The Week In Travel

Beond, a premium all-business-class airline, is set to launch operations from Male, the Maldives, serving Munich, Riyadh, and Zurich from November. Airbus A319 aircraft with 44 lay-flat seats will be used, with plans to introduce Airbus A321 CEO aircraft in 2023 featuring 68 seats. Beond aims to expand to 32 aircraft, connecting 60 destinations within five years.

In New Zealand, Air New Zealand is adding a new baggage tracking feature to its app, allowing travellers to monitor their luggage’s journey from check-in to arrival, with the aim to make travel less stressful. This feature is available for both iOS and Android users in the Air New Zealand app.

In a bid for sustainability, EasyJet has forged a pioneering partnership with Airbus for their Airbus Carbon Capture Offer. Airbus, in collaboration with 1PointFive, is developing Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technology to extract CO2 emissions. The 500,000-tonne DACCS facility, set to launch in 2025, will provide EasyJet with 400,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits from 2026 to 2029.

Munich Airport and Dabico Airport Solutions Germany GmbH have plans to develop fully automated passenger boarding bridges to streamline operations. This collaborative effort aims to enhance operational efficiency at Munich Airport. The airport has been at the forefront of implementing advanced technologies, biometric boarding pass checks, smart trolleys, chatbots, self-checkout kiosks, and robotic projects for ground handling and cleaning in Terminal 2 and the satellite.

And finally, chaos unfolded on a flight from Bangkok to Taipei as a rat and otter escaped a passenger’s luggage. Cabin crew caught the otter but not before one brave soul received an unexpected nibble. In Taipei, authorities found more critters stashed in bags and the passenger responsible faces a hefty £25,000 fine.