Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today announced plans to expand its footprint in Chicago and Houston to give more travelers access to Southwest’s iconic Hospitality, low fares, and Customer-friendly policies.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport Work is underway to add new service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), alongside existing service from the carrier’s longtime Chicago home, Midway International Airport (MDW). Midway remains one of the busiest airports in Southwest’s network. Since first arriving in Chicago in 1985, Southwest has grown into one of the city’s largest employers with more than 4,800 Chicago-based Employees.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport As Southwest approaches a commemoration of 50 years of flying, the carrier intends to return to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), complementing its substantial operation at Houston Hobby (HOU). Intercontinental served as one of three airports where Southwest operated on its first day in operation, June 18, 1971. The carrier moved to Hobby Airport shortly thereafter though it operated service from both airports between 1980 and 2005. Southwest remains a key employer in the City of Houston, providing nearly 4,000 jobs.
“Southwest owes decades of success to our Employees and Customers who have supported our business in Chicago and Houston,” said Gary Kelly, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Southwest Airlines. “Today’s announcement furthers our commitment to both cities as we add service to share Southwest’s value and Hospitality with more leisure and business travelers.”
Service to both airports is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2021. Additional details, including schedules and fares, will be available soon.
Airline partners with G’Day USA for Red Cross relief efforts
FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines donated $100,000 to help Australia recover from devastating bush fires that have burned more than 27 million acres to date. The donation, which was made through the Australian diplomacy program G’Day USA, will benefit the Australia chapter of the Red Cross.
“We are all affected by the heartbreaking images of the wildfires in Australia,” said American Airlines President Robert Isom. “American is proud to do what we can to assist in the recovery.”
This year, G’Day USA brought awareness and raised funds to assist with the Australian bush fires. The event is typically a celebratory dinner that honors the special relationship between Australia and the United States.
American also activated the airline’s disaster response fundraising platform, where customers and team members can assist those in need. From now through Jan. 31, AAdvantage® members can earn 10 miles for every dollar donated to the Red Cross with a minimum $25 donation.
“One of the best things Americans can do to support our friends in Australia is keep their travel plans and make new ones,” Isom said. “The Australian economy relies on its tourism business and nearly all the popular sites in Australia are unaffected by the fires.”
You can make your donation to the Australian bush fire recovery efforts by visiting the Red Cross website.
*** BE SURE TO SELECT – “AUSTRALIA BRUSHFIRES” BELOW THE – “I WANT TO SUPPORT” QUERY TO ENSURE YOUR DONATION REACHES TO CORRECT RECIPIENT!!! ***
ATLANTA, Nov. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, began assigning pilots to its Embraer E175 aircraft base of operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, in advance of a January 1, 2020 open.
(PRNewsfoto/ExpressJet Airlines)
“Chicago’s size and central location makes it a highly desirable location for commuter pilots and locals alike,” said Scott Hall, Vice President of Flight Operations. “Opening the E175 crew base in Chicago is a natural outcome of ExpressJet’s growth trajectory.”
The E175 base will be in addition to ExpressJet’s existing ERJ145 pilot, flight attendant, and maintenance bases in Chicago. This is ExpressJet’s second E175 base, after the first base opened at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
About ExpressJet Airlines ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houstonand Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 100 aircraft, including the Embraer ERJ145 and 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and can choose the Aviate career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. ManaAir is majority-owned by KAir Enterprises and minority-owned by United Airlines. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.
Delta is launching its state-of-the-art Airbus A220 aircraft on new flights between New York’s JFK International Airport and Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport this October, with customers enjoying best-in-class service on two daily flights connecting two of the largest business markets in the U.S.
“Our new twice-daily flight to Houston on the finest narrowbody experience in the skies today marks another step in Delta’s ongoing investment to provide New York customers with the broadest network, most comfortable experience, and best products available,” said Chuck Imhof, V.P. — New York and Sales-East.
