Air Canada, United to Grow Trans-border Network

Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 09:45 PM ET

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An Air Canada 737 MAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Air Canada and United Airlines have announced details of a proposed expansion of their transborder joint service agreement signed in July 2022. Though subject to applicable government and regulatory conditions, if approved the Star Alliance partners would operate more than 260 daily flights on over 80 transborder codeshare routes increasing summer capacity by 20 percent. According to the airlines ‘in 2019, the U.S.-Canada transborder market was the second-largest international passenger air transportation market in the world and the largest international market for both Canada and the U.S., as measured by seats.’

In addition to increased frequencies on existing routes, the agreement will add two new routes with non-stop flights between Washington-Dulles and Vancouver and Calgary, Canada. United Airlines will operate an Airbus A319 between Dulles and Calgary, and Air Canada will operate a Boeing 737 MAX 8 service between Dulles and Vancouver.

The coordinated scheduling of flights will result in up to 120 daily departures between the airlines’ hub markets. Under the proposal, a ‘shuttle style’ hourly schedule will operate between Toronto and Newark with 16 daily services. Similarly, 13 flights per day will operate between YYZ and Chicago and 11 daily flights between YVY and San Francisco.

Patrick Quayle, United Airlines’ Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances stated in a press release: “We’re proud of our continued work with Air Canada to provide customers with even greater transborder connectivity, including adding more flights and new direct service to Calgary and Vancouver from Washington Dulles. With schedules designed to give customers more flexibility with timing and more convenient connection options, as well as the ability to enjoy the benefits of both airlines’ loyalty programs, our agreement with Air Canada makes United the premier U.S. airline for travel to Canada.”

The Air Canada-United Airlines announcement follows a similar release detailing a domestic and transborder expansion by Air Canada’s main rival WestJet on February 13. The Calgary-based carrier will see increased services of up to nearly 30 percent in Calgary, 50 percent in Edmonton and 10 percent in Vancouver. A number of WestJet’s added services will be feeding into their alliance partner Delta Air Lines hubs across the U.S. including Atlanta, Minneapolis and Detroit.

John Flett

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.

Scoot Leases Nine Embraer E190-E2s

Pete Ainsley

Monday, February 20, 2023 at 04:02 PM ET

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Edited By:

Parker Davis

https://cdn.flyscoot.com/prod/docs/default-source/doc-pr/170223_media-release_scoot_to_add_embraer_e190-e2_aircraft_to_drive_growth_and_enhance_network_connectivity.pdf?sfvrsn=cd13b242_2

Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ no-frills subsidiary, will bolster its services by leasing nine new Embraer E190-E2. The first aircraft is expected to deliver in 2024, with the remaining deliveries by the end of 2025 after signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Azorra, a commercial aircraft lessor.

E190-E2 can carry 112 passengers in a single-class configuration and will be deployed the flight up to five hours. The new aircraft are expected to serve the second tier destinations and to strengthen the position of Singapore’s Changi Airport as a leading hub.

“Expanding Scoot’s fleet to include nine new E190-E2 aircraft enables us to continue operating a modern and fuel-efficient fleet. It also affirms our commitment to offer even more travel opportunities for our customers at the same great value.” Leslie Thng, Chief Executive Officer of the airline said.

Scoot started its services with three Boeing 777 and marked its 10 years anniversary last year. The low-cost-carrier currently owns a fleet of over 50 aircraft, consisting of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A320 family. The airline mainly provides services to Southwest Pacific and Asian destinations, such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and India.

The low-cost carrier will be the first Singapore airline to operate E190-E2. The aircraft was first introduced in 2018 and best known for substainability with smallest noise footprint and lowest emission. According to Embraer, E190-E2 could lower the operating cost and deliver 17.3% better fuel efficiency per seat, compared to previous generation E-jets.

Embraer believed E190-E2 is the ideal aircraft for carrier to shed light on development of new markets and take advantage of new opportunities. Also, the passengers can benefit from the design of 2-2 configuration with no middle seats and more spaces for bags.

