San Antonio Airport is threatening to remove Southwest’s branding from the check-in lobby and gate areas, the latest escalation in a multi-year battle over fee structures and terminal assignment.
Airplanes and Airports
US Government Rejects Mexican Routes, Threatens Additional Cuts
The US Government will disallow operations of a dozen existing and soon-to-be-launched routes from Mexico and proposes termination of belly cargo services to/from Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) in an escalation of the ongoing aviation battle between the two countries.
Reliability, then Product, on Breeze’s Agenda
Breeze CEO David Neeleman is confident the carrier is moving in the right direction, but he still wants to see operational reliability improve before further tweaking the product.
Delta/Aeromexico JV Termination Finalized by DOT
The US Department of Transportation finalized its order terminating the Delta Air Lines/Aeromexico joint cooperation agreement and antitrust immunity. The pair must wind down their immunized operations by the end of the year.
Lufthansa Group Centralizes Planning, Keeps PaxEx Distributed
Cooperation and coordination within the Lufthansa Group airlines is shifting, with network decisions further consolidating to headquarters.
United’s Kirby Pitches Political Angle, Product Investment for Growth
Are passengers ready to pay more for a better product? United CEO Scott Kirby thinks so, and the company is working to make that happen, while also increasing international market share.
Spirit Returns to Chapter 11
Spirit Airlines was back in court over the weekend, once again seeking the protections of the US Bankruptcy Code, a move it claims was forced by a business partner.
FAA Plans Extended Newark Capacity Cap
The FAA wants to keep capacity down at Newark for an additional year, hoping operations will remain vaguely reasonable.
Riyadh Air Secures Slots for Heathrow Service
Riyadh Air expects to operate flights to London Heathrow at some point this winter, with slots secured.
American, Porter Air Plan Transborder Cooperation
American Airlines and Porter Air are teaming up to boost transborder traffic.