|
www.AirguideOnline.com |
|
November 2003 Frequent Flyer Program News
News Center & Archives
Travel News
Airline NewsTRAVEL NEWS The U.S. Department of State has issued a worldwide caution to reemphasize the continuing threat to U.S. citizens around the world. State said the government remains "deeply concerned" about the security of citizens overseas. It asks them to remain alert and increase their security awareness. "We are seeing increasing indications that Al-Qaida is preparing to strike U.S. interests abroad. We expect Al-Qaida will strive for new attacks designed to be more devastating than the September 11 attack, possibly involving non conventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents." State also says it cannot rule out the possibility of another strike within the U.S. Government facilities abroad remain at a heightened state of alert.
The U.S. Department of State is warning Americans that travel to Turkey is not safe, given the recent terrorist bombings. The embassy in Ankara and consulates in Istanbul, Adana and Izmir remain open. State also warned Americans about traveling to Libya because of signs of hostility toward Americans by the population and the Libyan government. There is no U.S. Embassy in Libya.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a warning to U.S. citizens against all travel to Sudan. Ongoing fighting resulting from the 20-year civil war continues to affect southern, western and eastern Sudan, although armed disputes have diminished. The U.S. government has received indications of terrorist threats aimed at American and Western interests in Sudan, including suicide operations, bombings or kidnappings. U.S. citizens should be aware of the risk of attacks in such public places as tourist sites and commercial operations associated with U.S. or western interests.
The US Transportation Security Administration said Nov. 18 2003 it will require passenger and freight airlines to inspect air cargo randomly and directed that non-US all-cargo carriers transporting goods into and out of the US comply with "the same security procedures" that domestic air carriers must follow.
Delegates attending the first-ever Asia-Pacific Homeland Security Summit in Honolulu this month are learning what countries in the region continue to do to fight the spread of terrorism. In speeches on Thursday, ambassadors, ministers and other high-ranking government officials from such countries as the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Korea and the U.S. gave specific examples of steps they've taken. With the attacks in Istanbul just hours earlier fresh in their minds, speakers also stressed the need for international cooperation while recognizing that each country needs to chart its own path in the fight.
That uneasy feeling as you wave good-bye to your unlocked checked luggage could be a thing of the past. In a cooperative effort, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Travel Goods Association have joined together to create Travel Sentry. The certified locking device allows airline passengers to lock their bags without interfering with the TSA's mandate that checked luggage be readily available for inspection as it passes through TSA screening stations. If it becomes necessary to open a checked bag secured with a Travel Sentry certified locking device, the TSA screener will input TSA-designated codes to open the lock. Participating manufacturers will include the locks as a standard element of various luggage designs and styles. Travel Sentry-certified locks will bear a red diamond-shaped logo as a signal to TSA screeners that they meet approved standards. Visit www.travelsentry.org for more information.
AIRLINE NEWS Niki Lauda confirmed to media in Vienna widely reported plans that he intends to acquire, for an undisclosed sum, a majority stake in the Austrian subsidiary of insolvent German leisure carrier Aero Lloyd and launch a new low-cost carrier. The three-time Formula One Grand Prix champion founded namesake Lauda Air in 1979 and became a licensed airline pilot qualified to operate passenger aircraft up to the 777, which he frequently did. He was forced to sell out to Austrian Airlines amid financial turbulence three years ago. A two-year no-compete clause in the contract between AUA and Lauda has expired, opening the way to a comeback. He is still on the board of charter airline Lauda Air Italia after having divested his 60% stake earlier this year.
AirAsia already connects Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur with twice-daily service, but beginning Dec. 3 2003 it said it will base two 737s at Senai offering two daily flights to Penang from 45.99 ringgit ($12.10) one-way, two daily flights to Kuching from 49.99 ringgit one way, one daily flight to Langkawi from 49.99 ringgit one-way and one daily flight to Kota Kinabalu from 89.99 ringgit each way. The airline currently offers 64 flights per day in a point-to-point network out of Kuala Lumpur with a fleet of eight 737s that will grow to 10 with the opening of the Senai base. It carried more than 200,000 passengers in Oct., the highest monthly total in its history. Currently, 60% of bookings come via the Internet.
