AMERICAN AIRLINES TO LAUNCH MIAMI – MANAUS CONNECTION
American Airlines will launch flights between Miami and Manaus in June 2012 after receiving approval from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to further expand links to Brazil from the US. The airline filed an application in April this year for the right to fly ten additional weekly flights between the countries, including serving the new Miami – Manaus route and increasing the frequency of its current service from Miami to Brasilia and Belo Horizonte. The request followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Brazilian and US aviation authorities in March which should lead to the full liberalisation of air services between the two countries. At the moment restrictions remain in place under the transitional arrangement, but by 2013 all legislative barriers could be removed, including the opening of rights to fly to the likes of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. There are currently more than 210 weekly flights between the two countries providing over 52,000 seats in each direction. American Airlines already offers service on nine routes and accounts for the largest share of traffic between the two destinations with 30.6 per cent of the estimated 3.8 million O&D passengers that travelled between the two countries last year. This is an expanding market, up 22.7 per cent on the previous year and Delta Air Lines, TAM Airlines and US Airways have already announced plans to add further flights. American Airlines plans to offer a four times weekly service between Miami and Manaus from June 14, 2012 using a Boeing 737-800. TAM Airlines already offers a daily schedule on the route using a widebodied 767-300ER. In the past year an estimated 99,000 O&D passengers flew on the route.
DELTA AIR LINES RETURNS TO FUKUOKA
US carrier Delta Air Lines is to resume flights to the Japanese city of Fukuoka following a ten year hiatus. The airline is to add a seasonal link from Honolulu from December 28 with between five and seven weekly Boeing 767-300ER rotations. Delta last served Fukuoka from Portland International Airport in 2001, although it is only six years since JALways suspended scheduled flights between Fukuoka and Honolulu in 2005. At that time an estimated 173,000 O&D passengers were travelling between the two cities a year (2005) paying an average $722 each way. In 2010 this figure had fallen to 104,000 O&D passengers, although the yield has significantly strengthened with average one-way fares rising to $1,024. The majority of these passengers are flying with Japan Airlines via Tokyo Narita, although around a quarter use the flights of Korean Air via Seoul Incheon. Fukuoka is located on the northern shore of the Japanese island of Kyushu. It is Japan’s seventh largest city but currently has limited air connections outside of the Asia Pacific region. Delta Air Lines plans to use a Boeing 767-300ER on its new route to the city with flights currently scheduled for December 28 to April 3, 2012 and between July 13, 2012 and September 14, 2012.
AEROMEXICO EXPANDS IN CHILE
Aeromexico will this month increase the frequency of its flights between Mexico City and Santiago de Chile. The airline currently serves the route four times every week, but from September 18 will introduce an additional two weekly rotations; an upgraded schedule that will remain in place for the Northern Winter schedules. The route is also served by LAN Chile and together on their direct services they carried a 73 per cent share of the 75,000 O&D passengers that travelled between the two capital cities. LAN Chile is currently the dominating airline carrying around 37,000 O&D passengers, more than double the level carried by Aeromexico. After two consecutive years of decline O&D traffic increased on the route in the past year, up 14.7 per cent on the previous 12 month period. Yields have also strengthened as average fares have risen, to $835 each way, although they are still around 2.7 per cent down on the record levels of the year ending June 2009.
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES OFFERS NEW OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL LINK
Hawaiian Airlines is to launch year-round services between Maui’s Kahului Airport and Oakland International from January 12, 2012 adding to the existing daily offerings from Alaska Air Lines and Delta Air Lines. The carrier already serves Oakland International from Honolulu, while direct flights are offered to Portland International and Seattle Tacoma International from Maui, alongside its inter-island services. An estimated 131,000 O&D passengers travelled between Maui and Oakland International in the past year, up 49.0 per cent on the previous 12 month period. Hawaiian Airlines dominates the market with a 53 per cent share of this traffic (29 per cent using its seasonal offering on the route and 24 per cent flying via Honolulu), while Alaska Airlines holds a 39 per cent share and Delta Air Lines approximately six per cent of the traffic. Hawaiian Airlines also offers the added benefit of onward connections from Maui to Kona on Hawaii Island, initially at no extra charge, giving it access to a further pool of potential passengers. It will use a Boeing 767-300ER on the year-round Oakland International service with seating for 264 passengers.
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