British Airways and JetBlue Plan Codeshare Agreement

JetBlue and British Airways are planning an extensive codeshare network, marking the establishment of a new partnership between the two carriers.

Andrew Chen

Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 08:22 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A British Airways Airbus A380. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

JetBlue and British Airways are planning an extensive codeshare network, marking the establishment of a new partnership between the two carriers. The two airlines have outlined their plans to codeshare on nearly a hundred routes in a joint filing with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT).

JetBlue and British Airways’ Extensive US Codeshare Plans

In their application to the DOT, British Airways and JetBlue have stated their intention to begin codeshare operations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. British Airways will place its designator code on certain JetBlue flights within the United States and JetBlue will do the same on select British Airways flights in Europe.

The airlines plan to codeshare on 39 routes from New York City. JetBlue has a base at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), as well as a small network out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Meanwhile, British Airways flies to both airports from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and serves JFK from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) as well. As the application lists the planned routes using the “NYC” code, it is not clear at this time whether JetBlue’s Newark routes will be included in the codeshare agreement.

The New York routes in the planned JetBlue-British Airways codeshare agreement (Map generated by the Great Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.)

JetBlue also has an extensive network from its base at Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS). In addition to the New York routes, the two carriers also plan to codeshare on 36 routes out of Boston.

The Boston routes in the planned JetBlue-British Airways codeshare agreement (Map generated by the Great Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.)

British Airways directly serves several of the planned JetBlue codeshare destinations, but the new agreement opens the door to more connecting options and additional traffic for the carrier’s transatlantic flights. The airline is also part of a transatlantic joint venture with American Airlines – along with Aer Lingus, Finnair, Iberia, and LEVEL – and codeshares extensively with its oneworld alliance partner.

Planned Codeshare Routes in Europe

On the other side of the Atlantic, the two airlines plan to codeshare on 16 British Airways routes from London. JetBlue serves both London Heathrow and London Gatwick, but most of the listed British Airways routes are only served out of London Heathrow.

The London routes in the planned JetBlue-British Airways codeshare agreement (Map generated by the Great Circle Mapper – copyright © Karl L. Swartz.)

JetBlue is likely anticipating that these routes will boost the performance of its transatlantic routes by bringing in passengers who are connecting to destinations beyond London. The airline recently reduced its European schedule for the upcoming winter season – suspending service on its New York–JFK and Boston to London Gatwick routes and reducing frequency on its New York–JFK to Paris route – citing route underperformance.

IMG_1956-2 — A jetBlue A321 departs while another one lands at New York’s JFK Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Mateen Kontoravdis)

Andrew Chen

Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.

JSX Adds New Dallas Route, Pauses Austin Flights

JSX is shaking up its route network in Texas. The so-called semi-private operator plans to add a new route from its Dallas base.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 05:08 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A JSX Embraer E-145 on the FBO ramp at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Mateen Kontoravdis)

JSX is shaking up its route network in Texas. The so-called semi-private operator plans to add a new route from its Dallas base while also scaling back operations farther south in Austin.

Beginning on Oct. 3, 2024, the carrier plans to begin flights from Dallas Love Field to Scottsdale/Phoenix with four times per week service. On this route, JSX says it plans to offer one-stop service to Orange County, Calif.

Back in January 2024, JSX relocated its Phoenix area operations to Scottsdale Airport from Phoenix Sky Harbor. The move was intended to “ better match its service to its customers’ needs.”

Austin Pause

While the carrier’s north Texas operations see growth, JSX has removed Austin from its route map. In December 2023, the carrier moved its operations from Austin Bergstrom Airport to Austin Executive.

JSX’s route map as of May 22, 2024 (Photo: JSX)

The carrier scaled down its operations in Austin late last year with only one route remaining to the resort town of Taos, N.M. Flights previously operated four times per week on a seasonal basis.

The company has not yet added the flight to its online booking tool for the upcoming winter season. A spokesperson from JSX told AirlineGeeks that the company has no immediate updates on its Austin operations at this time.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

U.S.-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement Signed After 24-Year Wait

The long-awaited U.S.-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement has finally come into force on May 13, 2024, marking a milestone in the bilateral relationship.

Victor Shalton

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 08:32 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A United Boeing 767 departs Washington Dulles International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Noah Escobar)

The long-awaited U.S.-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement has finally come into force on May 13, 2024, marking a milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two nations.

After being provisionally applied since 2000, the agreement now solidifies a modern civil aviation partnership, aligning with U.S. Open Skies international aviation policy and emphasizing stringent safety and security standards.

According to the press release published on May 16, 2024 by the U.S. Department of State, the agreement includes provisions for unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, a liberal charter regime, and open code-sharing opportunities.