Air France and China Southern signed a code share agreement on Paris-Guangzhou services, which will be launched Jan. 5 2004 by the French airline. The launch of the route was scheduled for this summer but postponed owing to the outbreak of SARS. The service initially will operate five times per week, and daily as of June 14. From June 28, China Southern will provide an additional four flights a week. According to terms of the agreement, China Southern will purchase blocks of seats on AF-operated flights. Once China Southern's service between Paris and Guangzhou begins, a balanced exchange of blocked seats will be set up between the airlines. AF is the first European carrier to fly to southern China's capital as well as the first to fly to four cities in China: Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.
Air India will purchase 10 Airbus A340-300s and 18 Boeing 737-800s after the airline's board approved the fleet acquisition plan Friday. The deal, including spare engines, an inventory of spares, ramp and maintenance equipment, simulators and training of pilots and engineers, is valued at $2.1 billion. The A340-300s will be configured with 10 first class, 27 Executive Class and 235 economy seats. Air-India said those aircraft will be deployed on routes to Europe, the US, Canada and Saudi Arabia. The 737-800s will have eight Executive Class and 138 economy seats and will be used on routes to the Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Air New Zealand unveiled on Nov. 17 2003 its latest "Lord of the Rings" themed aircraft as it steps up its worldwide campaign to harness the tourism power of the motion picture trilogy. It's the third themed aircraft to take the Middle Earth message around the world at Los Angeles International Airport. The design, which stretches 157 feet along the giant Boeing 747-400 fuselage, depicts the faces of stars Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) and Orlando Bloom (Legolas) as part of the giant decal. The aircraft signals the start of a four-month campaign by ANZ to capitalize on the movie's huge profile. Says ANZ's Vice President Western Region, Gus Gilmore: "The final installment of this motion picture trilogy offers unparalleled opportunities for us through massive media and consumer interest in the film to lift the profile of New Zealand, both as Middle Earth and also as a remarkable destination for today's travelers." Research figures from Tourism New Zealand conducted earlier this year show that almost one in 10 visitors cited "The Lord of the Rings" as one of the reasons they chose to visit New Zealand.
AirTran Airways launched new daily nonstop service from Atlanta to San Francisco, its second West Coast destination. A second flight that will operate five times per week will be added March 4 2004. Ryan International Airlines will operate the service using A320s. AirTran launched service to Los Angeles earlier this year. Also, will add two daily nonstop flights between Baltimore/Washington International Airport and Dayton Feb. 11 2004.
Alitalia said capacity on its long-haul routes will increase by 33% in next summer's schedule, including new daily service to Washington and Toronto, five-times-weekly flights between Rome and Boston and second daily flights on both the Rome-New York JFK and Rome-New Delhi routes. The startup of six flights a week between Milan Malpensa and New Delhi is subject to approval by the Indian government. The short- and medium-haul offer will rise 8% with new flights to Copenhagen, Manchester, Stockholm and Luxembourg.
Alitalia also will launch a new domestic route, Rome Fiumicino-Verona. It will operate its long-haul network with 10 777s and 13 767s that will replace 747s. The medium-haul fleet will comprise 89 MD-80s and 46 A320s. "Regarding the regional sector, the balanced use of turboprop ATRs with 66 seats and twin jet Embraers ensures efficient operation of feeder routes for the hubs as well as point-to-point links between smaller airports," Alitalia said. It will add six 70-seat Embraer 170s to its fleet next year.
