Mega Route

Photo credits: PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has begun investigations into the case of a burgled taxing aircraft in Lagos. A gang of thieves allegedly burgled an aircraft on the runway of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Tuesday, carting away belongings of its crew. The private jet with registration number 9H-VFA, owned by Vista jet and operated by EAN Aviation was taxing at about 9:30pm on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, when the incident happened. While FAAN yesterday said investigation had begun, aviation security experts are worried about the implication for industry safety, saying it further exposes “the poor security architecture” at the airports. Sources at the airport confirmed to reporters that the plane, on arriving from Istanbul, Turkey, was burgled on motion. They ripped open the plane from the rear and made away with valuables. Another source said the pilot of the aircraft, Emma Heering, discover...

Airlines for America reported Wednesday,this holiday season, 51 million passengers will make their way to the airport to fly to their hopefully festive destinations on U.S. airlines. Travelers should expect busier airports and longer waits. From December 15 to January 4, U.S. airlines have added an average of 91,000 more seats for about 80,000 more passengers expected each day compared to last year (when 49.3 million passengers took to the sky). Airlines for America credits the increase to “an improving economy and sub-inflation airfares.” That competition is uneven across the U.S. (and across the world): Airfare to Europe and Hawaii can be found for super cheap. Traveling to and from smaller airports with limited carriers can be more expensive. Some tips  for the holiday * Download your airline's app or flight-tracking app for swift updates. * Remember it's holiday don't get/share frustration with your fellow traveller. * Get extra battery pack and prepare to wait. ...

Photo credits: Christmas in the Park This year, San Jose, California’s Christmas in the Park festivities in Plaza de César Chávez , located in downtown, includes a very special attempt at breaking a Guiness World Record for most Christmas trees assembled in one place. The city has lit up the park with 600 trees in their attempt. At the moment, the record is held by the Hallmark Channel, who illuminated 559 trees in New York City in 2015. San Jose is yet to be given the new title by Guinness, so they can only call their Christmas in the Park trees an “attempt.” According to Curbed , this year marks the the 38th Christmas in the Park celebration. This article originally appeared on  Travelandleisure by Andrea Romano

Med-View Airline has rolled out low fares on the Lagos-London route as part of the Yuletide offer to passengers.The promo, which takes immediate effect and ends December 31, 2017 for out bound and January 15, 2018 in-bound passengers, goes as low as N249,000 round trip for economy ticket. According to the airline Executive Director, Business Development and Commercial, Isiaq Na-Allah, said the promo is designed to appreciate customers’ robust patronage throughout the year.   Source :The Guardian

P.PIGEYRE/MasterFilms - Courtesy of Airbus Hybrid-electric planes are coming to a sky near you — with the help of Rolls Royce. According to CNBC , the luxury automaker has teamed up with Airbus and Siemens to develop hybrid-electric plane technology in an effort to cut aviation pollution. The initiative, referred to as the E-Fan X program by the companies, aims to develop electric passenger jets for commercial use by 2025. But first, a test flight is scheduled by 2020. Rolls Royce is building a new electricity generator that will placed at the back of the E-Fan X plane. That, along with jet fuel, will help power a two-megawatt motor developed by Siemens, which will propel the body of the plane manufactured by Airbus. According to CNBC, the collaboration comes with the knowledge that the European Commission laid out a substantial goals to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, nitrogen oxides, and noise pollution by 2050. Airbus, Siemens and Rolls Royce are not the only companies taking ...

Photo credits: AFP/Getty Images Indonesian officials  have shut the international airport in Bali for a second day, as Mount Agung spews volcanic ash into the atmosphere. Massive plumes of dark ash were seen reaching as high as 3km (2 miles) above the summit of the rumbling volcano, which began erupting last week. Officials raised the alert to the highest level on Monday, fearing an imminent major eruption. Up to 100,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the vicinity. Volcanic ash can damage aeroplane engines or even cause them to fail, and also clogs fuel and cooling systems. Pilot visibility can also be hampered. According to a spokesman for Indonesia's national disaster agency, said that the ash was being drawn southwest - towards Bali's main airport - by a tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean. About 29,000 people had moved to shelters, while others have fled to other places like Lombok. Due to the volcanic ash in the atmosphere, about 400 flights was ...

Etihad Airways’ flights to and from Switzerland will become an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner operation effective March 25, 2018 . The state-of-the-art flights connecting Abu Dhabi and Geneva will complement the airline’s existing 787 Dreamliner scheduled services connecting Abu Dhabi and Zurich, becoming the fifth European city to be served by the carrier’s rapidly growing fleet of next generation aircraft. Etihad Airways currently operates daily flights between the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) capital city of Abu Dhabi and both Geneva and Zurich. Introduction of the 787 Dreamliner will also see a scheduling change that will continue to provide attractive timings for customers travelling to and from Geneva. Etihad Airways will be the only airline operating out of the UAE to offer an early morning arrival into Geneva, and the revised timings will also improve connectivity to a wider network of destinations across Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. However, Etihad Airways has a fleet of 18...

