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LONDON, – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has expanded the menus offered by its celebrated New York restaurant partner Blue Smoke on routes across Europe from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The move continues the airline’s focus on bringing regional fare to the in-flight experience.

The exclusive creations by Executive Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois are being served in the BusinessElite cabin on flights to Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Paris Charles De Gaulle and Zurich. These routes join New York-JFK to London Heathrow, on which the partnership was launched in February this year.

“Unique in-flight dining is something our customers look forward to,” said Brian Berry, Delta’s Director of Onboard Services Strategic Planning. “Partnering with Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois’ team at Blue Smoke allows us to deliver an innovative menu offering that customers do not expect to find on an aircraft.”

The seasonal menus will be refreshed every three months and with four choices per flight, frequent fliers will be able to choose a different dish each time they travel. Current options for the winter menu include a root beer braised beef short rib, smoked chicken, baby back pork ribs, and root vegetable skewers served over toasted faro. These are served with the signature cocktail of the season and finished off with a selection of ice creams and toppings from the specialty Blue Smoke sundae bar.

Union Square Hospitality Group, which owns Blue Smoke, is the creator of some of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants and helmed by James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Danny Meyer.

Chef Bourgeois and Blue Smoke are part of a renowned culinary team, hand-picked by Delta, to design menus highlighting regional cuisine. Other chefs working exclusively with Delta include Linton Hopkins, Michelle Bernstein and Michael Chiarello. All menus from these chefs are complemented by wines selected by the airline’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. In October this year, the menus of Californian chef Chiarello debuted on Delta’s new flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow.

NEW YORK,NY — JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU), New York’s Hometown Airline™, is partnering with content providers Coursera, FOX, HarperCollins Publishers, National Geographic, Rouxbe and Time Inc. to offer customers more free content than any other U.S carrier in the sky. The Fly-Fi Hub is the new gateway to JetBlue’s Fly-Fi offering, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, and went live this morning. Available to JetBlue customers via their own personal device, it will offer a wide range of entertainment options such as some of the most popular TV shows from FOX and National Geographic, ebook samples from HarperCollins, e-learning videos from Coursera and Rouxbe and the option to purchase magazines from Time Inc.’s portfolio.

In the next phase of JetBlue’s Fly-Fi Hub, due to roll out first quarter 2015, additional content from PBS, Random House and the Wall Street Journal will be added. PBS will primarily provide childrens content, while the Wall Street Journal will allow customers onboard full complementary access to wsj.com whilst onboard.

“Our Fly-Fi Hub will set a new standard of onboard content in the airline industry. Not only are we the only U.S. airline to offer free Wi-Fi to customers, with our new portal, we are now taking it to the next level and provide endless hours of entertainment whether you want to read, learn or just relax watching a TV show. To make this a reality, we have partnered with some of the most respected content providers, with plenty more to come in 2015,” said Jamie Perry, director of product development, JetBlue.

Content available on the Fly-Fi Hub as of today:

10 e-learning videos from Coursera, including courses from Berklee School of Music, University of Edinburgh and Wharton Business School;
Some of FOX’s most popular TV shows, including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Gotham, New Girl and Sleepy Hollow;
Excerpts from more than 20 bestselling books published by HarperCollins including The Heist by Daniel Silva, I Must Say by Martin Short, Flesh and Blood by Patricia Cornwell, Yes Please by Amy Poehler and Endgame: The Calling by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton
National Geographic shows, including Brain Games, Ultimate Survival Alaska and Wicked Tuna;
A number of learning videos from Rouxbe focusing on cooking, with the opportunity for a free trial once at home; and
Time Inc.’s full array of monthly magazines including InStyle, Real Simple, Southern Living, Essence, Health, Travel + Leisure, People en Español and Golf. Time Inc.’s weekly magazines will be available in 2015.
The content on JetBlue’s Fly-Fi Hub will be uniquely available both online and offline, making all programming available on all Fly-Fi equipped aircraft. Approximately 20 Fly-Fi equipped aircraft are expected to offer the Fly-Fi Hub by the end of November, with all of JetBlue’s 97 Fly-Fi equipped aircraft by the end of the year.

“We are thrilled to be working with JetBlue on their Fly-Fi Hub,” said Angela Tribelli, Chief Marketing Officer, HarperCollins Publishers. “This is a terrific opportunity for travelers to enjoy some of the best books of the year during the busy, and oftentimes stressful, holiday travel period. We, like JetBlue, are committed to being at the forefront of our industry, so collaborating with them on this innovative consumer experience was a natural fit.”

“We are always striving to reach consumers wherever they want to engage with our content, and we’re delighted to be JetBlue’s exclusive magazine launch partner for the Fly-Fi Hub,” said Lynne Biggar, Executive Vice President, Consumer Marketing + Revenue, Time Inc. “JetBlue is providing a great customer experience and we look forward to further collaboration as Fly-Fi continues to grow.”

JetBlue launched Fly-Fi, the fastest Wi-Fi among all U.S. airlines, last year, which is currently available on 88 aircraft, with the number of Fly-Fi enabled aircraft increasing each week. JetBlue is now the only airline in the world to offer free live television at every seat and free high-speed Wi-Fi. The new Fly-Fi Portal will serve as a content hub where customers can access a wide range of movies, television shows and additional content from their own personal devices.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 30 million customers a year to 86 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 825 daily flights. Flights to Curaçao will launch on December 2, 2014; subject to receipt of government approval. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

ATLANTA, — Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has chosen the Airbus A350-900 and A330-900neo to replace older generation Boeing 747 and 767 aircraft starting in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

Delta Air Lines and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 370 destinations on six continents. For more information visit news.delta.com.
The order for 25 state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft and 25 advanced Airbus A330-900neo aircraft fits within Delta’s existing capacity and capital expenditure plan and continues the airline’s focus on making prudent, cost-effective investments in its fleet.

“Delta always approaches fleet decisions with a balance of economic efficiency, customer experience enhancements, network integration and total cost of ownership,” said Nat Pieper, Delta’s Vice President – Fleet Strategy and Transactions. “The A350 and A330neo support our long-haul, transoceanic strategy and join a mix of Boeing and Airbus aircraft that provide exceptional flexibility for Delta’s global network as well as strong cash-on-cash returns for our shareholders.”

Airbus A350-900

The long-range Airbus A350-900 will continue Delta’s optimization of its Pacific network, operating primarily on long-range routes between the U.S. and Asia. The jets are expected to generate a 20 percent improvement in operating cost per seat compared to the Boeing 747-400 aircraft they will replace. Delta will take delivery of the A350 beginning in the second quarter of 2017.

