Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell

Airline News

Low-cost transatlantic carriers sprouting up

New transatlantic air options are being offered for all-economy or all-business-class services at fares considered bargains compared to legacy carriers.

Economy carriers include Zoom Airlines, which flies between New York’s JFK and London’s Gatwick. Another is Flyglobespan, which serves JFK to Liverpool and West Knock, Ireland. It also flies Boston to Glasgow and West Knock, and Orlando to Glasgow and Belfast. A third choice is Air Berlin, taking over from LTU as a new low-cost carrier based in Düsseldorf, Germany. It will soon fly from New York, Los Angeles and Miami with transatlantic flights to Düsseldorf, connecting to London’s Stansted Airport and multiple cities on the European continent.

For discounted business-class fares, look for Eos and MaxJet, both flying JFK to London’s Stansted, and Silverjet, flying JFK to London’s Luton Airport. MaxJet will soon add service to London from Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Another start-up, flying well-received business flights from Newark (NJ) to Paris Orly Airport, is the French carrier L’Avion.

Expect even more transatlantic options to emerge with the March 2008 start of the recently approved “Open Skies” Air Transport Agreement between the US and the European Union, allowing carriers on both sides to fly between many more cities.

Cell phones may replace boarding passes

Within a few years, you could no longer be using printed boarding passes to go through airport security checkpoints. Instead, you might be registering your cell phone number with your airline to receive a text message with a boarding pass bar code. You would then hold up the screen of your cell phone under the airport security scanner, rather than show a paper record. 

Air Canada, Air Berlin, ANA and Spanair already offer the service in their countries, and US airlines are pressing for government approval to offer the same service here. 

Mexicana plans Aeromexico takeover bid

The parent company of Mexicana announced a takeover bid for Aeromexico during the first week of October. The US$200 million offer is 25 percent higher than the next highest offer made so far. 

The company said its goal is to create a single national flagship carrier for Mexico. Grupo Mexicana submitted data to support its premise that, under current conditions, the domestic market cannot support two flagship airlines. 

The number of airlines in the country has doubled since 2001. Low-cost airlines could see their market share increase to as much as 36 percent once they receive the 25 new aircraft on order. Currently, 14 airlines operate regular services in Mexico.

Mexico seeks to revoke Azteca’s air concession

The Mexican government announced on October 11 that it is moving to revoke the concession of budget airline Lineas Aereas Azteca after it failed to fix safety problems that led to its grounding six months ago.

The airline was ordered to stop flying in March after inspectors found it was not complying with safety procedures and obligatory training for pilots, technicians and maintenance personnel. The airline was given 90 days plus an additional grace period to fix the problems but failed to do so.

The airline is the second low-cost carrier to be grounded by the government in the past 18 months. AeroCalifornia was suspended in April 2006 for safety reasons but the airline resumed some operations four months later.

Republic authorized to fly to Mexico

Republic Airlines has received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Mexican Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC). The AOC gives Republic Airlines the authority to operate on several routes to Mexico, including Denver to Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Mazatlán and Zihuatanejo; Sacramento and San Jose, California to Los Cabos; and Albuquerque, New Mexico to Puerto Vallarta. 

Republic’s service to Mexico began October 3 when Flight 4571, operating as Frontier Airlines, departed Denver for Los Cabos. Republic will operate its Mexican routes on behalf of Frontier Airlines under a long-term, code-share agreement.

Boeing delays Dreamliners

On October 12, the Boeing Company announced a six-month delay in its planned delivery of its 787 Dreamliner, citing “continued challenges completing assembly of the first airplanes.” Boeing was quick to note that the problems stem from supply and are not structural or design-related. The first deliveries are now expected in late 2008. 

Boeing’s Dreamliner is said to use 20 percent less fuel, while also flying faster and farther than other medium-sized jets.

Sources: BHT, USA Today, Modern Agent, OSSN, Budget Travel, Travel Agent, Mexico Alert

Judy Newell, a writer and travel industry executive, heads the custom tour company Perfect Journeys that specializes in luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at JudyNewell_03@msn.com  or go to her website www.PerfectJourneys.net.