Experiencing The First Nonstop Flight From San Francisco to Xi’an

United Airlines is no stranger to China, and with demand for Chinese tourism travel to the U.S. at soaring levels, the carrier is creating an even bigger footprint abroad by expanding to secondary Chinese markets. On May 8, 2016, United celebrated history by operating the first transpacific route to Xi’an, located in the Shaanxi province in Northwest China, from the airline’s San Francisco gateway hub.

There was a palpable energy flowing through the international pier at San Francisco airport (SFO). On the departures level at Gate G-94, the waiting area teemed with soothing classical Chinese music, the scent of delicious beef skewers and colorful art displays adorning the walls and ceilings. A hop down a flight of stairs towards the jet way gave further clues into what was abuzz.

On this particular day, United was gearing up to launch the inaugural service from its trans Pacific gateway hub to Xi’an, one of the oldest cities in China, on-board a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Even though the airline is well-known abroad, especially in China, this celebration was unique. United Flight # 853 would become the first scheduled trans Pacific flight ever to land in Xi’an Xianyang International airport.

Following an elegantly-decorated sign, emboldened in vivid red colors with gray silhouettes of the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China from 210 to 209 B.C.E., I took the escalators down to the departures level, enamored by the incredible effort put forth in showcasing the cultural heritage of Xi’an. SFO airport is already renowned for its cutting-edge facilities in the International Terminal, and the plethora of stunning artwork that beautifies the building from floor to ceiling. Today, it resembled a museum more than an airport, with relics of Chinese heritage in the form of colorful posters, tapestries, low-hanging lanterns and two men dressed as the Terracotta Warriors, impeccably adhering to character.

Xi’an will be United’s second link to interior mainland China, following the successful launch of the Chicago-based carrier’s service to Chengdu in 2014. The city of Xi’an is home to a population of nearly 14 million residents, inclusive of the entire metropolitan area, and has served as a leading anchor for the economic rival of interior China since the 1990s. Although United intends to serve Xi’an on a seasonal basis initially, with service running thrice weekly through October 27, 2016, the carrier aims to tap into the growing wealth of the Chinese middle class, as well as foreign students traveling to the U.S., to play a role in shaping the success of the flight. United will also launch service to another secondary Chinese city, Hangzhou, approximately 100 miles southwest of Shanghai, on July 13, 2016.

Close to the jet bridge, I was greeted by Ed Pivik, Sales and Events Manager for United, and also the mastermind who brings special events like this to life. Mr. Pivik was hardly breaking a sweat in midst of the hustle and bustle of the gate area, but then again, with several inaugural flights lined up at SFO this year, he must be a pro at this stuff already. He mentioned to me that Chengdu was doing “extremely well” for United, and while Xi’an is more a leisure-oriented market for United than some of its other Asian routes, there is plenty of untapped demand to potentially fill-up the front of the cabin with Chinese citizens having a massive appetite for travel abroad.

Still two hours out from scheduled push-back time, the area was starting to fill up as airline and airport personnel trickled in, smiling and laughing as they snapped photographs of the two men dressed as the Terracotta warriors. Xi’an is famous for its collection of statue sculptures depicting the soldiers and horsemen of Qin Emperor. The statues were discovered in 1974 by Chinese farmers roughly 1 mile east of Qin Emperors tomb. Occasionally, a makeup artist would scurry over and apply a touch-up of face paint and mascara to the two men. One maintained a rigid facial expression, poised and graceful, while the other would point to smartphones and cameras with a curious facial expression, eliciting chuckles from small children and adults alike.

Near the podium, Mr. Pivik greeted and welcomed a crew of smart-looking executives, representing a multitude of stakeholders who worked tirelessly to coordinate the planning and execution of this new route. They were joined by the United Airlines flight and cabin crew members who were scheduled to work the inaugural trip that afternoon. Hugs were exchanged, smiles beamed, cameras flashed and laughter roared.