The A350-900 will be powered by two fuel-efficient Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines.

Airbus A330neo (A330-900)

The widebody A330-900neo, an enhancement of Airbus’ successful A330 family featuring greater aerodynamic and economic efficiency, will be deployed on medium-haul trans-Atlantic markets as well as select routes connecting the U.S. West Coast and Asia. The aircraft are scheduled to enter the Delta fleet in 2019 and will deliver a 20 percent operating cost savings per seat over the Boeing 767-300ER aircraft it will replace.

The A330neo features the Rolls Royce Trent 7000 engine which is built with similar technology to the Trent XWB on the Airbus A350.

Delta began a structured fleet renewal in 2011 with the selection of new Boeing 737-900ER aircraft along with Boeing 717s and two-class Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jets, and continued it with transactions for Airbus A321 and A330 aircraft. Those aircraft are replacing inefficient older technology airplanes, generating substantial cost improvement and increased customer satisfaction. The airline continues to invest in the onboard product and amenities available to customers on its entire domestic and international fleet including installation of transoceanic satellite in-flight Wi-Fi, Delta Studio featuring a library of free streaming programming as well as more than 1,000 on-demand movies, television shows and music on large, high-definition seatback monitors, and other service improvements.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 165 million customers each year. This year, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine and was named to FORTUNE magazine’s 50 Most Admired Companies, in addition to being named the most admired airline for the third time in four years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 318 destinations in 58 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar, – Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Air Mandalay Limited signed a memorandum of collaboration today in support of working together toward Air Mandalay’s fleet renewal efforts. H.E. U Nyan Htun Aung, Minister of Transport of Myanmar and the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Derek J. Mitchell witnessed the signing.
Boeing will assist Air Mandalay with its efforts to procure Next-Generation 737 airplanes through leasing channels in support of Air Mandalay’s expansion plan.

“This memorandum is an important step in our growth strategy,” said Dato’ Adam Htoon, principal of Air Mandalay. “Due to the growth of tourism and business investment in Myanmar, air transportation has become an increasingly important contributor to both the nation’s economic growth and its infrastructure development. The country is looking to position itself as a major tourism destination capable of handling an increasing number of foreign visitors. The 737s will provide us with capabilities to support this critical national growth strategy.”

“We look forward to supporting Air Mandalay on its fleet expansion strategy, setting the foundation for a long and successful partnership between Air Mandalay and Boeing,” said Skip Boyce, president, Boeing Southeast Asia. “The Next-Generation 737 aircraft will provide Air Mandalay with market-leading efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort, allowing the airline to continue to prosper and grow in the region.”

“The U.S. government encourages responsible trade and investment by American companies that will support economic development, and improve the safety, security, and standard of living of the people of this country”, said Mitchell. “I am pleased by the kind of long-term commercial partnership that Air Mandalay and Boeing are committing to today, which serves as a model of constructive bilateral cooperation and can play a critical role in supporting broad-based, sustainable development here more broadly.”

The 737 family is the best-selling commercial jetliner in history, with orders for more than 12,000 airplanes through October 2014 from more than 280 customers. More than 8,000 737s have been delivered.

Air Mandalay Limited is a private joint venture company that was incorporated on October 6, 1994 to operate as Myanmar’s first privately owned airline and support the country’s tourism industry. The airline, based in Yangon, has since established itself as a carrier of high standards with a wide domestic network and one regional link to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. It operates to all of Myanmar’s main tourist destinations and commercial hubs. The airline also offers air charter services to destinations both within the country and regionally.

Over the past several days, we have received new information about the tragic incident that resulted in the death of Scaled Composites’ co-pilot Michael Alsbury and injuries to pilot Peter Siebold. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of these brave men. The following summarizes what has been learned from the formal investigation.

On October 31, 2014, SpaceShipTwo conducted a powered test flight and experienced a serious anomaly that resulted in vehicle failure. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is in charge of the investigation and we are cooperating fully with their work. While we cannot speculate on the causes of the incident, the NTSB has provided important information about the facts surrounding this case and in their final onsite press conference they described a timeline of events based on the telemetry data in their possession. The investigation will now continue offsite.

Based on information they have released about their investigation to date, the NTSB has recovered the intact engine and rocket propulsion fuel tanks with no signs of burn through or mid-air explosion. This definitively dismisses the premature and inaccurate speculation that the problem was related to the engine or the fuel.

The NTSB also evaluated the vehicle’s feathering mechanism, which is the unique technology that turns the wing booms into position for re-entry. The NTSB indicated that the lock/unlock lever was pulled prematurely based on recorded speed at the time, and they have suggested that subsequent aerodynamic forces then deployed the feathering mechanism, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the wings and vehicle. At this time, the NTSB investigation is still ongoing and no cause has yet been determined – these are purely facts based on initial findings. We are all determined to understand the cause of the accident and to learn all we can.

At Virgin Galactic, safety is our guiding principle and the North Star for all programmatic decisions. Our culture is one of prioritizing safety as the most important factor in every element of our work, and any suggestions to the contrary are untrue. We are committed to learning from this incident and ensuring something like this can never happen again. To that end, we will work closely with the NTSB and will focus intense effort on its findings and guidance.

For Virgin Galactic, everything rests on our vision of creating accessible and democratized space that will benefit humanity in countless ways for generations to come. Like early air or sea technologies, the development is not easy and comes with great risks, but our team of more than 400 dedicated engineers and technicians are committed to realizing the potential of this endeavor. From research, to travel, to innovation, we believe that the technology our industry is pioneering is crucial to the advancement of humanity.

Over the last few days, we have been so grateful for the outpouring of support and inspiration shared by countless Future Astronauts (customers), members of the space community and the public at large. Testing programs, reaching back to early aviation, have distinct risks, and our customers know that we will not move ahead with commercialized space travel until our expert engineers and pilots deem the program to be safe. These are among the brightest and most experienced professionals in the industry and our success has and will continue to be ensured by their expertise.

While this has been a tragic setback, we are moving forward and will do so deliberately and with determination. We are continuing to build the second SpaceShipTwo (serial number two), which is currently about 65% complete and we will continue to advance our mission over the coming weeks and months. With the guidance of the NTSB and the assurance of a safe path forward, we intend to move ahead with our testing program and have not lost sight of our mission to make space accessible for all. We owe it to all of those who have risked and given so much to stay the course and deliver on the promise of creating the first commercial spaceline.

