Carry On: Cathay-Qatar codeshare, Airbus corporate jet, Emirates appeal and more

Hong Kong-Doha codeshare covers NZ, Australia
A new codeshare agreement between Oneworld members Cathay Pacific Airways and Qatar Airways will give Kiwi travellers more choices in flights to Europe as well as open up new destinations in the Middle east and Africa.

The codeshare follows the introduction of a twice-daily service between Hong Kong and Doha. It means Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Cairns, Adelaide, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Seoul will now carry the QR code.

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways flights between Doha and Jeddah, Nairobi, Athens, Geneva, Madrid, Barcelona and Venice will carry Cathay Pacific’s CX code.

The codeshare agreement includes reciprocal frequent flyer points or miles as well as use of lounges, extra baggage allowances, priority boarding and other services for those who qualify.

Airbus unveils latest corporate jet interior
The latest version of Airbus’ corporate jet, the ACJ319 Elegance, offers a wider range of lounge, office, dining and conference modules, complemented by a  bathroom and galley at the front and a bedroom with ensuite bathroom at the  rear. Cabin outfitting to customers’ requirements are carried out by the company’s Airbus Corporate Jet  Centre in Toulouse, France.

Emirates to appeal Milan-JFK ban
Emirates will appeal an Italian court ruling preventing it from flying the Milan-New York route. The Lazio Regional Administrative Court upheld a complaint from Italian carrier association Assaereo against Emirates, saying the flight breaches EU aviation rules.

However, the Council of State (Consiglio di Stato) has temporarily suspended that decision, pending the outcome of an appeal process.

Emirates says, “Our passengers can be assured we will continue to operate as normal and we anticipate that the court will look favourably on our application to remain in operation on the Milan-JFK route until a full hearing on our appeal, anticipated to take place before the end of this year.” 

UP up and away in safety video stakes
Israel's new low-cost carrier, UP by El-Al, has taken a leaf out of Air New Zealand’s book with an on-board safety video that's on its way to viral status.

The video has been described as a cross between a Ricky Martin video, mixed with Devo's "Whip It" and heaping spoonful of Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistable."

It's a bit scatterbrained but certainly entertaining and will be sure to hold passenger's attention. There's also a Hebrew version, which actually sounds a lot smoother than the English translation.