British Airways Launches A380 To Hong Kong

British Airways has launched its first Airbus A380 flights from Hong Kong to London.

The double-decker jet took off from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for the first time following a major event to mark the launch. This included singer Leona Lewis performing on a raised stage next to the wing of the A380, complete with piano. There was also a catwalk fashion show and traditional British food provided by The Langham Hotel.

“Today marks another milestone in our long and proud tradition of connecting Hong Kong and London – two truly global hubs. For over three quarters of a century, this city has been an important part of British Airways’ worldwide network, so we are extremely delighted to be operating the state-of-the-art A380 on the route, and to also be the first to fly it non-stop between Hong Kong and Europe,” said Keith Williams, BA’s chief executive.

BA will use the A380 on one of its two daily flights between HKIA and London Heathrow. The aircraft comes equipped with 469 seats in four cabins – 14 in first class, 97 in business class, 55 in premium economy and 303 in economy.

Arrival of China Southern A380 in Sydney

The 502-seat superjumbo landed in rain at Sydney International Airport about 9.15am (AEDT) on Monday.

The superjumbo will replace the CZ326 A330 daily service, continuing to connect Sydney to the airline's hub, Guangzhou. The airline is the fourth to fly an A380 into Sydney.

The upgrade is expected to boost annual capacity on the Canton route by 40 per cent, or 162,000 seats.

At an official ceremony marking the inaugural flight, New South Wales Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner said it was a landmark day that would result in great economic benefits for Sydney and the state.

"This daily A380 air service, we expect will generate up to 5000 jobs here in NSW and contribute around $390 million to the Australian economy, each and every year," Stoner said.

"China now ranks as the largest international contributor of visitor nights and expenditure for NSW," he added.

"For the year ended June 2013, we saw an 18 per cent increase and around 400,000 visitors to beautiful NSW from China, and this contributed, we believe, some $1.3 billion to our state's economy."

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy was also at the welcome breakfast at Rydges Airport Hotel.

He said the promotion of Australia to Chinese consumers, by both Tourism Australia and China Southern, was proving very successful.

"Australia now welcomes more than 700,000 Chinese visitors and it's growing at more than 20 per cent per annum," McEvoy said.

"China Southern is now carrying close to one in four Chinese visitors to our country."

The flight was the first A380 from a China-based airline to arrive into Australia.

Malaysia Airlines Swops Osaka For Tokyo From Kota Kinabalu

Malaysia Airlines has re-introduced direct flights to Narita International Airport, Tokyo from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

This service will re-open Kota Kinabalu as the Malaysian national carrier's eastern hub, said the airline in a statement

Beginning today, MH080 will depart Kota Kinabalu at 7.25am on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and would arrive at Tokyo at 2.00 pm on the same days.

The return flight, MH081 would depart Tokyo at 2.55 pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive in Kota Kinabalu at 8.05 pm on the same days.

The statement also said a two-class configured Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 144 economy class seats and 16 business class seats would be used for this Tokyo - Kota Kinabalu return service.

Malaysia Airlines' Group Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said Malaysia Airlines had previously suspended various routes flying out of Kota Kinabalu to the Far-East.

Up until the start of the winter season Malaysia Airlines had been serving Osaka Kansai twice-weekly from Kota Kinabalu. However, this route appears to be making way for the new Tokyo Narita service, and maintains a non-stop link between Kota Kinabalu and Japan. The airline does not face any direct competition on the route. Last year Kota Kinabalu International Airport handled over 5.8 million passengers, an increase of 50% since 2004.

"The suspension was part of our network consolidation involving single-aisle aircraft operations.

"As promised, we reviewed the decision and with market demand, have decided to reinstate this route. We are confident that this route will serve us well and at the same time be a valuable addition for our customers", he said, adding that the new service supported the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign.

Air China To Launch Beijing-Honolulu Route On Jan. 21

Air China and the Hawaii Tourism Authority say nonstop flights between Beijing and Honolulu will launch on Jan. 21, a week later than previously announced.

Airline and HTA officials made the announcement Tuesday during a gala at the Kempinski Hotel in Beijing attended by Air China executives, exhibitors from Hawaii and Beijing travel agencies.

The new route, Air China's sixth to North America, was originally to have started on Jan. 14, according to a September announcement.

Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines plans to launch its Beijing-Honolulu route in April.

Boeing Said to Near 777X Order Haul of Up to $87 Billion

Boeing Co. (BA) is in talks with four airlines on orders for its redesigned 777X jetliner valued at as much as $87 billion ahead of next month’s Dubai Airshow, people familiar with the matter said.

The 255 planes under discussion include 100 to 150 for Emirates, about 50 for Qatar Airways Ltd. and as many as 30 for Etihad Airways, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details are private. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd is weighing as many as 25 jets, one person said.

An order haul before or during the Dubai event would be a boost for the 777X years in advance of its commercial debut, now targeted for decade’s end. Boeing is betting that it can keep Airbus SAS at bay in the market for the biggest twin-engine jets by upgrading the current 777, not by building an all-new plane as its Toulouse, France-based rival is doing with the A350.

“They’ve got a very strong product and they’ll get a very strong launch,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with Fairfax, Virginia-based consultant Teal Group. He said Airbus will “have to do something in that segment” to compete with the 777X.

The Dubai expo runs Nov. 17-21 and is often a showcase for wide-body jets like the 777, because Persian Gulf carriers such as Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad focus on long-haul flying. A Cathay order may come before the show, one person said.

Record Start?

A purchase of 100 or more of the new 777s by Dubai-based Emirates would be Boeing’s largest-ever initial tally, surpassing the 50-jet order valued at $6 billion from Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc. to introduce the 787 Dreamliner in 2004, when the plane was still known as the 7E7.

“We don’t comment on possible negotiations,” Marc Birtel, a spokesman for Chicago-based Boeing, said in a telephone interview.