Today marks one week since the tragic accident on SpaceShipTwo’s fourth rocket-powered test flight. The number of messages that have flowed in to us from all around the world expressing sympathies and condolences have been truly, truly helpful. Our team still hurts as we mourn the passing of a dear friend and the injury to another. Many have expressed a desire to help the families; one fund has been established here. There is another hole in our hearts that was once filled by the vehicle itself: Enterprise, the first SpaceShipTwo. We have worked with and flown on Enterprise for four years, and were so eager to see her reach her natural element of outer space in the next few months.

But your messages of support have lifted our spirits. Not only have you comforted us in a time of loss, you have told us to take courage, and to continue pressing forward with resolve. You have told us that you also believe that the space frontier must be opened, just as we do. For that, we thank you.

And we want to share with you our story, as we move forward. The lessons of October 31st will be learned, and our system and our team will be made stronger for it. The second SpaceShipTwo is already two-thirds complete, and our team are pouring themselves into that project with heightened resolve. Our will is indefatigable, and our team is determined.

In the near future, we’ll replace this temporary webpage with a more thorough site designed to help you understand who we are, what we are doing, and why . On that site, we’ll share with you the story of the construction and testing of the second SpaceShipTwo, the story of the ongoing development of our LauncherOne small satellite vehicle, and more.

For now, though, I leave you with this message of sincere thanks and resolve.
Ad Astra,
George T. Whitesides
CEO, Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company

NEW YORK, NY — JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) has welcomed Africa’s leading and most awarded airline, South African Airways (SAA), to its award-winning loyalty program TrueBlue. The two airlines have partnered since 2010. JetBlue’s TrueBlue members can now earn points when they travel on any flight operated by South African Airways.

“We are pleased to add another world-class airline to our loyalty program. Our TrueBlue members can now earn points when they fly on South African Airways’ flights from the US or anywhere on their network. Next year, members will also be able to redeem their points to fly on SAA. We look forward to continuing to expand our partnership,” said Robin Hayes, President, JetBlue.

To celebrate South African Airways’ entry into the TrueBlue loyalty program, one lucky TrueBlue member will win a nine-day South African Adventure for two, courtesy of South African Airways and South African Airways Vacations. The package includes Business Class travel on SAA between the U.S. and South Africa (connecting flights provided by JetBlue), four nights’ accommodation in Cape Town and two nights at a private safari game lodge adjacent to the Kruger National Park, including safaris and other activities throughout the trip. All details will be provided when the sweepstakes launches on November 28 (no purchase necessary). To become a TrueBlue member and participate, please sign up for free at https://trueblue.jetblue.com.

“South African Airways is delighted to build upon the successful partnership that we established with JetBlue over five years ago, by offering enhanced benefits for both our customers through our respective frequent flyer programs,” said Marc Cavaliere, Executive Vice President-North America & Global Alliances. “We offer the most service from the U.S. to South Africa and an extensive route network of 40 destinations throughout the African continent, which will provide TrueBlue members with new points earning opportunities when they fly the award-winning services of SAA.”

As codeshare partners, JetBlue’s “B6” code is on SAA-operated flights between the U.S. and Johannesburg, South Africa, and between the U.S. to Dakar, Senegal, as well as on connecting flights to select destinations beyond Johannesburg including Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Customers purchasing a codeshare itinerary will benefit from having a single ticket combining SAA- and JetBlue-operated flights as well as conveniences on their day of travel including one-stop check-in and baggage transfer. SAA flies each day between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), as well as daily between Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Johannesburg, via Dakar, Senegal. From Johannesburg, SAA offers an extensive route network with convenient connections to points throughout southern and eastern Africa, including Cape Town, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia, to name a few.

With a range of TrueBlue benefits and badges, JetBlue consistently delivers on its promise to provide a loyalty program that rewards all customers, regardless of their travel frequency, including no blackout dates, all seats availability (a), points that never expire, and the ability to earn and share points with a small group through Family Pooling (b). With bonuses, such as six points per eligible dollar spent for booking on JetBlue.com (c), flying in Even More® Space (a), booking your pet with JetPaws™, and planning your trip with JetBlue Getaways, rewards add up fast, and the points you earn are the points you keep. Acknowledging that some customers choose JetBlue exclusively for family travel, while others mix business and personal travel, Mosaic and Family Pooling offer tailored solutions that pay out for travelers of all kinds. JetBlue’s most loyal customers qualify for Mosaic, which means more points, benefits and exclusive offers all from flying 30 segments plus 12,000 base flight points or earning 15,000 base flight points within a calendar year (d), while Family Pooling allows small groups of friends and families to earn and share points together to earn Award Flights faster (b). Additional information about TrueBlue and how to register can be found here: https://trueblue.jetblue.com.

About JetBlue Airways

JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 30 million customers a year to 86 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 800 daily flights. Flights to Curaçao will launch on December 2, 2014; subject to receipt of government approval. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, an overnight stay is never required and the first checked bag is free (subject to weight and size limits and exceptions for itineraries including flights marketed or operated by other airlines). For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

About South African Airways

South African Airways (SAA), Africa’s most awarded airline, operates from Johannesburg, South Africa, to 38 destinations worldwide. In its domestic market SAA has an extensive schedule operating 554 flights in total per week between Johannesburg – Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, from its Johannesburg hub, as well as code-shared flights between Lanseria – Cape Town and Durban. SAA offers more frequencies than any other airline in South Africa.

Regionally, SAA offers 24 destinations across the African continent including Abidjan, Accra, Blantyre, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Douala, Entebbe, Harare, Kinshasa, Lagos, Libreville, Lilongwe, Livingstone, Luanda, Lusaka, Maputo, Mauritius, Nairobi, Ndola, Pointe Noire, Victoria Falls and Windhoek.

SAA’s international network creates links to all major continents from South Africa through 10 direct routes and code shares, with daily flights from Johannesburg to London (Heathrow), Frankfurt, Munich, Mumbai, Perth, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, Washington, and Sao Paulo. SAA has code share agreements with 29 other airlines across the markets it serves. The airline has extended its code share agreement with Mango, its low cost operator, to also include coastal cities in South Africa (between Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and George), as well as Johannesburg – Bloemfontein; Cape Town – Bloemfontein and Cape Town – Port Elizabeth.

SAA is a Star Alliance member which offers more than 18,500 daily flights to 1,316 airports in 192 countries. SAA is the winner of the ‘Best Airline in Africa’ Award in the regional category for twelve consecutive years. Mango and SAA hold the number one and number two successive spots as South Africa’s most on-time airlines.

