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.
LATAM
LATAM seeks US bankruptcy protection, plans to continue operations
South America’s LATAM Airlines Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in the US courts on Tuesday morning, seeking to restructure debt while continuing regular operations. Or, at least, operations as close to regular as possible given the current global aviation environment.
SkyMiles earn rates for LATAM flights now available
Looking to earn Delta SkyMiles on a LATAM-operated flight? The two carriers announced at the end of February that earning reciprocity would launch on 1 April 2020 but offered no other details. Now the earning chart is finally available.
Simplicity speeds LATAM’s premium economy deployment fleet-wide
Bringing a new class of service online is a major effort for any airline. LATAM Airlines’ new premium economy deployment is staggered, but rolling it out across the entire operation less than half a year after the decision was made is mighty impressive. Keeping the options simple overall helped the airline to reach this goal.
American Airlines signs GOL as codeshare partner in South America, expands Miami service
American Airlines and Brazil’s GOL will establish a reciprocal codeshare agreement and frequent flyer program partnership. The deal is expected to open 20 additional South American destinations to the AA network and deliver more that 30 US destinations to the GOL route map. As part of the move American also announced a dozen new flights at its Miami hub, the primary gateway to Latin America.
Connections, competition spur Delta growth in Miami
It is not quite a hub. Nowhere close, really. But with forty one daily flights to ten US airports planned by mid-Spring Delta Air Lines very much sees Miami as a key part of its route network. Some of the growth can be justified by the new investment in and partnership with LATAM. But not all of it.
IAG snaps up Air Europa to boost Latin American operations
Consolidation continues in the global aviation market, this time delivering a shift in transatlantic services. International Airline Group announced this morning its intentions to buy Air Europa. The Spanish carrier will become part of the Iberia operation within IAG though remain an independent brand, at least to start. The deal is valued at 1 billion euro and full integration is expected by 2025.
Shaking things up – PaxEx Update: 2019-09-27
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.
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.
New challengers at every level: PaxEx Update 2019-08-30
New cabins on the horizon for economy and business class, short-haul and long; might travel get more comfortable rather than less? Plus some good news for travelers looking to get online in the sky or earn free travel with their points.