Travel News Page 82
Icelandair takes flight to Venice
On May 22 2026, Icelandair inaugurated direct flights to Venice, Italy, from its hub in Reykjavik, marking the airline’s expansion into one of Europe’s most coveted destinations. The new route to Venice Marco Polo Airport reflects the carrier’s strategic commitment to growing its European network and connecting travellers to world-renowned cities. Icelandair will operate three weekly flights between Reykjavík and Venice through to October 18, 2026, with departures scheduled for Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Flights will be operated by a 737-MAX8 aircraft.
Southwest Airlines bringing ‘Independence One’ to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026
Southwest Airlines® announced it will participate in EAA’s AirVenture 2026 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with its high-flying tribute to America’s semiquincentennial celebration, Independence One. This newly launched, freedom-flying Boeing 737 MAX 8 will visit the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration® on Wednesday, July 22, showcasing Southwest®’s support of those who’ve given us the freedom to fly.
Bridge to Ireland: New Aer Lingus route from Dublin to Pittsburgh takes off
Aer Lingus is celebrating the launch of its first flight from Dublin Airport to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania today. This new service will operate four times per week and builds on the airline’s partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the most storied football franchises in the US. Renowned as the ‘City of Bridges,’ Pittsburgh features over 446 bridges within its boundaries. To celebrate the inaugural flight, Aer Lingus lit the city’s Three Sisters Bridges on the Allegheny River in green, white and orange. Dubbed a ‘Bridge to Ireland’, the creative illumination added even further ambiance to Pittsburgh’s famous skyline.
Saudia becomes first Middle East and Africa operator of the Airbus A321XLR
Saudia, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has taken delivery of its first A321XLR, marking a significant milestone as the first airline in the Middle East and Africa to operate Airbus’ newest extra-long-range single-aisle aircraft. The aircraft, powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines, is the first of 15 A321XLRs on order by the airline. This delivery is a cornerstone of Saudia’s comprehensive fleet modernisation program, directly supporting the expansion of its international network in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. By increasing connectivity and capacity, the A321XLR will support the Kingdom’s ambition to attract over 150 million visitors annually by the end of the decade.
“Fuel Available for Summer – Book with the Lufthansa Group”
Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group Mr. Vranckx, most European airlines are confident that there will be no jet fuel shortage this summer. Customers can book flights with confidence, they say. Do you share that view? Yes, that applies to us as well. At all six European hubs of the Lufthansa Group — Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome — as well as abroad, there are no signs from our suppliers that fuel supply will be at risk this summer.
SWISS Expands India Network with New Nonstop Bengaluru–Zurich Service
Swiss International Air Lines is pleased to announce the launch of new nonstop flights between Bengaluru and Zurich, further enhancing connectivity between Switzerland and India’s leading technology and innovation hub. The new service will operate five times weekly beginning in October 2026, offering customers seamless access between southern India and SWISS’s global hub in Zurich, with onward connections across Europe and North America through the Lufthansa Group network.
Lufthansa Group expands climate protection portfolio
The Lufthansa Group has reshaped its portfolio of climate protection projects and is placing a stronger emphasis on technology-based solutions. As part of its offers for more sustainable flying, passengers can contribute to CO₂ savings through the climate protection project portfolio. The new portfolio comprises 14 projects certified to the highest standards. The share of projects that permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere has been doubled and now accounts for around 20 percent. The projects are being implemented in Lufthansa Group’s home markets of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy, as well as in other countries. In 2025, Lufthansa Group passengers contributed to climate protection projects covering more than 710,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ through more sustainable travel options - an increase of around 20 percent compared with the previous year.
JAL and ANA Release Second Joint Report on Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) today released the second edition of their joint report, “Toward Net Zero CO2 Emissions from Air Transport in 2050,” outlining the current state of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Japan and the actions needed to support aviation decarbonization. The report calls for a society-wide effort to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions in air transportation by 2050.
JAL Group Launches “ARGO PROJECT,” the World’s First Lunar Transport Service by an Airline
JALUX Inc. (JALUX), the trading company of Japan Airlines (JAL), and ispace, inc. (ispace), a global lunar exploration company, today announced that the two companies have signed a payload service agreement (PSA) for ispace’s next lunar landing mission, Mission 3, currently scheduled for 2028. Under the agreement, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) and JALUX will begin selling payload transport capacity to private companies and local governments on May 27, 2026, for delivery to the lunar surface.
flydubai and Cyprus Airways announce interline partnership to expand global connectivity
flydubai and Cyprus Airways have announced the launch of a new interline agreement, designed to enhance international connectivity and provide passengers with seamless access to an expanded network of destinations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the GCC. The partnership enables customers to travel on a single itinerary with coordinated baggage handling and streamlined transfers via Dubai International (DXB), one of the world’s leading aviation hubs.
American Airlines to install Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky
American Airlines today announced a sweeping modernization of its narrowbody inflight customer experience with the installation of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, on more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027. Starlink is widely regarded as the world’s most advanced satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of supporting inflight streaming, online gaming, collaborative meeting tools and more. With thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, Starlink can deliver multigigabit connectivity to aircraft using its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1 Gbps per antenna.
Pegasus Airlines invests in new AI-powered operations platform
Based in Silicon Valley and focused on developing partnerships with the global technology ecosystem on behalf of Pegasus Airlines, Pegasus Innovation Lab is collaborating with Overwatch AI, a platform developed specifically for the needs of airline operations. The platform enables teams to quickly retrieve information through natural language to support operational decision-making across a range of topics, including technical issues, weather assessments and airport and airline requirements. Pegasus has also begun actively using the platform within its operations.