Demand from the USA into Cuba appears to be dropping from most gateways but American Airlines is not too worried. Indeed, the carrier sees an opportunity in the market still and hopes to grow.
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Eastern Airlines plans JFK-Cabo San Lucas flights as it ramps up scheduled service
The (re)relaunched Eastern Airlines wants to deliver on its promise of a broad geographic footprint. The carrier applied for DoT permission to grow its scheduled service fleet from one aircraft to three, allowing it to bring new routes to market. Following its recent approval to operate flights to Mexico it announced its intentions to serve Cabo San Lucas from its JFK home in March 2020.
South African Airways suspends some flights as losses deepen
Just a day after announcing “flights to all its destinations continue as normal” South African Airways made cuts to its operation. Domestic flights to Cape Town and Durban are affected, as is the Munich route.
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.
JetBlue confirms network shift to the east, cuts at Long Beach, closing Oakland
JetBlue will cut its Long Beach focus city to just 15 flights a day. The move, first tipped last night, is the latest in a shift of the airline’s resources away from the west coast as it optimizes the route network and pushes for greater profitability.
Shake-up expected for JetBlue’s Long Beach Focus City
JetBlue’s struggles at its Long Beach focus city are no secret. Has the time finally come to end that experiment??
Allegiant looks to big cities in Summer 2020 expansion
Limited frequency seasonal service is the hallmark of Allegiant’s network planning approach. How well will that work as the company targets three larger cities as part of its Summer 2020 expansion plans?
US continues crackdown on Cuba flights
In December 2019 the US government blocked commercial flights between the US and a number of Cuban cities, increasing economic pressures on the Cuban government. Today the Department of Transportation, acting on behalf of the Department of State, upped the ante.
FAA blocks flights over Iran, Iraq
The Federal Aviation Administration issued emergency directives on Tuesday evening prohibiting US aircraft from operating over Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The three NOTAMs came in response to escalating military activity in the region. Iran launched an attack just hours prior targeting bases that house US troops, among other things.
Some airlines cutting Baghdad service due to safety concerns
Following the assassination of Qassem Soleimani near the Baghdad Airport in Iraq on 3 January 2020 the security of the city and the airport remains in question. As a result some commercial airlines made the decision to halt flights. The impact thus far is limited, but could shift as other airlines assess the implications.