Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition October - December 2022

Is it just me, or have airport atmospheres improved considerably in the last few months? On a recent trip to Thailand, I had three surprisingly pleasant airport check-in experiences – first at Heathrow's Terminal 2, then at both ChiangMai and Suvarnabhumi airports. Airline staff seemed more relaxed and happy to be getting closer to “normal” working levels (neither the manic chaos of this past summer, nor the empty airport expanses during the height of Covid-19), while passengers also appeared more tolerant and considerate than usual. Admittedly all three airports were noticeably less crowded than normal, so I could simply have been lucky this time round… and yet I did sense an undercurrent of relief and optimism wherever I went during my trip, from airports and hotels to restaurants and street stalls. Coincidentally…

BOEING HAS RESUMED DELIVERY of its B787 aircraft, following approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration. Dreamliner deliveries had been suspended since May 2021 following concerns over production flaws and inspection processes, but the FAA confirmed that “Boeing has made the necessary changes to ensure that the 787 Dreamliner meets certification standards”. The administration said that it would inspect each aircraft before an airworthiness certificate is issued and cleared for delivery. American Airlines was the recipient of the first B787 delivery in more than a year, and hopes to take delivery of a total of nine Dreamliners this year, followed by four in 2023, and 12 in 2024. Boeing is understood to have built up a backlog of more than 100 constructed B787 aircraft that are awaiting delivery to customers, and has temporarily reduced…

EMIRATES HAS REVEALED its plan for a US$2 billion investment in its inflight customer experience. The plan details upgrades to cabin interiors across all classes, with retrofitted or reupholstered seats, and new panelling and flooring. The works also include the continued rollout of the carrier's premium economy seating, which will eventually feature on more than 120 A380 and B777 aircraft. Emirates said the first aircraft is scheduled for retrofitting in November, with the “largest known fleet retrofit” project set to be complete by April 2025 (see page 13). The airline also announced inflight dining changes with refreshed first class menus rolled out in August, and new economy and business class menus launching in October. The new vegan menu features pan-roasted king oyster mushrooms, jackfruit biryani and sliced kohlrabi garnished with burnt orange. First class customers…

AIR FRANCE HAS ANNOUNCED plans to resume flights to New York's Newark airport. The French flag carrier last operated a nonstop service between Paris CDG and Newark in 2012. A daily year-round service will launch on December 12 using a B777-200 aircraft configured with 40 seats in business class, 24 in Dremium economy and 216 in economy Service AF062 will depart Paris CDG at 1230, arriving into Newark at 1500; AF063 will depart Newark at 1705, arriving into Paris CDG at 0605 the following day. Air France resumed flights between Paris CDG and New York JFK in March, and currendy offers a six-times-daily service, alongside twice-daily flights operated by its Skyteam partner, Delta. The resumption of flights between Paris CDG and Newark means Air France will serve a total of 18 destinations in North America…

FINNAIR HAS ANNOUNCED plans to shake up its network as a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The carrier's Europe to Asia routes have been significantly affected by the closure of Russian airspace, which has forced it to suspend some services and take longer routings on others. Finnair has resumed flights to some destinations, including Guangzhou and Hong Kong, but admitted “flight times to Finnair's Asian destinations are now considerably longer, weakening the profitability of the company”. The strategy will see the airline move towards “a geographically more balanced network connecting Europe to Asia, India and the Middle East, and North America via Finnair's home hub Helsinki, including a continued strong domestic presence”. Finnair also confirmed plans to reduce its fleet, without giving specific numbers, and said it would look to “further leverage…

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES GROUP has published its results for the second quarter of 2022, showing an operating profit of some €293 million (US$291 million). The figure compares to a loss of €967 million (US$960 million) for the same period in 2021, and follows “strong recovery in demand across all airlines”. Q2 passenger capacity was at 78 per cent of 2019 levels, up from 65 per cent in the first quarter. “By the end of quarter two, premium leisure revenue had almost fully recovered to 2019's level, despite capacity being significantly lower,” IAG said. Business channel revenue continued to lag, reaching 60 per cent of 2019 levels by the end of the second quarter. However, the group said its key US market was expected to be close to 2019 capacity levels by the end of…