Aloha Airlines is changing its service between Hawaii and the Marshall Islands next month. Beginning Dec. 4 2003, it will begin flying Boeing 737-700 aircraft on the route, a faster, longer-range aircraft than the Boeing 737-200 ETOPS it has used to the archipelago since 1999. The carrier also is modifying the route of the twice-weekly service, dropping the stop at Johnston Atoll after Dec. 1 and as of Dec. 4 departing Honolulu on Monday and Thursday afternoons, arriving at Kwajalein on Tuesday and Friday evenings before hopping to Majuro. The Hawaii bound flight leaves Majuro on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, stopping in Kwajalein before landing in Honolulu on Tuesday and Friday evenings. This announcement comes on the heels of the carrier's Dec. 16 insertion of Pago Pago, American Samoa in its Honolulu-Rarotonga, Cook Island flights.
America West Airlines under its 2004 growth plan will add flights between nine existing West Coast cities and Las Vegas early next year, bringing its total daily departures at Las Vegas to 100.
American Airlines is offering fares starting at $74 roundtrip for travel on Nov. 27 or Nov. 28, with returns on Nov. 28, Dec. 3, or Dec. 4 2003. No advance purchase is required. The last day to purchase tickets is Nov. 26. The fares are available through agents, AA.com, or the airline's reservationists. Examples include New York-JFK to Miami for $131 roundtrip, New York-JFK to Los Angeles for $226 and San Francisco to Dallas for $207.
American Airlines and subsidiary American Eagle increased service at the Dallas/Ft. Worth hub. American added 43 daily flights over the weekend, giving it 500 departures a day at DFW. It increased service by at least two daily flights each to Atlanta, Houston Intercontinental, New Orleans, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tulsa and Washington. American Eagle also boosted service at DFW, pushing its daily CRJ700 departures to 47. Cities with additional CRJ700 service include Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Little Rock, Lubbock, Tulsa and Wichita. In addition, AA said the airport returned two gates to the airline that were closed owing to construction.
Atlantic Coast Airlines, which announced earlier it wants to end its relationship with United, will launch Independence Air, a low-fare airline based at Washington-Dulles Airport. The airline will have a fleet of 112 jets, including 25 A320 and A319 aircraft and 87 regional jets. It will launch in the first half of 2004. The exact date will be announced as soon as Atlantic Coast is released from its contractual obligation with United. It will then announce markets in which it will operate and more details on its simple pricing system. All flights will be available for booking through ww.flyi.com. Atlantic Coast currently operates as United Express and Delta Connection.
Atlantic Coast Airlines is planning to unveil its new low-cost airline Nov. 19, 2003. The startup will be based at Washington Dulles, where ACA officials hope to build a powerful network able to compete with both Southwest Airlines, which operates out of BWI, and JetBlue, which flies out of Dulles.
Asiana Airlines is sponsoring an international in-flight short film festival in Seoul Dec. 13-16 that the carrier intends to make an annual event. Top-rated films will be screened for six months on flights across the Asiana international network. Fifty film finalists will be selected from among 552 entries from Korea and 104 from foreign countries.
Asiana launched four weekly nonstop 777-200 services between Seoul Incheon and Auckland after recently having started three weekly flights to both Kumamoto in Japan and Hanoi, its second destination in Vietnam.
Austrian Airlines plans to launch 737 flights in May 2004 from the Slovakian capital of Bratislava to Brussels, Paris and London as part of a new regional marketing strategy.
British Airways will launch new service from London Gatwick to Algiers Jan. 5. Flights will operate thrice weekly using 737s. In addition, owing to changes to the bilateral air agreement between the UK and Libya, BA will increase its weekly frequencies between London Heathrow and Tripoli from three to four from Nov. 30 2004.
China Airlines and Thai Airways International will code share from Dec. 1 2003 over the Kaohsiung-Bangkok route, initially on 10 weekly flights comprising seven operated by China Airlines and three by Thai. The move follows separate China Airlines code share agreements with Delta Air Lines and Alitalia.
China Southern Airlines and Dragonair signed a code share agreement for service on the Guangzhou-Hong Kong route. According to the agreement, China Southern will provide Dragonair with two business class and 10 economy seats on its daily Guangzhou-Hong Kong flight. Dragonair, based on demand, may enlarge its seat allotment, China Southern said.
