International
Global impact: How regulatory affairs is shaping development of cutting-edge pharma innovation
When it comes to developing cutting-edge innovations, Astellas aims to be at the forefront. The pharma organisation prides
The post Global impact: How regulatory affairs is shaping development of cutting-edge pharma innovation appeared first on .
When it comes to developing cutting-edge innovations, Astellas aims to be at the forefront. The pharma organisation prides itself on having an open, collaborative, “science first” approach to help ensure breakthrough discoveries have the very best chance of long-term success in bringing new treatment options to patients worldwide.
“Our mission is to turn innovative science into value for patients and we are working in a lot of different areas with high unmet need,” says Stef Schutte, Astellas’ head of regulatory affairs. “We have a pipeline of novel therapeutics and technological approaches, advancing a diverse array of candidates, including small molecules, biologics and cell and gene therapies, so a lot of the time we are working where there’s little, or no precedent.”
As these innovations – which have the potential to be transformative for patients – enter uncharted regulatory territory, the pathway is not always clear or well-defined, which is why Astellas adopts a proactive approach to early communication with health authorities.
“We work to build positive and effective relationships by having open and early engagement and dialogue. This enables us to provide the rationale for a novel approach and anticipate trends so if we run into unexpected issues, we can act quickly and safely.”
Collaboration accelerates progress for patients
Collaboration when innovating in areas of high unmet medical need is critical and at Astellas, it means experts with highly specialised knowledge of these new discoveries often work in close partnership with regulators.
“We connect these subject matter experts with the regulatory authorities to facilitate information exchange. It’s through this collaboration that we help shape the future.”
In the very early phase of development, Astellas also participates in public-private partnerships with academia, regulators, experts and beyond. Bringing them together ensures key topics are brought to the forefront of conversations, enabling us to navigate and co-define the path forward, explains Schutte.
Global innovation initiatives also help Astellas identify appropriate pathways for accelerated development and review of new therapies across markets. In the US, for example, the FDA now provides the opportunity for initial target engagements for regulatory advice, known as ‘INTERACT meetings’. The consultation meetings discuss innovative, early-stage investigational products and are an opportunity for innovators to get informal advice from the FDA and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) on specific technical aspects. Similar processes are available around the world, with PRIME in the EU and SAKIGAKE designation in Japan, promoting early practical application for innovative pharmaceutical products, medical devices and regenerative medicines.
The impact of COVID-19 and implications for the future
With COVID-19 setting new precedents for accelerating the development, submission and approval of novel therapies, Schutte expects some changes are here to stay. Specifically, the digitalisation of regulatory processes which is being widely adopted.
“When the pandemic struck, we pivoted basically overnight to integrate many remote and digital processes – things like preparing submission dossiers remotely, but also decentralised clinical trials which are more patient-centric as the trial revolves around the patient and not the test center. These are certainly things that are there to stay as they can really help accelerate progress,” reflects Schutte.
Regulatory authorities also made significant adaptations, for example, conducting remote Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Clinical Practice inspections, and also the acceptance of digital signatures. However, not all of these processes may be sustainable for the future.
“If you prioritise one disease area and accelerate approvals it can unintentionally slow the development of important treatments for other diseases, which might have an equally high unmet medical need, but maybe for a smaller population,” says Schutte.
“I think we must certainly strike a balance; prioritising patient need and focusing on therapies that have the greatest potential for delivering value, while continuing to reassess our processes to accelerate development for patients in need. It’s no longer about just focusing on the high unmet medical need for everyone, but the high unmet medical need for different patient groups. I think many of these things will be accelerated compared to the pre-COVID-19 situation.”
A strategic partner
Regulatory affairs as a function has undergone a significant shift in its strategic role and impact over the past 10 years – delivering value from early-development through to the management of approved therapies.
“I think what you see is regulatory affairs professionals bringing together various aspects, not only in the development of therapies, but also in manufacturing and supply chain management,” explains Schutte. “By doing that, regulatory affairs professionals help guide the development and lifecycle of a therapy.”
