” 

Etihad opens first class lounge at Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways has opened a new first class lounge at Abu Dhabi airport’s Terminal 3.

According to Etihad the space has been “Inspired by the world’s most prestigious hotels, private members’ clubs and fine dining establishments”.

The 1,700 sqm lounge incorporates Etihad’s ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ branding and has 16 zones, with features including:

• An a la carte restaurant with a choice of Arabic, Indian and western cuisine made to order at any time of the day, as well as a five-course Emirati tasting menu
• A sculptural showpiece bar (similar to that at the new carrier’s new lounge in Melbourne), with 75 spirits, champagne and aperitifs

Visa Free Countries For Holders Of Nigerian Passports

As a Nigerian citizen with a Nigerian passport, there are certain countries which do not require a visa or a visa-lottery upon entry so long as you have your Nigerian passport.

However, for some of these countries, there is an estimated amount of time you are expected to spend before a visa will be demanded for. 

The period of days for which you can stay varies from country to country and then you would have to obtain a visa, at least this is not like a gamble when you play the visa- lottery.

Emirates marks Children’s Day with new promo

In the spirit of the forthcoming Children’s Day celebration, Emirates Airline is set to roll out a raft of fun activities for children at the Ikeja City Mall in Lagos.

At the event slated to take place on May 27th and 28th from 12 Noon till 7pm on both days; the City Mall will be graced with an Emirates stand designed for children.

6 carriers approved for 2016 Hajj

The Federal Government has approved six air carriers to airlift intending pilgrims for the 2016 hajj operation.

The statement was issued by Alhaji Uba Mana, Head of Media of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) on Tuesday.

The listed carriers are Med-view Airlines Limited, Max Air Limited, Dornier Aviation Nigeria AEP Limited, Top Brass, AZMAN Air Services and Fly-Nas Air (Saudi Arabia designated carrier).

 

Industrial court restrains Nigeria Labor Congress from going on strike tommorrow

The National Industrial Court has granted an interim order restraining the Nigeria Labor Congress and all its allies from embarking on any strike action. The Federal government this morning approached the court asking the court to stop the proposed strike action by NLC.

 NLC had given the federal government till midnight today May 17th to revert to the old pump price or face total strike action slated for tomorrow Wednesday May 18th.

Air travel 'poses no risk to pregnant women – Doctors

Air travel poses ‘no significant risk’ for pregnant women and their unborn babies – even up to three weeks before the birth, doctors say.

Healthy mothers-to-be having pregnancies without complications should be able to fly until the 37th week, their latest advice reveals.

The most serious risk for women at 35,000ft is premature labour, say experts from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Advice: Healthy mothers-to-be having pregnancies without complications should be able to fly until the 37th week

 

Which is better & what's the difference: nonstop or direct flights?

One of the questions we get asked a lot is about the difference between nonstop flights and direct flights, and how they differ from connecting flights.

As it turns out, the differences are important — and could save you hours on your next journey.

Since these are technical terms used by airlines, nonstop, direct and connecting flights have specific characteristics.

Nonstop flights are flights that literally do not stop between your origin and destination airports, while direct flights stop at another airport, but continue on with the same flight number. Connecting flights are where you change plane and flight number at that other airport.

A good example of the difference is Qantas’ flights to Dallas/Fort Worth.QF7 from Sydney to Dallas is a nonstop flight: you take off from Sydney and land in Dallas. QF8 from Dallas to Sydney is direct, but via Brisbane: you take off from Dallas and land in Brisbane to refuel, then reboard the same plane to Sydney.

A connecting flight would be continuing on from Brisbane to Melbourne on a separate Qantas flight number, on a different plane.

Healthy Beijing: A wellness guide to the city

By Lucrezia Seu for CNN

Despite legendary pollution, Beijing offers access to nature, healthy restaurants and eco-friendly retreats.

Beijing has historic attractions, a vibrant culture and, of course, delicious Chinese food. But with its notorious pollution and regular food scandals, it’s not a city one equates with health and wellness. But maintaining a healthy lifestyle while visiting Beijing isn’t as challenging as you might think.