FRANKFURT, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has partnered with Landesbank Berlin (LBB) and MasterCard Worldwide to launch the airline’s newest European credit card. The Delta MasterCard with Business package is now available and offers cardholders a range of benefits.

Cardholders will receive two miles for every Euro spent on Delta purchases and one mile for every Euro spent on all other purchases with Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flyer programme. Miles can then be redeemed for Award Travel with Delta and other airline partners, mileage upgrades and Delta Sky Club memberships. Card holder can also use miles to pay for all or part of the fare.

Card holders will also receive 10,000 bonus miles when spending €1,000 in the first three months of the card being issued. The Silver Medallion status will be given to cardholders free of charge for the first year of the credit card, which provides elite benefits such as Priority Check-In, baggage fee waivers, and Priority Boarding when flying with Delta.

“Germany is one of the top European markets for Delta’s SkyMiles members so it was a natural choice to launch a credit card here,” said Jennie Ho, Delta’s managing director of SkyMiles international partnerships. “The card underlines our commitment to our German customers, who can now be even more rewarded when travelling through our network of airports across the country.”

With 2,8 million cards issued LBB is the largest issuer of fee-charging credit cards in Germany. For over 20 years, LBB has established itself as an authority on the co-branding market for credit cards and focuses on marketing premium products through the strong, trusted brands of their partners. LBB controls the entire value chain in card business, thereby securing a high level of quality combined with flexibility, fast reaction capability and short decision-making paths.

“We are very pleased to welcome Delta Air Lines as one of the world’s leading air carriers enhancing our cobranding travel segment”, says Andreas Urbanczyk, director DirektBankService at LBB AG and responsible for cobranding business. “From now on Delta’s German customers are able to enjoy attractive benefits of the Delta MasterCard.”

Pawel Rychlinski, Mastercard’s division president Germany and Switzerland added ”The partnership is an important signal as Delta Air Lines, one of the most significant carriers, has chosen to work with Landesbank Berlin to offer its loyalty based payment solution to cardholders based on MasterCard technology which makes payments fast, secure and convenient.”

Delta currently operates daily service from four cities in Germany, namely Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, and Dusseldorf with flights to New York-JFK, Atlanta and Detroit. Last year, Delta carried over 800,000 passengers between Germany and the United States with popular onward destinations including Florida and San Francisco.

With capacities trimmed to demand, the Lufthansa Group closed the term with fuller aircraft in passenger traffic / Load factors at the Group rose to record levels in August / Load factors and passenger numbers at the Group at all-time high in the first nine months
With capacities flexibly tailored to demand, the Lufthansa Group is filling its aircraft better than ever before. The passenger load factor in August averaged 86.4 per cent, an all-time high for aircraft utilization in a single month in the passenger business. Passenger aircraft utlization in the Group was also up cumulatively in the first three quarters to a record 80.6 per cent, an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared with the same period in the previous year. In the first nine months, the Lufthansa Group increased capacities, measured in seat-kilometres, by 2.2 per cent on the year-earlier level. Sales, measured in revenue seat-kilometres, rose in contrast by 2.6 per cent during the nine-month term.

Lufthansa, Germanwings, SWISS und Austrian Airlines carried a total of 81.2 million passengers in the term, more than ever before in the January-September period of a year. The total was achieved despite operating 2.2 per cent fewer flights year-on-year. The increase in the passenger count is attributable especially to the deployment of larger aircraft ensuing from the Group’s ongoing fleet renewal programme.

Lufthansa German Airlines including Germanwings and Lufthansa Regional flew 59.3 million passengers to their destination in the first nine months, up by 2.1 per cent on the prior-year term, despite repeated strikes by the VC pilots‘ union and the forced cancellation of more than 4,200 flights. Whereas capacity in the period increased by 1.9 per cent, revenues were up by an even better 2.5 per cent. Aircraft utilization rose accordingly by 0.4 percentage points to a notable 80 per cent.

SWISS carried a total of 13.2 million passengers in the first three quarters, an increase of 0.9 per cent on the previous year. The airline raised capacity in the term by 2.0 per cent, while revenues rose by 1.5 per cent. The passenger load factor at the end of the third quarter lay at a high 83.7 per cent, which is close to the level the airline posted in the previous year. Austrian Airlines flew 8.7 million passengers in the period from January to September, an increase of 0.6 per cent on the same term last time round. While the Austrian carrier’s capacity was up by 4.6 per cent, its revenues rose overproportionately by 5.9 per cent. The passenger load factor increased accordingly by one percentage point to 79.8 per cent.

Thanks to successful capacity management, Lufthansa Cargo turned in a stable cargo load factor of 69.1 per cent (-0.2 percentage points) in a challenging market environment. The cargo carrier in the Group reduced capacity in the first nine months by 1.1 per cent, while revenues in the term fell by 1.5 per cent. Overall in the January to September period, Lufthansa Cargo transported 1,227,000 tonnes of freight and mail, a year-on-year minus of 3.2 per cent.

17 October 2014: Virgin Australia Holdings Limited (Virgin Australia) (ASX: VAH) today announced a transaction which would see Virgin Australia acquire the remaining 40 per cent of shares in Tiger Australia Airways Pty Ltd (Tigerair Australia) from Tiger Airways Holdings Limited (Tiger Holdings) for a price of A$1.

The transaction, once completed, will see Virgin Australia secure 100 per cent ownership and full control of Tigerair Australia and brings to a conclusion the joint venture between Virgin Australia and Tiger Holdings which commenced on 8 July 2013.

As part of the proposed acquisition, Virgin Australia will secure the brand rights to fly Tigerair Australia to a number of short-haul international destinations, providing new growth opportunities for the business.

Virgin Australia Chief Executive Officer, John Borghetti said: “This proposed transaction marks an important milestone for Tigerair Australia and forms part of the Virgin Australia Group’s Virgin Vision strategy to 2017.

“Given the ongoing subdued consumer demand in the Australian domestic market, the growth of the Tigerair Australia domestic fleet is likely to be reduced. Under this proposed transaction, we will benefit from the economies of scale and achieve profitability ahead of schedule by the end of 2016, by leveraging the resources of the wider Virgin Australia Group.
“Tiger Holdings and Virgin Australia have worked well together over the past 14 months on building a strong operating platform for Tigerair Australia. The joint venture has strengthened systems and processes, increased aircraft utilisation, established a Brisbane base and leveraged synergies across a range of areas.

“We remain committed to maintaining the airline’s low cost business model and the separate Tigerair brand, ensuring that we can continue to deliver the most competitive pricing in Australian budget travel”, Mr Borghetti said.

