Chalk up another kill shot for millennials. It seems that the demographic managed to kill off the airline marketed directly for it. Joon is to be no more if new Air France CEO Ben Smith gets his way.
Airplanes and Airports
American Airlines brings premium transcon service to Boston
American Airlines’s premium transcon service will soon fly to Boston. The carrier is adding two daily trips between Los Angeles and Boston Logan on the A321T aircraft, making it the only airline to offer first class and business class on the route. The new service starts on 2 April 2019 with seats on sale beginning 3 December 2019.
WOW loses Icelandair as suitor and savior, future uncertain
Thus begins the death spiral of WOW Air.
Icelandair will no longer purchase its struggling neighbor after indicating it “unlikely that all of the conditions in the share purchase agreement would be fulfilled by the shareholders’ meeting on November 30th.” With WOW unable to sort out the conversion of its recently issued bonds and warrants into a form that Icelandair can purchase (for pennies on the dollar) the deal is off. This leaves very little chance of a positive outcome for WOW Air.
TAP takes delivery of first A330neo, Airbus teases changes
As the first A330neo is handed off to TAP Airbus is teasing the idea of a “regional” version of the type, an aircraft far better suited to serve the vast majority of flights the A330 operates today. Why wait so long and will it ever really happen??
WOW wins as it faces mounting troubles
Can a collapsing operation still win awards? For WOW Air the answer is a resounding yes. The CAPA Low Cost Airline of the Year award was announced as the carrier shed 20% of its fleet amid a cash crunch and dropping utilization.
Delta adds A330s, shakes up cabin amenities
The add-on order for ten more Delta A330-900neo aircraft is not nearly as significant as a couple of the cabin amenity changes it includes.
Now more exclusive: Delta pares back SkyClub access
The balance between crowded airport lounges and the incremental revenue realized from selling access reached a tipping point for Delta Air Lines. Effective immediately the carrier no longer sells single visit passes. Annual membership costs will also increase in 2019.
China Southern quits SkyTeam, seeks stronger partnerships
SkyTeam lost its largest mainland China airline this week. China Southern announced it will quit the alliance in 2019. The non-renewal of the membership contract will see the carrier transition out of its alliance relationships in the coming year. This is not a hard stop of relations; rather, the changes are likely to roll out over time. It is also not a surprise.
Alaska Airlines puts Paine Field flights on sale
Want to fly out of Paine Field north of Seattle? The first flights for the new service are now on sale. Alaska Airlines opened reservations this morning for departures starting on 11 February 2019, including an inaugural flight to Las Vegas. Seats are on sale starting at $39 one way, though the inaugural is more expensive.
FlyArystan: Kazakhstan’s newest LCC is formed
Say hello to FlyArystan, the world’s newest low cost carrier. The airline officially came into existence today, with parent company Air Astana announcing its formation and plans. The carrier will start with four A320 aircraft in 2019, with plans to fly 15 frames by 2022. Route details remain unclear but domestic operations in Kazakhstan and shorter international routes are the initial targets.