A mega investment shakes up the aviation landscape in the Americas while biometrics continue to grow globally and a new type brings major improvements (and minor cuts) for a growing airline.
Airplanes and Airports
LATAM takes Delta’s cash, bails on American, Oneworld
A major shake-up is underway in the Americas as LATAM bails on its long time partner American Airlines in favor of a significant financial investment (and JV that is more likely to get through the courts) from Delta Air Lines.
Hawaiian Airlines Basic Economy goes live; $30 increase to pax
The airline will insist that the move is about increasing options. But Hawaiian Airlines launched its Basic Economy fares in three markets today, resulting in a $30 fare increase to passengers.
Thomas Cook halts operations, moves to liquidation
Airlines come and airlines go. Especially in the low cost arena. It is hard to get too excited or broken up as it happens. This is not even the first to go this month. But with Thomas Cook the story is somewhat different.
XL Airways halts ticket sales
French discount carrier XL Airways halted ticket sales on Thursday evening. That’s bad news for the LCC and could potentially spill over to the business class market as well, bringing La Compagnie down with it.
Virgin Atlantic’s incredible–and almost certainly impossible–plan to grow at Heathrow
Virgin Atlantic wants to grow at London’s Heathrow airport. A lot. This is no secret, of course. The carrier has strongly endorsed a third runway at Britain’s busiest airport for years, hoping to secure a significant boost to its landing slots portfolio should that finally come to pass. This week the company translated that drive into maps, hoping to generate public support for its plans. There’s just one problem: It is almost certainly impossible for Virgin Atlantic to deliver what it is suggesting.
Trying to make sense of the new WOW Air plans
As detials on the new WOW Air plans emerge the business model remains an interesting proposition. With a heavy focus on cargo in a softening market and premium passenger experiences with low fares it is unclear how this company will truly deliver for its investors.
Mitsubishi scores a SpaceJet 100 order in the US regional market
Mitsubishi Aircraft (probably) has a US-based customer for its SpaceJet M100 regional jet.
Are these the best airlines on social media??
What does it take for an airline to be great on social media? And is there a good way to objectively rank airlines on that front? Headed in to the 2019 edition of the World Aviation Festival Awario used its social media management tools to score 52 airlines around the globe and came up with some interesting results.
Alaska Airlines boosts its California hubs with more Pacific NW routes
The west coast is getting a lot more connected thanks to an expanding Alaska Airlines route map. The carrier is bringing new and expanded service online starting in early January 2020 to connect many of its smaller Pacific Northwest destinations to its hubs at Los Angeles and San Francisco.