Lufthansa to hire more than 500 new flight attendants

Lufthansa is hiring new flight attendants at Frankfurt and Munich. According to its latest plans, the company is seeking more than 500 new staff members for the coming year to take up this fascinating job flying around the world on the airline’s route network.

According to this completely new, innovative working model, the new flight attendants will be employed for a full year but will only be on active duty in the summer months in order to meet the increased demand for staff at that time of year. Contracts will run for two years with the option to extend once, up to a maximum of four years. The need for extra staff is due mainly to the use of larger aircraft, such as further Boeing 747-8s at Frankfurt or the replacement of the Airbus A340-300 by the A340-600 at Munich.

The new annual working time model provides an ideal opportunity, especially for students and young professionals, to work as a flight attendant for a specified period of time. The successful candidates will undergo the same twelve-week training as all other Lufthansa flight attendants, and will then be deployed on the basis of a 50-per cent working time model on the airline’s short and long-haul routes. One special feature of this scheme is that the new flight attendants will work a six-month block and then have six months off. Lufthansa will pay their salary and social insurance throughout the twelve-month period.

Bombardier sells out of Flexjet business

After 18 successful years as Bombardier’s fractional jet ownership division, Flexjet has announced a definitive agreement for its purchase by a group led by Directional Aviation Capital through a newly-formed entity, Flexjet, LLC.

The deal is reportedly worth approximately $185 million.

With support from its new investors, Flexjet is also placing the largest private aviation order in its history valued at approximately $5.2 billion for up to 245 Bombardier business jets.

The transaction for the sale of Flexjet is expected to close by the end of the year.

“This opportunity marks the evolution of the next generation of Flexjet, placing us in a position to work with an exceptional group led by Directional Aviation Capital, an investment firm focused on our core business, with the resources needed to ensure a strong future powered by the latest technology,” said Deanna White, president, Flexjet.

“Flexjet remains committed to providing owners with exceptional private travel experiences, while maintaining the highest standards of flexibility.

“We look forward to offering our owners and their guests access to the newest, most advanced aircraft available.”

The firm order includes 85 business jets, featuring next generation Challenger 350, Challenger 605 and Learjet 75 jets, and the highly anticipated Learjet 85 aircraft.

The agreement also includes options for an additional 160 business jets.

Fractional shares are now available, with some aircraft deliveries beginning in 2014.

When the transaction closes, White will continue to lead Flexjet through the next chapter of growth and evolution.

Flexjet will continue to be run as an independent brand, with more resources available to fulfill its promise of offering travel experiences to owners.

This development emerges during a momentous period of growth for Flexjet, which is reporting a 96 per cent increase of new fractional and jet card sales in January to June 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

In the first six months of this year, sales of new fractional shares increased a notable 112 percent, while new jet card sales grew a solid 68 percent.

SAA looks to reshape international network

South African Airways (SAA) is reviewing its entire route network, in particular its long-haul routes, with a view to "pulling the plug" on unprofitable ones.
Public Enterprises Minister, Malusi Gigaba revealed the airline’s Longterm Turnaround Strategy (LTTS) to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises.

This is the latest in a series of turnaround plans for the embattled national carrier, which reported a loss of R1.25 billion last year and has been hit by strike action in recent weeks.

SAA has recently attempted to grow its intra-African network on high yield routes but has also launched new direct services to new trade partners, such as China.

Gigaba said the overhaul would also see regional carrier SA Express and low-cost carrier Mango rolled into a new airline group, forming part of a new holding company reporting to the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).
SAA CEO Monwabisi Kalawe said: "Management has clearly identified loss-making routes. We have asked Department for Public Enterprises to identify those that are crucial to growth of the economy. Once these have been identified, we'll pull the plug on those not deemed crucial and that are making losses," he said.
SAA added that ‘turnaround office’ wiould be established to lead the LTTS.

Opposition leaders in South Africa were quick to slam the plan for the tax-payer funded airline.

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) shadow minister of public enterprises Natasha Michael reportedly said the plan “does not instill confidence that the public carrier will be stabilised. It appears that SAA will continue flying around in circles with no end in sight”.

“Nine turnaround strategies and R16 billion later the airline continues to yield lower profits than its global competitors,” she added.

Qatar Airways links with British Airways in loyalty deal

Qatar Airways has announced an immediate partnership with British Airways between the airlines’ frequent flyer programmes.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club members and British Airways Executive Club members are now able to earn miles, and can begin redeeming miles as of October 1st 2013 on each other’s flights.

Privilege Club is Qatar Airways way of saying thank you to its customers for choosing to fly with the airline.

