WASHINGTON – With temperatures heating up in the Northeast, Amtrak is making it easier to enjoy the warm weather and weekends with your favorite travel partner through its “Saturday BOGO Sale.” The sale offers customers one free adult ticket, with the purchase of one adult ticket for Saturday travel throughout the Northeast Corridor (between – and within – Washington, D.C., and Boston.) and the option to travel conveniently and affordably on the Northeast Regional (NER) or experience upscale amenities on the Acela.
BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU), Boston’s largest airline and the Official Airline of the Boston Bruins, today revealed a brand new livery dedicated to Boston’s professional hockey team and six-time Stanley Cup winner. The Airbus A320 aircraft, aptly named “Bear Force One,” was unveiled at an event this morning at Boston Logan International Airport, where JetBlue and Bruins executives were joined by Bruins’ mascot, Blades the Bruin, to surprise and delight customers. “Bear Force One” officially took flight this afternoon, transporting excited Bruins fans to Raleigh, N.C. for Game 3 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals.
“Bear Force One” is JetBlue’s first livery dedicated to a team in the NHL and its third livery dedicated to a Boston professional sports team. The new paint scheme features a large-scale version of the Bruins’ iconic spoked-B logo on the tailfin, a nod to the often used reference to Boston as “the hub of the universe.” The logo’s central ‘B’ encircled by spokes mirrors the central role that Boston has played in JetBlue’s network from the very beginning. Next to the boarding door, customers will be greeted with a “Boston’s Team Since 1924” wordmark, denoting the Bruins’ long legacy and tradition in its home city. The new livery serves as a symbol of JetBlue’s commitment to the Boston Bruins and the team’s avid fans throughout Boston and the New England region.
“We couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate our six-year partnership with the Boston Bruins,” said Marty St. George, Chief Commercial Officer, JetBlue. “As the team continues on in the Eastern Conference Finals, this new livery will make it easier for Bruins fans to show off their black and gold fanfare, and cheer on their team not only during the playoffs but year-round as it flies across JetBlue’s network of 100+ destinations.”
“For the past six years, the Bruins and JetBlue have had a very strong relationship,” said Cam Neely, President, Boston Bruins. “JetBlue has been a great partner and it’s fantastic to see one of their aircraft representing the Black and Gold as it travels around the country.”
JetBlue in Boston
JetBlue is the leading carrier in Boston in number of flights, customers carried and nonstop destinations served. The airline is proud to support the teams its customers and 3,800+ Boston-based crewmembers are most passionate about. JetBlue is the official airline sponsor for the city’s four major sports teams including the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and New England Patriots. JetBlue has also been the Official Airline of TD Garden and Presenting Sponsor of the entrance experience since 2010.
ABOUT JETBLUE
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 42 million customers a year to 100+ cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of more than 1,000 daily flights. For more information please visit http://jetblue.com.
MIRAMAR, Fla., May 02, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The savings and signature service has arrived in the Research Triangle! Today Spirit Airlines officially began service to and from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). The airline’s signature yellow Airbus jets will now connect RDU to Baltimore/Washington, DC, Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Chicago, and Orlando with nonstop flights. The new routes also create dozens of connections to other Spirit destinations in the United States, as well as the Caribbean and Latin America. Raleigh-Durham is Spirit’s third destination in the Tar Heel State, joining the Piedmont Triad and Asheville and will soon be joined by Charlotte on June 20.
“The time has finally arrived for us to begin serving the Research Triangle, and we are ready to do just that,” said Ted Christie, Spirit Airlines’ president and CEO. “With eight daily flights to some of our biggest destinations, and connections to many more, we believe our service and value will resonate in the Raleigh-Durham region. In less than a year, Spirit has gone from no footprint in the state to serving four destinations by June 20, and I want to thank North Carolinians for embracing us.”
“We are happy to welcome Spirit Airlines as the newest carrier connecting the Research Triangle community to the world,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “Spirit’s low fares and suite of nonstop destinations will add to the world-class airport experience business and leisure travelers expect from RDU.”
Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU)
Starts:
Frequency:
Baltimore, MD/Washington, DC (BWI)
May 2, 2019
2x daily, year-round
Boston, MA (BOS)
May 2, 2019
Daily, year-round
Detroit, MI (DTW)
May 2, 2019
Daily, year-round
Orlando, FL (MCO)
May 2, 2019
Daily, year-round
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL)
May 2, 2019
Daily, year-round
New Orleans, LA (MSY)
May 2, 2019
Daily, year-round
Chicago, IL (ORD)
May 2, 2019
Daily, year-round
Beyond next month’s launch in Charlotte, the airline will also be expanding on the West Coast, adding Burbank and Sacramento to its network. All three new cities will launch on June 20. Spirit’s growing route network comes with ongoing investments into its guest experience. The airline continues to rank among the top in on-time arrivals, baggage handling, and is in the process of installing high-speed Wi-Fi to its entire fleet.
About Spirit Airlines: Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) is committed to delivering the best value in the sky while providing an extraordinary Guest experience. We are the leader in providing customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare. This allows every Guest to pay only for the options they choose — like bags, seat assignments and refreshments – something we call À La Smarte. We make it possible for our Guests to venture farther, travel more often, and discover more than ever before. Our Fit Fleet™ is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the U.S. We operate more than 600 daily flights to 75 destinations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and are dedicated to giving back and improving the communities we serve. Come save with us at spirit.com. At Spirit Airlines, we go. We go for you.
Toulouse, 23 April 2019 – Silver Airways yesterday launched its regularly scheduled flights aboard its new ATR -600 series aircraft. The first flight departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport at 10:40 a.m. and arrived at Key West International Airport at 11:55 am (EST).
Silver Airways, America’s leading independent regional airline, is reinventing the regional flying sector by being the first U.S. carrier to operate the technologically advanced, customer friendly ATR -600 series aircraft. Silver Airways has taken delivery of three new ATR 42-600 aircraft from NAC. The aircraft is specifically designed for short-haul markets, but with the same look, feel and customer amenities of larger jetliners. Yesterday marked the first time revenue passengers have flown on an ATR 42-600 operated by a U.S carrier.
The new aircraft are allowing Silver to expand its service in the South Eastern United States, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. By initially introducing the mission-specific ATR 42-600 aircraft, with seating for 46, Silver now has the unique ability to offer quicker direct flights to even more short and medium-haul leisure and business destinations in both domestic and nearby international markets.
“This is truly a great day for Silver Airways, ATR, Nordic Aviation Capital and our customers that would not have been possible without the hundreds of dedicated men and women of Silver Airways and Seaborne Airlines who have worked tirelessly over the past year to arrive at this historic moment,” said Silver Airways and Seaborne Airlines CEO Steve Rossum. “The new ATR 42-600 series aircraft will be transformational for Silver Airways and is ideal for our short-haul domestic and nearby international operations. The state-of-the art aircraft allows for a safe, highly reliable and efficient fleet operation and a superior overall experience for our guests.”
“We are proud to see the ATR -600 aircraft take flight in the U.S. and to introduce the most modern standards of passenger experience and regional aircraft with our valued partner Silver Airways,” said ATR Chief Executive Officer Stefano Bortoli. “We are grateful to our friends at Silver for being our U.S. launch customer; leading what we expect to be a new wave of eco-responsible and passenger-friendly regional travel and the return of the ATRs in the U.S.”
“Nordic Aviation Capital is proud of its relationship with Silver Airways, and we are particularly pleased to be part of their great success story,” said Martin Moller, Chairman of Nordic Aviation Capital. “The introduction of the ATR -600 series represents an essential milestone for them. We are congratulating Silver Airways on their service expansion and look forward to continuing our outstanding relationship with them for many years to come.”
Silver Airways has taken delivery of three of up to 50 new ATR 42-600 series aircraft, including an initial order for 20 ATR -600 aircraft split among the 46-seat ATR 42s and the 70-seat ATR 72s. As the world’s leading regional flying aircraft, the new ATRs will provide Silver’s passengers unparalleled experience and reliability and pilots the industry’s most advanced cockpit.
