In news of international airlines, Qatar Airways plans to add another U.S. gateway on the East Coast next year; Star Alliance will reportedly add an Asian carrier in June; All Nippon Airways changes its baggage policy; Air Pacific changes its name; and Air France gets a new joint venture partner.

Now that Boeing’s redesign of the 787 Dreamliner’s troubled lithium-ion battery system has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, and Boeing engineers have been dispatched to install the changes, airlines are making plans to put the Dreamliner — which was grounded in mid-January — back into their schedules.

SITA, a major supplier of baggage tracking systems and other technologies for the global airline industry, said the world’s carriers have made big strides in keeping passengers and their checked bags together over the past several years.

What do you think is the busiest air route in the world in terms of passenger numbers? New York-London? San Francisco-Los Angeles? Not even close. In fact, the busiest air route does not involve North America or Europe, but it does involve a city you probably never heard of.

Fast-growing Emirates has built up a substantial international network focused on its hub at Dubai and its fleet of long-haul aircraft. But now the carrier has announced plans for its first route in the U.S.-Europe market, promising a superior level of service. At the same time, Emirates and Qantas this month officially launched their new long-haul partnership in the Europe-Australia market.

In news of international airlines, Air Canada has changed baggage procedures for connecting passengers at Toronto Pearson; Virgin Atlantic increases the weight allowance for hand baggage; and a South Pacific carrier introduces a new way to determine air fares: by passenger weight.

In news of international airlines, KLM has unveiled an overhaul of the World Business Class cabin on its 747-400 long-haul fleet; the joint venture partnership of American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia will add another carrier this year; and Europe’s Ryanair has big expansion plans.

In news of international airlines, British Airways has picked a U.S. destination for the introduction of its new Airbus A380 super-jumbos; a low-cost Scandinavian airline has found a way around the late delivery of Boeing 787s so it can launch its planned U.S. service on schedule; Canada’s WestJet reveals plans about fare bundles for its reconfigured 737 fleet; and Air France sets a summer seasonal route to MSP.

The European Commission has proposed a new set of consumer protection rules for air travelers—some of them similar to recent regulations put in place by the U.S. Department of Transportation—and the airline industry has predictably responded with disappointment, finding fault with several provisions.

Courtesy of Link Global Group

Dubai is known for doing everything on a grand scale. So when it builds a replica of the Taj Mahal at a cost of $1 billion, it’s not surprising that the structure will be roughly four times the size of the original monument in Agra, India. The Taj Arabia is expected to open by late 2014, set in the 41-million-square-foot Falconcity of Wonders on Emirates Road. The structure will be “the world’s grandest wedding destination,” according to developers, and part of a complex containing a five-star hotel and mixed-use buildings. The site will also feature replicas of other architectural wonders, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

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