Here’s an insider list of nature-friendly spots, wholesome restaurants, organic stores and green escapes in and around Beijing.

Where to go

Zhaomiao (Luminous) Temple in the Fragrant

Hills.Xiangshan

With a name that translates to “Fragrant Hills,” this imperial garden is named after the scent wafting off its “Incense Burning Peak.” It’s not just incense scenting the park. There’s the perfume of the pine-cypress forest, maple trees, smoke trees and persimmon trees, all of which can be taken in on a hike in the hills. Visitors can also rent a bike to cycle the 20 kilometers up the hill.

Xiangshan is a popular spot for photos, especially in autumn when trees and leaves burn bright with golden and red hues.

To throw some culture into the mix there’s Shuangqing Villa, once the residence of Mao Zedong, and the Temple of Azure Clouds, located just outside the north gate of Fragrant Hills Park.

Xiangshan, 40 Maimai Jie, West Mountain, Haidian District, Beijing; April 1-June 30, 6 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; July 1-August 31, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; September 1-March 31, 6 a.m.-6 p.m.; +86 (10) 6259 1155.

10 packing tips every traveler should know

Packing is pivotal. Forget an essential item and you're left disappointed and scrambling to find the nearest store in your destination. Pack too much and you end up disorganized, burdened with heavy bags, and hemorrhaging money to pay for pricey airline baggage fees. So we thought it best to revisit the most basic—and most useful—packing rules. Here are 10 fundamental packing strategies that every traveler should learn.

10 signs you're a terrible traveler

You know the guy who's always holding up the plane by trying to cram five bags, a jacket, and a pillow into the overhead compartment? Don't be that guy. Read on to discover 10 warning signs that you may be a terrible traveler.

You have an expired passport and you don't even know it

Some countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months after the completion of your trip just in order to enter. You may think you're in the clear if your passport expires in 2014, but if you've got a trip planned for November 2013, you'd better get it renewed before then. Always research entry requirements, including visas and vaccines, and be sure your passport is up-to-date. (If you find out the night before that your passport is expired, read this simple solution to a last-minute passport snafu to learn what you can do to save your trip.)

9 new rules all passengers should obey

I’ve been flying a lot lately, so I thought I’d vent a little. After witnessing all manners of bad behavior in the air in recent months, I’ve compiled some new guidelines for how I’d like my fellow passengers to act on my next flight.

New rule: Hey you in the aisle seat, don’t give me “that look” when I indicate that I need to get up from my window seat to use the lav (yeah, you, important business guy who drank two little bottles of cheap red wine on the 45-minute Orly to Heathrow flight last week). I’m not doing this just for the fun of it. I don’t expect you to smile, but please, no big dramatic sigh and eye roll.

Unaccompanied Minor Travel Tips: How to Prepare Your Child for Air Travel Alone

We’ve all noticed the kids with an unaccompanied minor badge escorted by the flight attendants on our flights. Peak travel times for unaccompanied minors are major holidays, three day weekends, and summer. Parents are encountering more situations requiring children to travel alone. Most frequently, children fly alone to comply with divorce custody agreements. Whether the unaccompanied minor is visiting a non-custodial parent, or simply a relative in another state, here are tips to make a smooth travel experience for your child.

If possible, fly the child with a parent or other close adult the first time. Children like to know what to expect; unaccompanied minors in busy airports need to know what to expect. Break down the unaccompanied minor flying process into major sections: checking in, security, waiting to board the airplane, take off, landing. Point out emergency personnel unaccompanied minor children can seek help from if they encounter a problem.

Duty-free Shopping Issues Involving Liquids, Gels, and Aerosols

If you are traveling internationally, and you wish to make a duty-free purchase of liquor, perfume, cosmetics, or any other item that may contain liquids, gels, or aerosols, you should take extra precautions to ensure that your items will not be confiscated by security in the US or elsewhere. These suggestions apply only to those items in containers that are larger than 100ml (3.4 fluid ounces) because only larger containers are subject to many of the common restrictions on liquids and gels. Categories of duty-free items that fall under these restrictions include the following:

• Liquor
• Wine
• Perfume and body sprays
• Facial cleansers and creams
• Body or hand lotions
• Liquid make-up

33 Ways to Sleep Better at a Hotel

Rattling ice machines. Grinding, dinging elevators. Bachelorette parties down the hall. The sleep gods have their work cut out for them if you’re expecting to snooze well while staying at a hotel.

