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Oman Air Celebrates First Female Omani Captain OMAN’S


aviation


industry has reached a landmark moment with the announcement of Oman Air pilot Maha Al Balushi as the first female Omani Captain. Al Balushi officially received her new rank during a ceremony recently held at the Oman Air’s headquarters in Muscat, the latest in a string of firsts she has achieved over her decade-long career with the airline. Al Balushi said, “My


Belfast International Becomes First NI International


Airport, part of the VINCI Airports network,


has


received the ISO 14001 certification. This is the first time in Northern Ireland that an airport has been recognised with this international standard for its Environmental Management System (EMS).


This achievement shows the commitment to managing and


minimising the impact


that the airport has on the environment, but is also aimed at improving the efficiency of our management systems, thereby enhancing value to passengers and other relevant stakeholders. The certification, granted


by the NQA, represents an important step towards environmental


The achievement of ISO 14001 is one more of the key VINCI Airports’ environmental goals that Belfast International Airport has achieved before the deadline established by the network (2030).


The airport has been working management.


Airport to Obtain Environmental Certificate BELFAST


on several sustainability initiatives that has led to the achievement of the ISO 14001 accreditation including; the roll out of LED lighting throughout the terminal, the use of solar power to power all aspects of the airport and a commitment to reducing waste and water usage. Further initiatives are planned throughout 2023 including LED lighting across the airfield and the introduction of fully electric passenger buses. Belfast International Airport


is the 25th airport in the VINCI Airports network to obtain this certification. Kevin Napier, Compliance Manager, celebrated achieving the certification. “Receiving this certification is testament to the commitment that Belfast International Airport and VINCI Airports have to halve our scope 1 and scope 2 carbon emissions by 2030. It is a significant step along that journey and comes on the back of recent funding from the UK government for our sustainability initiatives .”


dream has always been to become a Captain. It hasn’t been easy but thanks to the support I have around me, from my family to my training team and the airline, I have accomplished what I set out to do. It is an honour to hold this role and I hope that I will inspire other Omani women to choose such a rewarding career in the skies.” Captain Moosa Al Shidhani, Senior Vice President Flight Operations at Oman Air, added, “We are thrilled to have Ms. Al Balushi as our first female Omani Captain, and we believe this is just the beginning of great things


to not just a milestone


come. This is for


March/April 2023


our airline but for Oman’s aviation industry, and we are honoured to play a leading role in its progress by continuing to nurture Omani talent in all areas of our operations.” Maha Al Balushi has been


with Oman Air since 2010, after graduating from the cadet programme at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia, the only woman


who was enrolled in the programme at the time. Ms. Al Balushi also made waves


when she became Oman’s first female First Officer in 2013.


IAG To Make Full Acquisition of Air Europa BRITISH Airways


parent International Airlines


Group (IAG) has agreed to fully acquire Air Europa. It will buy the remaining 80% of the airline from owner Globalia for €400 million. IAG currently holds a 20% stake. Air Europa will continue operating under its


brand name but will be managed by other IAG airline Iberia.


Jet2 To Improve Passenger Experience


with Seat Adjustments To New Airbus JET2.COM has announced that its fleet of new Airbus A321/ A320 neo aircraft will be fitted with the new Series 9 Fixed Back Seat from Acro Aircraft Seating, meaning customers can continue to enjoy an award-winning onboard experience. The Acro Series 9 seating is


not only lightweight, making the aircraft more fuel efficient, but is supremely robust too. Critically, it provides customers with excellent levels of comfort for their flight, with the added benefits of extra leg room and added space under the seat. The new seating means there is more space throughout the cabin, further enhancing the customer experience for everybody onboard. The Series 9 is billed by Acro Aircraft Seating as ‘the seat without compromise’, reducing operating costs for the airline, whilst achieving


a class-leading experience in terms of comfort and space for customers travelling on a flight with Jet2.com or package holiday with the UK’s leading and largest tour operator, Jet2holidays.


The new seating will be installed


on Jet2.com’s 98 firm ordered Airbus A321/A320 neo aircraft, which could eventually extend up to 146 aircraft. This announcement reinforces a highly successful and longstanding business relationship, as Jet2.com was Acro’s launch customer back in 2008. Philip


Meeson, customer Executive


Chairman of Jet2 plc, said: “We are extremely proud of the award- winning


experience


that we deliver, and the comfort that we provide customers onboard our aircraft is critical to that. The lightweight, durable and comfortable Acro Series 9


seating will enable us to continue differentiating ourselves from the competition whilst providing fantastic comfort, more leg room and added space under the seat too. We know this seating will be enormously popular with customers travelling with us on their well- deserved holidays.” He added: “Our new Airbus


A321 neo aircraft are the most efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft in their class today, and the weight savings provided by this seating will make these aircraft even more efficient. A stable supplier base with trusted partners such as Acro Aircraft Seating is key in ensuring that we offer our customers a fantastic flight or holiday experience, and we look forward to reinforcing our longstanding business partnership with them.”


Jet2 Only UK Airline To Be Named a Which? Recommended Provider Korean Air to Introduce Korean-Style Vegan Meals


KOREAN Air will showcase a new Korean-style vegan meal, which is inspired from Korean traditional cuisine, as an inflight meal option starting from this month (March). To accommodate the growing vegan population, Korean Air has introduced a Korean-style vegan meal option, an eco-friendly meal that can also help reduce carbon emissions.


Inspired by traditional temple cuisine, the airline’s new Korean vegan meals


are made using a variety of fresh vegetables and seasonal ingredients,


bringing


passengers an appetizing meal full of natural flavors. Dishes such as steamed barley rice with burdock, roasted shiitake mushrooms, mung bean jelly salad and roasted tofu with plum salsa sauce can be enjoyed by passengers in all classes, while ginkgo nut porridge and roasted yam with soybean paste will be available for Prestige and First class passengers.


JET2.COM has once again been named a Which? Recommended Provider, after the leading leisure airline emerged in top position of Which?’s annual survey of short-haul airlines. Jet2.com was the only UK airline to receive the coveted Which? Recommended Provider 2023 badge from Which?. Jet2.com achieved the highest customer score in Which?’s annual survey of short-haul airlines, which surveyed more than 8,000 travellers and asked them to rate their experiences of flying in the past two years on a range of criteria. This included customer service, punctuality, boarding experience, seat comfort, food and drink, cabin cleanliness and refund satisfaction score. The leading leisure airline was recognised by customers for its customer service, receiving an impressive five stars out of five. Multiple respondents praised the company’s commitment to delivering a VIP customer


service and the airline’s helpful and friendly staff, with one respondent noting that Jet2.com “excelled in all areas of customer support”, while another claimed it is the “best airline by a country mile”. In the categories for value for money, cabin cleanliness, and boarding, Jet2.com received a score of four stars. Following the survey, Jet2.com was awarded with


the coveted Which? Recommended Provider badge, with Which? stating “airlines like Jet2.com have distinguished themselves by offering flyers excellent customer care and a reliable service.” This latest recognition follows on from Jet2holidays


(Beach and Resort Holiday) and Jet2CityBreaks also being named a Which? Recommended Provider. It is the fifth year running that Jet2holidays has received this prestigious status, while for Jet2CityBreaks it is the second consecutive year.


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