Spirit Airlines claims to offer the fastest internet in the sky. But there’s much more to inflight WiFi performance than just the megabits.
JetBlue seeks slots at Amsterdam, possibly taken from KLM by force
JetBlue wants to fly to Amsterdam. But, facing difficulties obtaining slots at Schiphol Airport, the carrier took the unusual step of asking the US Department of Transportation to negotiate on its behalf, or require KLM to cede slots to enable service.
Air India’s major order: A first step in rebuilding, but not the most important one
Air India, now under new ownership, has grand plans for growth. And now it has a line on aircraft to fulfill those goals. The carrier (finally) announced Letters of Intent for 470 planes, plus 70 options, from Airbus and Boeing in a blockbuster move.
Lufthansa Group pitches "Green" fares to boost passenger SAF offset purchases
Airlines have tried selling carbon offsets and alternative fuel options to passengers for a few years now, generally with minimal success. The Lufthansa Group of airlines now hopes to boost sales by making “Green” flights an option earlier in the booking flow, akin to picking between Economy Light or a flexible fare.
Zipair pick SpaceX Starlink for IFC update
Japanese long-haul airline Zipair plans to fit its fleet with inflight internet from Starlink. The company announced it would become the first Asian airline to offer the service, fitting out its 787s.
Air France brings back amenity kits for kids
Looking for another sign of post-pandemic recovery? Air France is bringing back its activity kit for kids, and the new versions are adorable.
JetBlue teases new routes, international connections with Spirit merger
Beyond the typical beauracracy, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines are using routine merger-related DOT filings to further justify their planned combination. The new routes teased make for a far more interesting read than prior mergers have offered.
Boasting about Basic: On board with Avelo
For most airlines the idea of being seen as “basic” is not appealing. Upstart Avelo, however, does not seem to mind. Indeed, the company celebrates that as a compelling part of its passenger experience.
Anuvu taps Telesat for MicroGEO gateways
What does it take to manage communications with some of the smallest GEO satellites in orbit? How about some really, really big parabolic antennas. When Anuvu’s first MicroGEO satellites come online later this year they’ll communicate via new 9 meter gateway antennas, managed by Telesat.
So long, SpaceJet
The program had been more or less already dead for three years now. But this week Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI) finally formally and fully killed off its SpaceJet regional jet program.