Air France-KLM Group is considering a bid to acquire TAP Air Portugal.
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Air France-KLM may pursue an acquisition bid for TAP Air Portugal
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United Airlines to end service to Westchester County Airport serving the White Plains, NY area
United Airlines has elected to end United Express service to Westchester County Airport on July 1. The airline was serving the airport from its Chicago (O’Hare) hub.
The airline is dropping service to White Plains, NY (HPN) due to a shortage of regional pilots.
Justice Department strikes down the American-JetBlue Northeast Alliance
American Airlines and JetBlue Airways will now be forced to dismantle its Northeast Alliance trial following a final decision by a judge in favor of the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the alliance. The DOJ won their lawsuit to stop the Northeast Allaince.
The United States Department of Justice issued this statement:
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division issued the following statements today regarding the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’s ruling in favor of the Justice Department and the Attorneys General of six states and the District of Columbia in their civil antitrust lawsuit to stop the Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue:
“Today’s decision is a win for Americans who rely on competition between airlines to travel affordably,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to protect competition and enforce our antitrust laws in the heavily consolidated airline industry and across every industry.”
“We are pleased with the court’s decision. The outcome of this litigation recognizes the value of competition in the airline industry,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We are grateful to our state law enforcement partners and the dedicated and talented Antitrust Division staff that investigated and tried this important case.”
The court’s decision follows a multi-week trial that began in September 2022. The Justice Department sued to stop American Airlines and JetBlue from continuing the Northeast Alliance. The Northeast Alliance is a series of agreements between American Airlines and JetBlue through which the two airlines have consolidated their operations in Boston and New York City. The court ruled that JetBlue and American Airlines’ decision to stop competing in Boston and New York, where they are major players, violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act because it increased fares and reduced choice for American travelers in many domestic markets for scheduled air passenger service.
American Airlines adds 10 nonstop routes for college football games, including flights to State College, PA, College Station, TX and South Bend, IN
American Airlines is gearing up to make this fall memorable with more nonstop flights for some of the most popular college football games. In addition, American will add more seats and frequencies for fans’ favorite games throughout the fall season.
Starting in September, American will launch new daily service for fans going to State College, Pennsylvania (SCE), from Chicago (ORD). On select dates between September and November, American will operate an extra frequency between ORD and SCE for home games, offering customers more flight options and convenient one-stop access to American’s global network.
American will also operate more direct service to South Bend, Indiana (SBN), from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) on select dates in September, October and November.
Longhorn Perks
As the official airline and airline rewards program sponsor of the University of Texas Athletics, the partnership is giving fans more ways to make their flights and home games special. AAdvantage® members can take part in special promotions for Longhorns fans, offering a chance to win exclusive experiences and access the American Airlines AAdvantage Patio during football home games at the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The AAdvantage program is free to join and gives members access to some of the best that American offers.
Catch every play with live coverage on American for game day!
Fans traveling on any of American’s domestic narrowbody aircraft have free access to live sports and news networks 24/7. Fans can access inflight entertainment on their personal devices.
| Game day | Cities | Service |
|---|---|---|
| Sep. 9 | Austin, Texas (AUS) to Birmingham, Alabama (BHM) | AUS–BHM operating on Sep. 8 BHM–AUS operating on Sep. 10 |
| Sep. 9 | College Station, Texas (CLL) to Miami (MIA) | CLL–MIA operating on Sep. 8 MIA–CLL operating on Sep. 10 |
| Sep. 16 | Nashville, Tennessee (BNA) to Gainesville, Florida (GNV) | BNA–GNV operating on Sep. 15 GNV–BNA operating on Sep. 17 |
| Sep. 23 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa (CID) to State College, Pennsylvania (SCE) | CID–SCE operating on Sep. 22 SCE–CID operating on Sep. 24 |
| Sep. 30 | Denver (DEN) to Los Angeles (LAX) | More seats available |
| Oct. 7 | BHM to CLL | BHM–CLL operating on Oct. 6 CLL–BHM operating on Oct. 8 |
| Oct. 14 | Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Knoxville, Tennessee (TYS) | More seats available |
| Oct. 21 | Columbus, Ohio (CMH) to Philadelphia (PHL) | More seats available |
| Oct. 28 | CMH to Madison, Wisconsin (MSN) | CMH–MSN operating on Oct. 27 MSN–CMH operating on Oct. 29 |
| Nov. 4 | South Bend Indiana (SBN) to Greensville/Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP) | SBN–GSP operating on Nov. 3 GSP–SBN operating on Nov. 5 |
| Nov. 11 | Detroit (DTW) to SCE | DTW–SCE operating on Nov. 10 SCE–DTW operating on Nov. 12 |
| Nov. 11 | Los Angeles (LAX) to Eugene, Oregon (EUG) | LAX–EUG operating on Nov. 10 EUG–LAX operating on Nov. 12 |
| Nov. 18 | AUS to Des Moines, Iowa (DSM) | AUS–DSM operating on Nov. 17 DSM–AUS operating on Nov. 19 |
| Nov. 25 | Charlotte (CLT) and DFW to BHM | More seats available |
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 N350RV (msn 44462) SNA (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960388.
