Growing independent regional airline Via Airlines has abruptly ended all scheduled commercial flights with plans to revert back to its original business model of conducting charter operations. Known by its shortened name, ViaAir, the airline began flying in 1997, specializing in both public and private charter flights catered for corporations, casinos and sports teams.
The new Delta Sky Club is the latest investment Delta is making for Austin travelers.
Just in time for summer travel, the newest Delta Sky Club and first at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will open for business on May 21.
“Building on our unmatched operational excellence, award-winning customer service and the ability to easily connect to cities around the globe, the first Delta Sky Club at Austin will give business and leisure travelers yet another best-in-class offering to enjoy,” said Erik Snell, Delta’s Senior Vice President — Operations & Customer Center, who first shared the news of the new Club during a visit to the Austin Chamber of Commerce last year.
On the mezzanine level of the Barbara Jordan Terminal, this 9,000 sq. ft. Delta Sky Club conveniently located near the Delta gates features:
• Covered Sky Deck, an outdoor patio that can be enjoyed year-round. • Full-service bar that includes seasonal cocktails and wine, selected by Delta’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, which will be stored in a temperature-controlled custom glass tower, along with the Agave Experience — an extensive selection of tequila and mezcal that can be sampled in individual pours or tasting flights — on the premium bar menu. • Beer to try from around Texas, like Thirsty Planet Thirsty Goat, Hi Sign Violet the Blueberry Blonde and Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower, and rotating, seasonal food offerings inspired by the region, like handcrafted tacos and barbecue dishes. • Unique, eclectic interior style inspired by Austin with warm walnut surfaces, metal finishes and rich fabrics. • Select artwork from well-known and up-and-coming artists with connections to Texas. • Comfortable seating areas, high-speed Wi-Fi and power outlets at nearly every seat.
“We’ve put care into every detail — from the curated, local artwork to the Club design to the seasonal food and beverage offerings,” said Claude Roussel, Managing Director — Delta Sky Club. “We look forward to welcoming guests traveling through Austin — they will be wowed by the experience and incredible service.”
The new Delta Sky Club is the latest investment Delta is making for Austin travelers. Delta offers 28 peak-day departures with nonstop service to all of its U.S. hubs, including three daily flights to both Los Angeles and New York City, easily connecting customers to the airline’s global network of more than 300 destinations. Delta also offers nonstop daily service to other key Austin destinations including Boston and Raleigh. In addition, Delta has hosted a “festival shuttle” from Los Angeles to the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals for the past five years, offering a curated travel experience to tech and entertainment leaders traveling to Austin. And, the airline continues to invest in the local workforce, recently insourcing dozens of airport operations jobs.
As a part of a long-term effort to expand the award-winning Delta Sky Club experience across the network, later this year Delta will debut a new Club at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and several upgrades like more, comfortable seating and a completely redesigned food and bar experience at the John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4 Club. Salt Lake International Airport will also see a new, nearly 28,000-square-foot Club in 2020 and Los Angeles International Airport will see a new Club in 2021 — both of which will feature a Sky Deck and breath-taking views. Over the past several years, Delta also opened a new Club at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and a refreshed Club at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, along with a new award-winning flagship clubs at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Frontier Airlines announced on February 8th that it will continue its mission to deliver low fares nationwide with the addition of 35 new routes and four new cities with celebratory fares starting from $29.
Denver- Today low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines announced new service on 35 nonstop routes and added four new cities. All flights are available for purchase now at flyfrontier.com with introductory fares as low as $29* each way.
Albuquerque, N.M.
Austin, Tex.
Orlando, Fla.
Atlanta
Providence, R.I.
Austin
Albuquerque, N.M.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Charleston, S.C.
Detroit
Indianapolis
Jacksonville, Fla.
Milwaukee
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Omaha, Neb.
Portland, Ore.
Providence, R.I.
Reno, Nev.
Seattle
Tampa, Fla.
Birmingham, Ala.
Denver
Orlando
Philadelphia
Branson, Mo.
Denver
Buffalo, N.Y.
Austin
Raleigh Durham, N.C.
Charleston, S.C.
Austin
Trenton, N.J.
Denver
Branson, Mo.
Birmingham, Ala.
Myrtle Beach S.C.
Savannah/Hilton Head
Detroit
Austin
Houston
Raleigh-Durham
Indianapolis
Austin
Jacksonville, Fla.
Austin
Trenton, N.J.
Long Island, N.Y.
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
San Juan, P.R.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Austin, Texas
Raleigh-Durham
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Austin
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Denver
Long Island, N.Y.
Trenton, N.J.
New Orleans
Raleigh-Durham
Nashville, Tenn.
Trenton, N.J.
Omaha, Neb.
Austin
Orlando
Albuquerque, N.M.
Birmingham, Ala.
Portland
Austin
Philadelphia
Savanah, Ga.
Birmingham, Ala.
Providence, R.I.
Atlanta
Austin
Raleigh-Durham
Buffalo, N.Y.
Houston
Milwaukee
New Orleans
San Antonio
San Juan, P.R.
Reno, Nev.
Austin
San Antonio
Raleigh-Durham
San Juan, P.R.
Long Island, N.Y.
