Gatwick achieves the busiest month in its 80-year history

Gatwick Airport announced it achieved the busiest single month in its 80-year history as 4.6m passengers travelled through the airport in July, +6.9% on the same month last year.

Long-haul routes continue their impressive growth at the airport, growing 23% collectively versus last July, against a backdrop of traffic growth stalling at other major European airports, as reported by the Airports Council International this week. 

“Gatwick’s continued long-haul growth - +23% year-on-year - and strong cargo growth are the latest proof that competition in the London airports’ market is working," said Stewart Wingate, CEO at Gatwick Airport. 

North Atlantic routes grew 49.9% with Toronto routes +106.4%, Calgary routes +120.8% and Vancouver routes +85.4%. All are new destinations served by WestJet as part of their 28 flights weekly to destinations in Canada from Gatwick. Other Atlantic destinations proving popular include Los Angeles +41%, Puerto Vallarta Mexico +29% and Orlando +11%.

Recent months at Gatwick have also seen an increase in cargo volumes up 31% on average of every month of the last quarter. Gatwick expansion will support significant growth in cargo which is forecast to reach 1,070,000 tonnes by 2050. The growth in long haul markets will provide more opportunity for choice and competition within the air freight market.

Average load factors were consistently strong at 90%. 

Melbourne welcomes inaugural A350 service by Singapore Airlines

Melbourne welcolbourne mes inaugural A350 seMelbourne Airport  has welcomed the inaugural A350 service to Victoria, with the arrival of Singapore Airlines flight SQ207. Currently operating A380 and B777 aircraft on the Melbourne-Singapore route, Singapore Airlines will deploy the A350 aircraft to Melbourne for the next three months.

“We welcome the A350 arriving at Melbourne Airport for the first time today.  It’s great news that Singapore Airlines has chosen Melbourne Airport as their first Australian destination for this exciting new aircraft," said Simon Gandy, Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation. “International passengers travelling with Singapore Airlines to and from Victoria will have the opportunity to travel on this new aircraft over the coming months.”

The A350 is the latest Airbus model with improved technology. This includes more than half of the aircraft comprised of carbon fibre, which results in a lighter and faster aircraft. With wings that can adapt in-flight, the A350 provides a smoother flight for passengers. A smart lighting system helps to combat jet lag and help transition passengers into their new time zones.

Singapore Airlines took delivery of its first A350 XWB in March, becoming the fifth operator of the all-new widebody airliner. The carrier has ordered a total 67 A350-900 aircraft, which will be operated on regional as routes as well as long-distance flights.rvicMelbourne welcomes inaugural AMelbourne welcomes inaugural A350 service by Singapore Airlines350 service by Singapore Airlinese by Singapore Airlines

LATAM, net income of $220m in 1H 2016

   LATAM Airlines Group reported operating income of $1.3 million for second quarter 2016 and $220.4milliono for the first half of 2016. Operating margin reached 0.1% for the quarter, representing a slight decrease of 0.7% as compared to the second quarter 2015. Operating margin for the first half of 2016 reached 5.0%, in line with our guidance and 0.3% above the same period of 2015.

    Total revenues during the second quarter 2016 declined by 12.5% due to a 13.7% decline in passenger revenues and a 22.3% decline in cargo revenues. This revenue decrease continues to reflect a weak macroeconomic environment in South America – especially in Brazil – and the devaluations of Latin American currencies during the period. Part of this decline was offset by the continued positive trend in costs, with total operating expenses declining by 12.0%, resulting in a 10.5% decline in costs per ASK equivalent.

   As of August 2016, LATAM Airlines Group has reduced fleet assets for 2017 – 2018 by US$1.1 billion, in line with the company’s previously announced plans to achieve a decrease of US$2.0 to US$3.0 billion in our expected fleet assets for 2018. This reduction was achieved through the deferral of twelve Airbus A320neos and two Airbus A350s, which represent a total reduction of US$829 million in fleet commitments for 2017 and 2018.

   The company will also redeliver five more Airbus A320s, three Airbus A319s, and one Boeing 777-200F in 2017 as compared to our previous quarter ́s fleet plan, representing a total reduction of approximately US$260 million in fleet assets.

Hassan Joho renews rivalry with Uhuru Kenyatta

The spat between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has already started ahead of the president’s planned tour of the coast region starting Saturday, August 20.

Already, Joho has sent a stern warning to Uhuru ahead of his visit, criticizing him of ignoring the coast people only to return when the 2017 general election has drawn closer.

Joho has said that he will tell Uhuru on his face that the coast region is not with him.

“I heard they announced they are coming back here. We are watching and waiting for them. This time we will tell them to their face, no fearing anyone. You can’t be in government, do nothing for us, then you disappear only to resurface close to the general election and say you want to meet Coast leaders,”Joho said as quoted by Star.

The ODM deputy party leader caused a stir in December 015 when he had a major fall-out with Uhuru during his month long visit to the region.