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Boeing):
Avmax delivers fifth Dash 8-202 to Air Greenland
Avmax has announced the successful sale and delivery of a Dash 8-Q202, MSN 497, to Air Greenland, the national carrier of Greenland.
This marks the fifth (5) Dash 8-Q202 sold by Avmax to Air Greenland, reinforcing the longstanding partnership between the two organizations. The aircraft is intended for domestic operations within Greenland, serving the needs of the country’s citizens and visitors.
To ensure compliance with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations, Avmax’s MRO facility in Calgary undertook modifications to the aircraft prior to delivery. The aircraft was also repainted to Air Greenland’s distinct livery.
Icelandair adds seasonal flights to Detroit
Icelandair has added summer seasonal flights to Detroit. The first flight from Keflavik (KEF) to Detroit (DTW) was operated on May 18.
The service will be operated four days a week until late October.
Detroit Metro Airport issued this statement and photos:
Icelandair on May 18 officially launched nonstop, seasonal service from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to Reykjavík, Iceland. Flight 872 is scheduled to depart the Motor City for Keflavík International Airport (KEF) four times a week at 8:30pm with arrival in Iceland the following morning at 6:30am.
Return flight 873 will depart Iceland bound for Michigan at 4:55pm, arriving the same day at Detroit Metropolitan Airport at 7:20pm. Flights operate through October 30, 2023 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays utilizing a 160-seat Boeing 737 MAX.
The flight time from DTW to Iceland is approximately six hours, with connections available at Icelandair’s Keflavík hub to more than 25 destinations in Iceland, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Continental Europe. Icelandair passengers can also take a Stopover in Iceland for up to 7 nights at no additional airfare, en route to their final destination.
Top Copyright Photo: Icelandair Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 TF-ICE (msn 44353) SEA (Joe G. Walker). Image: 956836.
Icelandair aircraft photo gallery:
Air Canada to launch nonstop Toronto-Yellowknife service
Air Canada has announced it will begin nonstop, year-round service between Toronto and Yellowknife in December. The new, three-times weekly service will provide convenient connections between eastern Canada and the capital of the Northwest Territories. Customers will also be able to seamlessly connect onward from Yellowknife on Air Canada’s interline partner, Canadian North.
Service between Toronto and Yellowknife will begin December 1, 2023, operated using Canadian-made Airbus A220 aircraft. It will be configured with 137 seats in a Business and Economy cabin, with onboard Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment systems featuring hundreds of hours of content and live TV at every seat. Customers will be able to earn and redeem Aeroplan points and eligible customers will enjoy premium services where available, including priority boarding and baggage handling, and Maple Leaf Lounge access in Toronto.
| Flight | Departs | Arrives | Days of the Week |
| AC1169 | Toronto 21:00 | Yellowknife 23:54 | Tuesday, Friday, Sunday |
| AC1168 | Yellowknife 00:50 | Toronto 7:20 | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday |
The new service will complement Air Canada’s existing twice daily service between Yellowknife and Vancouver and daily service between Yellowknife and Edmonton. Customers connecting for travel beyond Yellowknife can take advantage of Air Canada’s bilateral interline agreement with Canadian North, which allows travel on a single, through-checked ticket that includes baggage transfer. Destinations available via Canadian North include Cambridge Bay, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Gjoa Haven, Taoloyoak and Inuvik.
Top Copyright Photo: Air Canada Airbus A320-214 C-FZQS (msn 2145) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 949759.
