Passenger Experience

• Berlin boosts traveler appeal with new Brandenburg airport
  The new Berlin Brandenburg Airport, which will replace Tegel and Schönefeld airports with a single passenger-oriented airport serving low-cost and full-service airlines, is set to open in June. The new facility will feature 150 shops and restaurants, wood-paneled check-in counters and centrally integrated ground transportation so that travelers can avoid long walks. The airport, which is designed to serve 27 million passengers a year, will also have a dedicated train to Berlin's city center. APEX Editor's Blog (4/27)     

• Alaska Air passengers increasingly avoid checking bags
  Despite Alaska Air Group's growth in the number of passengers it transports, baggage-fee revenue declined 8% in the first quarter to a total of $35 million as more travelers elected not to check luggage. CEO-elect Brad Tilden said the company has considered raising the fee to $25 to offset the slump, but he also said the carrier may stay the course because "customers really don't like those fees." APEX Editor's Blog (4/28)     

• Burst of cheap fares could hit Australia's domestic routes
  September is likely to see the beginning of a fare war in Australia as the newly reinvented Virgin Australia and Qantas compete fiercely for business customers on domestic routes, this feature says. There could be a 21 percent increase in seat capacity, the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says. Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti says he hopes to raise the number of business travelers on the airline to 20% of the total. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)/Travellers' Check (4/30)     

• "Think Like a Man" holds top box-office spot for second week
  "Think Like a Man" dominated the box office for a second weekend in a row as it took in $18 million. Placing a distant second was "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" with $11.4 million, followed by "The Lucky One" with $11.3 million. The new Jason Segel-Emily Blunt romantic comedy, "The Five-Year Engagement," had a weak debut at No. 5. The Hollywood Reporter (4/29)     

• Column: PreCheck program has its limits
  Travelers who are eligible for the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck program may still find themselves stuck in long lines at screening checkpoints because of how the system is not universally applicable across carriers, Carol Pucci writes. The narrow range of traveler segments eligible for the program also prevents its wider usage, Pucci writes. The Seattle Times (4/28)     

• Other News

• Column: Airline's short supply of food irks passengers
  The Philadelphia Inquirer (4/27)     

• Feature offers a photo guide to business-seat designs
  Australian Business Traveller (4/30)     

Connectivity & Technology

• New application lets hungry travelers order delivery to gate
  Travelers at Sacramento International Airport will now be able to download a free mobile app that allows users to order food from airport restaurants Esquire Grill or Burgers & Brew and have it delivered to their gate. The app, from HMSHost, is available for Apple and Android mobile devices. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (4/29)     

• Navigation project aims to shorten flight times in India
  Flight times on domestic routes in India will soon decrease, thanks to a joint project of the Airports Authority of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation. The project aims to improve navigation with a new GPS system. The system that's in place leaves flights traveling nonlinear paths in order to maintain contact with airports in range of their navigation systems. The Times of India (4/29)     

• Other News

• American Airlines looks to personalization to transform flying
  TravelMarketReport.com (4/30)     

Airlines & Aircraft

• China Eastern will buy 20 new Boeing 777 aircraft
  China Eastern Airlines confirmed Monday that it plans to buy 20 B777-300ER for $5.94 billion to help meet growing demand on its international routes. The purchase could possibly be seen as having political undertones -- the airline has canceled orders for Airbus planes amid China's dispute with the European Union over its Emissions Trading System. The Wall Street Journal (4/30)     

• Air India, Asiana will share flights
  South Korean airline Asiana Airlines has signed a code-share agreement with Air India, paving the way for improved direct connections between their countries. An Air India official says the company is also looking to sign code-share deals with Egypt Air and Air China. The Economic Times (India) (4/29)     

• Alitalia plans to protest ruling on train competition
  Alitalia plans to appeal a decision by authorities that the Frecciarossa high-speed train's Rome-to-Milan route does not pose significant competition to the airline. Alitalia says it has lost 2 million passengers in the past three years, since the train route's launch even as it has invested millions in the route's operations to improve quality. eTurboNews (4/29)     

• Other News

• Spirit Airlines will return to Denver this week after 8 years
  The Denver Post (4/30)     

• Oman Air will show off luxury business seat at Arabian travel expo
  Zawya.com (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) (4/30)     

Association News

• Job Listing: Product Line Manager II for Panasonic Avionics
  Panasonic Avionics is the world leader in in-flight entertainment and communications, with most systems installed, most airlines served, and the industry's deepest knowledge base, developed with over 25 years of consistent product innovation and committed customer service. Panasonic is seeking a senior, experienced IFE Product Line Manager to act as the central authority with responsibility for management of a product line for systems comprising multiple units, software and complex integration requirements. Panasonic Avionics Corporation is headquartered in Lake Forest, California, with offices in Bothell, Washington; regional centers in Dallas, Singapore, London, Toulouse, Tokyo, Sydney and Dubai; system production facilities in Osaka; and field service, maintenance and sales facilities worldwide. The position is based in Lake Forest, Calif. For more information about the position, please contact: Lee Pinkofsky, lee.pinkofsky@panasonic.aero or (949)672-2011.     

• Passenger Choice Awards open
  Airlines are encouraged to invite passengers to vote online at www.PassengerChoiceAwards.com through 30 June 2012. Airlines can participate by distributing information about the awards to their customer database, through social media, via print material and on their website using the logos and marketing collateral (print ads and digital ads) found on the APEX website. The Passenger Choice Awards have rapidly distinguished themselves as the industry's foremost honor, as they represent the opinions of YOUR passengers. To participate in the Passenger Choice Awards, airline companies should submit the Best Passenger Experience In Region entry form by 30 June 2012.     

Hot Topic

Top five news stories selected by apexnews Daily SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• In-flight entertainment is key to Emirates' success, chief says (APEX Editor's Blog)

• Wireless in-flight entertainment is expected to boom in next decade (MSNBC)

• Singapore Airlines will add in-flight Wi-Fi on A380 planes (Jaunted.com)

• Virgin Australia is testing new tablet entertainment system (Australian Business Traveller)

• Bigger overhead bins are coming soon at United, other carriers (APEX Editor's Blog)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

SmartQuote

A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy state in this world." --John Locke, British philosopher