WestJet Adds Seasonal Toronto – San Juan Link
Canadian carrier WestJet has launched a twice weekly seasonal link between Toronto Pearson International Airport and San Juan in Puerto Rico. The flight is operating every Saturday and Sunday between November 5 and April 28, 2012 and provides connection opportunities to most of WestJet's Canadian cities. “We are very excited to be launching non-stop seasonal service to Puerto Rico,” said John MacLeod, Vice-President, Network Management and Alliances, WestJet. “San Juan is known as one of the busiest cruise ship ports in the world as well as for its own distinct charm and hospitality.” This is WestJet’s 17th Caribbean destination, but its launch is a major boost for San Juan and the wider Puerto Rican economy. In the last two years three other carriers have launched flights to the city and the local Department of Economic Development and Commerce claims the economic impact of the new route will be in the region of $6.8 million. Securing non-stop air access to the Canadian market has been a priority of the Puerto Rico Tourism administration, due to this positive impact on the tourism industry. Canadian travellers already represent 18.5 per cent of its international hotel registrations and it is now working in collaboration with WestJet Vacations on packages tailored to the needs and likes of that market.
Air Canada and Lufthansa Modify Calgary – Frankfurt Schedules
Star Alliance partners Air Canada and Lufthansa are to modify their operational plans between Calgary and Frankfurt. According to draft schedules for the Summer 2012 season, it appears that Lufthansa is ending its five times weekly service from February 5, 2012, while Air Canada is upgrading its own daily route replacing the Boeing 767-300ER that serves the route with an Airbus A330-300 from the same date. The two airlines already codeshare on one another’s flights, while the Austrian Airlines, Continental Airlines, SAS Scandinavian Airlines and United Airlines codes already appear on the Air Canada flight.
US Airways to Add Two New Domestic Routes
US Airways is set to launch two new routes from the start of March: a daily service between Charlotte and Salt Lake City and a weekly flight between Phoenix and New York La Guardia. The US major is planning to introduce the new flight from March 4, 2012 using an Airbus A320 Family aircraft. The Charlotte – Salt Lake City route will be the only direct link between the two cities. An estimated 63,000 O&D passengers travelled between Charlotte and Salt Lake City in the past year, with US Airways holding a 15 per cent share of this market via its Phoenix hub. Delta Air Lines currently dominates the market with a 20 per cent share via Atlanta. Air traffic demand between the two cities has more than doubled since 2006 and in the past year numbers were up by 2.7 per cent. However, yields have also notably strengthened with average one-way fares increasing from $191 to $223 and this could have driven US Airways to introduce the new direct flight. The new Phoenix – New York route will be US Airways’ first ever flight beyond the 1,500 mile limit set by the perimeter rule at New York's LaGuardia Airport. "We are pleased to offer our customers non-stop flights from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Phoenix with the Saturday-only exception to the LaGuardia perimeter rule,” explained Howard Kass, Vice President of Legal and Government Affairs, US Airways. “Customers in the New York area now have yet another opportunity to explore the West with convenient connections to more than 28 destinations."
Alaska Airlines to Offer ‘Green’ Flights Between Seattle, Portland and Washington
Alaska Airlines has revealed it will fly 75 commercial passenger flights in the US powered by biofuel, starting this Wednesday. Two maiden biofuel-powered flights will leave Seattle on November 9 for Washington, D.C., and Portland, Ore and Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, will continue to operate select flights between Seattle and the two cities over the next few weeks using a 20 per cent blend of sustainable biofuel made from used cooking oil. Alaska Air Group estimates the blend will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 10 per cent, or 134 metric tons, the equivalent of taking 26 cars off the road for a year. If the company powered all of its flights with a 20 per cent biofuel blend for one year, the annual emissions savings would represent the equivalent of taking nearly 64,000 cars off the road or providing electricity to 28,000 homes.
Centurion Air Cargo Adds Southern Air Freighter
Southern Air Holdings has confirmed that it has placed a Boeing 747-200F freighter on a multiple year ACMI contract with Centurion Air Cargo to enable the latter to support its expanding network across the US, South America, Europe and Asia. The aircraft entered service with the Miami International-based carrier in October and will operate alongside six McDonnell Douglas MD-11Fs, which are used on cargo services to South America, Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe, as well as worldwide charters.
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