Air Canada aircraft photo gallery:
Aer Lingus arrives in Cleveland today
Aer Lingus today commences its inaugural service to Cleveland in Ohio, its first new transatlantic route since 2019, on cue with the surge in US demand for travel this summer.
With the start of its new service, Aer Lingus becomes the only airline to fly between Europe and Cleveland, opening a unique gateway to the Midwest for its customers.
Customer demand for the route has already taken off, with more than 90% of seats booked across the peak summer season, with general transatlantic bookings up more than 20% on 2019 levels this summer.
The bounce back in demand for premium leisure travel has fuelled the jump in demand from Aer Lingus’ UK and European customers connecting via Dublin, with bookings to Washington D.C. and Orlando increasing by 40% and 35% respectively, since 2019.
Since 2013, Aer Lingus has grown the number of transatlantic routes it serves from six to 19 in 2023 and the number of transatlantic passengers will have almost tripled in the same timeframe, from 1.1m in 2013 to an expected 3m in 2023.
The new four-times a week service from Dublin is operated with one of the airline’s state-of-the-art Airbus A321neoLRs, which is Aer Lingus’ most sustainable long-haul aircraft. It delivers up to a 20% reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions and almost reducing by half its noise footprint when compared to previous generation aircraft.
It accounts for over a third of Aer Lingus’ current fleet and from 2024/2025 it will boast this further with the planned delivery of six Airbus A321XLRs, which will open up further opportunities to expand Aer Lingus’ transatlantic network and deliver more new routes.
The inaugural service of flight EI87 departed the Irish capital at 3:30pm for its eight-hour 20-minute transatlantic crossing in time for its scheduled arrival at 6:50pm (local).
The returning EI86 will depart Cleveland every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 8:20pm, and will arrive back into Dublin at 4:55am the next day.
Top Copyright Photo: Aer Lingus Airbus A321-253NX WL EI-LRD (msn 9187) DUB (Michael Kelly). Image: 957058.
Aer Lingus aircraft photo gallery:
Allied Pilots Association and American Airlines management reach agreement in principle on a new contract
The APA Negotiating Committee and its American Airlines management counterparts have reached an agreement in principle (AIP) on a new collective bargaining agreement.
As required by the APA Policy Manual Section 9.06, we will move forward with completing contractual language for all sections and related letters and for the implementation schedule. Once that requirement is fulfilled, the Negotiating Committee will present the AIP to the APA Board of Directors for consideration as a proposed tentative agreement (TA) at least seven days prior to any meeting convened to consider the TA.
Details of the AIP will be released by the Negotiating Committee in the days ahead.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N883BM (msn 66003) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 960559.
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Boeing):
Delta to drop two additional destinations
Delta Air Lines has decided to drop two additional stations from its system on June 5.
The airline is dropping Delta Connection service to State College, PA (from New York-LaGuardia) and La Crosse, WI (from Minneapolis/St. Paul).
This brings the total of cities dropped since the start of COVID-19.
Flights are operated by Endeavor Air.
Endeavor Air updated route map:
Pilot contract talks are tough. Allegiant Air pilot contract talks are the toughest of them all
Condor to make it easier to get to the pyramids of Egypt
Condor will fly to Sphinx International Airport (SPX) twice a week via its Frankfurt (FRA) hub from New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX) and Seattle/Tacoma (SEA).
The airport is located on the western edge of Cairo, close to the Pyramids of Giza.
Twice a week, Condor will bring vacationers and culture enthusiasts to the newly built and recently opened airport.
The flights from Frankfurt are operated on Mondays and Thursdays on an Airbus A320.
Connecting flights to and from Frankfurt to/from JFK, LAX and SEA are operated on Condor’s new A330neo.
In addition, U.S. travelers can take advantage of Condor’s interline partners, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, and their network of feeder flights to JFK, LAS and SEA.
The location of the new airport is ideal. Visitors can quickly and easily reach the New Egyptian Museum and the country’s most famous landmark, the Pyramids of Giza, as well as the Sphinx itself, the airport’s namesake. It is not only the proximity to the pyramids that makes the new airport attractive; the center of the capital Cairo can be reached just as quickly. Condor guests can thus experience the unique Egyptian pyramids in a short time and then explore the metropolis of Cairo.
