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DALLAS–()–Luxury coach service Vonlane resuming all routes in Texas and Oklahoma on July 1st; introduces whole coach vacation charter and package delivery.
Luxury Coach Service Vonlane Will Resume Select Routes in Texas on Friday, May 29th, Limits Passenger Count to 13 per Trip to Ensure Social Distancing
Business News first on FIR:
DALLAS–()–Luxury coach service Vonlane will resume select routes in Texas on Friday, May 29 with passenger counts limited at 13 per trip for social distancing.
African aviation industry leaders unite in Kenya at Routes Africa
The African aviation market will grow to over 356 million passengers by 2038, according to International Air Transport Association latest forecast. Over 24 million jobs on the African continent are already supported by the travel and tourism industry. Routes Africa will play a pivotal role in supporting growth in air services and stimulating economic development across the region.
Leaders from African aviation industry unite in Kenya is the longest standing and most established aviation forum dedicated to enhancing intra-Africa air connectivity. Routes Africa 2019 is hosted by Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), a State Corporation that is charged with the responsibility of providing and managing a coordinated system of airports in Kenya.
African Tourism Board is represented at the forum by its President Alain St.Ange – the former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine.
Speaking during a media briefing at the event, Alex Gitari, Ag. Managing Director & Chief Executive, KAA said: “Over the last two years, we have been implementing an ambitious strategy to deal with one of the key challenges also facing the aviation sector in the continent namely, expansion and improvement of capacity at our main airports. Routes Africa is of prime importance, not only to Kenya Airports Authority but to our nation and the region at large. The aviation industry plays a critical role in Kenya’s development agenda.”
Steven Small, brand director of Routes, said: “Over 5% of Kenya’s GDP is generated through tourism, which is both stimulated and supported by the aviation industry. Routes Africa 2019 comes at an exciting time for Kenya Airports Authority. I am delighted so many leading airlines are present to witness the considerable investment that has been undertaken, by the team, to facilitate this increasing market demand.”
Raphael Kuuchi, Vice President, Africa, IATA, added: “Routes Africa is critical to the development of air services on the continent and these forums have made a real impact on the region. Kenya is the top three aviation markets in Africa where growth is forecast to be the strongest over the next two decades but if the full potential of the industry in Africa is to be realised, airspace in the region needs to be liberalised.”
The remodelling and modernization of Kenyan airports is a key flagship project under Vision 2030, Kenya’s economic blueprint. By encouraging new route development, KAA hopes to grow both passenger and cargo traffic at the JKIA, Mombasa International Airport (MIA), Kisumu International Airport (KIA) and the Eldoret International Airport (EIA), all of which are currently undergoing upgrades and infrastructural works.
Routes Africa brings together 250 decision makers from airlines, airports, governments and tourism authorities to plan new flights and strengthen existing routes. The excitement in the African aviation market is reflected in the high level airline attendance at the event. Airline CEOs and senior network planners from the region’s leading airlines including Air Zimbabwe, Egyptair, Emirates and Uganda Airlines will look to hear new route opportunities.
The conference programme sees top-level speakers discussing the factors driving change, presenting challenges and offering opportunities for the African aviation market. Vuyani Jarana, Former CEO of South African Airways; Allan Kilavuka, Chief Executive & Managing Director of Jambojet; and Raphael Kuuchi, VP of Africa, IATA are amongst the industry influencers taking part in the conversations that will help set the commercial and political agenda for the aviation community for the coming year.
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Gold is out, blue is in: United Airlines unveils new fleet paint design
Today, United Airlines is introducing customers and employees to a modernized aircraft livery, which will bring a refreshed look to its fleet. The design is a visual representation of United’s ongoing brand evolution while staying true to the history it has developed over the past 93 years of proudly serving customers around the world.
“As we improve and elevate our customer experience, we are changing the way people think and feel about United, and this branding captures that new spirit,” said Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines. “Each improvement we’ve added to our service advances our evolution as an airline, furthering our effort to elevate and redefine customer service in the sky. This modernized design, especially our iconic globe, enhances the very best of United’s image and values while pointing in the direction of where we intend to go next in serving our customers.”