The partnership between Virgin Australia and Tiger Holdings will continue into the future through brand licencing and certain services which will continue to be provided by Tiger Holdings direct to Tiger Australia.

The transaction is also subject to conditions precedent, including Foreign Investment Review Board approval, Tiger Holdings shareholder approval and entering into long-form licensing agreements, services agreements and other ancillary transaction documents. It is expected that Virgin Australia will consolidate Tigerair Australia’s financial results going forward as result of the transaction.

Virgin Australia anticipates that completion will occur by the end of 2014 and will keep the market updated on the timing of completion of the transaction.

SEOUL, South Korea, — Boeing (NYSE: BA) projects air cargo traffic will grow at an annual rate of 4.7 percent over the next 20 years, with global air freight traffic expected to more than double by 2033. The company released its biennial World Air Cargo Forecast at the International Air Cargo Forum and Exhibition earlier today.

“We see strong signs of a recovery as air freight traffic levels continue to strengthen after several years of stagnation,” said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The air cargo market is now growing at nearly the long-term rates.”

World air cargo traffic began to grow again in second quarter of 2013 with growth reaching 4.4 percent for the first seven months of 2014, compared to the same period a year earlier. If this trend continues, 2014 will be the highest growth year for the air freight industry since 2010.

Much of the weak air cargo growth in the previous years can be attributed to two principal causes – an underperforming world economy and lackluster trade growth, particularly in those traditional commodities served by the air cargo industry.

The new Boeing forecast shows Asia-North America and Europe-Asia will continue to be the dominant world air cargo markets with the most traffic volume. Intra-Asia, domestic China and Asia-North America markets are expected to have the fastest rates of growth over the next 20 years.

With increased air cargo traffic, the world freighter fleet is also expected to grow with deliveries of 840 new factory-built airplanes and 1,330 passenger to freighter conversion airplanes. More than 52 percent of those deliveries are expected to replace retiring airplanes and the remainder used for growth.

More than 70 percent of the new factory-built airplanes scheduled to deliver between 2014 and 2033 are forecast to be large freighters, such as the 747-8 and 777.

“Boeing is committed to the cargo industry like no other company,” said Tinseth. “Our complete lineup of efficient, highly capable freighters are well positioned to continue to carry more than half of the world’s air cargo traffic as the market continues to strengthen.”

The World Air Cargo Forecast 2014/2015 is available at http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial/cargo and the full text is downloadable in PDF format. Boeing has published the biennial World Air Cargo Forecast as an individual report since 1986.

Airlines can also allow the use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) throughout the flight, after a safety assessment process. As a result, passengers will be able to use their PEDs just like in any other mode of transport: throughout the trip.

The new guidance allows airlines to permit PEDs to stay switched on, without the need to be in ‘Airplane Mode’. This is the latest regulatory step towards enabling the ability to offer ‘gate-to-gate’ telecommunication or WiFi services.

PEDs include any kind of electronic device brought on board the aircraft by a passenger such as smartphone, tablet, laptop, e-reader, MP3 player,etc.

It is up to each airline to decide to allow the use of PEDs. In order to do this, the airline will have to go through an assessment process, ensuring aircraft systems are not affected in any way by the transmission signals from the PEDs. For this reason, there may be differences among airlines whether and when PEDs can be used.

Passengers must at all times follow the airline crew instructions. Safety always comes first onboard of an aircraft.

This measure follows the initial action from EASA in December 2013, toward permitting the use of PEDs through almost all stages of flight, when the ‘Airplane Mode’ not transmitting was allowed.

In the past, there have been restrictions in the use of PEDs on board aircraft. However in 2013, EASA made it possible for airlines to allow the use of PEDs for almost the whole flight duration, as long as the devices were not transmitting, i.e. in ‘aeroplane mode’. EASA has been working towards enabling airlines to allow the use of these devices with freedom comparable to that in other modes of transport, for example in trains. This has been achieved: From the 26 September 2014 EASA has made it possible for airlines to allow passengers to use their PEDs throughout the flight, regardless of whether the device is transmitting or not, i.e. in ‘aeroplane mode’ or not. Of course, it is up to each airline to allow the use of PEDs or not. In order to do this, airlines will have to go through an assessment process, ensuring aircraft are not affected in any way by the transmission of signals from the PEDs.

For safety reasons, EASA describes certain conditions for using such devices on board aircraft operated by European airlines. Based on these conditions, airlines may describe when PEDs can be used. In other words, airlines may be more restrictive than the EASA provisions are. Because it is a decision of each airline, you may experience differences among airlines whether and when PEDs can be used. In addition, you may experience differences within one airline depending on the aircraft type.

As a passenger you should be aware of the following:Interview with device

If you are unsure on the use of PEDs, you may check the airline’s website prior to the flight.
Be reminded that the safety briefing provided by the airline crew is for your benefit. Please pay attention and listen carefully.
Airline crew may request at any time to switch-off all PEDs and to stow them.
Passengers have always to follow airline crew instructions as safety is the responsibility of everyone on board the aircraft.
Safety is everyone’s priority.

NEW YORK, NY — (Marketwired) — 09/24/14 — JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announces their newest tailfin pattern “Tartan” to the fleet, reflecting a move of top fashion houses on their own fall runways. Starting with “Bippity Boppity Blue” (N565JB), the pattern will be added to additional aircraft, joining the ranks of JetBlue’s nine other iconic and eye-catching tailfins across their fleet of 200 aircraft.

“Design plays such an integral part in our story,” says Lisa Borromeo, JetBlue Director of Brand Management and Advertising, “While others may push revamped logos or disorienting paint schemes, we feel it’s important to build a visual language as we grow. Our tailfin patterns will always reflect a fresh style, with a timeless appeal that is core to who we are as a brand.”

Tartan is JetBlue’s second nod to the timeless Gaelic fashion. While 2003’s Plaid design has been retired, with clean, bold lines, a dash of green, and worn at a decidedly jaunty angle, Tartan is an updated statement on JetBlue’s evolution also seen in the uniform refresh this summer; a proud acknowledgement of their history, with a confident readiness to carry forward into their future.

Look for JetBlue’s Tartan tails to grace runways this fall, and showcase a timeless style well into the future.

About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 30 million customers a year to 86 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 850 daily flights. Flights to Curaçao will launch on December 2, 2014; subject to receipt of government approval. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, an overnight stay is never required and the first checked bag is free (subject to weight and size limits and exceptions for itineraries including flights marketed or operated by other airlines). For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

As part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ongoing efforts to improve its responsiveness to the U.S. aviation industry as it certificates new products and operators, the agency took an important step today to streamline the aircraft certification process to help the industry get products to market faster and retain competitiveness.

