Romanian low-cost airline HiSky has announced plans to launch flights from Romania to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport next summer. The route will be the first connecting the two countries in over 10 years. Tickets are already on sale for a route launch on June 7, 2024.
HiSky’s route will operate four times per week leaving Romania on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Flights will leave Bucharest at 8:00 a.m. local time and arrive in New York at 11:25 a.m. The return flight will leave New York at 1:25 p.m. and arrive in Bucharest at 6:15 a.m. the next morning.
HiSky will operate an Airbus A330 on the route. It will not only be the first widebody aircraft in HiSky’s fleet but also the first A330 registered in Romania.
“This is a significant milestone for HiSky and even more so for Romania and all passengers wishing to travel across the ocean without stopovers or time wasted at other airports,” HiSky CEO Iulian Scorpan said in a statement.
“The USA is now a viable travel option for the first time since air travel became accessible to everyone. We are delighted to be the ones paving this way,” Scorpan continued.
Bucharest’s Henri Coandă Airport is HiSky’s primary airport and its main operational base. Additional international routes from the airport include Brussels, Barcelona, Malaga, Dublin, Chișinău, Bordeaux, Tel Aviv, and Frankfurt in addition to a handful of domestic routes.
HiSky’s Fleet
The carrier’s fleet consists entirely of narrowbody Airbus A320 family aircraft. The addition of the A330 will be an easy transition due to relative continuity with the company’s other Airbus aircraft. It also gives the airline time to adjust to widebody operations as it looks to further expand its long-haul fleet around the world.
Long-haul, low-cost airlines have had mixed performance, especially over the past decade. Some companies, such as French Bee and Azul, have thrived while others, such as Norwegian and WOW Air, faced high-profile downfalls.
HiSky has the benefit of cornering its own market instead of competing on popular, business-heavy routes. Historically, the long-haul low-cost airlines that perform best are those who can find their own market niches. Whereas Norwegian’s long-haul network featured routes like London to New York, French Bee focuses more on connecting Paris’ secondary airports to leisure destinations where people are more cost-conscious.
Without any competition, HiSky will combine the benefit of flying into an American city with the ease of taking charge of its own unique market.
The last airline to operate between New York and Bucharest was Delta Air Lines, who cut the route in 2009. TAROM also operated the route until 2003. Air Canada Rouge flew from Toronto and Montreal to Bucharest until 2019.
John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.
Trip Report: Low-Cost Airline Arajet Connects North and South America
A first-hand experience of Arajet, the newest low-cost airline from the Dominican Republic, which seeks to bridge North and South America.
An Arajet Boeing 737 MAX 8 (Photo: Twitter/X @arajet)
In 2021, as the airline sector was busy recovering from the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and restoring international connectivity to what it used to be, a small airline in the Dominican Republic was trying to reinvent itself as a low-cost airline with a Caribbean flavor, trying to capitalize on the large Dominican population living and working in neighboring countries in North America and also on the central position of its base at Las Americas Airport in Santo Domingo (SDQ) to connect North and South America.
The airline that was originally founded in 2014 as Dominican Wings transformed itself into Arajet just seven years later, and on Sept. 15, 2022, it started its operations with a flight from SDQ to the coastal city of Barranquilla, Colombia (BAQ) operated with a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft configured with 185 seats (8 in First Class and 177 in Economy).
The Spirit of the Caribbean
Arajet is currently operating at 22 destinations in 16 countries from as far North as Toronto (YYZ) and Montreal (YUL), Canada to as far South as Sao Paulo, Brazil (GRU) Santiago, Chile (SCL), and Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) with a fleet of eight Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. These are some of the longest routes in the world operated with a Boeing 737.
The airline is planning on aggressively expanding the fleet with an order for 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8200 capable of carrying up to 200 passengers in a one-class configuration, just like the Irish low-cost giant Ryanair, and transform their SDQ hub into what Fort Lauderdale (FLL) has become for Spirit Airlines in the United States.