Continental Airlines will increase its flights to Hong Kong from New York to five a week on Dec. 8 2004. The airline said solid booking levels were seen in the third quarter, and it anticipates further increases in the fourth quarter. During the Christmas peak it will add a sixth flight in the market. Continental operates the 777-200 on the route with 283 seats. "Continental is the only airline offering nonstop service from New York to Hong Kong, saving at least four hours of flying and stopover time," a spokesperson said.
Continental Airlines signed a code share agreement with Denmark-based Maersk Air. Effective in Feb. 2004, subject to government approval, Continental will place its code on Maersk Air flights between both Copenhagen and Billund and London Gatwick and between Billund and Amsterdam.
DBA, the former British Airways subsidiary Deutsche BA, returns Nov. 10 2003 to the UK market with the launch of thrice-daily 737-300 services between Berlin and London Gatwick. A leased aircraft will operate the route for the first four days. DBA will enter the UK market with a simplified one-way fare structure starting from £38 ($64) one way plus taxes and charges. For the business traveler it is offering fully flexible and refundable fares from £122 one way plus taxes, which it claims is approximately 60% below BA's unrestricted fare to Berlin from London Heathrow. DBA will offer assigned seating and provide a range of snacks and refreshments including sandwiches, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks under its Jet Set cafe brand. Passengers traveling on fully flexible tickets will be offered vouchers exchangeable for beverages or snacks.
Delta Air Lines will launch a second flight between New York JFK and Athens using a 767-300ER on June 2. The additional flight will operate three times weekly until Sept. 29 2004.
Delta Air Lines will increase flights to London and Munich from its Atlanta hub this summer. It will add a second flight to Munich on May 5, and a fourth flight to London-Gatwick on June 1 2004. The Munich flight will operate five times a week until Oct. 10 and the London flight will operate six times a week until Sept. 30. It will use the Boeing 767-300ER on the routes. From Atlanta, Delta offers two daily flights to Frankfurt and one daily flight to Stuttgart. It also offers three daily flights to Gatwick and one to Manchester.
Delta Air Lines began testing a new one-class service designed to provide "extra comfort and convenience for business travelers" on 12 flights between Atlanta and Houston and 16 flights between Atlanta and Kansas City. The test began Nov. 11 2003 and will run through Jan. 31 2004. The flights use 737-800s with leather seats that feature 36-in. pitch and Empower outlets for laptops. At the boarding gate, passengers receive complimentary coffee and newspapers, and a wider selection of snacks and expanded in-flight entertainment are available onboard. Also, between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. passengers receive one complimentary cocktail, beer or wine.
Emirates Airline, with a goal of becoming a "truly global airline," plans to launch service to six new cities next year, including gateways in the US, Scotland, central Europe, China and West Africa. Emirates will launch daily flights from Dubai to New York June 1 2004 using its new A340-500s, which will be equipped with its new in-flight entertainment system, in a three-class configuration. However, government officials have yet to decide which of the three major New York airports the airline will operate to. Emirates said it expects traffic from the US to come from both leisure and business travelers. On April 10, the carrier will begin daily nonstop flights between Dubai and Glasgow using A330-200s in a two-class configuration. It said the service will "eliminate the need to travel between Dubai and Scotland via a European gateway."
In Africa, Emirates will begin four weekly nonstop flights between Dubai and Abuja with continuing service to Accra. Flights will be operated using an A330-200 in a three-class configuration. The airline said it has "steadily" expanded its operations in Africa since service to Cairo began in 1986. The carrier will launch four weekly flights between Dubai and Shanghai following its successful cargo-only services to China's largest city. The service will start April 10 and move to daily beginning May 15. Emirates will operate an A340-300 in a three-class configuration on the route. In addition, the airline will launch four weekly services from Dubai to Vienna May 1 with the flights switching to daily on May 15 2004.
Emirates Airline's new Airbus A340-500, the world's longest-range aircraft, boosts more than 500 channels of in-flight entertainment, more channels than are offered by any other airline. The airline's new Information Communication and Entertainment system, which will be available in Dec. 1 2003 with nonstop flights from Dubai to Sydney, will feature 100 movie and 50 television channels, as well as more than 350 audio channels and 40 in-flight games. In-flight television shows will include BBC World News updates.