When the pandemic has come to an end, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer has seen the demand surge. In 2022, Embraer delivered a total of 159 aircraft, including 57 commercial jet and 102 executive jets with an increase of 12.7%, compare to 2021. In the fourth quarter of 2022, it delivered 80 aircraft, consisting of 30 were commercial jets and 50 were executive jets.

On The Road to Recovery

In the meantime, Singapore is on track for the recovery. Earlier, Singapore Airlines recorded largest half year operating profit in company’s history. In addition, Changi Airport, has handled 32.2 million passengers last year. The figure showed almost half of the traffic in 2019. However, the passenger number to North America has slightly exceeded pre-Covid levels in 2022. In December, the traffic reached 72% of pre-Covid levels.

“Changi Airport community’s efforts have paid off – the airport is now leading Asia Pacific region in travel recovery.” Lim Ching Kiat, Executive Vice President of Air Hub and Cargo Development, Changi Airport Group said.

The vibrant hub wasn’t left behind after the pandemic, connecting 140 cities globally with 90 airlines operating.

Pete Ainsley

Emirates to Boost Flights to Cairo Starting October 29

Victor Shalton

Monday, February 20, 2023 at 06:46 AM ET

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Edited By:

Jack Dawin

The Emirates A380 special livery featuring decals promoting the United For Wildlife organization (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Emirates has announced that it will be increasing its flights to Cairo, Egypt, starting October 29, 2021. The boost in operations will result in 28 weekly flights, offering passengers more options to connect to Dubai and enjoy the Emirates A380 experience.

The additional services and upgraded seat capacity will help meet the high demand to and from Cairo and support the country’s tourism revival with the addition of more than 2,200 weekly seats in each direction.

Emirates will now operate four daily flights between Cairo and Dubai, with three daily flights on the A380 and one daily service on the Boeing 777. Cairo has the highest deployment of Emirates A380 services in the Middle East North Africa (MENA region), outside of Dubai.

The third A380 service to Cairo, EK925, will depart Dubai at 20:40hrs and land in Cairo at 22:55hrs. EK926 will then depart Cairo the following day at 00:40hrs to arrive in Dubai at 06:10hrs. The daily service, EK921, will depart from Dubai at 1200hrs to arrive in Cairo International Airport at 1415hrs. The return service, EK922, will depart from Cairo at 1615hrs to arrive in Dubai at 2145hrs.

Emirates A380 remains highly sought after by travelers for its spacious and comfortable cabins, signature products such as the Onboard Lounge, First Class suites, and Shower Spa. The airline currently deploys its flagship A380 to 41 destinations worldwide.

Onboard an Emirates A380 at the Dubai Airshow (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

In addition, Emirates’ modern Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration on flights to Cairo will offer its award-winning service and industry-leading products, including private suites in First Class, lie-flat seats in Business Class, and spacious seats in Economy Class.

Passengers can enjoy the world-class service and products offered by Emirates on board, including its inflight entertainment system with over 5,000 channels of on-demand movies, music, TV shows, box sets, and documentaries, in over 40 languages, including an extensive selection of content in Arabic. Guests in all classes can also enjoy delicious multi-course meals prepared by award-winning chefs on the flight.

Emirates’ new 2-2-2 configured business class on the Boeing 777-200LR. (Photo: Emirates Airline)

Emirates started operations in Cairo in April 1986 with three weekly flights and has since carried 9.6 million passengers to and from Cairo. Operations have steadily grown with increases in both frequency and capacity between Cairo and Dubai to match customer demand.

Currently, Emirates operates 25 weekly flights between Cairo and Dubai. Over the last three decades, the airline has made an important contribution to the local economy and tourism by flying in visitors from across its global network spanning six continents.

In Africa, Cairo to Dubai was among the top three routes with the number of seats at 123,408 seats according to OAG.

The increase in flights to Cairo by Emirates is a testament to the airline’s commitment to providing its passengers with more options and greater convenience while supporting the revival of the tourism industry in Egypt. Passengers can look forward to a seamless travel experience with Emirates’ world-class service and state-of-the-art aircraft.