An integral part of Arajet’s business model is therefore to carry passengers through its SDQ hub offering a low-cost option for traveling via the Dominican Republic to a destination in the Caribbean or at the far ends of the continent. At the moment Arajet does not have permission to operate commercial flights into the United States, but in October 2023 it started operating into Canada with four weekly services to both Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) and Montreal Trudeau International (YYZ).
The limited fleet still does not allow the Dominican carrier to develop a robust hub and spoke system, but with some clever scheduling, they are able to offer connecting itineraries to most of their network.
The Booking Process
During the month of October, a particularly aggressive flash sale saw Arajet offer tickets to some of their Caribbean destinations for an irresistible price: our attention was captured by the fares offered for the first weekend in December when temperatures in Canada start plummeting below zero (for those of you who believe that water boils at 100… otherwise we should probably say “in the mid-20s”). The island of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles was our preferred destination, but promo fares had all but gone when we went to book, but they were still available for the island of St. Maarten (SXM), a true “mecca” for airline enthusiasts with the famous Maho Beach right underneath the approach path to Princess Juliana Airport.
The only option allowed would see a departure from YUL mid-morning on a Saturday and a return from SXM on a Wednesday: a five-day trip with three full days in the sun seemed to be a good deal for $153, so we went ahead and booked our flights. Arajet follows the ultra-low-cost model, with only a small personal item included in the standard fare, and all other luggage subject to an extra payment: with a 10kg (22 lbs) carry-on offered for $39.99 and a 20kg (44 lbs) checked bag offered at $24.99, we didn’t think twice to opt for the cheaper option, even if this means having to check-in at the airport and trusting that the bag would make the connection in SDQ. Anyway, with the total price of the trip, including bags, just above the $200 mark the deal was certainly too good to be passed on.
The Check-in Experience
Online check-in is available until three hours before the flight, after that it is necessary to go to the airport desk where a supplement may be requested. It is not possible to select a seat during the process without payment: for those who elect not to pay for a specific seat, a random one is assigned, without the possibility of changing it. The boarding pass is delivered as a PDF document that can be printed or stored on a smartphone.
Arajet check-in desks at Montreal Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
We arrived at the airport well before 8 a.m. for an 11:10 a.m. departure, and the line was already quite long waiting for the check-in staff to open the three desks dedicated to the Arajet flight. Quite a few passengers had multiple bags, so the whole process was quite slow. Luckily, we had a few things to watch on the phone, so time flew by, but it took approximately an hour to check our bag. No self-service drop-off was available for Arajet, which was in its first month of operation at Montreal Airport. In the future, it would be a very welcome addition.
We swiftly went past security and decided to finish up on some work in the Air France Lounge. There are two lounges available for access through various programs in the International Departure section in Montreal. The Air France Lounge is probably the smaller of the two, but in the morning it is not busy at all since the three daily Air France flights to Paris are all scheduled after noon. The lounge serves all SkyTeam carriers, including the one or two daily Aeromexico flights to Mexico City, and in the winter the Air France service to Guadeloupe.
Air France Lounge at Montreal Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks)A Concorde model in the Air France Lounge at Montreal Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
Boarding
Boarding took place on time at Gate 60 after we witnessed the aircraft arrive at the gate. It was a Boeing 737 MAX 8 “Lago Enriquillo,” callsign HI1099, delivered to the airline just nine days earlier, and on its first commercial service from Santo Domingo. The unmistakable “new car smell” welcomed us inside the cabin configured in an all-economy configuration with new-generation leather seats and extra-spacious overhead bins.
Arajet Boeing 737 MAX 8 “Lago Entriquillo” HI1099 (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
The recline of the seat is very generous, probably too generous for someone who would prefer that economy seats did not have the option to recline so as not to bother the passenger sitting behind. Legroom is quite average but comfortable, even for someone close to 1.90m (or 6’3) tall.
Legroom on Arajet (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
There is no in-flight entertainment onboard, as well as no internet connection, but each seat is equipped with a standard USB port to recharge electronic devices, and there is a useful plastic holder that helps position tablets or smartphones to watch previously downloaded contents during the flight.
