If ever there were a time to try something completely crazy in the route planning department, this is it. JetBlue’s new route plan brings the carrier deep into competitor hubs and away from its own as the carrier aims to bring planes and crew back to the skies.
COVID-19
A big hint that British Airways will retire its 747s soon
More than half the British Airways 747 fleet is parked, with little reason to believe that it will return to the skies soon. But late on Friday another bit of news leaked out that could see the fleet fully grounded indefinitely.
Curing Catering Concerns: The Weekly Wrap–19 June 2020
Can small changes to the catering process make the current inflight environment a bit safer and bring back some of the comforts passengers have previously enjoyed? We’re also talking about routes returning and new ideas to protect passengers in the cabin on this edition of the Weekly Wrap.
AirShield proposes curtains of air to separate passengers in flight
Building new structures to separate passengers is unlikely to fly any time soon. But what if walls of air could be used instead? Teague’s AirShield concept could deliver that benefit, and the initial analysis shows strong potential.
Air Canada launches half-priced Aeroplan rewards in North America
Air Canada is ready to start pulling more passengers out of their homes and back to the skies. The carrier announced a half-price sale for its Aeroplan loyalty program members today to help drive those bookings. The sale is a cap stone to a strong earnings promotion effort the company ran in recent weeks.
LATAM Argentina, LEVEL Europe face bankruptcy
Another pair of airlines will halt operations, with the financial impact of COVID-19 the tipping point. LATAM Argentina and LEVEL Europe are both poised to shutter, though the larger parent operations of each will continue services.
Jilted travelers get aggressive in seeking airline refund enforcement from the DOT
Do the rules even matter when there is no enforcement action? For many travelers the answer appears to be a resounding “no” as they seek refunds from flights cancelled over the past few months. A few are now pursuing alternate channels, however, and starting to see some wins.
Norwegian set to restart European services from 1 July
Norwegian is the latest airline to announce plans to put its planes back in the skies over Europe. The carrier will add several routes from its hubs in Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen as it seeks to meet growing passenger demand.
JetBlue plans to outsource airport operations at (more) smaller destinations
The cost cutting continues for airlines. Federal payroll subsidies will end on October 1, 2020, and with that the requirement to keep the current staffing levels. For JetBlue this translates into a decision finalized this week to contract out for staffing at some of its smaller stations. In a letter to airport employees on Tuesday […]
Masks Matter: US carriers plan more enforcement for on-board behavior
For those traveling by air today the best protection against potential COVID-19 exposure is to wear a mask during the flight. But even as some US airlines insist that passengers wear masks, enforcement has been limited and consequences for non-compliance essentially nil. This week several airlines indicated a renewed focus on enforcement of those rules, with violators potentially barred from future flights.