We’ve compiled one of the most comprehensive guides available to ensuring a good night’s sleep in a hotel, covering everything from what you should ask when you’re booking the room to how you can swiftly take care of noisemakers so you can get back to sleep.

When Making Your Reservation
1 – 7. Ensure that you get a quiet room. Two requests are absolutely vital and pretty widely known when selecting your hotel room: a room on an upper floor and away from the elevators. But some other tried-and-true tips from frequent hotel guests could doubly ensure a peaceful experience.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CONCESSION THE MAINTENENCE/ BUILDING OF SOME AIRPORTS

The Federal government in its quest towards maintaining high standard and efficiency in the management of its airports intends to concession the maintenance and building of some airports across the country.

 

Minister of State Aviation, Senator Hadi sirika made this known during a courtesy visit by Technical Delegation from the Turkish Embassy in Abuja, in his office.

Ethiopian Airlines marks 70 years of operations

Ethiopian Airlines

With a vision of bringing Africa together and closer to the world, Ethiopian Airlines said it is celebrating its 70 years of dedicated and highly successful air transport services to, from and within the continent

Speaking on the anniversary, the airline’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde Gebremariam said: “Seventy years is a long time, but Ethiopian is still young, strong, forward-looking and ready to contribute its own share of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena in line with the African Union agenda 2063.

Amaechi to focus on safety, security to boost air travel in Nigeria

THE Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi has restated that his administration would focus on the safety and security of the country’s airspace, and that this has become necessary, as the nation cannot afford any mishap.

Speaking recently in Lagos, he said that, “safety and security is non negotiable”. He stated that achieving safety and security in the aviation industry is the key driver to growing the sub sector rapidly.”

KLM Extend its Italy Routes With Pesto, the “Green Gold” of Genoa

Pesto, the “Green Gold” of Genoa

KLM will expand its network this summer with 7 new destinations, including Genoa. The city where the smell of fresh basil greets you on arrival. In the world capital of pesto, no pasta dish is served without this crushed sauce and a consortium stringently monitors the quality of this “green gold”. We will be flying there from Schiphol Airport as of 22 April. 

Christopher Columbus could smell from the aroma of fresh basil that his ship was nearing the Port of Genoa. After months of surviving on ship’s biscuit, fresh vegetables were a meal fit for the gods for medieval seafarers.

 Even after half a millennium, pesto remains inextricably linked to Italy’s largest port. Since serving as Europe’s cultural capital in 2014, Genoa has put paid to its dark and grisly image. Nowadays, the city boasts a raw beauty that is difficult to quantify: you have to experience – and more particularly taste – it for yourself. Welcome to Genoa, welcome to the world of pesto genovese.

Genuine pesto genovese does not come from a factory, but is crushed by hand

source: KLM blog

Malaysia's first Islamic-compliant airline suspended: Official

Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation has suspended the country's first Islamic-compliant airline. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's first Islamic-compliant airline has been suspended for three months after it failed to adhere to aviation regulations, a senior official said Monday (Apr 11), as the government announced a safety audit of the carrier.

"Rayani Air has been suspended for three months," Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation, told AFP. "They contravened civil aviation regulations," he said, declining to elaborate.

Muslim flight crew don the hijab while non-Muslim crew are forbidden from wearing revealing clothing on board the airline, which launched last December.

Tips and Tricks for Hotel Room Key Card Wall Slots

In hotels outside the U.S., it is common to find energy-saving technology for turning off the lights and power in a guest room. Insert your room key in the wall slot upon entering the room and the lights can be turned on. Remove the room key upon departing and the lights automatically go off (some hotels offer a delay of 30 or 60 seconds so you can easily see the door handle to exit the room, which I appreciate).