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.

Croatian Passport Controls on Intra-Schengen Flights to Remain Until March 26

Vanni Gibertini

Sunday, February 19, 2023 at 07:44 PM ET

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Edited By:

Vanni Gibertini

A Croatia Airlines A319 in London (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

This past New Year’s Day was a historic day for the country of Croatia. In fact, at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, the country officially became the 20^th E.U. country to adopt the Euro as its official currency, and at the same time, it became the 27^th country to enter the Schengen area.

It is the first time a country joins both the Euro and the Schengen area on the same day.

The Euro was already widely accepted in Croatia, given the geographic location of the country very close to the established Euro area but in particular due to Croatia’s heavy reliance on tourism for its economy. Almost a quarter of the country’s GDP is in fact linked to tourism and the official adoption of the Eurozone official currency will certainly help recover the lost ground during the years of COVID-related travel restrictions.

But from a travel-related perspective, it is probably more significant that Croatia has also joined the Schengen area. This means there will be no more systematic passport or customs checks when traveling between Croatia and the other 26 countries that are part of the Schengen Agreement, including the bordering Slovenia and Hungary but also Italy, Austria, France and Germany, and even some non-EU countries like Switzerland and Norway. Flights to and from these destinations will be treated exactly like domestic flights therefore there will be immigration checks.

But while land borders have been eliminated immediately on Jan. 1, air passengers will have to wait a bit longer to enjoy this new regime. In fact, airports will have to adapt their infrastructure to allow a much larger volume of “domestic passengers” who now require to bypass passport control. For this reason, border controls at airports will remain in place until Mar. 26 so that airport operators can redistribute airport surfaces and facilities based on the expected throughput of passengers coming from the different destinations.

But, most importantly for foreign visitors, Croatia now follows all the same rules as the other Schengen countries as far as visas and entry regulations are concerned. There will be no need to obtain a separate visa for Croatia, and if a non-exempt foreign citizen wants to visit the Schengen area starting their visit in Croatia, they will need to apply for a Schengen visa to the Croatian consular authorities.

Furthermore, next November a new electronic system for travel authorization called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) will be launched in order to control the flow of foreign visitors coming from Schengen visa-exempt countries. These are currently slightly over 60 countries and territories including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and a large number of countries from the Caribbean and South America. Every prospective visitor to the Schengen area will have to obtain in advance an electronic authorization linked to their passports similar to what happens for those intending to enter the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. The cost will be 7 Euros (approximately $7.50) and the authorization will be valid for three years.

Vanni Gibertini

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.

Finnair Reports Strong 2022 Results

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Sunday, February 19, 2023 at 01:56 PM ET

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Edited By:

Jack Dawin

A Finnair A350 takes off. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Helsinki-based Finnair, a member of the Oneworld alliance published documents relating to 2022 relating to the Financial Information Report, the Corporate Governance Statement and the Remuneration Report for 2022.

Analyzing the three reports, it can be seen that in 2022, Finnair’s business continued to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time dealing with the economic and political crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and the closure of Russian airspace. The Finnish flag carrier also supported Ukrainians by offering a 95% discount on air tickets to Helsinki on several key routes used by those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

At the beginning of the year, the sick leave caused by the Omicron variant and the closure of Russian airspace required an adjustment of operations and the definition of a completely new strategy, changing routes and flights, and reassessing all traffic to and from Asia. Many Asian countries maintained their severe travel restrictions for most of last year. Most flights to Japan scheduled for the summer season were cancelled, but flights to Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul continued, supported by strong cargo demand.

Finnair’s cargo revenue reached a record level in 2022, with a slight increase compared to 2021, mainly due to more flights operated. In 2021, cargo-only flights represented a significant part of Finnair’s cargo capacity, but in 2022 they were mostly replaced by belly-carrying passenger flights due to strong passenger demand. However, Finnair expects the decline in demand for cargo flights to continue in the first quarter of 2023.

In early 2022, Finnair also invested 200 million euros in the cabins of all long-haul aircraft in its fleet, renovating the Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes.

