03 Apr 2018

USA Aviation Industry Newsletter 3 April

Alaska Airlines and Aer Lingus team up to give Mileage Plan members more flights to Europe Alaska Airlines and Aer Lingus announced a broad partnership that will provide Mileage Plan members more ways to earn and redeem miles to Europe. The carriers will begin interline availability across their respective networks starting in April. Alaska Mileage Plan members will be able to earn and redeem miles on Aer Lingus flights and Aer Lingus AerClub members will also be able to earn and redeem miles on Alaska, starting at a later date. American Airlines Adds New Service to Destinations in Mexico and South America American Airlines has a rich and robust history serving Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America (MCLA). And American is continuing to grow its presence in the region with the addition of four new destinations. Next winter, customers looking for history, culture and warm climate will have access to three new cities in South America: Georgetown, Guyana (GEO); Pereira, Colombia (PEI) and Cordoba, Argentina (COR); and one new city in Mexico: Oaxaca (OAX). American is also introducing service to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE), from its West Coast hub at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), making American the first and only airline to offer nonstop service between these two major cities. Boeing Delivers First 737 MAX for SCAT Airlines Boeing and SCAT Airlines celebrated the delivery of the Kazakhstan carrier’s first 737 MAX 8 aircraft on 29 March, one of six that the airline will operate as it expands its fleet and service. SCAT will be the first in Central Asia to fly the MAX. Delta and Korean Air to launch world-class joint venture partnership Delta Air Lines and Korean Air will launch a new joint venture partnership that will offer customers world-class travel benefits across one of the most comprehensive route networks in the trans-Pacific market. The joint venture has now been approved by regulatory authorities in the U.S. and Korea, including the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Lion Group finalizes $5.5 billion U.S. LEAP-1A engine order At a special signing ceremony 29 March Transportation Partners, the leasing arm of Lion Group, and CFM International finalized an order for 380 LEAP-1A engines to power Airbus A320neo/A321neo aircraft. The final engine order, which is valued at $5.5 billion U.S. at list price was originally announced in February 2016, while the aircraft order was announced in March 2013. The Lion Group has also ordered 544 LEAP-1B engines to power its Boeing 737 MAX 8, MAX 9, and MAX 10 aircraft, of which 10 are currently in service with Lion Air. With a fleet of 924 LEAP engines at a total value of $13.4 billion U.S. at list price in service or on order, Lion Group is the largest LEAP engine customer in the world. United and Mesa Airlines Receive Tentative Approval to Increase to Daily Service Between Houston and Havana The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) 30 March tentatively awarded United Airlines and Mesa Airlines authority to begin offering daily nonstop service between Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Havana's José Martí International Airport. Subject to final government approval, United will expand from Saturday-only service to daily service. U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes New Scheduled Services to Havana The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) 1 April proposed to award new scheduled U.S. carrier flights to Havana. The awards became possible when several U.S. carriers previously awarded Havana authority chose to return their awards. DOT’s order is now open for public comment by interested parties. DOT asked carriers that applied in the case to rank their proposals, and DOT is tentatively awarding each passenger carrier applicant’s first-ranked choice for an award as follows: American Airlines from Miami, once daily Delta Air Lines from Miami, once daily JetBlue Airways from Fort Lauderdale, 6 times weekly (Sunday-Friday) JetBlue Airways from Boston, 1 time weekly (Saturday) Southwest Airlines from Fort Lauderdale, once daily Acumen Aviation © 3 April 2018 All Rights Reserved.