Marco Larsen, a Qatar Airways spokesman at Public New York City, said he couldn’t immediately comment. Etihad said it had no comment, and Arielle Himy, an Emirates spokeswoman at MSL Group, said she couldn’t immediately comment on the orders.

“We do not comment on market rumors,” Elin Wong, a spokeswoman for Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, said in an e-mail. “We will continue to evaluate all available aircraft models for our fleet needs.”

Boeing’s emerging success with the 777X follows setbacks this year with the 787 Dreamliner, its most technologically sophisticated model. The global fleet was ordered parked for more than three months after lithium-ion battery meltdowns on two 787s.

Shares Rise

Boeing was little changed at $129.68 at the close in New York, leaving the stock’s year-to-date advance at 72 percent. Cathay, which also ordered Airbus’s A350-1000, added 1.1 percent to HK$15.38 in Hong Kong, extending its year-to-date gain to 8.2 percent.

For the 777X, Boeing is adding 50 more seats to the largest current 777 variant so it can seat as many as 400 people. The redesigned plane will feature the biggest engines ever and a wider, fuel-saving wingspan that can be shortened by having the tips fold up after landing.

Fresh 777X sales would build on Boeing’s momentum after Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA)agreed last month to buy 34 of the planes. While the 777X’s list price hasn’t been made public, the Lufthansa order implied a retail price of about $340 million, according to Peter Arment, a New York-based analyst with Sterne, Agee & Leach Inc. Buyers typically get a discount.

Fortress Breached

Earlier this month, Boeing’s decades-long dominance in jetliner sales to Japan cracked as Airbus won its first order from Japan Airlines Co., a deal for A350-type aircraft worth $9.5 billion.

“Boeing is banking on the new variant of the 777 to defend its market share from Airbus’s A350 series,” said Kelvin Lau, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Airbus plans to hand over its first A350 to Qatar Airways toward the end of 2014. The aircraft had won 756 orders at the end of September from 38 customers.

Emirates is likely to be the so-called launch customer for the 777X, Robert Stallard, an RBC Capital Markets analyst, wrote in an Oct. 28 note. The term refers to the first buyer to fly a new plane; Lufthansa said in September it would get its own first 777X in 2020.

Emirates President Tim Clark has been urging Boeing to deliver the new plane as early as possible.

‘Enormous’ Plans

“The scale of what we are contemplating is enormous,” Clark said in an Oct. 1 interview, while declining to elaborate on the potential purchase size. He said the airline, the largest operator of the current 777, intends to replace 175 of those aircraft with the new model.

The airline is studying “ways and means” to accommodate an order for 30 more Airbus A380 superjumbos, Clark said in an interview in January. The carrier is also the No. 1 operator of the world’s biggest commercial jet.

Emirates has a history of unveiling eye-popping deals at the marquee aerospace event hosted during odd-numbered years in its home city.

During the last such show in 2011, Emirates unveiled an order for 50 of the 777-300ER model, valued at about $18 billion at list prices, and options for 20 more. At the time, it was the largest order by dollar value in Boeing’s history. Indonesia’s Lion Air surpassed it days later with a $22.4 billion agreement to buy 230 Boeing narrow-bodies.

Some descriptions of the new 777X orders have begun circulating ahead of the show. The Financial Times reported this week that Emirates was considering an order valued at $30 billion or more. People familiar with the Etihad sale discussed that transaction last week.

The 777X will boast the biggest engines ever from General Electric Co. (GE), and the first model, the 777-9X, will be able to fly as far as 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometers) with more than 400 passengers while burning 20 percent less fuel than the current 777.

A second variant, carrying about 350 people, will push past 9,400 nautical miles, enough to go nonstop from New York to Singapore.

What Keeps Me Going

I know I haven't been really blogging about anything personal lately, (Besides reblogging my crazy obsessions with aviation). I have like a million things in my mind right now, and I really wanted to somehow deal with it. But I realize one thing that is there is only so much I can do. For some reasons, I just want to hide away and let it slowly fade away. But I know that isn't possible to begin with.

But there is so much that is going on too. Good things. Cow tied the knot with Brand! When I got her video after, I was like so happy for her! I remembered the time when "Those Single Souls" thinking where our lives really would go. But that is another story. And Glintan and I came up with a new name for her, "Sup Lembu Hitam" Don't ask me why, I won't even will bring this up like ever. But really happy for her! And her Christmas Album is out TODAY! Super super proud of her! If you get it on iTunes or amazon, there will only be 14 tracks on it. If you get the Target , they have exclusively seal 16 tracks! And I have to say, Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel is just hauntingly beautiful! It's available worldwide! If you haven't get it, GET IT NOW! It's so cheesey and cheeky! It is like my anti depressant for the past few weeks!

On the other note, I have to cancel my Taipei trip. I am missing out this humanitarian mission this year. But I guess nothing comes first besides my health at the moment. It has been tough last night. But I hope it will gets better.

Moving on, I guess that I got a lot to deal with my body. Not really in the mood to talk about it just yet. But I guess it's just a part of keep going on. But I am overwhelm by all the emails from all over. I wanted to share this particular email I've receive. It really meant a lot to me Ryan. Thank you for being patient on my nonsensical post most of the time. 

Why LCC’s Work – But ick we hate them

Low-cost carriers have transformed the airline industry. On the plus side they’ve opened up air travel to the masses. On the downside they’ve opened up air travel to the masses. Now we don’t mean to sound like snobs but there’s something about being crammed into tight spaces with the great unwashed and yelled at by ungrateful and mean sadists (aka Flight Attendants) that doesn’t appeal to us. Still LCCs are popular. Across the US and Europe they’re thriving and now Asia is the the new frontier for mass air travel. 