Arajet – seat back (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
During our four-hour and 20-minute flight, two full trolley services were performed by the four cabin crew dressed in very smart but lively uniforms. The menu for the onboard service was in the “literature pocket” together with the safety card. It is possible to order sandwiches, snacks, hot and cold drinks, and alcohol (for passengers over 18), and some hot meals are available on longer flights to South America when flight time can approach eight hours.
The onboard menu on Arajet (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
No credit cards are accepted onboard, and payment is cash only either in Dominican Pesos or in U.S. dollars, but on the flights to and from Canada also Canadian dollars were accepted provided no change was required. We ordered a $3 fruit punch.
Fruit punch on Arajet (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
The Hub Airport is the Main Pain Point
The connection in Santo Domingo is probably the most underwhelming part of the entire trip: not all flights use jetways, some require the use of remote stands and passengers need to be bussed to the terminal. Connecting passengers need to go through a security screening before being allowed into the transit area: full metal detector, shoes off, all bags and jackets through the x-ray machine; those accustomed to the PreCheck soft touch will experience a trip back in time, and not a pleasant one.
It’s most definitely the biggest bottleneck that Arajet will have to eliminate if they are planning on scaling up their transit business. The line was painstakingly slow and it is not difficult to see how this could represent a problem with potentially hundreds of passengers and possibly tight connections due to late arrivals of the first flight. No representative for the airline was checking the line to see if there were passengers with flights departing imminently, and some inexperienced passengers looked like they were left to their own devices. It brought back to our memory a transit in Doha before the construction of the flashy new Hamad Airport when the old facility was quite clearly unsuitable for the hub-and-spoke operation Qatar Airways was trying to run.
The Connecting Flight
The flight to SXM was short and uneventful: just over 60 minutes on an older aircraft (it couldn’t possibly be younger) still with leather seats but without the screen holder for personal devices.
The arrival in SXM was at a temporary facility due to the extensive construction works underway at Princess Juliana Airport: it was essentially a series of outdoor tents, and only a small baggage carousel as well as customs and immigration were located inside the facility.
Looking out at Arajet’s 737 MAX winglet (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
Maho Beach
No trip to Sint Maarten is complete without the classic pictures at Maho Beach during aircraft landing. Here is a KLM Airbus A330-200 aircraft from Amsterdam and a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-200 from Fort Lauderdale.
A KLM Airbus A330-200 landing at SXM (Photo: AirlineGeeks)A Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 landing at SXM (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
The Return Flight
Once again, dropping off my 20 kg luggage required a lot of patience and something to read or watch during the hour-long wait. The airport was empty, our flight was the only one departing except for some commuter turboprop flights to St. Barths or Antigua.
The aircraft performing our short flight between SXM and SDQ was the Boeing 737 MAX 8 “Jaragua,” callsign HI1081. It had a First Class section, unlike the aircraft used in our outbound trip. The connection experience at SDQ was still quite hit and miss, with a long line at the security check before entering the transit zone after being bussed to the terminal. Very few signs around and little help made it a less-than-stellar experience.
This time, however, our flight to Montreal was boarding at one of the gates equipped with a jetway. It was quite messy, the announcement was made without the assistance of a microphone, the screens do not provide any information at all and the entire process can be quite confusing if there are multiple flights boarding at the same time next to each other.
This aircraft was configured in an all-economy layout, but there were no charging points at all, which is inconvenient on a four-hour and 16-minute flight.
Final Comments
The inflight experience with Arajet is as good as can be expected considering the positioning of the airline: it’s a simple product and it does “what it says on the tin.” Consistency will probably improve when the newer aircraft start arriving in 2024 and 2025: the charging points are quite important given the length of some of the flights and the lack of IFE. The choice not to accept credit cards onboard and the absence of Duty-Free items, which could be a real hit on some of the international routes, may be reviewed in the future, provided they do not complicate the delivery of the product.
The non-flight aspects of the experience are the most concerning, and probably the least dependent on the airline’s will: the check-in process can be slow and chaotic at times, and the security checks in transit at SDQ are a real pain point that could cause serious headaches, especially if the number of transit passengers increases, and especially if they obtain the authorization to fly to the United States.