This energy-saving technology is smart for saving electricity though does have certain challenges. Since the topic of these room key wall slots has come up often with travelers I talk with, I thought I’d put a few tips and tricks together: I have never had a hotel front desk clerk tell me that I needed to insert my room key into this wall slot in order to get my lights on. 

Airplane Passengers Sing 'I Believe I Can Fly' : Video Goes Viral

An airplane’s “I Believe I Can Fly” video went viral after a group of passengers, stuck for hours on a grounded Allegiant Air flight, made the best of a bad situation by breaking out into song and karaoke-ing some R. Kelly.

The Harlem Shake may be banned by the FAA, but the airplane’s “ I Believe I Can Fly” number didn’t seem to attract the eye of any meddling bureaucrats — or at least we’d hope their first concern would be a plane full of people stuck sweating in 112 plus degree heat without food or water and not an unapproved rendition of the 90s slow jam.

A video of the airplane’s “I Believe I Can Fly” number was uploaded to YouTube, by user and apparent passenger Dustin Kaelberer.

FG issues 21-day ultimatum to Turkish Airlines For Passenger Baggage delay:

ABUJA — The Federal Government has issued a 21-day ultimatum to Turkish Airlines  to comply with the order of  Consumer Protection Council, CPC, over abuse of rights of passengers on flight TK 623 of December 20, 2015 or face sanctions.

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, slammed the ultimatum against the backdrop of shoddy treatment of Nigerian passengers aboard the airline’s flight, especially with regards to misplaced baggage.

Passengers on the said flight TK 623 to Abuja were allegedly subjected to untold hardships, as they were forced to repeatedly check the airport in Abuja on the fate of their baggage, thereby incurring extra and budgeted expenditure, including hotel accommodation, without any form of support by the airline.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos

Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos is the nation's busiest airport – with two terminals – International and Cargo terminals open 24 hours daily while the domestic terminal opens 16 hours daily.

As Seen on FAAN NIGERIA 

Delays, High Charges Impede Flight Operations in Nigeria

Nigerian passengers have cried out over endless complaints about flight delays, while airlines lament high charges, which they allege deplete their operational funds.

In the last two weeks, THISDAY learnt the situation became worrisome as flights were delayed for two hours or more and some were cancelled at short notice, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.

Aviation industry names Turkish Airlines the airline of the year

Turkish Airlines and Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot were among the big winners of an industry event that gathered aviation leaders in Salzburg, Austria.

In the 2016 edition of the Air Transport News Awards Ceremony, Turkish Airlines nabbed the title of Airline of the Year, while the Readers' Choice Award went to Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot.

Bilateral Air Service Agreement will impoverish Nigerian airlines, economy- Experts

Experts in the aviation industry have said that the recent Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) signed between the federal government and Qatar will rather than strengthen the domestic airlines, impoverish the nation’s airlines and economy.

The agreement which is expected to pave way for more direct flights between major cities of both countries, on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines, on behalf of the countries have been viewed by experts as an unprofitable venture.

Minister Dragged Into Airlines Proxy War

Minister of state for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has been accused of championing the fight by foreign airlines to blackmail the federal government for preferential treatment.

Industry sources said yesterday that Sirika is seeking audience with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the alleged plans by foreign airlines to sack 2,000 Nigerians on their staff.

The plans have, however, been found to be a ruse as all foreign airlines in Nigeria have less than 400 employees, a fact that could not have been lost on the minister.

In a series of blusters to force the Nigerian government to release about $1.3billion foreign exchange allegedly held in Nigeria, the foreign airlines have leaned on domestic labour unions, threatened to raise fares by 100 per cent, and even instigated the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) to issue a warning that it could impound any aircraft belonging to Nigerian carriers.

Angry Nigerian pilots, engineers ground Bristow Helicopters operations

Passengers of Bristow Helicopters in Port Harcourt, Rivers state were left stranded as the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers of Nigeria an affiliate of Trade Union Congress, TUC, as early as 6:30am stormed Bristow Helicopters and shut down all its offices in Port Harcourt thereby grounding all flight schedules today.

NAAPEN, Isaac Balami led the protesters along side national officials and the state Chairman of TUC to shut down the operations of Bristow Airlines in Port Harcourt.