“This agreement with Nigeria is a step forward in liberalizing the international civil aviation sector in Africa and further expands our strong economic and commercial partnership, promotes people-to-people ties, and creates new opportunities for airlines, travel companies, and customers. With this agreement, air carriers can provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air services to travelers and shippers, which in turn promotes tourism and commerce,” reads the statement.

“This development is a significant step toward liberalizing the international civil aviation sector in Africa and further strengthening economic and commercial ties between the United States and Nigeria,” the statement said. “It also promotes tourism and commerce by enabling air carriers to provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air services to travelers and shippers.”

Air Peace Planning to Serve New York

This comes as Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline, received approval to launch flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The approval, granted on February 9 by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), follows a request made on January 12.

Air Peace will now collaborate with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to secure the necessary documentation for the launch. Compliance with Nigeria’s national regulations, including section 18.5.11 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) 2023, is also essential.

U.S. carriers have consistently served Nigeria over the years providing a link between the United States and Lagos. Delta Air Lines offers flights between the United States and Nigeria by offering daily Airbus A330 flights from Atlanta to Lagos.

The airline announced last month on April 26 that it will offer a total of 14 weekly flights to Nigeria from Dec. 1 through the first half of January and 10 weekly flights for the remainder of winter 2024, with the restart of service to Nigeria from New York-JFK Airport.

United is another U.S. carrier with a history in Nigeria. In the past, the carrier operated flights connecting Washington Dulles to Lagos using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft. The airline resumed services to Lagos with nonstop flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Murtala Muhammed International Airport starting in November 2021. The U.S. carrier currently operates three weekly 787 flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Lagos Nigeria.

Victor Shalton

Victor Shalton's love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.

Frontier Planning Return to San Jose After Three Year Pause

Frontier is returning to San Jose, Calif. for the first time in nearly three years with five routes starting this summer.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 02:41 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An A321 in Frontier's "Spot the Jaguar" livery on approach into Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Frontier is returning to San Jose, Calif. for the first time in nearly three years. The ultra-low-cost carrier last served the airport in September 2021.

Starting in July, the carrier is slated to begin service to two destinations, including Denver and San Diego. In August, service to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix will begin.

“As we look forward to a strong summer travel season, we are thrilled to launch these nonstop routes from San José,” said Josh Flyr, Frontier’s vice president of network and operations design, in a press release. “This service demonstrates our commitment to connecting consumers across the country with affordable and convenient flight options as they travel for business and for leisure.”

The new flights are scheduled to operate once per day. In the Bay Area, Frontier also serves San Francisco.

Ryan Ewing

One Dead, 30 Injured Following Extreme Turbulence on Singapore Airlines Flight

One passenger is dead and 30 more have been reported injured after sudden and extreme turbulence forced the landing of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 01:13 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Singapore Boeing 777-300ER )Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

One passenger is dead and 30 more have been reported injured after severe turbulence forced the landing of an international flight operating from London Heathrow to Singapore on Tuesday.

According to a Facebook post made on Tuesday by the carrier, flight SQ321 encountered sudden extreme turbulence enroute and diverted to Bangkok, Thailand, where it landed at 3:45 p.m. local time. The post confirmed there were multiple injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew.

The post confirms that as of 7:50 p.m. Singapore time on Tuesday, 18 individuals had been hospitalized and another 12 are being treated in hospitals. The post states that the remaining passengers and crew are being examined and given treatment where necessary at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.

“Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” Singapore Airlines stated in the first Facebook post. “We deeply apologize for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight. We are providing all necessary assistance during this difficult time.”

A second updated Facebook post, on Tuesday gave more information about the incident, stating that the aircraft encountered extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure. The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the aircraft to Bangkok, where it landed.

The nationalities of the passengers are as follows: 56 from Australia, 2 from Canada, 1 from Germany, 3 from India, 2 from Indonesia, 1 from Iceland, 4 from Ireland, 1 from Israel, 16 from Malaysia, 2 from Myanmar, 23 from New Zealand, 5 from the Philippines, 41 from Singapore, 1 from South Korea, 2 from Spain, 47 from the United Kingdom, and 4 from the United States of America.

The airline stated that it is working with its colleagues and the local authorities in Thailand to provide necessary assistance. Additionally, a Singapore Airlines team is on its way to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.

Singapore Airlines stated in the post that it is working with the relevant authorities on the investigation into this incident.

According to CNN, there have been no turbulence-related deaths on commercial aircraft in over a decade. While instances of severe turbulence are rare, they are reported roughly 5,500 times per year in the U.S.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.