Source- http://goo.gl/CcjBJV

More India-US nonstop direct flights on the cards

In light of the growing bilateral relationships between India and the US in recent times, fliers will soon see a surge in direct nonstop flights between the two nations. Previously regarded as hectic, this move will smoothen oversea journey by a large extent. It will particularly benefit employees of IT companies, a large chunk of whom are stationed in the US. In 2012, American Airlines (AA) had stopped flights to India when its parent company filed for bankruptcy but is now planning to restart operations soon.

Apart from American Airlines (AA), desi airline operator Air India will also start nonstop flights to the US, and indeed the whole of North America. Currently, the two players are the only ones in business to do so. Other carriers, such as Emirates, requires passengers to change aircraft to avail a flight to the US, from cities such as Dubai and Bangkok. American Airlines, prior to 2012, used to operate a daily flight from New Delhi to Chicago before pulling the plug. Since its merger with US Airways in 2013, it is keen to resume flights to India. It is not yet known to which US city the airline would fly.

“AI nonstops to the US, especially the Delhi-San Francisco connection, are a big success and command a significant premium over one-stop flights offered by Gulf, European, Chinese and Southeast Asian airlines between India and America. This is luring other airlines to launching nonstops”  – an airline official  (Source: Times of India)"

Since nonstop direct flights are considered as a vanity, it is expected that prices would remain high. But as more and more carriers join the trend, fares would become competitive, according to analysts. Air India and United are a part of Star Alliance flight carrier group while American Airlines is a part of a British Airways led consortium. United currently operates a daily flight from Delhi and Mumbai to Newark. Air India also operates from the same Indian metros to the US cities of Chicago, San Francisco, Newark and New York. Air India is looking to expand its US operations aggressively. By the end of the year, it might start a New Delhi-Washington direct flight. It also has plans for a tri-weekly nonstop between Bangalore and San Francisco.

Source- https://goo.gl/3n62v7

How many flights cross the USA in a day?

How many flights are in the air over the USA at a given time? At this moment, there's a strong possibility that we're all currently standing, sitting or working underneath a number of airplanes en route to their destinations.

FlightRadar24 has released a fascinating 60-second clip that shows 24 hours of flight activity over the United States. Each tiny plane shown in the video represents a real flight that took place on April 1. The swarm of aircraft starts at 0:00 UTC (which is 8 p.m. on March 31, in Eastern Standard Time) and continues through 23:59 UTC (7:59 p.m. EST).

Although the entire minute makes the United States look like a beige picnic basket covered with ants, FlightRadar24 says that some obvious peaks and valleys are visible in the clip. In a blog post, the site explained:

On the east coast, peak traffic activity takes place between 1000 and 1400 UTC (0600-1000 local). The west coast is particularly active from 0430—0800 UTC. At 0700 UTC much of the country is quiet except for the eastbound red eye flights making their way from the west coast to cities like New York, Boston, and Washington D.C.

So how many flights were represented in that one minute? Ian Petchenik, a FlightRadar24 spokesperson, told USA TODAY that on April 1, there were 76,329 flights in the area covered by the video. The most departing flights (1,321) took off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport while Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport welcomed the most arrivals, with 1,267 flights. O'Hare had the most total traffic, with 2,580 departures and arrivals that day.

Source- http://goo.gl/v4NRm5

Air Canada to offer nonstop flights to Toronto out of Jacksonville International Airport

Air Canada is the latest passenger carrier to offer nonstop service out of Jacksonville International Airport.

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority announced Thursday that Air Canada will begin nonstop flights from JIA to Toronto, Canada on Saturday, a JIA news release said. The first inbound flight from Canada arrives at JIA about 11:40 a.m. Saturday while the first departing flight will take off from JIA to the “YYZ” airport in Toronto about 12:15 p.m. Saturday.

Source - http://goo.gl/Fjkir6

KLM begins nonstop flights between Amsterdam and Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City International Airport became an even bigger player in international air travel as KLM Royal Dutch Airline’s first direct flight from Amsterdam arrived at the airport Thursday.

Following a 10-hour trip, KLM Flight 609 touched down in Salt Lake City, marking a new direct-route air service between Utah and Europe.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have KLM’s new route to Amsterdam,” said Maureen Riley, executive director for the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. “It's further evidence of a growing market in Salt Lake City, a robust economy that we have here, and the demand that we have for access to international destinations."