As it stands, the experience would not be very attractive to the average U.S. passenger, but while Arajet irons out the issues with connections, the point-to-point traffic between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic could be enough to make this airline a success. We look forward to trying them again in a few years (or even earlier if the price is right) to see how their product is evolving.
Vanni fell in love with commercial aviation during his undergraduate studies in Statistics at the University of Bologna, when he prepared his thesis on the effects of deregulation on the U.S. and European aviation markets. Then he pursued his passion further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Air Transport Management at Cranfield University in the U.K. followed by holding several management positions at various start-up carriers in Europe (Jet2, SkyEurope, Silverjet). After moving to Canada, he was Business Development Manager for IATA for nine years before turning to his other passion: sports writing.
Norse Atlantic Airways to Connect Athens and New York
Norse Atlantic Airways has announced a new transatlantic route from Athens to New York-JFK, which will operate five times weekly in the Summer 2024 season.
Norse Atlantic Airways has announced anew transatlantic route from Athens to New York-JFK, which will operate five times weekly in the Summer 2024 season.
The low-cost, long-haul carrier plans to schedule the first flight for May 30, 2024, and reduce service to three times weekly on September 13, 2024. The airline will operate these flights with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Norse Atlantic’s first scheduled flight from Athens will connect the capital of Greece with New York. The Norwegian airline currently serves London’s Gatwick Airport and Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport from New York-JFK, with seasonal flights to Berlin, Oslo, and Rome.
Increased Competition
This new route will benefit passengers traveling from Athens to New York. Currently, the only other carriers that offer this city pairing are:
Delta operates 14 flights per week
American operates seven times a week
United operates seven times weekly from Newark Liberty International Airport
Emirates operates seven times weekly from Newark Liberty International Airport
Delta and American are the only competitors of Norse Atlantic at New York JFK, with United and Emirates operating to Newark. A quickGoogle Flights search shows that the newcomer offers highly competitive fares for a one-way nonstop flight from Athens to New York JFK, which is of course subject to change.
Norse Atlantic Airways has positioned itself to capture the leisure market by offering highly competitive fares for a one-way nonstop flight from Athens to New York-JFK. Its fares surpass Delta’s by over $900 and American’s by over $2,500. This increased competition among airlines operating this route will result in lower fares, benefitting passengers traveling from Athens to New York.
Ever since he was a kid, Arya has been interested in aviation. With his entire family overseas, he has taken many family trips worldwide to places like the United Kingdom and India. He lives in Colorado but attends The University of Alabama, studying Computer Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. He hopes to obtain his PPL and eventually translate his engineering degree to working in operations at an airline.
American Adds New Charlotte Routes in 2024
The Fort Worth-based airline is slated to add additional service from its Charlotte hub in the Summer 2024 season, according to a recent schedule update.
An American Airbus A321 landing in Charlotte.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
American is planning to add four new seasonal markets from its Charlotte hub in 2024. According to the latest Cirium Diio schedule update, the Fort Worth-based airline intends to add two brand-new destinations while also resuming two others.
Seasonal Resumptions
The airline is slated to resume its flights from Charlotte to Bozeman, Mont. (BZN) and Jackson Hole, Wyo. (JAC) on June 8, 2024 and June 5, 2024 respectively. Jackson Hole is planned as a daily Airbus A319 service, while Bozeman is Saturday only on a Boeing 737-800.
An American Airlines 737-800 taxing at Boston Logan International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Also, as part of the schedule update, American is adding two new routes from Charlotte, including Spokane, Wash. (GEG) and Calgary (YYC). Charlotte-Spokane is set to begin on June 5, 2024 with daily service. Charlotte-Calgary will start on June 8, 2024 as a Saturday only flight.
Calgary will be served with a Boeing 737-800 and Spokane with an Airbus A321. American currently operates regular service to Spokane from its Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix Sky Harbor hubs. Calgary is served regularly from Dallas/Fort Worth and seasonally from Chicago O’Hare.
At the time of writing, these added flights are loaded until September 2024; the Saturday-only flights to Calgary and Bozeman will end in late August.