Virgin Atlantic Cabin Crew Sue Airline for Unfair Dismissal

Virgin Atlantic has been taken to court by a group of cabin crew members who were issued redundancy notices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lorne Philipot

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 10:15 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Virgin Atlantic A350-1000. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Virgin Atlantic has been taken to court by a group of cabin crew members who were issued redundancy notices. The former cabin crew members claim that the airline used COVID-19 redundancies to target older employees for dismissal.

Dismissal on Grounds of Age

A report by The Guardian states that a London employment tribunal will examine more than 200 cases brought against Virgin Atlantic next month. The former airline employees claim that the airline unfairly made them redundant while retaining younger cabin crew members.

The Guardian reports that one such cabin crew member who was made redundant was Susan Mcentegart. Mcentegart, aged 53, was employed by Virgin for 23 years. She is part of a group of 51 claimants being represented by a law firm that will take the matter further.

Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions

In March 2020, when COVID-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions were implemented to halt global travel, many airlines grounded their fleets and furloughed staff. Virgin Atlantic cut 3,000 jobs and reduced its workforce by over 40 percent. Cabin crew members who were later made redundant were initially placed in a holding pool, earmarked for potential reemployment once conditions improved and flights resumed.

One of the claimants alleges that the airline retained 350 new cabin crew recruits who were in the holding pool, some of whom had as little as one week’s training. All the while, many experienced cabin managers, aged 45 and over, with considerable years of experience, were made redundant.

Mcentegart told The Guardian: “It seemed the world was closing down and losing jobs was inevitable. But the way they went about it seemed unfair. But I was flabbergasted that I wasn’t in the holding pool. There were people who hadn’t even got their wings – after six weeks of training – in the pool, and there seemed to be too many of us of an age that were left out.”

A Luton-based legal firm is set to take up the matter with the London-based carrier next month. An additional 150 Virgin Atlantic former staff members are also pursuing claims through a cabin crew union.

Lorne Philipot

Lorne is a South Africa-based aviation journalist. He was captivated and fascinated by flying from the day he took his first airline flight. With a passion for aviation in his blood, he has flown to destinations in all corners of the globe. Lorne has traveled extensively and lived in various countries. Drawing on his travels and passion for aviation, Lorne enjoys writing about airlines, routes, networks, and new developments.

Southern Airways Unveils New Purdue Livery

With these new flights, the carrier also unveiled a special livery celebrating the new partnership between them and Purdue University.

Joey Gerardi

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Southern Airways' new Purdue University livery (Photo: Southern Airways)

Airlines coming out with special liveries is always fun for the AvGeek community. It’s even more exciting when aircraft are painted to celebrate universities and colleges around the country, especially for those that go to, or once went to these schools.

Alaska has famously painted many of its aircraft into university and college colors with at least 10 of its Q400s wearing these paint jobs back when the airline operated the type, featuring teams up and down the West Coast from San Diego all the way up to Anchorage, Alaska.

Now that the carrier has retired the Q400 there are a lot fewer of them, with only two Embraer E175s wearing university liveries, both of which are for teams in its home state of Washington.

An Alaska E175 wearing the special Washington State University livery (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

Airlines do have sports teams on their aircraft, but Alaska is the only one currently to feature specific university names and school colors until now. Southern Airways Express just began flights to Purdue University Airport in West Lafayette, Ind. on May 15, 2024 which operates to Chicago O’Hare, and is the first airline to offer services to the airport since 2004.

With these new flights, the carrier also unveiled a special livery celebrating the new partnership between them and Purdue University, which covers its Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EX. The aircraft features the school’s black and gold colors with the fuselage being painted, along with the tail, and even the wings which now sport a bright gold color.

Southern Airways Express’ new Purdue University livery (Photo: Purdue University)

Although the airplane has the university’s livery on it, it is not confined just to Purdue Airport flights, and AvGeeks have the ability to see the aircraft at Chicago O’Hare, as well as other destinations that the carrier operates to out of Chicago.

Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

Saudia Bolsters Fleet With 105 Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft

Saudia Group, the parent company of Saudia and low-cost carrier flyadeal, announced a firm order for 105 A320neo family aircraft.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, May 20, 2024 at 04:06 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Saudia is ordering additional Airbus jets (Photo: Airbus)

Saudia Group, the parent company of Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia and low-cost carrier flyadeal, announced a firm order for 105 A320neo family aircraft from Airbus. The order includes 12 A320neo and 93 A321neo aircraft, bringing Saudia Group’s total Airbus A320neo family aircraft backlog to 144.

This significant deal is expected to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, a strategic framework to diversify the country’s economy and boost tourism.

