Airlinetrends.com
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European airports roll out the red carpet for Chinese travellers
Rising disposable income in emerging economies such as the BRICs and the N-11s has allowed the rapidly growing middle classes in these countries to start travelling by air. According to IATA estimates, the number of air travellers worldwide will grow with 800 million to 3.3 billion in 2014 (up from 2.5 billion passengers in 2009),…
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Top 11 innovative product and service concepts for 2011
At airlinetrends.com we are constantly on the look-out for innovative products and services launched by airlines and airports around the world, as they respond to industry and consumer trends such as ‘digital nomads’, social media, the quest for ancillary revenues and sustainability. Taking a cue from sci-fi writer William Gibson words that “the future is…
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Star Alliance develops common long-haul economy seat for its member airlines
Airline alliances so far have been about codeshares, trans-atlantic and trans-pacific joint ventures, reciprocal frequent flyer programs, shared lounges and in some cases shared airport terminals (a.k.a. ‘move under one roof’). Star Alliance, the largest of the three global airline alliances, is now adding a new dimension to alliance collaboration by launching a joint long-haul…
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After wave of new low-cost carriers, booming Asia sees launch of premium business carriers
GDP growth, increased trade flows, the rise of a new middle class, and market liberalization are the main drivers behind the rapidly growing demand for air travel in Asia Pacific over the coming decade. Airbus, for example, projectsthat by 2030 the region will account for 33 percent of worldwide revenue passenger kilometres, up from 28…
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South African LCC Mango rewards random acts of kindness
Social good is on a lot of people’s minds these days. With a turbulent economic climate and more social awareness, nonprofits, charities and businesses have been scaling their presence to give more, and have been doing so with unique models. Over the past year, businesses in particular have been unprecedented in their initiatives ranging from…
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Qatar Airways expands via niche markets, opening 24 new routes in 2 years time
With an enviable outlook ahead of them, Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are some of the world’s fastest-growing airlines. A recent reportreleased by the Boston Consulting Group illustrates that the three carriers will collectively triple their capacity over the next 20 years. But while these so-called ‘Gulf Gullivers’ have a number of similarities –…
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How Lufthansa and British Airways are competing with Emirates on Indian routes
As the global economy dynamically changes, all major airlines are focusing on the rapidly growing middle class and business markets of the BRICs and the ‘Next 11’ as a new source of growth. According to Boeing’s latest outlook, these emerging economies will collectively occupy over 60 percent of passenger flows by the year 2030. India…
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Airports Go Futuristic with Driverless Pods, e-paper Guides and an ‘Aeroponic’ Garden
Airports are high-traffic locations with a diverse and international mix of consumers, which makes them well-suited to trial novel technologies (see also our article on airports’ experiments with virtual technologies). The latest futuristic showcases are laser-guided travel pods, electronic paper guide cards and a hydroponic vegetable garden. London Heathrow In mid-September, laser-guided pods that transport…
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Turkish Airlines goes ‘Byzantine chic’ with its new lounge at Istanbul Ataturk Airport
Ambitious Turkish Airlines (THY), Europe’s fourth biggest airline and voted best airline in Europe in the 2011 Skytrax survey, has seen passengers soar as a result of an aggressive strategy to turn Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport into a hub for passengers travelling between Europe, Asia and Africa. One third of THY’s passengers currently transits in Istanbul…