Latest news with #trans-Pacific
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
One aspect of this economy flight was a revelation
The seat The economy cabin class is a 2-4-2 configuration. Sitting in an inner aisle seat with no one next to me, I have that blessed feeling that I won't have to get up at any point. Seats are 17 inches (43 centimetres) wide with a pitch of 32 inches (81cm). I'm 180 centimetres tall and able-bodied, and I find them comfortable. Even when the seat in front drops back suddenly, I don't have a screen in my face. The window seating appears to be mostly occupied by couples or friends; an excellent and civilised option for those who need to move around more without the guilt of annoying a stranger. Entertainment + tech Free, fast, and reliable Wi-Fi (courtesy of Elon Musk's Starlink satellites) for everyone on board is a revelation. The entertainment system features a wide selection of contemporary films, along with '90s and early 2000s classics. There are also documentaries from HBO and National Geographic, while children have a dedicated section with up-to-date TV shows and feature-length films. The nine-inch touchscreen is adequate and causes no issues. A standard USB type-A port enables charging, alongside an audio-out socket, allowing me to connect my own noise-cancelling headphones. Service Does an airline's staff demeanour hinge on the destination? In this case, there are beaming smiles all around and vibrant plumeria flowers tucked behind ears. And being greeted with 'aloha' when stepping aboard is equally disarming as it is fun. The two men servicing my cabin are polite and attentive, even when I want a breakdown of the meal options and ask them to fill my water bottle. Food An evening meal is served immediately after take off, consisting of either teriyaki chicken with steamed vegetables and rice, or beef with mashed potatoes. I opt for the former, and it ticks all the boxes of a standard airline meal: not terrible but nothing exceptional. After a five-hour interval, breakfast is served: potato hash and a small, flavoursome – but ultimately forgettable – frittata. A touch I particularly liked, however, was that water was offered regularly, at least every hour or so. For those who want to nibble, a Pau Hana snack bar located at the rear galley offers a multitude of salty and sweet snacks for purchase, from wheels up to wheels down. Sustainability Hawaiian Airlines aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 through partnerships with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), waste reduction initiatives, and LEED-certified facilities. It's cutting plastics, boosting sustainable fuel use, and greening operations to support a more eco-conscious future.* One more thing The airline now treats surfboards, bikes, and golf clubs as standard checked baggage – no extra fees, no fuss. It's a savvy move that caters to the island-bound adventurer, blending practicality with the airline's aloha spirit. The price From about $1000 return, economy class.** The verdict Heading to Portland, Boston, or Las Vegas? This is a polished trans-Pacific economy class that other carriers should look to emulate, with the added opportunity of a flop-and-drop stopover. Our rating out of five
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
One aspect of this economy flight was a revelation
The seat The economy cabin class is a 2-4-2 configuration. Sitting in an inner aisle seat with no one next to me, I have that blessed feeling that I won't have to get up at any point. Seats are 17 inches (43 centimetres) wide with a pitch of 32 inches (81cm). I'm 180 centimetres tall and able-bodied, and I find them comfortable. Even when the seat in front drops back suddenly, I don't have a screen in my face. The window seating appears to be mostly occupied by couples or friends; an excellent and civilised option for those who need to move around more without the guilt of annoying a stranger. Entertainment + tech Free, fast, and reliable Wi-Fi (courtesy of Elon Musk's Starlink satellites) for everyone on board is a revelation. The entertainment system features a wide selection of contemporary films, along with '90s and early 2000s classics. There are also documentaries from HBO and National Geographic, while children have a dedicated section with up-to-date TV shows and feature-length films. The nine-inch touchscreen is adequate and causes no issues. A standard USB type-A port enables charging, alongside an audio-out socket, allowing me to connect my own noise-cancelling headphones. Service Does an airline's staff demeanour hinge on the destination? In this case, there are beaming smiles all around and vibrant plumeria flowers tucked behind ears. And being greeted with 'aloha' when stepping aboard is equally disarming as it is fun. The two men servicing my cabin are polite and attentive, even when I want a breakdown of the meal options and ask them to fill my water bottle. Food An evening meal is served immediately after take off, consisting of either teriyaki chicken with steamed vegetables and rice, or beef with mashed potatoes. I opt for the former, and it ticks all the boxes of a standard airline meal: not terrible but nothing exceptional. After a five-hour interval, breakfast is served: potato hash and a small, flavoursome – but ultimately forgettable – frittata. A touch I particularly liked, however, was that water was offered regularly, at least every hour or so. For those who want to nibble, a Pau Hana snack bar located at the rear galley offers a multitude of salty and sweet snacks for purchase, from wheels up to wheels down. Sustainability Hawaiian Airlines aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 through partnerships with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), waste reduction initiatives, and LEED-certified facilities. It's cutting plastics, boosting sustainable fuel use, and greening operations to support a more eco-conscious future.* One more thing The airline now treats surfboards, bikes, and golf clubs as standard checked baggage – no extra fees, no fuss. It's a savvy move that caters to the island-bound adventurer, blending practicality with the airline's aloha spirit. The price From about $1000 return, economy class.** The verdict Heading to Portland, Boston, or Las Vegas? This is a polished trans-Pacific economy class that other carriers should look to emulate, with the added opportunity of a flop-and-drop stopover. Our rating out of five