It seems to us that LCCs are here to stay. And well we respect their financial discipline the actual quality of service leaves us cold. Clearly though others disagree.

Why are no-frills airlines so cheap?

In the 1950s flying was a privilege enjoyed by only the wealthiest. The costs of flying were simply too high for most ordinary folk. In 1952 a London-to-Scotland return flight would set the average Englishman back a week’s wages; a trip to New York might require saving up for five months. But in 2013 flying is a mass market, due in no small part to the growth of “no-frills” airlines offering flights at very low prices. Ryanair, an Ireland-based no-frills airline, has even been known to give tickets away for free. How can no-frills airlines be so cheap?

Southwest Airlines, the world’s first successful no-frills carrier, pioneered ways of reducing operating costs that are now used all over the world. To reduce costs Southwest filled its planes with more seats, made sure each flight was packed and flew its aircraft more often than full-service airlines. No-frills airlines also cut costs by using only one type of aeroplane. Both Southwest and Ryanair fly only Boeing 737s, whereas British-based easyJet flies mainly Airbus planes. In Asia, AirAsia only fly Airbus's A320s. Business class was abolished. Fees for non-essential services like carrying luggage in the hold were introduced. Innovative sales strategies also helped. When easyJet was founded in 1995 it accepted only direct bookings. This cut out the fat fees charged by travel agents. Ingenious use of yield-management systems—which raise ticket prices when demand is high and reduce them during quiet periods—also increased efficiency.

Ryanair has taken the no-frills concept further. The airline is not known for its glamorous waiting-rooms, nor for dazzling customer service. And it has used fees to manage passenger behaviour more than other airlines. For example, to reduce ground-staff numbers, it is now prohibitively expensive to check in at the airport or to store luggage in the hold when travelling with Ryanair. Aggressive in-flight sales strategies have also reduced ticket prices through cross-subsidy. Such tactics may not make for a pleasant travel experience, but Ryanair remains popular. Indeed, it is Europe's biggest airline. And it has even used its slightly dour reputation to cut costs further. Taking to heart the mantra that “all publicity is good publicity”, it has sometimes made provocative announcements—such as a plan in 2009 to charge passengers to use aircraft toilets—apparently with an eye on maximising the number of column inches it receives while keeping its advertising budget to a minimum.

Prompted by unease from shareholders that the firm’s reputation would hamper growth in passenger numbers, Ryanair announced in September that it would smooth its rougher edges to improve customer satisfaction. Does this mean we have seen the back of no-frills strategies in the transport industry? Probably not. Borrowing parts of the no-frills formula, such as stripping out non-essential services and introducing yield-management systems to ticket pricing, companies like SpeedFerries and Megabus have slashed ticket prices on Britain’s cross-channel ferry and on inter-city coaches in America. Oliver Wyman, a management consultancy, has even predicted that the introduction of airline-style yield-management systems to train travel will be one of the next great innovations in the American railway industry. Analysts say this is likely to spread to Europe and Asia too. No-frills airlines, it seems, have the power to transform the entire transport system, not simply the way we fly.

Blank

So much going on right now, but no words to be found.

The End of the World's Longest Nonstop Flights

Singapore Airlines daily nonstop from Newark stretches across 9,500 miles and averages about 18 hours via the North Pole, although the flight can last more than 21 hours because of some wind and routing variables. The final departure from Newark for the longest flight will be Nov. 23. The second-longest flight, Singapore’s nonstop from Los Angeles, departed for the final time on Sunday night and landed early Tuesday—Singapore time—after a nearly 17-hour journeyacross the Pacific.

The marvel of current long-haul airplane technology, it turns out, is no match for the economic cruelties of volatile fuel prices. Singapore used the four-engine Airbus A340-500 for the two very long routes. Those are the longest-range model Airbus has built to date, equipped with only 100 seats in total, all business class.

Singapore touted the flights, which sell for more than $8,000 round trip, as saving travelers an average of nearly five hours over other one-stop flights. But as part of a fleet upgrade into the new carbon-bodied fiber Airbus A350, Singapore decided to sell its five A340s dedicated to the two routes and shut down the epic nonstops. “It was an offer we couldn’t refuse from the manufacturer,” Singapore spokesman James Bradbury-Boyd says.

The company has no Boeing 777-200LRs in its fleet, the only other aircraft capable of the distances required for the nonstops to Los Angeles or Newark. Bradbury-Boyd says Singapore often has a waiting list for the flights, but demand couldn’t offset economic shifts in jet fuel and other factors that have changed greatly since the flights began in early 2004. Almost all the passengers are finance executives and other wealthy individuals.

In quitting the A340, Singapore plans to reconfigure some of its Airbus A380 super jumbos to add 24 additional business-class seats on the upper deck, replacing the coach-class seats. That change will come later this month on the A380s Singapore flies from New York and Los Angeles, as well as on several other routes. Those flights to Singapore stop in Frankfurt and Tokyo, respectively.

For airline-trivia buffs, the new long-distance crown holder will be Qantas Airways flight from Sydney to Dallas, which is about 8,600 miles. The longest by time will be Delta’s daily flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta, which takes nearly 17 hours. Both distance and duration fluctuate, obviously, due to winds and necessary deviations en route.

The end of the Singapore flights is causing fans to post their regrets online. “Not a bad seat on this plane, enjoy it while you can,” one fan wrote on seatguru.com. “This kind of experience is not found on any other aircraft flying today.” “Great shame,” wrote Max Q on airliners.net, a site for airplane enthusiasts. “These flights captured the imagination and provided a very convenient link for passengers. Amazing the performance of this aircraft.”

The A340 flights are so long and fly for an extended duration across areas where there’s nowhere to land in an emergency that the airline added a special compartment to hold a corpse, just in case. The space is used if a passenger dies mid-flight and no seats are available for the deceased. The Guardian newspaper dubbed it a “corpse cupboard.”