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.
A Qatar Airways-painted Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on a test flight. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)
Qatar Airways is expanding its European network in Summer 2024 as it adds a further German city and returns to a popular Italian destination. The Doha-based airline announced this week that it would begin flights to Hamburg (HAM), Germany from Jul. 1 and recommence service to Venice, Italy from Jun. 12.
Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways Group Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer stated: “As this year comes to an end, we are delighted to present our passengers with new and exciting travel opportunities for the year 2024. Starting with our resumption to Venice and an inaugural flight to Hamburg, Qatar Airways and its hub, Hamad International Airport, continues to position itself on the global map as a leading gateway for international travel and connectivity.”
Hamburg becomes the fifth city in Germany to be operated by the carrier joining Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf. A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will undertake the route from HAM to Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). Qatar Airways anticipates that the northern German city ‘will serve as a gateway to South Africa, Thailand and the Philippines.’
In an interesting scheduling note, the daily flight will depart HAM at different times depending on the day of the week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday will have a 3.40 p.m. departure time (10.40 p.m. arrival into DOH) and on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9.20 a.m. (4.20 p.m. arrival). Flights from DOH will depart at 8.35 a.m. arriving at 2.10 p.m. (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) and depart at 2.15 a.m. arriving at 7.50 a.m. (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is expected to serve the carrier’s return to Venice with a daily flight departing Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) at 4.50 p.m. and arriving in DOH at 11.10 p.m.. The DOH-VCE flight is scheduled to depart at 9.00 a.m. and arrive at 2.20 p.m. Qatar Airways suspended operations to VCE in the early months of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and expects to see considerable interest from the Japanese, Chinese and Australian markets. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer added: “We look forward to seeing our passengers uncover new experiences and resume flying to their favorite destinations.”
The announcement of the Hamburg and Venice flights followed increased frequencies to a number of Qatar Airways’ destinations. Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Belgrade and Miami all saw recent increases in flights taking the carrier’s total number of destinations to more than 170. The airline’s hub at Hamad International Airport has also undergone significant expansion with construction continuing to deal with passenger demand. Phase A of the expansion was opened in 2022 and Phase B will see over 95,000 square meters in extension of Concourses D and E, and a new cargo terminal taking the airport’s capacity capability up to 70 million passengers per year.
John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry. During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team who created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff balancing a mix of corporate and social content.
John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. John has held the positions of course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university. In addition he is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and has been a member of the Heathrow Community Fund’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.
Livery of the Week: British Airways’ Centenary Retro Designs
Unfortunately, with the retirement of the 747 from British Airways' fleet as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these liveries became relics themselves.
The line-up of British Airways retro liveries in 2019 (Photo: British Airways)
Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is excited to launch our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.
Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.
In 2019, British Airways celebrated its 100th anniversary with a unique and nostalgic tribute, adorning three of its Boeing 747-400s in retro liveries that spanned its broad history. These now-retired aircraft were each emblazoned with a distinct chapter of the airline’s past.
BOAC
This iconic navy blue livery, with its bold cheatline and golden “Speedbird” logo, represented the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), a predecessor to British Airways. It symbolized a time of glamour, jet-setting, and pioneering spirit when BOAC dominated the skies with its fleet of 747-100s and BAC VC-10 aircraft among others.
British Airways’ BOAC retro livery 747 at Washington Dulles International Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
Named after Negus and Negus, which was the design agency that created the livery to combine elements of both BEA and BOAC’s identity, this livery marked a new era for British Airways. The understated red, white, and blue stripes reflected a more unified design concept for the newly combined carrier.
The British Airways Negus 747 seen inflight prior to being grounded as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
The Landor livery, designed by the renowned San Francisco design firm Landor Associates, ushered in a period of modernization and expansion for British Airways. Its bold red and blue lines, along with the stylized “British Airways” typeface, embodied an early 1980s version of British Airways.
Landor retro livery (Photo: Karam Sodhi)
The British flag carrier updated its livery again in 1997, putting an end to the regular use of the Landor design. The centenary retro livery was placed on G-BNLY.
