Tag: plans (Page 2 of 7)

Tesla Wants to Become an Electricity Retailer

August 30, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Last week, Tesla Energy Ventures, a new subsidiary of electric car maker Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA), filed an application to become a retail electricity provider in the state of Texas. According to reports, the company plans to sell electricity drawn from the grid to customers and from its battery storage products. Its grid transaction software may also enable customers for its solar panels to sell excess electricity back to the grid.

Click the link to read the full story! https://www.investopedia.com/tesla-tsla-wants-to-become-an-electricity-retailer-5199391?utm_campaign=quote-yahoo&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral

MAX-10 First Flight Takeoff Renton

Boeing Completes Successful First 737-10 Flight

June 19, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

SEATTLE /PRNewswire/ — Boeing’s [NYSE: BA] 737-10, the largest airplane in the 737 MAX family, today completed a successful first flight. The airplane took off from Renton Field in Renton, Washington, at 10:07 a.m. and landed at 12:38 p.m. at Boeing Field in Seattle.

Today’s flight was the start of a comprehensive test program for the 737-10. Boeing will work closely with regulators to certify the airplane prior to its scheduled entry into service in 2023.

The 737-10 can carry up to 230 passengers. It also incorporates environmental improvements, cutting carbon emissions by 14 percent and reducing noise by 50 percent compared to today’s Next-Generation 737s.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

MAX-10 First Flight Landing Boeing Field Seattle

Virgin Australia Group Outlines Growth Plans to Support Tourism Recovery

April 19, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

BRISBANE, 15 April 2021: Virgin Australia Group has announced fast-tracked plans to acquire new aircraft, create more frontline jobs and grow its network to further support domestic tourism.

The recovery efforts include the reintroduction of 10 additional Boeing 737-800 aircraft and the planned return of more than 80 per cent of the airline’s pre-pandemic domestic capacity by mid-June. Network operational changes will also allow the airline to redeploy Boeing 737 aircraft to other parts of its network over the coming months.

After a year of rolling state-based restrictions, pent-up travel demand is supporting the launch of several new and expanded services and frequencies on key leisure and business routes. Virgin Australia Group is committed to maintaining a market share consistent with its pre-COVID position.

Commitment to Jobs

The creation of more roles at the Company will see more than 220 cabin crew return to the skies from the airline’s discontinued long-haul international, ATR regional and Tigerair Australia operations. The new recruits will join one of 15 cabin crew training schools over the next two months.

In addition, a major recruitment drive to fill more than 150 new cabin crew roles, including an expression of interest for future positions has also begun today, with applications from other Virgin Australia employee groups being assessed as a matter of priority. External expressions of interest can be made via the airline’s careers website.

Fleet and Network

The Company has finalised arrangements to re-introduce 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft which had previously been operated by Virgin Australia, with further aircraft under investigation. The first three aircraft will join the airline’s mainline fleet this month while the remainder are set to progressively enter service by October.

The Company is finalising wet lease arrangements with Alliance Airlines to operate Fokker 100 services on behalf of Virgin Australia between Brisbane-Alice Springs and Brisbane-Mt Isa from 19 April 2021. The move will allow Virgin Australia to explore more efficient ways of managing capacity and frequencies to support choice and convenience for regional customers.

Using an Airbus A320 aircraft, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) will also move to operate select services on mainline routes between Perth-Darwin, Perth-Broome and Perth-Adelaide from next month. These arrangements will support the redeployment of the Boeing 737 aircraft to other markets.

Between now and the June school holidays, the airline will add more than 220 return flights per week to its schedule, offering new and extended seasonal services and expanded frequencies on key business and leisure routes. Trans-Tasman services to Queenstown are set to recommence ahead of school holidays on 18 September 2021.

Southwest Airlines Announces Myrtle Beach, Eugene, and Bellingham 2021 Service Plans

March 8, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE: LUV) today announced an intention to bring the flexibility and value of Southwest Airlines® to three more new airports in 2021. Southwest Airlines Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly today is sharing the following message with the Employees of Southwest:

I’m pleased to share with you all that today we’re announcing our intention to serve three more destinations and continue our focus on putting our aircraft to work to pursue more Customers and much-needed revenue.

And the destinations are (drum roll!) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Eugene, Oregon; and Bellingham, Washington—three very different and appealing locations to both serve our existing Customers and places where we feel Southwest can make a real difference for local travelers.

We’re looking to start Myrtle Beach service in time for summer vacations and we expect our arrival to appeal to travelers who currently drive to this very popular coastal area in the Southeast. ‘Golf bags fly free’* should be very popular for Myrtle Beach service!

Eugene is about two hours south of Portland, and it’s ripe for the Southwest Effect, our Hospitality, and our flexible policies, with no hidden fees, and low fares.

Southwest service in Bellingham positions us just south of metro Vancouver, British Columbia. Following the reopening of the Canadian border, we expect a return of the value-minded travelers who already drive to this alternative airport to escape high fares and taxes—and that’s very, very typical for Southwest destinations. Southwest provides a great value for them.

Service to both Eugene and Bellingham is something we’ve anticipated in the second half of the year.