Etihad started flight operations from Abu Dhabi with two A330-200s and plans to grow the fleet to 6-8 by year end. The United Arab Emirates' new national airline is owned by the government of Abu Dhabi and is capitalized with $136 million, according to press reports. The first of thrice-weekly scheduled services to Beirut took off this week. Etihad, which means "union" in Arabic, said it plans to extend its network to other Middle East capitals and the Indian subcontinent among other points.
Frontier Airlines launched three weekly nonstop flights between Denver and Puerto Vallarta. Additionally, the airline increased service between Denver and Los Cabos from one to three weekly flights. Service between Denver and Mazatlan jumped from two to three weekly flights and service from Denver to Cancun, currently operating six days per week, moved to daily.
Garuda Indonesia plans to resume five weekly services between Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City via Singapore in Dec. 2003 and fly nonstop to Beijing thrice-weekly from early 2004. Both routes were suspended in mid-1997 at the peak of the Asian financial crisis and resultant travel slump. Garuda operates thrice-weekly to both Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Iberia will consider submitting bids for any European rivals that are put on the market and will investigate its options to purchase these carriers, Expansion reported, citing company sources. The Spanish newspaper said possible opportunities for inorganic growth could include TAP, Olympic, SN Brussels or even Swiss, which recently joined oneworld.
Japan Airlines Group signed a contract with Connexion by Boeing for installation of the onboard Internet system on the airline's long-haul fleet of 68 aircraft, including firm and option aircraft. Initially, JAL plans to introduce the system in first, business and economy class between Japan and London from Dec. 2004. It plans to add the service to other long-haul 747-400 and 777 flights between Japan and Europe and the US. The airline said it will charge for e-mail and Internet access but will offer a selection of content including news, weather information and company product and service information for free.
Japan Airlines Group will launch a daily charter service between Tokyo Haneda and Seoul Kimpo Nov. 30 2003. The move follows an earlier decision by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to permit charter services between the capitals. Four airlines, two Japanese and two Korean, each will have one daily flight. Japan Airlines and ANA will operate from Japan while Korean Air and Asiana will operate from Korea.
JAT Airlines announced Nov. 18 that it would resume service to the U.S. more than a decade's absence. The airline, which began a code share service from JFK International Airport's Terminal 4 on Sept. 18 2003 with Uzbekistan Airways as the operating carrier, will operate Boeing 767 aircraft every Tuesday and Sunday offering direct flights from New York to Belgrade with an onward connection to Tashkent. JAT has not offered service in the U.S. since 1992.
JetBlue Airways completed removing a row of seats from each of its aircraft. The change extended seat pitch to 34 in. on 65% of seats; nine rows near the front of the cabin remain at 32 in. With the new configuration, the carrier's A320s now have 156 seats, down from 162.
KLM decided to make a U-turn on its decision to stop operating its Amsterdam-Eindhoven route from Dec. 19 2003 and will continue the service "at the request of its customers." Flights will be operated by KLM cityhopper with an F50. There will be four flights per day on weekdays and two daily flights on weekends.
Korean Air will add 65 codes hare flights on Dec. 1 2003 within the U.S. with its SkyTeam partner Delta. Korean Air and Delta are currently selling seats on each other's flights on 45 U.S domestic routes operated by Delta, and 27 transpacific and interasian routes operated by Korean Air. The two SkyTeam carriers are expanding their cooperative efforts to include West Palm Beach (Fla.), Seattle, Las Vegas and Buffalo to the current routes. With the latest addition of 65 new routes, the total number of U.S intercity routes offered to Korean Air customers will be increased to 110.
Lufthansa, responding to increased demand, is adding a frequency to its four weekly flights between Frankfurt and Kuwait.
LTU International Airways will start up weekly nonstop flights from Duesseldorf to Beijing, Shanghai and Vancouver from April 2004.