Tatler Asia
7 days ago
- Business
- Tatler Asia
Delta to resume non-stop service between LAX and Hong Kong in 2026
Delta is bringing back nonstop LAX–Hong Kong flights in 2026, re-entering a highly competitive trans-Pacific route After an eight-year hiatus, Delta Air Lines is gearing up to resume non-stop flights to Hong Kong, marking a major expansion of its Pacific strategy. Beginning June 2026, Delta will operate daily flights between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) aboard its flagship Airbus A350‑900 aircraft. Read more: Airline rules for power banks—what you need to know Delta last offered direct service to Hong Kong in 2018 from its Seattle hub—a route it discontinued amid challenging market dynamics. It also previously flew from Detroit to Hong Kong until 2012 and briefly between Tokyo-Narita and Hong Kong until 2016. The carrier has clarified that this new run will originate from LAX, not Seattle. Delta's decision comes as trans-Pacific travel continues to rebound. According to the US International Trade Administration, international passenger traffic between the US and Asia reached 2.61 million in December 2024—an 11.7 per cent year-on-year increase, though still about 22 per cent below pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Industry-wide, Asia-Pacific carriers saw the strongest global recovery in 2024. Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows international traffic by Asia-Pacific airlines rose 26 per cent year-on-year—leading all regions—but remained about 9 per cent shy of 2019 volumes. See also: 7 ways to minimise your carbon footprint for sustainable travel that doesn't feel like a compromise Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) also continues its recovery. In 2024, it handled approximately 53 million passengers, up 34 per cent from 2023 but still trailing its 2019 peak of 71.5 million. It ranked as the ninth-busiest airport globally for international traffic last year, underscoring its role as a major Asian hub regaining its footing after extended pandemic-related closures. With demand steadily rising and airlines reintroducing capacity, analysts expect US–Asia air travel to return to near pre-Covid levels by 2026—just in time for Delta's relaunch.
The Mainichi
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
EU leader aims to elevate ties with Japan to 'new level' at summit
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- European Council President Antonio Costa said Tuesday the European Union aims to "upgrade" its relationship with Japan to "a new level" through an upcoming summit in Tokyo, focusing on trade and security. Costa said in an interview with Kyodo News that the EU and Japan will "continue to work together, standing up for the international rules-based order and free and fair trade," amid concerns over high U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump. Costa, who assumed his post in December, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo on Wednesday after visiting the World Exposition in Osaka in western Japan, where the interview was held. At the meeting, the leaders are expected to announce the creation of a "Japan-EU Competitiveness Alliance" to bolster their industries by advancing trade and economic security cooperation, according to diplomatic sources. Costa said that the new partnership will be "the most important deliverable" from the summit, and that the EU and Japan must work not only to tackle their common challenges but also pursue "the profit of our synergy, of our cooperation." "Japan is our closest partner in the Pacific," Costa said, adding that he will discuss with Ishiba the possibility of the 27-member bloc's cooperation regarding a vast trans-Pacific free trade agreement that involves Japan, Britain and 10 other nations. On the defense front, Costa emphasized that the EU will ramp up collaboration with Japan to make both Europe and the Asian nation "better equipped." He added that security in the Pacific and Europe is "interlinked," referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. North Korean troops have been sent to support Moscow's war efforts. After staying in Japan, Costa and von der Leyen are scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China-US container trade trending down as peak season nears
Indicators of China-U.S. container traffic are trending down even as the peak shipping season draws closer. On Monday the Port of Los Angeles Port Optimizer showed 128,720 twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) import volume due in July 13-19, up 8.68% from the past week and 13.23% ahead of the year-ago week. That's the good news. More troubling, the port is showing 120,072 TEUs arriving the week of July 20-26, down 6.72% w/w and 11.47% y/y. Worse yet, projected import volume for July 27-August 2 plunges to 78,025 TEUs, a decrease of 35.02% w//w and 22.10% from a year ago. Similarly, the SONAR Inbound Ocean TEUs Volume Index, China to the United States, fell to 929.53 as of Monday. The Ocean TEU Index represents how much containerized volume is being tendered to ocean carriers (booked) with ocean carriers and/or 3rd party logistics companies (freight forwarders/ NVOCCs). The decline comes as global container volumes reached a record 16.34 million TEUs in May, breaking the previous record of 16.31 million TEUs set in March of this year, according to Container Trade Statistics. Total exports from the Far East region grew 3% y/y in May, most in the world, on record traffic to Europe. Notably, North America and Central and South America saw export volumes tumble from April, off 9.2% and 3.5%, respectively. Imports in April to May were stronger as North America saw a 2% increase year-to-date, even as May volumes fell 9%. Europe containers were up 10% in May y/y. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls Q2 volumes up 4.4% for OOCL parent Longshore unions to unite for 'anti-automation' protest Tariff pauses 'unlikely' to halt tumbling trans-Pacific rates: Freightos June rebound as West Coast containers best East, Gulf ports The post China-US container trade trending down as peak season nears appeared first on FreightWaves.
