JetBlue Revealed as Slot Winner at LaGuardia and Reagan National
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has confirmed that JetBlue Airways was successful in securing slots at New York LaGuardia Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as part of its recent auction. It also confirmed that Canada’s WestJet Airlines had secured slots at New York LaGuardia, although the low-cost carrier had already revealed the news. DOT and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made the 48 slots available through three separate offerings – two at LaGuardia and one at Reagan National – as a condition for Delta Air Lines and US Airways being able to exchange other slots they hold at the two airports. JetBlue actually made the largest offer for all three slot sets, but the terms of their sale meant no carrier was permitted to acquire more than one bundle at LaGuardia. “As a result of the conditions we placed on the transfer between Delta and US Airways, consumers will benefit from new competition and services at both airports from airlines that previously had limited access, or no access at all, to those airports,” said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. JetBlue already serves both airports and has offered low-fare flights at LaGuardia Airport since 2004. It currently provides non-stop services to three Florida destinations - Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Orlando, and West Palm Beach - with up to ten daily flights. At Reagan National, where JetBlue began operations in November 2010, the carrier operates up to nine daily flights to its focus cities in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, and Orlando. It says it will “announce destinations and schedules” for its new services in the coming months. "Over the years, JetBlue has sought opportunities to grow in both Washington and New York. By nimbly seizing opportunities like this unique auction, we will be able to significantly expand our low fare presence in the nation's capital and our hometown of New York City," said Scott Laurence, Vice President of Network Planning and Partnerships, JetBlue. "We're very excited to continue to invest in New York, as well as Washington Reagan National, a market that's quickly proven to be a strong one for JetBlue after just one year of service. We look forward to bringing more low fares and welcoming more customers to these two popular airports." JetBlue will pay $40 million for eight pairs of daily slots at Reagan National and $32.0 million for eight slot pairs at LaGuardia, while WestJet will pay $17.6 million for eight slot pairs at LaGuardia, according to DOT and the two carriers have now “reached binding agreements with Delta Air Lines”. A total of seven carriers participated in the bidding for the slots, the others being Allegiant Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines.
United and Continental Receive Single AOC
United Continental Holdings has announced that it has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for a single operating certificate, marking another significant achievement in the integration of United Airlines and Continental Airlines. This regulatory milestone, while significant from an operational policies and procedures perspective, will not change anything from the passenger viewpoint. However, with immediate effect all air traffic control communications will refer to all United and Continental flights with the call-sign ‘United’. United and Continental announced their merger in May 2010 and closed the transaction in October 2010. At the current time they will continue to operate as two brands but expect to migrate to a single passenger service system in the first quarter of 2012 at which point, they will function as one airline.
Sunwing Airlines Returns to Scotland
Canadian leisure company Sunwing Airlines is to relaunch flights between Toronto and Glasgow next summer after a successful programme this year. Scottish tourism chiefs hope the link will help increase the number of Canadian tourists visiting the country - 98,000 last year according to official statistics and which brought around £65 million to the economy. The tour operator will offer twice weekly flights on the route, its sole link to Scotland. “Strong global connections are crucial to our economic prosperity and this new route is a tremendous boost for Glasgow and Scotland as a whole,” said Fiona Hyslop, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs during a week-long visit to Canada and USA to strengthen business, economic and cultural links, and promote a dynamic and creative Scotland as a great place to visit and invest.
American Confirms London as Debut Market for its Boeing 777-300ERs
It is business as usual at American Airlines despite this week’s Chapter 11 reorganisation filing with a New York Bankruptcy Court. The US major has announced details of its interior selections for its fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, including lie-flat First and Business Class seats, seating plans that will give the airline the opportunity to offer a premium product in the main cabin, and Wi-Fi capability to keep customers connected while traveling internationally. American is the first US carrier to acquire the 777-300ER and is due to take delivery of ten aircraft in 2012 and 2013. It has confirmed that London will be the first market for the new variant although it has not yet confirmed its proposed entry into service plans.