Luxair will stop its 12-times-weekly Luxembourg-London Stansted connection Nov. 16 and launch its own service to London City Nov. 17 2003. It will offer 17 weekly services to LCY.
Mexicana will become the first Star member to exit the alliance voluntarily after the carrier last Friday notified United Airlines, a founding member of Star, that it is not renewing its seven-year code share and frequent-flier cooperation agreement, which expires March 31 2004.
Monarch launched three new routes from Manchester to Barcelona, Gibraltar and Tenerife using 180-seat A320s. The Barcelona and Tenerife services are daily; fights to Gibraltar are thrice-weekly.
Northwest Airlines said it will reduce ticket prices "selectively" by $9 roundtrip for flights going through its hubs in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit by paying some of the passenger facility charges rather than adding the full amount to tickets.
Northwest Airlines expanded its coach meals-for-sale program from 135 to 199 domestic flights. Effective immediately, passengers can purchase meals produced by LSG SkyChefs' In-flight Cafe on select flights between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit and Albuquerque, New York JFK, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Reno, Salt Lake City, Spokane, Tucson, Washington Dulles and West Palm Beach. The airline said future plans call for meal availability and menu descriptions to be announced on the Internet and at self-service check-in devices as well as in CRSs at the time customers book their flights.
Northwest Airlines will begin new daily nonstop service between Detroit and Salt Lake City Feb. 12 2004 and will launch new daily seasonal nonstop service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Sarasota/Bradenton, between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Puerto Vallarta and between Detroit and Grand Cayman. Service on the new routes will begin Feb. 12 and end April 3 2004. Northwest also will launch an additional flight each between MSP and Aspen, Las Vegas and Orlando during the same dates.
Northwest Airlines will begin a daily nonstop service from Milwaukee to Phoenix and a second Milwaukee-Las Vegas nonstop flight that will operate Fridays through Sundays. Both will be offered on a seasonal basis from Feb. 12 through April 20 2004. Additionally, the carrier will launch new daily nonstop service between Las Vegas and Los Angeles Dec. 26 2003. The flights will use 100-seat DC-9s between Dec. 26 and Jan. 5 and 148-seat A320s thereafter.
Qantas launched a third weekly flight from Perth to Jakarta using a 737-800.
Qatar Airways launched three weekly flights between Doha and Vienna and three weekly flights from Doha to Tripoli using an A300-600 in a three-class configuration. The flights will continue on to Casablanca.
Ryanair launched two daily flights between London Stansted and Reus Barcelona and one daily service between Stansted and Valladolid.
Singapore Airlines signed a letter of intent with Connexion by Boeing that calls for the onboard Internet service to be installed on 40 of the airline's long-haul aircraft with an undisclosed number of options for additional installations. In addition, Connexion will provide SIA with real-time television for its in-flight entertainment system. This technology will enable our customers to tap into broadband services that will allow them to surf the Internet, send and receive e-mails and view up to 12 broadcast television channels.
SN Brussels Airlines will launch a thrice-weekly Brussels-Casablanca service Dec. 17 2003 using a new A319. The airline said with "this comfortable new connection SN will focus on business traffic as well as on the busy ethnical traffic market."
Song unveiled what it termed "the world's most sophisticated in-flight entertainment technology among single-aisle aircraft." Song collaborated with Matsushita Avionics Systems Corp. and EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish Network satellite television to develop the system, which includes 24 channels of live satellite TV, all-digital audio programming and interactive video games. The airline will add the system to its 757s at the rate of "one every four to seven days" over the next few months and will complete the installations by early spring. It said MP3 programming, pay-per-view movies, interactive map programs and gate information will be added in the spring when new server technology is installed on the aircraft. The system will be on display at the "Song in the City" store in New York City through Dec. 21 2003.
