Routes analyzes some of the services returning as well as new routes being launched. This week we look at Volaris’ plans to expand its US footprint, Qatar Airways resuming flights to London Gatwick, and Vistara launching its first long-haul route.
Paris Air Show week continues to get better and better for Airbus’ newly-launched A321XLR, with Bill Franke’s private equity firm Indigo Partners becoming the latest customer.
The US Department of Transportation has approved the planned codeshare between Frontier Airlines and Volaris on services between the US and Mexico, said to be a world-first between two ultra-low-cost carriers.
Ultra-low-cost airline Volaris has signed a codeshare agreement with sister carrier Frontier Airlines that is expected to open more routes between the US and Mexico.
Airbus enjoyed a late flood of orders in 2017, including the finalisation of a record deal for 430 single-aisle aircraft. Southwest Airlines has also announced an increase to its Boeing order book.
Airbus has sealed a record $50bn order at the Dubai Air Show, one of the largest commercial plane deals in history, but Boeing has hit back with a $27bn agreement of its own.
The US DOT formally instituted a slot assignment proceeding earlier this month to allocate a total of 28 slot pairs at the two airports. These are being released in a two phase process for operations from summer 2017 and summer 2018 and will be provided exclusively to low-cost carriers, which it believes exert the greatest competitive impact when entering slot-constrained markets.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to work with industry to make infrastructure a priority in unlocking aviation’s economic and social benefits. Passenger demand in Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to more than double from 298 million in 2015 to 658 million in 2035.
Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico has been attending Routes events for more than ten years and places a big emphasis on the role of relationships within the route development process including utilising the ‘city pair’ meeting offering with great success.
According to its application, Volaris intends to use either Airbus A319 or A320 equipment on the route and services will commence “shortly after all approvals are obtained”. This will be its first international route from Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport in Puerto Vallarta, which it currently serves from Mexico City, Monterrey and Tijuana.
After taking delivery of its first Airbus A321 from the Air Lease Corporation, Mexican carrier Volaris has announced plans for a number of domestic routes operated with the new aircraft.