Bradbury-Boyd says Singapore, so far, hasn’t had the need to use it.

Grow

A memory that we held is one thing that keep us going no matter what the circumstances can be. We might be missing that moment that we have. Subconsciously, it was just the exact thing we wanted to hold on. A smoke screen is all you needed to have to make things ok.

Maybe it was the mojo that has been drain off. All I see now, it is just me standing at the edge yet again. I got nothing left to hold on. But I also have nothing to lose. Now here I am at where I wanted to be. Laying down together at where I belong. All I ever need is what I have. 

All I did was waiting. Just waited for the right time to come. The right time, the right person, the right moment, and all doesn't even have to make sense. You don't need a place to begin with, or you don't need a reason to have. Wanting more isn't a bad thing, and all I see was just so much doubts floating in you. How could you ever not see that how beautiful you are?

All of the thoughts we waste
Under the weight of the world

All of the time we spend
with the weight of the world

Don't miss you ways
Don't miss your leaving

All of the lies we bent
Under the weight of the world
Caught beaten by the edge
Of the weight of the world

Long live this pain
Long live this feeling

Don't need to change
Need to believe in
Here I hide...

Blind and childish
I won't fight it
Here I hide
Underneath my innocence
Grow

Will Love Be Enough?

We're Under Pressure, 7 billion people in the world tryin' to fit in.

Keep it together, smiling on your face even your heart is frowning.

This first verse shot me right away at the place where it just felt so right. I have been listening to a lot of different kinds of music to get ready for my next project. I am still looking for a place where it feels just right. To be able to connect. And taking a step back on what I am coping now, there were so much changes in a short period of time. 

Not that I am surprise with the twist and turns that life throws at you, but it doesn't made it any easier every time it happens. There are so much in life that is like a big bag of mysteries that will soon be uncover one by one. Just when you think it is over, another wave hits you at your face. 

Well, on myself, keep on living and fighting to be well isn't a choice to me. So, I am not gonna talk about myself on this post. But what hurts most today is when my BFF text me. He wasn't able to digest what was happening to him. This isn't something new to me as I have a lot of close friends in my life that is facing such pain. My best friend's partner was tested positive. But my friend was negative. I know that this isn't new to me but it is sure not easy every time it happens. They have been together for a year plus now I think, and this is such a big blow to my friend. I know that many would wanna know how it happened, but to me what is important is what life has to offer ahead. I know there must be so much emotions he is going through right now. Fear, Anger, Betrayal, Pain, Love and Confused. All these could eventually consume him up from inside. 

I don't know if I did the right thing that I told him that no matter what answers he needed isn't gonna changed what had happen. But for now, at least at this very moment, he gotta take action on what had to be done. It was clear to me that he cared very much for his partner even though he has a millions emotions flowing in him. For now, he had to make sure his partner is being treated and start on medication and all. And secondly, his partner should inform all his previous sexual encounters that he is being tested positive and they too should go have their test. That is the most important thing and the hardest first step that one has to take. But he needs to do so. 

To me, it seems like living back a dream when I knew Mr D was tested positive. But what hurts me most is how much pain D went through. And until now, it has been nearly 2 years now and it isn't easy for him. I am proud of him on how far he progress and all I have ever concern about D is just his happiness. Cause no matter what the circumstances are, happiness is something everyone deserve to have. That that is all I wanted for D. 

I really don't know what more I can do for my BFF or even to try to make him feel better. It feels like everything was being stripped away from him in just seconds. Being naked, being vulnerable. And there was when every melody in my mind went blank. Writers block again.

Anyway, on a happier note, I am so proud that Pia Toscano and Jared Lee are having Unplugged Live at The Cutting Room NYC in Nov! What makes me happier is they have been constantly supporting American Cancer Society (ACS). When I got a text this morning from my ACS family that these two amazing souls will be doing this, it really warms up my heart. From the first time I saw Pia sang at the live shows at AI, I knew this girl will do amazing things. Jared's style of writing is always an inspiration to me. Keeping in current and also personal. These two are just amazing. And really, a big thank you for keep supporting us. Especially to Pia, being a part of your team on the last Relay For Life at Howard Beach NYC, is just amazing. Thank you for raising all the money to keep this program going.

November 18th - Unplugged Live with Pia Toscano & Jared Lee

I am so proud that Pia Toscano and Jared Lee are having Unplugged Live at The Cutting Room NYC in Nov! What makes me happier is they have been constantly supporting American Cancer Society (ACS).

When I got a text this morning from my ACS family that these two amazing souls will be doing this, it really warms up my heart. From the first time I saw Pia sang at the live shows at AI, I knew this girl will do amazing things. Jared's style of writing is always an inspiration to me. Keeping in current and also personal. These two are just amazing. And really, a big thank you for keep supporting us.

Especially to Pia, being a part of your team Sweet P on the last Relay For Life at Howard Beach NYC, is just amazing. Thank you for raising all the money to keep this program going.

Impermanence

Looking at life, we notice how it changes and how it continually moves between extremes and contrasts. We notice rise and fall, success and failure, loss and gain; we experience honor and contempt, praise and blame; and we feel how our hearts respond to all that happiness and sorrow, delight and despair, disappointment and satisfaction, fear and hope. These mighty waves of emotion carry us up, fling us down, and no sooner we find some rest, then we are carried by the power of a new wave again. How can we expect a footing on the crest of the waves? Where shall we erect the building of our life in the midst of this ever-restless ocean of existence?

This is a world where any little joy that is allotted to beings is secured only after many disappointments, failures and defeats. This is a world where scanty joy grows amidst sickness, desperation and death. This is a world where beings who a short while ago were connected with us by sympathetic joy are at the next moment in want of our compassion.

Such a world as this needs equanimity. This is the nature of the world where we live with our intimate friends and the next day they become our enemies to harm us.