Members enjoy a range of exclusive privileges and benefits designed to make travelling even more rewarding.

“The benefit partnering with British Airways brings to our customers is the added opportunity to earn Qmiles,” said Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways chief executive.

Privilege Club members may redeem their Qmiles for award tickets, excess baggage or merchandise through Qatar Duty Free or Oryx Galleria in Doha.

“This Frequent Flyer Programme partnership also gives British Airways customers an opportunity to attain credit for destinations throughout the entire Qatar Airways network,” continued Al Baker.

“Passengers of both airlines traveling to and from the UK, Africa, Australia and Asia now have more flexibility and frequency when they route trip through Doha as Qatar Airways flies five flights daily to London Heathrow Airport.”

Qatar Airways will join British Airways in the oneworld airline alliance later this year.

Lufthansa retains prestigious World Travel Awards title

For the third year running, travel and tourism professionals worldwide have voted Lufthansa as Europe’s Leading Airline at the World Travel Awards.

The award is recognition of the commitment to excellence which the airline has demonstrated in the last twelve months.

WTA president Graham Cooke said: “For 20 years, the World Travel Awards have been celebrating those brands which push the boundaries of industry excellence.

“In this period Lufthansa has been leading the prestigious airline category, winning the title of Europe’s Leading Airline six times overall and now for the third year in a row; an impressive accolade which has been recognised by 230,000 travel professionals around the globe.”

Over the coming months, Lufthansa is investing more than €3 billion into its services: the retro-fit of the new First and Business Class, the installation of FlyNet (the wi-fi internet service on board), new lounges, a new catering concept on long- and short-haul flights as well as an enhanced service concept for families and children.

Another highlight in 2014 will be the introduction of a brand new Premium Economy Class on long-haul flights.

Christian Schindler, Lufthansa general manager UK & Ireland, added: “This award is an acknowledgement of the investment made by Lufthansa in our staff, aircraft fleet and cabin product to maintain standards, quality of service and flexibility within Lufthansa’s “Mobility à la Carte” offer.

“This provides passengers with their seat, hold & cabin baggage allowances, in flight food & drink, the ability to check-in on line, from their mobile phone or at the airport and all taxes and charges for one all inclusive fare with no hidden extras.

The awards, announced at Cornelia Diamond Golf Resort & Spa in Antalya, Turkey, are the result of an online voting process and a year-long communications campaign to encourage global participation.

The votes come from qualified executives working within travel and tourism and the consumer travel buyer and are internally audited to ensure the validity of each individual vote.

Heathrow sees passenger numbers grow

Heathrow Airport in London saw just under seven million passengers in August, an increase of 7.7 per cent on August 2012, according to the latest figures.

As with July the growth is largely attributable to comparatively lower traffic during the London Olympics last year.

Underlying growth for July and August, adjusting for the Games, was one per cent.

Load factors were high again whilst average aircraft size maintained its upward trend.

The average number of seats per aircraft was 204.2, up 3.4 per cent, while the number of passengers on each flight rose 6.9 per cent to 168.9, resulting in an average load factor of 82.7 per cent, up 2.6 percentage points on August 2012.

Broadly consistent with recent trends, Middle East and Central Asia traffic improved, with an increase of 13.4 per cent.

East Asia and South Asia were up 21.3 per cent and 18.3 per cent respectively.

Heathrow chief executive Colin Matthews, said: “Larger, fuller aircraft continue to contribute to rising passenger numbers at Heathrow.

“However, don’t imagine this will solve the UK’s hub capacity crisis.

“The country is falling behind its international rivals in links to emerging economies – which in turn means we’re losing the global race for jobs, trade and economic growth.

“Only a larger hub airport can put the UK back at the forefront of international connectivity.”

Striking SAA workers returned to work

Striking South African airline workers returned to work this week and promised to pursue wage talks in a further sign of waning union militancy amid job fears that have eased the strike threat to Africa's biggest economy.

With the unemployment rate stuck at about 25 percent for years and poverty gripping millions, many South Africans have said they are more concerned with securing a pay cheque for themselves than heeding the strike calls of union bosses.

About 1,300 technical workers with transport union SATAWU were back at their posts with national carrier South African Airways, ending a walkout that started on August 26, a union official said on Tuesday.

The union had been seeking 12 percent wage increases, about double the inflation rate and double the employer's offer. SAA said the strike had almost no impact on its operations.

"We felt that we were doing injustice to our members by staying outside too long because the principle of 'no work, no pay' still applies," said SATAWU's Matthew Ramosi.