Southwest unveils newest onboard product: iHeartRadio

Southwest Airlines announced today a new collaboration with iHeartRadio to bring iHeartMedia’s free all-in-one digital music and live streaming radio service to Customers as the exclusive music offering within the onboard entertainment portal on Southwest flights.

Through the onboard entertainment portal integration with iHeartRadio, Customers can enjoy all their favorite musical genres including alternative rock, country, hip hop, R&B, Top 40 hit music, and more. From these genres, passengers can choose their favorite live radio station or pick from hundreds of artists to launch their very own custom artist radio station featuring music from that artist and those similar. In addition, iHeartRadio will also bring Customers expertly-curated station themes perfect for inflight listening like Pass the Time and Kids Zone.

Customers can access iHeartRadio free of charge through the onboard entertainment portal on their personal devices to begin their listening experience. Once activated, the music will continue play as long as the entertainment portal is open in a tab, allowing Customers to browse the rest of the portal, check the flight tracker or utilize the web if they have purchased WiFi access.

Customers who already have the iHeartRadio app installed on their devices will be able to play their personalized music and favorite podcasts directly from the app while onboard Southwest flights. Those passengers who already subscribe to iHeartRadio’s All Access on demand subscription service will also have access to their entire music library and saved playlists as well as enjoy millions of songs and albums instantly.

The free service is available on the more than 690 WiFi-equipped aircraft serviced by Global Eagle.

Due to licensing restrictions, iHeartRadio may not be available onboard WiFi-enabled international flights. The iHeart Radio product is available only on WiFi-enabled aircraft.

Alaska Air Cargo to deliver more than 64,000 pounds of wild Copper River salmon to Seattle

(PRNewsfoto/Alaska Airlines)

Alaska Airlines made this announcement:

More than 16,000 pounds of fresh Copper River salmon arrived in Seattle on a fish-filled Alaska Airlines plane touching down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport shortly after 6:30 a.m. this morning. Today officially marks the beginning of the summer salmon grilling season that is anticipated by seafood lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. In total, Alaska Air Cargo has three more flights scheduled throughout the day to bring in an additional 48,000 pounds of salmon to market.

Every year Alaska Air Cargo partners with the state of Alaska’s three largest seafood processors, Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, and Copper River Seafoods to bring the coveted fish to Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, where it will then be delivered to restaurants and grocery stores throughout the Pacific Northwest, and across the country.

Ninth annual Copper Chef Cook-off

The season’s first fish, a 45-pound king salmon donated by Trident Seafoods, will become the catch of the day for three Seattle chefs competing for the best salmon recipe in the ninth annual “Copper Chef Cook-off.” The chefs competing this year includes defending champion John Sundstrom, chef-owner, Lark, Slab Sandwiches + Pie, Southpaw Pizza, Executive Chef Paul Duncan of Ray’s Boathouse and Executive Chef Chris Bryant of Wildfin American Grill. In an “Iron Chef” type competition, the three culinary elites will have 30 minutes to prepare and serve the freshly caught salmon to an audience of Alaska Airlines customers. Oregon winery Erath will provide wine pairings to accompany the dishes prepared during the cook-off. Seattle culinary giant and competition veteran John Howie and Ken Carson, the field announcer for the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders, will co-emcee the early morning event.

Photo: Alaska Airlines.

Frontier adds nine new routes from San Antonio

Frontier Airlines is adding nine new routes from San Antonio. With this announcement, Frontier will offer more nonstop destinations from San Antonio International Airport than any other airline. On eight of the new routes Frontier will offer the only nonstop flights.

New flights to/from San Antonio:

Albuquerque
Charlotte
Cleveland
Columbus
Jacksonville
Memphis
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Tulsa

The new service joins flights on these existing routes:

Atlanta
Cincinnati
Colorado Springs
Denver
Las Vegas
New Orleans
San Diego
San Jose, Calif.
Ontario, Calif.
Orlando
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Raleigh-Durham
Washington – Dulles

Top Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A320-251N WL N317FR (msn 7835) (Georgia, the Painted Bunting) SNA (Michael B. Ing). Image: 941931.

Frontier Airlines aircraft slide show:

Goodbye SilkAir, SilkAir to undergo major cabin product upgrade and will be merged into Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has made this announcement:

Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) regional wing, SilkAir, is to undergo a significant investment program to upgrade its cabin products as part of a multi-year initiative that will ultimately see it merged into Singapore Airlines.

The program will comprise investment of more than $100 million to upgrade the wholly owned subsidiary’s cabins with new lie-flat seats in Business Class, and the installation of seat-back in-flight entertainment systems in both Business Class and Economy Class. This will ensure closer product and service consistency across the SIA Group’s full-service network.

Above Photo: SilkAir. SilkAir’s MAX 8 Business Class seats.

Aircraft cabin upgrades are expected to start in 2020 due to lead times required by seat suppliers, including to complete certification processes. The merger will take place only after a sufficient number of aircraft have been fitted with the new cabin products. Specific details will be announced progressively as the program develops and timelines are finalised.

Consistent with ongoing efforts to optimise the SIA Group’s network, there will also be transfers of routes and aircraft between the different airlines in the portfolio.

SilkAir is the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, operating a fleet of 11 Airbus A320 family aircraft and 22 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft. It is currently transitioning to an all-737 fleet, and serves 49 destinations in 16 countries.

It launched in 1989 as Tradewinds the airline, initially focusing on holiday destinations in Southeast Asia. Renamed SilkAir in 1992, it expanded progressively across Asia in subsequent years as it evolved from a holiday resort airline to a full-fledged, full-service regional carrier.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by SilkAir): SilkAir Airbus A319-133 9V-SBH (msn 4259) HKT (Richard Vandervord). Image: 923656.

SilkAir aircraft slide show:

The first Airbus A330-200 is painted for the new Air Italy

Air Italy published these photos of its first Airbus A330-200 (EI-GFX) painted in the full new livery at Dublin.

All photos by Air Italy.

United to add the Chicago – Brownsville route

United Airlines will add weekly United Express service between the Chicago O’Hare hub and Brownsville, TX. The new route will be operated by SkyWest Airlines Embraer 175s starting on November 3, 2018 per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: United Express-SkyWest Airlines Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N146SY (msn 17000491) DCA (Jay Selman). Image: 403712.

United Express-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

Saratov Airlines/Ivolga Airlines to shut down on May 31

As previously reported, Saratov Airlines announced on April 28, 2018 it operated its first flight (Saratov-Dalaman) as Ivolga Airlines.

That move, it appears, was not enough to satisfy the Russian regulators.

Rosaviatsia, which put the airline on a temporary AOC, has instructed the airline not to book and or issue tickets for any flights after May 30.

As a result, the carrier is shutting down all operations on May 31. Approximately 1,200 employees will be laid off.

Saratov Airlines aircraft slide show:

Delta to drop Orlando – Miami service

Delta Air Lines will drop the Orlando – Miami route on October 28. The route is currently served once a day with Airbus A320s according to Airline route.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Photo of the Day: The cockpit of the Boeing 737-8 MAX 8

Photo: Boeing. The front office of the new MAX 8. The 737 MAX flight deck features four large displays, which give crews increased situational awareness.