Astellas’ regulatory affairs function plays a key role in helping to define the final target indication of the therapy, or broadening the target for the profile, or target product label. “In this way, we guide and inform clinical development plans, demonstrate how decisions are being made and define which decisions could have an impact on the final target indication of the therapy.”
The organisation focuses on building relationships with internal and external stakeholders, as well as health economics and patient outcome research groups. “We work together to define an optimal label which will help maximize the value of our therapy for patients.”
Looking to the future
As innovation continues to accelerate, Schutte says he expects to see more globalisation of solutions. “We will see a growing presence in Asia and specifically China as they undergo rapid regulatory reform that can help accelerate development and approval of innovative healthcare solutions in these markets.”
In China, for example, a category-one submission exists, where submission is only possible if the product is not already approved elsewhere in the world. “That means that the timing of submissions, and timing of development becomes more and more critical, in addition to meeting the regulatory requirements.”
There may also be a rise in work-sharing initiatives such as the US FDA’s Project Orbis, which enables concurrent submissions and assessment for all countries participating in the scheme, according to Schutte.
Another key element is likely to be an emphasis on integrated and more personalised healthcare solutions. “In principle, this goes beyond medicines. We anticipate a revolution in digital solutions, such as artificial intelligence, bioinformatics and companion diagnostics.”
Overall, regulatory affairs will continue to be a key player in how these approaches are communicated and are approved by the authorities. “We will always work together to define the regulatory pathways of these novel approaches,” says Schutte.
Astellas’ creation of the ‘Rx+ program’ aimed to leverage the organisation’s existing expertise in pioneering technology and knowledge from different fields. “Our aim is to build cutting-edge healthcare solutions, and services that go beyond medicines and contribute positively to the entire patient journey, encompassing prevention, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment care and management,” adds Schutte.
Regardless of regulatory reforms, patient centricity has and always will be at the heart of Astellas’ focus. ”There is an ever-increasing patient-insight driven approach to development and whatever we do, patients needs must be heard or understood,” concludes Schutte. ”I am excited to build regulatory affairs’ capabilities and the ability to help prioritise the therapies that offer the greatest potential to deliver value for patients.”
About the interviewee
Stef Schutte is executive vice president and head of the Regulatory Affairs function worldwide and is based in Leiden in the Netherlands. In this role Stef is a member of the Medical & Development Leadership Team as well as heading the Regulatory Affairs Leadership Team. Since May 2017, Stef has been a Board member and statutory director for Astellas Pharma Europe BV and its parent company, Astellas BV. Stef is a standing member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Association’s Innovation Board Sponsored Committee, as well as a member of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations Regulatory Strategy Committee. Stef is also a member of the permanent Advisory Board of the George Washington University Regulatory Affairs program.
About Astellas
Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are promoting the Focus Area Approach that is designed to identify opportunities for the continuous creation of new drugs to address diseases with high unmet medical needs by focusing on Biology and Modality. Furthermore, we are also looking beyond our foundational Rx focus to create Rx+® healthcare solutions that combine our expertise and knowledge with cutting-edge technology in different fields of external partners. Through these efforts, Astellas stands on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into value for patients. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en
The post Global impact: How regulatory affairs is shaping development of cutting-edge pharma innovation appeared first on .
treatment fda clinical trials therapy pandemic covid-19 japan european europe netherlands eu chinaInternational
‘Excess Mortality Skyrocketed’: Tucker Carlson and Dr. Pierre Kory Unpack ‘Criminal’ COVID Response
‘Excess Mortality Skyrocketed’: Tucker Carlson and Dr. Pierre Kory Unpack ‘Criminal’ COVID Response
As the global pandemic unfolded, government-funded…
As the global pandemic unfolded, government-funded experimental vaccines were hastily developed for a virus which primarily killed the old and fat (and those with other obvious comorbidities), and an aggressive, global campaign to coerce billions into injecting them ensued.
