US Airways had agreed to buy the Airbus 350 as part of an agreement for financial assistance during its merger. However, with it behind schedule, Today in the Sky reports that they are looking at the possibility of going with Boeing.
Also from Today in the Sky, on June 3rd, Alitalia will add three flights weekly from Boston to Rome. It will increase to five weekly flights from July 1st through October 14th.
Boeing has seen record orders for its 787 Dreamliner. Scheduled to enter service in 2008, the 787 has received 475 orders and may be up to 500 before long, making it the most successful widebody aircraft launch in the history of the industry. The timetable for the 787 seems ambitious…hopefully they’ll be able to keep it as we’ve seen what not keeping close to schedule has done to Airbus.
USA Today reported that the FAA’s grounding of American Connection and Continental Connection partner RegionsAir over training and certification issues has left several airports without commercial flights until a partner can be found to take over. For the three airports featured in West Virginia, Morgantown, Parkersburg, and Clarksburg…which lost their sole service to Cleveland, effective May 1st, US Airways Express partner Colgan Air will operate flights to Pittsburgh.
Continental announced on Monday that they would order five 787-9 Dreamliners and converted 12 previously ordered 787-8s to 787-9s. It brings their total firm order to 25, with the first to arrive in 2009.
US Airways announced nonstop service between Charlotte and Portland, Oregon effective May 28th. It will also add a second daily flight from Philadelphia beginning July 19th. Routes such as this are a benefit attributed to the merger of America West and US Airways, one which had a strong eastern presence, the other a strong western one.
The Boston Herald reports that Boston’s Logan Airport wants flights to Tokyo, and has made it a priority. It is currently the largest U.S. market without nonstop service to the Japanese city. Currently, 38 percent of passengers get connecting flights to Japan in Chicago, 15 in Detroi, and 11 in New York. An average of 115 people leave Boston daily for Japan and nonstop service would probably double that.’
Air Canada will be introducing nonstop service into the states from Vancover to Sacramento and Calgary to Seattle. It will also add a Calgary to Prince George, B.C. flight. For further details on their summer increases, check out their press release.
Air Canada is also going to offer subscription flight passes for unlimited air travel for sale in the United States. Until May 7th, they will offer a special introductory price of $1657 per month to fly as much as you want over a choice of three or six month periods. They will then offer a choice to customize their flight passes to one of four geographic zones, and a choice of 10, 20, 30 or unlimited trips. Air Canada offers these passes already in Canada. For more details, visit their website.