Silver intends to take delivery and begin operating five more ATR 42-600s in 2019, and subject to regulatory approval, the airline is planning to take delivery of at least three ATR 72-600s this year. All of the initial 20 aircraft are expected to be in service by 2020.
About Silver Airways Silver Airways operates the most routes within Florida and between Florida and the Bahamas from its hubs in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa, and also flies between Boston and Bar Harbor, Maine. Silver is the official airline of the Minor League Baseball team Daytona Tortugas and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. In addition, Silver owns and cooperatively operates Seaborne Airlines with flights in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. Silver is a codeshare partner with United, JetBlue and Avianca, and has interline agreements with American, Delta, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Bahamasair, Hahn Air, Azul and Emirates. Members of United’s MileagePlus® and JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty programs can also earn frequent flyer awards for travel throughout Silver’s network. Silver operates a fleet of highly-reliable Saab 340 aircraft and is also currently renewing and expanding its fleet with up to 50 new eco-friendly ATR -600s. Silver is honored to be the North American launch customer for the all new ATR -600 offering best-in-class quiet cabins, premium leather seats with more legroom, and spacious overhead bins that accommodate full-size, carry-on roller bags. Silver is owned by affiliates of Philadelphia-based investment firm Versa Capital Management, LLC. To learn more about Silver’s refined passenger experience, visit www.silverairways.com/destinations/atr42.
About ATR:
European turboprop manufacturer ATR is the world leader in the regional aviation market. ATR designs, manufactures and delivers aircraft, with its fleet encompassing some 200 airlines in nearly 100 countries. The ATR 42 and the ATR 72 are the best-selling aircraft in the below 90-seat category. With continuous improvement as a driving force, ATR produces cutting edge, comfortable and versatile turboprops that help airlines expand their horizons by creating more than 100 new routes every year. Compared with other turboprops, ATRs offer an advantage of 40% on fuel burn, 20% on trip cost and 10% on seat cost, whilst offering the lowest noise emissions. ATR is an equal partnership between leading aerospace firms Airbus and Leonardo and benefits from a large global customer support network allowing it to deliver innovative services and solutions to its clients and operators all over the world. For more information, please visit http://www.atr-aircraft.com. Follow us on Twitter – #ATRLeads
Safdie Architects has revealed its plans to extend its Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore by adding a fourth tower.
The new stand-alone tower will contain more hotel rooms and take cues from the existing glass buildings, which were completed by Safdie Architects on Marina Bay in 2011.
Alongside the tower, the studio will also design a new entertainment district with a state of the art 15,000-seat music arena.
“Building on a long-term partnership with Las Vegas Sands corporation, we are delighted to embark upon a design for a major new addition to the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore,” said the architecture studio in an Instagram post revealing the news.
FILE PHOTO: Travelers check-in at a JetBlue Airways kiosk at John F. Kennedy Airport in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., January 24, 2017. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
(Reuters)
– JetBlue Airways Corp hopes to break into the low-fare, transatlantic
travel market beginning in 2021 with multiple daily flights from New
York and Boston to London, its first European destination, the carrier
said on Wednesday.
To
service the routes, the sixth largest U.S. carrier will convert 13
Airbus A321LR aircraft from its existing order book with a fresh version
of its Mint business product.
The
idea is to offer customers a fresh choice on routes where JetBlue
President Joanna Geraghty said current competitor fares “are enough to
make you blush.”
New
York-based JetBlue, which unveiled the long-awaited launch at an
employee event at John F. Kennedy International Airport, said it is
still evaluating which London airports it will serve.
The
company, which has built a reputation in the United States for more
coach legroom than competitors and free broadband internet, has argued
for regulators to force slot divestitures at high-traffic airports like
London’s Heathrow to create a level playing field for new entrants.