The next iteration of United’s livery prominently features the color most connected to the airline’s core – blue. Three shades – Rhapsody Blue, United Blue and Sky Blue – are used throughout the design in a way that pays respect to United’s heritage while bringing a more modern energy. The airline is keeping its iconic globe logo on the aircraft tail, which represents the carrier’s expansive route network of reaching 355 destinations in nearly 60 countries. The tail will be updated with a gradient in the three shades of blue, while the logo will now appear predominantly in Sky Blue. The engines and wingtips are also being painted United Blue, and the swoop that customers and employees have expressed fondness for on United’s Dreamliner fleet will be added to all aircraft in Rhapsody Blue. United’s name will appear larger on the aircraft body and the lower half of the body will be painted Runway Gray. United’s mission of “Connecting people. Uniting the world.” will also be painted near the door of each aircraft.
The new design features core colors from United’s updated brand palette, which was introduced last year as a step toward updating the brand’s visual identity. Blue continues to be the airline’s primary color, with various tones creating more depth and reflecting the colors customers and employees see when they look out the plane window at the sky. The airline’s new color palette also includes shades of purple, which is most recognizable as the color of the new United Premium Plus seats are being added to the fleet. When combined, the purple and blue tones create a soothing environment and a more relaxed travel experience. In updating its colors, United is reducing the use of gold, which was added to the brand palette almost 30 years ago. United’s new color palette can also be seen in the accent colors of the new uniforms that are being created for more than 70,000 front-line employees.
On average, United aircraft receive new paint jobs every seven years. The first aircraft painted with the new design is a Boeing 737-800, which will be joined by a mix of narrowbody, widebody and regional aircraft with the updated livery throughout the year. For more information visit united.com/brandevolution.
Russian Aeroflot remains China’s ‘Favorite International Airline’
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.
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.
Vietjet launches Hong Kong-Phu Quoc route
New-age carrier Vietjet has officially launched Hong Kong – Phu Quoc route, making it the first airline to operate the direct services between the two destinations, contributing positively to the promotion of air travel and trade between Vietnam and Hong Kong as well as across the region. This is also Vietjet’s second route to Hong Kong from Vietnam following its Ho Chi Minh City – Hong Kong route. Passengers on the special inaugural flights surprisingly received lovely souvenirs from Vietjet.
The Hong Kong – Phu Quoc route will operate return flights with a frequency of four flights per week, starting from April 19, 2019. With a flight time of 2 hours and 45 minutes per leg, the flight departs Phu Quoc at 10:50 in the morning and lands in Hong Kong at 14:35. The return flight departs from Hong Kong at 15:40 and arrives in Phu Quoc at 17:25 (all local times).
Known as “the Pearl Island”, Phu Quoc is the biggest island in Vietnam. As one of the most talked-about tourism destinations in Asia with beautiful beaches and friendly local people, Phu Quoc has attracted strong levels of investment in hotels and resorts in recent years and become one of the most popular holiday destinations in Vietnam. Adding to the island’s appeal, international travelers are exempt from visas for visits of 30 days or less. Hong Kong people can enjoy the beach holiday in this resort paradise.
With a network of 113 routes, Vietjet operates safe flights with a technical reliability rate of 99.64% — the highest rate in the Asia Pacific region.
Portland welcomes Underground Donut Tour
Today, the Underground Donut Tour, Chicago’s Original Donut Tour, is expanding beyond the Windy City to the City of Roses – Portland, OR. The Underground Donut Tour was founded nearly 4 years ago in Chicago and is one of the most popular food tours there.
Hosting thousands of guests from around the world and showcasing the best donuts the city has to offer. The Underground Donut Tour recently expanded to Philadelphia, New York City and now Portland! With the addition of Portland, the Underground Donut Tour expands their delicious footprint from coast to coast.
“Portland is the home of donuts. When you talk about Portland food culture, donuts are one of the first things people mention. We had to come to Portland!” said Jeff Woelker, founder of the Underground Donut Tour.