After touchdown, the 180 passengers received quite the Utah welcome: a lights and siren escort, and a water salute by the fire department.

Effective immediately, KLM will depart Salt Lake City International on Thursdays and Saturdays. On July 4, Mondays will be added to the schedule.

“It is indeed a great day,” said Eric Caron, vice president and general manager of KLM USA.

After the summer season, the flight schedule will depend on the profitability of the routes. “But given the info the future bookings in the coming months are very strong, I'm very confident that we can expand further in the coming years,” Caron said.

The airline’s strategy is not only to have a direct route between Salt Lake City and Amsterdam, but is really to create a network.

“Salt Lake City is for KLM the eighth destination we fly from Amsterdam,” said Pieter Groeneveld, vice president of KLM. “And in cooperation with Delta, we now fly into 14 destinations in the U.S., with more to come, including a flight to Miami.

But it’s not just the Salt Lake airport destination that has KLM excited.

“I think the importance to me is that it's part of a bigger picture,” Caron said. “It's not only about Salt Lake City-Amsterdam, it's also about the connectivity, and that's the power of our alliance with Delta and Air France where we have connectivity in the different hubs.”

The Airbus A330-200 was on the ground for only a few hours before it headed back to Amsterdam to complete the first inaugural round trip.

The flight is one of several coming to Utah direct from Europe. Earlier this year, Delta Air Lines started its nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to London’s Heathrow Airport. In 2007, the airline started to offer nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to Paris.

Source -  http://goo.gl/L4c6k1

The 5 cushiest first class plane cabins in the world

Emirates

Emirates' business class cabins come complete with a seat that converts into a fully flat bed and includes a mattress, privacy doors that allow for unwinding, a personal mini bar, an array of complimentary wine, champagne, and cocktails, and ambient lighting to allow for relaxation.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa's first class suites are simple and sophisticated. They come with lie-flat beds complete with a mattress topper, pillow, and duvet, ergonomically shaped seats, and in-flight entertainment options that come in up to eight different languages.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has new first class seats that feature a fixed-back sell design with curved side panels that allow for added privacy. With a width of 35 inches and a bed length of 82 inches, passengers have space to relax. Ambient mood lighting, pajamas, and bedroom slippers help to get a restful sleep and each seat comes with a vanity corner and mirror to allow for freshening up on long flights.

SWISS

Swiss International Air Lines' first class armchairs are available on long-haul flights and can be turned into a lounge armchair, a table for two, or a 6.5-foot-long bed with mattress and privacy walls.

Passengers are given pajamas by Zimmerli of Switzerland and toiletry bags that contain socks, eye masks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, ear plugs, and high-quality products by Swiss luxury brand La Prarie.

Thai Airways

Thai Airways' Royal First Class begins with a hostess who treats passengers to a flute of chilled champagne and caviar. Seats on the Airbus A380s and newly remodeled Boeing 747s include semi-private suites that are almost 8 feet long with a seat width of 23 inches on the 747s and 27 inches on the Airbus A380s.

Seats convert into 180-degree lie-flat beds, in-flight entertainment systems boast 23-inch flat screes with over 300 programs, and passengers can relax with a full body massage at the Royal First Lounge of Bankgkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport before their flight.

Source- http://goo.gl/CbDED9

The World's 5 Most Expensive Plane Tickets

1. New York to Hong Kong with Lufthansa for $43,535 round trip


So, what does $43,000 get you in the skies these days? Well, Germany's flagship carrier thinks their on-ground personal assistants, standalone seat and bed setup, in-flight air humidifiers, bespoke toiletry kits, Markus Del Monego-selected wine list and Michelin-starred culinary offering hits the mark, and with their five-star Skytrax rating and a place in 2014's top 10 worldwide carrier table, they may just be right. You can expect to pay for the luxury of finding out though!

