With tens of billions of dollars in federal funding on the line the DOT’s rules about service obligations under the CARES Act could dramatically affect airlines’ cash flow in the coming months. The divide in views between the large and small players is impressively wide.
Southwest Airlines
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.
US carriers cut frequencies, not destinations as they seek federal funding
Getting that federal bailout cash means keeping all existing destinations in service for the US airlines. That could prove troubling for some as the cutbacks are already in motion.
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?
IndiGo signs for 300 more A320neo aircraft
India’s largest domestic carrier plans to continue it meteoric growth pace. The carrier announced an order for 300 more A320neo family aircraft. This latest order contains a mix of A320neo, A321neo and A321XLR planes. With the new order the carrier’s total book with Airbus reaches 730 frames.
New challengers at every level: PaxEx Update 2019-08-30
New cabins on the horizon for economy and business class, short-haul and long; might travel get more comfortable rather than less? Plus some good news for travelers looking to get online in the sky or earn free travel with their points.
Frontier makes a major play at Newark
Goodbye, Southwest. HELLO, Frontier! Newark gets a big boost as the LCC aims to fill in the gap left by Southwest’s departure in November. And some interesting scheduling choices to go with that plan.
A Hong Kong Surprise: PaxEx Update (16 August 2019)
A surprise twist in the Hong Kong protests as Cathay CEO Rupert Hogg resigns. Plus RFID for bags, VR for passengers and new aircraft types launching service soon. A busy week with plenty to uncover in this edition of PaxEx Update!
Southwest announces expanded Hawaii service
Southwest is resuming its Hawaii expansion. The carrier will add three more Pacific crossings daily and more than double its inter-island flights beginning in mid-January 2020.
Hints of (maybe, eventually) a new fleet type at Southwest
Southwest Airlines is very happy with the current fleet make-up. The carrier does not want a new type added into the operation. Still, as the company continues contract negotiations with its cabin crew there’s a hint that someone, somewhere is thinking about how to make that change.