“Saudia has ambitious operational objectives to meet growing demand.,” said H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, in a news release. “We are increasing flights and seat capacity across our existing 100+ destinations on four continents, with plans for further expansion.”

The order comes as Saudi Arabia aims to become a major tourism destination. The country’s National Tourism Strategy targets attracting over 150 million tourists by 2030. This Airbus deal is seen as a key step towards achieving that goal.

The A320neo family continues to be a popular choice for airlines worldwide, known for its fuel efficiency and increased passenger comfort. Airbus highlighted the aircraft’s compatibility with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a key element in reducing the aviation industry’s environmental impact.

Ryan Ewing

California Airport Set to Receive Largest-Ever Aircraft

California's San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) will soon receive its largest scheduled aircraft type to date.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, May 20, 2024 at 11:03 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 in Los Angeles. (Photo: William Derrickson)

California’s San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) will soon receive its largest scheduled aircraft type to date. As first reported by Ishrion Aviation on Twitter/X, Alaska plans to upgrade its service from Seattle (SEA) from an Embraer E175 to a Boeing 737-800.

This aircraft change represents an increase of 83 seats per day starting on Oct. 1, 2024. The carrier currently serves the airport with E175-operated flights to Las Vegas, San Diego, Portland, and Seattle.

According to Cirium Diio schedule data, the airport sees approximately 30 scheduled flights per day. Along with Alaska, both American and United also serve SBP.

The Central Coast region airport’s longest runway is 6,100 feet. The previous record holder for largest aircraft went to United, which operates a 150-seat Airbus A320 from its Denver hub.

Coming out of the pandemic, SBP has seen strong growth as airlines continue to add capacity to the region. Comparing Q4 2019 and Q4 2024, airlines added 36% more scheduled capacity to the airport.

Located nearly 200 miles north of Los Angeles, the airport recently received a second daily flight to Dallas/Fort Worth on American along with an additional daily flight to LAX on United.

Ryan Ewing

Lufthansa Needs To Try Harder if It Wants To Take Over ITA

Investigations conducted by the European Commission are aimed to settle the conditions which would allow the Lufthansa Group to take over the Italian carrier.

Filip Kopeć

Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 11:42 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An ITA Airways A350-900. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Recently, new pieces of information surfaced on the ongoing proceeding for the Lufthansa Group to acquire a stake in the Italian carrier ITA.

A Long Way To Get Here

Lufthansa Group’s interests in taking over an Italian carrier date back to 2019 when the company’s board had held talks to take a majority stake in Alitalia. The latter was put under special administration in 2017 given the financial troubles. Understandably, the 2020 pandemic halted any proceedings of this sort in the aviation industry.

The Italian national airline was reborn as ITA in 2021 and then in January 2023 the talks about the German-Italian romance resumed.

Alitalia’s first flight to Washington Dulles Airport arriving on May 2, 2019 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

The Antitrust Concerns

The investigation launched in January 2024 by the European Commission provided feedback on the matter in March. The competition concerns were highlighted as three main issues:

The short-haul routes connecting Italy with countries in Central Europe where Lufthansa directly or indirectly competes with ITA.
The long-haul routes between Italy and North America as well as Japan.
ITA’s dominant position at Milan-Linate airport.

Lufthansa has until July 4 to provide remedies to be taken into account for the commission’s decision. A similar investigation is also being conducted on the proposed acquisition of Air Europa by IAG. The deadline for that proceeding is July 7, so it seems like the first week of July will be a heated one in the European aviation industry, not only because of the peak summer period.

ITA network as of May 2024 (Photo: flightconnections.com)

The Last Mile?

Lufthansa Group has already proposed specific actions. Last week it offered to keep some competing ITA short-haul flights to Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria, sources familiar with the matter said. On top of that, the carrier said to be willing to accept interlining with rivals on the sectors in question.

But most importantly North Atlantic connectivity was also already addressed. Lufthansa Group would not integrate ITA into its joint venture with other Star Alliance members: United Airlines and Air Canada. This guarantee is set to last for two years.

Lastly, Lufthansa would open Milan-Linate to low-cost competitors. Slots would be given away to easyJet and Volotea, which already have a significant presence in the Italian market, but not at the Milan city airport. This move would serve to increase the number of options on the market.

All the above might not be enough. The European Commission is seeking feedback from rivals, consumer travel organizations, and pilot groups until May 19.

Filip Kopeć

A passionate aviation enthusiast that started off his career as an aerospace engineer, but found his true calling on the commercial side of the airline business. Now as a finance guy among avgeeks and an avgeek among finance guys, he has experience working in the Revenue Divisions of three airlines. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, but admittedly sometimes is more about the journey than the destination.