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Russian Aeroflot remains China’s ‘Favorite International Airline’

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Russia’s Aeroflot has been once again named the Favorite International Airline in China. The award was given to Aeroflot for the third consecutive year at the Flyer Award Ceremony 2019. The award ceremony was held today in Shanghai, the economic capital of China.


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The awards are supported by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Winners are selected by the jury and by votes from frequent flyers and travelers.

The awards recognize outstanding participants in China’s dynamically developing tourism market. Previous winners include leading global airlines, including carriers that hold Skytrax 5-Star Airline status.

Aeroflot retained the title of Favorite International Airline at the competitive Flyer Awards due to its key competitive advantages: high service quality and flexible fare policy.

“The recognition of Aeroflot as the Favorite International Airline in China is confirmation of the effectiveness of our strategic efforts in China,” Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Saveliev said. “We offer our customers a wide route network and one of the youngest fleets in the world. Millions of Chinese passengers choose our airline for affordable ticket prices, convenient transit via our hub airport Sheremetyevo and high-quality service. Further development of service on Europe-Asia transit routes – one of the most competitive aviation markets globally – is one of Aeroflot’s key goals, along with the active expansion of the domestic route network.”

Aeroflot’s convenient routes encompass four key locations in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Aeroflot continuously adds new services oriented at the Chinese market. Earlier Aeroflot signed a partnership agreement with Alipay, China’s most popular payment system.

Aeroflot’s official website has a Chinese-language interface. Passengers receive menus in Chinese, and the in-flight entertainment system is available in Chinese. Onboard announcements are made in Chinese and the menu offers a special Asian set.

Aeroflot consistently enjoys wide recognition and popularity among consumers in the Chinese market. In January, Aeroflot was named Best China – Europe Transit Airline at the 2019 Stars Awards in China.

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Key West welcomes visitors to its annual island-wide Pride festivities

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Renowned for its “One Human Family” philosophy of unity and equality, Key West is to welcome visitors to its annual Pride festivities Wednesday through Sunday, June 5-9.

Presented by the Key West Business Guild, the event celebrates diversity on the island whose milestones in LGBTQ history include the unfurling of rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker’s 1.25-mile-long rainbow banner from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.

“We’re making Pride island-wide and all-inclusive by staging plays, movies, wine tastings, all-welcome pool parties and special concerts including one by singer-songwriter Steve Grand,” said Dan Skahen, executive director of the guild that has served LGBTQ visitors for four decades.

Revelers arriving early for the festival can attend the Pride Follies Saturday, June 1, at the Key West Theater, located at 512 Eaton St. Doors open at 7 p.m., followed by an 8 p.m. curtain for the show billed as a “fun evening of the best and worst of local Key West entertainment.”

The Pride schedule includes the finale of a North American cocktail contest, an intriguing trolley tour of Key West’s gay heritage and hotspots, pool parties, film screenings, a lively street fair and pageants to select Miss and Ms. Key West Pride.

Key West Pride and the annual Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic are to host a joint kick-off gala at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 5. The Classic brings winning mixologists from LGBTQ bars in 14 North American cities to Key West, all vying to create a cocktail that best personifies the island’s ingenuity and diverse culture.

Pride’s highlight concert stars Steve Grand, an openly gay artist whose second album, “not the end of me,” reached the number 2 slot on the iTunes pop chart and the top 10 on Billboard Magazine’s independent album chart. The show is set for 8 p.m. Friday, June 7, at the Key West Theater. The opening act is Key West’s Miss Stachaa, performing with a talented team of musicians. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Saturday brings the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic’s final round. Stoli LGBTQ ambassador Patrik Gallineaux and “Real Housewives of Dallas” star LeeAnne Locken are to host the event, set for 6:30 p.m. on an outdoor stage in the 700 block of Duval Street.

Celebrity performers and contest judges are to include acclaimed comedy writer and actor Bruce Vilanch, recording artist Debby Holiday, former “American Idol” finalist LaToya London and Key West female impersonator Sushi.

Pride’s final day, Sunday, June 9, is underscored by the all-welcome 2019 Pride Parade showcasing a 100-foot section of Key West’s famed 1.25-mile-long sea-to-sea rainbow flag, created in 2003 by the late Gilbert Baker.

The parade is slated for 5 p.m., proceeding up Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. Afterward, parade participants and spectators can enjoy the time-honored Key West Tea Dance at La Te Da at 1125 Duval St.

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Major tour operators converging on Barbados for 2019 meeting with tourism partners

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Three weeks away from the May 1 start of the premier business-to-business marketplace, Connect Barbados, with over 100 participants – inclusive of 56 tour operators, have already registered to come and meet with local tourism partners including attraction providers and hoteliers.