2. Los Angeles to Dubai with Emirates for upwards of $30,000

It's perhaps no wonder that this 16-hour direct connection from LAX to Dubai hits the higher rungs of this list, what with all the fashionistas, A-listers, VIP businessmen and Hollywood locals that no doubt make the trip regularly. That said, there's no question that Emirates' first class offering is good, in fact it's nothing short of legendary — with most A380s, A340-500s and 777s now coming complete with fully partitioned private suites, individual mini bars, flat laying mattress beds, vanity tables and even on-flight spa facilities!

3. San Francisco to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways for $28,090 round trip

Travelers making their way to the oil-rich capital of the UAE would do well to prepare themselves for the famed luxury of the city's new palatial hotels. And what better way than with a first class ticket into town with the nation's flagship carrier Etihad Airways, who offer up their partitioned suites complete with 23-inch cinema screens, private mini bars, Middle Eastern infused al a carte menus and upholstered leather furnishings to boot. The catch? It may just cost you $29,000 return!

4. New York to Beijing with Korean Air, for upwards of $27,000

If Korean Air's trademark First Class Kosmo Sleeper Seats sound hi-tech and fancy, that's because they are! Boasting 100% reclining abilities controlled by one-touch pads and partitioning that encloses passengers in a timber-panelled enclave of real luxury, they are among the most coveted in the skies. What's more the Mercury Award-winning in-flight food service comes complete with oriental dishes to die for, not to mention a wealth of well-known worldly wine labels. Return tickets on the route from New York's JFK to Beijing will cost anything upwards of $27,000.

5. Hong Kong to New York with Cathay Pacific for $26,572 round trip

Aboard Cathay Pacific's Boeing 777-300ER on the 14-hour connection from Hong Kong to New York's JFK, jet set passengers are treated to an award-winning first class service that makes use of a unique 1-1-1 orientation in three rows. This roomy cabin layout means guests are free to enjoy their wide berth beds and flat screen TVs in peace, as the cabin crew serve the carrier's trademark array of Hong Kong dishes, a wide selection of international wines and caviar breakfasts. All that for just $26,572!

Source- http://goo.gl/cM6BkX

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You could be sat next to this

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Flying from New York to London in 11 minutes

Charles Bombardier, the industrial designer who came up with both designs, has dubbed this newest concept the Antipode, which he conceived in collaboration with Lunatic Koncepts founder Abhishek Roy.

In theory, it could carry up to ten passengers up to 12,430 miles in under an hour.

How it would work

"I wanted to create an aircraft concept capable of reaching its antipode -- or diametrical opposite -- as fast as possible," Bombardier told Forbes.


Did you just daze out? Bear with us a little while longer while we explain the tech that would get this craft flying.

The Antipode's wings would be fitted with rocket boosters that would propel the aircraft to 40,000 feet, and enable it to reach Mach 5.
Like the Skreemr, the plane would be powered by a scramjet engine.

Unlike conventional jet engines, scramjet engines have virtually no moving parts.

And unlike rockets, scramjet engines would burn oxygen from the atmosphere instead of having to carry heavy tanks full of oxygen.

 

But is it feasible?


Now, the Skreemr concept got some flack for the challenges presented using some of the same technology.
One big problem was heat.

Objects traveling past Mach 5 can reach upwards of 980 C (1800 F), and there is a limit to the type of materials that can withstand those kinds of temperatures.

The sonic boom is also all but guaranteed when an object breaks the sound barrier, and is a menace in urban areas.
However, Bombardier believes he may have found a solution to both issues.

After the Skreemr concept made the rounds, Bombardier was contacted by Joseph Hazeltine, an engineer at Wyle, which provides technical support to both NASA and the U.S. Department of Defence.

Hazeltine suggested using an aerodynamic technique called long penetration mode, or LPM, which would use a nozzle on the aircraft's nose to blow out air and cool down the surface temperature, while muffling the noise made from breaking the sound barrier.
Yes, it's above our heads too. Still, impressive though these techniques all sound, most of the technology in this design is still decades away from seeing the light of day.

Even NASA hasn't created a stable scramjet yet. The Pentagon came closest, launching a small, unmanned scramjet aircraft in 2013 that hit Mach 5.
Note: There's been nothing commercial, and nothing approaching anything near the speed Bombardier is suggesting with the Antipode.
The designer himself doesn't seem too worried that his concept is still decades away.

