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☆ Air New Zealand and 2 others have placed orders for a new electric 5-seater plane that can fly up to 386 miles — meet Beta's CX300
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

"These regulations did not anticipate the need to train pilots to operate powered-lift, which take off in helicopter mode, transition into airplane mode for flying, and then transition back to helicopter mode for landing," an FAA spokesperson told Aviation Today. The good news for Beta is that if and when the CX300 is certified, the company can reuse the same data and materials for ALIA (pictured) because of the similarities, Clark explained. BETA TechnologiesSource: Aviation Today

☆ Beta Technologies lands orders for fixed-wing electric aircraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Valerie Insinna | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) - Beta Technologies is pursuing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for a fixed-wing electric airplane after receiving orders from three customers, the company announced Tuesday. The privately-held, Vermont-based startup sees certification of the CX 300 – a conventional takeoff and landing version of its Alia 250 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft - as a path to introduce an electric aircraft into U.S. airspace under existing regulations, Chief Executive Kyle Clark told Reuters. Bristow Group, a helicopter service provider that has previously ordered eVTOL aircraft from Beta, has placed an order for up to 50 CX 300 electric planes, Beta said. As the air transport industry works to lower carbon emissions, electric "air taxis" are seen as a potential gamechanger that would allow airlines and other companies to shuttle people and goods by air over short distances. If successful, Beta can reuse much of the data to certify its eVTOL Alia aircraft, which uses the same airframe, batteries and propulsion system, Clark said.

Regional rival Air New Zealand Ltd (AIR.NZ) also reported a swing to profit in the first half ended Dec. 31 on Thursday, along with a muted outlook. Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said cost of living pressures would hit discretionary spending "at some point" but so far the airline expected robust demand into mid-2024 at least. Qantas said it was facing delays of up to six months in new aircraft deliveries from Airbus SE (AIR.PA) alongside other airlines around the world. The Australian carrier said it would bolster its fleet by acquiring some older Airbus planes and exercising nine options for A220 purchases to help meet travel demand growth. "Outlook for RASK is to reduce, however off what we estimate were elevated levels," said Citi analysts in a client note.

☆ Air New Zealand swings to first-half profit on soaring travel demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Air New Zealand Ltd (AIR.NZ) swung to a first-half profit for the first time in three years on Thursday, helped by strong travel demand following the reopening of domestic and international borders, and strong cargo revenues which were above pre-COVID levels. The carrier reported statutory profit before tax of NZ$299 million ($185.95 million) for the six months ended Dec. 31, compared with a loss of NZ$376 million reported a year earlier. The company posted a loss before other significant items and taxation of NZ$725 million in 2022. Air New Zealand did not declare a dividend, but said that it will consider providing dividends for its shareholders during its full-year results in August. ($1 = 1.6080 New Zealand dollars)Reporting by Archishma Iyer and Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Third Point to launch proxy fight against Bath & Body Works - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Air New Zealand swings to first-half profit on soaring travel demand, article with imageBusiness category · February 22, 2023 · 8:17 PM UTC · undefined ago · undefined agoAir New Zealand Ltd swung to a first-half profit for the first time in three years on Thursday, helped by strong travel demand following the reopening of domestic and international borders, and strong cargo revenues which were above pre-COVID levels.

☆ Passengers took a 16-hour flight to nowhere after their plane to New York U-turned because of an electrical fire at JFK Airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A flight to New York headed back to New Zealand because of an electrical fire at JFK Airport. An electrical failure in the terminal caused an outage and a "small isolated fire," per JFK Airport. Passengers were rebooked onto the next available flight to JFK Airport, the spokesperson added. The power outage at JFK Airport also caused other flights to divert to their departure airports on Thursday. These included two ITA Airways flights from Milan and Rome, and a Korean Air flight from Seoul, per FlightAware.

