Sun Country will be permitted to collect its government funding while largely suspending service through 21 June 2020. United Airlines and Frontier Airlines will not be so lucky. The latest guidance from the US Department of Transportation released this morning shows that the Agency is using different standards for the different sized airlines in forming its policy.
routes
Spirit Airlines running triangle routes to meet CARES Act requirements
If the planes are going to be mostly empty it is better to fly fewer of them. For Spirit Airlines this means sending some of its smaller jets on triangle routes, connecting two cities before retuning to a hub. The new service pattern appears planned through June based on schedule details reviewed online.
JetBlue plans new route network for CARES Act compliance
Faced with the requirement to serve a number of airports that otherwise lack demand JetBlue will adjust its route network in May and June, offering a number of “tag” flights rather than nonstop service to a focus city.
ZIPAIR pushes forward with plans for US service
Japanese long-haul low cost carrier startup ZIPAIR sees challenges on the horizon, but it continues to push forward with its plans to launch service this year, including between its Tokyo hub and Honolulu later this Fall.
DOT grants exemptions to Delta, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines under CARES Act obligations
Flights to Hawaii will remain limited for the foreseeable future. The DOT will allow reductions between the mainland and the islands as it pays out billions to help keep airlines flying.
Stuck in the past, DOT botches its CARES Act implementation
Empty planes will be flying by the hundreds, spewing excess emissions and placing more airline employees at risk. But at least the DOT did not have to adjust its view of the industry to account for the new reality.
Caribbean Airlines plans new "milk run" routes to connect the islands
The island nations of the Caribbean depend heavily on air connectivity for tourism and commerce. But they’re also small markets and the interisland route networks are far from robust. Caribbean Airlines is planning a regional expansion for later this summer, bridging several islands with new flight opportunities.
Deeper cuts, reprotect options coming for JetBlue
JetBlue will further consolidate operations in April, The move will see service suspended at eight stations and even larger cuts to capacity than previously planned. There is some good news, however, with domestic re-protect options coming online.
DOT adjusts, finalizes airline route requirements for CARES Act funding.
US airlines will need to fly far more than demand dictates if they want to receive CARES Act funding for employees. But the obligations are reduced in the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) final order compared to the initial proposal. The DOT took feedback from all stakeholders into account in trying to strike an appropriate balance of service versus demand, slightly revising the rules.
US airlines cut deep, but not deep enough
With loads teetering against the single digits the US carriers must cut deeper to rationalize their operations. And there are few good justifications for not making that move.