Source - http://goo.gl/tT0jNR

Emirates completes world's longest nonstop flight

Love to travel but dread delays and stopovers on long-haul flights?

There's possibly exciting news for you.

Emirates has launched the world's longest nonstop commercial flight by distance between Dubai and New Zealand.

An Airbus 380, the world's largest passenger plane, left Dubai and touched down in Auckland Wednesday, after traversing 14,200 kilometers.

Taking 17 hours and 15 minutes on the stretch from Auckland back to Dubai, Emirates claims it's a more fuel-efficient way to complete the journey, as well as being the quickest.

"Emirates will be using flexible routes, which can vary by day, taking advantage of tail winds and avoiding head winds to reduce the time in the air," it said.

Scheduled daily, the new flight shaves three hours from Emirates' existing services that include a stopover in Australia.

A double-decker A380 was used to celebrate the debut but the Boeing 777-200LR will fly the route regularly.

To help you get through those uninterrupted, layover-free hours, Emirates assures that "gourmet meals and fine wines" will be on offer, along with "more than 2,000 channels of entertainment and information" on individual screens.

Emirates was poised to break another record when it announced daily service between Dubai and Panama City would begin on February 1, opening up connections between the Middle East and Central America.

Taking an incredible 17 hours and 35 minutes to travel 13,800 kilometers, the flight would eclipse Qantas Airways' service between Sydney and Dallas, which takes a little under 17 hours.

However, Emirates has delayed the planned service until late March, pending codeshare approvals from Latin America.

Source -  http://goo.gl/TN3Ez1

Etihad’s NY-Mumbai luxury flight world’s most expensive at Rs 25 lakh

 

When Etihad Airways operated its first Airbus A380 flight from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai on May 1, the city joined a rare league of most expensive flight routes on the globe, which start at Rs 3.31 lakhs for a one-way ticket.

With a seating capacity of 496 passengers, the flight includes The Residence, a luxury suite in the sky meant for two, comprising a shower room, bed room with double bed and living room.

According a press statement issued by the Gulf carrier on Tuesday, an all inclusive one-way ticket for the experience is approximately $38,000 (Rs 25.22 lakhs) on the New York - Mumbai route. The same experience on the Abu Dhabi - Mumbai route will cost $ 5,000 (Rs 3.31 lakhs) and the London-Mumbai route will come for $26,000 (Rs 17.25 lakhs).

The Residence, which is also equipped with a 32-inch flat television, butler service and an exclusive chef on board, made headlines when it offered jaw dropping fares of $25,000 one-way for its inaugural flight from London to Abu Dhabi last June.

Neerja Bhatia, vice president, Etihad Indian Subcontinent, said the flight was introduced in India to make the most of the holiday season on busy routes.

“Maharashtra is one of the largest states in India, and its capital Mumbai is a cosmopolitan, dynamic and popular city. Mumbai to New York represents the largest premium travel market out of India, and with the busy holiday season upon us, it is the perfect time to bring our newest product to Mumbai.”

She added that the new daily A380 Mumbai flights also had the company’s First Apartments and Business Studios.

Source- http://goo.gl/kad2dm

New Flights from NYC to Boston Are Cheaper Than a Train Ticket

Mport and Boston Logan starting Oct. 31, with fares starting as low as $49 one way—a price that not just beatore good news for travelers: JetBlue says it will offer nonstop flights between New York’s LaGuardia Airs Amtrak on the route, but in some cases, even the car. The airline will fly six round-trips daily on weekdays with flights spaced evenly throughout the day; the first departing at 6:30 a.m. and the last departure at 7:30 pm. Reduced service will operate on weekends, with two roundtrips on Saturdays and three on Sundays.

To make way for these new flights at congested (and unpopular) LaGuardia, JetBlue is shifting some of its current flights over to Newark, following the FAA’s recent decision to boost competition at the New Jersey hub by relaxing slot controls. The airline will also add multiple daily flights to Fort Lauderdale and four other Florida cities out of Newark on October 30, JetBlue said.

