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.
routes
JetBlue boosts Boston-LaGuardia Shuttle to 10x daily
More thant three years after launching a “Shuttle” service between Boston and LaGuardia JetBlue is finally getting serious about the operation, increasing to 10x daily flights each way starting in Spring 2020.
Emirates expands access to India with SpiceJet codeshare deal
Emirates passengers will gain access to six new Indian destinations via its Dubai hub thanks to a new codeshare agreement with SpiceJet.
Melbourne scores its first long-haul service with TUI UK
TUI’s latest play in Central Florida opens up a new gateway to Orlando. There’s just one small problem: It is not in Orlando. But maybe that doesn’t really matter??
Does hourly service a shuttle make??
What does it take to claim a “Shuttle” service between two airports? Is it hourly service throughout the day? Is it more flexible fees and policies? Is it improved catering on board? For United Airlines and the new “shuttle-like” service between Newark and Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) the answer might surprise you.
American Airlines adds a pair of New Zealand routes for next Winter
In October 2006 Air New Zealand dropped its service from Christchurch to Los Angeles, continuing to London, removing the only non-stop connection between New Zealand’s South Island and the USA. In October 2020 that link will be restored by American Airlines. Service between the US and New Zealand is booming.
Air New Zealand extends its range with Newark in 2020
Air New Zealand will add a new longest route to its network map in October 2020 as the carrier connects its Auckland home to Newark. The news also brings an end to the carrier’s 38 year run at London.
Some Sunrise skepticism
Over the weekend Qantas brought another 787-9 home to its fleet in Sydney. But this was not a normal delivery flight. Project Sunrise is coming, and maybe it shouldn’t.
JetBlue closes Mexico City for bookings
JetBlue appears poised to close its Mexico City operations after four years in the market. While the carrier still has flights to Mexico’s capital city from Boston, New York City, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in the timetable it has zeroed out inventory for all of those routes after 8 January 2020.
JetBlue, Norwegian aim to link route networks in 2020
JetBlue and Norwegian intend to establish an interline agreement, allowing passengers to transfer more easily between the two carriers on a single ticket. But the partnership leaves many questions and questionable value for travelers, at least to start.