Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions. Initially managing the weekly newsletter for respected aviation insurance loss adjuster Airclaims Limited, he later joined aviation media company Key Publishing where he spent almost nine years interviewing many of the industry’s senior players producing content for renowned titles such as Airliner World and Airports of the World. In 2011, he joined air service development specialist Routes (latterly part of UBM) where he developed a complete digital editorial content strategy for the business and has become well respected by the aviation community for his knowledge and insight. In April 2017, he left to establish his own business, Maslen Aviation Consultancy, providing storytelling content production, delivery and promotion support as well as consultancy services on aviation topics. He has already started working independently for a number of clients providing online content, event coverage, conference speaking, media appearances, advice on marketing and live event experience as well as project management on an exciting new content platform.
Having lived in the shadow of Icelandair’s effective European and North American network strategy since it launched services in 2012, WOW air has now exploded into the low-cost transatlantic market with a network that covers almost 30 destinations in Europe and North America. And having grown capacity by over 90 per cent in 2016, it expects to continue its rapid rise as the low-cost long-haul model continues to stimulate traffic across the Atlantic.
The airline has selected the Canadian-built airliner for its exclusive future short-haul fleet and will replace all its existing Boeing aircraft with 20 factory new CS300s by 2020. The aircraft will not just modernise the fleet and boost efficiency, but will also enhance the airline’s range of services, expanding into medium-haul markets from Riga such as Abu Dhabi, Almaty, Astana, Casablanca, Dubai, Marrakech and Tenerife thanks to its operating performance.
When British Airways first announced its plans to serve Leeds Bradford many observers so the decision as little more than as an avenue to protect the carrier’s pool of slots at the heavily-congested Heathrow Airport. However, the London Heathrow - Leeds Bradford route is currently among its best performing domestic markets with traffic up 18.4 per cent over the first ten months of 2016.