Rich lawyer shows off the rest of his cars, apartment and the mansion he built for his mum

 City lawyer who got bashed recently for showing off his wealth has shown off more of his establishments- an insight on why he deserves the bragging rights 

Affluent and showy City Lawyer, Donald B Kipkorir was bashed on social media following an article penned by Nation’s rabble-rouser, Njoki Chege the past weekend.

He was accused of being a narcissistic poor man who had no business showing off his cars on social media.In his reply, the lawyer told off the writer, calling her a poor blogger who was still struggling with her rent on Thika road to care about his wealth.

The lawyer proceeded to show off his other establishments. An English house that he built for his mother upcountry for instance:

Istanbul airport explosions: 28 dead, 60 injured, Turkish official says

At least 28 people have been killed and 60 wounded in a terror attack on Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Turkey, Istanbul Gov. Vasip Sahin said early Wednesday. Three bombers were also killed, the governor said. Another report, from semi-official news agency Anadolu, said six of the wounded are in critical condition. A total of 49 ambulances were sent to the site.

-- There has been no immediate claim of responsibility.

-- CNN journalist Joe Duran said from the airport that "Police are not letting anyone in ... Hundreds of people are flooding away from airport... People are trying to get away. They're not saying much -- just the look on their face is enough, shock, some of them bleeding..."

"People are walking away bleeding, with bandages on their head."

-- Traveler Laurence Cameron described what he saw after he stepped off a plane: "It was just a massive crowd of screaming people. Some were falling over themselves. A poor chap in a wheelchair was just left, and everyone just rushed to the back of the building, and then people ran the other way and no one really seemed to know what was going on," he told CNN. "Where you normally hail a taxi, that is where the attack happened. The ground is just kind of shredded. There is bloodstains on the floor as well."

-- Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag earlier said one terrorist "first opened fire with a Kalashnikov then detonated himself."

In total three bombs exploded, the governor said.

-- A video posted to Twitter shows a view from a camera inside an airport terminal. A few dozen people are walking around when a bright flash and fireball erupt in the background.

-- A Turkish official told CNN that police fired shots at suspects near the international terminal in an effort to neutralize them.

-- Videos posted on social media show travelers sitting on the airport floor. A man shouts, "Get down! Get down!" Someone cries as a gunshot rings out.

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and the Chair of the Joint Chiefs, General Hulusi Akar, at the presidential palace upon receiving news of the explosions in Istanbul, the office of the president announced.

The President's office says that Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus, Transportation Minister Ahmet Arslan and Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betul Sayan will travel to Istanbul from Ankara, the Turkish capital.

-- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, referencing the attack in Istanbul, told an audience at the Aspen Ideas Festival on Tuesday, "We are still collecting information and trying to ascertain what happened and who did it."

-- Ataturk Airport is "one of the most secure airports in the world," CNN senior law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes says. But the airport has been "very overwhelmed for several decades with terrorism from PKK."

-- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has put in place a ground stop for any U.S. flights that were scheduled to fly to Istanbul and any flights leaving Istanbul for the United States, CNN's Rene Marsh reports.

-- The Ataturk airport is closed until Wednesday at 8 p.m. local time (noon ET), according to airport spokesman Erhan Ustundag. Incoming flights were diverted to Izmir, Ankara and other cities.

-- The U.S. embassy in Ankara is sending consular officers to the airport to account for any potential U.S. victims. But there are no indications of any American casualties at this point, a senior State Department official told CNN's Elise Labott.

-- The attacks happened on a warm summer night at the airport, east of Istanbul, that is the 11th busiest in the world in terms of passenger traffic. CNN's Ali Veshi says it is a modern, sophisticated airport. "There are all of the major European and American boutiques there," said Velshi, who has traveled through Turkey many times. "... You see people of all shapes and colors, in all sorts of dress. If you want to target the cosmopolitan nature of Istanbul, this is possibly the most cosmopolitan, heavily populated part. You can target tourist areas, but this is the part where the world comes together."

Signal Detected From Missing EgyptAir A320

Searchers aboard a French naval vessel said this morning they believe they have found a signal from one of the data recorders aboard EgyptAir Flight 804, which crashed into the Mediterranean on May 19. The Airbus A320 vanished from radar during a flight from Paris to Cairo, with 66 people on board. Recovery teams have found some floating debris from the aircraft, but the search is made difficult by the depth of the sea in the area — averaging nearly 12,000 feet — strong currents, and the ruggedness of the sea floor. Another research vessel, the John Lethbridge, based in Mauritius, is expected to join the search team in the next week or so, and it will be able to retrieve the recorders if they are found, officials said. The recorders are designed to emit signals for 30 days after a crash.

An Airbus engineer told Reuters the company is working to develop ejectable or "deployable" recorders that would separate from the tail during a crash and float, emitting a distress signal. Similar technology already is used in some military aircraft, but some in the industry have expressed doubts about their safe use on civil airliners, according to Reuters, saying they could be deployed accidentally and introduce new risks. Airbus said last year it was talking to regulators about adding deployable devices to some of its jets. New European rules set to take effect in 2018 will extend the duration of the pingers in the data recorders to 90 days. Airlines also will be required to track flight positions during ocean crossings.