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SAS with SkyTeam Announces Major Business Class Expansion for 2025 Along with 15 New Destinations
September 18, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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In a monumental step for global aviation, SAS highlighted their September 1 joining of the SkyTeam alliance during an eagerly anticipated event in Copenhagen. With over 200 industry leaders, media, and key airline executives in attendance, SAS revealed plans to significantly expand its business class offerings in 2025—a move set to redefine the Scandinavian airline’s […]

Heart Aerospace Unveils Electric Aircraft Demonstrator: Potential Impacts on Regional Aviation and Passenger Experience
September 12, 2024  | Written by Dirk Singer
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Swedish startup Heart Aerospace today unveiled its first full-scale electric aircraft demonstrator, the Heart X1, marking a significant milestone in developing its ES-30 hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The unveiling took place at the company’s Hangar Day event in Gothenburg, Sweden, showcasing a 32-meter wingspan aircraft that serves as a precursor to the 30-seat ES-30, scheduled to […]

Letronics Lift Aims to Prevent Boarding Injuries for Disabled Passengers
September 6, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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The risks disabled passengers face during boarding were thrust into the spotlight when BBC journalist Frank Gardner, a wheelchair user, was dropped by airline staff. The incident left Gardner with injuries and a humiliating experience, sparking calls for improved accessibility in aviation​. Unfortunately, such incidents are not isolated. In a world where safety and dignity […]

APEX Appoints Antonio Penim as Airline Engagement Director to Strengthen Global Airline Advancement
September 4, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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WASHINGTON, DC – APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) announced the appointment of Antonio Penim as its new Airline Engagement Director, reinforcing the organization’s ongoing commitment to advancing the global airline passenger experience. Antonio Penim, a recognized leader in In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC), emerged as one of the final 10 original candidates for the APEX […]

Delta Divides Chief Operating Officer Role to Strengthen Operations and Customer Experience
August 26, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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On Friday, Delta Air Lines announced a departure with implications on their future passenger experience with the resignation of Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mike Spanos after 15 months in the role. The unexpected departure has led to a significant reshuffle in the carrier’s leadership team, with Delta dividing the COO responsibilities to better focus on […]

SmartSky Networks’ Abrupt Closure: A Vision Unfulfilled
August 21, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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SmartSky Networks, once seen as a formidable challenger in airborne connectivity, suddenly ceased operations last Friday on August 16, 2024. The Morrisville, North Carolina-based company had aimed to revolutionize in-flight communications with its high-performance air-to-ground (ATG) network. However, despite its promising start, SmartSky’s ambitions were ultimately derailed by financial struggles, marking the end of a […]

Remembering Cindy Tarver: The Matriarch Co-Founder of APEX
August 16, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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Original story content by Caroline Ku and Valerie Silva Cindy Tarver, co-founder of the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), recently passed away, leaving behind a profound legacy that shaped the aviation industry. Her journey began in the late 1970s when she recognized the need for a dedicated forum to discuss in-flight entertainment (IFE). This vision led […]

JetZero’s Blended-Wing Aircraft Gains Momentum with Major Airline and U.S. Government Support
August 15, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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JetZero, a pioneering aerospace startup based in California, made significant strides this ‎week with its innovative blended-wing body aircraft, which promises to reduce fuel ‎consumption by up to 50% compared to traditional tube-and-wing aircraft. The aircraft ‎uses existing next-generation single-aisle aircraft engines and can fly as far as trans-‎oceanic. Alaska Airlines’ investment this week marked […]

    Reducing Travel Times: Boom’s Supersonic Plans Target Business Class Market
    July 23, 2024  | Written by Dirk Singer
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    At the 2024 Farnborough International Air Show, Boom Supersonic’s founder and CEO, Blake Scholl, promised a revolutionary passenger experience for travellers who value speed and time, with four-hour transatlantic flights being possible before the end of the decade. In a press conference, Scholl detailed Boom’s progress around the company’s Overture supersonic aircraft, with a planned […]

    Airline Insights & Innovations: Airbus Hosts Inaugural Commercial Aircraft Customer Days
    July 4, 2024  | Written by APEX Staff
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    Airbus inaugurated its first-ever Commercial Aircraft Customer Days at its headquarters in Toulouse, France last week. The event featured a future cabin panel moderated by APEX Group CEO Dr. Joe Leader with panelists including Iberia’s Fleet Planning Director Alberto García Torres and Japan Airlines’ VP Engineering & Quality Assurance in Europe Yamanaka Jun, along with […]