Tag: dallas (Page 5 of 6)

American Airlines Brings D-Day Veterans to France

June 4, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

World’s largest airline honors Greatest Generation 75 years after beach landings

FORT WORTH, Texas — Eight veterans of the D-Day invasion, which marked a major turning point in World War II, arrived in France on Monday and Tuesday aboard American Airlines flights from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Miami (MIA).

The airline hosted many of them and their guests at a luncheon Sunday at the CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. The event included a Color Guard flag presentation and a national anthem performance. After lunch, these esteemed members of the Greatest Generation traveled to Paris (CDG), where they were greeted with cheers, waving flags and a water cannon salute.

“These veterans fought so bravely to give us the freedom to fly that we have today,” said Philippe Serafino, General Manager at CDG for American Airlines. “Our team members in Paris are always looking for ways — big and small — to express their infinite gratitude to the individuals who fought to liberate France and serve the Allied cause during the war.”

In Paris, the group, which includes two veterans who haven’t been back to Normandy since the days following June 6, 1944, will join their fellow soldiers, sailors and airmen to observe reenactments of the invasion and participate in ceremonies commemorating their bravery and service to the nation and the world.

“I feel this will be closure for me because I had turned down going a long time ago,” said Jack Gutman, a U.S. Navy corpsman first class on D-Day. “Having my son with me to experience what I went through and for him to see it in a different light and understand what I went through is so important to me.”

“I’m overwhelmed and speechless,” added Carl Felton, a U.S. Navy petty officer first class on D-Day. “I couldn’t be more excited and more humbled with all of the praise that has been heaped upon us.”

The flights and luncheon are part of a larger initiative American is supporting alongside Let Freedom Ring, a nonprofit organization founded by D-Day veteran George Ciampa, who is on the trip. Four American team members are also volunteering their personal time to accompany the D-Day veterans in support of that organization.

“After serving 27 years and multiple deployments, I have a small sense of sacrifice these World War II veterans gave to this country,” said ORD-based First Officer John Gorse, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force who is on the trip. “Their service truly saved the world from the darkest of days. I’m sure the feeling they felt on that day 75 years ago will come rushing back and there is no way to describe that terror. They survived so we could survive as a nation.”

American Airlines Eliminates Some Oversized Bag Fees

May 21, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FORT WORTH, Texas — As the busy summer travel period quickly approaches, American Airlines has announced changes to its policies regarding oversize sports and music equipment. American is eliminating oversize bag fees for common sports and music equipment, effective for travel on or after May 21. The updated policies, which will be music to the ears of musicians who fly on American, will also ensure that customers can more easily pursue active and healthy lifestyles wherever their travels may take them, without having to pay additional oversize bag fees.

Customers can check common oversize sports and music equipment as standard baggage, up to the maximum allowed dimensions and within the weight requirements. Refer to the full policy for additional information.

What you should know

• Based on feedback from our customers and American team members, American is eliminating the charge for common oversize sports and music equipment — up to the maximum size we accept for these items. The change is effective for travel on or after May 21.
• American will accept these oversize items as a standard checked bag without an additional oversize charge.
• The checked oversize bag counts toward a customer’s normal baggage allowance. For example, customers traveling within the United States, who used to pay $150 to check one oversize item such as a surfboard, will now pay $30 — the cost of a standard first bag — if the weight is less than 50 lbs. Customers traveling with skis or a snowboard will now be able to check in an equipment bag with the skis or snowboard as one bag (up to 50 lbs./62 in.).
• Due to special handling requirements, oversize items such as antlers, hang gliders, scuba tanks and kite/windsurfing items will continue to incur a flat $150 fee.
• Additional allowances/restrictions may apply based on destination, class of service, elite status, active U.S. military members or AAdvantage® cardmembers (on domestic American-operated itineraries). For more information, visit aa.com/checkedbags.

About American Airlines Group

American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members serve more than 1,000 destinations with about 14,250 daily flights to over 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index.

DFW Airport and American Airlines Announce Sixth Terminal

May 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

American Airlines planes stand at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Grapevine, Texas, on April 6, 2018. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Patrick T. Fallon.

Terminal F projected to open as soon as 2025, Terminal C to be upgraded

DFW AIRPORT, Texas — Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport and American Airlines have announced plans to develop a sixth terminal, providing a long-term commitment from the airline and opportunities for businesses and customers in the fastest growing region in the United States.

