29 May 2017

USA Aviation Industry Newsletter 29 May

Air Namibia granted right to fly into US Air Namibia has just joined the virtually elite club of a few African national airlines approved to carry passengers in and out of the United States of America (USA), a privilege thus far enjoyed by only South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Air, Moroccan Royal Air Maroc and Cape Verde’s TACV airline. Frontier Airlines  Arrives at Rhode Island Airport The Rhode Island Airport Corp., which operates T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, announced that Denver-based Frontier Airlines will start offering flights to Denver and Orlando starting in August. Frontier charges low fares but relatively more in fees than many larger airlines. Other domestic airlines that already serve the airport include American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United. The airport has also been expanding its international flights. Netspend and United Airlines Launch MileagePlus GO Visa Prepaid Card in U.S. Prepaid card provider Netspend and United Airlines announced the launch of the MileagePlus GO Visa Prepaid Card, the first prepaid card program in the U.S. offering a consumer the opportunity to directly earn miles for qualifying purchases made with a prepaid card. Netspend and United Airlines Launch MileagePlus GO Visa Prepaid Card in U.S. The card will be available summer 2017 and will reward cardholder spending with award miles that can be redeemed through United’s MileagePlus loyalty program, consistently voted the world’s Best Frequent Flyer Program by Global Traveler magazine. Southwest Airlines Cargo Announces New Director Of Cargo Sales Southwest Airlines announced Steve Langhart has been promoted to Director of Cargo Sales.  Langhart will be responsible for leading the Cargo Sales Team, including field, national, and inside sales, as well as all business development efforts. Southwest Airlines completes transition to Amadeus Altéa Southwest Airlines and Amadeus IT Group jointly announced the carrier’s transition to the Amadeus Altéa Passenger Service System (PSS). At 101 airports across nine countries, all Southwest® domestic and international flights and beyond will be managed through Altéa functionality, giving the carrier more flexibility to improve the Customer Experience and enhance revenue performance Spirit Airlines opens $32 million hangar at Detroit airport Spirit Airlines opened a $32 million maintenance hangar at Detroit Metropolitan Airport has opened as part of efforts to ensure safety among Spirit Airlines' fleet. The hangar can hold three of the airline's largest aircraft, but it will primarily be used for overnight maintenance and repairs. Trump's budget calls for US air traffic control privatisation US President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 budget proposal calls for privatising US air traffic control starting in 2021, a move that has been advocated by the bulk of the US commercial aviation industry. The proposal, released by the White House on 23 May, would move ATC out of the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration, placing it under a "non-profit, non-governmental entity". US Airline Employees Rally For Open Skies The Partnership For Open & Fair Skies erves as the lobby group for American, Delta and United airlines, as well as several aviation unions and organizations. Continuing their fight against the three major Middle East Gulf carriers, the Partnership alleges Emirates, Etihad and Qatar airlines have taken more than $50 billion in government subsidies, thereby violating the Open Skies Agreements. The group has organized a campaign in which airline employees sent more than 60,000 emails, tweets and letters to President Trump, asking him to stop the alleged cheating and enforce the Open Skies Agreements. Acumen Aviation © 29 May All Rights Reserved.