According to Balami “For the past ten years our pilots and engineers working with Bristow Helicopters have suffered untold hardship due to discriminatory and slavish policies of the management of Bristow Helicopters. They treat them like they are in a slave camp. You will see a co-pilot who just has 200hrs experience from UK, South Africa and Canada earning far more than their Nigerian counterparts who have been working for years.

Foreign Airlines Claim Of 2,000 Staff False — Stakeholders

Stakeholders in the aviation sector have described as outrageous and false the claim that foreign airlines plan to sack over 2,000 workers, insisting that the airlines do not have such number on their staff.

Reacting to the issue, aviation consultant and former corporate affairs manager of Nigeria Airways, Chris Aligbe, insisted that there is no way the foreign airlines will have up to 2,000 Nigerian workers.

“This has been the issue we have been handling for some time now because these people come into Nigeria and employ mostly foreigners, while our own people are not considered. Now they claim that they have about 2,000 staff; from where did they come from?

Nigeria: Dana, Overland, Air Peace To Clinch IOSA Certification Soon

Dana Air, Overland, Air Peace, and Allied Air and Cargo Services – are about to earn the much coveted international IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Certification in the industry. Tanja Grobotek, The IATA’s regional director for Africa who disclosed this, also confirmed that the IOSA certifications have been obtained by Arik Air, FirstNation Airways, and Aero Contractors.

Grobotek said that while Dana, Overland and Allied Air and Cargo Services are currently on the verge of securing the IOSA certification, Air Peace has done its last workshop and is about to be audited.

Flydubai Plane crash in Russia kills all 62 people on board

All 62 people aboard a passenger jet flying from Dubai to southern Russia were killed when their plane crashed on its second attempt to land at Rostov-on-Don airport on Saturday, Russian officials said.

Russia’s emergencies ministry said the aircraft, a Boeing (BA.N) 737-800 operated by Dubai-based budget carrier Flydubai, crashed at 0340 (0040 GMT). Most of those on board were Russian.

“The aircraft hit the ground and broke into pieces,” the Investigative Committee of Russia said in a statement on its website. “There were 55 passengers aboard and seven crew members. They all died.”

Visa Rules For Nigerian Traveling To Morocco

Who requires the Moroccan visitor visa for travel from Nigeria?

Moroccan tourist visa is issued for a short period of leisure travel and no business pursuits allowed. A tourist visa stamp or label placed by a Moroccan visa official on your passport that permits you to go to Morocco.
Holiday visa for Morocco usually are obtained through the Moroccan consulate in Abuja or in the closest city to your usual residential address. When applying for a Moroccan tourist visa, you can be requested to explain the purposes for planing a trip to Morocco.
Sources www.linksandtours.co.uk

Nigeria: Ekiti legislator backs Fayose on airport construction.

The plan by Ekiti state governor to construct an airport in the State has been applauded by an Ekiti lawmaker for his foresight in a bid to transform the economy of the state.

Princess Titilayo Owolabi Akerele representing Ikole ll constituency in the Ekiti State House of Assembly who commended governor Fayose while fielding questions from aviation correspondents at Ikeja, said the proposed airport when completed will boost the economy of the state.

According to Titi Akerele, there was nothing wrong in having an airport in Ekiti to facilitate movement of people if the state has the financial backings stressing that it will transform the state.

“If there is financial backing to build the airport there is nothing wrong in having an airport in Ekiti. If you look at the road connection between Ondo and Ekiti, the roads are bad”

The lawmaker who was a two time national president of Aeronautical Information Service of Nigeria AISAN,  explained that the government was not thinking of constructing an international airport but considering building one that will accommodate aircraft. “To me as an aviator, I don’t see anything wrong with that and I am not trying to be sentimental”

NANTA Condemns State of Nigeria’s International Airports

 

The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has expressed worry over the current state of Nigeria’s international airports, including the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos; Mallam Aminu Kano International airport, Kano and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, saying the airports have suffered serious neglect and infrastructural decay over the years.