The plans call for DFW to invest up to $3 to $3.5 billion in terminal improvements, including the construction of Terminal F and enhancements to Terminal C. The identified site south of Terminal D provides significant flexibility for phasing in the number of gates for Terminal F, with a long-term projection of up to 24 gates, as demand for additional facilities is warranted.

Design work for Terminal F will begin immediately. DFW and American will explore several different options for the layout of the Terminal F site. DFW and American expect the details to be finalized as part of a new airlines lease agreement for DFW that is being negotiated. DFW and American anticipate the investment to be financed by bonds and repaid through airlines rates and charges over the life of the bonds.

“Today’s announcement sets the stage for DFW Airport’s next 50 years,” said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW Airport. “The new Terminal F and the expansion that could follow will provide the region with the growth it needs to compete with international business centers. The Airport is growing faster than ever, and it needs to keep pace with the Dallas-Fort Worth economy to provide jobs and connections for businesses and families. We’re grateful to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Board Chairman Bill Meadows for their leadership. I want to especially recognize American for its commitment to DFW Airport. We look forward to working together to deliver what will be an efficient, modern terminal with a state-of-the-art customer experience.”
“This is an exciting day for American and our more than 31,000 team members who call Dallas-Fort Worth home. American enjoys a wonderful relationship with the City of Fort Worth, the City of Dallas and DFW Airport, and we thank Mayor Price, Mayor Rawlings, and Sean and the entire DFW team for being such great partners. DFW is American’s largest hub and a central gateway to our extensive international and domestic network. The plans we’re announcing today will allow for the continued growth of DFW and ensure the airport remains a premier gateway for American for many more years to come.”
— Doug Parker, American Airlines Chairman and CEO

“We look forward to accommodating the continued growth of our city and the region through infrastructure improvements and expansion at DFW Airport,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “We’re glad to see DFW’s anchor carrier, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, collaborate with the Airport to take this area to new heights. This new terminal will further fuel economic development and job growth in our region.”

“This is one of the most significant announcements in my eight years as mayor,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “The fact that American Airlines believes in the DFW International Airport Board and management enough to make this tremendous investment in the future of the Airport is something we should all celebrate. This will further solidify DFW’s standing as one of the best international airports in the world.”

The design of Terminal F is expected to accommodate a changing aviation industry as DFW utilizes innovative technologies to facilitate the movement of customers, maintain cost efficiencies for airlines and improve operational performance.

Terminal C is one of the Airport’s original terminals and opened in 1974. DFW and American plan to significantly improve the customer experience at Terminal C, bringing it in line with Terminals A, B and E, on which renovations were completed in 2018. Those renovations included redesigned check-in areas, larger security checkpoints, expanded concessions spaces, and improved lighting and flooring.

DFW Airport welcomed a record 69 million customers in 2018, and the Airport anticipates more passengers and air service to be added in the next two years than in the past two decades. In 2018, DFW announced 28 new destinations, giving it a larger domestic footprint than any other U.S. airport. Customers also have access to more than 60 international destinations from DFW, with double the number of European destinations and frequencies since 2015.

Over the past several years, American has expanded with additional DFW service, and by June 2019, the airline will operate more than 900 daily flights from the Airport. In total, customers have access to more than 230 nonstop destinations on American from DFW.

A 2015 economic impact study indicates DFW Airport contributes more than $37 billion to the Dallas-Fort Worth economy, with nearly 60,000 jobs at the Airport and more than 228,000 jobs created across the region. In 2018, DFW Airport awarded more than $150 million in contracts to small, women- and minority-owned businesses, and concessions agreements generated more than $155 million in revenues for disadvantaged businesses.

Media assets available at: https://dfw.to/SoTA

EL AL & Alaska Airlines Expand Global Partnership

May 13, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

With the inaugural EL AL flight between Tel Aviv and San Francisco, EL AL and Alaska Airlines signed an expanded global partnership allowing their members to more easily connect and earn miles.

TEL AVIV, Israel and SEATTLE, May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — EL AL Israel Airlines and Alaska Airlines today expanded their commercial relationship to include a reciprocal frequent flyer agreement. The agreement was signed by the CEOs of each airline at a ceremony soon after the arrival of the first EL AL flight from Tel Aviv to San Francisco and was attended by San Francisco Bay Area dignitaries and civic leaders. This agreement is in addition to the codeshare agreement that recently came into effect between the airlines allowing EL AL to place its “LY” code on various Alaska Airlines “AS” flights in the U.S.