All is changeable, continuous transformation, ceaseless mutation, and a moving stream. Everything exists from moment to moment. Everything is a recurring rotation of coming into being and then passing out of existence. Everything is moving from birth to death. The matter or material forms in which life does or does not express itself, are also a continuous movement or change towards decay. Nothing on earth partakes of the character of absolute reality. That there will be no death of what is born is impossible. Whatever is subject to origination is subject also to destruction. Change is the very constituent of reality.

‘The world is a passing phenomenon. We all belong to the world of time. Every written word, every carved stone, every painted picture, the structure of civilization, every generation of man, vanishes away like the leaves and flowers of forgotten summers. What exists is changeable and what is not changeable does not exist.’

Air France-KLM Expands In Brazil

Starting from 31 March 2014, Air France will begin operating to Brasilia, the third destination in Brazil, with three weekly frequencies (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

Flights will be operated by Boeing 777-200 equipped with 309 seats, including 35 in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 250 in Economy class.

Serving Brasilia, the country’s capital, allows Air France to strengthen its presence in Brazil. This is also the occasion for the Company to offer its customers over twenty destinations in Latin America, thanks to a code-share agreement with Gol. Brasilia is one of the Brazilian airline’s main hubs, with which Air France has been developing a strategic partnership since 2009.

Flight times (local time)

AF 0520: departs Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 13:30, arrives in Brasilia at 19:10
AF 0515: departs Brasilia at 22:55, arrives at Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 14:20 the following day

The A380 in Sao Paulo

During the first half of 2014, Air France intends* to serve Sao Paulo by A380, the largest super jumbo in its long-haul fleet. With a capacity of 516 seats, this aircraft offers optimum comfort in all cabin classes.On board its Airbus A380, Air France offers its customers four travel classes (La Première, Business, Premium Economy and Economy) as well as several exclusive new features for a unique travel experience and even more comfort:

• A very quiet cabin

• A very spacious cabin interior

• 6 bars for a friendly atmosphere during the flight

*Subject to agreement by the government authorities and the positive outcome of talks with airport authorities.

Even more comfort on flights to Rio de Janeiro with the introduction of the Air France B777-300

Starting from 30 March 2014, Air France will begin serving Rio de Janeiro by Boeing 777-300 on its night flight departing Paris-Charles de Gaulle. With a capacity of 381 seats (42 in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 315 in Economy), this aircraft will replace the Boeing 747 and allow the Company to offer the Premium Economy cabin on all flights to or from Rio de Janeiro.

The Premium Economy cabin creates a new, more comfortable way of travelling for business or pleasure at affordable prices. In a separate cabin offering 40% more space than Economy class, the seat reclines to 123° within a rigid shell.

KLM increases capacity on flights to Rio de Janeiro

KLM’s fifth weekly flight between Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro, launched in April 2013, will be extended beyond 27 October, for the 2013-2014 winter season. This flight is operated by Boeing 777-200 equipped with 318 seats (35 in World Business Class and 283 in Economy class).

“Brazil is one of Air France-KLM’s priority markets. Not only because the country will host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, but also for its regional and global reputation. This is why we are continuing to invest and support the country’s economic development with our extensive flight offering and innovative services between Brazil and the rest of the world via our two connecting hubs”, stated Patrick Alexandre, EVP Commercial, Sales and Marketing Air France-KLM.

Grace Unplugged: Film Review

The sort of well-meaning faith-based drama that will please its target audience while leaving everyone else indifferent, Grace Unplugged tells the story of an eighteen-year-old woman who defies her pastor father’s wishes for her to play Christian music in favor of pursuing pop stardom in bad old Hollywood. But while its familiar story is decently told and it boasts polished production values superior to many homegrown inspirational film efforts, this feature written and directed by Brad J. Silverman is ultimately bland to make much of an impact.

As the story begins, Grace Trey (AJ Michalka) is frustrated at having to subjugate her artistic aspirations and play Christian music alongside her father Johnny (James Denton, Desperate Housewives), a former pop star who years earlier renounced secular music when he cleaned up his drug and alcohol abusing ways and found God. One day his former manager Mossy (Kevin Pollak) suddenly shows up unexpectedly at his church and offers him a recording contract, precipitated by a viral video of an Australian American Idol winner singing his old hit song, “Misunderstood.”

Johnny declines the invitation, but by then Mossy has gotten to heard Grace sing and makes clear his interest in signing her. So without telling her parents in advance she picks up one day and heads to Los Angeles, where she is promptly groomed for pop stardom based on her own cover version of her dad’s song.

Cue the moral dilemma, as the innocent Grace soon finds herself caught up in the modern pop music marketing machine, including being set up with a handsome young television star who’s been recruited to date her for publicity purposes.

“Your body is the biggest asset you have. It’s your currency. Sometimes you have to spend it,” Grace is advised by the label’s reigning young diva.

Meanwhile, Grace, who’s started to indulge in alcohol, feels the pressure of producing a follow-up song to her hit single. When the label gets wise to her lack of songwriting talent after an embarrassing demo, they assign her a sure-fire hit. Unfortunately, it’s about a one-night stand, a subject matter that goes against her religious convictions.

Will she sacrifice her principles in favor of achieving her aspirations for stardom? Or will she find herself with the aid of a religious record company intern (Michael Welch) who invites her to his mother’s home for a home-cooked meal and gives her a book to read about discovering one’s faith?

While the subject matter certainly seems rife with dramatic potential, the film handles it in sputtering, uncompelling fashion. While its characterizations are admirably not black & white—Grace’s father acknowledges her gifts and the record company execs are far from villainous—the film’s reluctance to fully explore its provocative moral conflict renders it terminally bland.