Flight Timetable to SPX
Top Copyright Photo: Condor Flugdienst Airbus A320-214 D-AICU (msn 3767) (Condor Sunshine) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 958214.
Condor aircraft photo gallery:
Finnair to lease two Airbus A330 aircraft to oneworld partner QANTAS Airways
Finnair and QANTAS Airways have entered into a long-term agreement, in which Finnair first leases two Airbus A330 aircraft with crew (wet lease) to QANTAS for a period of two years, and after the wet lease period, dry leases (aircraft lease with no crew) two of its A330s to QANTAS for a period of 2.5 years, starting in 2025. The wet lease of the first aircraft will start in October 2023, and the wet lease of the second aircraft will start in early 2024.
The agreement with QANTAS is a part of Finnair’s determined efforts to ensure the optimal use of its A330 fleet, which is range-limited in its deployment in Finnair’s own long-haul operations due to the closure of Russian airspace. The agreement with QANTAS concludes the optimization of Finnair’s fleet following the Russian airspace closure.
During the wet lease period, the aircraft will be deployed in QANTAS’ network on routes from Sydney and Singapore as well as Sydney and Bangkok. Finnair pilots will fly scheduled Finnair flights from Helsinki to Singapore and from Helsinki to Bangkok; then, they will continue flying scheduled QANTAS flights between Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney before returning to their home base in Helsinki.
The cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok, and the aircraft maintenance is performed by Finnair partners at the QANTAS destinations.
Finnair has secured sufficient pilot resources to match its fleet size, including the aircraft leased to QANTAS. The QANTAS agreement does not impact the number of cabin crew at Finnair, as they are fully deployed in other operations.
The collaboration supports the efficient and profitable deployment of Finnair’s A330 fleet. Since the closure of the Russian airspace, Finnair has built a geographically more balanced network, as avoiding the Russian airspace lengthened the flight times between Finnair’s Helsinki hub and its Asian destinations.
Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTR (msn 1067) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960551.
Finnair aircraft photo gallery:
The WestJet Group and ALPA reach tentative agreement
The WestJet Group and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the certified union representing WestJet and Swoop pilots, today announced they have reached a tentative agreement on the second collective bargaining agreement between the organizations. Both parties now await the ratification vote to be put forward to membership.
The WestJet Group is ramping up its operations as quickly and efficiently as possible, however the full resumption of operations will take time. Guests remain encouraged to continue to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
Embraer and Azorra seal deal with Royal Jordanian Airlines for eight new E2 Jets
Embraer and commercial aviation lessor Azorra today announced a new eight aircraft deal with Royal Jordanian Airlines, Jordan’s flag carrier.
The agreement will see the introduction of both the E190-E2 and E195-E2 to the airline’s fleet. Aircraft deliveries are expected to begin in Q4 2023.
The agreement covers eight commercial aircraft, four E190-E2 and four E195-E2, with a list price value of $635M.
Six aircraft, four E190-E2 and two E195-E2 come from Azorra’s existing backlog with Embraer. Two further E195-E2s are firm orders with Embraer directly from the airline, which were added to Embraer’s Q4 2022 backlog as ‘undisclosed’.
Southwest Airlines adds new nonstop service between Washington (DCA) and Memphis and Albany
Southwest Airlines today announced more nonstop service to the nation’s capital in an expansion of summer travel options for Customers by bringing two additional nonstop routes to Reagan National Airport (DCA).
From July 11 through Sept. 4, 2023, Southwest® will offer additional nonstop service between:
- Memphis, Tenn., and Washington, D.C. (DCA) with one-round trip per day
- Albany, N.Y., and Washington, D.C. (DCA) with one round-trip per day
AerCap delivers four new Airbus A321neo aircraft to Air India, Air India will launch flights between Delhi and Amsterdam
AerCap Holdings N.V. has announced it has completed a mandate for the lease of four new Airbus A321neo aircraft with Air India, the flag carrier of India, following the delivery of the fourth aircraft.
The aircraft, powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines, are the first A321neo aircraft to be inducted into the Air India fleet.
In other news, the company will launch nonstop flights from Amsterdam to Delhi.
The flight will operate with a two-class Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday) starting on June 11, 2023.
Amsterdam will be the 8th continental European city served by Air India, and the fourth European destination that the airline has connected from Delhi in the last four months. It takes Air India’s frequency of nonstop flights between India and Europe to 77 per week, offering passengers greater flexibility and convenience.