Then there were the lockdowns - with some countries (New Zealand, for example) building internment camps for those who tested positive for Covid-19, and others such as China welding entire apartment buildings shut to trap people inside.
It was an egregious and unnecessary response to a virus that, while highly virulent, was survivable by the vast majority of the general population.
Oh, and the vaccines, which governments are still pushing, didn't work as advertised to the point where health officials changed the definition of "vaccine" multiple times.
Tucker Carlson recently sat down with Dr. Pierre Kory, a critical care specialist and vocal critic of vaccines. The two had a wide-ranging discussion, which included vaccine safety and efficacy, excess mortality, demographic impacts of the virus, big pharma, and the professional price Kory has paid for speaking out.
Keep reading below, or if you have roughly 50 minutes, watch it in its entirety for free on X:
Ep. 81 They’re still claiming the Covid vax is safe and effective. Yet somehow Dr. Pierre Kory treats hundreds of patients who’ve been badly injured by it. Why is no one in the public health establishment paying attention? pic.twitter.com/IekW4Brhoy
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 13, 2024
"Do we have any real sense of what the cost, the physical cost to the country and world has been of those vaccines?" Carlson asked, kicking off the interview.
"I do think we have some understanding of the cost. I mean, I think, you know, you're aware of the work of of Ed Dowd, who's put together a team and looked, analytically at a lot of the epidemiologic data," Kory replied. "I mean, time with that vaccination rollout is when all of the numbers started going sideways, the excess mortality started to skyrocket."
When asked "what kind of death toll are we looking at?", Kory responded "...in 2023 alone, in the first nine months, we had what's called an excess mortality of 158,000 Americans," adding "But this is in 2023. I mean, we've had Omicron now for two years, which is a mild variant. Not that many go to the hospital."
'Safe and Effective'
Tucker also asked Kory why the people who claimed the vaccine were "safe and effective" aren't being held criminally liable for abetting the "killing of all these Americans," to which Kory replied: "It’s my kind of belief, looking back, that [safe and effective] was a predetermined conclusion. There was no data to support that, but it was agreed upon that it would be presented as safe and effective."
Tucker Carlson Asks the Forbidden Question
— The Vigilant Fox ???? (@VigilantFox) March 14, 2024
He wants to know why the people who made the claim “safe and effective” aren’t being held to criminal liability for abetting the “killing of all these Americans.”
DR. PIERRE KORY: “It’s my kind of belief, looking back, that [safe and… pic.twitter.com/Icnge18Rtz
Carlson and Kory then discussed the different segments of the population that experienced vaccine side effects, with Kory noting an "explosion in dying in the youngest and healthiest sectors of society," adding "And why did the employed fare far worse than those that weren't? And this particularly white collar, white collar, more than gray collar, more than blue collar."
Kory also said that Big Pharma is 'terrified' of Vitamin D because it "threatens the disease model." As journalist The Vigilant Fox notes on X, "Vitamin D showed about a 60% effectiveness against the incidence of COVID-19 in randomized control trials," and "showed about 40-50% effectiveness in reducing the incidence of COVID-19 in observational studies."
Dr. Pierre Kory: Big Pharma is ‘TERRIFIED’ of Vitamin D
— The Vigilant Fox ???? (@VigilantFox) March 14, 2024
Why?
Because “It threatens the DISEASE MODEL.”
A new meta-analysis out of Italy, published in the journal, Nutrients, has unearthed some shocking data about Vitamin D.
Looking at data from 16 different studies and 1.26… pic.twitter.com/q5CsMqgVju
Professional costs
Kory - while risking professional suicide by speaking out, has undoubtedly helped save countless lives by advocating for alternate treatments such as Ivermectin.
Kory shared his own experiences of job loss and censorship, highlighting the challenges of advocating for a more nuanced understanding of vaccine safety in an environment often resistant to dissenting voices.