Photo credits: Westend61/Getty Images Hawaiian Airlines has added equipment to one of its airplanes to collect real-time data on air quality as it flies. According to the carrier , technicians installed the equipment on the Airbus A330 earlier this year, and Hawaiian Airlines activated it this week to begin collecting data in the Pacific, Asia and North America. The project is in partnership with the European-funded, Belgian non-profit In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (IAGOS). The device will gather information aimed at determining the health of Earth's atmosphere, such as the level of greenhouse gases at high altitudes. Earth's changing climate is expected to affect the way we fly in the years to come, with a range of consequences, from increased turbulence to more flight cancelations. A recent study published in the journal Climactic Change  used modeling to demonstrate how extreme high temperatures could cause major disruptions across the U.S. by the...

Photo credits: GETTY IMAGES  Facebook unveiled earlier this week that it is working with Airbus on a partnership that could finally solve the dilemma of poor-quality in-flight internet connections. Earlier this year, Facebook introduced Aquila , its project to bring internet access to remote parts of the world via drone. On Sunday, the social network company announced that it was partnering with Airbus “to advance spectrum and aviation policy and continue to demonstrate the viability of HAPS [high altitude platform station] systems for providing broadband connectivity.” Mark Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook earlier this year when Aquila premieres, “it will be a fleet of solar-powered planes that will beam internet connectivity across the world,” . The fleet will be comprised of unmanned aircraft, capable of flying for months at a time. While Airbus may seem like an unlikely partnership for increasing global connectivity, bare in mind that the company does more than just bu...

Dana Air has joined the prestigious International Air Transport Association (IATA) to underscore its commitment operational efficiency and best practices. The membership, after rigorous certification processes, places the airline on the same pedestal with over 275 airlines that are already members of the association. Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo, during the official presentation of the membership certificate by IATA officials in Lagos, said the airline would continue to maintain global best practices in the aviation industry, while still churning out world-class initiatives to exceed the flying aspirations of its ever-increasing members on the Dana Miles loyalty programme. Having flown over 2.7 million passengers in the last nine years of its operation, Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines with daily flights from Lagos to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Owerri. The airline is reputed for its unrivaled ontime performance and world –class in-flight service. So...

  This Halloween , we even replaced our traditional pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns with festive carved pineapples. And now that the holiday season is approaching, some clever creatives on Instagram and Pinterest are replacing their Christmas trees with pineapples covered in ornaments and festooned with garland. This trend gives the classic tannenbaum a welcoming, island-inspired twist. WE talked about this on #facebook earlier this week...Christmas Pineapples! That is all. We're getting started on installing all the holiday joy and decor around the city, and we really wish we had the chance to incorporate a #christmaspineapple...maybe next year! . . . #vancouver #westcoast #greencape #artificialgreenery #green #greenery #sometimesfakeisbetter #greenisthenewblack #greenisgood #artificialfloraldesign #flowers #vancouverindoorplants #vancouveroutdoorpants #succulents #tropical #westcoastdecor #eventdesign #eventdecor #holiday #christmasdecor #design # #biophilia #moss #mossar...

United Airlines resumed service to New Delhi on Monday after canceling two days of flights due to the city’s smog levels. The airline said in a statement that the cancellation were because “advisories as the region remains under a public health emergency.” They compared the air quality to that after a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or volcano explosion. Smog has the potential to obscure pilots’ visibility during landing. On Sunday, the air pollutant PM 2.5 levels in New Delhi were at 721. The World Health Organization categorizes anything above 300 as “hazardous.” The pollutant is 30 times finer than human hair and can lodge itself into lungs when inhaled. Although Delhi’s air quality is consistently among the worst in the world. Smog in the city has increased dramatically over the past few weeks, due in part to falling temperatures. Last week, New Delhi’s Chief Minister likened the city to a “gas chamber” because of its smog. More than 6,000 schools were closed and incomi...

Watch video A flight attendant was injured after falling from a rear airplane door at the Zhengzhou airport in China on Friday. According to the South China Morning Post report, Airport surveillance footage shows the attendant for Xiamen Air falling out of the door in an apparent accident.