Featuring a brief appearance by chart-topping Christian singer/songwriter Chris Tomlin, Grace Unplugged is certainly plugged into its intended audience. And the presence of such familiar faces as Pollak and Denton, both delivering well-nuanced turns, manages to somewhat elevate the material. But by the time the film reaches its predictably happy conclusion, audiences will have long stopped caring.

Transitioning

When everyone starts telling you that it is just a stage, somehow, you know that it isn't as easy as it seems to be. No matter what we go through in life, at that very moment, it is just like a dark hole that absorbs you in. No one would ever know, no one would ever understand that moment.

Tonight wasn't just like any other nights that I've actually been in. It isn't about the physical pain, it isn't about the excruciating emotion turmoil, it isn't about anything at all. Reflecting on what life has to give, I just wanted to make it right for myself. For once, I wanted it to be.

Opened up my "un-finish" library and started to write. The more my fingers ran on the keyboard of my piano, everything seems like going rightfully wrong. Someone comes into your world and suddenly your world changed forever. That was the feeling that gave me hope, faith, and fear.

From everything that wasn't real, to a firm grip of reality. The hope that drives you on fighting your own shadows, the faith you held on to when there is nothing to hold on, and the fear of how much tears and grief that lies upon them.

Facing cancer is part of giving in to the life that has been given up before you start living. Surviving is an instinct that drives you on, and all you end up in the same dark hole where everyone just see you as what you wanted them to see. Who else would really understand that part of life?

If I was given a real choice for myself, that choice wouldn't be a choice that will put a smile on your face, but life always put you on the edge. And that is where music has been my safe place, a place I can just express everything in and not to fear what other will think of what I choose.

A song that I couldn't stop playing all day. One amazing track written by Diane Warren and made famous by Demi Lovato 

Boeing Unveils Its Jumbo Killer - 777X

Boeing forever changed aviation in 1970 when it introduced its 747 jumbo jet, whose size and range revolutionized flying and became a cultural icon in the process. It’s since gone on to log orders for more than 1,500 of the humpbacked behemoth’s various models. But now the world’s No. 1 maker of commercial aircraft is poised to offer a model that may kill off its best-known creation.

Betting it can capture the operating economies of a huge plane in a smaller one, Boeing is undertaking a radical makeover of its smaller 777 jet that will be ready to take flight by decade’s end. The new 777X model will boast the biggest engines ever put on a plane, a record wingspan that can be shortened by having the tips fold up after landing, and lower operating costs. Cramming all this cost-saving technology into a smaller plane that operates with two engines—rather than the four needed by jumbos—could herald an end to the race to build ever-larger jets that’s driven much of modern aircraft design.

The 777X will be the first twin-engine jet able to ply long-haul routes with payloads comparable to the larger jumbos. That’s likely to accelerate airlines’ shift away from mammoth, four-engine fuel-guzzlers such as Boeing’s latest 747-8 andAirbus’s double-decker A380. “My assumption is the 747 is dead, or will be dead in a year or two,” says Adam Pilarski, senior vice president at aerospace consultant Avitas. Like the 747 four decades ago, he says, the 777X is aimed at a market segment where it lacks a direct rival and “may have a very good run.”

The first model, the 777-9X, will be able to fly as far as 8,000 nautical miles with more than 400 passengers while burning 20 percent less fuel than the current 777, now the world’s biggest twin-engine jet. A second variant, carrying about 350 people, will follow and push the range past 9,400 nautical miles—far enough for a New York-Singapore nonstop flight. Experts expect airlines to approve. “It’s just very difficult to stop the compelling, strong economics of the big, long-range twin airplanes,” says John Plueger, president of Los Angeles-based jet lessor Air Lease.

Even though Boeing’s board has yet to grant final approval for the plane’s launch, Boeing already has grabbed an $11 billion order from Lufthansa for 34 of the jets. Peter Arment, an analyst at Sterne, Agee & Leach, predicts the tally may reach “well over 100 orders” worth more than $34 billion at list prices after the plane’s expected unveiling at the Dubai Airshow in mid-November.

By rolling out an aircraft that will eliminate the need for a megajumbo at many airlines, Boeing may cannibalize sales ofits own 467-passenger 747-8, whose $356.9 million list price makes it the aircraft manufacturer’s most expensive model. George Ferguson, a senior analyst with Bloomberg Industries, says Boeing has little choice but to take that risk, since Airbus in 2014 is set to begin deliveries of its new midsize A350 widebody, which will compete head to head with the current 777. Explains Pilarski, a former executive at McDonnell Douglas, which Boeing bought in 1997: “If they continue with the status quo, the 777 will begin losing market share.”

The 777 is the top-selling plane in Boeing’s lineup. Able to carry as many as 350 people, it lists for $320.2 million for the largest model, although discounts are common on all planes for launch customers and those ordering in bulk. The catalog price of the 777X, expected to be about $340 million based on Lufthansa’s order, hasn’t been made public.

Most airlines’ interest in jumbos cooled years ago. Boeing has won only 40 orders for the passenger version of the 747-8, which entered service in 2012, and has received none so far in 2013. Instead, Boeing has drawn far more excitement from customers over its much smaller (210 seats to 330 seats), super-efficient 787 Dreamliner. Still, Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s vice president for marketing, insists the 747 remains critical to the company’s goal of offering a range of products to satisfy demand for planes with 200 to 500 seats. “We’re bringing the 777X to the market eyes wide-open with how it will fit in the family,” he says. “We’re confident the 747-8 will be a great airplane to complement what we’re doing there.”

Airbus, a latecomer to the jumbo market with the A380’s 2007 arrival, defends its jet as being in “a totally different size and comfort category than the 777X,” says Senior Vice President Chris Emerson. Typically configured with seating in the low 400s to the low 500s, the A380 has amassed 259 orders, although none in 2013.