"I wrote a book called The War on Ivermectin and the the genesis of that book," he said, adding "Not only is my expertise on Ivermectin and my vast clinical experience, but and I tell the story before, but I got an email, during this journey from a guy named William B Grant, who's a professor out in California, and he wrote to me this email just one day, my life was going totally sideways because our protocols focused on Ivermectin. I was using a lot in my practice, as were tens of thousands of doctors around the world, to really good benefits. And I was getting attacked, hit jobs in the media, and he wrote me this email on and he said, Dear Dr. Kory, what they're doing to Ivermectin, they've been doing to vitamin D for decades..."
"And it's got five tactics. And these are the five tactics that all industries employ when science emerges, that's inconvenient to their interests. And so I'm just going to give you an example. Ivermectin science was extremely inconvenient to the interests of the pharmaceutical industrial complex. I mean, it threatened the vaccine campaign. It threatened vaccine hesitancy, which was public enemy number one. We know that, that everything, all the propaganda censorship was literally going after something called vaccine hesitancy."
Money makes the world go 'round
Carlson then hit on perhaps the most devious aspect of the relationship between drug companies and the medical establishment, and how special interests completely taint science to the point where public distrust of institutions has spiked in recent years.
"I think all of it starts at the level the medical journals," said Kory. "Because once you have something established in the medical journals as a, let's say, a proven fact or a generally accepted consensus, consensus comes out of the journals."
"I have dozens of rejection letters from investigators around the world who did good trials on ivermectin, tried to publish it. No thank you, no thank you, no thank you. And then the ones that do get in all purportedly prove that ivermectin didn't work," Kory continued.
"So and then when you look at the ones that actually got in and this is where like probably my biggest estrangement and why I don't recognize science and don't trust it anymore, is the trials that flew to publication in the top journals in the world were so brazenly manipulated and corrupted in the design and conduct in, many of us wrote about it. But they flew to publication, and then every time they were published, you saw these huge PR campaigns in the media. New York Times, Boston Globe, L.A. times, ivermectin doesn't work. Latest high quality, rigorous study says. I'm sitting here in my office watching these lies just ripple throughout the media sphere based on fraudulent studies published in the top journals. And that's that's that has changed. Now that's why I say I'm estranged and I don't know what to trust anymore."
Vaccine Injuries
Carlson asked Kory about his clinical experience with vaccine injuries.
"So how this is how I divide, this is just kind of my perception of vaccine injury is that when I use the term vaccine injury, I'm usually referring to what I call a single organ problem, like pericarditis, myocarditis, stroke, something like that. An autoimmune disease," he replied.
"What I specialize in my practice, is I treat patients with what we call a long Covid long vaxx. It's the same disease, just different triggers, right? One is triggered by Covid, the other one is triggered by the spike protein from the vaccine. Much more common is long vax. The only real differences between the two conditions is that the vaccinated are, on average, sicker and more disabled than the long Covids, with some pretty prominent exceptions to that."
Watch the entire interview above, and you can support Tucker Carlson's endeavors by joining the Tucker Carlson Network here...
International
Shakira’s net worth
After 12 albums, a tax evasion case, and now a towering bronze idol sculpted in her image, how much is Shakira worth more than 4 decades into her care…
Shakira’s considerable net worth is no surprise, given her massive popularity in Latin America, the U.S., and elsewhere.
In fact, the belly-dancing contralto queen is the second-wealthiest Latin-America-born pop singer of all time after Gloria Estefan. (Interestingly, Estefan actually helped a young Shakira translate her breakout album “Laundry Service” into English, hugely propelling her stateside success.)
Since releasing her first record at age 13, Shakira has spent decades recording albums in both Spanish and English and performing all over the world. Over the course of her 40+ year career, she helped thrust Latin pop music into the American mainstream, paving the way for the subsequent success of massively popular modern acts like Karol G and Bad Bunny.
In December 2023, a 21-foot-tall beachside bronze statue of the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer was unveiled in her Colombian hometown of Barranquilla, making her a permanent fixture in the city’s skyline and cementing her legacy as one of Latin America’s most influential entertainers.