BEA
While not a 747, the Airbus A319 adorned in the British European Airways (BEA) livery completed the quartet. With its vibrant grey, white, and blue design and stylized BEA logo, it recalls a time of shorter flights within Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
British Airways shows off its BEA retro livery on an Airbus A319 (Photo: British Airways)
Similar to BOAC, BEA was folded into British Airways in 1974. It no longer flies, either, as it was placed in storage in November 2022, according to planespotters.net.
These retro liveries weren’t just a nostalgic nod to the past; they were a celebration of British Airways’ century-long evolution and enduring legacy. They captured the imagination of aviation enthusiasts and casual travelers alike.
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.
A JSX aircraft lands at Austin Bergstrom International Airport. (Photo: Shutterstock)
So-called semi-private carrier JSX is looking at the next evolution of its business strategy. Following a commitment for over 300 hybrid-electric aircraft from three different manufacturers, the Dallas-based carrier is eyeing service to small and underserved communities across the U.S.
According to the Regional Airline Association (RAA), 14 U.S. airports have lost all scheduled commercial air service as of late 2022. JSX’s founder and CEO – Alex Wilcox – believes his company is well-equipped to reconnect some of these small communities, especially with new hybrid-electric aircraft in its fleet.
A rendering of JSX’s ES-30 aircraft (Photo: Heart Aerospace)
Paying the Price
As the cost landscape has increased at major U.S. airlines in a post-pandemic world, small communities have been left to pay the price. Airlines have been forced to operate higher-density aircraft to recoup, but smaller markets often lack the demand to support larger jets.
“The side effect that people are now realizing is that big airplanes require a big market, and the more big airplanes you have, the fewer small markets you can fly to,” Wilcox told AirlineGeeks during a phone interview.
That’s where 20 to 50-seat regional jets like the Beechcraft 1900 and the Bombardier CRJ-200 come into the picture. As is often the case for regional aircraft, short stage lengths coupled with fewer seats lead to lower Available Seat Miles (ASMs). Therefore, higher unit costs in the numerator — otherwise known as Cost per Available Seat Mile (CASM) – create a situation where the smaller aircraft become less commercially viable.
“And so the Beech 1900 era is over. The Saab 340 era is over…This is definitely the era of the [737] MAX and the [A320] NEO,” he added. “And those are great airplanes, and they do certain things really efficiently. But, they are not airplanes that you can bring to a community like Del Rio, Texas three times, two times, or even one time a day. There’s 40,000 people that live there. They’ve got to travel like everybody else does, too…”
Joining a list of 13 other airports, Del Rio lost all commercial air service as of early 2023 after American Airlines ended its service from Dallas/Fort Worth. The Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $1.2 million to Del Rio as part of the Small Community Air Service Development Program.
Uniquely Positioned
JSX is a part 135 and part 380 carrier, or more simply put, a ‘public charter’ operator. In essence, this regulatory classification allows it to operate in smaller airports and FBOs, lessen security screening requirements, and overall be subject to fewer restrictions when compared to part 121 air carriers. The carrier has built a business model around this classification as a self-described hop-on jet service with the perks of private air travel.
Although JSX currently operates a fleet of 30-seat Embraer aircraft to mostly premium-heavy markets, Wilcox sees some new opportunities with hybrid-electric aircraft.
“These airplanes are custom built for 9, 19, and 30 seats, and they’ll be much more efficient…than the planes we’re flying today. And that’s going to lower costs, and that’s going to make more of those [airports] available,” Wilcox said while referring to small community airports.
Onboard the recently refurbished JSX E-145. (Photo: AirlineGeeks: Mateen Kontoravdis)
He notes that JSX’s experience selling tickets puts it ahead of other regional carriers. “Any of the so-called regionals or commuter airlines, anyone that’s flying 50-seat airplanes, does not sell tickets…with very few exceptions. And we’re one of the exceptions.”
During the interview, Wilcox also emphasized JSX’s existing presence in some smaller communities, including Taos, N.M. and Lajitas in West Texas, However, both of those examples are premium leisure markets, which he notes require a “well-heeled” client given JSX’s aircraft configuration.
