A week of events in the aviation sector, from truly positive for the travellers to some to be taken a look at more carefully. The European Parliament took steps to improve the rights of passengers, while British Airways overhauled its amenity kits, Copa Airlines defied the Starlink consensus, and Air France took action in London. What actually transpired and why it's important.

The Starlink Free-for-All has come to an End at Least at one Airline

One thing has been constant since Starlink has been deployed on commercial airline fleets: it will be free for everyone on the airline. The airlines were providing free WiFi onto the plane, and there was a consensus in industry circles that this was a must for SpaceX's airline deals.

That's all Copa Airlines will not be able to do this week. It is the first airline in Latin America to activate Starlink on July 4 and has a fees policy for most of its passengers. The rest of the cabin will be charged for access to the business class and elite frequent flyers. Copa aims to have all of its planes fitted with Starlink by 2027.

The development makes a lot of people wonder if SpaceX has changed their policies, or ifCopa signed some other type of contract than other carriers. Regardless, the theory that Starlink = free Wi-Fi for all may no longer be true moving forward, and other airlines might be paying attention to Copa's approach.

It's Time to Get Rid of your Sun Country

The Allegiant-Sun Country merger announced in May is following its next steps, and those who have already visited Sun Country's destinations are starting to get a timeline. When a single operating certificate is granted for both airlines, the Sun Country brand will be phased out and the combined operation will boast the Allegiant brand.

The truth is, it will not happen overnight, as it will take time to repaint 47 aircraft, and there is a certificate process timeline for the FAA. A few years of transition will be needed before all Sun Country livery from the terminals is gone. Routes and operations have continued for now, but the brand is on borrowed time.

It has been made “meaningfully easier” in Europe to recover compensation when flights are delayed or cancelled. In Europe, it has been made “meaningfully easier” to receive compensation on a delayed or cancelled flight.

It's the news item travelers should give the most consideration to this week. The European Parliament has agreed a group of positive changes to the EU261 passenger compensation law, which spells out the rights of passengers who have to wait for a flight to be delayed or canceled due to the actions of an EU airline. Final approval should be received in August.

Air France's First Lounge in the UK is an Interesting one to Know About

On July 7, Air France opened up a new lounge at London Heathrow; the airline's first, and only, dedicated lounge space in the United Kingdom. The 8,000-square-foot space is open 24 hours and is open to eligible departing passengers, which includes business class passengers and SkyTeam elite flyers on qualifying itineraries.

The lounge overlooks the airfield, and thus has a somewhat unique character as opposed to the usual inward-focused lounge experience at an airport. This is a significant choice for passengers transiting via Heathrow on Air France, or seeking a high-end departure experience prior to their long-haul journey, as it previously lacked from the UK market.

This week the airline also announced new amenity kits for its luxury, business and La Première first class cabins. Both the announcement of a new lounge and the updated cabin accessories indicate a steady approach to investment in the Air France's high-quality travel offering.

Amenity kits takes British Airways a colourful New Direction

British Airways has different plans. From August, the carrier's business class amenity kits will no longer be packed in luxury-branded packaging that it has enjoyed with The White Company, but will be rolled-top bags with colorful artwork from British artists that has become synonymous with the BA cabin experience. The skincare ingredients will also change, from The White Company to a London-based apothecary brand called Anatome.

There have been mixed reactions to this shift, and that isn't particularly surprising. It was a deliberate positioning by The White Company to be high spec and expected by many passengers to be a British Airways business kit. The new look is more fun and more expressive, either a breath of fresh air or a downgrade in terms of luxury and high quality.

It's clear that it's an aesthetic decision and not simply replacing one product with another. Will the wider passenger fleet accept it as a positive change will be seen over the coming months with real travel.

Oneworld Lounge Expansion is Expected Gradually

Oneworld CEO Ole Orvér revealed this week that the alliance is looking at up to 20 airports worldwide for new branded lounge sites. One of the confirmed airports is Frankfurt Airport, which has recently finished the conversion of Terminal 3. The time frame will be years, not months and the type of future facilities new facilities, replacement of existing airline lounges, or conversion of existing spaces will be dependent on the facility.

If Oneworld alliance carriers were to eventually roll out branded lounges at more airports, it would offer more uniformity of access for frequent travelers on their respective airlines, such as American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines. It's a long-term campaign, but for those who rely on Oneworld alliance benefits, it's something to keep an eye on.

A Summary of the Main points from this upcoming week

• The airline Copa Airlines is rolling out its new business class and elite free travel policy, charging the majority of its passengers for access to Starlink Wi-Fi.As is the norm in the industry, Copa Airlines will not be offering free Starlink Wi-Fi on board, except for business class and elite travelers.
• The European Parliament has passed the EU passenger rights improvements, with the introduction of a 2-hour compensation threshold for short haul flights, improved tiers for long haul, protection against hidden city ticketing, and a reduction in the amount of power for airlines to reject claims.
• Eventually, the Sun Country brand will be phased out as a result of the Allegiant merger, but not any time soon (several years is the timeframe)
• In the UK, Air France launches their first lounge at Heathrow while new amenity kits are also rolling into all the cabins in the premium class.
• British Airways has announced the new partnership for replacement amenity kits, with the colorful British artist designed bags, and Anatome products taking over from The White Company from August.

The Bottom Line

This week's aviation news is an illustration of the industry's constant drive to balance cost, the passenger experience, and regulatory requirements. The most significant event to follow Copa's paid Starlink offering is whether this will set a precedent for airlines in satellite connectivity pricing in the future. In the meantime, the EU261 changes to the European Parliament have been some of the structural changes that will be significant in real terms the next time a flight is significantly delayed. 

It's worth pointing out that the Air France Heathrow lounge and the British Airways kit change are both ongoing and British Airways' rebrand and Sun Country's lounge expansion are both long-term changes that will affect the industry in the years to come.