Air India announced on June 27, 2024, that the maiden long-haul flight will depart from Delhi on September 1, 2024, replacing the current Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on 14 of 17 weekly flights.听

The shift to the Airbus A350 will generate an extra 336 between Delhi and London each week, according to Air India.  

Air India精东影业 first ever A350-900 flight with was between Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport (BLR) and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) on January 22, 2024.  

Around three months later on May 1, 2024, Air India精东影业 first international flight took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Dubai International Airport (DXB), a relatively short hop for a plane that can fly over 9,000 miles.    

Now the airline and staff are more familiar with the aircraft and flying internationally, Air India clearly felt it was in a good position to schedule its first long-haul flight.    

鈥淭he deployment of our flagship A350s and the B777s with upgraded cabin interiors to London Heathrow marks a significant milestone for Air India. It demonstrates our commitment to elevating the travel experience of our guests to truly world-class standards and to going beyond just meeting customer expectations as we continue to renew our fleet,鈥� said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India. 

The airline boss added: 鈥淲ith our industry-leading cabin products on the A350 including a new Premium Economy experience and a host of new on board enhancements rolling out, we are confident that these daily flights between India and London Heathrow will soon be the preferred choice for travelers.鈥�  

The new route between Delhi and London-Heathrow will allow Air India to introduce its premium economy class on the service for the first time. 

Air India精东影业 A350-900 aircraft have a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats: 28 private business suites with full-flat beds, 24 premium economy seats with extra legroom and other amenities, and 264 economy seats.   

According to , Air India currently has six A350-900s in service and is awaiting delivery of 14 more as well as 20 of the larger A350-1000s.听聽

Air India精东影业 first six A350-900s were originally earmarked for the Russian airline, Aeroflot. 

However, after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, sanctions subsequently put in place by Western nations meant that the completed A350s could not be delivered and became available for purchase.听 聽

Sneak peek: New Air India A320neo livery spotted at Airbus facility in Toulouse

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-06

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) flag carrier announced on May 15, 2024, that it had taken delivery of over 3,000 metric tons of neat SAF, blended with conventional jet fuel.  

It精东影业 the first time that Emirates has used SAF to power planes at Heathrow and represents the largest volume of the fuel type it has purchased to date.听

The initiative will run until the end of summer 2024 as part of Heathrow精东影业 SAF Incentive Program (introduced in 2022), which ensures its affordability and accessibility for airlines operating at the airport. 

SAF that Emirates has purchased from Shell Aviation will be safely dropped into existing airport fueling infrastructure and aircraft jet engines.听 聽

鈥淓mirates is eager to take this next step in our SAF journey with Shell Aviation and London Heathrow supporting us with this fuel supply arrangement in one of our biggest operations outside of Dubai. The LHR Incentive Programme will support the SAF market精东影业 increasing momentum, allowing airlines like Emirates to take advantage of its availability and make it more commercially viable,鈥� said Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer, Emirates Airline. 

He added: 鈥淲e hope that the initiative receives collective support of government authorities to boost more investment in SAF production in the future.鈥� 

The Dubai-based airline said that it will be 鈥渁ccounting for, tracking and tracing the delivery of SAF at Heathrow as well as its sustainability attributes through robust reporting methodologies鈥�. 

Emirates currently operates flights from Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, and Oslo with SAF and last year the carrier worked with Shell Aviation to power some flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) with the fuel variant.听

Later this month Emirates will be working with local partners at (SIN) for the supply of SAF through the airport精东影业 fueling systems.听 聽

On November 22, 2023, Emirates was the first airline to power an Airbus A380 with SAF.听聽

The demonstration flight took off from Dubai International Airport with one of its four engines hooked up to Neste supplied SAF.    

Emirates completes first flights from Dubai powered by Shell Aviation SAF

• Airlines
• Sustainability

byIan Molyneaux

2023-11-07

During April 2024, the airport handled a daily average of 224,000 passengers, while Friday, April 19, 2024, saw the airport精东影业 busiest post-pandemic day of operations with a total of 1,337 movements (arrivals and departures) in the single 24-hour period. The airport handled 39,517 aircraft movements for the month and 151,923 between January and April 2024, increases of 5.1% and 7.5%, respectively, year-on-year. 

Additionally, in the rolling twelve months from May 2023 to April 2024, the airport handled 81.1 million passengers, an increase of 15.5% over the same period in 2022/23. 

