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2002 Air Transport News
News Center & ArchivesAC Getaways through Ryan International Airlines will start nonstop jet service between Pittsburgh and Atlantic City on May 17, 2002. The company will offer vacation packages in addition to standalone air service.
Aero Airlines, the Estonian startup backed by Finnair, has launched operations with six daily weekday ATR 72 flights plus three Saturday and four Sunday flights between Helsinki and Tallinn. The plan is eventually to transfer other 68-seat ATR 72s from the Finnair fleet to Aero as it gradually expands service in the Baltic area and Finland. Additional Aero routes are expected in the fall of 2002.
Aer Lingus plans to resume direct scheduled flights from Dublin and Shannon to Baltimore/Washington International Airport on March 30 2003 using an A330.
Aer Lingus will commence a twice-weekly Dublin-Faro service June 3, 2002. It also will increase weekly frequencies on its Malaga route from five to seven, boost service to Nice from three to four flights weekly and increase the recently launched Barcelona service from five to six flights per week. It will add a new Sunday service to Brussels.
Aer Lingus will extend its interlining and ticketing agreements with Aer Arann Express after the latter said it will increase frequencies on the Cork-Dublin route by three flights per day. Aer Lingus will reduce its service on the route.
AeroMexico will add six weekly nonstop morning services from Chicago to Mexico City on Nov. 3. SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines will add its code to the new flights. AeroMexico will begin twice-weekly nonstop service between San Diego and Mazatlan on Nov. 11 2002 and Delta will add its code to those flights as well.
AeroMexico will begin twice-weekly nonstop service from San Diego to Loreto Nov. 14 2002. SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines will add its code to the new flights, which will use MD-80s and continue on to Mexico City.
AeroMexico will add a fourth nonstop from Miami to its Mexico City hub the week of April 8, 2002. The airline is also adding a nonstop flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Mexico City for a total of 21 a week, starting May 6.
Air Algerie introduced a new direct weekly flight from Manchester to Algeria using a 101-seat 737-600.
Air Berlin City Shuttle added nonstop flights the week of Dec. 23 2002 from Berlin Tegel to Rome, Zurich and Vienna to its schedule for all-inclusive one-way fares of eur29 ($29). Heretofore, City Shuttle served Rome only from Muenster/Osnabrueck and Vienna from Dortmund. Zurich is a new destination.
Air Berlin unveiled plans for its City Shuttle budget airline service that will start Sept. 30 2002 using 737s with flights from Berlin, Dortmund, Paderborn, Duesseldorf, Muenster, Hamburg and Nuremberg. It will operate to London Stansted, Milan, Barcelona and Vienna. One-way fares for the Hamburg-London route will start at eur39 ($38) and it will serve snacks and drinks on its flights.
Airbus selected Geneva-based business aviation specialist PrivatAir to operate a corporate shuttle from April between Toulouse and production sites in Hamburg and Filton/Broughton in the UK. The routes will be served Monday through Friday with two new A319s leased from CIT Aerospace.
Air Canada and Destina.ca, a new Canadian online travel site, said Transport Canada dismissed the complaints of Sabre and Travelocity, supported by the Assn. of Canadian Travel Agencies, alleging Destina.ca is a CRS biased in AC's favor.
Air Canada and Thai Airways International are expanding services on a codeshare basis between Vancouver and Bangkok via Tokyo.
Air Canada and Regional subsidiary Air Canada Jazz introduced new "simpler," lower fares, some of which are 86% less than regular one-way fares, for 340 of their markets in western Canada.
Air Canada may continue to charge obese passengers for two seats, the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled. According to the Financial Post, the agency found that obesity is not a disability under provisions of the Canada Transportation Act.
Air Canada inaugurated thrice-daily nonstop service between Montreal and Atlanta. Air Canada Jazz operates the route using CRJs. Also, Air Canada's code will be placed on Air Dolomiti services between Venice and Munich under a new codeshare agreement signed by the two carriers and Air Canada inaugurated thrice-daily nonstop service between Montreal and Atlanta the week of Nov. 4 2002.
Air Canada will begin service to Bilbao, Valencia, Alicante, Tenerife and Las Palmas on a codeshare basis via Madrid in cooperation with its partner Spanair the week of Nov. 11 2002.
Air Canada chose to retrofit its fleet of A319s/A320s/A321s and equip its new A340-500s with the AmSafe Aviation Inflatable Restraint version 1.5, a head restraint product.
Air Canada and bmi british midland extended their codeshare with services from London Heathrow to St John's, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver; Manchester to Toronto, and Glasgow to Toronto. Under the new agreement, the eight routes will be marketed and sold jointly by both airlines and carry the bmi designation.
Air Canada redesigned its international business-class product, Executive First, with new cocktails and menus, an upgraded wine selection, more legroom and seat recline, 15-volt power ports at each seat and enhanced headsets with improved audio quality and ambient noise reduction. The new service began in Sept. on flights to Europe and will be added on flights to Asia, Australia and South America soon. AC's premium product on flights in the US and Canada, Executive Class, is undergoing a similar redesign with a 2003 launch.
Air Canada's new Calgary-based low-fare subsidiary Zip Air is set to start service Sept. 22 2002 with 15 flights per day among Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg using 737-200s.
Air Canada began daily nonstop service between Anchorage and Vancouver. It is scheduled to operate until Sept. 15, 2002.
Air Canada plans to hike its domestic fuel surcharge to C$15 ($9.44) for a one-way ticket starting April 11 to combat higher fuel prices. The carrier had decreased its surcharge to C$7.50 in Nov. 2001 as fuel prices dropped.
Air Canada will resume daily services between Manchester and Toronto and between Glasgow and Toronto as of April 8 2002. The routes will be operated with 767-200s.
Air Canada, encouraged by improving conditions in the Canadian market, said it will increase domestic capacity and add two new destinations to its low-fare Tango network. The airline will boost US trans-border services for summer 2002, including new daily nonstop A319 service between Vancouver and Anchorage from May 13 through Sept. 15. Seven other routes will be affected.
Air Canada said it will add nine destinations and 14 new routes to its low-fare Tango network with this summer's schedule. To accommodate the growth, Tango will expand its fleet of six A320s to eight A320s and eight 737-200s. It will begin daily service on the following routes May 1: Kelowna-Toronto, Winnipeg-Edmonton, Quebec City-Montreal-Winnipeg, Quebec City-Toronto and Fredericton-St. John-Toronto. As of June 1 it will begin flying from Toronto to Abbotsford, Deer Lake, Gander and Charlottetown. It also will operate a daily Toronto-Calgary-Victoria flight and a daily trip between Ottawa and Winnipeg.
Air Canada Jazz will discontinue service to several small communities to coincide with the expiration of its three-year commitment to the Minister of Transport to provide such service. Effective Jan. 4, 2003 Jazz will halt service to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; St. Leonard, New Brunswick, and Stephenville, Newfoundland. Effective Jan. 8 it no longer will fly between Goose Bay-St. John's, Goose Bay-Deer Lake, Deer Lake-St. John's and Deer Lake-Wabush. As a condition of its acquisition of Canadian Airlines in early 2000, Air Canada committed that communities previously served by AC or Canadian Airlines or their wholly owned subsidiaries would continue to be served until Jan. 4, 2003.
Air Canada Jazz, the recently rebranded regional carrier, said it will switch to a CRJ from a Dash 8 on one of its 10 flights each weekday from Baltimore/Washington to Toronto beginning May 6, 2002. It plans to replace more Dash 8s with CRJs on the route as the summer progresses. The new carrier also began twice-daily nonstop regional jet services between Halifax and Boston yesterday. It uses a 77-seat BAe 146 on the route.
Air Canada subsidiary Tango will begin daily nonstop service between Toronto and Las Vegas on Dec. 26 2002 using an A320.
Air China will become the first Chinese carrier to operate regularly scheduled flights over the North Pole when it launches thrice-weekly nonstop 747-400 services Sept. 27 between Beijing and New York JFK.
Air France, over the last year, has emerged as one of the world's more financially sound airlines. It has picked up where grounded and bankrupt Swissair and Sabena left off in Africa and now has more flights to that continent than any other carrier. Also, Air France has beefed up its flight frequencies between mans U.S. destinations and Paris using a fleet of new wide body aircraft like the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330.
