Facing a continued downturn in demand Hawaiian Airlines announced plans to suspend its interisland flights operated under the ‘Ohana brand. The carrier must receive approval from the Department of Transportation for that move, however, and an adverse ruling could create a significant operational challenge.
routes
SAS takes delivery of first A321LR
Sure, it is a few months later than expected, but SAS took delivery of its first A321LR aircraft today. It is the first of three LRs the company expects to join the fleet, offering service in transatlantic markets that are too small to support twin-aisle aircraft.
Eastern Airlines plans Argentina, Bolivia flights
Eastern Airlines wants to Tango. The carrier filed with the US Department of Transportation on Wednesday to operate flights between Miami and Buenos Aires, using its Boeing 767 fleet.
Breeze Airways resets launch plans, again
Launching an airline is far from easy. Doing so in the midst of a global health pandemic ups the challenge factor significantly. Breeze Airways is making significant progress in its planning, with additional funding secured and FAA milestones reached. It also has a new plan for what the operations will look like when they launch.
JetBlue extends service suspensions at seven cities
With demand still lagging JetBlue will delay the restart of service to seven Blue Cities currently suspended. All seven were previously slated to resume service on 6 November 2020. Four of the airports will now restart in April 2021 and two remain suspended indefinitely. Just one will reopen later this year.
Air India losing money on 90%+ of its routes
Just how bad were things for Air India, even before the market collapsed in early 2020? According to the Minister of Civil Aviation the carrier lost money on 319 of the 340 routes it operated globally. Only 6% of the carrier’s network operations met costs for the twelve months from April 2019 through March 2020.
JetBlue goes hunting for revenue with 24 new winter markets
Why is JetBlue planning two dozen new routes this winter in markets that, a year ago, would have been unthinkable? To quote infamous bank robber Willie Sutton, “Because that’s where the money is.” At least, that’s what JetBlue hopes. Head of Revenue and Planning Scott Laurence explains that the moves “advance our revised network strategy, return more aircraft to the skies and double down on our ability to generate more cash sooner.”
United announces new long-haul routes for 2021
Airline route networks must adapt to shifting demand and long-haul operations are no exception. United Airlines is the latest player to make a move on that front, announcing seven routes today with service slated to launch between December and Summer 2021. The carrier will be reopening some destinations, expanding others and inaugurating a couple of markets never before served.
American to suspend 15 markets as CARES Act funding expires
With federal government subsidies set to expire airlines will undoubtedly trim their route maps. American Airlines announced its cuts first, with 15 markets set to be suspended in October, barring additional federal funding.
Damn the hubs; nonstop flights ahead for United
United Airlines is reinventing its domestic route map for the coming winter season, with plans to add nearly two dozen new domestic routes that bypass the carrier’s hub airports. It is a gamble in many ways, but with all the historical models essentially useless today the company is ready to try something different and see if it can generate a bit of revenue.