After 12 albums, a plethora of film and television appearances, a highly publicized tax evasion case, and now a towering bronze idol sculpted in her image, how much is Shakira worth? What does her income look like? And how does she spend her money?
How much is Shakira worth?
In late 2023, Spanish sports and lifestyle publication Marca reported Shakira’s net worth at $400 million, citing Forbes as the figure’s source (although Forbes’ profile page for Shakira does not list a net worth — and didn’t when that article was published).
Most other sources list the singer’s wealth at an estimated $300 million, and almost all of these point to Celebrity Net Worth — a popular but dubious celebrity wealth estimation site — as the source for the figure.
A $300 million net worth would make Shakira the third-richest Latina pop star after Gloria Estefan ($500 million) and Jennifer Lopez ($400 million), and the second-richest Latin-America-born pop singer after Estefan (JLo is Puerto Rican but was born in New York).
Shakira’s income: How much does she make annually?
Entertainers like Shakira don’t have predictable paychecks like ordinary salaried professionals. Instead, annual take-home earnings vary quite a bit depending on each year’s album sales, royalties, film and television appearances, streaming revenue, and other sources of income. As one might expect, Shakira’s earnings have fluctuated quite a bit over the years.
From June 2018 to June 2019, for instance, Shakira was the 10th highest-earning female musician, grossing $35 million, according to Forbes. This wasn’t her first time gracing the top 10, though — back in 2012, she also landed the #10 spot, bringing in $20 million, according to Billboard.
In 2023, Billboard listed Shakira as the 16th-highest-grossing Latin artist of all time.
How much does Shakira make from her concerts and tours?
A large part of Shakira’s wealth comes from her world tours, during which she sometimes sells out massive stadiums and arenas full of passionate fans eager to see her dance and sing live.
According to a 2020 report by Pollstar, she sold over 2.7 million tickets across 190 shows that grossed over $189 million between 2000 and 2020. This landed her the 19th spot on a list of female musicians ranked by touring revenue during that period. In 2023, Billboard reported a more modest touring revenue figure of $108.1 million across 120 shows.
In 2003, Shakira reportedly generated over $4 million from a single show on Valentine’s Day at Foro Sol in Mexico City. 15 years later, in 2018, Shakira grossed around $76.5 million from her El Dorado World Tour, according to Touring Data.
Related: RuPaul's net worth: Everything to know about the cultural icon and force behind 'Drag Race'
How much has Shakira made from her album sales?
According to a 2023 profile in Variety, Shakira has sold over 100 million records throughout her career. “Laundry Service,” the pop icon’s fifth studio album, was her most successful, selling over 13 million copies worldwide, according to TheRichest.
Exactly how much money Shakira has taken home from her album sales is unclear, but in 2008, it was widely reported that she signed a 10-year contract with LiveNation to the tune of between $70 and $100 million to release her subsequent albums and manage her tours.
How much did Shakira make from her Super Bowl and World Cup performances?
Shakira co-wrote one of her biggest hits, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” after FIFA selected her to create the official anthem for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. She performed the song, along with several of her existing fan-favorite tracks, during the event’s opening ceremonies. TheThings reported in 2023 that the song generated $1.4 million in revenue, citing Popnable for the figure.
A decade later, 2020’s Superbowl halftime show featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez as co-headliners with guest performances by Bad Bunny and J Balvin. The 14-minute performance was widely praised as a high-energy celebration of Latin music and dance, but as is typical for Super Bowl shows, neither Shakira nor JLo was compensated beyond expenses and production costs.
The exposure value that comes with performing in the Super Bowl Halftime Show, though, is significant. It is typically the most-watched television event in the U.S. each year, and in 2020, a 30-second Super Bowl ad spot cost between $5 and $6 million.
How much did Shakira make as a coach on “The Voice?”
Shakira served as a team coach on the popular singing competition program “The Voice” during the show’s fourth and sixth seasons. On the show, celebrity musicians coach up-and-coming amateurs in a team-based competition that eventually results in a single winner. In 2012, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Shakira’s salary as a coach on “The Voice” was $12 million.