Air France could face another strike on Oct. 24. Seven unions, none of which represent the airline's pilots, are considering calling a 24-hr. work stoppage to protest privatization plans by the French government after meetings with Chairman and CEO Jean-Cyril Spinetta proved "unfruitful." Meanwhile, AF employee representatives requested a meeting with the minister of finance to demand "that privatization plans for the company be abandoned," arguing that the airline "could and should remain a public company." The last strike called by the employee representatives on Oct. 3 had only a minimal effect on the carrier's traffic.
Air France, under pressure from the TGV and low-fare competitors, unveiled a new range of domestic business and leisure fares including "off-peak" business fares. According to the airline, the number of Evasion leisure fare levels was raised from four to eight, including same-day-travel fares and special weekend-only fares. Off-peak business fares feature a 15% reduction on flights between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the entire domestic network except for flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Corsica. AF also introduced an Alternative card offering a 40% discount for customers "who are willing to adapt their departure to obtain the lowest possible fares."
Air France could be headed for another strike following a call by seven unions for a 24-hr. work stoppage on Oct. 3 to protest privatization of the carrier. The seven AF unions will join employees of France's gas and electricity sector in a national day of social action "to defend public service." Late in July the French government announced its intention to reduce its stake in the carrier from 54.4% to around 20%.
Air France will start three daily services from both Aberdeen and Bristol to Paris Charles de Gaulle on Oct. 27 2002. Flights will be operated by AF subsidiary Regional using ERJ-145s on the Bristol route and ERJ-135s on the Aberdeen service.
Air France Group said a pilot strike planned for this weekend will "severely" disrupt its flight schedule, in particular medium and long haul operations, over the four days Sept. 6 to 9 2002.
Air France and British Airways, confirmed they are cutting schedules on the Sept. 11 anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks as demand drops for travel on that day. "I can tell you we've already canceled 26 transatlantic flights for Sept. 11, which comprise 24 to or from the US and two to Barbados," a BA spokesperson told Reuters. BA normally operates 78 transatlantic flights daily. AF said it canceled two roundtrip flights for Sept. 11 so far, one to New York and the other to Washington, because of "weak reservations." Both airlines said their Concordes will make scheduled flights to New York on Sept. 11.
Air France resumed daily Paris Charles de Gaulle-Cincinnati service, bringing the number of weekly flights between Paris and Cincinnati in codeshare with Delta Air Lines to 14 2002. AF also started a twice-daily Brussels-Nantes service operated by Brit Air with CRJ100s.
Air France is dropping thrice-weekly nonstop service between Paris and Santiago on March 31, 2002. The Chilean capital will be served with a once-weekly 777 that will operate via Buenos Aires.
Air France and Atlantic Southeast Airlines began codesharing on 19 daily ASA flights between Atlanta and nine destinations in the southeast and south central US. ASA is a Delta Connection regional.
Air France will keep summer capacity at last season's level. The new schedule includes boosting Concorde service between New York JFK and Paris from five times weekly to daily beginning June 1, 2002 marking the first time in about two years that the service has been daily.
Air India , after an absence of more than three years, is resuming thrice-weekly 747 flights Dec. 8 2002 from Frankfurt to Mumbai via New Delhi in codeshare with Lufthansa.
Air Jamaica will launch its second daily nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Montego Bay on April 10 2003 using an A320 in a two-class configuration.
Air Jamaica will launch nonstop service four times a week from Montego Bay to Belize beginning Nov. 21 2002 and will add a second daily nonstop between Chicago O'Hare and Montego Bay on Feb. 12 2003.
Air Jamaica plans to boost its service between Jamaica and Boston, New York JFK and Orlando and expand its eastern Caribbean flights. Starting June 20, 2002 it will increase its Boston-Montego Bay service from five times a week to daily and service from Orlando to Montego Bay and Kingston from four flights a week to daily. It will offer daily service between JFK and Kingston and will increase service between JFK and Antigua, Grenada and Barbados.
Air Lib will spin off its no-frills domestic activities in France into a separate legal entity to be called Air Lib Express.
Air Liberte, which is beginning flights from Paris to Algiers in Jan., will inaugurate twice-weekly service today between Paris Orly and Tripoli as part of its expansion in North Africa.
Air Macau launched a twice-weekly service to Kuala Lumpur the week of Nov. 11 2002, bringing the number of airlines using KLIA to 43. Last year the airport mounted a massive effort to attract airlines by offering free landing fees, but only a handful have taken up the offer.
Air New Zealand enhanced its Airpoints frequent-flier program effective Nov. 1, 2002. Key new features include a minimum of 1,000 points earned on all domestic one-way flights, a 500-point incentive for booking travel online, a gifting provision and retention of the points-for-kilometers formula and the Companion Ticket scheme.
Air Paradise International, which deferred its startup to Australia after the terrorist bombings in Bali, is to commence flights from Feb. 16 2003 with two ex-Singapore Airlines A310s. New Bali airline Air Paradise International , which was due to start service on Oct. 27, suspended its launch by at least six months. The carrier announced the suspension yesterday in the wake of Saturday's terrorist attacks in Bali that killed at least 188 and injured 300. It had planned to lease two A310s from Singapore Airlines. It is providing a full refund to all passengers.
Air Tahiti Nui received approval to operate two flights a week between Papeete and Paris via Los Angeles. It already holds US rights and plans to begin twice-weekly Los Angeles-Paris service May 5. The carrier said it has acquired a second A340-300 to help serve the route and accommodate other expansion.
Air Tahiti Nui will increase its Los Angeles-Papeete service from three to five weekly flights as of May 5, 2002. The flights will use A340-300s configured for three classes.
AirTran Airways will add another daily nonstop flight between Tallahassee and Atlanta beginning Jan. 7. AirTran also will add two nonstops between Tallahassee and Tampa and two new direct flights between Tallahassee and Miami. Beginning March 4 it will add two daily nonstops between Akron-Canton and New York LaGuardia.
AirTran Airways launched a service that allows most customers to check in, select seats and print boarding passes, receipts, frequent-flier vouchers and drink coupons via the Internet between 90 min. and 24 hr. before a flight's scheduled departure. Passengers may only obtain boarding passes for originating and connecting flights. Unaccompanied minors and passengers requiring special assistance must use the standard method of checking in.
AirTran Airways will begin four daily flights between Myrtle Beach and Atlanta. AirTran JetConnect affiliate Air Wisconsin will operate the service using CRJs. the airline also began three daily nonstop services the week of Oct. 21 2002 between Kansas City and Atlanta using a 717.
AirTran and Air Wisconsin announced a codeshare agreement Sept. 2002 under which the closely held Regional will provide complementary and replacement feed in markets currently served by AirTran.
AirTran is introducing service between Atlanta and West Palm Beach, offering three daily roundtrips beginning Dec. 10 2002.
AirTran Airways started daily nonstop service to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport using 717s. There will be three daily nonstops between Wichita and Atlanta and two between Wichita Chicago Midway. AirTran will add two daily nonstop flights between Chicago Midway and Atlanta and an additional daily nonstop between Midway and Pittsburgh on June 5. With the additions it will operate 10 daily nonstop flights from Chicago to Atlanta and three from Chicago to Pittsburgh.
AirTran Airways will begin flying to General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee with a daily nonstop flight from Orlando and two daily nonstops from Atlanta. The services will be operated with 717s and begin June 19. On Oct. 5, AirTran will begin a daily nonstop between Milwaukee and Tampa. It will add a daily nonstop between Milwaukee and Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 5, 2002.
AirTran Airways also began new nonstop service the week of April 8, 2002 from Akron-Canton to Orlando and will add a daily flight between Akron-Canton Regional Airport and Orlando beginning April 9, 2002. The flight will use a 717.
AirTran Airways plans to add a fourth daily nonstop flight between Minneapolis/St. Paul and its Atlanta hub beginning Feb. 14, 2002. All flights use 717s.
Alaska Airlines began daily nonstop service between Seattle and Newark using a 737-700 on October 28 2002.
Alaska Airlines will build and strengthen its Seattle hub, and will begin one daily nonstop between Seattle and Newark on Oct. 28 2002 and another daily flight between Seattle and Miami on Nov. 21, using 737-700s on both routes. Within the past year, the airline introduced service from Seattle to Boston, Denver and the Washington, D.C., area. Two of Alaska's codeshare partners, Continental Airlines and American Airlines, operate large hubs at Newark and Miami respectively.