Boeing’s newest 777 will borrow the swept carbon-fiber wing developed for the 787 Dreamliner, expanding to a span of 233 feet, the largest ever on a Boeing commercial jet, according to Aspire Aviation, a Hong Kong-based consultant.

With the broader wing, the 777X will need 15 percent less thrust from its newGeneral Electric engines than required on the current 777-300ER, even though the new plane will have 50 more seats. Each engine will produce 102,000 foot-pounds of thrust, giving a 777X about as much propulsive power as five of Boeing’s pioneering four-engine 707s from the 1950s.

The biggest design breakthrough features relatively simple technology: a hydraulic actuator to fold the hinged wingtips after the jet lands. That will let the 777X dodge rules limiting jumbos to airports with specially widened taxiways and gates. Operating costs will be lower, since the wider wings would otherwise cause the planes “to take up two whole gates, and you’d have to pay for that proportionally,” says Hubert Horan, a former airline executive who’s now a Phoenix-based consultant.

Plueger says the 777-9X clearly heralds the end of the line for less-efficient, out-of-production versions of the 747, such as the jets that Lufthansa is replacing. “We see the 9X as an airplane that will finally serve the role of eliminating all of the remaining 747-400s out there,” he says.

Source : Bloomberg Business Week

American Music Awards 2013 Nominations Announced

Time to start voting! Kelly Clarkson and will.i.am teamed up to announce the 2013 American Music Awards nominations on Thursday, Oct. 10. The 31-year-old "Catch My Breath" singer and 38-year-old Black Eyed Peas band member revealed the first five categories live on Good Morning America

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This year, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake are going head-to-head in the Artist of the Year category. The show has also added a new Single of the Year category, and Miley Cyrus and Imagine Dragons are set to perform.

 ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Bruno Mars
Rihanna
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KOHL'S
Florida Georgia Line
Ariana Grande
Imagine Dragons
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Phillip Phillps

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Nelly, "Cruise"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz, "Thrift Shop"
Robin Thicke Featuring Pharrell & T.I., "Blurred Lines"

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Bruno Mars
Robin Thicke
Justin Timberlake

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
P!nk
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

FAVORITE BAND, DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK
Imagine Dragons
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
One Direction

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK
One Direction, "Take Me Home"
Taylor Swift, "Red"
Justin Timberlake, "The 20/20 Experience"

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Luke Bryan
Hunter Hayes
Blake Shelton

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

FAVORITE BAND, DUO or GROUP - COUNTRY
The Band Perry
Florida Georgia Line
Lady Antebellum

FAVORITE ALBUM - COUNTRY
Luke Bryan, "Crash My Party"
Florida Georgia Line, "Here’s To The Good Times"
Taylor Swift, "Red"

FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
Jay Z
Lil Wayne
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP
Jay Z, "Magna Carta…Holy Grail"
Kendrick Lamar, "good kid, m.A.A.d city"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "The Heist"

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Miguel
Robin Thicke
Justin Timberlake

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Ciara
Alicia Keys
Rihanna

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B
Rihanna, "Unapologetic"
Robin Thicke, "Blurred Lines"
Justin Timberlake, "The 20/20 Experience"

FAVORITE ARTIST - ALTERNATIVE ROCK
Imagine Dragons
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons

FAVORITE ARTIST - ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars
P!nk

FAVORITE ARTIST - LATIN
Marc Anthony
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos

FAVORITE ARTIST - CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
tobyMac
Chris Tomlin
Matthew West

FAVORITE ARTIST - ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)
Avicii
Daft Punk
Calvin Harris
Zedd

TOP SOUNDTRACK
"The Great Gatsby: Music From Baz Luhrmann's Film"
"Les Miserables"
"Pitch Perfect"

Malaysia Airlines Expands Taipei-KL Route

Malaysia Airlines will introduce one extra service between Taipei and Kuala Lumpur to address growing demand on this route, according to the company's press release.

Starting Nov. 4, the additional flight will be served by a B737-800 aircraft with a configuration of 16 business and 144 economy seats, with on-demand in-flight entertainment systems in every seat.

From this date, Malaysia Airlines' additional flight between Taipei and Kuala Lumpur will provide better travel options for customers to enjoy improved connectivity to destinations in the airline's network, the company said.

With the above service added to existing flights, Malaysia Airlines now provides a total of 19 direct flights between Taiwan and Malaysia. 

Air France 80th Anniversary Special Livery On A380

Two Air France aircraft will sport this special 80th anniversary livery for a period of one year: an Airbus A380 and an Airbus A320.

"We have a very rich heritage, which we have built up over the years and which is a very strong competitive advantage. I am pleased that Airbus has chosen to take part in this event to sport the Air France 80th anniversary livery all over the world. It is also a great opportunity to share this anniversary with customers and staff" declared Frédéric Gagey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air France.

"We are particularly proud to be celebrating this 80th anniversary alongside Air France, illus-trating the success of this major European airline. From its earliest days Air France has de-monstrated its confidence in Airbus. Air France has operated the full range of Airbus aircraft, and will also be an operator of the latest generation A350 XWB in the coming years. We wish Air France all the best for a successful future" said Fabrice Brégier President and Chief Execu-tive Officer of Airbus.

The Airbus A380 is already setting new standards for air transport and the environment. In ad-dition to offering unequalled levels of passenger comfort, space and quietness inside and out-side the cabin, the Airbus A380 offers reduced emissions.

DISCOVER ONLINE

- A special website dedicated to Air France’s 80th anniversary - 80ans.airfrance.com
- 80th anniversary products available at shopping.airfrance.com.

THE AIR FRANCE AIRBUS A380

6 destinations:
- North America: New York-JFK (1 daily flight), Washington-Dulles (1 daily flight)
and Los Angeles (1 daily flight),
- Africa: Johannesburg (1 daily flight),
- Asia: Tokyo-Narita (1 daily flight) and Shanghai-Pudong (3 weekly flights).