The summer of 2022 was a busy time for travelers, with high demand and excellent revenues, as is always the case at this time of year. In the second half of the year, which is often the most difficult after the summer peak, revenues were still good thanks to steady demand and a policy of revenue optimization, despite an increase in ticket prices (due to exceptionally high fuel prices and long flight times on Asian routes).

In 2022, the number of passengers carried by Finnair more than tripled compared to 2021, reaching 9.1 million with revenues reaching €2.4 billion euros, an increase of €838.4 million, mainly due to the last two quarters of 2022, reflecting both the upturn in travel and tourism without restrictions.

2023 will certainly be a special year for Finnair, which will celebrate its centenary this year, having been founded on 1 November 1923.

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Vincenzo graduated in 2019 in Mechanical Engineering with an aeronautical curriculum, focusing his thesis on Human Factors in aircraft maintenance. In 2022 he pursued his master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Palermo, Italy. He combines his journalistic activities with his work as a Reliability Engineer at Zetalab.

WestJet Expands Service in the United States

Joey Gerardi

Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 11:55 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A WestJet 737-800 at LAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Canadian carrier WestJet has announced a list of new routes to the United States, including some new airports. All of these routes are scheduled to start this spring with the earliest new route beginning on May 17, 2023.

New routes include the following;

Calgary to Austin will operate twice weekly beginning on May 18, 2023

Calgary to Chicago O’Hare will operate four times a week starting May 18, 2023

Calgary to Detroit will operate five times a week beginning May 26, 2023

Calgary to Washington Dulles will operate three times a week beginning June 2, 2023

Edmonton to Minneapolis/St. Paul will operate five times a week beginning June 2, 2023

Edmonton to Seattle will operate five times a week beginning May 19, 2023

Vancouver to Atlanta will operate four times a week beginning May 17, 2023

Vancouver to Nashville will operate twice a week beginning May 19, 2023

Saskatoon to Minneapolis/St. Paul will operate three times a week beginning June 18, 2023

Newly announced WestJet routes (Photo: GreatCircleMapper)

Flights from Calgary to Detroit, Washington Dulles, Chicago O’Hare, Austin, and Vancouver to Atlanta will all be operated on the Boeing 737-700. Flights from Minneapolis to Edmonton and Saskatoon will be flown on the Boeing 737-800, and the flights from Vancouver to Nashville will be flown on the Boeing 737MAX8.

A WestJet 737-700 lands at LAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The new flights from Edmonton to Seattle will be flown on the airline’s smaller Q400 which is operated by WestJet Encore. Flights from Calgary to Austin and Chicago have operated before, so this is a resumption of the route for them with the airline. As for the rest of the routes, they are all new for WestJet.

There is a pattern with most of the new routes; Atlanta, Detroit, Seattle, and Minneapolis, these are all hubs for Delta Air Lines an airline they have a longstanding partnership with and will continue to strengthen with the introduction of the route to their hubs.

With the new routes to the Delta hubs, passengers from either airline will be able to connect to each other’s route network, whether it’s a WestJet hub or a Delta one. All routes and schedule data were taken from the airline’s website and are subject to change.

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.

Starlux Airlines Launches First Transpacific Route to Los Angeles

Andrew Chen

Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

Starlux's first Airbus A350-900 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after its delivery flight. (Photo: Starlux)

Recently, STARLUX Airlines revealed the schedule for its first transpacific flights to Los Angeles. The Taiwanese carrier will begin flying between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei and Los Angeles International Airport on April 26, 2023.

The flights will be operated by the airline’s recently delivered Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The outbound flight will depart Taipei as JX002 at 11:40 p.m. and will arrive in Los Angeles at 8:30 p.m. The return flight will be JX001 and will depart Los Angeles at 12:50 a.m. and arrive in Taipei the next day at 5:40 a.m. The flights will initially operate five times per week with the frequency increasing to daily in June.

