When it comes to delivering inflight connectivity capacity demand in the the Americas and North Atlantic remains massive. Gogo aims to cover that challenge through significant capacity contracts with multiple service providers. The latest deal brings multiple gigahertz of throughput on the Amazonas Nexus satellite slated for launch by Hispasat in the second half of 2022.
Main Content
JetBlue confirms network shift to the east, cuts at Long Beach, closing Oakland
JetBlue will cut its Long Beach focus city to just 15 flights a day. The move, first tipped last night, is the latest in a shift of the airline’s resources away from the west coast as it optimizes the route network and pushes for greater profitability.
Air Canada launches A220 flights
Air Canada inaugurated service on its new A220-300 today, the latest carrier to bring the type to passengers.
PaxEx Premium News
Understanding the latest SmartSky delay
Last week’s confirmation that SmartSky is delaying activation of its new high speed air-to-ground network to Q2 2020 is somewhat disappointing. But understanding why the schedule slipped should provide better clarity for the company’s customers and investors with respect to future expectations of the service. CEO Haynes Griffin provided those details to PaxEx.Aero.
SmartSky secures additional funding, slips delivery date
What’s the best way to share news that the launch product is going to be delayed a bit? Tying it in as an afterthought to $25 million in additional funding definitely helps. For upstart inflight connectivity provider SmartSky the news this week is a mix of good and bad.
Vistara aims for inflight wifi service with Nelco
Vistara is making a bid to be the first Indian airline with inflight connectivity installed. The carrier is reportedly partnering with Nelco, a local satellite services provider, to bring the service online. Neither party is confirming the deal, though Indian regulators confirmed that applications were processed and permits issued.
IFEC
Gogo to increase inflight capacity with Hispasat’s Amazonus Nexus satellite
When it comes to delivering inflight connectivity capacity demand in the the Americas and North Atlantic remains massive. Gogo aims to cover that challenge through significant capacity contracts with multiple service providers. The latest deal brings multiple gigahertz of throughput on the Amazonas Nexus satellite slated for launch by Hispasat in the second half of 2022.
Air Canada launches A220 flights
Air Canada inaugurated service on its new A220-300 today, the latest carrier to bring the type to passengers.
Understanding the latest SmartSky delay
Last week’s confirmation that SmartSky is delaying activation of its new high speed air-to-ground network to Q2 2020 is somewhat disappointing. But understanding why the schedule slipped should provide better clarity for the company’s customers and investors with respect to future expectations of the service. CEO Haynes Griffin provided those details to PaxEx.Aero.
American’s Oasis 2 removes IFE screens
No one really liked the American Airlines “Oasis” retrofit. Fortunately a new version of that interior will be flying soon but it comes with a major change on the IFE front: no more screens on board!
Delta highlights airport innovations for the future of travel in CES keynote
What does the future of travel look like? With the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show keynote stage at his disposal Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian spent just over an hour on Tuesday morning going through what he sees as the next big things for the industry. And the company does have some very cool ideas in the pipeline, even if others highlighted in the presentation are less than new.
Airlines, Airplanes & Airports
JetBlue confirms network shift to the east, cuts at Long Beach, closing Oakland
JetBlue will cut its Long Beach focus city to just 15 flights a day. The move, first tipped last night, is the latest in a shift of the airline’s resources away from the west coast as it optimizes the route network and pushes for greater profitability.
Air Canada launches A220 flights
Air Canada inaugurated service on its new A220-300 today, the latest carrier to bring the type to passengers.
Shake-up expected for JetBlue’s Long Beach Focus City
JetBlue’s struggles at its Long Beach focus city are no secret. Has the time finally come to end that experiment??
Allegiant looks to big cities in Summer 2020 expansion
Limited frequency seasonal service is the hallmark of Allegiant’s network planning approach. How well will that work as the company targets three larger cities as part of its Summer 2020 expansion plans?
Premium products, loyalty continue to drive Delta’s growth
lta Air Lines closed out 2019 much the way it started the year. Revenue is up and costs are mostly under control. Perhaps most important, however, is that the company is seeing gains in premium revenue and the SkyMiles loyalty program.
Seating & Cabin
China Eastern takes an interesting angle for new premium seating
Putting flat bed seats in single-aisle aircraft is hardly a new phenomenon. As the planes fly farther and passengers appear willing to pay for increased comfort that trend will likely continue, with seat manufacturers continuing to innovate in the space. Or, perhaps, taking a step backwards from time to time.
Qatar Airways takes delivery of new 787-9 Dreamliners in the most ridiculous way possible
The aviation industry is under a microscope when it comes to emissions and fuel efficiency. This weekend’s delivery of a bunch of Qatar Airways 787s is most definitely not going to help the situation.
ZIPAir brings a basic cabin configuration to life
Fully flat beds are coming to the Asian LCC market in mid-2020. But that’s about the only thing exciting in the new ZIPAir cabin configuration unveiled last week. And some of the finer details straddle the line between disappointing and concerning.
Loyalty
IAG snaps up Air Europa to boost Latin American operations
Consolidation continues in the global aviation market, this time delivering a shift in transatlantic services. International Airline Group announced this morning its intentions to buy Air Europa. The Spanish carrier will become part of the Iberia operation within IAG though remain an independent brand, at least to start. The deal is valued at 1 billion euro and full integration is expected by 2025.
A WiFi Challenger: PaxEx Update 1 Nov 2019
Can LiFi replace WiFi on board, opening up more spectrum for passengers? And can new satellite launches deliver the capacity that airlines need for inflight connectivity? Plus an expanding award chart and plans for a massive fleet expansion in India.
MilePlay: Inside the numbers of United’s loyalty gamification & personalization push
Personalization and gamification. If you’re running a loyalty program these are key considerations that drive member engagement and incremental revenue generation. It is hard to judge the results from the outside looking in, but United Airlines opened up recently, sharing the success of its MilePlay promotions.
PaxEx Update
An electrified experience: PaxEx Update – 13 Dec 2019
Electric aircraft are really real and the Embraer E2 family is complete. Plus a ton of good news for Airbus and an incremental eventual win for inflight connectivity.
PaxEx Update: FTE Asia edition
AirAsia is (still) making big moves in the ASEAN region and digital bag tags are evolving to a level that might be useful soon. Plus some news on IFE/C going active and getting profitable. The 2019 Future Travel Experience Asia was a great show and these are just a few of the highlights.
A WiFi Challenger: PaxEx Update 1 Nov 2019
Can LiFi replace WiFi on board, opening up more spectrum for passengers? And can new satellite launches deliver the capacity that airlines need for inflight connectivity? Plus an expanding award chart and plans for a massive fleet expansion in India.
Live from the CRJ550: PaxEx Update 25 Oct 2019
United’s newest aircraft type takes flight this week and the CRJ550 interior really is as special as the company has been hyping. Airbus orders and Boeing delays plus some fancy new wifi and upgraded airports on the horizon. Another busy PaxEx week.
Sunrise Stretch: PaxEx Update 2019-10-18
The beginnings of Project Sunrise and extra leg room for the Kiwis. Plus more wifi (maybe) coming in China and another loyalty top tier moves further away.
Get these stories and more in this week’s PaxEx Update.