Last week news broke that commuter carrier Ravn Alaska plans a major shift to add long-haul operations via its Anchorage hub. Now it is clear that the company is serious about that play. It registered a trio of new trade names with the Department of Transportation to operate the new services.
Low Cost Carriers
Ravn Alaska plans international expansion, 757 acquisition, Anchorage hub
The jump from small regional player in Alaska to long-haul, international airline is a major one. Recently recapitalized Ravn Alaska plans to do just that.
PLAY secures certification, first aircraft
Iceland’s PLAY Airlines is ready to fly. The carrier received its operating certificate from Icelandic authorities and officially registered its first aircraft. It expects to have three planes in service in the coming weeks.
Norwegian long-haul is dead; Long live Norse Atlantic Airways
Norse Atlantic Airways may soon be flying between the US and Europe, replacing Norwewgian’s long-haul abmitions with fresh funding.
Norwegian abandons long-haul operations, refocuses on 737 routes in Europe
Chalk up another major long-haul LCC failure. Norwegian will abandon its fleet of 37 787 Dreamliners, refocusing on the short-haul European market served with single-aisle aircraft.
EasyJet shrinks cabin baggage allowance
The carrier is pitching the move as a push to improve on-time performance, but easyJet’s new hand baggage policy looks an awful lot like an ancillary revenue push.
Iceland’s PLAY secures slots at Gatwick, Stansted, Dublin
A year has passed since the company initially planned to start selling seats, enough time to question whether launching a new airline right now is really a smart choice. But Iceland’s PLAY secured access to at least two London-area airports should its operations launch in Summer 2021, suggesting that the company is still pushing forward.
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.
A slimmed down Rouge returns to service
A slimmed down fleet and route network are in play for Air Canada’s Rouge arm as it returns to operations this week.
Cathay Dragon shuttered, 8,500 jobs eliminated
Cathay Dragon is the latest airline to be grounded as a result of COIVD-19, part of a massive restructuring at the Cathay Pacific Group as it seeks to stabilize its operations. In a stock exchange filing on Wednesday the company announced that the regional arm “will cease its operations with effect from today.”