Portland Airport (via the Port of Portland), Emirates Boeing 777 and Lufthansa Boeing 747-8I (via Jeremy Dwyer-Lindren)
This last week and a half has been super busy already for me and it is only going to get a bit crazier (in a good way) for the next week.
I am off to Portland to give a talk on tourism and technology at the GWTTRA Conference. Very excited to share the concept that technology has really improved the experience and I think ushered a new Golden Age of flight. If you have any ideas on tourism, travel, airlines and technology, please share them in the comments and I might be able to add it to my presentation.
Then heading all the way around the world with Emirates on their new non-stop flight from Seattle to Dubai. I am excited to check out Emirates service on their Boeing 777-200LR, as well as seeing what Dubai has to offer.
I will be keeping up on Twitter and Facebook on my aviation themed adventures as always, so please join along.
While on the road, I will be making use of guest blogs and hopefully be able to remotely cover the delivery of Lufthansa’s first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, which is rumored to be delivered around the 24th of this month (nothing official has been announced from Lufthansa or Boeing).
Ethiopian
- Ethiopian DC3 taken in 1973. Photo by Christian Hanuise via Wikipedia
On December 13th, Ethiopian Airlines was welcomed into the Star Alliance. This is just one of quite a few major steps that the African airline has taken in recent years.
The airline started operations in 1946 and is the flag carrier of Ethiopia. It is currently owned 100% by the government and has grand plans for the next few years, which they call, “Vision 2025.” Their vision is not only to grow the airline, but to, “contribute positively to socio economic development of Ethiopia in particular and the countries it operates in general by undertaking its corporate social responsibilities and providing vital global air connectivity.”
In November 2010, the airline took delivery of their first Boeing 777 and they currently operate a fleet of five of the wide bodied aircraft. They aren’t stopping with just 777s, they are looking to the future and have orders for ten Boeing 787s and 12 Airbus A350s. Joining the Star Alliance is just one step in Ethiopian Airlines becoming more of a global player.
A far cry from the DC-3: Ethiopian Airlines first 787 Dreamliner on the Boeing Factory Floor in Sept 2011.
“It is another historical milestone for Ethiopian to join this most prestigious and longest serving Alliance in the world,”said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO Ethiopian Airlines via a press release. “This day will remain colourfully marked in our history book. It is in line with our efforts to lay a strong foundation for the airline to achieve its vision 2025 objectives.”
If you like the airline, do not waste your time just buying a model. They are actually selling three Boeing 757-200ERs via their website right now. Talk about a great gift for the holidays!
Want a bit more? My friend and NYCAviation.com writer Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren recently took some flights on Ethiopian and reviewed their business class (cloud nine) and economy class products.