The FAA is replacing project sequencing with a new process to prioritize all U.S. aircraft certification projects. While the new process continues to use a project’s safety benefit and complexity to prioritize and allocate resources, it now offers applicants increased predictability and a commitment to a response time for the review of the applicant’s compliance data. The time it takes for certification depends on the complexity of the project and the experience of the company. Once an application package has been accepted, applicants will be able to initiate projects without delay; particularly if they have an Organization Designation Authorization (PDF) or are using FAA approved individual delegated engineering representatives.

This new process responds to the recommendations from the Aircraft Certification Process Review and Reform Aviation Rulemaking Committee formed in accordance with Section 312 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
Due to limited resources, the FAA began sequencing certification projects in 2005. The agency was unable to tell applicants when a project would start which often resulted in long project delays until resources became available.

Last year, the FAA certificated approximately 10,000 aviation products. There is currently no backlog or queue for certification projects.
The FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service’s 1,300 engineers, scientists, inspectors, test pilots and other experts are responsible for the design and production approval, airworthiness certification, and continued airworthiness programs of all U.S. civil aviation products.

Air France expects to operate 47% of its flights on Thursday 25 September 2014, given an estimated 62% of pilots planning to strike. Today, Wednesday 24 September, Air France expects to operate 47% of its flights. The flight schedule is updated 24 hours in advance.

Air France regrets this situation and is making every effort to minimize the inconvenience this strike action may cause to its customers. Air France asks its customers to check on www.airfrance.com that their flight is operating before going to the airport. The flights displayed as maintained for Thursday 25 September will operate.

Air France once again recommends its customers with a flight reservation between 15 and 30 September to postpone their trip or change their ticket at no extra cost. 7,000 Air France employees are doing all they can to assist customers. Since last week, 2.6 million texts and messages have been sent to inform customers due to travel between 15 and 30 September, individually and in real time.

If the strike action continues beyond Thursday 25 September, the flight schedule will be adjusted accordingly. Customers will be informed of the potential impact the day before departure. However there may be other disruption and delays.

HOW TO POSTPONE YOUR TRIP
Regardless of ticket type, Air France is offering all its customers on flights operated by Air France between 15 and 30 September the opportunity to:

• Modify their ticket to reschedule their flight up to 16 October 2014 inclusive, free of charge, subject to available seats when choosing their rescheduled flight.

Or

• Receive a voucher valid for one year on Air France or KLM to postpone their trip beyond 16 October 2014, to change their destination or departure airport, or to cancel their tickets:

– at www.airfrance.com in the “Review/modify your reservations” section, on the Company’s mobile websites,
– via Twitter using #Airfrance, at Facebook.com/airfrance, by calling 0800 240 260 (available from France and overseas departments) or on +33 1 57 02 10 58 (from abroad), or from customers’ usual retailer.

Customers whose flight is cancelled will receive a full refund.

USEFUL TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS
Air France has the “AF Connect” service, which informs its customers directly and in 13 languages ​​all over the world on their mobile phone or by e-mail. To be notified personally by AF Connect, Air France invites customers to update their contact details (mobile number and/or e-mail) in their reservation file on the Air France website or in their Flying Blue profile. It is possible to consult and update these details at any time on this website in the “Review / modify your reservations” section and on our mobile websites.Before going to the airport, customers are advised to check flight information, 24 hours before departure:- www.airfrance.fr, in the “Flight schedules” section- the website mobile.airfrance.com – the Air France app available on iPhone, Android Windows Phone and BlackBerry#TousMobilisés #AtYourService www.airfrance.fr

THE STRIKE ACTION
The pilots’ strike has been disrupting flight operations for seven days now, with catastrophic consequences for the Company’s customers, staff and financial situation. Alexandre de Juniac and Frédéric Gagey wish once again to thank all staff who have rallied round in France and around the world to support and assist customers in this unprecedented situation. The Company wishes once again to present its sincere apologies to its customers.

This strike generates an operating loss of up to 20 million euros per day, plus customer compensations and the impact of the gradual recovery in traffic in the days following the return to normal operations. Once the dispute is over, the Group will update its EBITDA target for the 2014 financial year.

Negotiations with the pilot unions, notably the SNPL, have taken place daily. Since the beginning of the strike action, Alexandre de Juniac and Frédéric Gagey have spent over 40 hours in meetings with pilot representatives. Every day, they have been submitting new constructive proposals to resolve this conflict. On their part, the pilot unions have not put forward any proposal demonstrating their willingness to find a solution.

Management can only note that talks have reached a deadlock situation.

Management also wishes to reassert that Air France-KLM’s development on the low-cost market in Europe is both strategic and urgent for the Group’s future, given that this market is fast-expanding and our competitors have adopted particularly offensive strategies on the French market.

The ambition set out in the Perform 2020 growth and competitiveness plan remains intact. The pilot unions have stigmatized the Transavia project by fuelling unfounded fears of “delocalization” and “social dumping”, which have never been at stake. Management regrets these mistaken interpretations, but has taken note of the concerns expressed.

Alexandre de Juniac, Frédéric Gagey and the managerial teams have since taken the following measures:

Postponing the plan to create Transavia subsidiaries in Europe (outside France and the Netherlands), while entering into extended talks about the project and building together the necessary guarantees by the end of the year.

A comprehensive negotiation and explanatory process with Air France and KLM unions will be set up. As for Air France, this process will begin as soon as the next Central Works Council meeting takes place, scheduled for 25 September 2014.

FASTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRANSAVIA PROJECT IN FRANCE
The expansion of Transavia in France is vital for Air France, notably in order to defend the Group’s position at Orly, as highlighted by the experts’ report published in July 2014 and supported by the SNPL. It is now urgent to implement this plan.

The project was presented to the unions of each staff category over a year ago, but was not finalized within the framework of the talks underway. The pilot unions’ demand to use, on the Transavia network, Air France pilots employed under Air France conditions and to replace the existing 44 Boeing 737s by Airbus A320s, would inevitably lead Transavia France to failure. The compromise solutions proposed by management have all been rejected.

In these conditions, if the pilot organizations do not agree to the economic and social terms and conditions of the project put forward, Management will be forced to begin the formal procedure for denouncing the agreement to create Transavia France (signed in 2007). This agreement currently restricts the development of Transavia France; its withdrawal will make it possible to implement the project more quickly.

