Starfish Travel Corporation Team

Six new routes have been launched, 15,000 flights have been completed, and over 3 million passengers have been transported in the year since Delta and LATAM’s Joint Venture was established. It traveled a total of 90 million kilometers, or 56 million miles, which is the distance between Earth and Mercury. In order to dramatically improve connectivity and the traveler experience between North America (the United States and Canada) and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the partners are celebrating the milestone and looking to the future. The only direct route connecting Brazil and the US West Coast, operated by LATAM and operated by Delta, is between Orlando and Bogota, Colombia, operated by LATAM, and between So Paulo and Los Angeles, operated by LATAM. With the addition of LATAM’s new Medellin-Miami service, operated by LATAM’s new service between Lima and Atlanta, which will complement Delta’s current service, and Delta’s second frequency between Atlanta and Bogota, which will complement Delta’s current service, the partners will launch additional new routes and expand current routes on October 29. Delta is launching more new routes in December, including Atlanta-Cartagena on December 22, seasonal service between New York JFK and Rio de Janeiro on December 16, and seasonal service between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro, which resumes on December 16, will now run year-round in response to rising demand. Alex Antilla, vice president of operations for Latin America at Delta Air Lines, said, “We are happy to honor the first anniversary of our groundbreaking relationship. By collaborating, we are bridging North and South America and gaining new clients. We’ve worked hard to expand existing routes, add thrilling new routes, and improve the overall travel experience for millions of passengers. We intend to build on this amazing first year by providing exceptional services and strengthening our relationships with clients who travel between the two continents as we look to the future. We are eager to carry on with this amazing experience. “Thanks to our alliance with Delta, our passengers can not only rely on more flights and faster connections to access over 300 destinations, but they can also enjoy greater benefits,” said Martin St. George, Chief Commercial Officer of LATAM Airlines Group. “These include access for eligible travelers to more than 50 Delta Sky Club lounges in the United States and five LATAM Lounges in South America, among many other things,” the statement reads. In the first year of the Joint Venture, the partners have improved travel and expanded connectivity in their important hubs: In order to improve the travel experience for customers travelling between North America and South America, Delta and LATAM anticipate continuing to provide new routes and more advantages in the upcoming months. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/delta-and-latam-mark-one-year-of-joint-venture/

Sky High Aviation and Embraer have extended their contract for the Pool Program for a number of years, according to the announcement. Through this arrangement, the airline with its headquarters in the Dominican Republic will continue to get support for a variety of reparable parts for two E-175s and five E-190s. Since Sky High Aviation became the first E-Jet operator in the Caribbean last year, the business has been assisting the airline. More than 60 airlines worldwide are being supported by Embraer’s Pool Program. According to Juan Chamizo, CEO and President of Sky High Aviation, “We appreciate the Embraer team’s support through the Pool Program, which will enable us to maintain our high operational safety standards and also shorten response times in AOG situations.” “We are thrilled to continue working with Sky High Aviation under our Pool Program arrangement. With our assistance, the company is expanding its E-Jet footprint, demonstrating that we are on the right track. According to Carlos Naufel, CEO and President of Embraer Services & Support, “Embraer is honored to be a part of the company’s momentum, to support the aircraft operation, and to maintain the readiness of the fleet.” With its extensive component services network and technological know-how, Embraer supports airlines all over the world. The end result is guaranteed performance levels while achieving notable reductions in repair and inventory carrying costs, as well as in the amount of warehousing space and repair management resources needed. In order to sustain the expanding fleet of Embraer airplanes around the world and provide the greatest after-sales experience in the global aerospace industry, Embraer Services & sustain’s portfolio offers a wide range of competitive solutions tailored for each customer. Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/embraer-and-sky-high-aviation-extends-pool-program-agreement/

Numerous tribal tribes in Pennsylvania were eliminated, some no longer exist, and some still see the state as their native homeland despite being evicted or subjected to oppression. Officials said Friday that they were announcing a grant-funded program meant to correct the incomplete picture of Pennsylvania’s Native American culture and history caused by the lack of federally recognized tribal nations. Through a funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office will create a plan to emphasize the state’s Indigenous stories, culture, and history in collaboration with the Institute for Indigenous Studies at Lehigh University and with participation from federally recognized tribes. When compared to Midwestern states, Pennsylvania lags behind in its understanding of Indigenous culture and history, according to Jason Hale, a scholar with the Institute for Indigenous Studies at Lehigh University. Hale is of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, which is located close to Mayetta, Kansas. They’ll be able to alter that thanks to the award. He noted that the center is located within the College of Health, where the research team works to address health and educational inequities among Native Americans. “It comes right under the mission of what we do to connect and to help Indigenous tribal nations grow and become healthier,” he said. Source- Hindustan times  