Related: John Cena's net worth: The wrestler-turned-actor's investments, businesses, and more
How does Shakira spend her money?
Shakira doesn’t just make a lot of money — she spends it, too. Like many wealthy entertainers, she’s purchased her share of luxuries, but Barranquilla’s barefoot belly dancer is also a prolific philanthropist, having donated tens of millions to charitable causes throughout her career.
Private island
Back in 2006, she teamed up with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame and Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz to purchase Bonds Cay, a 550-acre island in the Bahamas, which was listed for $16 million at the time.
Along with her two partners in the purchase, Shakira planned to develop the island to feature housing, hotels, and an artists’ retreat designed to host a revolving cast of artists-in-residence. This plan didn’t come to fruition, though, and as of this article’s last update, the island was once again for sale on Vladi Private Islands.
Real estate and vehicles
Like most wealthy celebs, Shakira’s portfolio of high-end playthings also features an array of luxury properties and vehicles, including a home in Barcelona, a villa in Cyprus, a Miami mansion, and a rotating cast of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Philanthropy and charity
Shakira doesn’t just spend her massive wealth on herself; the “Queen of Latin Music” is also a dedicated philanthropist and regularly donates portions of her earnings to the Fundación Pies Descalzos, or “Barefoot Foundation,” a charity she founded in 1997 to “improve the education and social development of children in Colombia, which has suffered decades of conflict.” The foundation focuses on providing meals for children and building and improving educational infrastructure in Shakira’s hometown of Barranquilla as well as four other Colombian communities.
In addition to her efforts with the Fundación Pies Descalzos, Shakira has made a number of other notable donations over the years. In 2007, she diverted a whopping $40 million of her wealth to help rebuild community infrastructure in Peru and Nicaragua in the wake of a devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake. Later, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Shakira donated a large supply of N95 masks for healthcare workers and ventilators for hospital patients to her hometown of Barranquilla.
Back in 2010, the UN honored Shakira with a medal to recognize her dedication to social justice, at which time the Director General of the International Labour Organization described her as a “true ambassador for children and young people.”
Shakira’s tax fraud scandal: How much did she pay?
In 2018, prosecutors in Spain initiated a tax evasion case against Shakira, alleging she lived primarily in Spain from 2012 to 2014 and therefore failed to pay around $14.4 million in taxes to the Spanish government. Spanish law requires anyone who is “domiciled” (i.e., living primarily) in Spain for more than half of the year to pay income taxes.
During the period in question, Shakira listed the Bahamas as her primary residence but did spend some time in Spain, as she was dating Gerard Piqué, a professional footballer and Spanish citizen. The couple’s first son, Milan, was also born in Barcelona during this period.
Shakira maintained that she spent far fewer than 183 days per year in Spain during each of the years in question. In an interview with Elle Magazine, the pop star opined that “Spanish tax authorities saw that I was dating a Spanish citizen and started to salivate. It's clear they wanted to go after that money no matter what."
Prosecutors in the case sought a fine of almost $26 million and a possible eight-year prison stint, but in November of 2023, Shakira took a deal to close the case, accepting a fine of around $8 million and a three-year suspended sentence to avoid going to trial. In reference to her decision to take the deal, Shakira stated, "While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favour [had the trial proceeded], I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight."
How much did the Shakira statue in Barranquilla cost?
In late 2023, a 21-foot-tall bronze likeness of Shakira was unveiled on a waterfront promenade in Barranquilla. The city’s then-mayor, Jaime Pumarejo, commissioned Colombian sculptor Yino Márquez to create the statue of the city’s treasured pop icon, along with a sculpture of the city’s coat of arms.
According to the New York Times, the two sculptures cost the city the equivalent of around $180,000. A plaque at the statue’s base reads, “A heart that composes, hips that don’t lie, an unmatched talent, a voice that moves the masses and bare feet that march for the good of children and humanity.”