Under the theme ‘Breathing Power into Business Connections’, the three-day conference is now in its 14th year. Tour operators have been invited from Barbados’ main source markets – the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Europe and Caribbean and Latin America. Tour operators such as: Air Canada Vacations, Virgin Holidays and Expedia Group, to name a few have already registered to come learn about what is new in Destination Barbados.

Connect Barbados is an annual conference providing opportunities to island operators to sell Barbados’ holiday products to invited tour operators in all of the island’s major source markets.

The marketplace allows global travel partners to learn about and experience the latest product and service developments on the island, while affording local partners the occasion to thank them for the tremendous contribution they continue to make the success of Barbados’ premier economic sector.

BTMI CEO, William ‘Billy’ Griffith, mentioned, “We are positively anticipating to surpass the 1,200 meeting appointments from Connect 2018 as we once again welcome and share our beautiful product with participating tour operators. Being able to connect our local service providers with the agents who have direct contact with potential visitors to Barbados will be extremely vital to both parties.”

This year, as we celebrate the Year of Wellness and Soft Adventure, tour operators will be treated to an outdoor welcome reception as they kick their feet in the sand at the “Feet in the Sand Beach Party, featuring top local entertainment and cuisine, before proceeding to two full days of business-to-business meetings at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

To close out the highly-anticipated conference, a special final evening reception will be held at the prestigious Harrison’s Cave and tour operators will get the opportunity to tour the cave first-hand. On the final day, participants will tour the island for a diverse Attractions Day, inspecting places of interest based on their specialties.

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Air Seychelles gets ready for delivery of their first Airbus A320NEO

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Air Seychelles has over the past few months started to implement its training calendar in preparation for the delivery of the A320neo set for July 2019.

Last week, key staff members from the Technical Operations and Project Management including the Flight Operations team, as well as representatives from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, attended the A320neo general familiarization training held in-house at the Air Seychelles head office in Pointe Larue.

The training held over four days, delivered by Mr. Michael Mahn, an experienced engineer from Airbus, provided the participants a general overview of the airframe that is the whole mechanical structure of the new aircraft. Currently another batch of staff members from similar areas within the business are also taking part in the training which commenced on Monday, April 15, and lasted until Thursday, April 18, 2019.

During the month of February, the Airbus Hamburg Training Centre welcomed the first group of Air Seychelles aircraft engineers as part of its comprehensive A320neo training program. The agenda composed of both theory and on-the-job experience provided the technical operations team further knowledge on how to conduct maintenance on the A320neo besides having the chance to view the Airbus assembly line.

Held from Monday, February 18, until Wednesday, February 27, the sessions in Hamburg were attended by engineers Clyne De -Letourdis, David Saminaden, and Denys Assan.

In addition to that, as of Tuesday, February 5, until Thursday, February 7, Manager of Cabin Safety Standards, Magdalena Hubert, and Manager for Cabin Safety Training Programs, Dereck Charlette, also had the chance to participate in the Airbus A320neo safety training held at the Airbus Training Centre Europe in Toulouse.

The training will proceed over the next upcoming months as part of the entry into service program of the new Air Seychelles A320neo aircraft.

The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority in the meantime is progressing the type approval of this new aircraft which had not been registered in the Seychelles before and, therefore, requires additional regulatory approvals and licensing measures.

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The future of flight: UN aviation agency looking for new designs and concepts

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The United Nations (UN) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has launched the Aviation Innovation Competitions and is looking for ideas, concepts, and prototypes from the next generation of aviation innovators.

The three competitions, managed by ICAO and supported by Transport Canada commemorate the agency’s 75th anniversary this year. Participants will be highlighted on ICAO’s digital content platforms, and global winners in each category will win grand prizes of $1000, $2000 and $5000. The global winner of the prototypes competition will also win a trip to Montréal to receive their award.

Submissions from elementary students, high school students and young adults must be uploaded by June 30, 2019.

Quote

“Canada is proud of its long-standing relationship with ICAO as Host State, and as an active member of the ICAO Council. Throughout 2019, we join ICAO and its other Member States in celebrating flight and the crucial importance of air connectivity worldwide. On this special milestone of its 75th anniversary, I am pleased to support ICAO’s Aviation Innovation Competitions and I encourage all young Canadians to apply.”

The Honorable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport

Quick Facts

•Proudly hosted by Canada in Montréal, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world.

•ICAO sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities.

•Canada is one of 193 Member States and is also a member of the 36-member ICAO Council.

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