Hotel lodgers in Akwa Ibom to pay tax on alcohol consumption

In a bid to generate more revenue, the Akwa Ibom state government has announced that henceforth, tax will be paid for consumption of alcohol in hotels and beers parlous in the state. 

This was made known by the Akwa Ibom state Commissioner for Finance, Akan Okon, on Saturday while speaking in Uyo, the state capital. 

“Some people who lodge in hotels and consume alcohol will henceforth pay taxes to the state government.”

“The focus is to look inward to see how the various opportunities that are available in the state can be harnessed to raise the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR),” the commissioner said. 

Dana Air Partners Vlisco to Celebrate Women’s Day

Dana Air has announced that it would partner with Vlisco, the manufacturer of premium Dutch wax fabrics, popularly called Hollandais to mark the International Women’s Day celebration.

 

The airline also plans to give out gifts to some women aboard its flights on that day and Vlisco premium brands would be part of the gifts lucky women who travel with the airline would get.

According to the Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo, Dana Air is proud to partner Vlisco to celebrate and compensate its female guests on the auspicious occasion of the International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, 2016.

El-Rufai Canvasses Favourable Policies to Uplift Local Airlines

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai has called on the federal government to adopt policies geared towards boosting the growth of indigenous airlines.

Specifically, the governor said such policies should be favourable to the local operators by reducing heavy financial burden on them and enabling them to operate profitably.

NCAA issues 72hrs ultimatum to airlines operating Sikorsky S76C series

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has issued 72 hours ultimatum to all helicopter companies operating Sikorsky S76C series to immediately carry out safety audit on their entire fleets. NCAA threatened that any company that refuses to comply with the safety audit directive would be dealt with in accordance with the law. It directed all such operators to repeat such audit in the chopper brand every 300 flight hours until further notice. Companies operating Sikorsky S76C series in the industry are Caverton Helicopter, Aero Contractors and Bristow Helicopters. NCAA in a statement by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Sam Adurogboye said the directive was contained in a letter earlier dispatched to all operators of the affected helicopters types.

Holiday Inn opens in Canadian capital

IHG has opened its latest property in the Canadian capital Ottawa. The former Chimo Hotel has been rebranded as the Holiday Inn Ottawa East following a $9 million renovation programme.

Facilities at the 261-room hotel include an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, Reza’s Kitchen restaurant, 8,500 square feet of meeting space, and free wifi throughout.

Delta set s to launch business class menus by NY restaurant Union Square Café

Delta has agreed a partnership with New York restaurant Union Square Café to offer new menus for its Business Delta One customers.

The restaurant’s executive chef and partner Carmen Quagliata has designed new dishes for Delta’s business class passengers, including beef short rib stracotto, Gulf shrimp and polenta, and baked Paccheri basil cream pasta.

 

The menu will feature “hyper local” ingredients including fresh basil from Brooklyn-based Gotham Greens, and produce from other New York firms including Mountain Sweet Berry Farms, Five Acre Farms and Cascun Farms.

How To Reach KLM If My Flight Is Cancelled?

If your flight is delayed or cancelled you, of course, want to know as soon as possible what to expect. In some instances KLM will contact you directly. If this is impossible, because staff are too busy in the event of a major disruption, these are the quickest ways to find out what the situation is and how it affects your travel plans.

If KLM cancels a flight, we inform you by text message, email or telephone. It is therefore important that you provide your contact details when you make a booking. We will inform you of the available rebooking options or let you know if you have already been rebooked. Your new travel schedule and boarding pass will be available at KLM.com (log in to MyTrip), the KLM App, and our self-service kiosks at the airport.

 

Serious disruptions to air traffic due to fog, snow or an ash cloud, put all KLM service agents under pressure. It is possible that under these circumstances we may not be able to reach you on time. We understand if you would prefer not to wait, but to contact us yourself.

BA launches new iPad app

British Airways has launched a new iPad version of its mobile travel app, with extra features including a 3D globe for flight searches.

Users can create a viewing plan for the in-flight entertainment on their flight, by dragging and dropping for the menu of available TV shows, movies and music.

The interactive 3D globe allows travellers to search and book flights, and boarding passes can be downloaded “with a bar code produced in each of the iPad’s four corners, for ease of use at the gate”.

