Brief from above: Finnair, Singapore Airlines, XL Airways, Ryanair, Flybe, Transavia, Air Transat, etc.

Ryanair announced the cancellation of 190 flights on Friday due to a new strike by its cabin crew in Europe, another highlight of an endemic dispute that the airline is struggling to stop.

« Ryanair apologizes to the 30,000 customers (out of 450,000) who are expected to be affected by these unjustified disruptions » and who will affect 8% of its flights, explained in a statement the Irish company, blaming «  a tiny minority of cabin crew in Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy and Germany« . The low-cost airline has been hit by several strikes since this summer, the culmination of a year-long social discontent that has forced it to enter into negotiations with trade unions in recent months, something it had refused to do in its first 30 years of existence.

This summer, young passengers of the French airline XL Airways were able to discover Skykids, a new immersive virtual reality entertainment system created especially to entertain children aged 6 to 12 on long-haul flights. This service allows them to watch movies in 2D, 3D and 360° as in the cinema. Since July 1st, the entire fleet of XL Airways, a long-time SkyLights customer, has been equipped.

Finnair was awarded a 5-star airline at the 2019 APEX Global Airline 2019. Based on the assessment of airline customers worldwide, this award recognizes the excellence of Finnair’s services. Travellers’ opinions are thus checked according to their itinerary and geolocation.

On 11 October, the first new Airbus A350-900ULR from Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be put into service on the Singapore-New York route for the longest commercial flight in the world (16700 km for a flight time of up to 18H45) and then deployed on the Singapore-Los Angeles route as of 02 November.
With 161 seats in two-class configuration (67 business class and 94 premium economy), Singapore Airlines’ A350-900ULR has a higher ceiling, larger windows, extra-wide fuselage, quieter cabin and a brightness designed to reduce the effects of jet lag.
As the launch company for this new aircraft, SIA has ordered 7 copies of the A350-900ULR and currently has 22 A350-900s in operation in its fleet for a total order of 67 Airbus A350s.

Flybe is working with Amadeus to implement a wide range of advanced technology through its Altéa Suite. This move to redesign its digital offer supports Flybe’s strategy of continuously improving its business, which includes providing a highly personalized and industry-leading interactive digital offer before, during and after the trip. Amadeus mobile solutions will also offer the company’s passengers diversion options in the event of a disruption, directly from the Flybe mobile application.
Flybe also unveiled the first device in its remarkably simplified new livery. Reflecting its new brand proposal « Close to You », coordinated and in line with its existing painting and planned maintenance programs, Flybe’s new white and purple livery is delivered at no additional cost to the company. It was created and developed by the company’s own internal team.

On September 29, 2018, Louis Vuitton will open its first store at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport (Terminal 2E / Hall K). « We are proud to welcome the emblematic French luxury brand to the heart of France’s largest airport. Louis Vuitton, created even before the first aircraft flew, is now landing at one of the most efficient hubs in the world, » said Augustin de Romanet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the ADP Group.
For the first time in an airport in France, Louis Vuitton’s know-how and excellence will be expressed through a selection of leather goods and accessories for women and men, a ready-to-wear capsule for women, shoes, luggage and perfumes.
This store, with its evolving concept, will offer frequent events such as the personalization service that allows you to initial your luggage and bags on site. This service will be offered to international customers from the opening.

Malaysia Airlines, in partnership with Amadeus, has just launched MHchat, a new tool that offers travellers the ability to book flights and pay via the popular Facebook Messenger social network application.
Developed in collaboration with Malaysia Airlines, the pilot customer of the project, the Amadeus conversational system is a new solution designed to help travellers book flights, find bookings and ask questions via an already familiar social network messaging platform.
Available directly on Facebook Messenger, Malaysia Airlines customers can use MHchat to check available flights or ask a question about a reservation. The application will search, locate and propose the corresponding offers or information using artificial intelligence (AI). Travellers can even make transactions, make secure payments and receive their travel itinerary from MHchat.