For Houston customers connecting through JFK, the new service will provide one-stop access to international destinations such as Lagos, Nigeria; Dakar, Senegal; Accra, Ghana; and Tel Aviv, Israel.
Service will begin on Oct. 27, 2019, and will operate on the following schedule:
IAH
Departs IAH at 11:58 a.m. and arrives JFK at 4:22 p.m.
Departs IAH at 6:22 p.m. and arrives JFK at 10:45 p.m.
JFK
Departs JFK at 8:00 a.m. and arrives IAH at 11:19 a.m.
Departs JFK at 2:55 p.m. and arrives IAH at 6:14 p.m.
Delta has grown its presence in New York City by over 65 percent in the last 10 years and today operates more than 520 peak-day departures from its hubs at LaGuardia and JFK. The airline is JFK’s No. 1 carrier, offering more than 240 peak daily departures to nearly 100 worldwide destinations. The airline first unveiled its $1.4 billion, state-of-the-art international gateway at JFK’s Terminal 4 in 2013. Delta also continues to make significant investments to provide more consistency, comfort and convenience in the travel experience throughout all cabins of service on its flights to and from New York.
Service to Houston from JFK complements the five daily flights Delta currently offers between Houston and Delta’s other New York hub at LaGuardia. Those flights also are operated on the A220, which features a modern and spacious interior, and an elevated, customer-friendly onboard experience including:
Thoughtful innovations like high-capacity overhead bins, extra-large windows and full-spectrum LED ambient lighting.
The widest Main Cabin seats in Delta’s entire fleet in a two-by-three layout, with personal power ports and complimentary premium entertainment on individual seat-back screens.
A new First Class seat design in a two-by-two layout, featuring the largest IFE screens of any Delta domestic First Class seat.
Delta’s A220 debuted in February to rave reviews; Business Insider called the A220 “an absolute triumph.” The airline plans to add a total of 95 A220s to its aircraft fleet over the next four years.
Delta Air Lines’ brand new A220 jet lands at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. (Photo by Chris Rank/Rank Studios 2018)
New York-JFK and Boston Service Begins at Bush Intercontinental October 27, 2019
Airline to Introduce Nonstop Service Between New York-JFK and San José, Costa Rica
JetBlue (JBLU) today announced that the airline’s operations in Houston will relocate from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) later this year. The final day of flying at Hobby Airport will be October 26, 2019 and the first day of flying at Bush Intercontinental will be October 27, 2019. JetBlue plans to operate from Bush Intercontinental’s Terminal A.
Recognizing the needs of today’s tech-savvy travelers, Bush Intercontinental is committed to providing customer-focused cutting-edge technology, like interactive visitor kiosks and fast, free Wi-Fi and plenty of outlets and charging stations through the terminal. Bush Intercontinental also features a variety of local food favorites like The Breakfast Club, Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar and The Hubcap Grill, all found in Terminal A.
JetBlue regularly evaluates network performance, demand and customer feedback to strengthen its focus city strategy. The move to Bush Intercontinental is aimed at strengthening JetBlue’s relevance in New York and Boston, while also growing the carrier’s customer base in Houston where travelers love the airline’s award-winning service and competitive fares to and from the Northeast.
Customers currently booked on JetBlue flights to and from Hobby Airport on or after October 27, 2019 will be automatically rebooked on flights to and from Bush Intercontinental. JetBlue Customer Support will contact travelers in the coming days to confirm the update to their reservations. Customers who wish to do so may also request a full refund on flights scheduled after the transition date.
Connecting Costa Rica with New York-JFK
JetBlue today also announced it will introduce new nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and San José, Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) beginning November 1, 2019 (a). Service will operate three times weekly on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays.
San José – Costa Rica’s capital and largest city – is home to more than 300,000 people and boasts museums, parks, cultural spots, as well as a variety of bars and restaurants. It also serves as a central jumping off point for travelers interested in hiking, visiting rain forests or exploring national parks.
