United Airlines will dramatically boost capacity to Australia and New Zealand later this year, aiming to take advantage of a rebound in international travel and strengthening partnerships along the way.
antitrust imunity
Virgin Atlantic to join SkyTeam
Virgin Atlantic will join the SKyTeam alliance in early 2023, boosting the group’s presence in the UK. Virgin Atlantic will become SkyTeam’s first and only UK member airline, offering long-haul flights from Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Spirit takes a pass on JetBlue’s buyout offer
Spirit Airlines sees a merger with JetBlue as unattainable. Not for lack of interest, mind you. JetBlue’s cash offer of $3.6 billion still stands. But doubts around the likelihood of regulatory approval have Spirit’s Board of Directors recommending that it continue to move forward with the previously planned Frontier merger instead. Assuming even that can get past regulators.
Allegiant, Viva Aerobus plan groundbreaking joint venture
Allegiant sees significant potential carrying leisure travelers to Mexican resort destinations, but the cost – both real and relative to domestic expansion – is too high. Viva Aerobus wants to expand deeper into the US leisure segment, but its prior attempts mostly failed. Together, however, the two believe they can become a strong player in the transborder market, commanding a double digit share.
Delta, WestJet scrap JV plans
LaGuardia is more important than the rest of the US-Canadian market for Delta Air Lines and WestJet. This is the message sent by the two carriers late Friday as they withdrew their application for antitrust immunity on their joint venture.
Aer Lingus approved to join Oneworld TATL joint venture
Aer Lingus received tentative approval from the US Department of Transportation on Monday to join the Transatlantic OneWorld Immunized Alliance joint venture. The ruling, pending final approval and a similar order from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), will allow Aer Lingus to fully participate in the coordination of fares and scheduling with American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, Finnair and OpenSkies.
Delta, WestJet receive DOT approval for joint venture
Delta and WestJet scored a big win late on Friday as the US DOT issued a tentative approval for their proposed transborder joint venture. But the approval comes with a catch, requiring a shift of capacity at New York’s LaGuardia airport.
JetBlue wants to give United Airlines its Mexico City slots, if the DoT will let it
Why does JetBlue care what happens to its slots in Mexico City as it pulls out of that market next month? Turns out competition among airlines is a good thing, and the carrier just might have its eye on another prize some 5,500 miles away.
American Airlines adds a pair of New Zealand routes for next Winter
In October 2006 Air New Zealand dropped its service from Christchurch to Los Angeles, continuing to London, removing the only non-stop connection between New Zealand’s South Island and the USA. In October 2020 that link will be restored by American Airlines. Service between the US and New Zealand is booming.
Hawaiian, JAL come up short on anti-trust immunity plans
Hawaiian and JAL had grand plans to coordinate their operations between Asia and Hawaii. The US DoT has other ideas. The ATI application was denied this week, citing insufficient benefit to passengers.