Given that JetBlue is taking on some formidable incumbents—mainly, the two Northeast Corridor air shuttles now run by Delta and American, which took over US Airways Shuttle last year following the carrier’s merger—the moves are sure to give rivals some pause. At present, both lines offer hourly flights from New York to Boston as well as to Washington Reagan National, a schedule that draws largely a business clientele, including plenty of boldface names, who pay some of the highest fares in the country on a per-mile basis. A recent check of New York-Boston shuttle fares turned up round-trip fares of more than $700. Compare that to the fare on a typical Acela express train between the two cities, which costs between $174-$261 each way, and price discrepancies—especially in the wake of this JetBlue news—are apparent.

In recent years, air shuttles have lost some ground to Amtrak’s express Acela service in the market, not just because of the high air fares but also due to the added hassle of flying and going through security, post-9/11. But still, the convenience of these short hops, around 45 minutes flying time to each city’s airport, hasn’t totally lost its cachet—which dates back to the days when the Eastern Air Lines shuttle ruled the route in the 1960s and '70s. Then, passengers could waltz up to the gate without a reservation minutes before takeoff and, of course, no one demanded to see a photo ID. Eastern also guaranteed a seat to anyone who showed up on time, even if it meant rolling out an extra plane, a custom that continued under successive shuttle owners, including, briefly, Donald Trump—who bought the operation in 1988 and, in typical fashion, slapped his name on the planes and tarted them up with faux marble sinks and other trademark flourishes throughout. (The Trump Shuttle tanked in 1991 and was ultimately taken over by US Airways.)

Naturally, JetBlue’s incursion into this arena is more modest than The Donald’s grandiose vision: at one point, the billionaire boasted he’d make his eponymous line “the greatest airline in the world.” JetBlue will operate the service using 100-seat Embraer regional jets, and hasn’t said anything about flying to Washington-National, at least yet.

Source- http://goo.gl/jOS8KT

Reno-Tahoe announces nonstop Delta flight to and from Atlanta

Delta will soon offer nonstop service from Reno-Tahoe International Airport to Atlanta.

The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority announced the new flight on Friday, April 29.

The first flight will start on Dec. 19, flying to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Internation Airport.

According to airport officials, this is the eighth new flight added to Reno-Tahoe in the past 14 months.

The flight will operate three times a week from December 19, 2016 until January 3, 2017, with the following schedule:

    (i)Westbound - The ATL-RNO operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

   (ii)Eastbound - The RNO-ATL flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

   (iii)The flight will depart ATL at 5:59 PM and arrive RNO at 8:20 PM

   (iv)The aircraft will remain at RNO overnight

   (v)The following morning the aircraft will depart RNO at 7:00 AM and arrives ATL at 2:15 p.m.

Then the flight will be reduced to weekly, Saturday only service from January 7, 2017 until March 26, 2017, with the following schedule:

    (i)The flight will depart ATL at 4:00 PM and arrive RNO at 6:19 PM
   (ii)The aircraft will remain at RNO overnight
   (iii)The following morning (Sunday) the aircraft will depart RNO at 7:00 AM and arrive ATL at 2:15 PM

Tickets will go on sale starting Saturday, April 30, on delta.com.

Source- http://goo.gl/2cElAL

Air Canada to launch non-stop flights from Vancouver to Delhi

Air Canada announced the introduction of the only non-stop flights from Vancouver to Delhi, India beginning October 20, 2016, in time for Diwali festivities. The seasonal, three times weekly flights complement Air Canada's Toronto-Delhi non-stop service launched last fall. To promote the new Vancouver-Delhi route, Air Canada is offering special introductory fares starting as low as USD 999 round trip, all-in. Tickets are now available for purchase on Aircanada.com and through travel agents.

Flights will operate three-times-weekly October 20, 2016 to April 8, 2017 with Air Canada's state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft featuring 30 International Business Class lie-flat pod suites, 21 Premium Economy and 247 Economy Class seats with upgraded in-flight entertainment at every seat throughout the aircraft.

Source - http://goo.gl/2Qy2Zm