, Author at AirlineGeeks.com

What`s up in the sky >

[May 22, 2022 2:43 pm ET] ITA Airways Continues Upward Passenger Trend As It Prepares for…

[May 18, 2022 2:23 pm ET] Southern Airways Express Expands Again with New Merger

[May 19, 2022 5:00 am ET] ATR Announces Next Generation EVO Aircraft

John Flett

John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry. During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team who created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff balancing a mix of corporate and social content. John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. John is currently the course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university. In addition he is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and a member of the Heathrow Community Fund’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.

Stories By John Flett:

Airbnb Co-Founder Signals Industry Disruption with Aviation Plans
In an interview published this weekend in a major UK newspaper, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky alluded to potential plans to disrupt the aviation industry. “We’ve seriously considered a lot of things around aviation and we’ve spent a lot of time exploring different concepts,” Chesky told the Sunday Times. “We definitely want to make […]
Italy’s Meridiana Relaunches as Air Italy
The Italian aviation market continues to provide headlines as it was announced on Monday that Sardinian-based carrier Meridiana would be rebranded as Air Italy with fleet expansion plans and a base at Milan Malpensa. The announcement confirms months of speculation that a shake-up of the operation was imminent after Qatar Airways acquired a 49 percent […]
Lufthansa Group Introduces New Leadership at Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines has had a tumultuous week culminating in the announcement on Monday that Chief Executive Officer Bernard Gustin and Chief Financial Officer Jan De Raeymaeker will both leave the Lufthansa Group-owned airline on March 31. Gustin, who has been CEO since 2008, although in a shared position from 2008-2012, will be replaced by current […]
IAG Calls for Easing of UK Visa Restrictions for Chinese Nationals
The importance of air route connectivity between the UK and China has long been touted as one of the reasons to expand London’s Heathrow Airport. With the world’s busiest two runway airport currently at capacity, the addition of new routes to China has been restricted, making it near impossible for new players to enter the […]
Formula One Legend Niki Lauda Beats IAG to Regain His Airline
Formula One legend Niki Lauda, who survived a horrific crash at the German Grand Prix in 1976 and has since shifted his endeavors to the aviation industry, has defied the odds again and successfully bid for the return of the airline he founded in 2003. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Austrian administrators had declared Laudamotion […]
Etihad Begins 2018 With New Executive Leadership Team and High Operational Performance Results
Etihad Airways announced Monday that they have achieved their best operational performance since 2009. The Abu Dhabi based carrier has trumpeted network punctuality figures of 82 percent for departures and 86 percent for arrivals. Richard Hill, Chief Operations Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “We are pleased to have recorded these strong on-time performance figures for 2017, […]
Emirates and Airbus Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Additional A380s
Emirates has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 20 firm orders and 16 options for the Airbus A380 aircraft, helping the aircraft manufacturer finally seal the deal to keep the A380 in production for “at least for another ten years.” Emirates reports that the deal is worth US$13 billion at list prices, and […]
Airbus Wins 2017 with Record Orders, But May Cease A380 Program
On Monday, Airbus announced that its commercial aircraft division had delivered a record 718 aircraft in 2017, achieving a total of 1109 net orders from 44 carriers. The number of deliveries was a four percent increase over the previous year and the 15th year in a row that the Toulouse-based manufacturer has set a delivery […]
Austria a Key Focus for European Aviation Growth
Austria continues to be a focus for the European aviation market with Hungarian-based carrier Wizz Air announcing further expansion plans this week with news that they will operate a base at Vienna Airport (VIE) from June 2018. József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer at Wizz Air, said: “Today, everything changes for Austrian travellers. For the first […]
2018 Means Brexit Draws Closer for UK and European Airlines
At the end of a calendar year, tradition dictates that we look back on the past 12 months and reflect on achievements and challenges which have been overcome. In the first few days of 2018, airlines have been reporting record numbers of passengers carried during the year and the media has been filled with reports […]