Alaska Airlines launched daily 737-700 nonstop service from Orange County to Vancouver. The airline has further requested three flight slots to serve Long Beach this fall, when it plans to begin three flights to Seattle on Sept. 8. It stopped serving Long Beach in 1995 after flying there for 13 years.
Alaska Airlines will add a daily nonstop flight from Seattle to Washington Dulles on June 9, giving it three daily nonstops to Washington, D.C. It currently operates daily flights to Dulles and Washington Reagan National airports.
Alaska Airlines will expand its summer schedule by 3.7% versus the same period last year. The growth will be driven by two additional aircraft and the carrier's new transcontinental routes. Alaska said the most notable year-on-year changes are new services from Seattle to Washington, D.C., Boston and Denver; Los Angeles to Cancun and Calgary, and Orange County to Vancouver. According to the airline, initial demand for these new long-haul routes is meeting or beating its expectations.
Aloha Airlines plans to expand its service from North America to Maui. The increase is made possible by the acquisition of three 737-700s. The aircraft will boost Aloha's 737-700 fleet to 10, up from five a year ago. It will add a daily flight from Phoenix to Maui via Orange County starting July 2, 2002. Nonstop service to Maui from Vancouver will begin Nov. 1, and nonstops from Burbank will begin Feb. 1, 2002. On June 1, Aloha will start daily nonstop service between Honolulu and Burbank June 1 and between Honolulu and Vancouver June 15, 2002. It will use 737-700s on the routes.
All Nippon Airways and United Airlines reached an agreement to place ANA's code on United's flights between Kansai and Honolulu. The codeshare will go into effect on March 30 2003 when United resumes its service on the route. The service was suspended in Oct. 1998. ANA and United currently codeshare on 17 services with 144 roundtrip flights a week.
All Nippon Airways will unveil a new first-class product on its 747-400 services from Tokyo to the US and Europe beginning in Dec., incorporating "wide bed seats" that will be enclosed for complete privacy. The new seat is roughly 50% wider than the current lie-flat seat beds in ANA first-class cabins. The airline also has reduced the number of seats in first class from 14 to 10 to allow for enclosing the seats, which will be arranged single file with two in the center section. A movable divider separates the two center seats, which can be adjusted to make a single pair seat. Each seat will be equipped with a 15-in. personal television with digital audio and video on demand. Additionally, each seat has a telephone and an electrical outlet for computers. The lavatory also will be enlarged. A new a la carte food service will be introduced in the spring. The new cabins will be introduced on 747-400 flights to London, Frankfurt, Paris and New York, starting with Tokyo-London on Dec. 1, 2002 ANA's 50th anniversary.
All Nippon Airways prepared for the 2002 FIFA World Cup by hiring in-flight security personnel, to make sure sports fans don't trash the airplanes. The carrier hired the "sky guards" from an EU-based company with prior experience preventing and combating hooliganism on air carriers during previous World Cups.
All Nippon Airways applied to regulators to introduce discount business-class fares for the first six months of 2002 beginning April 1. The discounts would affect 39 European and North American cities and include codeshare flights with United Airlines and Lufthansa.
All Nippon Airways will introduce an upgraded economy product on international flights that also offer business class beginning April 2 on its daily Tokyo-London service. Premium economy seating targets "frequent business travelers who fly economy class at full-fare prices and would appreciate the enhanced amenities and working opportunities," ANA said. The new seats feature 20% increases in pitch and width, data ports and a 6.5 in. audio and video on demand system. ANA said it plans to extend the product to other European and North American flights.
Amadeus said it would raise segment fees by an average of 2.9% for 2003. In a letter to airline executives sent out last week, Amadeus became the first GDS to reveal its pricing for next year. Last year, in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, Amadeus increased fees by 2%, ending years of consecutive annual increases in the 6% range. It reserved the right to hike fees by 5.6% midyear, but it did not exercise that option. Sabre raised fees by 2.9% and Worldspan by about 2% for 2002.
America West Airlines will operate one additional flight between Columbus, Ohio, and Phoenix on Dec. 31, Jan. 2, Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 2003.
America West Airlines and British Airways renewed and expanded their codeshare arrangement that has been in place for six years. BA will add its code to America West's Phoenix-Sacramento service, extending the carriers‚ codeshare agreement to 14 destinations.
America West initiated new nonstop flights between Phoenix and Billings, Calgary and Pittsburgh the week of Oct. 28 2002. The Billings service is being provided by America West Express operated by Mesa Air Group.
America West Airlines will codeshare on Hawaiian Airlines daily nonstop flights between Phoenix and Honolulu beginning Oct. 11 2002. Flights can be booked through America West.
America West Airlines will reinstate a third daily nonstop flight between Las Vegas and Dallas/Fort Worth and initiate a second daily nonstop between Las Vegas and Miami using A320s.
America West and Hawaiian Airlines signed a codeshare and marketing agreement. America West will codeshare on Hawaiian flights that link AWA's Phoenix hub with the islands of Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai and Molokai. The two carriers also will have reciprocal participation in each other's frequent-flier programs. The deal becomes effective Oct. 11, 2002.
America West will begin service between its Las Vegas hub and Fresno and Santa Barbara. It will also add a flight to Colorado Springs. America West Express operated by Mesa Air Group will provide the service using 50-seat CRJs. America West will also initiate twice-daily CRJ flights between San Luis Obispo and Phoenix July 1, replacing turboprop service. The flights will be operated by America West Express.
America West will inaugurate flights from Raleigh/Durham to both Phoenix and Las Vegas. Starting May 31, 2002, there will be a pair of daily nonstops to PHX; and four weekly departures to LAS.
America West will resume daily nonstop service between its Las Vegas hub and Reagan Washington National Airport on Feb. 27, 2002. The flights were suspended following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
America West will add daily nonstop regional jet flights between its Las Vegas hub and new destinations Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City beginning Feb. 27 and May 1, 2002 respectively. The flights will be performed by America West Express, which is operated by Mesa Air Group and Chautauqua Airlines.
American Airlines will launch new seasonal services this summer from New York JFK to two destinations in Europe. Daily service to Rome will begin on May 1 2003 and daily service to Barcelona will commence on June 15, both subject to government approval. AA will use 767-300s on the services, which will end on Oct. 24. Additionally, it will begin a seasonal second Dallas/Ft. Worth-Paris flight four days a week on April 6, increasing to five weekly flights on May 1 and to daily service on June 1, using 767-300s. Also on June 1 2003 it will add a 12th weekly service from DFW to Tokyo using a 777.
American Airlines and American Eagle reduced their overweight baggage fees from $80 to $50 on checked items over 70 lb. on domestic flights. Checked items weighing 50-70 lb. will be subject to a $25 fee.
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines signed an agreement with T-Mobile to provide Wi-Fi wireless broadband Internet access in each airline's airport clubs and lounges across the country. In addition, T-Mobile plans to install HotSpot, which allows customers with wireless-enabled laptops or PDAs to access the Internet or corporate intranets while away from their home or office, at approximately 100 of the most frequented of the airlines' clubs and lounges over the next year. Coverage may be extended to airline gates as airport approvals are secured.
American Airlines during early fall , using a fleet of small regional jets flying between New York, Boston and Washington D.C., the airline took aim at East Coast shuttle giants Delta and US Airways. As the three airlines fight for increasingly elusive business travel dollar. While their walkup prices remain at about $225 each way, all three airlines now offer 1,500 frequent flyer miles per segment, up from the standard 500 miles. Delta and US Airways say that if the shuttle departs more than five minutes late, all passengers will get an additional 1,500 miles, this only until Dec. 31, 2002.
American Airlines, in line with its plan to "increase emphasis on enhancing the depth of its cooperation with its strategic alliance partners," will expand its codeshare with Swiss to a half-dozen additional destinations out of Zurich: Johannesburg, Accra, Lagos, Dubai, Budapest and Tirana. American flies to Zurich from Dallas/Ft. Worth and New York JFK. It said that in the near future it hopes to add codeshare service to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific via Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York as well as codeshare service with Japan Airlines to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi via Tokyo. Government approvals for these agreements are pending.