What Can Customers Expect
Walking between 4 of the best donut shops in Portland – we share the history of each location, local sights and history along the route including Pioneer Square, Chinatown, and the PSU Campus, but most importantly, lots and lots of the best donuts in Portland. Some of the locations include Blue Star, NOLA Doughnuts, and the one everyone wants to see Voodoo Doughnuts, where you can skip the line if you are on the tour.
“The Underground Donut Tour is a natural fit for Portland. We have the best donuts in the world!” said Beau La Fave, tour manager for the Underground Donut Tour Portland.
When Do Tours Run
Tours will start on Friday, April 19th. Tours run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9-11 with more days coming soon. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis, so don’t miss out.
Hainan Airlines announces nonstop Beijing-Oslo service
Hainan Airlines Holding Co., Ltd. (Hainan Airlines) plans to formally launch nonstop service between Beijing and Oslo on May 15. This will be the first direct route between mainland China and Norway as well as the airline’s first nonstop Nordic service. The Beijing-Oslo route, with three round trip flights weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, will be serviced by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 32 seats in business class and 262 seats in economy class. Business class will be equipped with 180-degree flatbed seats, while every seat on the aircraft comes wired with an exclusive on-demand entertainment system and every passenger will be served sumptuous offerings from both Western and Oriental cuisines. In addition, the use of portable electronic devices on board will be allowed.
The airline now operates 21 routes with destinations in Europe including Berlin, London, Paris, Rome, Brussels, Edinburgh, Zurich, Vienna, Manchester, Madrid and Moscow. Tickets for Beijing-Oslo flights can now be reserved.
Hainan Airlines’ Beijing-Oslo Flight Schedule (All times are local):
Flight No.
Aircraft
Schedule
Departure City
Departure Time
Arrival Time
Arrival City
HU769
A330
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Beijing
1:30 am
5:30 am
Oslo
HU770
A330
Monday/Friday
Oslo
2:30 pm
5:30 am+1
Beijing
HU770
A330
Wednesday
Oslo
1:55 pm
5:00 am+1
Beijing
Machu Picchu Pueblo: First 100% sustainable Latin America city
Machu Picchu Pueblo is the first city in Latin America to sustainably manage 100% of its solid waste.
Through the process of pyrolysis, in which the waste is decomposed at high temperatures without oxygen, 7 tons of trash is processed per day, generating bio-coal, a natural fertilizer that will be used to restore the Andean cloud forest and contribute to the agricultural productivity of Machu Picchu. Continuing initiatives for the conservation and environmental care of Machu Picchu, AJE Group and Inkaterra presented this first Organic Waste Treatment Plant to the city.
Alongside the Organic Waste Treatment Plant, a Plastic Compactor Plant to SERNANP will be used to recycle trash found along the Inca Trail, the most famous trekking route in South America. The plant was donated in 2017 and prevented the ruins of Machu Picchu from entering UNESCO’s list of Heritage at Risk. Currently, 14 tons of polyester plastic are processed daily in this plant.
In 2018, a Biodiesel and Glycerin Plant was inaugurated at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. By processing used vegetable oil from Machu Picchu’s homes, lodges, hotels, and restaurants, 20 gallons of biodiesel are produced daily from nearly 6,000 liters of used oil a month. The glycerin obtained in the process of making biodiesel is also used by the municipality to clean the stone floors, thus replacing chemical products.
These cumulative efforts to turn the city of Machu Picchu into a model of global sustainability won the Peruvian “Líderes + 1” prize and, in Germany, the prestigious “Die Goldene Palme” award in the category for Responsible Tourism.
For more information on Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, click here.
Relive the spirit of the Renaissance during Brussels’ Carolus V Festival
From May to September, the Carolus V Festival is an opportunity for Brussels to relive the spirit of the Renaissance. Among the countless activities offered, the talks and guided walks through the capital of Europe let visitors explore the time of Charles V, the most powerful emperor of the 16th century. This year, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the death of the great Flemish master Bruegel, several new activities have recently been added to the festival’s extensive programme.
The Carolus V Festival programme is part of the cultural network ‘European routes of Emperor Charles V’. This tourist and historical route is recognised by the European Council’s European Institute of Cultural Routes. It reunites the places that marked the reign of Charles V and the cities he passed through.