At 6 p.m. (0500 GMT) Gabrielle had moved southeast of Auckland, near the east coast of the country's North Island, and was expected to continue moving southeast, roughly parallel to the coast. Weather warnings remained in place for much of the east coast of the North Island and upper South Island. A view shows high tides rising due to Cyclone Gabrielle in Arkles Bay, Auckland, New Zealand February 13, 2023 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. A New Zealand warship rescued a person from a yacht that turned on its emergency beacon this morning off the east coast. New Zealand declared national emergencies after an earthquake in 2011 and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.

☆ New Zealand cancels flights as deluge from cyclone looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins (C) and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni (L) are briefed at Waka Kotahi Auckland Transport operations room ahead of Cyclone Gabrielle's arrival on February 12, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand's national carrier canceled dozens of flights Sunday as Aucklanders braced for a deluge from Cyclone Gabrielle, two weeks after a record-breaking storm swamped the nation's largest city and killed four people. Air New Zealand said it was canceling all domestic flights to and from Auckland through midday Tuesday as well as many international flights. The carrier said some international routes would continue operating, although flights might need to be diverted from Auckland. "Please do take this seriously, we do expect severe weather is on the way," New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters.

☆ New Zealand's Auckland braces for ex-cyclone Gabrielle impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Residents of New Zealand's biggest city were urged on Sunday to prepare for the impact of a storm that buffeted Australia's Norfolk Island overnight. Gabrielle, downgraded to a sub-tropical low pressure system from a Category 2 cyclone, passed over Norfolk Island, its "most destructive winds" missing the island, the Australian outpost's emergency management authority said. Wind and rain were "starting to spread across NZ from the north", with a 133 kph (83 mph) wind gust reported overnight on the country's North Island, MetService said. The storm was on track to lie off Cape Reinga at the North Island's north end on Sunday afternoon, after moving away from Norfolk Island, MetService said. "There is still considerable clean up to be undertaken and it may take a while for services such as power to be restored," Emergency Management Norfolk Island said.

☆ Cyclone Gabrielle batters Australia's Norfolk Island on way to New Zealand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Residents of Australia's Norfolk Island were cleaning up on Sunday after Cyclone Gabrielle, headed to New Zealand, on Saturday battered the tiny external territory in the Pacific Ocean. Gabrielle, now downgraded to a sub-tropical low pressure system, passed over Norfolk Island Saturday night with the storm's "most destructive winds" missing the island, the Australian outpost's emergency management authority said. In New Zealand, 1,460 kilometres (907 miles) to the south, the nation's weather forecaster warned of the storm's impact from Sunday. Air New Zealand said Saturday it was cancelling several North Island flights scheduled from Sunday to Tuesday ahead of the expected arrival of bad weather. "There is still considerable clean up to be undertaken and it may take a while for services such as power to be restored," Emergency Management Norfolk Island said.

You can get many thousands of dollars in value from Aeroplan points even if you never step foot on an Air Canada plane. Earn Aeroplan points with credit cards and points transfersThe Aeroplan® Credit Card is the only US credit card that earns Aeroplan points directly. So if you transferred 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you'd end up with 20,000 Aeroplan points, plus a 5,000-point bonus for a total of 25,000 Aeroplan points. Earn Aeroplan points flying Air CanadaThe next easiest way to rack up Aeroplan points is by actually flying Air Canada, but the earning formula is going to change later this year. As far as we know, it will look like this:Basic fares: Earn 2x points per (Canadian) dollarStandard fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarFlex/Comfort fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarLatitude fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarPremium economy fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarBusiness fares: Earn 3x points per (Canadian) dollarEssentially, everything but basic economy fares will earn 3x per dollar.