Commenting on the launch of the new iPad app, Sara Dunham, BA’s head of marketing retail and direct channels said:

Virgin flight turns back after "laser incident"

Virgin Atlantic was forced to return one of its transatlantic flights to Heathrow shortly after take off, following a "laser-beam incident".

The New York-bound Airbus A340 service was on its way to New York when one of its pilots was apparently "dazzled" by a laser beam pointed at the cockpit.

The BBC news website has published an air traffic control recording of the incident her, in which a crew member reports "a medical issue with one of the pilots after a laser incident after take-off".

Historic Liverpool bank to become luxury hotel

The historic Grade II-listed Martin’s Bank building in Liverpool is to be transformed into a luxury hotel.

Located on Water Street close to the city’s Liverpool One development, the neo classical building dates back to 1932, and will now be converted into a 227-room hotel with spa facilities, bar and fine dining restaurant.

The building was the hiding place for much of the UK’s gold reserves during the Second World War – the transferral of the gold by train to the bank was the subject of the award-winning The Bullion Boys starring David Jason.

Ondo Signs Agreement with Air Peace Airline, Begins Operation Feb. 22

Ondo State Government, yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding on Air Transportation with AIR PEACE Airline  to shuttle Akure – Abuja to and fro. The flight operation will commence tentatively on February 22, 2016 according to the agreement.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN signed on behalf of Ondo State Government while Mrs Ejiro Eghagha, Director of Finance of the Airline signed on behalf of the Chairman of the Airline, Barr Allen Onyema.

Mr Jegede, SAN said the agreement is to make the Akure Airport fully operational again and encourage the people of Ondo State on the culture of Air Transportation.

AMCON takes over Aero, to audit airline’s accounts

The Asset Management Company of Nigeria has taken over the management and operations Aero Contractors airline and has appointed a manager for the carrier.

It also announced that it had hired a reputable firm to undertake a forensic audit of the airline’s accounts for the last five years.

Airline operators appeal to FG on Forex restriction

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government to rescind its decision to restrict supply of foreign exchange to only bureaux de change in the country.

 

The President of AON, Capt. Nogie Meggison, made the appeal while addressing journalists in Lagos.

Meggisson said the decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to supply bureaux de change foreign exchange had restricted some business concerns from having access to it.

He said that the CBN’s decision had created adverse effects on airline operations in the country.

“The exchange rate in the parallel market is going for as high as N305 per dollar

“As we all know, foreign exchange is very difficult to access now. We met the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, in November 2015 and he promised us that he would look into it.

“About 80 per cent of aviation cost is directly affected by this decision on foreign exchange. It affects the buying of aviation fuel and spare parts, simulator training of pilots and processing of insurance.

One passenger missing: Somalia plane blast: airline

One passenger is missing after a blast on a commercial airliner that ripped a hole in its fuselage shortly after take-off from Somalia’s capital, the airline said Thursday.

“All passengers except one disembarked safely after aircraft landed at the airport,” Daallo Airlines said in a statement. “Investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of one missing passenger.”

Airlines fail due to lack of operating cash – Official

Mr Aaron Munetsi, Regional General Manager, Africa and Middle East, South African Airways (SAA), has attributed the failure of some airlines in Africa to lack of operational cash. Munetsi said this in an interview with reporters on Friday in Abuja.

Nigeria has a vibrant aviation industry, says S/African airline official

Mr Aaron Munetsi, Regional General Manager, Africa and Middle East, South African Airways (SAA), says Nigeria has a vibrant aviation industry that can compete with any other country of the world.

Munetsi stated this in an interview with our reporter on Friday in Abuja. He said that the country’s rating in terms of aviation industry in Africa was a success story, adding that he had watched the industry grown in “leaps and bounds” since 1980s.

FG must scale down flight charges for struggling airlines to flourish — AON

 THE determination of the current dispensation of “change” to revive the aviation sector may hit the rock if government does not consider a downward review of flight charges to help the struggling indigenous airlines to flourish, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has said. The association also threatened to ground domestic operations if government does not heed to this call.