American Airlines will eliminate its $5 in-flight entertainment charge and begin offering complimentary IFE on all audio/video-equipped flights systemwide. "This change will allow us to greatly reduce headset distribution costs while continuing to focus on services our customers tell us add value to their travel experience," said MD-In flight Products Veronica Lopes. Passengers will be encouraged to bring their own headsets onboard and headsets will be available for purchase for $2.
American Airlines will add a second daily flight between Miami and London Heathrow beginning Oct. 27 using a 777. On Nov. 1 it will begin new service between Miami and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, using a 757.
American Airlines launched a new version of its aa.com Web site that includes proprietary reservation and booking technology from Orbitz, the online travel agency founded by five US Majors. The move is notable for AA's step away from Sabre, which the airline created nearly 40 years ago. The Orbitz booking engine allows AA to offer users a simpler, more intuitive booking process.
American Airlines and Swiss Air Lines received approval for their codeshare agreement that was signed in March. The airlines plan to introduce codeshare service to the first 35 destinations on May 15 2002. It will apply to 128 Swiss and 234 AA destinations and calls for frequent-flier program collaboration. Swiss said the carriers plan to intensify their collaboration in all fields of activity.
American Airlines began daily nonstop service between New York JFK and Tokyo Narita last week. The carrier, which is building a $1.3 billion terminal at JFK, uses 223-seat 777s on the route. AA will also add a second daily nonstop flight from Miami to Tegucigalpa beginning July 2. A 176-seat 757-200 will serve the route.
American Airlines sees business picking up for the spring-summer travel period and has hiked services accordingly. Adding to its schedule out of Los Angeles International will be two more daily roundtrips to New York's JFK beginning May 1; three more to Chicago's O'Hare International starting April 17; as well as daily flights to Torontao and Orlando. Entirely new runs will be inaugurated May 1 from LAX to Boston, Hartford/Springfield, Lihue, Hawaii on June 15. American's Terminal 4 at LAX is undergoing a $270 million renovation scheduled for completion this fall.
American Airlines will run a seasonal service between Anchorage International and Chicago's O'Hare International. Runs will operate June 15 through September 30 and will be made with the 176-seat 757 Boise, Idaho will get twice daily roundtrip service to Dallas/Fort Worth by America Eagle Airlines starting May 15. Service will be operated with the 70-seat Canadair regional jet. AA also plans to begin daily nonstop service using MD-80s between Chicago and Vancouver, June 15 through Sept. 30 2002.
American Airlines will add two new destinations in the Dominican Republic, Santiago and Punta Cana. They will be served from New York JFK starting June 15 2002. AA also will serve Santiago daily from Miami and added a weekly direct flight from Boston to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The service complements three daily flights from Miami and four weekly frequencies from New York.
American Airlines has added six self-service check-in kiosks at its St. Louis ticket counter and two more units at the customer service center there. The increase is intended to help reduce hassles without compromising security.
American Airlines, implementing previously announced plans to rebuild capacity, will add nine flights to its New York schedule and two from Boston. Most of the flights will increase frequencies to existing destinations, but they will include new daily service between New York JFK and Oakland and Tokyo. In Boston, AA will add second daily flights to Orlando and to San Jose. The Boston flights will begin March 2, 2002.
American Airlines, moving to restore some of the capacity it shed following the Sept. 11 attacks, said it will reinstate 41 flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, add two daily nonstop flights between Oakland and New York JFK and on its Raleigh/Durham-London Gatwick service. The resumption of DFW operations comprises flights to 37 destinations by March. They include late-evening connecting flights, primarily westbound, and some short-haul services, such as to Austin and San Antonio. AA will use 176-seat 757s on the Oakland-JFK flights, which begin March 2. It will shift back to 777s, it switched to 767-300s last year, for its daily RDU-Gatwick service beginning April 1, 2002.
American Airlines will discontinue its AT&T in-flight phone service by March 31, 2002 a spokesman for the airline said Wednesday. "Almost since their installation in 1996, we've seen a dramatic decrease in the use of these phones," said American Airlines spokesman Todd Burke, who added that the service averages about three calls a day per aircraft. The airline will keep other communication services working. Passengers on Boeing 777 and Boeing 767-300 aircraft, which mainly fly international routes, will continue to offer an in-flight phone service that connects to an orbiting satellite for a $5 connection fee and a rate of $10 a minute.
American Eagle affiliate of American Airlines will end service to Worcester Regional Airport effective Sept. 4, 2002. The airline said the route "failed to perform to expectations."
American Airlines said it offer two daily nonstop flights between New York JFK and Ontario, Calif., beginning July 2, 2002. The flights will use 176-seat 757s. AA Regional affiliate American Eagle said it will boost the frequency of scheduled non stops from San Juan to Bonaire to daily. They will be operated with a 64-seat ATR 72.
American Eagle said it will begin six-times-daily regional jet service between Oakland and Los Angeles on Feb. 5, 2002. It will use 44-seat ERJ-140s on the route.
American Eagle plans to resume service between Burlington, Vt., and Chicago O'Hare with two flights a day.
American Trans Air and Chicago Express, which flies as ATA Connection, said they will offer daily nonstop service between Chicago Midway and Lexington, Ky. The regional will operate four flights daily on the route starting August 28. The carriers also will begin four-times-daily service between Midway and Cedar Rapids in mid-August 2002. ATA Connection will add new flights between Chicago Midway and several other cities as well: four daily nonstops to Toledo starting June 28 2002; four daily nonstops to Flint starting July 1; and as of July 18, Charlotte, N.C., will get three flights a day, Monday through Friday, and two flights a day on weekends. ATA Connection said they will also provide nonstop service between Chicago Midway and Moline beginning May 28, 2002. The regional will operate five daily flights Sunday through Friday and four flights on Saturday.
Ariana Afghan inaugurated the only scheduled air service between Europe and Afghanistan with weekly A300B4 flights from Kabul to Frankfurt via Istanbul and Sharjah.
Asiana Airlines flyers can purchase their air tickets at any on of 19 subway stations in Seoul. Asiana Airlines now code-shares with China Eastern on the Daegu-Shanghai run. The Korean carrier is also code-sharing with China Eastern between Cheongju and Shanghai.
Asiana Airlines is preparing for membership in the Star Alliance in time to help mark Star's 5th anniversary in May 2002. Integration into the alliance, currently comprising 13 full members and 15 brands including Lauda Air and Tyrolean under the Austrian Airlines Group umbrella, is a lengthy, complex procedure of up to 18 months.
Atlantic Coast Airlines operating as United Express will offer six daily CRJ flights from Chicago O'Hare to Wichita and five daily flights to Moline starting June 7, 2002. The Chicago-Wichita service will replace three flights now offered by United Airlines, while the Moline route is currently served by United Express partner Air Wisconsin.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a Delta Connection carrier, is adding two daily nonstop flights between Montreal Dorval and Atlanta in Nov. ASA now operates 16 flights to Dorval from four US destinations: Atlanta, Cincinnati, Boston and New York LaGuardia. In addition, the airline will upgauge two of its three daily flights between Atlanta and Newport News from CRJ 200s to CRJ700s. ASA will add a daily nonstop between Brunswick/Golden Isles, Ga., and Atlanta on Nov. 4 2002 using a CRJ200.
Australian Airlines took to the skies Oct. 27 2002 offering daily service to Nagoya and Osaka from Cairns. The airline is a wholly owned, separately staffed subsidiary of Qantas and is intended to operate on routes that cannot be served profitably by the parent, with a focus on inbound visitors. Thrice-weekly services from Cairns to Singapore and Fukuoka commence Nov. 21 while Taipei and Hong Kong come on line the following day, also with thrice-weekly service.
Australian Airlines, Qantas's low-cost affiliate, received its first of four 767-300s scheduled for delivery over the next month. The new airline's first services from Cairns to Nagoya and Osaka will begin Oct. 27. Qantas will begin operations from Sydney Airport's Terminal 2, the former Ansett domestic terminal, on Sept. 24 2002.
Austrian Airlines resumed its temporarily suspended thrice-weekly nonstop Vienna-Montreal and Vienna-Toronto service. It also is targeting business travelers with early-morning roundtrips linking Vienna and Budapest.
Austrian Airlines began serving Poznan, its third destination in Poland after Warsaw and Krakow. The four-times-weekly service to the Polish commercial and banking center is bundled with connecting services via AUA's Vienna hub.
