Travel News January 2021 STENA LINE’S NEWEST SHIP ARRIVES
IN BELFAST! S
TENA Line’s newest addition to its fleet, the brand-new Stena Embla has arrived in Belfast. Stena Embla is the third E-Flexer ferry to be
commissioned for Stena Line’s Irish Sea routes in the last 12 months, three of the most modern ferries in the world.
Stena Embla will join her sister ship on the popular Belfast – Liverpool route later this month. Stena Embla has the capacity to carry 1,000 passengers, 120 cars and with 3,100 freight lane meters, it will increase Belfast – Liverpool freight capacity by 20% and raise passenger capacity by 33%. Stena Embla arrived in Belfast on 2nd January and
will complete preparatory works before going into commercial service. The Stena Embla will join sister vessel Stena Edda, which launched on the route in March 2020 and will replace the Stena Mersey. Paul Grant, Stena Line’s Irish Sea Trade Director
said: “The arrival in Belfast of our newly built Stena Embla is yet another important milestone in the ongoing enhancement programme of our Irish Sea services. We have now invested over £400m in our ferries and port facilities on the Irish Sea in recent years. The Belfast- Liverpool route is one of the most popular Irish Sea crossings for both freight and leisure traffic so having a second vessel of the calibre of Stena Embla, with a host of high-quality passenger facilities, will further increase its appeal and expand our capacity.” “In March 2020 we launched our new build Stena
Edda onto the Belfast-Liverpool service and the feedback from our freight and leisure customers was extremely positive. Now we will have two ships offering identical services and facilities which will help take our service levels on the route to new heights. We have real confidence in the future of our Belfast services and our Irish Sea routes in general, which is why this region has attracted three brand new ships in the last 12 months alone.” Paul Grant concluded: “Clearly 2020 has been a
difficult year for our business, however, despite this Stena Line has remained resolute in our ongoing commitment to driving our freight and travel business forward in the region.” Stena Embla will make one daily return trip between Belfast and Liverpool.
Paul Grant, Trade Director, Stena Line and Howard Hillis, Port Manager Belfast (VT1/2), Stena Line are pictured in front of the new Stena Embla
Norway Lifts Ban on UK Flights
FLIGHTS to Norway from the UK have now resumed after the country lifted its restrictions on flights from the UK. Norway was among more than 40 countries
who banned UK arrivals due to concerns over the spread of a new strain of the coronavirus. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office (FCDO) updated its advice on travel to Norway, saying: “Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Norway has announced additional restrictions on travel to/from the UK, however direct flights will resume from 5pm on 2 January. “From 1 January, UK nationals resident in the
UK will not be able to enter Norway as visitors unless they meet certain exemptions; these are available from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.”
Emirates Unveils its Premium Economy Class Cabins
EMIRATES is taking its signature A380 aircraft experience to the next level with the unveiling of a brand new Premium Economy cabin product, together with enhancements and a refreshed look across all cabins onboard its newest A380 aircraft. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “The Emirates A380 is already one of the most sought-after travel experiences in the skies, and now we’ve made it even better. While others cut back, Emirates is working hard to restore the products and services that we’ve had to suspend or adjust due to pandemic precautions, and introduce new offerings and enhancements. True to our ‘fly better’ promise, Emirates continues to invest to offer our customers the best possible experience.” The airline received its newest A380 aircraft from
Airbus’ Hamburg facility last week, and its remaining order of five A380s will also be delivered with premium economy cabins over 2021 and 2022. Emirates’ premium economy seats will be installed on some of its Boeing 777X aircraft, which are due to join the fleet in 2023. Emirates is considering plans to retrofit its existing A380 fleet.
Commenting on Emirates’ premium economy
cabins, Sir Tim said: “Our Premium Economy product was carefully developed in keeping with Emirates’ brand positioning as a full-service airline of the highest quality. Our First, Business and Economy experiences reset industry standards when they were introduced, and we are confident that our Premium Economy will also make its mark as a distinct premium offering. Until we have a viable number of seats in our inventory to bring to market, we plan to offer the Emirates Premium Economy experience as a complimentary upgrade to valued customers. We’ll also deploy our newest A380 aircraft on various routes so that our customers can experience our latest offering in all classes.” Emirates will announce details of where its A380
Stena Line’s newest addition to its fleet, the brand-new Stena Embla has arrived in Belfast
INTERNATIONAL tourists, residents and travellers from selected destinations, flying with Etihad Airways, will be allowed to enter the emirate without the need to self-isolate for 14 days. The list of countries eligible for entry without quarantine, referred to as ‘green’ countries, will be reviewed by the Department of Health on a two-week
Health Secretary Confident UK Will Be Out of Crisis “By Spring”
HEALTH Secretary Matt Hancock said that he was “highly confident” that the UK will be out of the current Covid crisis by spring 2021. Speaking shortly after it was announced that the UK
has licensed a second coronavirus vaccine, Mr Hancock said: “We now know with a degree of confidence that we will be out of this by the spring.” According to reports, the Oxford University- AstreZenca vaccine is cheap and quick to mass produce – and unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine it can be stored in a normal fridge. This is expected to significantly speed up the vaccination programme across the UK. Mr Hancock confirmed that the Government has
ordered 100 million doses of the AstreZeneca vaccine – enough for 50 million people – which began to be rolled out across the UK from Monday 4 January.
rolling basis. Travellers from ‘green’ countries will need to self-isolate until they receive a negative PCR test result.
