AirlinesAir Serbia to launch services to New York JFKAir Serbia will launch services from its Belgrade base to New York JFK in June, 24 years after its predecessor JAT last served the North Atlantic route. The new service has still to gain US governmental approval, but Air Serbia CEO Dane Kondić said Feb. 18 that its request for clearance is “progressing well” and the airline is on track for a targeted June 23 launch date.
LinkAmerican to offer daily flights between Phoenix, Ore. city American Airlines will soon begin flights between Phoenix and a small city in Oregon. The Redmond Municipal Airport announced Friday that the airline would begin a daily nonstop flight between it and Phoenix in June. Tickets for the new route go on sale Sunday. The airport said the new route will be flown by a Bombardier CRJ-7000, which can carry up to 67 passengers at a time.
LinkAzerbaijan Airlines to set up LCC subsidiaryAzerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) will create a new low-cost carrier (LCC) subsidiary, AZALJET. The new carrier is expected to give the Azeri national airline another option in competing with LCCs that serve, or will serve, the small Central Asian nation. AZAL said it had trialed low-cost services on some of its routes from August 2015 and decided to set up a distinct low-cost brand, with services due to start March 28.
LinkHawaiian Airlines praises expanded access to TokyoHawaiian Airlines applauded an agreement between the US and Japan on more flights to Tokyo's Haneda International Airport. "This accord reached will mean increased traffic from Tokyo to points in the United States, which in turn creates American jobs and improves convenience and choice for air travelers," said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of the carrier..
LinkOman Air and Cargolux widen agreementMuscat-based Oman Air and Luxembourg-based freight specialist Cargolux plan to expand their joint venture cargo agreement by doubling services to India. The two airlines launched a weekly freighter service from Luxembourg to Chennai via Oman last year. Now, it is adding a 2X-weekly service between Luxembourg and Mumbai. The outbound flight from Luxembourg will transit through Bahrain, returning via Muscat.
LinkS7 Airlines traffic up nearly 23% in JanuaryRussia’s Sibir and Globus Airlines, which operates under the S7 Airlines brand, carried 879,882 passengers in January, up 22.7% year-over-year (YOY). According to a company statement, the most significant growth was on domestic routes, where the airlines carried 630,531 passengers, up 32.5% YOY. International traffic was up 3.3% to 249,321 passengers.
LinkSouthwest, ground workers agree to 5-year contractSouthwest Airlines and the union representing its ground workers reached a labor agreement. Members of the Transport Workers Union Local 555 voted to approve a five-year agreement covering 12,000 workers. The contract calls for pay increases of more than 20%.
LinkSouthwest to debut route to Bahamas from Fla. city Southwest Airlines plans to add daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau, Bahamas, starting Aug. 7. The new route between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Nassau's Lynden Pindling International Airport is part of Southwest's plan to boost international flying from the South Florida airport within a few years.
LinkSWISS: 777-300ER capacity will grow to double digits in 2016Lufthansa Group subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) launched Boeing 777-300ERs North Atlantic services on Feb. 21, operating its first Zurich-New York JFK service.
LinkUnited comments on fleet renewal plansUnited Airlines is considering moving up the retirement date of its Boeing 747-400s. The carrier operates 22 747-400s, but could retire the fleet by 2018, two years earlier than initially planned. "If we do decide to head in this direction, we plan to accelerate widebody deliveries to replace this capacity," said Howard Attarian, senior vice president for flight operations at United.
LinkVolaris quadruples 2015 net profitMexican low-cost carrier (LCC) Volaris earned a 2015 net profit of MXP2.46 billion ($142.3 million), a more than fourfold increase over net income of MXP605 million in 2014. Mexico’s second-largest airline, which operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet, posted 2015 operating revenue of MXP18.18 billion, up 29.5% year-over-year, while expenses heightened 13.3% to MXP15.67 billion.
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