Raleigh-Durham
Savannah/Hilton Head
Denver
Philadelphia
Seattle
Austin
Tampa
Austin
Trenton, N.J.
Charleston, S.C.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Nashville
“This additional 35 routes is further evidence of Frontier’s commitment to deliver on our mission to make air travel more affordable and accessible to 90 percent of America,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial for Frontier Airlines. “We’re offering not only amazing low fares but a reliable and friendly service that allows customers to customize their travel experience to their needs and their budget. This empowers more people than ever to fly. This is what our Low Fares Done Right philosophy is all about.”
This announcement brings a number of notable milestones. Frontier moves to the top spot as largest carrier in Long Island, N.Y. in terms of destinations served (12). Moreover, the carrier moves will now be the second largest carrier in Austin (30), Denver (77), Raleigh-Durham (15), Jacksonville, Fla. (6), Philadelphia (27) and San Antonio (14) in a number of destinations served. Frontier will be the only airline serving Branson Airport. This announcement comes just a week after an announcement of nine additional routes that will also begin in April.
Frontier has added four new cities with this announcement and will begin offering Low Fares Done Right service this Spring to/from Birmingham, Ala.(April 11); Savannah/Hilton Head (May 1); Myrtle Beach, S.C. (May 20) and Branson, Mo.(June 13).
Frontier flies one the youngest fleet in the industry consisting of Airbus A320 Family jet aircraft. With nearly 200 more new aircraft on order, Frontier will continue to grow and modernize its fleet to deliver on the mission to provide affordable travel across America. By 2026, the company will be in a position to deliver Low Fares Done Right to more than 50 million passengers a year. Frontier’s young fleet also ensures that the company will continue to keep fares low and that customers will enjoy a pleasant and reliable experience flying with the airline.
Frontier is focused on offering customers real choice and the ability to customize their travel to their needs and budget. For example, customers can purchase travel options like bags and seat selections either a la carte or in one low-priced bundle called the WORKSsm. The Works bundle is considered one of the best values in the industry and offers customers full refundability, a carry-on bag, a checked bag, the best available seat (including exit rows and Stretch seating), waived change fees and priority boarding for as low as $59 each way.
Flying Frontier Airlines from Austin to Las Vegas Tuesday was my first experience on the US based low cost carrier. I had originally booked this trip on Southwest Airlines, but decided to use those funds for a future trip. The Frontier flight times were a better match for my schedule, and I had a free round trip ticket available from using my Frontier Airlines MasterCard. This trip was the first one I have taken where I was required to actually pay for a checked bag, or carry on. Since I had to pay one way or another for my luggage, I decided to just check the biggest bag I had at a cost of $30 each way. Add $12 each way for an assigned aisle seat and $11.20 in taxes, and my free ticket cost me a total of $95.20. When I arrived at the Frontier ticket counter at the Austin Bergstrom Airport, there was only 1 person in front of me. I was able to quickly get my baggage tagged, and then dropped it off at the security scanner. I then proceeded through the security line, which was the usual adventure. I got “massaged” by the security guy post body scanner, and my laptop got pulled aside and tested for explosives. Usually my wife is the one that gets the special treatment, but this time I guess it was my turn.
Flying Frontier Airlines experience
The Airbus A319 arrived at the gate on time, and we were able to board the aircraft in a timely manner. My first impression when I got to my assigned seat was what the heck? This was the cheapest airline seat I have ever seen in my life. It was paper thin, stiff, and non reclinable. The tray table was the size of an envelope, and barely capable of fitting a can of soda and a cup. It was a very uncomfortable 2 hour and forty minute flight, to say the least. I’m definitely not looking forward to my return flight. I do not think I will be Flying Frontier Airlines again anytime soon. If I do, I’ll be sure to pick the upgraded seat, even though those are located in the front 3 rows. My preference is to seat in the rear of the aircraft, even though I regret it when time to get off the plane.
HondaJet is scheduled to arrive in Austin today. Deliveries of the new private jet are now under way. A ceremony honoring the first HondaJet delivery of the executive light jet was held at Honda Aircrafts world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina last December. This followed HondaJet receiving its official type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. The company states that the HondaJet’s performance is the most efficient in its class. This is due to the planes revolutionary design, with the engines being mounted above the natural laminar flow wings and fuselage. The majority of the aircraft is built with lightweight composite materials instead of aluminum.
HondaJet teams with GE
The Honda aircraft build team joined forces with General Electric to make the HondaJet engines. Each engine is capable of producing a little over 2,000 pounds of thrust per foot. The aircrafts size is around 43 feet long (13 meters), with the wingspan coming in around 40 feet (12 meters), and a height of around 15 feet (4.50 meters). The interior cabin can be configured with up to seat up to six seats. The cabins structure of a honeycomb sandwich combination results in more cabin space, better performance, and greater fuel efficiency according to the HondaJet team. The aircraft is being manufactured at the Honda Aviation Headquarters facility in North Carolina. Honda is planning to focus its sales effort on the lower end of the light jet market in North America, South America and Europe. Honda has setup a dealer network in the target area, and pilot training and certification are currently underway at its headquarters facility. The $4.5 million aircraft has been referred to as the high performance sports car of the sky.
A CNBC story on the HondaJet’s development and launch can be viewed at the link posted below.
