The Philippine Department of Transportation has signed a contract with San Miguel Corporation, a local conglomerate, to build the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan for an estimated $14 Billion. It is expected to break ground later this year, with the first phase to open in 4-5 years. Future phases will bring 4 runways and accommodate up to 100 million … Continue reading
Thomas Cook, the European travel company that started 178 years ago and pioneered package tours, has declared bankruptcy and ceased operations today. All flights, vacations and tours are cancelled. The UK government has launched a repatriation effort to bring home more than 150,000 Thomas Cook customers currently abroad on vacation and has chartered a fleet of planes to do so. Because … Continue reading
On the Capital Markets Day on June 24, 2019, Lufthansa Investor Relations provided an update on the plans of the airline group. And that includes a turnaround of struggling low-cost subsidiary Eurowings, which will re-focus on short-haul, point-to-point flights with a fleet of Airbus A320 planes only. The planned integration of Brussels Airlines into Eurowings will be stopped and a … Continue reading
In the never-ending competition between hotel companies over guests, every perceivable gap in the accommodation market is being filled: Now, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is launching a new brand, Atwell Suites. It’ll be an all-suite brand in the upper-midscale market. Find out how Atwell Suites wants to stand out in a crowded market – check out the details and design … Continue reading
Turkish Airlines announced their new business class seats on new planes entering service this year earlier and I was excited that they are moving to a 1-2-1 layout on their Airbus A350 and Boeing B787 planes. Now, they have announced that they are planning to renovate their fleet of Boeing B777 planes and also introduce direct aisle access in business … Continue reading
Manila’s NAIA airport is one of the most congested in Asia. It’s operating well beyond its design capacity of 30 million passengers, having served 45 million passengers in 2018! This is showing in crowded terminals and never-ending delays. Proposals for expansion have been discussed for years and it looks like there is finally some progress! … Continue reading
Cebu Pacific Airlines is cancelling 116 domestic flights between May 1-10, reflecting 58 round-trip flights mostly from its Manila hub. According to local paper “Inquirer” this is part of the “ongoing effort to improve on time performance and reduce inconvenience” for the low-cost carrier’s passengers. While this might cause inconvenience for passengers affected, I think it’s actually a step into … Continue reading
Airbus and design agency Layer have presented the innovative “Move” economy seat for airlines, offering smart textiles to adjust to the individual needs of economy passengers, promising more comfort at the back of the plane. After years of shrinking legroom, reduced seat padding and recline and elimination of food and drinks, this is the first good news for economy travelers … Continue reading
Jet Airways has ceased all operations, leaving thousands of travelers stranded around the world. Jet Airways was in negotiations with lenders to rescue the struggling airline, but wasn’t able to get financing to continue operations and had to shut down. While those negotiations are continuing, the likelihood of rescue is getting smaller by the day, as airports re-assign valuable landing … Continue reading
SkyTrax has awarded Singapore’s Changi Airport the trophy of Best Airport in the World 2019, surprising nobody. It’s Changi’s seventh consecutive win as the best airport and a sign of its popularity with travelers. Changi is not only the most efficient airport I’ve used, it also has a stunning offer of services that will make a layover go by in … Continue reading