VIRGIN AMERICA ADDS ANOTHER MEXICAN LINK
Virgin America is to introduce its low-fare service on another route into Mexico when it inaugurates flights between its San Francisco International Airport base and Puerto Vallarta International from December 2. The carrier will initially offer five flights per week on the route although frequencies will reduce to four a week from January 5, 2012. There has been an increase in new routes between Mexico and the US over the past year as airlines fill the void following the collapse of Mexicana. Virgin America already offers flights to Cancun from Los Angeles and to Cancun and San Jose Del Cabo from San Francisco. The San Francisco – Puerto Vallarta route is already served by Alaska Airlines on a daily schedule and by United Airlines with a weekly rotation. An estimated 100,000 O&D passengers travelled on the route in the past year, a route that was also previously served by Mexicana prior to its demise. "On behalf of Puerto Vallarta I would like to thank Virgin America for choosing our beautiful city as the perfect place for their new flights,” said Salvador Gonzalez Resendiz, Mayor of Puerto Vallarta. “We cannot wait to show our destination to more San Francisco visitors." Located on the Pacific Coast where the states of Jalisco and Nayarit meet, Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico's hottest destinations with a rich cultural tradition, a historic cobblestone downtown, family-friendly attractions and world-class resorts. In 2010, Puerto Vallarta was named one of the best Mexican vacation destinations by a respected US publication and it is estimated that over three million travellers visit annually. The area is also known as an environmental refuge, with a globally-recognised sea turtle conservation program and a variety of eco-tourism attractions.
ALASKA AIRLINES INCREASES HAWAIIAN LINKS
Alaska Airlines is to expand its schedule to Hawaii boosting frequencies from the Californian cities of Oakland and San Jose to Lihue, on the island of Kauai, and Kona, on the Big Island to a daily schedule from March 12, 2002. The airline has previously served the markets with three flights a week between San Jose and Lihue and between Oakland and Kona and four flights a week from San Jose to Kona and Oakland to Lihue. "We are really excited to now offer daily service from San Jose and Oakland to three Hawaiian Islands," said Joe Sprague, Vice President of Marketing, Alaska Airlines. "Going to seven flights a week from both San Jose and Oakland to Kauai and Kona - along with our existing daily service from both cities to Maui – makes it more convenient than ever for Bay Area travelers flying to the Hawaiian Islands." Alaska Airlines is currently the sole carrier serving these markets, and it also offers a daily link to Seattle from both Hawaiian destinations. In the past year it accounted for 8.1 per cent of the estimated 2.3 million O&D passengers that flew domestically from Kona and 4.6 per cent of the 2.4 million that flew from Lihue.
AEROMÉXICO TO MAINTAIN BROWNSVILLE LINK FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL TRIAL
Aeroméxico is to continue offering flights between Monterrey and Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport in Cameron County, Texas. The Mexican carrier introduced a twice weekly service on the route on July 15, initially for just a six week period. This schedule came to a conclusion on August 21 but the airline has continued flying the route and will do so for the remainder of the Northern Summer and through the winter schedules, adding a third weekly rotation from September 15. The flight, operated by the Mexican carrier’s regional division Aeroméxico Connect, is the only international link into the small regional US airport. The only other scheduled services are an up to five times daily service by ExpressJet Airlines to Houston George Bush Intercontinental on behalf of Continental Airlines and a twice daily service by American Eagle Airlines for its parent American Airlines to Dallas/Fort Worth International.
FRONTIER AIRLINES TO PROVIDE CHARTERS FOR APPLE VACATIONS
US carrier Frontier Airlines has reached a multi-year agreement to provide Apple Vacations charter flights from the United States to international destinations. The first year of the agreement calls for Frontier to provide charter flights from cities in the Midwest and Northeast to Mexican, Central American and Caribbean destinations, comprising Cancun, Mexico (CUN); Huatulco, Mexico (HUX); Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR); Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ); and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ). Frontier will use Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft for the charters – which will begin December 15 this year. At peak this winter, Frontier will have nine aircraft servicing the business on weekends and up to five aircraft during the week. “This agreement is a reflection of the great relationship Frontier has established with Apple during the years we have provided them charter services, as well as the high value they place on our outstanding service,” said Bryan Bedford, President and Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Airlines. “The agreement provides stability for both companies and offers Frontier improved economics for a portion of our fleet during some of the slower travel periods.”
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