That makes 17 new airports that either we have opened or announced since the pandemic began. And for those that have commenced service, they’re performing very well. In fact, we just shared with the airports serving Steamboat Springs and Telluride that we’re extending our service beyond the winter season to continue serving both through the summer of 2021.

Colorado Springs, Savannah, and our Long Beach service to Hawaii all start-up this coming Thursday.

That’s a lot of work, a lot of new destinations, and a lot of options for our Customers and so I want to thank all of the Teams that have a hand in continuing to grow the Heart of Southwest while better positioning us to capture more Customers as the travel demand rebounds.

*Golf bags fly free as one of two checked pieces of baggage offered to every Southwest Customer (weight and size limitations apply)

JetBlue Receives First Airbus A321neo Aircraft With Reimagined Mint® Layout

February 26, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) today announced it has formally taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo (new engine option) aircraft configured with the airline’s reimagined premium Mint® experience and an all-new onboard layout, featuring comfort and connectivity perks that set the airline apart from other U.S.carriers. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive at JetBlue’s home at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) tonight from the Airbus production facility in Hamburg, Germany.

JetBlue’s A321neo with Mint features 16 Mint suites – including two Mint Studios™ – and 144 core seats. It will first operate on select flights between New York-JFK and Los AngelesInternational Airport (LAX) this summer. Today’s delivery – tail N2105J named “NEO Mintality” – brings JetBlue’s total fleet count to 270 aircraft, is the airline’s 16th A321neo and the first of this aircraft type to feature Mint.

Travelers can spot the A321neo with Mint by its unique “Ribbons” tailfin. The design features three blues from the airline’s brand palette and is the first tailfin inspired by so-called “Op Art” – as in optical art – using simple shapes to create the illusion of three dimensions and movement.

All Suites, All the Time

The first major design overhaul of Mint – designed in partnership with Acumen Design Associates – will debut on select flights between New York and Los Angeles this summer.

Click the link below to view the full JetBlue press release!

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210226005628/en/

British Airways Launches New Fare Brands Offering Enhanced Flexibility

February 24, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Wednesday 24 February, 2021 – British Airways has today launched two new fare brands for its trade customers, which offer refundable options and enhanced flexibility. Select and Select Pro are both refundable fares, which will give customers the flexibility to cancel a flight and claim a full or partial refund should their travel plans change. There will also be no change fee payable for Select and Select Pro bookings.

The Select and Select Pro fares are available to book from today, exclusively for agents, via both the GDS or NDC. They will sit alongside the current Basic, Standard/Plus and Fully Flexible fares, and will enhance the suite of fare options available to suit the different budgets and flexibility needs of customers. In the UK, Select fares will be available on short-haul routes and long-haul routes, and Select Pro available on long-haul routes.*

The table below shows the differences between each available fare brand:

These new fare products will also be available to book through British Airways’ Atlantic Joint Business partners American Airlines, Iberia and Finnair.

Fares will cost from £50 extra on a short-haul return ticket and from £100 extra on a long-haul return ticket, compared with Standard/Plus fares. The refund fee for Select products is similar.**

British Airways’ book with confidence commitment for free changes or the ability to take a voucher will continue to apply to all Basic, Standard/Plus, Fully Flexible, Select and Select Pro bookings. As always, if a flight is cancelled the customer is entitled to a full refund.

More information for trade partners is available through the BA Travel Trade website. Partners can also contact their Account Manager.

United Announces New Nonstop Service Between Boston Logan & London Heathrow

February 19, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

CHICAGO, Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) today announced plans to expand its global route network with new, nonstop service between Boston Logan International Airport and London Heathrow. This new service builds upon United’s growing presence in London and provides customers on the East Coast with another convenient option to get to London. United plans to operate its premium Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on the route, with 46 United Polaris Business Class and 22 United Premium Plus seats. The aircraft features the highest proportion of premium seats on any widebody aircraft operated by a U.S. carrier between London and the United States.

“We are thrilled to offer travelers a convenient, non-stop option between Boston and London with this addition to our global network,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s vice president of International Network and Alliances. “We will continue to monitor the demand recovery and travel restrictions as we finalize a start date for this service later in 2021.”

Tickets will be available for purchase on united.com and the United app in the coming weeks.

United has provided service to London Heathrow for nearly 30 years and over the course of the pandemic has maintained continuous service between the U.S. and London. Looking ahead, Boston will be United’s 19th daily flight between the United States and London Heathrow.

	Boston – London Schedule
	From	To	Depart	Arrive	Frequency	Aircraft
Boston	London	10:00 p.m.	9:35 a.m.⁺¹	Daily	767-300ER
London	Boston	5:00 p.m.	7:30 p.m.	Daily	767-300ER
	Schedule subject to change

United’s Polaris product is a premium travel experience that prioritizes relaxation and comfort with features that include everything from custom, luxury bedding from Saks Fifth Avenue and restaurant-quality, multi-course inflight dining to premium amenity kits and full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access. Along with its 46 Polaris Business Class seats, the aircraft also features 22 United Premium Plus seats, 43 United Economy Plus seats and 56 United Economy seats.