Belair Airlines, a newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary of Hotelplan of Switzerland, is adding a 767-300 to its existing fleet of two 757-200s.
Bmi british midland is to suspend its Manchester-Washington service from Dec. 2 2002 until June 2003 owing to weak forward bookings.
Bmi british midland will launch a daily direct service between Manchester and Toulouse Oct. 27. The route will be operated by bmi regional, a wholly owned subsidiary, with an ERJ.
Bmi british midland followed British Airways by announcing a major overhaul of its domestic fares on flights to and from London Heathrow. Bmi removed Saturday night and minimum stay requirements and will allow name changes to tickets up to 2 hours before departure. Earlier this month, British Airways scrapped all Saturday night stay and advance purchase restrictions on domestic flights into and out of London.
Bmi british midland will add 52 weekly flights from London Heathrow beginning March 31, boost regional service and suspend some underperforming routes. Services from Heathrow will expand with additional daily return flights to Stuttgart, Brussels and Paris and two extra daily services to Belfast.
Bmi british midland introduced its new low-fare airline, bmibaby, the week of January 14, 2002 at East Midlands Airport and took a swipe at rival Go, which recently said it would establish a base at the airport. The low-fare unit will fly a dedicated fleet of 737-300s and serve destinations including Barcelona, Nice, Palma, Malaga, Faro and Alicante. It will launch service March 23, 2002 with seats going on sale the end of January.
Bmibaby will launch a "five-star business package" to attract business travelers to its low-fare flights. The offering includes increased baggage allowances and dedicated check-in desks at both East Midlands and Cardiff International Airports, allocated seating booked in advance for all passengers, and "no overbooking of flights to allow business travelers a fast-track check-in system." Additionally, name and flight changes will be allowed for all tickets subject to a £15 administration fee and a £50 travel credit compensation will be given for delays of more than 4 hr. on any bmibaby flight. "Bmibaby will use a dedicated backup aircraft to maintain its punctual operation," the budget spinoff of bmi said in a statement.
Bmibaby will introduce a daily roundtrip service between East Midlands and Cork from Dec. 1 2002. The airline is also launching service from East Midlands Airport to Ibiza, its ninth international destination. The route will be served five times a week beginning May 15, 2002.
Bmi regional is laying on additional flight frequencies out of its East Midlands hub in the United Kingdom. As of March 31, 2002 there will be extra runs from East Midlands Airport to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast City, Amsterdam, and Paris.
Bmi regional will add 94 weekly flights to and from regional airports in the UK. Frankfurt and from Manchester to Brussels will be suspended effective March 3, 2002. It also will abandon the Manchester-Dusseldorf route previously operated by bmi regional and hand the slots over to codeshare partner Lufthansa.
Big Sky Airlines will initiate service to Boise from Billings beginning May 5, 2002. It will operate two nonstop flights Monday through Friday and reduced weekend service.
British Airways and oneworld partner Iberia expanded their code sharing for the upcoming winter season, marking the first phase in their commercial agreement signed in July. On Oct. 27 the Iberia code will be added to all BA flights from London Heathrow to Madrid and Barcelona and the BA code will be added to Iberia services on the same routes.
British Airways is launching first-ever air service between the UK and Angola with weekly flights starting Nov. 1 to Luanda utilizing 777s. "Start of services follows extensive negotiations with the Angolan government and its national carrier TAAG."
British Airways franchise partner GB Airways will begin daily service between London and Girona on March 1 2003.
British Airways will suspend its daily service between Charlotte and London effective Oct. 27, saying the flight could not be "justified in the current economic climate." BA launched the service in 1994.
British Airways and Air France, confirmed they are cutting schedules on the Sept. 11 anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks as demand drops for travel on that day. "I can tell you we've already canceled 26 transatlantic flights for Sept. 11, which comprise 24 to or from the US and two to Barbados," a BA spokesperson told Reuters. BA normally operates 78 transatlantic flights daily. AF said it canceled two roundtrip flights for Sept. 11 so far, one to New York and the other to Washington, because of "weak reservations." Both airlines said their Concordes will make scheduled flights to New York on Sept. 11.
British Airways has announced its latest discounting campaign, with savings of up to $300 / £200 on long-haul flights this winter. The offers applies to 49 destinations.
British Airways announced several changes to its winter schedule for 2002-03. Beginning Oct. 27, services to San Diego, Denver, Phoenix, Harare and Lusaka will be operated out of Heathrow's Terminal Four. A sixth daily service to New York JFK will be added. Three short-haul routes--St. Petersburg in Russia, Tripoli and Sofia, will move to Heathrow and a third daily Athens service will be added. Two weekly services will be added from Gatwick to Antigua. Cape Town service from Heathrow will be increased from seven to 10 flights per week. The Cairo, Dhaka and Calcutta routes will be served with 747-400s instead of 777s. On the Jeddah route, 767s will be replaced with 777s. Flights to Islamabad will remain suspended and frequencies to Tobago will go from two to three a week and to Grenada from one to two per week.
British Airways continued the rollout of short-haul initiatives as part of the Future Size and Shape program. Low fares without Saturday night stay and advance purchase restrictions now are available on 108 routes. Since introduction of the new fares on domestic routes in April, load factors have "shown improvement." The group's manpower reduction since Aug. 2001 totals 9,177.
British Airways is responding to mounting competition from no-frills carriers by reshuffling pricing on its UK routes from London as part of the Future Size and Shape restructuring strategy unveiled in February. Some domestic fares will be cut as much as 70% to recapture shrinking market share.
British Airways plans to reinstate most of the flights to the US that it canceled after Sept. 11 2001. The summer schedule that launches April 1 includes six daily subsonic flights from Heathrow to New York JFK, up from five, while Concorde service will move from six times weekly to daily starting April 21, 2002. BA will restore three of the five weekly frequencies that were cut from Heathrow to Washington, D.C., and add a third daily service to Boston. However, it is not restoring services that were cut from London Gatwick to the US, including reduced frequencies to JFK, Houston and San Diego.
British Airways began offering a second daily flight from Houston to London, giving Heathrow and Gatwick one daily trip apiece from the Texas city. The flight will feature BA's new flat-bed seat, which is equipped with laptop power port, telephone and 18 channels of inflight video entertainment. BA also said it rescheduled its daily Concorde service to depart New York JFK at 8:30 a.m. instead of 12:15 p.m.; the change will allow passengers to take advantage of the evening in London. BA closed its Gatwick London Terminal at the Victoria railway station on March 30 after 40 years of operations. As more and more of its long-distance flights transfer from Gatwick to Heathrow, BA decided GLT, which housed check-in facilities for passengers catching the Gatwick Express train to the Surrey airport, had become superfluous.
British Airways will add a morning flight to London Heathrow from Washington Dulles for a total of three a day starting March 31, 2002. The flight will leave at 8:40 a.m. EST, making it the earliest daily departure on the route. It will use a 777 configured for four classes.
British Airways' CitiExpress Regional operation will eliminate its operating bases at Cardiff and Leeds-Bradford and cut 21 routes from its network by March 2003.
British European has reinstated its daily service between Birmingham and Cork using Q300 50-seat turboprops. BE is also starting a new daily flight from Newcastle to the Isle of Man effective March 31, 2002. The new route will be operated with Dash 8-Q200s.
Buzz will stop operating its routes from its London Stansted base to Rouen and from Toulouse to Grenoble because they are not profitable. "The French market will, however, continue to be developed through the creation of new routes," the budget carrier added.
CanJet will begin nonstop service between Moncton and St. John's and Moncton and Toronto Sept. 9. The Moncton-St. John's service will operate four times a week and the Moncton-Toronto service will be daily.
Cathay Pacific Airways took delivery of the first of three A340-600s. The aircraft is fitted with eight first-class seat beds, 60 business-class beds and 220 economy seats. Cathay plans to use it to open nonstop service between New York and Hong Kong on a year-round basis.
Cathay Pacific plans to activate in Jan. 2003 a 1999 codeshare agreement signed with American Airlines to serve a host of US cities. Cathay can codeshare with American to 20 cities next year and 25 in 2004. It is expected to launch nonstop flights later in 2002 to New York with A340-600s that will be delivered in late Nov. 2002.