Related: Taylor Swift net worth: The most successful entertainer joins the billionaire's club
bonds pandemic covid-19 real estate africa mexico spainInternational
Delta Air Lines adds a new route travelers have been asking for
The new Delta seasonal flight to the popular destination will run daily on a Boeing 767-300.
Those who have tried to book a flight from North America to Europe in the summer of 2023 know just how high travel demand to the continent has spiked.
At 2.93 billion, visitors to the countries making up the European Union had finally reached pre-pandemic levels last year while North Americans in particular were booking trips to both large metropolises such as Paris and Milan as well as smaller cities growing increasingly popular among tourists.
Related: A popular European city is introducing the highest 'tourist tax' yet
As a result, U.S.-based airlines have been re-evaluating their networks to add more direct routes to smaller European destinations that most travelers would have previously needed to reach by train or transfer flight with a local airline.
Delta Air Lines: ‘Glad to offer customers increased choice…’
By the end of March, Delta Air Lines (DAL) will be restarting its route between New York’s JFK and Marco Polo International Airport in Venice as well as launching two new flights to Venice from Atlanta. One will start running this month while the other will be added during peak demand in the summer.
More Travel:
- A new travel term is taking over the internet (and reaching airlines and hotels)
- The 10 best airline stocks to buy now
- Airlines see a new kind of traveler at the front of the plane
“As one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Venice is hugely popular with U.S. travelers, and our flights bring valuable tourism and trade opportunities to the city and the region as well as unrivalled opportunities for Venetians looking to explore destinations across the Americas,” Delta’s SVP for Europe Matteo Curcio said in a statement. “We’re glad to offer customers increased choice this summer with flights from New York and additional service from Atlanta.”
The JFK-Venice flight will run on a Boeing 767-300 (BA) and have 216 seats including higher classes such as Delta One, Delta Premium Select and Delta Comfort Plus.
Delta offers these features on the new flight
Both the New York and Atlanta flights are seasonal routes that will be pulled out of service in October. Both will run daily while the first route will depart New York at 8:55 p.m. and arrive in Venice at 10:15 a.m. local time on the way there, while leaving Venice at 12:15 p.m. to arrive at JFK at 5:05 p.m. on the way back.
According to Delta, this will bring its service to 17 flights from different U.S. cities to Venice during the peak summer period. As with most Delta flights at this point, passengers in all fare classes will have access to free Wi-Fi during the flight.
Those flying in Delta’s highest class or with access through airline status or a credit card will also be able to use the new Delta lounge that is part of the airline’s $12 billion terminal renovation and is slated to open to travelers in the coming months. The space will take up more than 40,000 square feet and have an outdoor terrace.
“Delta One customers can stretch out in a lie-flat seat and enjoy premium amenities like plush bedding made from recycled plastic bottles, more beverage options, and a seasonal chef-curated four-course meal,” Delta said of the new route. “[…] All customers can enjoy a wide selection of in-flight entertainment options and stay connected with Wi-Fi and enjoy free mobile messaging.”
stocks pandemic european europe-
Uncategorized3 weeks ago
All Of The Elements Are In Place For An Economic Crisis Of Staggering Proportions
-
International7 days ago
EyePoint poaches medical chief from Apellis; Sandoz CFO, longtime BioNTech exec to retire
-
Uncategorized4 weeks ago
California Counties Could Be Forced To Pay $300 Million To Cover COVID-Era Program
-
Uncategorized3 weeks ago
Apparel Retailer Express Moving Toward Bankruptcy
-
Uncategorized4 weeks ago
Industrial Production Decreased 0.1% in January
-
International6 days ago
Walmart launches clever answer to Target’s new membership program
-
Uncategorized4 weeks ago
RFK Jr: The Wuhan Cover-Up & The Rise Of The Biowarfare-Industrial Complex
-
Uncategorized3 weeks ago
GOP Efforts To Shore Up Election Security In Swing States Face Challenges