February 2010
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Airline News
NEW: With SWISS from Geneva to London Heathrow more
Delta completing final steps of Northwest integration more
Singapore Airlines completes green flight more
NEW: With SWISS from Geneva to London Heathrow
No
other airline offers more choice for flights from Switzerland to London.
Especially since 10 January, when SWISS expanded service from Geneva by adding
six daily flights to London Heathrow to go with its existing four daily flights
to London City.Even more flexibility: With these additional services to London Heathrow you can now choose between the British capital’s most central and most important airports. For example, you can now fly to London City and return from London Heathrow.
From Switzerland you have 25 daily flights to choose from:
- Geneva - London Heathrow, NEW: 6 flights daily
- Geneva – London City, 4 flights daily
- Zurich - London, 13 flights daily
- Basel - London, 2 flights daily
Delta completing final steps of Northwest integration
With final government approvals in place, Delta has now taken some of the final steps necessary to phase out the Northwest Airlines brand. As of January 31, nwa.com is gone and delta.com is the single website for the carrier.
Additionally, Delta is completing the process of consolidating all tickets and fares into the Delta reservation system, with the Northwest code disappearing. Delta has advised travelers that no action is necessary on their part, and they can still manage itineraries at delta.com and check in using the same confirmation number received from Northwest.
Loyalty program integration was completed in November 2009, with Delta SkyMiles now the single loyalty program available. Airport re-branding is also now complete, with Philadelphia having been the last airport to drop the Northwest branding.
Additional information is available on the Delta website.
Singapore Airlines completes green flight
On February 2, Singapore Airlines completed what it is calling “one of the most environmentally efficient flights over the North Pacific.” As part of the Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE) program, this flight achieved fuel savings of more than 10 metric tons and a reduction in carbon emissions in excess of 33 metric tons.
The flight flew from Los Angeles to Singapore, via Tokyo, and was flown on a Boeing 747-400. Described by Singapore Airlines as a “multi-sector demonstration green flight,” the flight included a variety of fuel-saving measures from pre-takeoff to post-landing, including:
- An engine wash (with recycled water) for optimum fuel efficiency
- Airframe polishing to minimize drag
- Use of the ground electrical supply rather than the plane’s auxiliary power while on the ground
- Last-minute fine-tuning of fuel supply to match aircraft takeoff weight
- Unrestricted climb after takeoff—to reach optimum cruising altitude quickly
- Efficient route planning based on current weather conditions
- Continuous descent approach on landing to conserve fuel and reduce noise
- Shutdown of one engine to conserve fuel during taxi to the gate
Aside from using six percent less fuel than normally required for a similar flight, the total flight time was also reduced by roughly 30 minutes.