New York-JFK service in San José will complement JetBlue’s daily service between Costa Rica’s capital and the airlines’ focus cities in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. Additionally, JetBlue also offers nonstop service, including seasonal Mint flights, to Liberia, Costa Rica from the airline’s home at New York-JFK. JetBlue first began serving Costa Rica with San José service more than a decade ago in March 2009.
JetBlue will operate both Houston and San José flights using its Airbus A320 aircraft offering the airline’s award-winning service featuring the most legroom in coach (a); free Fly-Fi, the fastest broadband internet in the sky (b); complimentary and unlimited name-brand snacks and soft drinks; free, live DIRECTV® programming and 100+ channels of SiriusXM® radio at every seat.
About JetBlue Airways
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 jetblue.com.
ATLANTA, June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, today began service with its newest aircraft type – the Embraer E175. The first flight, UA4042 departed Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
“For ExpressJet and its 3,000 aviation professionals, the Embraer E175 is more than a new, high-tech aircraft,” said Chairman and CEO Subodh Karnik. “It is a symbol of ExpressJet’s future as a growing and trusted United Express partner.”
ExpressJet is adding 25 new E175s to its fleet in 2019. To date, the airline has taken delivery of four E175’s, and will continue adding new aircraft throughout the year. Additionally, ExpressJet recently expanded its crew training capabilities with the addition of an E175 full-motion flight simulator and a cabin door trainer at its Houston Training Complex.
To support its rapid growth, ExpressJet has hired more than 350 new pilots since the start of the year and will double that number by year end. Pilots who sign on with ExpressJet can expect a quick selection process, an immediate class date, and to bid for flying within three months. Pilots interested in signing on with ExpressJet should apply at expressjet.com/pilots or on airlineapps.com.
About ExpressJet Airlines ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston and Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 110 Embraer E175, Embraer ERJ145 and Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft, with 25 new Embraer E175s being added in 2019. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and a career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. ManaAir is majority-owned by KAir Enterprises and minority-owned by United Airlines. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.
ATLANTA, May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, this week took delivery of its first of 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft in a handover ceremony at the Embraer factory and delivery center in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
“The delivery of our first E175 represents a significant milestone in ExpressJet’s growth as an exclusive United Express carrier,” said Chairman and CEO Subodh Karnik. “I want to express my gratitude to our partners at Embraer and United Airlines as well as to the ExpressJet employees who have worked tirelessly over the past six months to make this day a reality.”
ExpressJet will take delivery of new E175’s through the remainder of 2019. Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will serve as the airline’s first E175 base, with a second base location to be announced soon.
To support its E175 fleet growth, ExpressJet is hiring more than 600 new pilots in 2019. Pilots who sign on with ExpressJet can expect a quick selection process, an immediate class date, and to bid for flying within three months. Pilots interested in signing on with ExpressJet should apply at expressjet.com/pilots or airlineapps.com.
About ExpressJet Airlines ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston and Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 110 Embraer ERJ145 and Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft, with 25 new Embraer E175’s being added in 2019. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and a career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.
(Reuters)
– Two bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of an Amazon Prime
Air cargo plane that nosedived into a bay outside Houston on Saturday,
and a search was ongoing for a third victim, authorities said.
All
three people aboard the Boeing 767 cargo jetliner operated by Atlas Air
Worldwide died in the crash as it approached Houston’s George Bush
Intercontinental Airport, Atlas and Boeing Co said in statements on
Sunday.
Chambers
County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne told a news conference on Sunday that
two bodies had been recovered and the search continued for the third
person as well as the plane’s black boxes.
The
sheriff’s office released a video showing fragments of the aircraft and
cargo littering mudflats after the tide went out in the bay, exposing
more of the crash site.
U.S.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Robert Sumwalt
said the agency obtained about five seconds of security video from a
local jail that showed the crash.
“The
aircraft is in the video as it’s descending in a steep descent, a steep
nose down attitude,” Sumwault told the press briefing, adding that
there was no distress call.