A Competitive Landscape

The Taipei – Los Angeles route market is one with high demand and heavy competition. However, STARLUX should be accustomed to this phenomenon as many of its existing routes share the same characteristics. China Airlines and EVA Air dominate the Taiwanese air travel sector, and STARLUX is both trying to establish themself as the third major player in a competitive landscape. Having started operations in January 2020, the carrier has had a challenging first few years, working through the pandemic while facing tough competition on popular routes like Taipei – Osaka, Japan, Taipei – Bangkok and Taipei – Cebu, Philippines.

On STARLUX’s new Los Angeles route, it will face direct competition from both China Airlines and EVA Air, who are both well-established players in the market. In May 2023, China Airlines has 17 weekly flights scheduled, while EVA Air is planning on operating 21 weekly flights on the route. Both competitors offer late-night departures that will compete directly with STARLUX’s flights, as well as extensive networks in both Asia and North America.

On Board STARLUX’s Aircraft

STARLUX Airlines A350-900 business class cabin (Photo: STARLUX Airlines)

As STARLUX goes head-to-head with its Taiwanese competitors, it is marketing a luxurious onboard product. STARLUX’s A350-900s are configured with four first class seats, 26 business class seats, 36 premium economy class seats and 240 economy class seats. Since taking delivery of its first A350 in October, the carrier has been flying its new widebody jets on short-haul routes in Asia.

The carrier appears to be well-positioned to offer a competitive onboard experience. STARLUX will be the only airline to offer first class on the route. In fact, STARLUX is currently the only Taiwanese carrier with first class, as China Airlines discontinued its first class in 2016. First class suites on STARLUX’s A350s feature a 60-inch door wall and a personal wardrobe.

Business class seats also feature a door and both premium cabins have lie-flat seats with a “Zero G” mode to hep alleviate fatigue. Premium economy class and economy class seats have large personal entertainment screens with 4k resolution. During its first years of operation, STARLUX has also developed a reputation for delivering a high-quality soft product that will further add to the competitiveness of the airline’s onboard offerings.

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.

Lufthansa Cancels Flights Ahead of Strike Action

John Flett

Friday, February 17, 2023 at 07:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

A Lufthansa A330 departing Austin in 2019 with Air Force One in the background. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Mateen Kontoravdis)

After canceling a number of flights on Wednesday due to an IT failure, Lufthansa operations are facing further disruptions due to strike action by airport workers on Friday.

The German carrier’s social media accounts on Wednesday stated, “As of this morning the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are affected by an IT outage, caused by construction work in the Frankfurt region.” Reuters reported that the mid-week chaos was allegedly caused by damage to broadband cables on Tuesday evening during work on a railway extension.

Lufthansa’s check-in and boarding systems at Frankfurt Airport were affected resulting in over 200 flights being canceled and air traffic control suspending incoming flights for a period. A number of Lufthansa Group flights were also delayed during the day due to the knock-on effect of the system failure.

Friday’s strike action by the Verdi trade union will see airport workers walking off the job for 24 hours at seven German airports across the country. Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Dortmund, Hanover and Bremen airports are affected. As a result, the Lufthansa Group is canceling over 1300 flights including all flights at Frankfurt and Munich.

Michael Niggemann, Member of the Executive Board and Chief Officer Human Resources and Infrastructure Lufthansa Group, said, “We regret the enormous impact of this warning strike which is being carried out at the expense of our passengers. We are not a party to the collective bargaining and have no influence on it – nevertheless, our guests and we are massively affected. More than 1,300 flight cancellations for Lufthansa Group airlines alone show once again how vulnerable and fragile the air transport system is to strike activity.”

Verdi deputy chair Christine Behle said in a statement, “The workers are jointly applying pressure on their respective employers because negotiations so far have been unable to produce results.” News site DW.com cited Behle as saying “that ground handling workers “need an attractive wage increase” to counter the “catastrophic labor shortage” that has been felt since the pandemic.” Negotiations between the union and public sector employees are scheduled to resume on Feb. 22 and 23.

