Qantas (QAN.AX) announced today it will add Broken Hill to its domestic route network for the first time, with the airline to begin direct flights from Sydney starting on April 8, 2022. The airline will operate two weekly round trip flights between Sydney and Broken Hill with its 50-seat Q300 aircraft.
QantasLink CEO John Gissing said the service will create stronger connections for the far west of New South Wales for both business and leisure travelers. Broken Hill Regional Council Mayor Tom Kennedy welcomed the announcement of the new Qantas services as they will provide the local community with additional choice and flexibility.
Broken Hill is the newest destination to join QantasLink’s extensive regional network, with the airline now operating flights to 57 regional and rural towns across Australia. With the inclusion, the Group has launched 52 new domestic routes, including many country destinations since the start of the global pandemic, as Australians seek new holiday adventures closer to home.
The flights will operate on a Monday and Friday to offer Broken Hill residents an easy long weekend in the city and allow visitors to make the most out of their outback exploration. Fares will start from $269 one-way, but to celebrate the new destination, Qantas is offering a special sale fare starting from $189 one-way, available for sale until 21 February, unless sold out prior.
FILE PHOTO: A Boeing 737 MAX aircraft is seen grounded at a storage area in an aerial photo at Boeing Field in Seattle
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration process for certifying new airplanes is not broken but needs to be improved, the chair of an international panel of air-safety regulators, tasked to review Boeing Co’s <BA> 737 Max, said on Friday.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event at a New York City college, Christopher Hart, chair of the multi-agency panel, said there was no need to question the agency’s overall way of certifying airplanes.
“The U.S. aviation system each day transports millions of people safely, so it’s not like we have to completely overhaul the entire system, it’s not broken. But these incidents have shown us that there are ways to improve the existing system,” Hart said, referring to fatal crashes of a Lion Air 737 MAX in Indonesia and an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX five months apart that killed a total of 346 people.
The MAX remains grounded and Boeing has not set when it will conduct a key certification test flight. Some in Congress and in aviation have criticized the FAA’s longstanding practice of delegating certification tasks to manufacturers.
Michael Perrone, who heads the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, said at a House hearing in July that external entities designated by the FAA “are now performing more than 90 percent of FAA’s certification activities despite serious concerns that oversight is lacking.”
Hart, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and a licensed pilot, heads the Joint Authorities Technical Review, a panel including air-safety regulators from the United States, Canada, China, Indonesia, European Union and Brazil.
Reuters reported on Sept. 17 the review’s recommendations will include citing regulations that need to be harmonized internationally and where communications can be improved at the FAA and among international regulators, citing a person briefed on the matter.
Hart on Friday said the panel would release its recommendations to the FAA “shortly,” but declined to provide more details on the timeline. He said the panel’s goal was not for all of its members to agree, but to provide a wide range of opinions and recommendations to the FAA.
Hart spoke to students the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Queens. Asked by a student whether passengers can be expected to fly again on a 737 MAX, Hart said he predicted people would “sooner or later forget” about the crashes and investigations.
“This will be the safest airplane out there by the time it has to go through all the hoops and hurdles,” he said.
He also was optimistic when asked whether the deadly crashes would spell the end for Boeing’s 737 MAX programme.
“It will be a cold day in hell before Southwest starts moving away from 737s because that’s all they got,” Hart said, referring to Southwest Airlines Co <LUV.N>, which has cancelled flights into January because of the MAX grounding.
A Southwest Airlines spokesman declined to comment directly on Hart’s comments but said the airline has “no plans to veer away from our all-737 fleet.”
(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Daily nonstop flights will connect Southern California and the Pacific Northwest to San Luis Obispo
SEATTLE, Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Airlines announced today it will launch daily nonstop service between San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport and San Diego International Airport on Jan. 7, 2020, and San Luis Obispo Regional Airport and Portland International Airport on June 18, 2020. The new destination offers travel enthusiasts from Southern California and the Pacific Northwest easier connectivity to California’s fastest growing wine and recreation region. Tickets are on sale now.
Alaska Airlines announces new service from San Luis Obispo
“We are excited to add nonstop service to San Diego and Portland, Oregon, from San Luis Obispo, furthering our commitment to California’s Central Coast,” said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “Whether visiting nearby Paso Robles to experience the renowned food and wine scene, cycling through hills and vistas, or enjoying our on-board West Coast-inspired food and beverage menu, Alaska guests can look forward to experiencing our award-winning service.”
“These new Alaska Airlines flights are the successful outcome of years of planning and coordination,” said Kevin Bumen, A.A.E., San Luis Obispo airport director. “With the help of our community partners, the county and the airport are excited to bring these new opportunities to our travelers, and to provide deeper connections into the Alaska Airlines network.”
Alaska will operate once daily nonstop service between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, and between San Luis Obispo and Portland, Oregon. Guests can begin booking travel today. The new routes further amplify Alaska’s commitment to the California market, building on recently-announced service additions linking San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego to destinations including Anchorage, Boise, Spokane and Redmond/Bend.
San Luis Obispo, well-known for its wine and food scene, is a key new market for the airline and underscores Alaska’s commitment to providing guests with bright flavors inspired by the West Coast. Alaska has a long-standing partnership with Broken Earth Winery, based in nearby Paso Robles, California, and currently serves noteworthy wine blends on all Main Cabin flights.
With Alaska’s much-loved Wine Flies Free program, wine aficionados can check a case of wine with no baggage fee, after visiting 31 West Coast cities, including San Luis Obispo. For sports enthusiasts looking to break a sweat while on vacation, Alaska’s sports equipment checked bag program is one to take advantage of.
To celebrate the start of service, Alaska and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport hosted a press conference and celebration today. During the event, the airport unveiled a specially commissioned chalk mural by local artist Rachel Hamann, of Dot + Cross Studio, who created the artwork over the past week. The mural, which encompasses the airport’s two-story parking elevator and is highly visible to all airport visitors, is a whimsical take on vintage airplane banners and features the Alaska logo and iconic aircraft tail.
Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 46 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United Statesand to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 12 consecutive years from 2008 to 2019. 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).