☆ Deadly New Zealand flood crisis extends in country's north island
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, Jan 29 (Reuters) - New Zealand's deadly flood emergency continued on Sunday after heavy rainfall hit the country's north island, causing landslides, flash floods and knocking out roads. The nation's weather forecaster, MetService, warned of more severe weather on Sunday and Monday for the north island, including in Auckland where severe thunderstorms were possible. Climate change is causing episodes of heavy rainfall to become more common and more intense, though the impact varies by region. loadingOn Sunday, police said they were assisting with traffic management and road closures in that region after heavy rainfall "caused numerous slips, flooding and damage to roads". "Police are asking those in areas experiencing severe weather to ... not attempt to travel on the roads, many of which are currently undriveable," police said.

☆ 3 dead, 1 missing as rain pounds New Zealand’s largest city
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Authorities said Saturday that three people had died and at least one was missing after record levels of rainfall pounded New Zealand’s largest city, causing widespread disruption. He said the city was in for a big cleanup and that people should remain indoors if possible. On Friday evening, more than 15 centimeters (6 inches) of rain fell in just three hours in some places. Hundreds of people were stranded at Auckland Airport overnight after the airport stopped all flights and parts of the terminal were flooded. “It’s been a long and challenging night at Auckland Airport, we thank everyone for ongoing patience,” the airport wrote.

☆ Airline passengers endured a 13-hour flight to nowhere after their plane to New Zealand was forced to turn back mid-flight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Emirates flight from Dubai to Auckland had to turn back halfway through its 8,824-mile journey. The aircraft couldn't land at Auckland International Airport due to major flooding and heavy rains. Auckland International Airport shut its domestic and international terminals on Friday after heavy rain caused widespread chaos and triggered a local state of emergency. Emirates flight EK448 is scheduled to attempt its journey to Auckland again on Sunday. More than 2,000 people stayed overnight within the terminals due to the flooding, Auckland Airport said.

If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Amex Membership Rewards points Capital One miles Chase Ultimate Rewards points Choice Privileges points Citi ThankYou points Hilton Honors points Hyatt points IHG Rewards points Marriott Bonvoy points Wyndham Rewards pointsYou travel with a large family Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

☆ Auckland, New Zealand starts clean-up after torrential rains, flash floods
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Cars are seen in a flooded street during heavy rainfall in Auckland, New Zealand January 27, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. @MonteChristoNZ/via REUTERSSYDNEY, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Authorities in New Zealand's biggest city Auckland began mopping up on Saturday, a day after torrential rains brought flooding and evacuations, shutting airports and forcing organisers to cancel a scheduled concert by Elton John. Two men were found dead amid the flooding, New Zealand Police said. Another person was unaccounted for after a landslide hit a house in Remuera, an inner suburb of Auckland, police said. Air New Zealand said it was "working through what its schedule will look like from midday today when Auckland Airport is scheduled to reopen."

☆ New Zealand's top PM contender wants to change central bank mandate, Ardern's policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WELLINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand's main opposition party leader and top prime ministerial contender, Christopher Luxon, wants to change the central bank's mandate and reverse some of former leader Jacinda Ardern's polices if he is elected. Luxon's conservative, centre-right National Party is leading over the governing centre-left Labour Party in opinion polls. There is a general election set for October and with inflation tracking near three-decade highs the cost of living is the key election issue. Luxon said if elected prime minister, he would change the mandate of New Zealand's central bank to focus solely on inflation, provide tax relief and widen immigration settings in an effort to dampen price inflation. Critics say the dual focus has contributed to inflation tracking at near three-decade highs, which has led to aggressive interest rate increases.

☆ New Zealand airline pokes fun at Harry and Meghan with '#SussexClass' tweet amid 'Spare' memoir furor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Air New Zealand poked fun at an anecdote in Prince Harry's "Spare" in a tweet on Thursday. In his memoir, Harry recalled Meghan Markle booking a ticket for her father with the airline in 2018. On Thursday, Air New Zealand took the opportunity to poke fun at the anecdote from the Duke of Sussex's controversial book with a tweet. —Air New Zealand ✈️ (@FlyAirNZ) January 12, 2023Twitter users shared their opinion on the airline's social media move. Since resigning from their Royal Family duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to the US and began opening up about their experiences in interviews, a Netflix docuseries, and most recently, Harry's memoir.

