Airlines & airports

"Where's my bag?"

Lost luggage? Not likely!

While visitors to Japan may experience plenty of lost-in-translation moments, their luggage is unlikely to go astray. Kansai International Airport has been voted the world’s best for reuniting passengers with their luggage. Incredibly, not one incident of lost baggage has occurred since the airport opened in 1994.

For its recent World Airport Awards 2015, a ranking of the world’s top 10 airports for baggage handling was compiled by Skytrax, the UK-based airline and airport consultancy.

Malaysia's new airline in $1.5bn deal with Bombardier

A new Malaysian airline has signed a $1.5bn deal with Canadian manufacturer Bombardier for 20 new CS100 aircraft. Called flymojo, the new private carrier would be based out of Johor Bahru in the south and Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia.

The launch was announced at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition with Prime Minister Najib Razak in attendance. According to deputy minister of transport Aziz Kaprawi, it would play a vital role in improving air travel between the Malaysian Peninsula and other parts of the region.

Etihad Airways unveils new Business suites

Etihad Airways has unveiled its new Business Suites that will have passengers in the pointy end facing the rear of the plane. Privacy screens will ensure passengers are not directly facing one another, while integration of the rear-facing seats in ‘dovetail’ formation allows increased business class capacity allowing 70 suites in its A380. Forward and backward facing seats will be configured 1-2-1, meaning all will have aisle access.

Falling oil prices to drive down airline ticket costs

Travellers will be pleased that plummeting oil prices are set to have a positive impact on airline ticket prices. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced an improved outlook for industry profitability in its Economic Performance of the Air Transport Industry report.

On a per-passenger basis, airlines will make a net profit of $7.08 in 2015, more than double the $3.38 earnings achieved in 2013. As lower industry costs and efficiencies are passed through, consumers are set to benefit substantially.

After analyzing data, The Economist concluded U.S. airports to be "awful," beset by "soggy pizza, surly security staff and endless queues."

Its Official: US Airports Suck

The highest-ranked U.S. airport, the small Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, could only muster 27th place.

The Economist is also chiming in and the news isn't good. Approximately 67 % of people who fly out of the United States arrive at a better airport. After analyzing data from more than a million flights during 2013, the British magazine concluded U.S. airports to be "awful," beset by "soggy pizza, surly security staff and endless queues."

New US Entry Procedures Take Effect

The Department of Homeland Security is introducing the new system to replace the current Visa Waiver Program (VWP). All countries currently eligible to use the VWP will be legally required to obtain authorization before their departure.

Applications are free of charge and are processed in about four seconds. Approximately 14,000 people are currently registering with ESTA daily with an approval rating of 99.6%. Travelers should be aware that a number of websites that are not endorsed by the US government are charging a fee for ESTA information or application processing.