The codeshare agreement which has been available for sale as of April 28th for flights as of May 5th includes flights from Newark, Los Angeles and now San Francisco onto a host of Alaska Airlines flights. From San Francisco, EL AL will place its code on flights to Seattle; San Diego; Portland, Oregon; Honolulu; Los Angeles; Palm Springs, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Austin, Texas; Dallas (DAL); Santa Ana, California, Everett, Washington, Kansas City, Missouri; Salt Lake City; Kona, Hawaii and Las Vegas. Upon regulatory approval, will also include flights to various points in Mexico.

With the EL AL and Alaska Airlines partnership, customers will be able to continue their journey to and from North America and Israel with connections on both airlines, in either direction. Both airlines will offer the opportunity for their members to earn miles while flying with the partner airline. Base miles flown on EL AL will also count toward elite status in Alaska’s Mileage Plan program. Additionally, EL AL travelers will be able to redeem their EL AL Matmid miles to book on Alaska flights in the future.

“This is truly a historic day for EL AL,” said EL AL CEO Gonen Usishkin. “Aside from the fact that EL AL is linking the two high-tech centers with the new three times weekly flights, we are providing the full options for our customers with the codeshare and frequent flyer agreements with Alaska Airlines,” he emphasized. “Alaska Airlines was instrumental in helping bring Jews to Israel in the early years of the state, helping to build our country and now as we celebrate 70 years of those historic flights, continue to be a key player along with EL AL in building the bridges between America and Israel.”

“Alaska Airlines and EL AL will now offer more opportunities than ever before for travelers to fly nonstop between the West Coast and Tel Aviv. Through our partnership, both EL AL and Alaska Airlines offer frequent flyer benefits to our guests while sharing the genuine, caring service that is at the heart of both of our airlines,” said Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines offers an option to go global differently with hand-picked partners, and Mileage Plan miles can be used at home with Alaska or with Alaska Global Partners. With the EL AL partnership, Alaska Airlines’ international connectivity out of SFO is stronger than ever; by June 2019, Alaska’s Global Partners will offer more than 80 flights per week out of San Francisco.

The EL AL flights will operate three times weekly flying a state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner, offering Business, Premium and Economy service. The flights from Tel Aviv will depart on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 0105 and arrive in San Francisco on the same day at 0600 for a flight time just under 15 hours. The flights from San Francisco to Tel Aviv will operate on Monday and Wednesday departing at 2000 for arrival the next day at 1940 and on Saturday night with a 2245 departure arriving in Tel Aviv at 2225 the next day for a flying time of just over 13 and a half hours.

About EL AL Israel Airlines

EL AL Israel Airlines, Israel’s national airline, established in 1948, offers more nonstop flights than any other airline to/from Israel. EL AL currently flies to 36 destinations from Israel, serves hundreds of other destinations throughout the world via codeshare, and interline partnerships. EL AL offers a full Boeing fleet and began renewing its fleet as of September 2017 with the arrival of the first of its sixteen 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Soon to be new routes will include Las Vegas, Chicago and Orlando (summer seasonal flights only) in the USA. In 2017 EL AL flew over 5.6 million passengers. EL AL embodies Israel’s values of innovation and caring and is known for its genuine Israeli hospitality. Learn more about EL AL at: www.elal.com.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years from 2008 to 2018. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (ALK).

Austin FC Begin MLS Play in 2021 as league’s 27th club

January 16, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Austin FC is set to begin play in MLS in 2021 as the league’s 27th club, commissioner Don Garber announced Tuesday. The club will become the city’s first team in a major professional sports league.

The announcement was made at Rustic Tap in Austin’s West Sixth district, with Garber alongside Austin FC chairman/CEO Anthony Precourt and Austin mayor Steve Adler. The club will soon build a privately funded, $225 million soccer stadium at McKalla Place. Groundbreaking will begin this year on the 20,000-seat stadium, which planned to be completed in time for the club’s first match.

“Austin is a thriving metropolitan city – the personification of what we mean when we say MLS is a ‘League for a new America,’” Garber said in a league release. “We are extremely proud to be the first major professional sports league to become part of the culture of this historic American city. In their support of a world-class soccer stadium that benefits everyone, the leadership of the City of Austin has shown tremendous faith in our league and game, and Anthony Precourt has paved the way for Austin FC to have great success on and off the field. To the people of Austin and the surrounding community, welcome to Major League Soccer.”