Schedule:
Air Canada’s pilots join ALPA
The Executive Board of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) approved by acclamation the merger between the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) and ALPA, the world’s largest pilots union. Following the vote, the presidents of both organizations signed the merger agreement. Air Canada now becomes ALPA’s 40th pilot group, growing the Association to more than 73,000 members.
The merger agreement goes into effect immediately, and all representation rights transfer from ACPA to ALPA with notification to the Canada Industrial Relations Board. The two sides reached a merger agreement in principle in March, and Air Canada pilots voted overwhelmingly to ratify the deal on May 1.
Air Canada employs more than 4,500 pilots who fly passengers and cargo around the world on Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, with headquarters near Toronto’s Pearson Airport and pilot bases in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.
Air Canada partners with IAGOS to equip an Airbus A330 with climate and air quality sensors
Air Canada has announced that one of its Airbus A330 aircraft has been outfitted with special diagnostics sensors in partnership with In-Service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (IAGOS), an international non-profit organization that utilizes commercial aircraft as a global observation platform of climate change and air quality. This collaboration will allow IAGOS to collect valuable worldwide data on climate parameters, which will be used by the international scientific community as well as forecasting services like the Atmosphere Service of Copernicus, for essential research on climate change and air quality on a global scale.
As part of the partnership, Air Canada has installed IAGOS’s state-of-the-art climate research monitoring devices on Fin 939, one of its A330-300 widebody aircraft. The device will measure a range of parameters, including ozone, water vapour, greenhouse gases, reactive gases, aerosols, clouds, etc. during various stages of flight, including take-off, cruising altitude and landing.
The A330, one of only two aircraft types approved for the IAGOS systems along with the A340, flies a mix of trans-Atlantic and trans-continental flights for Air Canada, providing key data for IAGOS.
The IAGOS device is a compact system featuring measuring probes which are permanently installed on the aircraft, near the flight deck. After each flight, the measurement data is automatically transmitted to the central database of the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) research centre in Toulouse, France.
According to IAGOS, commercial aircraft provide an ideal platform for gathering trace gas measurements, as they can efficiently measure at high altitudes where collecting samples is otherwise challenging. IAGOS is working with airlines worldwide and this will allow for the validation of global climate models and provide near real-time data in an open-source manner to researchers around the world. The research findings are freely accessible and currently utilized by approximately 300 global organizations.
Air Canada has set an ambitious goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) throughout its global operations by 2050. To reach this, Air Canada has set absolute midterm GHG net reduction targets by 2030 in its air and ground operations compared to its 2019 baseline and has committed to investing $50 Million in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), and carbon reductions and removals research and development.
WestJet Group begins flight cancellations in anticipation of WestJet and Swoop pilot strike
WestJet Group has made this announcement:
As the WestJet Group prepares for labour action by WestJet and Swoop pilots, the airline has started taking down its network. This action ensures the airline can avoid abandoning aircraft in remote locations without support and enables the proactive communication with guests and crew to minimize the potential for being stranded. The decision to cancel flights comes as the WestJet Group remains in a stalemate with the union regarding unreasonable wage expectations that if realized would permanently damage the financial viability of the group’s future.
“We are extremely disheartened to find ourselves in a place where we have to activate our contingency plan and subsequent takedown of our network as a result of the strike notice served by ALPA and their inability to accept a reasonable offer. We deeply regret the disruption this will have on the travel plans of our guests and the communities and businesses that rely on our critical air service,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, Chief Executive Officer, the WestJet Group. “We remain at a critical impasse with the union and have been left with no choice but to begin taking the painful steps of preparing for the reality of a work stoppage.”
Given that a tentative agreement has not yet been reached, the WestJet Group is parking the majority of its 737 and 787 fleet, in a measured, phased and safe approach. WestJet Encore, WestJet Link as well as limited 737 flights will continue to operate during this time.
“We remain at the bargaining table, unequivocally committed to achieving a deal as soon as possible, but are equally ready to weather labour action for as long as it takes to arrive at a reasonable outcome,” continued von Hoensbroech. “Any guest impact is too high of a cost in the wake of these negotiations and we sincerely apologize that valued guests were caught in the middle of an avoidable conflict.”