The aim is to rapidly equip Transavia in France with additional aircraft beyond the 14 currently in the fleet. It should be remembered that this project included the creation of a thousand jobs over the next 5 years, including 250 jobs for French pilots. It will now be possible to hire staff faster. The project will, as expected, be primarily open to Air France pilots on a voluntary basis.

Moreover, Management confirms that the development of Transavia in France is not intended to impact Point to Point activity on the French domestic network. Transavia will not feed the Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

“To remain in the race in Europe, we have no alternative than to rapidly expand Transavia. We are now taking every measure to explain and accelerate its growth out of France. The Air France-KLM Group is reaffirming its aim of reaching a fleet of more than 100 Transavia aircraft by 2017,” said Alexandre de Juniac. Frédéric Gagey continued: “These decisions must enable us to restore calm within the company and end the strike that has lasted too long for Air France, its customers and its staff.”

Discover all the latest Air France news in real time wherever you are on the free iPhone application on the corporate website and on smartphones at http://mobile-corporate.airfrance.com/en

PRETORIA, South Africa, – Boeing [NYSE: BA] in collaboration with South African Airways, the South African Department of Public Enterprises and the Department Basic Education, today unveiled Project SiVulindlela, an ambitious project to bring aviation education to South Africa’s young people.

Project SiVulindlela is a mobile education unit based on the interior of a Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplane designed to inspire young people in remote and rural communities in South Africa about careers in aviation. SiVulindlela is a Xhosa word meaning “ we are opening the way.”
Boeing and South African Airways want to open the aerospace industry to South African’s young people, while also helping to promote learning in the core subjects of, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“As South African Airways, we are extremely proud that we are able to contribute so tangibly and broadly in helping learners make informed decisions when considering a career in aviation,” said Monwabisi Kalawe, CEO of South African Airways. “Today we are kick-starting a nation-wide awareness program to ensure that many learners around the country are made aware of the opportunities that exist in aviation. We are motivated by this breakthrough to be able today to stand in front of learners and bring to them, not just ideas we have, but a practical glimpse of what is possible in pursuing a careers in aviation.”

Boeing and South African Airways have taken a standard cargo container and converted it to resemble the interior of a Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplane. The mobile cargo container is complete with a flight deck, passenger seats, overhead bins and a demonstration engine. It is also equipped with a plasma screen and iPad functionality to enhance the learning experience.

The mobile display will tour the entire country, with particular focus on the remote and rural communities of South Africa. Pilots, technicians and cabin crew members from South African Airways will conduct tutorials on career options and opportunities available in aviation.

“The aviation industry plays a crucial role in the movement of passengers and cargo, facilitating cross-border trade and enhancing socio-economic standards across the African continent,” said J. Miguel Santos, Sales director, Africa, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “Project SiVulindlela is an investment in the future development of young South Africans to inspire them to become the pilots, engineers, technicians and airline personnel of tomorrow.”

Project SiVulindlela is another example of the continuous corporation between Boeing and its South African partners. Last month, together with South African Airways, Boeing announced that the two companies were collaborating to make sustainable aviation biofuel from a new type of tobacco plant. This followed an announcement earlier this year that the two companies, along with other stakeholders, were looking to expand opportunities for farmers in Southern Africa to grow crops that produce sustainable fuels.

ORLANDO, Sept. 22, 2014 – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has secured a deal with Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) for the implementation of its route analysis tool at Orlando International Airport (MCO).

The technology, B Route Development, will allow GOAA to calculate and analyze route scenarios in less than two hours – a task that would normally take as much as two days – and present them to airlines using an iPad application that can re-calculate and amend routes on-demand.
GOAA is the first client for B Route Development in the United States and follows Lockheed Martin’s acquisition of BEONTRA earlier this year. The technology is one of the components of Lockheed Martin’s comprehensive suite of aviation technology solutions, including products for air traffic management (such as SkyLine) and tools for airport operations management (such as the Chroma Airport Suite).

“Welcoming Orlando International Airport as the first airport using B Route Development in the U.S. is a great honor for Lockheed Martin,” said Christian Roth, CEO of BEONTRA, a Lockheed Martin Company. “We are thrilled to work with GOAA and to support them in the expansion of their route network.”

B Route Development allows airports to develop and build individual route cases for airlines using commercial aviation data as well as specific airport statistics and survey information that can be used for improved analysis, collaboration and interactive presentation.

“As Central Florida is one of the top visitor regions in the United States and the world, expanding Orlando International Airport’s (MCO) route network is one of our main goals for the near future.” says Victoria Jaramillo, director of Marketing & International Development, MCO “We look forward to starting our cooperation with Lockheed Martin and beginning the work on B Route Development to help achieve that objective.”
With over 35.2 million passengers served in 2013, Orlando International Airport is a hub for both Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways and is a major international gateway for the mid-Florida region.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

Kuala Lumpur, – The Board of Malaysia Airlines today welcomed the release by Khazanah Nasional Berhad (“Khazanah”), its majority shareholder, of “Rebuilding a National Icon: The MAS Recovery Plan” – a plan to facilitate the airline’s achievement of sustained profitability and competitiveness. It also acknowledged receipt of a letter from Khazanah relating to Khazanah’s planned investment in MAS to facilitate its delisting from the main market of Bursa Malaysia and restructuring, and the terms of such funding.

At its last Annual General meeting on 25th June, Chairman of MAS, Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof, and Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, made clear that even before the disappearance of MH370, radical change was already firmly on the Board’s agenda. The urgency for change, evident through our continued poor performance, was also accelerated by the loss of MH17.

The publication of the Recovery Plan follows the formal request by Khazanah to the MAS Board of Directors to undertake a Selective Capital Reduction (“SCR”) exercise made on 8th August 2014. The SCR will be put to shareholders’ vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened in due course.

In parallel, MAS’ senior leaders have been engaging with almost 2,500 staff at multiple locations across the Group, to hear their views and concerns resulting from plans to take the Company private and restructure.

We, together with representatives of the employees’ unions, met this morning with Khazanah. We will continue this process of engagement with all parties including directly with employees and with representatives of the employees’ unions.

In the meantime, there will be no disruption to our current service. We will continue to fly, honour existing reservations, and plan future travel. The announcement on 8th August and today’s Plan will have no impact on the current fares we offer our customers and corporate accounts nor our membership in the oneworld alliance.

We are an award winning airline– including having won World’s Best Cabin Crew numerous times. It is our duty and honour to serve and we will continue to do so with pride and care.

