Carry on: 250 A320s for EasyJet, lower Changi fees and more

Airbus delivers 250th A320 to EasyJet
European budget airline EasyJet has taken delivery of its 250th Airbus A320 family aircraft. It has a unique livery featuring 250 miniature aircraft. The airline flies 234 aircraft on more than 750 routes to over 130 airports across 33 countries. It also operates Europe’s largest and the world’s fourth largest Airbus single aisle fleet. Since EasyJet took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft (an A319) in September 2003,

Airbus has delivered an aircraft on average every 16 days since the first delivery. The airline has 158 aircraft on order and in terms of total aircraft orders is Airbus’ third biggest airline customer. Currently, EasyJet has a fleet of 85 A320s (180 seats) and 149 A319s (156 seats).

Sounds Air confirms Taupo flights
Sounds Air says it will introduce three daily flights between Wellington and Taupo within the next few months. This will take its Wellington operation to 100,000 seats a year with routes to Wanganui, Blenheim, Nelson, Picton and Paraparaumu. Sounds Air will charge a fixed price fare of $219 for each one-way trip. This takes 45 minutes on the airline’s new nine-seat Pilatus aircraft.

Changi cuts airport passenger charges
Changi Airport has announced reduced transfer and transit passenger service charges from $S9 to $S3. Franchise fees for ground handlers will be cut $20%, making total savings of $S180 million a year. The company CAG will also extend some of the rebates and concessions under the Growth and Assistance Incentive programme beyond 2015. Details on this will be released at a later date.

Singapore Airlines opens new Heathrow lounge
Singapore Airlines has opened its new SilverKris Lounge at London Heathrow following the recent move into Terminal 2. The lounge for first and Business Class passengers is designed by architectural and interior design company Ong & Ong. London is the third city in a network-wide upgrade program. The lounge has space for more than 200 passengers and has roving hosts to cater for guests – a first for London.

Promotion targets Indian travellers
Tourism New Zealand has announced its joint venture partnership with Singapore Airlines and Auckland Airport to boost travellers from India. Special promotional fares are available until May 15 for the travel up to October 2015. The partners hope to to deliver 50,000 arrivals from India on the India-Auckland route. The campaign will focus on travel from the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Kochi and Trivandrum.