Cathay Pacific will add a sixth daily flight between Hong Kong and Manila on Jan. 1 2003 and a fifth weekly flight between Hong Kong and Johannesburg on Jan. 6 2002 using a 747-400 and will add four flights a week from Hong Kong to Melbourne commencing Oct. 29, bringing its total weekly flights between the cities to 11. Additionally, it will boost service from Hong Kong to Brisbane from eight to 10 flights per week on Oct. 31 2002.
Cathay Pacific added a fifth daily flight to Tokyo and four more weekly flights to London, which now is served by 18 flights each week. Capacity will be increased further with the delivery later this year of three A340-600s, which are being leased from ILFC. The airline also has a total of six 777s and A330s on order for delivery by the end of 2003.
Cathay Pacific will resume twice-daily nonstop 747-400 flights between Los Angeles and Hong Kong starting Aug. 1, 2002. It has been operating single daily service. The carrier said it will reinstate a number of flights to North America that were suspended last year as demand shows signs of recovery. It will boost its Los Angeles-Hong Kong service from seven to 10 flights a week and increase its Vancouver-Hong Kong service to 14 weekly flights from 11. Flights from San Francisco will gain capacity by using 747-400s instead of A340-300s.
Cathay Pacific will add a fifth daily return flight between Hong Kong and Narita starting June 1. The nonstop service is due in part to the opening of a second runway at Narita on April 18, 2002.
Cathay Pacific's new business-class product will be installed on a third of its long-haul fleet by April 2002. The product was launched at the end of last year. Cathay Pacific also launched an exclusive website designed for use by travel agents in Hong Kong, Australia, Germany and the UK. The site, www.cxagents.com, eventually will be available to agents across Cathay's network.
A remodeled Cheap Tickets website was unveiled the week of Nov. 11 2002 with new features, more discounted inventory and enhanced resources for travel consumers.
China Southern Airlines will begin a third weekly flight from Guangzhou to Sydney via Melbourne Nov. 1 2002 using a 777 and will expand its service between Los Angeles and Guangzhou with a Saturday-only flight beginning Nov. 2 2002.
China Southern Airlines launched its daily 777 service between Guangzhou and Tokyo last week. The addition marks CSA's third service to Japan, joining flights to Osaka and Fukuoka. However, CSA now offers Wednesday-only service from Guizhou to the former Portuguese colony of Macau.
China Southern Airlines expanded its nonstop service between Guangzhou's Baiyun International Airport and Ho Chi Minh City. It will continue to codeshare on the route with Vietnam Airlines five days a week, but will add two daily A320 flights.
China Southern Airlines will resume its fourth weekly 777 flight to Los Angeles on April 1 2002. The flight was suspended following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Cirrus Airlines, a Lufthansa Regional partner, on Oct. 27 2002 will launch ERJ-145 services linking Leipzig-Halle and London Stansted daily except Saturdays.
City Airline will launch a twice-daily service between London Gatwick and Gothenburg continuing to Linkoping with ERJ-135s and ERJ-145s. The service, which starts April 22, 2002, follows British Airways' decision to withdraw from the route. The new privately owned Swedish regional started a Manchester-Gothenburg service Sept. 10, 2001.
Continental Airlines is adding a sixth weekly flight to its New York-Hong Kong 777-200ER service, which was started in Aug. 2000. Cathay Pacific plans to compete with the nonstop service from May with an A340-600.
Continental Airlines has completed installation of 864 new BusinessFirst sleeper seats throughout its fleet of 18 Boeing 777 aircraft by Dec. 2002. The new BusinessFirst seats feature several significant design improvements that provide more comfort for customers. The new seat, measuring 22 inches between the armrests, is wider than business class seats on any competing airline. It offers a 170-degree recline from seat cushion to seat back and 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) of sleeping space in the fully extended position. The seats also have privacy hoods, individual dual-level reading lights, adjustable winged headrests, power ports for laptop personal computers and personal multi-channel entertainment systems and satellite telephones.
Continental Airlines will introduce twice-daily nonstop service between Augusta Regional Airport and Newark and Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Continental Airlines expanded the capabilities of its eService self-check-in kiosks. Passengers now can use the kiosks to check in for connections from a Continental flight to a Continental codeshare flight operated by Northwest Airlines.
Continental Airlines will begin weekly service between Newark and Belize City with continuing service to San Pedro Sula. Also, the airline will start new nonstop service between Newark and Guatemala. Both will begin Dec. 14 and the Belize flight is pending government approval. The airline will renew daily nonstop service between Newark and Caracas beginning Dec. 12 2002 using a 737-700.
Continental Airlines unveiled its redesigned website that includes new features like real-time OnePass customer account information and online reward travel booking.
Continental Airlines will introduce a fifth daily service between Southeast Texas Regional Airport and Houston on Sept. 5 2002 using an ERJ-145. The airline will begin service between Alexandria, La., and Houston on Sept. 5 using an ERJ-145. Continental Express, which currently offers four daily flights with ATR 42s, will operate the new RJ service.
Continental Airlines' regional carrier, Continental Express, will start twice-daily nonstop flights between Des Moines and the hubs of Newark and Houston on July 8. It will use 50-passenger ERJ-145s on the routes.
Continental Airlines is slated May 1st to begin daily nonstop service between Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Amsterdam. The transatlantic flights will be operated with 767-400s configured for two classes. Continental will also resume daily nonstop service between its Houston hub and New York JFK beginning June 13, 2002 using 737-500s.
Continental Airlines has also resumed its daily nonstop service between London Gatwick and Cleveland yesterday. The 757 service was suspended last September.
Continental Airlines will operate its first transatlantic flight with its new business-class seats today on a trip from Newark to London Gatwick. It began installing the seats on the first of eighteen 777s that serve transatlantic and transpacific routes on April 4, 2002.
Continental Airlines will start nonstop flights from its Newark hub to Omaha and Oklahoma City on Nov. 1, 2002. It will offer three daily flights on the Omaha route and two on the Oklahoma City route, all with 50-seat ERJ-145s operated by Continental Express.
Continental Airlines plans to resume daily nonstop service between Newark and Tokyo Narita beginning April 18, 2002. The route, which is operated with 777s, had been cut to five weekly flights because of weak demand.
Continental Airlines plans to start daily nonstop service between Newark and Montego Bay with continuing service to Kingston. The flight will use a 737-800 and begin operating Dec. 12, 2002.
Continental Airlines and Amtrak launched their air/rail codeshare deal announced earlier this year. The agreement allows CO to place its code on Amtrak's Acela Regional and Keystone trains for connecting itineraries between Newark and four Northeast cities.
Continental Airlines and American Airlines have introduced interline electronic ticketing, which allows customers to use a single e-ticket when their itineraries include travel on both carriers. The deal also allows customers with e-tickets to be rebooked between the carriers' flights without having to obtain a paper ticket. It follows a similar agreement between American and United Airlines).
Continental Connection will introduce twice-daily, nonstop flights between Ottawa and Albany beginning Dec. 2 2002 and said it will begin flying between Allentown and 12 other northeastern cities via its new "micro hub" in Albany on March 25, 2002. The new service includes connections to Syracuse, Rochester, Long Island/Islip, Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, New York LaGuardia, White Plains, Buffalo, Burlington, Portland, Manchester and Providence.
Continental Airlines has established designated security checkpoint lanes for frequent fliers and some premium passengers at its hubs in Houston, Newark and Cleveland. One checkpoint lane has been designated at each of the hubs for OnePass Elite, BusinessFirst, domestic first class and Latin business class customers. Those travelers need to show their tickets, boarding passes, e-ticket itineraries or OnePass Elite membership cards to use the lanes.
Continental Airlines plans to begin four-times-weekly service between Newark and San Salvador in May. The new flights, prompted by strong demand for the airline's Houston-El Salvador service, will use 124-seat 737-700s.
Continental Airlines will add a second daily nonstop between Honolulu International and Houston's Bush Intercontinental on February 15, 2002. Service will be operated on the 767 with two-class &endash; BusinessFirst and Economy &endash; configuration. Among the aircraft's features are computer power ports at every seat up front and in "some" rows back in coach.
Seems people who were planning to vacation in foreign lands are venturing closer to home these days &endash; to places like Hawaii. In response to "strong demand," Continental plans to add a second daily Bush Houston Intercontinental-Honolulu nonstop effective February 15.