Heathrow handled 79.2 million in 2023 to rank fourth in the world for total passengers, recovering to 97.9% from 2019 figures. This compares favorably with the world average. In 2023, almost 8.5 billion passengers passed through the world’s airports, 27.2% more than in 2022, representing a 93.8% recovery compared to pre-pandemic (2019) figures.听聽

鈥淚t takes an extraordinary team to deliver this strong performance and I鈥檓 proud of what everyone across the airport has achieved so far this year,鈥� said Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye. 鈥淎s we continue to grow, our focus is on making Heathrow fit for the future, delivering reliable journeys for all our customers today, and getting ready for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.鈥�  

However, the airport remains dissatisfied with the lack of support from the UK government in terms of providing policies that help facilities such as Heathrow. The airport would like to see initiatives such as the introduction of visas for transiting passengers, the absence of tax-free shopping, and the abolishment of a recently proposed hike in business rates, which the airport said is curtailing the UK’s global connectivity.  

The airport believes that a supportive policy environment for aviation would deliver a much-needed boost to the UK economy by encouraging people to visit, spend, and do business in the country.  

鈥淭o unlock our full potential to鈥痟elp grow the country’s economy, we鈥痭eed the Government to implement policies that support UK aviation精东影业 ability to compete globally, and thus make the UK more competitive overall,” Thomas Woldbye added. 

Breaking down the numbers 

Breaking down the 39,517 aircraft movements in April 2024, 44% of those were from the EU, 20% from North America, 9% from Asia-Pacific, 8% from the UK and from non-EU Europe, 6% from the Middle East, 3% from Africa and 2% from Latin America.  

The fastest growing markets compared to April 2023 were the UK (28.0%), followed by Asia-Pacific (9.5%), the EU (4.7%), Latin America (4.5%), non-EU Europe (4.4%) and the Middle East (3.0%). Africa fell by 5.7%, and North America remained about the same as the same month in 2023.听

East Asian and Middle Eastern routes have seen double-digit percentage increases in passengers. A surge in passengers to Delhi and Mumbai has made these cities the sixth and eighth most popular destinations so far in 2024 with New York, Dubai, and Doha taking the top three spots, respectively.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Notably, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, Heathrow精东影业 Terminal 2 welcomed its millionth flight with Icelandair FI454 from Keflavik International Airport (KEF) arriving at 19:49.  The milestone comes as the Terminal prepares to mark the 10th鈥痑nniversary of its complete renovation which was completed in the summer of 2014. 

Looking ahead, Heathrow精东影业 forecasts show that the airport remains on track to see its busiest-ever year of operations in 2024. Current estimated figures issued by the airport show that it is forecast to handle 82.4 million passengers by the end of the year.听聽

Qantas Asia update: end of Shanghai service and launch of Brisbane-Manila route

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-14

鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

According to Heathrow Airport, the positive performance, during what is traditionally a quieter period of the year, was in part driven by growth on key business routes like Delhi and Mumbai and strong North American traffic.听

The airport also witnessed a surge in demand for services to East Asia with a 40% increase in numbers compared with the first quarter in 2023.   

Heathrow also said that it expects summer 2024 to be its busiest on record and has a 鈥渞obust operating plan in place to keep the airport running smoothly, even if unnecessary industrial action materializes鈥�. 

Considering the strong performance so far this year the airport has increased its 2024 passenger outlook to 82.4 million. 

鈥淚t has been a successful start to the year thanks to colleagues delivering a consistent, reliable service to our passengers. As I close the chapter on eight years as CFO, I鈥檓 proud that Heathrow is on a strong financial footing with a clear flightpath ahead. On the horizon is Heathrow精东影业 busiest summer yet with more passengers and destinations served than ever before. We鈥檙e ready to continue delivering,鈥� Heathrow CFO Javier Echave said. 

Heathrow also announced it made an 拢83 million ($103M) pre-tax profit in the first quarter compared with a 拢139 million ($173M) loss during the same period in 2023.  

Heathrow is bracing itself for strike action at the airport throughout May 2023 with employees from a range of job areas taking part.听聽

Singapore精东影业 Changi is no longer the world’s best airport according to Skytrax

• Airport

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-04-23

Passengers onboard the British Airways Airbus A380 (registered G-XLED) had already suffered an almost four-hour delay to their flight before they eventually took off, but a technical issue killed any hopes of arriving at London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) anytime soon.听

Flight BA 12 was scheduled to depart Singapore at 23:20 local time on April 22, 2024, and arrive in Lonon-Heathrow at 06:30. However, the delay meant the A380 did not get off the ground until 03:10.  

After flying for a short time over Malaysia the superjumbo turned around but was faced with the issue of reducing the fuel weight before being able to land.  

According to flightradar.com data, the incident resulted in the BA A380 circling for around five hours burning off fuel over the South China Sea.听

back on the ground in Singapore after more than 5 hours in the air.