Committed to Ensuring a Safe Journey

United is committed to putting health and safety at the forefront of every customer’s journey, with the goal of delivering an industry-leading standard of cleanliness through its United CleanPlus program. United has teamed up with Clorox and Cleveland Clinic to redefine cleaning and health safety procedures from check-in to landing and has implemented more than a dozen new policies, protocols and innovations designed with the safety of customers and employees in mind.

Frontier Airlines Announces New Crew Base in Tampa and Plans to Establish Atlanta Base

February 4, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

DENVER – Feb. 4, 2021 – Low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines will establish a crew base at Tampa International Airport (TPA) opening in May 2021. Approximately 250 flight attendants and 140 pilots will be based at TPA this year with that number expected to increase in the future. Additionally, the airline announced its intention to open a crew base at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in late 2021.

“With our low-cost structure and focus on leisure travel, Frontier is exceptionally well positioned to increase operations this year and continue to expand in these two growing markets,” said Barry Biffle, president and CEO, Frontier Airlines. “We anticipate that nearly 400 Frontier crew members will be based in Tampa by the end of 2021. Atlanta is also on the radar for later this year and those details will become more solidified as things progress.”

Both markets have become increasingly important destinations for Frontier with anticipated growth in routes in and out of those cities during the course of 2021. Frontier currently offers nearly 20 nonstop routes from Tampa International Airport and more than 15 nonstop options from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, with a wide range of additional flight connection opportunities within Frontier’s domestic and international network.

“Any time we add a new crew base, it is an indicator of continued growth for our airline and also welcomed news for our crew members, who gain a new home base option, and local communities that reap the economic benefits,” said Biffle.

Qantas & Japan Airlines Form Tourism Recovery Business Venture

December 27, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Qantas and Japan Airlines (JAL) today announced plans to form a new joint business, designed to better serve customers travelling between Australia, New Zealand and Japan and support the tourism industry’s recovery when international flying resumes.

The airlines have submitted an application for authorisation to regulators in Australia and New Zealand, with a decision expected within six months. Subject to this regulatory approval, it is anticipated that the joint business would commence operations around July 2021, when Qantas has said it expects its international network to gradually restart.

The coordination made possible through a joint business would enable Qantas and JAL to ramp up flights between Australia and Japan sooner than would otherwise be possible. The airlines have flagged an intention to launch a new route between Australia and Japan and expect to announce details once regulatory approval is received, borders open and demand returns.

Under the proposed five-year agreement, the airlines would deliver substantial benefits for customers and help accelerate the recovery of the tourism, trade and corporate travel links between Australia and Japan, including:

An expanded codeshare relationship and optimised schedules on flights between Australia and New Zealand and Japan, opening up more connections to more destinations beyond the major city gateways. Qantas customers would have access to 14 new codeshare destinations in Japan and JAL customers would have access to 15 new codeshare destinations in Australia and New Zealand.
Enhanced frequent flyer benefits for Qantas and JAL customers, including improved earn of Qantas points or JAL miles on routes under the joint business beyond what is possible today, as well as the ability to upgrade using points or miles on each other’s services.
Improvements in the customer experience, including streamlined processes for disruption management and investments in product and service inflight and on the ground, designed to better serve the carriers’ joint customers.
More premium travel opportunities, with Qantas able to offer customers a greater number of Business and Premium Economy seats on flights operated by JAL.
Coordination of pricing, schedules, sales and tourism marketing to develop new and improved travel products, delivering more choice for customers.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the joint business would play a vital role in reviving trade links with the world’s third largest economy and deliver significant benefits for customers travelling between Australia and Japan.

“Around half a million people visited Australia from Japan in 2019. We want to see that tourism resume and grow even further by making it easier for Japanese travellers to visit,” said Mr Joyce.

“The joint business means we’ll be able to build on our existing relationship with JAL through oneworld to offer more routes, better flight connections and more benefits to frequent flyers. It also helps us diversify our portfolio of joint businesses amongst Australia’s key trading partners.

“It will be a win for our customers, a win for trade and a win for the one million people who work in tourism across Australia.”

Japan Airlines President Yuji Akasaka added: “For over 50 years, JAL and Qantas have operated flights between Japan and Australia, demonstrating our mutual commitment to support and strengthen the diplomatic relationship built by the two countries.

“We believe that a joint business with Qantas will make for a quicker recovery between both countries with the ability to expand connectivity within each carrier’s respective domestic network, providing more customer choice and travel growth opportunities.”

JetBlue Lands Slots for London Expansion

November 21, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Article from The Motley Fool.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended many airlines’ strategic plans. Yet other airlines — especially those with strong balance sheets and a focus on the leisure market — are forging ahead with their plans, seeing the pandemic as an opportunity to gain market share from weakened rivals.

JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) is firmly in the latter camp. While the company has deferred some aircraft orders, it still plans to take delivery of its first Airbus A321LR next year, allowing it to launch its long-awaited service to London. Earlier this week, one of the last puzzle pieces fell into place, as the airline was granted slots allowing it to operate up to three daily roundtrips to London starting in the summer 2021 season.

Click the link below to read the full story!

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/11/21/jetblue-lands-slots-for-london-expansion/

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