Those entering the Emirate from countries not on the
‘green’ list will be subject to a reduced quarantine period of 10 days. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer,
THE Canadian government has announced that it is making Covid testing mandatory for all inbound travellers. The new rule will see travellers required to present
a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken three days before arrival.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said: “We strongly advise against travel unless absolutely necessary. “If you must travel, understand that upon your return,
BRITISH passports holders will continue to benefit from free emergency medical treatment when travelling within the EU from January 1. The Government confirmed that EHICs – European
Health Insurance Cards – will still be valid after January 1, 2021.
This news should come as a relief to holidaymakers.
aircraft with Premium Economy will be deployed in the coming weeks.
Etihad Airways Welcomes the Reopening of Abu Dhabi - No Need to Self Isolate!
Etihad Aviation Group, said: “With Abu Dhabi at the forefront of the global response to COVID-19, the approach to managing the pandemic has positioned the capital as one of the safest cities in the world to visit. The gradual reopening of our border cements the rigorous health and safety measures we have implemented across the airline.”
Canada Mandates Covid Tests for Inbound Travellers
you must follow guidelines and quarantine for 14 days. It’s not just the right thing to do — it’s the law. “We know that some Canadians have travelled for non-essential purposes. These Canadians, of course, have a right to return home but when they come back they have a responsibility, both legal and moral, to quarantine.” Mr Blair said the 14-day mandatory quarantine is still applicable even with a negative test result.
British Passport Holders Will Still Get Free Medical in EU The EHIC will be replaced by a new UK Global
Health Insurance Card for UK travellers, but those that have already been issued will remain valid until their expiry date. However, from January 1,2021 EHICs or GHICs
will no longer be valid in Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein or Switzerland.
UPDATES 3
Aer Lingus to Sell Transatlantic Flights from the UK
AER Lingus has confirmed that it will begin selling transatlantic flights from Manchester to the US. Destinations in the US the carrier will initially serve include Boston, New York and Orlando, Florida. Aer Lingus plans to start selling tickets for direct
flights between the UK and the United States from January 8, 2021. The Irish carrier has requested authorisation from
the US Department of Transportation to “promote, advertise and sell” flights to passengers. The Air Line Pilots’ Association (ALPA), which represents nearly 60,000 pilots globally, approved the application last month on the grounds that pilots on the routes would be represented by the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA), and because employees’ terms and conditions would be governed by a collectively-bargained labour agreement. The airline’s new UK subsidiary, which is registered
in Belfast, formally applied to the US for a foreign carrier’s permit allowing it to fly there from Britain in early December.
Japan Considers Declaring State of Emergency
JAPAN is considering declaring a state of emergency after cases of the Covid-19 virus begin to rise across the country. Fears are also growing over July’s re-scheduled Tokyo Olympics. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga
said vaccine approval was being speeded up and border controls tightened to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Mr Suga also stressed his determination to hold the Olympics, which he said will serve as “proof that people have overcome the coronaivus”, giving “hope and courage” saying preparations were moving ahead. The state of emergency declaration carries no legal penalties but works as a strong warning for people to work from home, reduce non-essential outings and social distance, as well as having businesses close early, in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. Japan issued an official emergency warning in April
last year through late May, urging restaurants to close early and people to work from home. Japan has never had a lockdown, attempting to juggle the need to keep the economy going with health risks.
Airlines Demand Reduction in Landing Fees
EUROPEAN airlines are putting pressure on airports to reduce the costs of landing charges. Airlines who are pushing airports to offer discounted
fees include Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet as carriers look for the best deals post-Covid. Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair, said:
“Aircraft numbers are going to move significantly to wherever we can get the best deals.” Wizz Air’s UK Managing Director Owain Jones
said: “There is a market price to everything. When airports are full the price goes up, and when airports are empty there is the ability to negotiate a better price.” Andrew Findlay, Chief Financial Officer of easyJet,
said: “Clearly, they’re incentivised to get as many passengers through their airports as we are.” Olivier Jankovec, Director-General of ACI Europe,
warned that the “race to the bottom is not sustainable”. He said: “When you hear from airlines like easyJet,
Ryanair or Wizz Air, it is very clear they want to use the crisis as an opportunity to lower their costs. “You can’t expect airport charges to go down for ever – that race to the bottom is not sustainable.” ACI Europe has estimated that 6,000 flight routes
across Europe have been lost during the crisis, leaving airports competing between themselves to restore traffic.
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