An expanded transatlantic joint venture between Delta Air Lines, Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic has been given final approval by the US Department of Transportation. The airlines claim the new partnership would offer “the most comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits”.
Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic have been given the green light to enter into a long-term cooperation agreement on flights between Australia and the UK and Ireland.
Air France-KLM and China Eastern's joint venture is to be enlarged to include Virgin Atlantic. As well as the new partnership, it has also been confirmed that regional airline Flybe, which was acquired earlier this year by a consortium that includes Virgin Atlantic, will re-brand as Virgin Connect.
This week: Virgin Atlantic’s first flights to Brazil; El Al Israel Airlines to add two new European routes; and Delta Air Lines opens reservation for its planned Seoul Incheon – Manila route.
The two airlines are seeking approval to cooperate on services between Australia and the UK and Ireland via mutual connection points. The partnership could result in the launch of new international routes.
Virgin Atlantic is making its first foray into South America with direct flights between London Heathrow and São Paulo in Brazil set to launch next year.
This week: Dublin to get second link to mainland China; Virgin Atlantic to enter London – Tel Aviv market; and Aeroméxico to add its third destination in Colombia.
A takeover has been agreed for struggling regional airline Flybe through a consortium led by Virgin Atlantic and Stobart Group. The joint venture partners now plan to create a “fully-fledged UK network carrier” under the Virgin Atlantic brand, which will provide feed for Virgin Atlantic’s long-haul network.
This week: Wizz Air plots further London Luton growth; Boeing and Embraer agree joint venture terms; Virgin Atlantic's Flybe talks continue; American starts 28 new flights; MEA to take up to six A330-900neos and more.
SkyTeam partners Air France-KLM and Air Europa are hoping that a planned joint venture agreement on flights between Europe and Central and South America will help to unlock new routes and direct flights between the two continents.
This week: LEVEL hires first CEO; JetBlue to cut Q4 capacity; BA to resume Pittsburgh; Alitalia excluded from transatlantic JV; and air traffic strikes hit Wizz’s profits.
Our top five stories on Routes Weekly: WOW's Indian expansion; China to relax international regulations; strong half for easyJet; UAE and US deal; Ethiopian adds Manchester and more.
A week after International Airlines Group bought a minority stake in long-haul low-cost carrier Norwegian, with a view to launching a full takeover of the Scandinavian carrier, Routesonline takes a look at the growth of transatlantic services from Europe to the US and Canada, and how lower fares have impacted this market.
Routesonline looks back at an eventful second half of 2017 which included the 23rd World Routes taking place in Barcelona, the failures of Monarch and Air Berlin, and Airbus' A380 celebrating a decade of commercial flight.
Five years on from Willie Walsh’s “knee in the groin” wager with Sir Richard Branson that Virgin Atlantic would disappear, the airline is still flying high. Chief executive Craig Kreeger lifts the lid on why its new tie-up with Air France-KLM is the next logical step amid fierce competition on transatlantic routes.
Delta, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic are to form a combined global joint venture as part of a shake-up of the industry that also allows China Eastern to bolster its presence in the China-Europe market.
14 years after the final flight of the iconic Concorde, Boom is working to bring supersonic travel back to commercial networks. We spoke to founder and CEO Blake Scholl to hear what impact he believes his business’ aircraft can have on global route development.
