upfront
LOUNGE UPDATES
MARHABA HAS OPENED
a new lounge in
Singapore Changi
Airport Terminal 3.
The 24-hour facility
can hold up to 130
guests and costs S$
to enter if you’re not a
member of lounge loyalty
card programmes.ROUTE NEWS
ASCENT
AIR ARABIA starts four-times
weekly flights between Sharjah
and Bishkek from July 4
(Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays).ETIHAD AIRWAYS is flying
to Salalah four-times weekly
between July 2 and August 31,
the peak of the Khareef season.EMIRATES and CHINA
SOUTHERN AIRLINES have
recently started to codeshare
between Dubai and Guangzhou.INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES
GROUP and Boeing have
signed a letter of intent for 200
B737 Max aircraft, in a boost for
the manufacturer’s grounded
single-aisle jet. But Boeing’s
new 777X aircraft will not fly
until late autumn due to an
issue with its GE9X engines.LUFTHANSA, SWISS AND Austrian Airlines are now operating the A321neo on short and
medium-haul routes. e aircra contains 215 seats with 24 in business class and 191 in economy
and the seat con guration is 3-3 in both cabins.
Economy passengers have a 20-degree backrest incline, rising to 26 degrees on business class
seats, which have been developed by Italian manufacturer Geven. Seats have USB ports and ‘in
future’ will have tablet holders.
American Airlines’ A321neo has taken o , the rst of 100 on order. e aircra is con gured
with 196 seats including 20 seats in rst class, and it also features the new Airspace XL overhead
luggage bins, for which it is the launch customer. French all-business class carrier La Compagnie
has also taken delivery of its rst A321neo, which is operating the Paris Orly-Newark route, and
Canada’s Air Transat has received the rst of 15 planes.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has chosen the A321LR as its private jet for luxury
worldwide travel itineraries, which will enter service in 2021.MUSCAT INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT – now firmly bedded
in following its March 2018
opening – plans to open a new
Majan Lounge on Level 7, two
floors up from the Oman Air First
and Business Class Lounge,
Primeclass Lounge and Aerotel
Transit Hotel. Gates C1-4 are for
A380 flights.A321 GAINS TRACTION WITH
AIRLINES AND HOTELS
SAUDI ADDS AMENITIES AND AIRBUSES
Saudia has rolled out a set of ‘collector edition’ amenity kits
under the ‘Fly Through Our Heritage’ theme. The mosaics
reflect the Kingdom’s five regions (northern, southern,
eastern, western and central).
The airline, which has placed
a firm order for 65 A320neos,
has added Athens, Malaga and
Marrakech to its network this
summer.