Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group, has told World Routes 2017 that its long-haul low-cost carrier LEVEL hopes to grow its fleet to 30 aircraft by 2022.
The World Routes 2017 conference programme will examine some of the biggest issues facing aviation, set to provide significant opportunities and challenges in the coming years.
International Airlines Group's chief executive Willie Walsh believes the new alliance between Delta, Air France-KLM and Virgin is “positive” for the industry.
International Airlines Group (IAG) has confirmed its new low-cost long-haul business will operate under the LEVEL brand. The airline will launch from Barcelona from June 1, 2017 with flights to Buenos Aires, Punta Cana, Los Angeles and Oakland International using two Airbus A330-200s configured with a premium economy and economy onboard offering.
Irish flag carrier, Aer Lingus, a recent addition to the IAG portfolio, is to launch flights between Dublin and Los Angeles, Newark, and Hartford during the summer 2016 schedule, while British Airways will relaunch its New York operation from London Gatwick after a seven-year hiatus.
Today, airlines are expected to go beyond the basic needs of passengers. From desired arrival times and reasonable fares to mobile technology and innovation, it has never been more important for airlines to understand the impact of mobile. The Spanish low-fare airline, Vueling, has always put innovation first by understanding the relationship it has with technology.
Iberia says the improved economic outlook has led the airline to seek new opportunities both in its traditional markets and in new territories. Destinations now under study include Tokyo, Doha, Johannesburg, Toronto, Guadalajara, Managua, San Juan de Puerto Rico, Brasilia, and Asunción with flights to the selected destinations being launched in 2016 and 2017.
In its ruling the Commission had concerns that the merged entity would have faced insufficient competition on several routes. The Commission also found that the merged entity would have prevented Aer Lingus from continuing to provide traffic to the long-haul flights of competing airlines on several routes and has requested the parties to address the Commission’s concerns on this matter.
The CEOs of Europe’s five largest airline groups hosted a press briefing in Brussels earlier today (June 17) to outline their shared vision for a new EU Aviation Strategy.
The Government said that having carefully considered all elements of the offer, it considered that a sale of the State’s minority shareholding to IAG, on the basis of the terms offered, would be “the best means of securing and enhancing Ireland’s connectivity with the rest of the world and maintaining a vibrant and competitive air transport industry in Ireland”. And it would also “best serve the interests of the travelling public, Aer Lingus and its employees, the Irish tourism industry and the Irish economy as a whole”.
The group has disputed the evidence and conclusions that unfair subsidies are being provided by the Gulf States to Gulf carriers contained in the White Paper which has been prepared by American Airlines, Delta and United.
The decision of three major European operators to depart the AEA shows the dispute between Europe and the Gulf carriers is clearly heating up. It is a very rare move that a key member of an EU trade association withdraws, but for three of its membership to leave shows significant concern at its abilities to fulfil its role.