Asked
by a reporter if the incident was “anything more than a plane crash,”
Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Perrye Turner said,
“that’s what we have right now.”
The
plane crashed at the north end of Trinity Bay near the small city of
Anahuac, about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of the airport around 12.40
p.m. (1340 EST) after taking off from Miami.
“This
is a sad time for all of us,” Bill Flynn, Atlas Air’s chief executive
officer, said in a statement. “Our team continues to work closely with
the NTSB, the FAA and local authorities on the ground in Houston.”
Atlas Air Worldwide has been operating Boeing 767 freighters on behalf of Amazon following a 2016 deal.
Boeing
said in a statement that it had sent a team to provide technical
assistance to the NTSB as it conducted its investigation.
(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Daniel Wallis & Simon Cameron-Moore)
NEW
YORK, Feb 23 (Reuters) – A Boeing 767 cargo jetliner with three people
on board crashed into a bay near Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental
Airport on Saturday, police and officials said.
Atlas
Air Flight 3591 was en route to Houston from Miami when radar and radio
contact with the plane was lost about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of the
airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
The
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be in charge of the
investigation, the statement said, and FAA investigators were on their
way to the crash site.
The
Chambers County Sheriff’s office said the plane had been located in
Jack’s Pocket, at the north end of Trinity Bay near the small city of
Anahuac, according to a Facebook post by the sheriff’s office.
Ed
Gonzalez, the sheriff of neighboring Harris County, which includes
Houston, said on Twitter his office was sending personnel to help with
the rescue efforts.
Boeing said on Twitter it was aware of reports of an accident involving a 767 in Texas and was gathering more information.
Atlas
Air said there were three people on board the aircraft. “Those people
and their family members are our top priority at this time,” the airline
said in a statement.
The
company, a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide has been operating Boeing
767 freighters on behalf of Amazon following a 2016 deal.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the flight crew, their families and friends along with the entire team at Atlas Air during this terrible tragedy,” Dave Clark, senior vice president of worldwide operations at Amazon, said in a statement.
(Reporting by Maria Caspani in New York Editing by Paul Simao)
CHICAGO
(Reuters) – United Continental Holdings is applying for six of 12 new
slots open to U.S. carriers at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport in a
push to increase daily nonstop flights to the Japanese capital ahead of
the 2020 Olympic Games and beyond.
Haneda
is located closer to downtown Tokyo than the capital’s other
international airport Narita, and flies to more destinations throughout
Japan, making it attractive for both business travelers and tourists.
Thursday
is the deadline for applications to the U.S. Department of
Transportation for the 12 extra Haneda slots that Japan has agreed to
allot to U.S. airlines.
The
extra slots for U.S. airlines were unlocked after Japan reached an
agreement with the U.S. Air Force to open up new flight paths around a
nearby U.S. air base, a move needed to boost Haneda movements in the
run-up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Completion
of an aviation agreement between the U.S. and Japanese governments is
expected later this year, United said. Flights are expected to begin
service by the summer of 2020, once the U.S. Department of
Transportation awards the slots.
U.S. carriers American Airlines Group, Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines are also expected to bid.
United
wants to fly to Haneda from its hubs at Newark Liberty, Chicago O’Hare,
Washington Dulles, Los Angeles International, Houston George Bush and
Guam. The flights from Newark, Los Angeles and Guam would be new routes
operated by Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, while the flights from the
other three hubs would be shifted from Narita.
Under
the proposal, United said it would connect to 37 destinations in Japan
from Haneda with its joint venture partner All Nippon Airways (ANA).
Industry
analysts say a recent sale of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to ANA may have
weighed in the decision to grant more flying rights for U.S. airlines
into Haneda, which airlines compete for aggressively due to the
airport’s proximity to the Japanese capital, a major center for global
commerce.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
A United Airlines plane with the Continental Airlines logo on its tail, sits at a gate at O’Hare International airport in Chicago October 1, 2010. REUTERS/Frank Polich/File Photo