Virgin Australia generated a net profit of $129 million after taxes, marking the company’s first profit in 11 years. In response to increased client demand following COVID-19, the company’s revenue more than doubled from the prior year to $5 billion. 8.8% of the revenue, or $439 million, was the underlying EBIT. Virgin Australia’s airline division made $4,873 million, a 126% increase over the prior year. This includes flights that are regional, domestic, international, and charter. EBIT had a 7.4% margin and was $362 million. The revenue for Velocity’s loyalty program increased by 68% to $330 million. They added a lot of members over the year, and they now have 11.5 million. The margin was 23.4% with an underlying EBIT of $77 million. Profits increased significantly as a result of record-high demand for leisure travel, the return of SME clients to levels observed before COVID-19, as well as the slower but still considerable return of business travelers. Efforts to increase efficiency resulted in a significant increase in profitability despite increasing fuel prices. Customers are still prioritizing travel in the face of rising cost of living, and Virgin Australia continues to experience strong demand. CEO Jan Hrdlicka said, “These results are a significant milestone for Virgin Australia.” Virgin Australia hasn’t earned a profit in 11 years, but our findings show that the company’s change is going well. We have a multi-year path ahead of us and a long-term commitment to reform. “We are well positioned for the future by establishing a systemically lower cost base and a conservative balance sheet, as well as investing heavily in technology and our frontline,” the company said. “Our frontline transformation investment is ongoing and aimed at improving capability, customer experience, and operational effectiveness. Our recent announcement of a $110 million cabin refurbishment, the arrival of the first of our new 737-8 aircraft, the debut of the industry-leading baggage monitoring app, and the introduction of Rapid Rebook technology all contribute to the wonderful experiences our customers have with us. “Value and choice are core to our business, and as the continuing rise in cost of living impacts household budgets, we believe we are well positioned to continue to offer customers the best value in the market,” said Race Strauss, Virgin Australia’s CFO. “The business’s cost base has significantly improved in recent years, and our balance sheet is now significantly stronger.” Future transformation plans put us in a good position to control cost constraints while advancing our company, Mr. Strauss continued. With over $1 billion in cash on the balance sheet and $2.3 billion in total debt, including leases, Virgin Australia is in a very solid capital position, offering the foundation for upcoming investments in transformation and development. Our transformation strategy is working as intended and has prepared the company for the future. Source- Travel daily

Many cruise lines are postponing upcoming visits in Israel as the crisis between Israel and Hamas continues. The Israeli ports of Ashdod and Haifa have been removed from the itineraries of Holland America, Celebrity, MSC, Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, and Celestyal Cruises; some of these lines have also canceled calls for the week after next. On Saturday, shortly after fighting started, Celebrity was one of the first lines to block calls to Israel and reroute Celebrity Apex to another nation. The ship was due to stop at Haifa and Ashdod on Sunday and Monday, but it bypassed both. Celebrity also canceled the planned call in Israel on the 20 October journey in addition to the 22 October sailing to Alexandria, Egypt. Celestyal Cruises announced that from now until the end of the month, company will not make any more stops in Israel. Given that stops in Alexandria, Egypt, are frequently paired with stops in Israel on Eastern Mediterranean sailings, more Egypt calls are projected to be canceled as part of a pullback from Israel calls. Holland America moved promptly to enact the weekend call cancellations to Israel. The business had a ship moored in Haifa when the crisis started on Saturday. The Nieuw Statendam had to halt disembarkations, call back passengers who had already left on tours, and depart the harbour that evening. It skipped Ashdod, which was to be its next destination. Similarly, calls to Israel have been halted by MSC Cruises for at least the next two weeks. This Thursday, the MSC Musica was scheduled to arrive in Haifa. The same ship will also omit the Haifa stops planned for October 18 and 25. On October 16, a second ship, the MSC Sinfonia, was also scheduled to arrive in Haifa. The Norwegian Gem’s call to Ashdod on Sunday and the Norwegian Jade’s calls to Ashdod and Haifa later this week have both been canceled by Norwegian. The Seven Seas Voyager’s four straight days of stops in Israel have been canceled by Regent Seven Seas starting on Saturday. On October 15, the ship was scheduled to do a U-turn at Haifa; its current journey was to come to an end that day, with a new cruise beginning the next day. On October 15 in Istanbul, the ship will arrive from its present cruise and set out on its subsequent one. On Saturday, the Oceania Cruises Nautica departed Israel one day early than expected. On the Sirena ship of the line’s 14 October voyage from Piraeus to Istanbul, the scheduled calls at Haifa and Ashdod will be replaced by Santorini, Heraklion, and Mykonos in Greece. The three-day excursion to Israel that was scheduled to start on the line’s ship Sirena on October 17 has also been postponed by Oceania. The 15 October 3 itinerary for the Seven Seas Voyager has been changed, and the previously planned stops in Israel have been replaced. The ship is going to sail to Istanbul without making a stop in Haifa. Instead of leaving from Haifa, the cruise leaving on October 15 will sail straight to Cairo. The Rhapsody of the Seas’ scheduled trips on October 9 and October 15 from the Israeli port of Haifa have been canceled, according to Royal Caribbean, which is currently operating the ship out of Haifa. Royal Caribbean is offering a complete refund to all impacted passengers. Celebrity Apex changed its course to dock in Limassol, Cyprus while en route to Haifa. The schedule for the cruise departing on October 16 has changed, replacing visits to Ashdod and Haifa with stops in the Greek ports of Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes before continuing to Port Said, Egypt. Passengers have been informed of these changes. Among the other cruise lines with ships scheduled to visit Israel in the upcoming weeks are Azamara, Silversea Cruises, Viking, Windstar Cruises, and Costa Cruises. Most lines that quit making calls to Israel replace them with extra ship days or extra port stops in Turkey or Greece. Source- Travel daily

