October 18th

More articles from the category

October 18th

Lufthansa plans to join ITA Airways by January 2025

The Lufthansa Group, one of the largest players in global air transport, is about to take a decisive step to strengthen its position in the European market. Lufthansa's planned entry into the Italian airline ITA Airways, which is to be completed at the beginning of 2025, marks a milestone in the development of both companies. As the Italian business magazine "Milano Finanza" reports, Lufthansa is on the home stretch to acquire a 41 percent stake in ITA Airways, the successor company to Alitalia. The takeover, which is being prepared in close cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Finance, follows a clear roadmap. However, in order to maintain this, a number of hurdles still have to be overcome, particularly with regard to the European Union's competition requirements. A closer look at these and the strategic importance of the entry shows why this partnership is of great importance not only for the airlines involved, but also for the entire European aviation market. Lufthansa's strategic direction: The Italian market in focus With the planned acquisition of ITA Airways, Lufthansa wants to expand its influence in one of the most important aviation markets in Europe, the Italian one. Italy is one of the most popular travel destinations worldwide, both for tourists and business travelers. In addition, the airports in Milan and Rome are important hubs for international air traffic, especially on the transatlantic routes, on which Lufthansa wants to further strengthen its presence. The importance of the Italian market for Lufthansa is also evident from the fact that the airline has been interested in taking over ITA Airways for years. After the end of the traditional Alitalia and the founding of ITA in 2021,

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Emirates restructures commercial leadership team

Emirates has announced a major restructuring of its commercial operations, which will take effect in November 2024. Nabil Sultan, Executive Vice President Passenger Sales and Country Management, will continue to lead this division. In his role, he will coordinate a global team of executives covering the airline's strategic regions and serving as its ambassadors in their respective markets. An international reorientation With a route network covering 138 destinations in 80 countries, Emirates plays a central role in global air transport. To consolidate and expand this position, the airline is focusing on an improved and clearer setup of its commercial operations team. In a complex and highly dynamic market environment, these teams will play a key role, both in securing revenue and in maintaining important relationships with customers, partners and stakeholders. Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, highlighted the importance of these teams: “Our Commercial Operations teams play a critical role not only at our hub in Dubai, but also across our growing network. They are not only our local ambassadors, but also have a deep knowledge of the dynamics of our local markets and a keen understanding of our customers.” This assessment shows how much Emirates relies on the expertise and knowledge of its leaders to ensure the airline’s commercial success in the various global markets. Important appointments in key regions As part of the reorganization, several experienced leaders will be promoted to expanded or new roles. These changes affect the strategic markets of Europe, America, the Middle East and Africa.

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Falstaff transforms Hofburg into Europe's largest bar

On October 21, 2024, Vienna will be transformed into a paradise for cocktail lovers, whiskey and gin connoisseurs, and friends of sophisticated mixology culture. Falstaff Verlag invites you to a unique event that focuses on Austria's best bartenders, national and international guest bartenders, exciting cocktail creations, and first-class spirits. For all those who appreciate fine enjoyment and want to immerse themselves in the world of mixed drinks, there is a varied program that will delight both trade visitors and private connoisseurs. National and international bartenders will move their bars to Vienna for a day and bring their most exciting cocktail creations with them. The variety of spirits available for tasting is particularly impressive. From established brands to up-and-coming newcomers, guests are offered a diverse selection. They can discover the best distillates in the world and enjoy gin, vodka, and rum specialties from various regions. Participants of the event have the opportunity to not only enjoy classic drinks, but also try innovative cocktails that reflect new trends and creative approaches in mixology. In recent years, bar culture has evolved significantly, and more and more unusual combinations and new techniques can be observed. This is particularly evident at this event, where bartenders mix and explain their masterpieces right in front of the visitors. Exclusive master classes: Learn from the best In addition to the tastings and the cocktail show, visitors are offered exclusive master classes where they can learn from experts in the industry. For trade visitors, the program starts with a master class from Bacardi Whisk(e)y Brand Ambassador

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Day of Sparkling Wine Austria 2024: Sparkling experiences and insights into sparkling wine production

The annual Sekt Austria Day will take place on October 22, 2024, marking the start of the festive season. Around this date, numerous sparkling wine producers will open their cellars to interested visitors. From October 18 to 25, 2024, guests can take part in various events ranging from tastings to guided tours to live disgorging. Sekt Austria Day aims to raise awareness of the quality and origin of Austrian sparkling wine. A special focus is on the transparency of the production process, because Sekt Austria stands for sparkling wine that comes 100 percent from Austria and has been sensory tested. Participating sparkling wine producers include Weingut Steininger, Sektkellerei Schlumberger and Weingut Esterhazy, who will provide special programs and offers during this week. The sparkling wine bears a red-white-red banderole that guarantees its origin and quality.

