Following years of losses, lack of investment and the consolidation of carriers, US airlines are once again making money and better positioning themselves for when the next downturn comes, as Routes News discovered.
Spanish carrier Air Europa is to further extend its network into South America during the winter 2016/2017 schedule with new links into Argentina and Ecuador and Routes events and consultancy ASM (Airport Strategy and Marketing) contributed to delivering one of these new long-haul flights.
With only 110 daily flights to Cuba on offer, some of the biggest players in the US market are fighting for the coveted spots. Thirteen carriers will go head to head for the slots, with American Airlines leading the requests, hoping to cater to the vast Cuban-American population of Miami
The airline will offer the only non-stop flights between Vancouver and Delhi when it debuts the three times weekly route beginning October 20, 2016, in time for Diwali festivities. The service will be operated using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner equipment and will offer the fastest elapsed flying time into the India from Calgary, Edmonton and the US West Coast cities of Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles.
Any new company would retain the Virgin brand but be run at a lower cost as a different corporate entity with different employee contracts. It could operate with a small fleet of twin-engined widebody equipment transferred across from Delta’s mainline fleet to help lower its operating costs if the go-ahead is given.
OpenSkies revealed earlier this month that the 767-300 would join its existing 757-200s from August 2016. Our Airline Route blog now confirms that schedules have been updated to include the new arrival with a first scheduled flight of the type due on August 19, 2016.
Norwegian Group has waited two years to hear that it can fly to the US under the subsidiary name Norwegian Air International. That day has arrived. The airline received tentative approval for a foreign air carrier permit today from the US Department of Transportation, which said it made its decision with “caution and careful consideration”.
JetBlue confirms it will take delivery of ten additional Airbus A321s in 2017 and nine of these will be configured in its MINT arrangement to be introduced on routes to Las Vegas, San Diego and Seattle from New York; to San Diego and Seattle from Boston and to Los Angeles and San Francisco from Fort Lauderdale.
A report from industry body International Air Transport Association (IATA) shows that average global fares fell by more than ten percent in the 2015 calendar year compared to the year before. It is believed that this will continue as oil prices remain low.
The switch of US airports from John F Kennedy International to Newark Liberty International for the long-haul connection from Addis Ababa via Lomé in Togo, is a logical move and will allow the carrier to take advantage of the significant hub operation of Star Alliance partner, United Airlines at Newark.
The growth from Azul means there are now 18 airlines offering flights between Europe and Brazil, according to OAG data, and TAP Portugal dominates this market with over 900,000 one-way seats available this year, based on published schedules. This is a 23.9 percent share of the total market from Europe to Brazil.
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced capacity will be opened up at one of the busiest airports in America. This, along with a review of slots currently unused by United Airlines, could result in more opportunities for other carriers to serve the airport, allowing for further domestic and international flight option.
San Francisco is a key centre for Israeli business travel and one of the most popular US leisure destinations for Israelis. From its San Francisco hub, United operates nearly 280 daily flights to more than 90 destinations in North America, Latin America, Europe and the Asia/Pacific region providing transfer support to the strong point-to-point demand.
Tianjin Airlines was awarded licences by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) last year to introduce flights between Tianjin and both London and Vancouver in conjunction with Chongqing as well as services to Moscow from both Chinese cities. It now appears that with its first two A330s currently under assembly that is making final preparations for its long-haul launch. The first is due for delivery next month.
Originally marketed as an ultra-low cost carrier, NewLeaf had planned on offering domestic and international flights within and from Canada, serving regional communities as opposed to busy hubs. Services were soon withdrawn from their website as there was uncertainty over licencing requirements.
The combination expands Alaska Airlines' existing footprint in California, bolsters its platform for growth and strengthens the company as a competitor to the four largest US airlines. Combining Alaska Airlines' well-established core markets in the Pacific Northwest and the state of Alaska with Virgin America's strong foundation in California will make the expanded Alaska Airlines a major force in and out of the Golden State airports, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.
There are now almost 390 Boeing 787 Dreamliners flying to destinations around the world and there remains a ‘buzz’ around the modern generation airline programme with the positive impact of what the manufacturer describes as a “game-changing airplane” being used in airline marketing to highlight the equipment.
Twenty years after it first launched flights from Manchester, Virgin Atlantic is making history by offering the northern city’s first direct service to San Francisco as part of an expanded summer 2017 schedule that will also deliver a regular link to Boston. The two new routes will cut journey times to both US cities by eliminating the need for connections.
Xiamen Airlines is significantly expanding its international presence following the arrival of its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. Over a three year period (2015 -2017) it plans to introduce seven new long-haul markets to its network. This has commenced with flights starting to Amsterdam and Sydney last year. Alongside Vancouver the airline plans flights to Melbourne and Seattle in 2016 and it has recently applied for rights to serve Los Angeles and New York from 2017.
The largest carrier at Long Beach Airport is increasing both the number of destinations and flights, having been awarded three new slots at the airport.
The newly available daytime slots at Haneda herald a potential transformation in US air service to the Japanese capital and the regulator wants to start with a blank canvas so it can look at all options and explore opportunities for alternative US cities that are capable of supporting commercially viable service to Tokyo.
The new initiative will be led by senior executives from both carriers, who will meet regularly to coordinate new initiative rollouts, promote closer cultural integration between Air China and United, and prepare both companies for future joint opportunities, according to a joint statement.
The new route to Chiclayo will foster economic development in northern Peru, enhancing opportunities for stronger commercial ties with the American continent and will complement the airline’s existing flights into Lima. It extends the airline’s ‘Hub of the Americas’ operation from Tocumen International Airport in Panama City to 76 cities in 31 countries in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean.
The low-cost carrier will offer a weekly service from November 1, 2016 adding to the existing links it offers to the popular US conference and leisure destination from Copenhagen and Stockholm which were launched last November. The flight will be operated using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner configured with 291-seats.
This will be Delta’s fifth daily nonstop flight to the Asia-Pacific region and will add to existing links to Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo; the latter being served by flights to both Haneda and Narita airports. The Shanghai service was only added in July 2015, and Delta will be the only carrier to offer service to both of China’s biggest cities from Los Angeles.