Austin FC will become the third MLS club in Texas, joining FC Dallas and the Houston Dynamo. Austin is the country’s 11th largest city and was selected by U.S. News and World Report in each of the last two years as the No. 1 place in the nation to live.

“This is a very proud moment for Precourt Sports Ventures, and we share it with the people of Austin, City leadership, the dedicated soccer fans of the region, and everyone who believed in our mission to bring Major League Soccer to this incredible community,” Precourt said. “The greatest way we can show our gratitude is in our actions as leaders of Austin FC. Our pledge is to build three essential pillars: a team that will be a perennial contender for MLS Cup, a stadium at McKalla Place that rivals the best sporting venues in North America, and a club that will bring people together and always give back.”

Said Mayor Adler: “This is a historic day for Austin, as MLS becomes the first major league to plant roots in our beautiful city. We believe professional soccer will bring a great and especially needed benefit to our city. In two years, this team and an elite soccer stadium will bring together all kinds of people from all over Austin in a way that we do not gather today. This is one important way we become a more socially integrated community. Thank you to Precourt Sports Ventures and MLS for bringing this opportunity to all the residents of Austin!”

Story and image from http://www.mlssoccer.com

Remembering Southwest Airlines Co-Founder Herb Kelleher

January 7, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

(Reuters) – Herb Kelleher, who co-founded pioneering low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines Co and built it into an industry powerhouse stamped with his colorful, unconventional personality, died on Thursday at age 87, the U.S. carrier said.

Kelleher set up Southwest with Rollin King more than 50 years ago, with the airline making its first flight in June 1971. King died in 2014, aged 83.

Dallas-based Southwest is known for its quirky culture, closely connected with Kelleher’s maverick image, as well as its fast growth from a regional carrier into one of the biggest in the United States.

The airline flew short flights known as point-to-point, rather than the hub-and-spoke model of its bigger rivals, and used a single model of aircraft, Boeing Co’s 737, to cut complexity and cost.

Kelleher was “Grand Master Yoda of low fares airlines,” the chief executive of Europe’s largest low-cost carrier Ryanair said in a Twitter post on Friday.

“He was the leader, the visionary and the teacher: without Herb there would be no Ryanair and no low fares airlines anywhere,” said Michael O’Leary, who spearheaded the transformation of European air travel after a visit to Southwest in 1992.

Southwest’s cabin crews have become known for their good humor – a legacy of Kelleher, memorialized in a “laugh button” that visitors could press inside the company’s headquarters to hear his famous cackle.

Kelleher won the affection of customers and employees with low fares, good wages and his own high spirits. He sought to instill a sense of fun among employees, sometimes showing up in costume or helping unload baggage.

“A company is stronger if it is bound by love rather than by fear,” he was once quoted as saying.

Kelleher was also known for his fondness for smoking and bourbon.

John Plueger, chief executive of Air Lease Corp, said on Thursday that when he first met Kelleher more than 30 years ago, Kelleher was about to deliver a speech at a New York hotel. “The manager asked that he refrain from smoking. Herb looked up, smiled, and said: ‘No smokey, No talkey.’”

Kelleher was a formidable industry competitor as well.

“There aren’t a whole lot of individuals who you can point to that single-handedly contributed to building a demonstrable portion of the modern economy. Herb Kelleher was one,” tweeted Jon Ostrower, an independent aviation commentator and editor of TheAirCurrent.com.

“His model spawned the global democratization of the affordable movement of humanity by air.”

‘I LIKE TO WIN’

The New Jersey-born Kelleher served as Southwest’s executive chairman for 30 years until 2008 and was chief executive from September 1981 to June 2001.

Kelleher was long a towering figure in the U.S. airline industry along with Bob Crandall, his rival at American Airlines and polar opposite in style. The two built different business models and competed fiercely but with mutual respect.

“It was very hot competition and I like to win,” Kelleher told NPR in a 2016 podcast. Crandall, captured in a YouTube video, once serenaded Kelleher with a version of “My Way,” the song popularized by Frank Sinatra.

Steven Udvar-Hazy, executive chairman of Air Lease and a pioneer of the aircraft leasing industry, whose expansion coincided with the rise of budget carriers, paid tribute to Kelleher as “the builder of the world’s most successful low fare airline.””Herb: a final Wild Turkey Bourbon toast from all of your closest friends,” he added.