A
handful of Europe-based budget carriers have tried to penetrate the
transatlantic market in recent years, but only cash-strapped Norwegian
Air is still standing.
Iceland’s
WOW, PrimeraAir Nordic, Britain’s Flybmi and Monarch Airlines and
Cypriot carrier Cobalt have all ceased operations in a sector grappling
with over-capacity and high fuel costs.
JetBlue said it will raise the bar on what travellers can expect from a low-cost carrier, particularly in Europe.
The
carrier has argued in the past that its version of business class,
Mint, has driven a 50 percent decline in premium fares on some competing
U.S. routes, a reduction it believes it can also deliver for premium
travel between the United States and Europe.
“JetBlue’s
Mint product suits the Atlantic market as they will likely come in with
stimulative fares to drive customer awareness and loyalty,” Cowen
analyst Helane Becker said in a recent note to clients.
The
main issue will be whether JetBlue is able to gain access at major
international airports, she said, like London Heathrow and Amsterdam
Schiphol.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski, editing by G Crosse)
Lisbon-based TAP Air Portugal has taken delivery of its first of twelve A321LRs on order, becoming the first airline to operate a combined A330neo and A321LR fleet. The A321LR is the world’s most flexible and capable large single-aisle aircraft. Powered by CFM engines, TAP’s A321LR is configured with 171 seats (16 full flat Business, 48 Eco Premium and 107 Ecomomy seats).
The combination of the A321LR and the A330neo within a single fleet provides operators a powerful lever to cover the needs of the medium- to long-haul market. With both newest-generation single-aisle (20% fuel burn reduction) and widebody aircraft (25% fuel burn reduction), airlines benefit from an unrivalled commonality for operations while passengers experience a higher and harmonised comfort standards.
“The A321LR is critical for TAP’s expansion plans. With its superior range we can comfortably explore markets in North America, South America and Africa from Portugal, and it’ll fit in seamlessly with our A330neos,” said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO, TAP Air Portugal. “In North America it allows us to explore markets on the East Coast, such as New York, Boston, Montreal or Washington. In Brazil the A321LR can open new markets in the Northeast and complement existing services to cities like Recife, Natal, Fortaleza or Salvador,” he added. “The aircraft are equipped with the latest-generation full flat business class and high comfort economy seats, a full suite of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and connectivity, as well as free messaging services”.
TAP’s A321LR will be operated on the Lisbon-Tel Aviv route at its entry into service.
“We applaud TAP Air Portugal for becoming the first airline to leverage the benefits of the A321LR and the A330neo in a common fleet. The A321LR and A330neo working in tandem have the middle market segment nicely covered. The ‘Airbus NEO Midsize Aircraft’ – let’s call them the ‘A-NMA’s,’ are a winning, seamless combination – unprecedented capacity and transatlantic range with single aisle cost with the A321LR, and unbeatable unit costs and flexibility for true long haul with the A330neo. Both with the most contemporary technology and cabin comfort in their class,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.
TAP currently operates an Airbus fleet of 75 aircraft comprising five A330neo, 13 A330ceo,4 A340s, and 45 A320 Family aircraft. The single-aisle fleet includes 21 A319ceo, 20 A320ceo, four A321ceo, two A320neo and six A321neo.
The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family, with over 6,500 orders by more than 100 customers. It delivers 30% fuel savings and nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous-generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000nm (7,400km) the A321LR is the unrivalled long-range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single aisle aircraft cabin.
The A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft building on the A330’s success and leveraging A350 XWB technology. It incorporates the highly-efficient new-generation engines, new wings and new sharklets derived from A350 XWB technology.
(Reuters) – Air Canada said on Tuesday it would delay the launch of certain seasonal flights this spring, as the carrier wrestles with the challenge of servicing routes previously flown by its grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Canada’s largest carrier said it would put off the launch of at least five seasonal routes, including delaying its Vancouver to Boston service to June 16 from June 1.
Montreal-based Air Canada said a previously-announced halting of flights from two Eastern Canadian cities to London’s Heathrow airport would now remain suspended until May 31.