The new winter 2025–2026 holiday collection from P&O Cruises will go on sale on October 18, 2023. Along with new ports of call and itineraries, it will also feature introductory deals like a 10% savings and 10% deposit incentive. P&O Cruises will visit 12 ports for the first time in five or more years during the winter of 2025–2026. Cities like Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Bali are among them, as are the breathtaking Bod in Norway and Dunedin in New Zealand. The purpose of vacations is to explore as much of a destination’s culture and activities as possible. Bookings made by December 4th, 2023, will receive a 10% introductory discount. On qualifying winter 2025–2026 Select Price holidays, guests can save 10%. Available for certain holidays leaving between October 2025 and March 2026 at the corresponding certain Price or Early Saver rate. Members of the P&O Cruises loyalty club are eligible for an additional 5% off of specific vacations. Additional holiday highlights  In the winter of 2025–2026, Britannia will provide new Caribbean fly-cruise vacations. There are stops in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Grand Turk on the two intriguing new itineraries. Barbados, Grenada, Curaçao, Aruba, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Turk, Tortola, and Dominica are among the ports that are visited. The Aurora will embark on a lengthy 14-night northern lights voyage in December 2025 to look for the natural phenomenon while also making stops at historic cities surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Ports of call on the Southampton-bound voyage include Andalsnes, Bod, Narvik, Troms, and Haugesund. In January 2026, Aurora will set off on a 75-night Grand Tour of South America, which will give her ten extra days to see the continent. She will also make her first trip back to So Paulo (from Santos) in ten years. Ports of call on voyages leaving from and returning to Southampton include Gran Canaria, St. Vincent, Recife, Salvador, Bzios, Rio de Janeiro, So Paulo (from Santos), Montevideo, Port Stanley, Punta Arenas, Santiago (from San Antonio), Coquimbo, Arica, Lima (from Callao), Manta, Fuerte Amador, transit of the Panama Canal, Cartagena, Aruba, Grenada, Barbados, St. In January 2026, Arcadia will set sail on a 100-night Eastern Circumnavigation of the World Cruise for the first time in nine years, stopping at 28 ports along the way, including Dubai, Singapore, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Dunedin, Auckland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Ports of call on the voyage from and to Southampton include Seville (from Cadiz), Valletta, transit the Suez Canal, Sharm el Sheikh, Muscat, Dubai, Colombo, Penang, Kuala Lumpur (from Port Kelang), Singapore, Bali, Perth (from Fremantle), Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Dunedin, Wellington, Napier, Auckland, Tauranga, Lautoka, Fiji, Suva, Fiji, cross the international date line, Hon The Arcadia will embark on a special Christmas markets cruise in December 2025 that will stop overnight at Hamburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Amsterdam. Hamburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Amsterdam are among the ports of call on the Southampton-bound ship. Tangier, Morocco will be Azura’s first port of call on its Canary Islands fly-cruise itinerary. Cartagena, Tangier, Lanzarote, and Tenerife are among the ports of call for ships leaving from Valetta, Malta. From Barbados or Antigua, P&O Cruises’ newest ship, Arvia, will continue to provide its well-liked 14-night Caribbean fly-cruise route. Iona will keep providing visitors with a schedule of vacations in Spain, Portugal, and the Canary Islands. Source- Travel daily

