The Week in brief
Air France has launched new services to Africa
- Air France has launched services to two new destinations in Africa: Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Monrovia, Liberia. The carrier is also now offering daily, non-stop services to Conakry, Guinea. All routings will use Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The Freetown and Monrovia flights will be offered twice a week.
- Etihad Airways has signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council (ADTC). The MoU outlines how ADTC will endorse aviation careers on their database and educate prospective employees about Etihad’s Emiratisation program and its employment standards. Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan believes the MoU will benefit both parties. “I am delighted to partner up with ADTC, a leading organization focused on achieving full sustainable employment and development of the UAE national workforce,” he said in a statement. “As the national airline of the UAE, it is our duty and our privilege to provide the very best career opportunities within our airline through our Emiratisation program. This partnership will allow us to expand our reach to UAE nationals across the country so that we may bring their unique experiences and understanding of the region to Etihad.”
- Haugsted AirCargo Services has opened an office in the Spirit Air Cargo Handling Terminal at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. At its new location, Haugsted, an affiliate of the Wallenborn Group, will coordinate freight forwarders, GSAs and airlines throughout Sweden.
- Boeing has received multiple qualifications for its global network of 787 pilot training programs. With 787 training campuses in Seattle, Singapore, Tokyo, London Gatwick and Shanghai, Boeing had to demonstrate that training was consistent at all facilities to receive these qualifications. “Boeing is changing the game through continued innovation in our advanced suite of training technologies,” Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Services, said in a statement. “By bringing this cutting-edge training directly to airlines in the regions of the world where they're based and serve their passengers, we're offering our customers the flexibility and efficiency of flight crew training where they need it, when they need it.”
- UPS announced that it will be equipping its aircraft with the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS), making it the first international airline to do so. A fire safety tool, the EVAS displaces smoke in the cockpit with a transparent Inflatable Vision Unit. This helps pilots maintain their field of vision in the case of such an adverse event.
- Singapore Changi Airport revealed that airfreight increased by 5.6 percent in March, reaching 166,100 tonnes. This achievement makes March Changi’s busiest month since 2008. Aircraft movements also increased in March, rising 13 percent. Airport executives attribute much of this growth to low-cost carriers.