Air Canada, which previously suspended its 2019 financial forecasts, has removed 24 MAX jets from its flight schedule until July 1, following grounding of the Boeing jets after two recent crashes involving the model.
The global grounding, following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight in March, has left U.S. and Canadian airlines with the logistical challenge of replacing the popular roughly 175-seat MAX on certain routes, at a time of rising passenger demand.
The Canadian carrier has been flying alternative planes or consolidating flights into larger jets that were previous flown more frequently on smaller aircraft.
Air Canada has also said it is speeding up the integration of four Airbus A321 aircraft it acquired in late December from Iceland’s cash-strapped WOW air.
Air Canada is “accommodating as best as they can,” said AltaCorp analyst Chris Murray. “At the same time, there is still some uncertainty about when the MAX grounding notice is going to be lifted.”
On Monday, Boeing said it planned to submit a proposed software enhancement package for the grounded 737 MAX in “the coming weeks” after the company had previously said it planned to deliver the fix for government approval by last week.
Anglo-German tour operator TUI said last week that its profit would fall by at least 200 million euros ($223.96 million) this year due to the cost of substituting for the MAX planes, along with loss of business and lower fuel efficiency from the replacement aircraft.
(Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Bill Berkrot)
FILE
PHOTO: Bikes by a bike rental service of Icelandic airline WOW air are
seen in Reykjavik, Iceland, August 5, 2017. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle/File
Photo
(Reuters)
– Iceland’s WOW air became the latest budget airline casualty on
Thursday, halting operations and cancelling all future flights after
efforts to raise more funds failed.
WOW,
which focussed on low-cost travel across the Atlantic, advised stranded
travellers to seek flights with other airlines. It flew a total of 3.5
million passengers last year.
“This
is probably the hardest thing I have ever done but the reality is that
we have run out of time and have unfortunately not been able to secure
the funding of the company,” WOW CEO and founder Skuli Mogensen wrote in
a letter to the company’s 1,000 employees.
“I will never be able to forgive myself for not taking action sooner,” he added.
WOW
had earlier postponed flights on Thursday as it entered what it had
hoped were the final stages of an equity raising with a group of
investors.
“My
flight from Boston has been cancelled. Having a hard time getting
through to anyone on the phone. Can you help me at all?” Twitter user
Marc Solari wrote.
WOW replied with an apology and offer of further assistance.
WOW
is the latest budget airline to collapse as the European airline sector
grapples with over-capacity and high fuel costs. Recent failures
include Britain’s Flybmi, Nordic budget airline Primera Air and Cypriot
counterpart Cobalt.
“RESCUE FARES”
Other
airlines including, Icelandair, Easyjet and Norwegian stepped in
offering discounted ‘rescue fares’ to stranded passengers, according to
the Icelandic Transport Authority
WOW has been pursuing different avenues to raise money over the past few months.
It
ended talks with rival Icelandair last Sunday while veteran low-cost
airline investor Bill Franke also had cancelled a proposed investment
through private equity fund Indigo Partners.
Icelandair shares traded up 13 percent percent at 1215 GMT after the failure of a competitor.
Founded
in 2011 by entrepreneur Mogensen, WOW used smaller single-aisle planes
to fly between Iceland and many destinations in the United States and
Europe.
Its
website had advertised flights from London to cities such as New York
and Boston for as little as 150 pounds, although the journey went via
the Icelandic capital Reykjavik.
Norwegian
Air has a little over half of the market share in the fast-growing,
low-cost, long-haul transatlantic market, while WOW controlled a quarter
in 2018.
There are fears of a knock-on effect on Iceland’s important tourism industry.
Around
30 percent of tourists visiting Iceland last year flew with WOW and the
collapse could trigger a 16 percent drop in tourists this year,
research from Icelandic bank Arion showed.
( By Stine Jacobsen and Tommy Lund; editing by Darren Schuettler/Keith Weir)
Barcelona, Spain – December 06, 2018: WOW Air Airbus A321 approaching to El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain.