Copa Airlines of Panama joined Northwest Airlines' frequent-flier network, which also includes alliances with Continental Airlines and KLM. The deal allows Northwest WorldPerks members to earn and use miles on Copa flights throughout Latin America. Members of Copa, Continental Airlines' OnePass and Northwest's WorldPerks have reciprocal frequent-flier benefits, allowing members of any of the programs to earn and use miles on any of the four airlines. KLM members can earn and use miles on Copa flights through LatinPass.
DAT, the former regional operator for defunct Sabena and now the new national airline of Belgium, plans to change its name to SN Brussels Airlines. SN was the former Sabena code taken over by DAT. The new brand will be implemented gradually and the first aircraft with new livery is expected to take to the skies by the end of Feb. 2002.
Delta Air Lines announced on Dec, 10, 2002 the launch of interline electronic ticketing (ET) with Northwest Airlines, extending the convenience of electronic ticketing to customers who travel on Delta and Northwest in the same itinerary. Today, almost 90 percent of Delta customers worldwide take advantage of electronic ticketing. In support of our goal to reach 100 percent ET usage by the end of 2004, this enhancement facilitates Delta‚s efforts to create customer-focused technology solutions that reduce hassle and add convenience for its customers,‰ said Lee Macenczak, senior vice president - Sales & Distribution. Today's product launch follows the August 2002 introduction of interline ET between Delta and United Airlines.
Delta Air Lines will begin daily nonstop service between Reagan Washington National Airport and Salt Lake City on Jan. 31 2003 using a 757 in two-class configuration.
Delta Air Lines amended its low-fare experiment by reducing walkup and other business fare classes and simplifying the structure. According to JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker, the walkup fares now average 35% below typical full Y levels versus an earlier 21% discount. The revised structure "more closely resembles American's low-fare experiment."
Delta Air Lines expanded its lower business fare test to 11 more cities, creating around 1,550 new city-pairs where the reduced walkup and advance purchase fares are available. Delta's experiment dates to last Aug. 2002, when it cut business fares from three cities. American Airlines followed with its own test in mid-Nov. Unlike American's experiment, which is taking place in "highly concentrated big markets," Delta "has chosen small, largely unconcentrated markets to experiment with," according to JP Morgan analyst Jamie Baker. Delta's new fare structure in the selected markets includes "a typical 22% discount to traditional walkup fares" plus nine new price points within each market, versus just for four American, Baker stated. AA's new walkup fares also typically are lower than Delta's.
Delta Air Lines will add its code to Air Jamaica's four weekly services from Montego Bay to Belize and its three weekly flights from Montego Bay to Bonaire effective immediately and will introduce daily seasonal service between Boston and Rome from May through Sept. and will expand its summer service between Cincinnati and Rome to year-round. Both routes will be flown with 767-300ER equipment.
Delta Air Lines will add its code to SkyTeam partner CSA Czech Airlines' flights between Prague and Riga on Nov. 15 2002.
Delta Air Lines beginning Nov. 11 2002 will expand its standby upgrade product that gives customers the opportunity to stand by for upgrades to first class for a fee on select off-peak flights within the US as well as to San Juan and St. Thomas on which Delta "expects empty first class seats to be available at departure time." The charge will range from $50 to $150 based on mileage.
Delta Air Lines launched an E-mail Notification System under which customers automatically can receive via e-mail information regarding any schedule change that affects their itineraries.
Delta Air Lines will begin Saturday-only nonstop service from Atlanta to Curacao on Jan. 11 2003 and will replace 737-200s with 757s on its flights between New York and Florida for the upcoming winter season owing to "strong customer demand." Additionally, Delta introduced its New York Chefs In-flight program to US BusinessElite customers beginning yesterday. The new meal service will be available on "most Delta BusinessElite flights" between New York JFK and Los Angeles International or San Francisco International airports.
Delta Air Lines will cancel its daily nonstop services from Atlanta to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro owing to "lower demand for air travel worldwide and the continued weak US and global economy."
Delta Air Lines on Dec. 1 2002 will introduce new, seasonal and expanded service to points in the Caribbean and Latin America including Costa Rica, Providenciales, St. Maarten, Aruba and Nassau.
Delta Air Lines and Europcar announced a new marketing partnership under which Delta SkyMiles members will earn miles for renting vehicles from Europcar.
Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways signed reciprocal agreements to join each other's frequent-flier programs effective Oct. 1. 2002. This enables Delta SkyMiles members, effective on that date, to earn and redeem miles for flights on Virgin Atlantic and vice versa. Additionally, also effective Oct. 1 Delta will become a member of Virgin Atlantic's flying club loyalty program.
Delta Air Lines will begin selling its tickets through Hotwire, which now will sell "specially negotiated discount fares" from the seven largest US carriers. "Hotwire has become a major consumer Internet brand, and our new partnership allows Delta to offer customers yet another opportunity to find travel values," the carrier's VP-revenue management, Harlan Bennett, said.
Delta Air Lines teamed with MilePoint to introduce a new system that allows Delta SkyMiles members to buy and gift frequent-flier miles online. Corporations also can purchase miles online for use either as employee incentives or for consumer promotions. Minneapolis-based MilePoint provides technology and customized solutions to the travel and loyalty industries.
Delta Air Lines began code sharing on South African Airways' thrice-weekly services between Johannesburg and Kampala in July using a 737.
Delta Air Lines is adding frequent-traveler security lines in nine new locations for a total of 17 cities. The lines are open to members of the airline's frequent-flyer program and customers traveling in first, business or BusinessElite class.
Delta Air Lines will introduce nonstop service to Jackson Hole from Atlanta and 737-300 service to the popular skiing destination from Salt Lake City. The flights on the Atlanta route will use 757s and operate twice a week from Dec. 14 through April 5. Delta will add two daily flights to the Salt Lake City-Jackson Hole route starting Dec. 1, 2002 for a total of seven flights a day.
Delta Air Lines will add a Delta Connection flight between Great Falls and Salt Lake City beginning April 7. SkyWest Airlines will operate the flights with 50-seat CRJs. Delta also will replace a summer-only 737-300 service from SLC to Helena and Kalispell with two new flights, a nonstop 737-300 service between SLC and Helena beginning June 1, which will change to a CRJ during the winter, and a year-round nonstop CRJ flight between SLC and Kalispell beginning April 7, 2002.
Delta Air Lines' summer schedule includes increased frequencies for travel from its Atlanta hub, New York JFK and Florida. It will offer a thrice-weekly flight in addition to its daily service between Atlanta and London Gatwick. The additional Atlanta-London service will be instituted as it drops nonstop Boston-London service on June 1, 2002. It will also increase domestic flights from Atlanta to Baltimore, Chicago Midway, Colorado Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, Providence, Manchester, NH, Raleigh/Durham, San Diego, San Antonio, Tallahassee, and Tampa. JFK will get a fourth daily flight to Los Angeles starting June 1, 2002.
Delta Air Lines and Delta Express plan to expand service between New York and Florida. Starting May 4, 2002 Delta will add one more 737-800 flight from New York LaGuardia to both Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando and two more to West Palm Beach. Delta Express will add two flights from New York JFK to Ft. Lauderdale and single flights from JFK to both Orlando and Tampa.
Delta Air Lines will add two MD-88 flights between Atlanta and Tallahassee, for a total of five daily plus three Delta Connection flights a day. The new flights begin June 1, 2002. And a daily MD-88 flight between Atlanta and Milwaukee on July 1 2002, give that airport a total of five flights a day.
Delta Air Lines reached a codeshare agreement with partner Alitalia for flights from the latter's Milan hub to Anacona, Zurich and Vienna beginning June 1, 2002. Delta also will add a codeshare flight between Milan and Florence. Also, Delta will launch its Cincinnati-Rome service on July 1, 2002, and will use 268 seat MD-11s on the route. Alitalia will offer codeshare service on the flights as well.
Delta Air Lines and SkyTeam partner Korean Air will begin codesharing on three flights per week between Atlanta and Seoul on May 20 2002, linking their two hubs with nonstop service. The week of April 29 2002, Delta will also start codesharing on other flights offered by Korean Air. The deal covers KAL flights from Anchorage, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Washington Dulles, DFW, Chicago and San Francisco to Seoul and from Los Angeles to Tokyo Narita. Delta and KAL will also codeshare on trips from Seoul to Osaka and Narita. Within Korea, they will codeshare on flights to Pusan, and when KAL adds nonstop Incheon - Atlanta service, that route will be included.