The heritage and history of Europe in the 16th century are thus highlighted thanks to a series of festive, cultural and family-oriented activities organised in several spaces throughout the Brussels Capital Region. Through tours and outings, visitors relive various aspects of life under the reign of Charles V.
This year, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the death of the great Flemish master Bruegel, the festival will offer visitors a variety of original exhibitions and activities. This is the perfect occasion to (re)discover the monumental work of the greatest Flemish painter of the 16th century.
Here is a quick snippet of the guided tours and talks from this special year:
GUIDED TOURS
Brussels in the time of Erasmus – FR
From the Petit Sablon square to the Erasmus House garden, this tour allows you to follow in the footsteps of Erasmus and the century in which he lived.
Dates: 22/06 & 21/09 at 2 pm
Bruegel the Elder and the secret of the two keys
Let’s stroll through Brussels where, beginning in 1562, Bruegel lived and created his most beautiful paintings. A true alchemist, did he know the secret of the two keys?
Dates: 14/07 & 08/09 at 2.30 pm
Bruegel and his Marollen – FR
Come on this walking journey and discover the Marollen of the 16th century… and more specifically the protagonist of our artistic culture: Pieter Bruegel.
Date: 02/06 at 2 pm
Charles V and Brussels Golden Age in the Renaissance – FR – EN
Starting at the Place Royal in the Sablon neighbourhood, then moving toward the Grand Place, you can admire parks and churches, palaces or plain facades and the statues and fountains that bring back memories of Charles V.
Dates:
FR: 06/06 at 11 am
EN: 21/06 at 11 am
Behind the scenes at the Ommegang, part 1 – FR
Dive into 1549 with a guide in period costume and find out how the show is put together. We invite you behind the scenes of the Ommegang to witness its frantic preparations.
Date: 09/06 at 2 pm
Habits and customs of the Renaissance: Brussels, a walled city – FR This ‘route’ will lead you from a seigneurial area to a bourgeois area.
Date: 23/06 at 2 pm
Behind the scenes of the Ommegang, part 2 – FR
Two hours before the Ommegang, you can wonder at and experience the last preparations of this commemorative show.
Date: 28/06 at 7 pm
Guided tours. Brussels in the time of Erasmus – EN
From the Petit Sablon square to the Erasmus House garden, this tour allows you to follow in the footsteps of Erasmus and the century in which he lived.
Date: 22/06 at 2 pm
Guided tours of the Erasmus House – FR – NL
As part of the Heritage Days, discover the Erasmus House with our seasoned guides!
Dates: 14 & 15/09, 10 am – 6 pm
For several of these visits, group visits are also available on demand for the duration of the festival (according to availability of guides) in multiple languages (FR, NL, EN, DE, ES), and certain visits in French are adapted for those with vision impairments.
Talks that history enthusiasts will love
During May and June, history buffs can attend talks to better understand the realities of the period and to learn more about Brussels in the time of Bruegel.
Bruegel, a Brussels painter? – FR
It was during the 1560s and in Brussels that Bruegel created the majority of the paintings that we attribute to him today. The awareness of the ties between the artist and the city provide quite a different story about who he was or what the city where he lived and worked was like. It’s shocking how much recent research is providing us with new information on the Brussels of this master. If he did not in fact live where we always suspected he had, it can’t be far off. It is likely that Dull Gret, his most important work preserved in Antwerp, was not made in Antwerp but in Brussels.
Useful information:
Date: 23/05
Time: 6.30 pm
Speaker: Roel Jacobs
Location: Bibliothèque des Riches-Claires – 1000 Bru
Price: Free
Brussels in the time of Bruegel – FR-NL
The 1560s are one of the most important decades in Brussels’ history, and it is also the period in which Pieter Bruegel lived in the city. You will understand how important the city was in Bruegel’s life just by learning about the history of the city during that period.
Useful information: Dates: 20/06 NL
27/06 FR
Speaker: Roel Jacobs Time: 6 pm
Length: 1.5 hours
Price: Free
Location: Maison du Roi – Grand – Place 1000 Bru Info &
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