According to Reuters, that the German airline may soon be adjusting its summer schedule resulting in more than 34,000 flight cancellations. Citing the German business weekly WirtschaftsWoche, Reuters states that within the Lufthansa Group ‘the number could increase as cancellations at its Eurowings and SWISS units might be added.’

Quoting a Lufthansa spokesperson, WirtschaftsWoche reported that, “Lufthansa has adjusted the 2023 summer flight schedule from Frankfurt and Munich.” The report also stated that the number of flights removed from the Schule may increase “as further daily cancellations can always be added.”

John Flett

Spirit Airlines Expands Puerto Rico Operations with New and Increased Flights

Aviacionline

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 09:44 PM ET

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Edited By:

Pablo Diaz

A Spirit Airlines A320. (AirlineGeeks | Parker Davis)

Spirit Airlines is set to expand its operations in Puerto Rico during the 2023 summer season with the introduction of five new nonstop routes from San Juan to Atlanta, Hartford, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, and Chicago O’Hare. The airline also plans to increase its existing services from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to Baltimore, Newark, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando.

This expansion will bring Spirit’s total number of nonstop routes in Puerto Rico from 11 to 16. The new flights are set to begin in June of 2023.

New Routes:

Atlanta (ATL): daily flights beginning May 5
Hartford (BDL): three weekly flights beginning June 7
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): daily flights beginning June 5
Detroit (DTW): daily flights starting June 5
Chicago O’Hare (ORD): daily flights beginning June 5

Increased Operations on Existing Routes:

Baltimore (BWI): increases from one to two daily flights effective May 5
Newark (EWR): increases from one to two daily flights effective June 7
Fort Lauderdale (FLL): increases from one to two daily flights effective April 5
Orlando (MCO): increases from four to five daily flights effective May 5

“Spirit Airlines has served the Puerto Rican community for more than two decades, offering affordable fares to connect family and friends in the United States. Puerto Rico is our number one destination in the Caribbean, with its rich history and culture, renowned beaches, rainforest and the world’s brightest bioluminescent bay,” said John Kirby, vice president of network planning for Spirit Airlines.

“We are continuing our growth in San Juan with five new nonstop routes, reaffirming our commitment to the island and making it even easier to travel more frequently,” Kirby added.

This article was originally published by Rainer Nieves Dolande on Aviacionline in syndication with AirlineGeeks.

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EL AL to Begin Non-Stop Flights between Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale

Aviacionline

Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 09:35 PM ET

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Edited By:

Pablo Diaz

An El Al Dreamliner in Everett, Wash (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)

EL AL is increasing its U.S. operations with seasonal service between Tel Aviv (TLV) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) starting September 13, 2023. This new service will initially run between September and October to cater to Jewish High Holidays. The airline will operate more than 40 flights a week to Israel and expand its offerings in Florida, increasing from 5 to 6 weekly flights between Tel Aviv (TLV) and Miami (MIA) starting May 25, 2023.

EL AL has relocated its regional headquarters for North America to Margate, Florida, and it is the only Middle Eastern carrier to operate passenger flights in Fort Lauderdale. The service between Tel Aviv (TLV) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is planned to operate year-round beginning in spring 2024.

US-Israel: Forty flights per week

“EL AL is thrilled to continue to open new routes and grow our service in the U.S. We will be operating more than 40 flights a week to Israel, continuing our mission to be the bridge between Israel and the world. Our nonstop, point-to-point route network provides the most direct service and offers our guests the most authentic experience between Israel and the U.S.,” said Marc Cavaliere, EL AL senior vice president, Americas.

“EL AL’s new service between FLL and Tel Aviv will help boost business, tourism and trade opportunities between the Middle East and Broward County. We are excited to welcome Israel’s national airline to FLL Broward County and look forward to a mutually successful partnership,” said Lamar Fisher, Broward County Mayor.

The new route will be operated on Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity of 238 seats in three classes (20 Business Class/35 Premium Economy/183 Economy). Promotional fares are available, starting at USD 724 each way.

This article was originally published by Rainer Nieves Dolande on Aviacionline in syndication with AirlineGeeks.

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