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24)

When it was safe to do so passengers were eventually flown back to Singapore Changi Airport where the aircraft landed on runway 2C.听

Commenting on the incident flightradar24 said: “5 hours is a long time to go nowhere, but safety is the #1 priority.”

British Airways subsequently delayed the flight to the following day.  

This latest news of passenger endurance comes after passengers onboard a El Al Boeing 777-200ER between Tel Aviv and Dubai were taken on a nine-hour trip before ending up back in Israel.听聽

El Al passengers on flight from Tel Aviv endure a nine-hour trip to nowhere聽聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-04-18

The (ACI), which announced the results on April 14, 2024, said that the global total passenger forecast for 2023 stands close to 8.5 billion, an increase of 27.2% from 2022.听

Passenger numbers also recovered to 93.8% of pre COVID-19 pandemic levels with international travel noted as a strong driver of this.  

鈥淕lobal air travel in 2023 was chiefly fueled by the international segment, propelled by several factors,鈥� ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. 鈥淎mong these were the anticipated benefits from China精东影业 reopening and a growing inclination towards travel despite macroeconomic conditions.鈥� 

Dubai International Airport (DXB) climbed three positions to become the second busiest in the world with nearly 87 million passengers and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) served 81 million, finishing third.  

鈥淲hile perennial leaders from the US continue to dominate the top 10 busiest airports for passengers, notably Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retaining its number one position, there are notable shifts. Dubai International Airport jumped to second rank for the first time, while Tokyo Haneda International Airport witnessed a remarkable ascent from 16th position in 2022 to 5th in 2023,鈥� Felipe de Oliveira added.听聽

London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) was in fourth place with 79 million passengers. The other airports to make it into the top ten were Denver (DEN), Istanbul (IST), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD) and New Delhi (DEL).  

When looking at only international passenger numbers, DXB came out top with 86 million, followed by LHR with 74 million and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) with 61 million. 

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) also maintained the top position for the world精东影业 busiest cargo airport followed by Memphis International Airport (MEM) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).听

NetJets pilots鈥� pay to rival those at major airlines after new terms approved聽

• Business Aviation

byIan Molyneaux

2024-04-15

The three major UK airports were initially set to abolish the 100ml liquid carry-on restrictions by June 1, 2024. 

Technology incorporated into the new airport scanners will negate the need for passengers to take out toiletries and laptops from their cabin bags for security checks. 

The BBC has reported that the installation delay for the new scanners could last up to a year, meaning that passengers passing through these airports could still be required to adhere to current airport security protocols up until June 2025.

Smaller airports in the UK seem to be faring better. Teesside International Airport (MME) and London City Airport (LCY) already have the new scanners installed. Meanwhile, Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), Birmingham Airport (BHX)t, Bristol Airport (BRS) and East Midlands Airport (EMA) are expected to meet the June 1, 2024 deadline.  

According to the UK Department of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority will impose financial penalties on airports that keep missing deadlines to install the next-generation scanners.

The new scanners feature computed tomography (CT) scans that provide clearer 3D images. Consequently, items can be left inside bags and liquids of up to two liters will be permitted.

London airport scraps 100ml liquid rule and reveals new process for electronics

• Airport
• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2023-04-04

The airline said that it will gradually be replacing its ground vehicles at Heathrow, such as vans and cars, cargo transporters and passenger steps, moving towards hybrid or electric alternatives where available. 

According to British Airways, more than 90% of its vehicles and ground equipment at Heathrow are either zero emissions electrical equipment when being used or driven, (hybrids) or are operating on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel. 

Part of the improvement plans include:

• Replacing more than 750 pieces of British Airways鈥� ground equipment, including fuel bowsers from fossil fuel to HVO.  
• Replacing all diesel passenger aircraft steps with electric alternatives. This aims to reduce fuel consumption by more than 370 tons of CO2 emissions per year, based on previous diesel usage. Many of the electric steps will be in full service by the end of the year. 
• Phasing out the airline精东影业 fleet of 20 diesel-powered vehicles which support the loading and unloading of cargo containers onto aircraft, replacing them with Hybrid Electric models.  
• Introducing 135 new electric baggage tugs, accounting for 40% of the airline精东影业 current tugs, to transport customer’s luggage. This improved battery and charging technology utilizes highly efficient lithium-ion battery technology, requiring less energy and producing 30% less C02 when in use compared to traditional lead acid batteries. 
• Gradually phasing out all 38 diesel passenger buses over the next two years, with 23 expected to be fully electric and the remaining 15 operating on HVO fuel, with a large charging park at LHR Airport now in the early stages of development.