Local airlines and passengers may be in for another difficult period this December and early January due to flight disruptions engendered by bad weather, despite the Federal Government’s huge investment in landing instruments. While meteorologists are already predicting more intense harmattan haze than was experienced last year, infrastructure, either at most of the airports or deployed by local airlines, are still not adequate to help aeroplanes cope with the natural phenomenon.Consequently, flight disruption in the manner of multiple delays and cancellations will upset plans of many travellers and cost struggling airlines huge revenue. Harmattan haze late 2016 and early 2017 led to shutdown of local flight operations for some days when horizontal visibility dropped below the stipulated minimum of 800 metres. While local airlines were forced to reschedule or refund fares to restive passengers with attendant losses, their foreign counterparts with advanced onboard technology operat...

AFP PHOTO / Andreas SOLARO Etihad Aviation Group (EAG), Alibaba Group Holding Limited, and Ant Financial Services Group (ANT Group) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to expand their partnership and deliver superior products and services to Chinese customers. The group plans to expand cooperation through greater collaboration on respective loyalty programmes. In addition, new products and services will be introduced to deliver an improved guest experience and improved logistics. Under the agreement, Alibaba and Etihad Guest, the award-winning loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, will explore enhanced programme benefits and opportunities for cross-acquisition of loyalty points. This will include points’ conversion to Etihad Guest Miles, reciprocal benefits across premium tiers, and the ability to redeem Etihad Guest Miles for Alibaba products. In addition, Alibaba Group and Etihad Airways will enter into a brand partnership agreement that will integrate the Alibaba G...

No fewer than 900 free return tickets have been earmarked as giveaway to commemorate ninth anniversary of Dana Air operations in the Nigerian aviation industry. Coupled with the gifts, there will be an upgrade to Gold membership for Dana Miles Silver members and loads of surprise packages to its guests for being wonderful as well. The airline that began flight operations on November 10, 2008, is proud to have flown over 2.7 million passengers in the last nine years. The airline is also proud of its on-time performance, world-class in-flight service and customer-centric innovations.  Spokesman of the airline, Kingsley Ezenwa, said the achievements among others, are testament to “our obvious passion to keep flying high and offering the best of air transport in the industry.”

Photo credits: AFP  In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Qatar Airways is giving incredible fares across both its Economy and Business Class cabins, in addition to offering 20 lucky winners a Privilege Club Gold membership and discounts of up to 50 per cent. The special 20th anniversary promotion offers two Business Class tickets for the price of one, and three Economy Class tickets for the price of two. These exclusive offers are valid for travel period between 01 November 2017 and 31 October 2018. Chief Commercial Officer, Ehab Amin, said: “We are delighted to be launching this spectacular global promotion in celebration of our 20th anniversary. This is a very special year of giving back to our loyal passengers, and so we are pleased to offer fantastic fares across our Economy and Business Class cabins, to ensure they too can join us in celebrating 20 successful years of Going Places Together. “Passengers from across the world can take advantage of these truly unique offe...

Air passengers globally are clamouring for more technology to be deployed for better comfort, ease of access, and personal control over their travel experience. The passenger, in the 2017 Global Passenger Survey (GPS) released Wednesday, craved for automation of more airport processes, a single identity token for all travel processes using biometric identification and real-time information sent directly to personal devices. Others are more efficient security – without having to remove or unpack personal items and more seamless border control.The customers’ demand, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), is a lesson for aviation authorities and developing countries, including Nigeria, aiming to attract more passenger traffic and growth within the vision 2050 projection. IATA, which is the clearing house for over 275 airlines in the world, said based on 10,675 responses from more than 152 countries in all regions around the globe, the survey provided insight ...

Air Peace, Nigeria’s leading local carrier has issued over 1,000 free tickets, television sets, fridges and other gift items for distribution to loyal customers and agents to mark its third anniversary. The airline, which commenced scheduled flight operations to five destinations on October 24, 2014, said the gifts were its way of showing gratitude and rewarding the loyalty and support of its customers and agents over the years. Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, attributed the success of the airline to the unwavering loyalty and support of the flying public and travel agents. Onyema said: “We are quite excited that in just three years we have transformed Nigeria’s aviation sector. We ended the era of avoidable delays when we launched our flight operations to five cities on October 24, 2014 with a record on-time performance reputation. “We have not only employed and retained the services of some of the best hands in the aviation industry, we have also ensu...

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has charged Air Traffic Controllers in the country to come up with practical and achievable solutions to problems encountered in air traffic control services in their respective airports across the nation. Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, gave this charge at the recently concluded Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (NATCA), which held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He said there was need for NATCA and its members to re-invent their professional ethos, ethics and commitment, by avoiding every behavour that threatens the safe provision of service. Akinkuotu stressed the need to draw a line between human error and willful or negligent violation of rules in the provision of service. He noted that the agency was mindful of its responsibility to provide the necessary tools, capacities and environment that would ensure optimal human performance in Air Traffic Control. He added ...