David Slotnick/Business InsiderAmerican Express Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable card rewards you can earn. You'll usually get the most value from Amex points by transferring them to airline and hotel partners. In fact, the Amex Membership Rewards program debuted way back in 1991 with just seven US airline partners. More Information Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. What to know about transferring Amex points to partnersAmerican Express Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable and versatile travel rewards out there.

☆ The top 20 safest airlines in the world for 2023, according to experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AirlineRatings.com has revealed the 20 safest airlines in the world for 2023, which includes five from the US. The website also revealed the top 20 safety low-cost carriers — another five of which were from the US. He also noted that the safety margins between the top 20 carriers were "very small," and that they are "all outstanding airlines." Meanwhile, the same five US carriers that made the list last year — Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines — maintained their spots in 2023. The organization also published the world's 20 safest low-cost carriers, which included five US carriers — Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.

In this guide, we'll give you a crash course on how to quickly earn credit card rewards and book free travel. If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

☆ Air New Zealand raises first half profit outlook on travel demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Air New Zealand Ltd (AIR.NZ) on Thursday increased its earnings forecast for the first half of fiscal 2023, helped by strong travel demand across its domestic and international networks and a decline in jet fuel prices. The increased profit outlook follows a moderation in fuel prices in recent weeks and assumes that the airline will fly about 75% of its pre-COVID capacity levels across the network in December, according to Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand, however, added that capacity was still constrained and would continue to impact pricing. The company, which has been posting losses since 2020, did not provide a full-year outlook, citing factors such as inflationary pressures. ($1 = 1.5731 New Zealand dollars)Reporting by Himanshi Akhand in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Airlines forced to ration jet fuel in New Zealand, but limited impact seen
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Lewis Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Key regional airlines said on Wednesday they expected to continue scheduled flights with New Zealand, which is beginning to ration jet fuel after a recent shipment failed government tests. FILE PHOTO: Air New Zealand Bombardier Q300 planes sit near the terminal at Auckland Airport in New Zealand, June 25, 2017. The next scheduled shipment, due to arrive on Dec. 12, will be ready for use by Dec. 18. O’Brien said regional airlines would mitigate the impact of reduced supplies by loading extra fuel at destinations such as Australia, though longer-haul airlines would need to consider refuelling stops or trading off cargo for more fuel. “So while it’s possible, it’s not simple and it’s not cheap,” added O’Brien, the executive director of the Board of Airline Representatives of New Zealand.

Thankfully, there are a few ways to get around those extra fees, with more airlines offering passengers access to free Wi-Fi than ever before. Hawaiian Airlines is also planning to launch free in-flight Wi-Fi in 2023 thanks to its partnership with SpaceX's SkyLink. American Airlines also seems to be testing out free Wi-Fi on many of its aircraft that are equipped with Viasat — as part of an ongoing trial, passengers who opt to watch a sponsored video can access 30 minutes of Wi-Fi free of charge. Some international carriers offer free Wi-Fi, but with certain stipulations. Then, choose the airline's Wi-Fi network and login on the Wi-Fi homepage using your T-Mobile or Sprint phone number.

☆ Hawaiian Airlines is launching a new route to a destination hard to reach for American tourists
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hawaiian Airlines is launching a new nonstop route between Honolulu and the Cook Islands. American tourists previously had to stop in only New Zealand or Tahiti to get to the island. Hawaiian's new route will be the only link between the Cook Islands and the US, allowing travelers to more easily reach the isolated nation. In August, the nation's home airline, Air Rarotonga, launched direct flights between Papeete in Tahiti and Rarotonga, reported local publication Enjoy Cook Islands. The service comes after Air Tahiti ended its route between the two nations in 2020 after 13 years.

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