In his foreword to the Recovery Plan, the Prime Minister called on Malaysia Airlines, all those who work with Malaysia’s national carrier and all Malaysians to play their part in ensuring today’s Plan becomes an enduring success. We look forward to playing our role and being a part of this effort to ensure that Malaysia Airlines becomes a profitable and sustainable national carrier of which all Malaysians can be truly proud.

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines Group Inc. announced that American Airlines fares will return to Orbitz on Friday after the companies earlier today entered into a letter of intent.

American Airlines Group also no longer plans to remove US Airways fares from Orbitz on Sept. 1 as previously announced. The companies are working toward final agreements based on the letter of intent.

All tickets previously purchased through Orbitz and other Orbitz-powered websites remain valid for travel. Customers who want to change reservations bought through Orbitz should call Orbitz to make those changes.

Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE:OWW) announced today that it had reached an agreement with American Airlines to continue to offer American Airlines and US Airways flights on all of its sites. Consumers should see all available flights immediately. All tickets previously purchased on Orbitz Worldwide sites remain valid.

“We are pleased that our long-standing relationship with American Airlines allowed us to quickly resolve business matters and that we continue to offer a broad range of options, including American Airlines and US Airways flights, to the millions of shoppers who book travel on our global sites each day,” said Sam Fulton, president of Orbitz.com.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways.

About Orbitz Worldwide
Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE:OWW) is a leading global online travel company using technology to transform the way consumers around the world plan and purchase travel. Orbitz Worldwide operates the consumer travel planning sites Orbitz (orbitz.com), ebookers (ebookers.com), HotelClub (hotelclub.com) and CheapTickets (cheaptickets.com). Also within the Orbitz Worldwide family, Orbitz Partner Network (orbitz.com/OPN) delivers private label travel technology solutions to a broad range of partners including some of the world’s largest airlines and travel agencies, and Orbitz for Business (orbitzforbusiness.com) delivers managed travel solutions for companies of all sizes. Orbitz Worldwide makes investor relations information available at investors.orbitz.com.

Lafayette, Louisiana – August 27, 2014 – Bell Helicopter commenced construction of its facility in Lafayette, LA, where the company will assemble its newest commercial helicopter, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger XTM. Governor Bobby Jindal, Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel and others joined Bell Helicopter’s President and CEO, John Garrison, to commemorate the occasion today at the Lafayette Regional Airport.

The new 82,300-square-foot, $26.3 million hangar facility will be built on a 14.5-acre site. Bell Helicopter will lease the facility from the Lafayette Regional Airport. The project is funded by the State of Louisiana and the company plans to invest $11.4 million in equipment and tooling. Bell Helicopter expects to begin hiring employees for the new facility by 2015, and assembly operations are expected to start by 2016 following certification of the facility and the aircraft. The facility is expected to create 115 new jobs in Lafayette, and LED estimates the aerospace project will result in an additional 136 jobs, for a total of more than 250 new jobs in Acadiana.

“We are delighted that construction of a world-class aerospace assembly facility is underway in Lafayette and that skilled Louisiana workers will be producing the standard-bearer for a vital segment of the commercial aviation market,” said Governor Jindal. “Companies like Bell Helicopter are recognizing what Louisiana offers the top employers of the future: a best-in-the-nation business climate, an outstanding workforce, a tremendous infrastructure and a quality of life like no other. For those reasons, Louisiana is becoming the investment state of choice for expanding businesses from around the world. We are excited that hundreds of Louisiana families will benefit from the advanced aerospace assembly operations that will take place here in Lafayette.”

To date, Bell Helicopter has received more than 200 purchase agreements for the Bell 505. The five-seat, single-engine, turbine helicopter leverages Bell Helicopter’s proven technology and nearly half a century of experience defining the short light single market with the original Bell JetRanger.

“We have received tremendous interest and support from our customers for this aircraft, confirming it was absolutely the right product for the market at this time,” said John Garrison. “The groundbreaking of the Bell Helicopter facility in Lafayette is a significant milestone toward aircraft production and delivery. The support provided by the state of Louisiana as well as their exceptional workforce training programs will help ensure the facility and our future workforce are operationally ready and able to quickly ramp up to meet our production demands.”

Work on the new Lafayette facility began Monday, Aug. 18 and the company is currently on schedule to meet the June 1, 2015, deadline for certificate of occupancy.

“We have a great relationship with the municipalities at the airport, and we are engaging people early on in the process to avoid any potential roadblocks,” said Paul Watts, general manager of the Bell Helicopter Lafayette Aircraft Assembly facility. “We have set an aggressive timeline for ourselves, but are confident we can meet it.”

In addition to creating 115 new jobs at the Bell 505 assembly facility, Bell Helicopter will maintain more than 60 existing jobs in the region associated with two existing facilities that perform rotor blade and composite repair and overhaul.

Assembly of the first Bell 505 test aircraft is progressing at Bell Helicopter’s commercial assembly facility in Mirabel, Canada, and first flight is expected to take place by the end of 2014. Type Certificate activities with Transport Canada and Production Certification activities with the Federal Aviation Administration are also underway.

With a cruise speed of 125 knots (232 km/h), range of 360 nautical miles (667 km) and useful load of 1,500 pounds (608 kg), the Bell 505 is designed to be safe and easy to fly while remaining affordably priced. The customer-driven design of the aircraft places safety, performance and affordability at the forefront, blending proven systems with advanced technology and a sleek, modern design. The Garmin G1000H Integrated Avionics Suite provides pilots critical flight information at a glance to maximize situational awareness. Pilot workload is further reduced by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC).

FORT WORTH, Texas, — American Airlines has withdrawn its fares from consumer websites powered by Orbitz, effective immediately. American Airlines Group has notified Orbitz it also will withdraw US Airways fares on Sept. 1, 2014. Corporate clients that use Orbitz for Business to book travel are not affected by this change.

“We have worked tirelessly with Orbitz to reach a deal with the economics that allow us to keep costs low and compete with low-cost carriers,” said Scott Kirby, President – American Airlines. “While our fares are no longer on Orbitz, there are a multitude of other options available for our customers, including brick and mortar agencies, online travel agencies, and our own websites.”

American expects these changes will have minimal disruptions for its customers. Customers can continue to purchase tickets and all options for travel on American and US Airways through aa.com and usairways.com. American and US Airways fares are also available through reservations agents and other travel agencies.

Tickets already purchased through Orbitz websites remain valid for travel, but changes to reservations must be made through each airline’s reservations department.

For more information please visit aa.com/orbitz and usairways.com/orbitz.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class. In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US Airways on Twitter @USAirways.