鈥淎t British Airways, we are committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and our focus isn鈥檛 just about reducing emissions in the air, but on the ground too,鈥� Tom Moran, British Airways鈥� Director of Heathrow said in a statement.

鈥淭his major investment into our vehicles at Heathrow is our largest investment in more sustainable airport ground operations to date and is part of our wider environmental objective to minimize emissions from our airside ground operation. We鈥檙e proud of the work we are doing in this space and are excited to continue improving the running of our ground operations at Heathrow,鈥� Moran added.

British Airways $8B revamp includes new seats, app and A380 first class suites

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-03-05

The unnamed 24-year-old suspect worked at Terminal 5 at London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) and is said to have charged 拢25,000 ($32,000) per passenger to circumvent a loophole in the system and allow them to board British Airways flights to Canada without the necessary visa documents.

Once the passengers arrived in Canada, they would apply for asylum status. 

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a person can claim asylum at a Canadian airport. Under current Canadian immigration laws, a person needs to show that they cannot return to their country of nationality or residence because they fear persecution for at least one of the following reasons: 

• Race or nationality
• Religion
• Member of a particular social group
• Political opinion
• Risk to your life or cruel and inhuman treatment 
• Risk of torture

Suspicions were raised when Canadian officials observed a disproportionate number of passengers on British Airways flights from LHR would immediately declare asylum upon arrival at either Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) or Vancouver International Airport (YVR).

Media outlet The Times reported that the majority of the asylum seekers were Indian nationals who were advised to first fly to the United Kingdom under a temporary visa, before getting on a flight to Canada.

The suspect was arrested on January 6, 2024, but was released upon settling bail. He then fled to India with his partner, also a British Airways ground services employee. The airline terminated both of the workers’ contracts.  

UK Border Force and police are currently working with Indian authorities to track down the pair.

Turkish Airlines refutes claims of aiding illegal immigration traffic

• Airlines

byGabriele Petrauskaite

2021-11-10

The busiest-ever February half-term school holiday saw more than two million passengers pass through the airport. While winter ski destinations were popular, it was short breaks to winter sun destinations that saw the bulk of the traffic, with almost two-thirds of travelers heading to locations warmer than London. 

Even ignoring the fact that 2024 is a leap year and the airport handled around 207,000 passengers on February 29, 2024, alone, these latest figures confirm that the airport remains on track to handle more passengers in 2024 than any year in its history.  

In addition to passenger numbers, cargo tonnage throughput was also up 21% in February 2024 over the same month in 2023. Heathrow outperformed both its main European comparators and the global average, which came in at 8%. 

Along with booming traffic figures, Heathrow精东影业 list of destinations continues to increase. The latest route additions include more services to Scottish cities served by home-grown Scottish carrier Loganair, new British Airways routes to Abu Dhabi (AUH), Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Kos (KGS) and Izmir (ADB), and a new Virgin Atlantic service to Bangalore (BLR), The return of IAG-owned airline Vueling operating new services to both Barcelona (BCN) and Paris (Orly) in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics gives the west London airport more European links, and will also bring more connecting passengers through Heathrow.听聽

鈥淚t was wonderful to welcome so many passengers for the first holiday peak of 2024, setting a new Heathrow record,鈥� said Heathrow CEO, Thomas Woldbye. 鈥淲hile we are serving more people, visitors to the UK are spending less since the removal of tax-free shopping, impacting businesses across the country. The Spring Budget was a missed opportunity to give the whole tourism, hospitality, and retail sector the support it needs to compete internationally.鈥� 

The airport精东影业 management clearly remains frustrated by what it perceives to be a lack of support from the UK government and its ongoing fiscal policies.  

According to a Heathrow Airport press release, Jeremy Hunt, the UK精东影业 Chancellor of the Exchequer 鈥渕issed the opportunity to back British business at the Spring Budget, prioritizing short-term decisions over policies that would deliver the growth and jobs the UK economy needs. Instead, [Hunt] raised taxes on aviation with no ring-fencing for the green transition.鈥� 

In 2023, the UK精东影业 leading air travel hub saw massive growth鈥痺ith passenger numbers recovering to 79.2 million, the third-highest year in Heathrow精东影业 history. Additionally, the airport outperformed all other European hubs by being rated as the 鈥渂est airport in Europe鈥�, claimed the title of the world精东影业 鈥渕ost connected鈥� hub, and returned to the top five largest airports in the world.  

In 2024, the airport hopes to handle a total of 81.4 million 鈥� more passengers than it has ever handled in a single year previously. 鈥�

Vueling to being services to Barcelona and Paris from London-Heathrow聽聽

• Airlines
• Aviation

byLuke Peters

2024-02-15