Subsidized Air Service
In the U.S., many small communities rely on the federal Essential Air Service (EAS) program to subsidize flights where it otherwise would not be commercially possible. Looking to the future, JSX is keeping an open mind.
When asked if an EAS contract may be in the cards for JSX, Wilcox said, “I wouldn’t rule it out. It’s not our main business. There are others that do a good job of that. But I would never rule it out.”
“Hopefully when these airplanes come to pass, and we are talking many years before they’re really in production in significant numbers, we won’t need subsidies anymore for these markets, because the airplanes will be so efficient, and the business will be so efficient that government subsidies are not required anymore,” he added.
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.
An Air France 787-9 begins its takeoff roll at Paine Field. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
Air France is adding seven new destinations to its Summer 2024 schedule, including three new cities: Verona, Narvik, and Kalamata. In addition, the airline will also resume service to Minneapolis/St. Paul and extend service to Raleigh-Durham, Abu Dhabi, and Tromsø. All flights will be operated from the carrier’s Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) hub.
Long-Haul Network
The airline paused its seasonal flight to Minneapolis in Summer 2023, but is set to resume the route on May 13, 2024 with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Delta also operates this route.
Air France’s flights to Raleigh-Durham were previously operated only in winter, and the airline will now operate the flights year-round. The carrier says it will offer up to seven weekly flights between the two cities on an Airbus A350-900.
Abu Dhabi will see a similar extension into Summer 2024 with daily A350 service.
Short-Haul Network
Air France is adding three brand-new destinations to its route map, including:
Verona with up to three flights per week starting on April 2, 2024
Narvik with Saturday-only service from June 15 to Aug. 31, 2024
Kalamata with Saturday-only service from July 6 to Aug. 31, 2024
The airline’s flights to Tromsø in Norway will be extended through the summer. Air France will operate up to two weekly flights from Paris-CDG on an A319.
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.
The major three carriers operate diverse fleet types consisting of Airbus and Boeing aircraft from narrow-body short-haul to wide-body long-haul jets. Southwest, on the other hand, operates a singular fleet type, the Boeing 737. In 1971, the Dallas-based carrier began operating solely within the confines of Texas between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The carrier started operations with Boeing 737-200 aircraft and has operated the type for over 51 years. Southwest’s current fleet consists of 823 aircraft spread across Boeing 737-700, 737-800, and 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
Southwest 737 aircraft at SFO (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
The pilot group TA has been long awaited by the carrier’s labor group. The $12 billion deal includes quality-of-life improvements across the board for the pilot group. Notably, pay rates will be bumped by 29% initially and 50% over the course of the proposed contract.
Pilot Pay
Pilots at the three major carriers and Alaska are paid hourly rates based on the hours they fly. Minimum monthly values vary between carriers, however, are typically around 70-75 hours. Southwest pays pilots based on a trip-for-pay concept. SWAPA estimates that a conversion rate of 1.149 trip-for-pay per hour gives a good benchmark to compare monthly earnings between airlines. The minimum guarantee for pilots at Southwest is 89 trips-for-pay per month. Using the 1.149 conversion, this equates to 77.45 hours per month, slightly higher than the other carriers.
Based on information gathered by Aero Crew News, first-year first officer (FO) pay will be higher than Alaska Airlines and the three major carriers, at a proposed $116.41. However, year two at $161.32 will be a couple of dollars short of what Alaska, American, Delta, and United currently pay their first officers on their respective 737 fleets.
At the top range of the FO scale, Southwest pilots will be paid $222.08 per hour, between $6 to $13 short per hour of their counterparts at the other major carriers. The highest top-of-scale rate goes to Alaska at $235.21 per hour. United is currently paying captains the most per hour to operate 737 aircraft at $341.87 per hour. Southwest will pay captains on the new contract at a top-of-scale rate of $317.25 per hour.
Each carrier has different formulas for holiday pay, overtime pay, and other overrides. These factors can increase pay for the pilot to an amount higher than what is seen at face value on scales. 401k contributions tie into this as well. The major carriers increased the 401k direct contribution for pilots, meaning the company contributes a percentage of what the pilot made without the pilot funding their respective 401k.