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Thai Airways expands flight offer in winter flight schedule 2024/2025

The Thai national airline Thai Airways has presented its winter flight schedule for the period from October 27, 2024 to March 29, 2025. During this period, the airline will fly to a total of 64 destinations worldwide and increase frequencies on selected routes. The following connections are planned in Germany, Switzerland and Austria: daily from Bangkok to Munich, twice daily to Frankfurt and daily to Zurich. International routes will also be served, including Bangkok - London, Istanbul, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Milan, Brussels (from December 1, 2024), Paris, Perth and twice daily to Melbourne and Sydney.

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Lilium receives no government support for Evtol project

The German Evtol manufacturer Lilium will not receive any support from the federal government. According to reports from Bayerischer Rundfunk and the news agency DPA, the federal government has rejected a guarantee of 50 million euros. Lilium, which is looking for fresh funds, had threatened in the past to move away from Germany if it did not receive financial support. This decision could have a significant impact on the development and continued existence of the company.

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Qantas expands and optimizes its route network

The Australian airline Qantas has announced a comprehensive realignment of its international route network. By focusing on expanding its capacity, introducing new routes and using more modern aircraft, Qantas aims to serve the international market even better. The USA, Asia and the Pacific region in particular are at the heart of the strategy. A key element of the changes is the planned reintroduction of the Airbus A380 from 2025, which is to be used again on busy long-haul routes. Expansion of capacity to the USA Qantas has announced that it will increase its flight capacity to the United States by 13%. This means a significant increase in offerings, particularly in the premium segment. From August 2025, the Airbus A380, which is considered the largest passenger aircraft in the world, will again be used regularly on the Sydney-Dallas route. This step will enable passengers in first and business class to benefit from a 30% increase in seating capacity. The decision comes at a time when demand for long-haul flights to the US is growing again and Qantas wants to focus more on premium service. The Airbus A380 is known for its spacious cabins and first-class amenities, which are particularly appreciated on long-haul flights. By reactivating the A380 fleet, which is scheduled to be fully in service by early 2026, Qantas is underlining its commitment to offering its customers an even more comfortable travel experience on busy international routes. New connection to Palau in the Pacific Another highlight of the announced changes is the inclusion of Palau in Qantas' route network for the first time. This new weekly connection between Brisbane

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New cleaning contract at Düsseldorf Airport for Klüh Cleaning

Düsseldorf Airport has commissioned Klüh Cleaning to provide comprehensive cleaning services from February 1, 2025. The contract covers the daily cleaning of an area of ​​around 170.000 square meters, including the terminal, boarding gates, administrative buildings and adjacent properties. In addition to regular maintenance cleaning, the tasks also include special cleaning, glass cleaning and disposal services. The contract is intended to ensure that the airport is kept in perfect condition at all times.

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Spirit Airlines faces profound change: Airbus A319 fleet to be retired

Spirit Airlines, one of the leading low-cost airlines in the USA, is facing a profound change. Faced with growing financial difficulties and the threat of insolvency, as well as a planned Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the Florida-based airline announced that it would be retiring its remaining Airbus A319 fleet early. The aircraft were originally scheduled to be phased out by mid-2025, but current developments are prompting Spirit Airlines to accelerate this process. The move to retire the Airbus A319 fleet is part of a comprehensive restructuring of the fleet aimed at simplifying and increasing efficiency. The airline's last A8 flight will take place on January 2025, 319. Flight NK262 from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale marks the end of an era for the low-cost carrier. Although this move was already planned for 2025, Spirit has now decided to bring the retirement process forward. The decision is in line with an industry-wide trend among low-cost airlines to replace smaller aircraft models with larger, more efficient machines. The A319, a 145-seat aircraft, has been increasingly replaced by the larger A320 and A321 at Spirit Airlines. This trend is also reflected in other low-cost carriers, including easyJet, which has significantly reduced its A319 fleet in recent years. The economic benefits of using the larger A320 outweigh the minimal savings offered by operating the smaller A319. Financial difficulties and looming bankruptcy In addition to the fleet restructuring, Spirit Airlines is struggling with massive financial problems. The company is sitting on debts of US$3,3 billion, of which over US$1,1 billion is within the

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Dispute over planned increase in airport fees in Hamburg

Hamburg Airport plans to increase fees by around nine percent from April 2025, which is attributed to increased personnel costs. This announcement has led to sharp criticism in the Hamburg Parliament. The CDU parliamentary group rejects the increase and warns of negative consequences for the location after airlines such as Ryanair, Eurowings and Condor announced that they would cut their services in Hamburg in 2025. SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Kienscherf, on the other hand, defended the increase, saying that higher wages were justified. The Greens stressed that the airport would remain attractive for holidaymakers, while the AfD parliamentary group leader criticized this view.

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