At Munich Airport, travelers can benefit from a more cutting-edge pre-departure experience. Users of a tablet installed on their carry-on luggage trolley can manually enter their travel information or scan their boarding tickets. Any pertinent changes and information about their flight will be delivered to them quickly. Outside of their departure gate, passengers enjoy a variety of options, including dining and shopping. As customers move around the terminal using a map that functions as a directory, they are then presented with offers based on their current location. The use of the sophisticated luggage trolleys is free. You can hire one at Terminal 2 after passing security and before reaching duty-free. A test program that will be executed in Terminal 2 for the following six months includes their installation. We’re collaborating on this testing phase with the Danish software firm Intelligent Track Systems (ITS). At Munich Airport, carry-on luggage trolleys that already existed have had interactive screens put onto them. There has never before been a “click-on” ITS system used anywhere else in the globe. The Chief Commercial Officer of Munich Airport, Dr. Jan-Henrik Andersson, stated that digitalization need not always take place in the background. Our visitors can use these tablets to explore the airport and monitor the progress of their flights. This project is an extension of our cutting-edge innovation hub. The combination of digital and analog technology will greatly benefit our consumers. “Our tablets can point users to specific stores and highlight retail activations and activities,” said ITS CEO Morten Pankoke. When they are rushed or under pressure, passengers frequently ignore these. They are more likely to check out certain store offers if they have the time, though, if they can see the deals on the tablet and the amount of time they have to travel to the gate utilizing way-finding. Source- Travel daily

Since we first opened our doors to millions of delighted visitors more than 50 years ago, Panorama has proudly earned the reputation of being the most dependable destination management company in the area. SCR20 Ltd has been named as Panorama Destination’s representative for the UK and Ireland. SRC20’s wealth of experience and in-depth understanding of sales and marketing will be used to help us solidify our position, broaden our market reach, and keep the firm growing. Leading inbound DMC in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand is Panorama Destination. The Panorama Leisure Group, which has been effectively functioning in Indonesia since 1972, includes Panorama Destination. 50 licensed, multilingual tour guides and more than 175 tourism industry professionals make up Panorama Destination, a company that specializes in inbound travel services to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Panorama Destination was created in December 1999. We run a network of our own offices throughout Indonesia and offer unrivaled tourism services everywhere. With locations in popular tourist areas including Medan, Sumatra, Java (Jakarta and Yogyakarta), Bali, Flores, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Bangkok, Thailand, Panorama Destination offers a standardized, high-quality service to all of its customers. We provide distinctive tour itineraries built upon in-depth local research and supplemented with a variety of adaptable custom choices. We also provide luxury travel, diving and snorkeling, wellness and spa packages, beach vacations, cruises, golfing holidays, family vacations, wedding and honeymoon packages, hiking, cycling, and gourmet experiences, in addition to group and FIT tours. Panorama Destination exposes a variety of intriguing destinations, bringing the globe to Indonesia. We have offices all across the country, qualified and polite local guides, excellent local expertise, and our own fleet of 250 comfortable and dependable vehicles. We take pride in offering our customers the best value for their money. All of the packages are affordably priced, and they all promise to provide travelers with unforgettable, authentic, and one-of-a-kind vacation experiences. Source- Travel daily

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group will commemorate 20 years of service to Hyderabad this year. The airline began flying there on October 29, 2003. To commemorate this historic milestone, SIA is pleased to announce that, as of October 29, 2023, it would increase its Hyderabad-Singapore service from seven to twelve times weekly when it takes over Scoot’s daily services between the two cities, subject to regulatory permissions. Passengers traveling from Hyderabad to Singapore and beyond will have more connectivity options thanks to the new five times weekly morning trips. The Boeing 737-8 aircraft that SIA will use to run this service has 154 seats, 10 of which are in business class and 144 in economy. The SIA Airbus A350s, which have 303 seats total—40 in Business Class and 263 in Economy—will run the daily night services. As a result, SIA’s full-service offering will completely serve Hyderabad. “As we celebrate 20 years of serving the Hyderabad market, we are delighted to announce an increase in our weekly operations to the city,” said Sy Yen Chen, Singapore Airlines’ general manager for India. The strategic reorganization of our Hyderabad network demonstrates our dedication to evolving and adapting to the changing needs of our devoted clients. This accomplishment confirms our commitment to the neighborhood market, and as we move forward into the future, we are eager to offer even better connectivity and amazing full-service travel experiences. Additionally, the expansion of A350 operations on the Hyderabad-Singapore route provides SIA Cargo with more prospects. Due to the larger body of the aircraft, heavy freight shipments that need to be put onto skids can be lifted. Additionally, the aircraft’s ability to regulate temperature is necessary for some types of temperature-sensitive cargo. The SIA Group’s capacity to adjust to shifting market conditions and offer its clients improved travel options, in line with its purpose to link people to international places, is best demonstrated by this reorganization. With effect from October 29, 2023, Scoot will operate 44 weekly flights to and from six Indian cities (Amritsar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, and Visakhapatnam), while SIA will operate 96 weekly flights to and from eight Indian cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, and Mumbai). Source- Travel daily