Delta Air Lines expanded its codeshare deal with Air France, also a SkyTeam carrier, to Niamey, Niger, starting May 9, 2002. The deal allows Delta customers to buy tickets to fly beyond Paris on AF's flights between Paris and Niamey. Delta will also codeshare with South African Airways on SAA flights using a 737 from Johannesburg to Lusaka beginning June 1, 2002.
Delta Air Lines will codeshare on Aerolitoral's four-times-weekly Ontario, California, and Hermosillo service, as well as its four-times-weekly flights between New York JFK and Monterrey. The Ontario-Hermosillo deal is effective immediately, while the JFK-Monterrey service starts July 8, 2002.
Delta Air Lines will begin codesharing with Air Jamaica on flights between New York JFK and Antigua as of June 20. The US carrier also announced that it will offer codeshare service to Antigua and Curacao through Air Jamaica and that carrier's Montego Bay hub on June 20 and May 21 respectively.
Delta Air Lines this spring will begin service between Salt Lake City and the three Montana cities of Helena, Great Falls and Kalispell. In past years, the Salt Lake-Helena-Kalispell run was operated with the 737. This year there will be a Delta 737 nonstop between Salt Lake City and Helena starting on June 1 and the 50-seat Canadair regional jet from SLC to Kalispell on April 7 2002. That service will be operated for Delta by Skywest Airlines.
Delta Air Lines reached an agreement with weather.com, the website of the Weather Channel, to allow customers to check weather conditions for destination cities directly through Delta's website. The deal also covers customized weather content for Delta's gate information display screens, ticket confirmation e-mails and employee intranet.
Delta Air Lines will now issue only e-tickets for itineraries that are eligible for such tickets, although customers can ask to convert to paper tickets for $10. The fee is intended to offset increasing costs for paper ticket processing and will be waived for some frequent-flier members and customers buying full-fare, unrestricted tickets. The change is effective immediately. Delta has enhanced its self-service check-in kiosks and plans to install 300 more of the units in the US, more than tripling the number available. The kiosks now can be used by any e-ticketed domestic customer instead of only select frequent-flier program members.
Delta AirElite Business Jets began offering customers the opportunity to earn triple Delta SkyMiles for charter flights operated through Dec. 31 2002.
Delta Connection will add two daily nonstops between Roanoke and Atlanta Feb. 15 2003 using a CRJ. It will add one daily flight between the two cities on Jan. 31 using an ATR 72. Additionally, it will launch two daily nonstop CRJ flights between Charleston, W. Va., and Atlanta replacing turboprop service. It will add one daily CRJ nonstop between Atlanta and Golden Triangle Regional Airport, Miss., beginning Feb. 15 replacing turboprop service. Atlantic Southeast Airlines will operate all of the services. In addition, Delta Connection will begin service between Atlantic City and Boston, operated by Comair using a CRJ, and between Atlantic City and Reagan Washington National Airport, operated by Atlantic Coast Airlines using a 328JET, effective Jan. 31 2003.
Delta Connection will add two daily nonstop flights between Atlanta and Syracuse and Atlanta and Rochester on Jan. 1 2003. Atlantic Southeast Airlines will operate the flights using CRJ700s.
Delta Connection will provide seasonal daily nonstop service between Cincinnati and Melbourne, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, Fla., from Jan. 21 through April 4 2003. Comair will operate the flights with CRJs. Comair also will offer an additional daily service between Cincinnati and Tallahassee during the same period.
Delta Connection is adding one nonstop flight between its Atlanta hub and both Orlando and Tampa starting Jan. 31. With the new regional jet service, Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection will offer 13 daily roundtrip flights between Atlanta and Orlando and 14 between Atlanta and Tampa.
Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines will operate one additional roundtrip flight between Cincinnati and Toledo for a new total of nine daily. Delta Connection carrier SkyWest will begin twice-daily nonstop service Jan. 31 between Dallas/Ft. Worth and both Lexington and Knoxville. The new schedule also will replace turboprop service with RJs between DFW and Shreveport. An additional roundtrip between DFW and Austin will bring the number of daily flights to six as of Jan. 31. Beginning Feb. 1 2003, SkyWest, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Comair will begin Delta Connection service between DFW and the beach communities of Panama City, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Fort Walton Beach and Gulfport/Biloxi.
Delta Connection is replacing current turboprop service between Atlanta and Wilmington, N.C., with three daily regional jet flights operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines. Delta Connection is upgrading service to 70-seat CRJs between Cincinnati and Louisville, Raleigh-Durham, Bangor and Huntsville. Comair will operate the routes. Comair also is expanding RJ service from Cincinnati to Green Bay, Madison, Memphis, Charleston, Tampa and Chicago Midway.
Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines yesterday began two daily CRJ700 flights between Key West and Atlanta. Delta Connection also began three daily nonstop CRJ services between Cincinnati and Atlantic City.
Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines will end service to Worcester, Mass., on Nov. 1 2002. The twice-daily flights began in Feb. 2000 but failed to realize the growth and revenue potential that was anticipated, the company said. Earlier, Delta Connection announced it would add 20 more flights out of Reagan Washington National Airport.
Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines plans to expand its codeshare deal with AeroMexico by placing the Mexican carrier's code on 32 daily ASA flights between Dallas/Fort Worth and 14 other US destinations starting April 17 2002. AeroMexico currently places its code on Delta Connection flights between Atlanta and Monterrey. The expansion includes seven cities in Texas, three in Louisiana, two in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma.
Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines began operating the first 70 seat Bombardier CRJ-700 on Jan. 29. The regional jet is an upgraded version of the smaller CRJ-100/200 series aircraft, and fills a gap between the 50 seat CRJ-200 and the MD-88 operated by Delta Air Lines.
Delta Connection carrier Comair will operate one additional daily nonstop between Cincinnati and Montreal beginning Nov. 27 2002 using a CRJ and will begin two daily flights between Orlando and Huntsville Dec. 16 2002 using a CRJ and the carrier will begin three daily services between Cincinnati and Moline on Jan. 3 2003 using a CRJ.
Delta Connection carrier Comair will upgrade to CRJ700s on one flight each between Cincinnati and Albany, Bangor, Buffalo and Detroit. The new aircraft also will operate two services between Cincinnati and Omaha.
Delta Connection carrier Comair began CRJ service between Atlanta and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, operating three daily flights. Delta Connection began new service on March 18, 2002 between its Atlanta hub and Charlottesville, Va. Subsidiary Comair is operating three daily nonstop CRJ flights on that route as well.
Delta Connection is expanding service at Reagan Washington National Airport with 20 daily non stops starting Nov. 1 2002. The new services, operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Comair, will use CRJs. Frequencies will be added to New York, Atlanta and Cincinnati. New service will be provided to Charleston, Columbus, Huntsville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Delta Connection will begin six nonstop daily CRJ services between Kansas City and Dallas/Fort Worth Oct. 1, 2002.
Delta Connection will begin three daily nonstop services between Columbus and both Orlando and Tampa using ERJs. Chautauqua Airlines will operate the flights.
Delta Connection carrier SkyWest Airlines, will operate nonstop seasonal service from Salt Lake City to and from Boise and Idaho Falls Dec. 1 2002 to March 30 2003.
Delta Express and South African Airways began code sharing on Delta Express services between New York JFK and several Florida destinations. The new codeshare will offer SAA passengers two daily departures from JFK to Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale. Additionally, two daily departures from Tampa, Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale to JFK are under the codeshare agreement.
Delta Express, Delta Air Lines' low-fare subsidiary, will expand its service Nov. 1 from six to eight daily flights between New York JFK and Ft. Lauderdale from four to five daily flights between JFK and Orlando. Beginning the same day it will add a second daily service from Long Island Islip MacArthur Airport to Ft. Lauderdale.
Delta Express is laying on more Florida-New York flights. June 1 2002, the low-fare, single-class carrier adds two Fort Lauderdale-JFK departures. That makes six daily. With the addition of a new roundtrip to both Tampa and Orlando, there will be three and four flights, respectively, to those cities. On the same date Delta Express will add daily flights between Orlando and both Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, and two new flights between Boston and Tampa.
Delta AirElite Business Jets, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, added two Gulfstream IV-SPs through charter management agreements in an effort to "conti