(Reporting by Manogna Maddipatla and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru, Tim Hepher in Paris, Conor Humphries in Dublin and Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Peter Cooney)

American Airlines Donates $50,000 to Pittsburgh Community

October 30, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines is donating $25,000 to the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and $25,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Our Victims of Terror Fund to support the community in the wake of Saturday’s shooting.

“We were devastated to learn about the senseless act of violence this weekend at the Tree of Life Synagogue,” said Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. “American has been serving the Pennsylvania community for nearly 80 years, and we want to do our part to ensure members of the synagogue and affected Pittsburghers have access to the resources they need to care for those impacted.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is the heart of Jewish Pittsburgh — the central fundraising, planning and organizing body of the Jewish community. It is committed to creating a thriving, vibrant, and engaged Jewish Community in Pittsburgh, in Israel, and around the world. Funds collected for Our Victims of Terror are ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍earmarked for psychological services, support for families, general services, reconstruction, additional security throughout the community, and medical bills for all those involved, as well as counseling and other services that may prove necessary in the future. In the Jewish Federation’s emergency campaigns such as this, 100 percent of the money raised will go directly to the cause.

“Despite this terrible tragedy, the outpouring of support from around the world has been truly heartwarming,” said Adam Hertzman, Director of Marketing for the Jewish Federation. “We are so grateful to American Airlines for joining so many people and organizations in reaching out to help the Pittsburgh community in our time of greatest need.”

American is committed to inclusion in the communities where we live and work, as well as nationally and globally. The airline began working with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in 2017 to fight hate, bias, and bigotry and build respect, understanding, and unity. ADL and American share the goals of creating safe and inclusive communities where being different is not a liability, and diversity is a cherished strength.

The company also supports the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance. Founded in 1984, the museum is dedicated to teaching the history of the Holocaust and advancing human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference.

American’s roots in Pennsylvania go back to 1939, when predecessor airline All American Airlines began operating in many small western Pennsylvania communities. Today, American proudly employs nearly 10,000 team members in Pennsylvania and operates 504 daily departures from eight cities across the state, 47 of which are from Pittsburgh.

About American Airlines Group
American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members serve more than 1,000 destinations with about 14,250 daily flights to over 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index.

Image from pittsburghpa.gov

Southwest Balks At American Airlines New Idea For Cuba Routes

October 16, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Southwest ripped American’s proposed rule change that would alter how U.S. airlines handle their routes to Cuba, calling the idea “unprecedented” in an Oct. 10 regulatory filing.

The U.S. opened up the Cuban market a few years ago and allowed airlines to apply for routes. Only 20 daily routes to Havana were allocated to U.S. airlines.

Both American Airlines Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) and Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) were granted routes. When an airline is awarded a route, it’s tied to that specific city. So, an airline can’t shift its route allocations to different U.S. cities to match demand.

Click the link below for the full story!

Southwest balks at American Airlines

Sun Country Airlines Starts Rapid Expansion

October 3, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Sun Country Airlines has started on its rapid expansion plan following its acquisition by funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYSE: APO), which was announced last December. It’s starting flights to Florida out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport this week to both Fort Myers, beginning today, and to Tampa, beginning this Friday. Fares on both of these routes are starting out for as little as $39 and $49, each way. Sun Country has been operating out of the DFW Airport to Minneapolis/St. Paul since 2000. The airline also added DFW to Las Vegas flights earlier this year, in addition to its route to Cancun. Flights from dallas to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, will begin this November.

However, there’s much more to Sun Country’s expansion than just Dallas!

For a complete list of all of Sun Country Airlines route expansions and other news, please click on the link below!

Sun Country Airline News

Bell Announces Partner For Its Urban Air Taxi

June 20, 2018 / WIL BALDWIN

Fort Worth-based Bell partnered with French aerospace giant Safran to help manufacture its vertical take-off and landing aircraft concept, the companies announced Tuesday.

The concept, called VTOL for short, is Bell’s attempt to gain entry into the air taxi space. More than a year ago, Bell announced it was partnering with Uber Technologies Inc. to bring the air taxi idea to life. The Uber Elevate ride-hailing service is scheduled to debut in Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Dubai in 2020 and Bell is one of a handful of companies working with Uber to make the air taxis.

Click the link below for the full story!

Bell Uber Air Taxi

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