The three major carriers will contribute 17% directly across the board. Alaska is currently contributing 15.5% directly and Southwest 15% currently. However, the new agreement is suspected to have an increase in 401k contributions.
Qaulity-of-Life
Pay is focused on heavily when looking at pilot contracts, however, quality-of-life improvements are just as important. Southwest pilots, reserves or line holders, are required to work 15 days a month, any additional days are up to the individual pilot based on Aero Crew News information. The other carriers allow for a minimum of 12 days off per month for reservists and line holders.
Hotel language for Southwest has also been updated, with long-stay hotels being in an area downtown or by a beach for any longer than 14 hours 45 minutes. Shorter than 13 will be by the airport. This is on par with other carriers, except Delta having pilots stay downtown on overnights longer than 12 hours.
The agreement for Southwest’s pilot group has many more updated provisions that haven’t been covered in this article as well. Many address quality-of-life improvements which will benefit the pilot group outside of the heavily focused on pay scale comparisons. The over 11,000-strong labor group will vote on the TA within the next month, accepting or rejecting it. The proposed TA will go into effect if passed and remain that way until its amendable date in 2028.
Editor’s Note: This article was corrected on Dec. 24, 2023 at 3:30 p.m. ET to better reflect that Southwest pilots are not paid by the hour.
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.
Despite record hiring at some low-cost airlines, many have turned into a leaky bucket as pilots leave for larger airlines after just a few months on the job.
A Southwest 737-800 takes off from Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
In the latest iteration of the pilot shortage saga, some U.S. low-cost carriers (LCCs) are facing additional headwinds. Most notable among them is Southwest, which – according to the company’s COO Andrew Watterson — is seeing an increase in pilots leaving for large airlines after just a few months on the job.
According to a Bloomberg report published on Wednesday, Watterson called this increasing phenomenon “resume washing.” Some pilots from regional airlines use the Dallas-based carrier as a stepping stone for a longer-term career path at American, Delta or United.
“So they use us as a premeditated way station. They come to Southwest, get hired, trained, spend six months and then they flip their resume and apply somewhere else,” says Watterson.
As the fourth largest U.S. airline, Southwest operates a fleet of only the Boeing 737 series aircraft, which leaves limited options for pilots looking to upgrade to higher-paying widebody positions. The top of the pay scale for a Southwest 737 captain is $245 per flight, while a Delta A350 captain can reach up to $354 on an hourly basis per Airline Pilot Careers.
Southwest’s pilot union – SWAPA – finalized a tentative agreement (TA) on Wednesday, which is set to be voted on by pilots in the coming days. If approved, the new contract is set to include higher pay, but neither the union nor the company publicly specified a number.
The airline’s CEO Bob Jordan confirmed to Bloomberg that it has seen an increase in the pilot attrition rate, especially among younger first officers who have a lower position on the seniority list.
A Wide-Ranging Issue
While this might be a newer issue for Southwest, it can also be by design for other low-cost airlines, including ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCC) Spirit, Frontier and Avelo. All three airlines have agreements with major flight schools such as ATP.
Flight school students who opt for these programs can dodge the more traditional regional airline route for the right seat on an Airbus or Boeing jet. Pilots can then build hours at these LCCs for a step up into a career at a larger airline.
A Spirit A320 in New York (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Attrition has more than doubled at Spirit and Frontier along with Southwest, according to the report. In November 2023, nearly 42% of pilots who started less than a year earlier left these airlines.
Record Hiring
While Southwest may be struggling to retain some of its first officers, it is still hiring in record volumes. So far in 2023, the airline has hired 1,796 pilots, up nearly 58% from last year, according to data from FAPA.
On the other hand, Spirit has halted pilot hiring altogether as it navigates financial woes. Frontier has steadily hired 480 new aviators so far this year while opening a handful of new crew bases.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023 at 1:14 p.m. ET to accurately reflect that Southwest pilots are paid by flight segment, not hourly.
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.