Delta to End Long-Haul Routes From Atlanta
US major Delta Air Lines is set to suspend flights between Atlanta and Shanghai early next year just six month after it relaunched services on the route, one of six long-haul markets that it will cease to serve from the US city. According to reports the airline will stop the Shanghai service from January 18, 2012 as well as dropping plans to relaunch flights on its seasonal links to Athens, Copenhagen, Moscow, Prague and Tel Aviv. The twice weekly Atlanta – Shanghai route was only relaunched on June 5 this year having previously been operated between March 30, 2008 and September 1, 2009. Delta officials are quoted in the US press as blaming the poor performance of the routes as the reason for their cancellation.
Avianca and TACA in Codeshare with Sky Airline
A formal codeshare agreement has been signed between TACA Airlines and Chile’s Sky Airline, while a similar agreement is expected to be formalised between Aky and Colombian national carrier Avianca during the first quarter of next year. The partnership between TACA and Sky, which has already come into force, will boost connection options between Peru and Chile, opening additional network points for the two carriers in respective countries and strengthening their presence in these two markets. TACA’s code is now appearing on Sky’s flights from Santiago to Iquique, Calama, Antofagasta, Copiapó, Concepción, Temuco, Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas and also on Sky’s Santiago-Lima and Santiago-Antofagasta-Lima international links. Likewise, Sky’s code is now on four of TACA’s domestic routes from Lima – Trujillo, Juliaca, Cusco and Tarapoto - as well as its Lima-Santiago service. The arrangement between Avianca and Sky will come into force once the Chilean and Colombian governments give their approval and will provide new network opportunities between Chile, Colombia and the wider Americas and European markets through the two carriers networks from Santiago and Bogota.
JetBlue Increases Links to Jamaica
US low-fare operator JetBlue Airways is to further expand its presence in the Caribbean with the addition of a twice daily connection to Kingston, Jamaica from Fort Lauderdale. The flight will launch on April 30, 2012 and will be flown by an Embraer 190. It will complement the carrier’s existing daily link to Kingston from New York JFK and its flights to Montego Bay from New York JFK, Boston and Orlando. "We talk about the importance of the Caribbean to JetBlue - we look at markets like Jamaica where we've seen a phenomenal response to our brand - and we just can't wait to add more service," said Robin Hayes, Chief Commercial Officer, JetBlue Airways. "We see this as just another step in a journey that's going to take us to a sizeable presence in Jamaica.” Aviation is the life blood of the tourist industry for island destinations like Jamaica and the frequency of this additional link provides many connecting opportunities across the US via Fort Lauderdale’s Hollywood International Airport.
Sunwing Airlines Launches Flights to Aruba
Canadian carrier Sunwing Airlines inaugurated flights between Toronto and Aruba last week and already plans to double capacity on the route. The carrier, part of the Sunwing Travel Group, is offering a weekly rotation but will add a second flight from December 15 as part of its upgraded winter schedule. “With Sunwing Airlines’ service to Aruba we can expect a positive impact on the Canadian market for Aruba! The service which includes warm meals, champagne and wine with meals and other complimentary services on board will surely benefit the passengers who wish to visit Aruba,” said Peter Steinmetz, Chief Executive Officer, Aruba Airport Authority.
SkyWest to Fly for US Airways
US regional carrier SkyWest Airlines is to begin operations for US Airways under the US Airways Express brand. It will initially operate six daily flights from the US Airways hub in Phoenix but by spring 2012 will include a network of 49 flights to 19 destinations for US Airways Express using a fleet of Bombardier CRJ200s. These will replace the CRJ200s and Dash 8s currently used by Mesa Airlines for the US major. ”We welcome the addition of SkyWest as a regional carrier for US Airways. Their exceptional service complements US Airways’, and our regional partners’, commitment to reliability and the quality of service our customers have come to expect,” said Dion Flannery, President, US Airways Express. US Airways offers more than 267 daily departures from its Phoenix hub to 74 destinations. Just under a third of these (86) are operated by US Airways Express with service provided by a combination of SkyWest and Mesa. “We’re pleased to launch this highly-anticipated new partnership with US Airways,” added Russell ‘Chip’ Childs, President and Chief Operating Officer, SkyWest Airlines. “Our employees have done a tremendous job producing an efficient, quality product, and we’re happy to begin extending that product to US Airways customers this December.”
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