Roundup

By | March 28, 2007
  • Avianca, the flagship carrier of Colombia, announced an order for 10 787s.
  • Later this week, Air Canada will be picking up its first Boeing 777, which will kick off its wide-body modernization program. Over the next two years, Air Canada will receive 19 777s, as well as 45 100-seat Embraer 190s.
  • Delta announced service from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon(once daily effective June 7th); New York-JFK to St. Louis(four times daily effective June 7th); LaGuardia to Myrtle Beach, SC(effective June 7th, twice daily through October 27th with an extra flight on Saturday and Sunday); Salt Lake City to Birmingham, AL(once daily effective June 7th); Salt Lake City to St. Luis Obispo, CA(twice daily effective June 11th); New York-JFK to Nantucket, MA(four times effective June 14th through Sept. 8th). The Nantucket service seems to be direct competition to Jetblue’s daily E190 summer service as well as its new link with Cape Air. The St. Louis service is also particularly interesting as well. TWA used to run regularly service on this route, and American, which took over , scaled it down to regional service. Delta will be offering more service, which is actually a good opportunity for them.
  • Frontier Airlines’ has transitioned to a cashless cabin for its in-flight purchases.
  • American is accelerating its fleet renewal plan, and said today that it will begin replacing its MD80 aircraft with 737-800s. It will begin arranging a delivery of 47 of these aircraft under an existing purchase agreement made in 1996. Nearly half of American’s 672 aircraft are MD80s. The 737 consumes 25 percent less fuel per available seat mile. It will be pulling forward other deliveries of aircraft from its 2013-2016 delivery schedules to 2009-2012.
  • United inaugurated service today from Washington-Dulles Airport to Beijing with a three-class 347-seat 747-400s.
  • US Airways has reduced fares to more than 20 destinations to and from Roanoke, VA. Walkup fares are reduced up to 49 percent.
  • China Southern launched new nonstop service from Guangzhou to Dubai, and will be opening new service over the next few months from Guangzhou to Yangon, Phuket, Siem Reap, Vientiane, New Delhi, Sendai, Sapporo, and Luanda.
  • Jetblue began nonstop service today from Westchester County Airport in White Plains to Orlando, Florida. Beginning April 2nd, they will add a nonstop flight to Ft. Lauderdale and a second flight to Orlando. White Plains is its seventh New York destination for the carrier that once billed itself as New York’s hometown airline.
  • Canada’s Harmony Airlines, a five-year old full service airline, will end scheduled flights next month, blaming rising costs and competition from larger rivals.
  • Boeing and British Airways completed a deal for four 777-200ERs, and options for four additional 777-200ERs. BA has 42 of the aircraft, making it Europe’s largest operator of the aircraft.