Song, the low-fare leisure carrier created by Delta Air Lines earlier this year, confirmed that it will undertake a major expansion in 2004, that the expansion "will be significant," and that it will be centered in the greater New York area, including Newark. This from Song President John Selvaggio, who spoke at The Wings Club in Manhattan during a luncheon for media and analysts on Nov. 18 2003. Song operates out of both JFK, LaGuardia and Newark in New York, but Selvaggio would give no further details about the expansion other than to reiterate Song's strategy of optimizing underutilized Delta infrastructure. The expansion is likely to affect both aircraft and routes.
South African Airways and Ethiopian Airlines implemented thrice-weekly code share services aboard Ethiopian aircraft between Johannesburg and Addis Ababa. Ethiopian launched service to Stockholm in late Oct. 2003.
Southwest Airlines will launch nonstop flights from St. Louis to both Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale March 7 2004.
Spanair and US Airways concluded a comprehensive alliance agreement effective in Jan. The accord encompasses reciprocal code sharing connecting some 15 cities in Spain and the US via the carriers' respective hubs in Madrid and Philadelphia, as well as reciprocal frequent-flier accrual and redemption benefits and lounge access.
Swiss International Air Lines has asked the manufacturer to "consider the postponement" of its Embraer 170 and 195 firm orders and that the companies are in discussions "about alternatives." Swiss predecessor Crossair was launch customer for the 170 program, placing firm orders for 60 of the aircraft at the 1999 Paris Air Show. The figure was cut in half this year following Crossair's submergence into Swiss in 2002.
Ted, United Airlines' low-fare unit, has not dropped entirely the network airline approach to pricing, as was made clear Tuesday when it announced that its "everyday low fare" offerings are available for purchase on a roundtrip basis only. Most budget carriers in North America have eliminated roundtrip pricing. Ted's lowest fares also require a 14-day advance purchase and are nonrefundable. Non sale restricted capacity-controlled fares range from $59 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas to $169 from Denver to Phoenix. Also, unlike several airlines that have capped one-way walkup fares at $299, Ted's last-minute one-way fares range as high as $409 from Denver to Ft. Lauderdale and Phoenix and $330 between San Francisco and Phoenix. In total, Ted will offer six fare types.
Thai Airways International, like Singapore Airlines, is configuring its new A340-500s for business and premium economy traffic without a first-class section. Its A340-500s will be outfitted with 60 business, 49 premium economy and 114 economy seats. They will be used to open new nonstop service between Bangkok and the US. Thai's A340-600s will have just 270 seats.
United Airlines confirmed that its new low-fare operation will be named Ted. United also restated that Ted will launch in Feb. 2004 with four A320s configured for 156 seats in a single-class cabin, offering service from Denver to Reno, Las Vegas, Phoenix, New Orleans, Tampa, Orlando, Ontario (Calif.) and Ft. Lauderdale--a route currently not served by United. Ted also will operate between Las Vegas and Los Angeles and between San Francisco and Las Vegas and Phoenix.
US Airways will launch Saturday-only nonstop service between Orlando and Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, Hartford and Providence beginning Feb. 14 2004.
US Airways will launch seasonal daily nonstop service between Glasgow and Philadelphia May 8 2004 using a 767 in a two-class configuration. In addition, the airline will begin Saturday nonstop service to San Jose, Costa Rica, from Charlotte and Philadelphia using A320s.
Virgin Atlantic Airways will increase its service to Las Vegas with the addition of a fourth weekly flight from London Gatwick beginning March 17 2004. The 747-400 operating the route is configured with 28 Upper Class, 38 premium economy and 373 economy seats.
Please send comments and news tips to:
feedback@airguideonline.com
Sources: Airlines, Airports, Air & Business Travel News, Airliners.net, Prnewswire.com and USAtoday.com
EDNY/AIRguide 0311 / ISSN
1544-3760
Copyright © 1996 - 2004 Pyramid Media Group, Inc. /
AirguideOnline.com
All rights reserved.
Online | Magazines | Newsletters | Business & Prof | Books & eBooks
Advertising | Marketing | Content | Info Services | Links
Subscriptions | Order Center | Contact Us | Home
Privacy Policy | Copyright © 1996-2005 Pyramid Media Group & Liability