516 seats in four cabin classes:
- La Première (9 seats), Business (80 seats), Premium Economy (38 seats)
and Economy (389 seats).

Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliner To Fly To Bali

Bali will be the first international route for the Jetstar Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which will start flying to the holiday island from mid-December.

The airline announced the new route as Australia’s first Dreamliner touched down in Melbourne today after a 13,000km delivery flight from Boeing’s giant factory in the US.

“Tickets are now on sale for our first scheduled international service to Bali on Wednesday December 18,” said Jetstar Group chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka. “We expect to add more destinations --including Phuket, Japan, Hawaii and Singapore -- to the 787’s flying schedule as we receive more aircraft.”

The aircraft landed shortly after 1pm to a water canon salute from emergency services and was met by Victorian Premier Dennis Napthine.

The 335-seat plane will spend the next few weeks being certified by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority before starting domestic service for a month flying from its home-base in Melbourne to the Gold Coast and Perth.

The delivery flight went without a hitch and pilots said it had performed well since it was delivered from Boeing.

“It’s very similar to a 767, it’s a beautifully responsive aeroplane and very, very quiet up the front. Beautifully quiet,” said Captain Peter Terrill, who landed the plane.

As well as being more fuel efficient, the aircraft also flies slightly faster than the Airbus A330s it will replace and shaved about 30 minutes off the normal flying time as it cruised at Mach 0.86 at 40,000ft. It was estimated it used 8000kg less fuel than an A330 following it on the same route, a 15 per cent improvement with an extra 25 seats and $1 million worth of spare parts in the hold.

Unlike the delivery of the Airbus A380 in 2008, which saw almost six cartons Grange Hermitage consumed, the 57 passengers failed to down the 31 bottles of French champagne provided for the two-leg flight and the remaining 13 have been donated by Boeing to charity.

“Unlike previous flights, this wasn’t party town,” said Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, who said he was pleased with the way the plane performed and the reaction to new cabin features.

The 787 has windows that are 60 per cent bigger than a conventional plane and operates wit higher humidity and cabin pressure.

The aircraft also attempts to counteract turbulence to give a smoother ride. Sensors on the 787 continually adjust moveable panels on the wing in an attempt to smooth out the turbulence.

Two additional planes are due to be delivered by the end of this year and are expected to enter service early next year. Jetstar International will use the 787 to replace 11 A330s and will ultimately take 14 of the planes.

Jetstar's first Boeing 787 the airline has provided a sneak peak at its business and economy seats via a 'fly-though' computer graphics video and information shared on its special Jetstar Boeing 787 Dreamliner web page.

Jetstar Boeing 787 business class

The pointy end of Jetstar's Boeing 787 will be fitted with 21 of these leather-clad Recaro business class seats arranged in a 2-3-2 layout.

They bear more than a passing resemblance to Qantas' own premium economy seats (also manufactured by Recaro), and as AusBT first revealed earlier this year, they're generous recliners rather than angled flat-beds.

"When you’re only flying five to ten hours, the amount the customers need to pay for a lie-flat seat, for the space it takes up, just doesn’t work out" says Mark Dal Pra, who leads Jetstar’s 787 program.

Jetstar tells us the seat pitch will be around 38 inches, comparable to the airline's current A330 fleet.

Each business class seat will include a 10.6 inch touchscreen display, AC power socket and USB port.

Jetstar Boeing 787 economy class

There bulk of Jetstar's Boeing 787 is given over to 314 slimline and lightweight Pinnacle economy seats from BE Aerospace.

These are ranked in a 3-3-3 layout with a seat pitch of 31-32 inches.

Jetstar says the effective legroom is actually greater because of the seat's slim design, which delivers a little more room around the knees.

Each traveller gets their own 9 inch touchscreen and USB port, with an AC power outlet shared between every two seats.

The Panasonic eX2 inflight entertainment system offers video on demand while seatback mounting will allow 'gate to gate' use rather than having to switch off the screen during take-off and landing.

You can watch the complete fly-though video below:

Prices Drop With Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines has just released a pre-Christmas sale with a set of superb value fares on return flights from London Heathrow to 32 of their most popular destinations in the Far East and Australasia. UK travellers can flee to the Orient with return economy flights for as low as £539 to Bangkok, £659 to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Phuket and an unbeatable £689 to Kuala Lumpur.

Escape the cold UK weather and soak up the sun in Australasia with economy flights starting from just £729 to Perth, £749 to Melbourne and £829 to Auckland. Or be the first to fly to Darwin with Malaysia Airlines’ launch on 01st November for as low as £739. Fly in style with Business class fares from as low as £2609 to Kuala Lumpur, £2669 to Penang and Langkawi, or from £2929 to Australasia.

The pre-Christmas getway fares can be booked between 04th to 17th October 2013, valid for travel through the whole month of November.

Glee: Hear the Heartbreaking Songs From the Cory Monteith Tribute Episode

It's the moment fans have both been waiting for and dreading: Glee will say goodbye to Cory Monteith and his character Finn Hudson in a special tribute episode this Thursday (9/8c on Fox).

Watch the trailer for Glee's Cory Monteith memorial episode - The Quaterback

All six tribute songs have been released, including Lea Michele's heartbreaking rendition of "Make You Feel My Love," which was featured in the trailer for the emotional memorial episode.

Listen to ALL of the songs from “The Quarterback” including: “Seasons of Love” by Mercedes (Amber Riley), Santana (Naya Rivera), Kurt (Chris Colfer), Puck (Mark Salling), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), and Mike (Harry Shum) below:

Click inside to listen to the rest of the songs from “The Quarterback“…

Amber Riley – “I’ll Stand By You”

Mark Salling – “No Surrender”

Chord Overstreet & Kevin McHale – “Fire & Rain”