Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, routes provided by Essential Air Service (EAS) — a Department of Transporation (DOT) program that subsidizes flights to airports that might not otherwise receive service — have become, as the name suggests, essential. That's true not only for the communities and travelers that rely on the air service that EAS routes provide but also for airlines seeking a guaranteed source of revenue during uncertain times. Over the past spring, the EAS contract for Manistee, Michigan went…
The Coronavirus outbreak has left millions of people stranded worldwide and away from their home countries. Governments across the globe have operated special charters to bring their distressed citizens back home since a considerable portion of global commercial air travel had come to a screeching halt. Countries with larger diaspora…
A couple of weeks ago, I was perusing the latest aviation news from around the internet. I was looking specifically at what I could find surrounding the Department of Transportation (DOT). And I stumbled across an article about Avatar Airlines. It's a name that rang a bell but didn't, of…
Facing tremendous challenges posed by the new coronavirus, Delta is suspending flights to ten airports across the country. Delta announced on May 8 that it is cutting service to 10 U.S. secondary airports as part of a previously announced 85% overall reduction in its service schedule. Notably, Delta is halting service…
Less than a week after releasing preliminary terms for airlines receiving aid from the U.S. government, the Department of Transportation (DOT) filed another memo for airlines on April 3, this one mandating airlines continue to provide refunds per previous guidance, even in the wake of the economic and travel industry…
When President Donald Trump signed the over $2 trillion stimulus package known as the CARES Act into law on March 27, he, in conjunction with a bipartisan group of legislators, touted the success of setting aside hundreds of billions for small businesses, large businesses in troubled industries and consumers, alike.…
A report released Feb. 11 by the inspector general at the Department of Transportation says Dallas-based Southwest Airlines put millions of passengers at risk by flying aircraft that did not adhere to basic U.S. safety standards. The 27-page report published Tuesday details how the airline operated "more than 150,000 flights…
The United States and Argentina yesterday ratified a new amendment to the bilateral 1985 Air Transport Services Agreement immediately lifting previously established reciprocity restrictions. The new agreement between U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Argentinian Minister of Transportation Guillermo Dietrich liberalizes the U.S.-Argentina to the extent that any U.S.…
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has provisionally approved for 12 new daytime routes between the U.S. and Tokyo's Haneda Airport. The routes are expected to be operated during next year's summer schedule, just in time for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. [caption id="attachment_33720" align="aligncenter" width="540"] New slots…
With Pakistan restricting access to its airspace, airlines operating in the region have been forced to take indirect flight paths to get to their destinations. While this may mean an extra hour or so flying time and a brief delay for some, it means fuel stops for those flying the…
