Qantas Announces Upgrade

The Qantas Group has announced that it will upgrade its entire fleet of Airbus A330s and order new Boeing 737-800s to drive its strategy in the international and domestic markets. Beginning in late 2014, the group will reconfigure the interior of 10 Airbus A330-300s and 20 A330-200s with a new flat seat in Business Class, refreshed Economy cabin and a new inflight entertainment offering. The A330-300s will be operated by Qantas International on its network between Australia and Asia, while the A330-200s will be operated by Qantas Domestic on routes between the east coast and Perth – enabling the final retirement of the group’s Boeing 767s. Qantas will also purchase five additional Boeing 737-800 aircraft for Qantas Domestic (for delivery during 2014) and extend the leases on two existing B737-800s this year. The A330 reconfiguration program and the additional B737-800 orders do not affect the group’s planned capital expenditure of $1.6 billion in 2012/13 and $1.5 billion in 2013/14.

KQ Increases Simba Lounge Capacity

Kenya Airways has expanded its lounge at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, to cater for increase in customer growth. Under the brand name ‘Simba Lounge’, two Kenya Airways-operated lounges at JKIA will seat over 200 passengers, with the older Simba Lounge seating over 50 passengers and the newly-expanded Simba Lounge on the second floor at JKIA seating 150 passengers, in an area of about 1500 square metres.
 The lounge service will cater for Business Class, Flying Blue Elite Plus and SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers, where high value customers get the same unique service across all 500 lounges in all Skyteam member airlines. Passengers will have an option to choose which of the two lounges to use while waiting to depart. The lounge services will include amongst others, complimentary food, snacks and drinks, hot shower facility, high speed Wi-Fi Internet connection, satellite TV, and international newspapers and journals. The new lounge will be open to all Platinum and Gold card elite frequent fliers from all SkyTeam member airlines, departing or flying via Nairobi.

Air France Unveils Top Chef For Business Cabin

For the next six months, Chef Joel Robuchon will serve as the first of Air France’s ambassadors of the art of French gastronomy, as the airline plans to offer exceptional dishes in Business Class, on long-haul flights departing from Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

 Business Class passengers can look forward to some of Robuchon’s signature dishes, including Basque shrimp and turmeric-scented pasta with lemon grass; chicken breast in green curry sauce, poppy seed rice, carrots and shiitake mushrooms; and crayfish pasta with Nantua sauce. One of the four hot meal choices offered on board, will be renewed every 10 days.

 Robuchon has 27 Michelin stars and is at the head of more than 20 establishments, from gourmet restaurants to gastronomic workshops, featuring innovative concepts in which exquisite food melds easily with a lively and friendly atmosphere.