Azores Airlines and Binter to work together

SATA Azoress Airlines and Binter are working together with a new codeshare agreement:

Flights between the Azores and the Canary Islands, operated by Binter, are available on the SATA Azores Airlines website and on all sales channels of the SATA group. This means that travellers looking for connections available on the SATA Azores Airlines website will also have access to Binter’s flights. Equally, the offer of the airlines SATA Air Açores and Azores Airlines can be found on the Binter website.

This possibility occurs thanks to the codeshare agreement established between the airlines.

The connections between the Azores and the Canary islands start July 2 until September 24, 2022 with a weekly flight, operated on Saturdays. The direct connection will open up other opportunities for travellers who want to get to know other islands, thanks to the network of inter-island flights that both SATA Air Açores and Binter operate.

Connections between Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and Ponta Delgada (São Miguel) depart from Las Palmas at 8:30 am and arrive in Ponta Delgada at 9:50 am, local time. The return to Las Palmas is less than an hour later, departing Ponta Delgada at 10:30 am and arriving in Las Palmas at 1:40 pm, local time. This flight schedule allows you to connect SATA Air Açores network and also provides a connection to Azores Airlines flights, to or from the cities of Boston, New York and Toronto.

Arriving in the Canary Islands, passengers will have the possibility of connecting to the airports of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife North and Tenerife South on the outbound flight, and on the return flight, with La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.

Flights will be operated with an Embraer E195-E2, with a capacity for 132 passengers. The flight will last approximately two hours and ten minutes.

Azores Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair arrives in Seattle-Tacoma, first departure to Helsinki

Finnair made this announcement on the first flight to SEA on June 1:

Our inaugural flight to Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting departure ceremony at Helsinki Airport (HEL).

With this new direct flight, we are excited to be able to offer excellent transfer connections to the West Coast and Canada through our partner Alaska Airlines.

Finnair arrives in SEA (below).

Meanwhile SEA celebrate the first departure to HEL.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Atlas Air takes delivery of first of four new Boeing 747-8 Freighters

Atlas Air, Inc., a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., has announced it has taken delivery of a Boeing 747-8 freighter, which will operate on behalf of its customer Cainiao, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, as part of a previously announced long-term agreement.

The aircraft will increase capacity on routes between China and the Americas. This aircraft is the first of four new 747-8 freighters that Atlas expects to receive from Boeing this year.

The addition of this 747-8F expands service for Cainiao between China, the United States, Brazil and Chile aboard the most capable, technologically advanced and environmentally-friendly widebody freighter, providing 20% higher payload capacity and 16% lower fuel consumption than the very capable 747-400F.

As previously announced, Atlas’s investment in these new aircraft underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship through the reduction of aircraft emissions, resource consumption and noise. The iconic Boeing 747 program has been in operation for over 50 years and will continue to play a critical role in keeping global supply chains moving for decades to come. The 747-8 is the only factory-built freighter with nose-loading capability in production, which will serve the long-term needs of the airfreight market.

Atlas Air aircraft photo gallery:

British Airways expands its U.S. network, adds Portland, OR

British Airways is ramping up its US route network this summer, taking its direct US routes to London to 26.

Today, June 3, Portland, Oregon becomes the newest destination on the British Airways route map, providing the city’s only direct route to the UK.

A warm local welcome is anticipated as inaugural flight BA0267 touches down at Portland International Airport (PDX). The brand-new route will operate five times per week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Networks and Alliances said: “This summer British Airways will be flying from 26 US cities to London and we’re very excited to be adding Portland to our list of transatlantic destinations. Not only are we the only airline to offer direct flights from Portland to London, but this new route also opens a wide variety of connections for our customers. Through Alaska Airlines, our oneworld partner, British Airways will offer codeshare connections to several destinations operated by Alaska Airlines from Portland.”

Also on June 3, British Airways also relaunches its direct route from Pittsburgh to London. It remains the only airline to offer a direct flight from the Pennsylvanian city to London. The airline will resume a year-round four-per-week service – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

On June 6, the airline launches a new, daytime flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow – its third daily flight from Newark to London, to support the return of business travel.

The daytime flight will depart at 7.55 am from Newark – a convenient option for travelers wishing to spend an extra night in the New York area before departing, or for those who wish to arrive just in time for an evening in London. With this additional flight time, British Airways along with its joint business partner, American Airlines will offer the most extensive network from the New York area to London with 15 daily departures this summer, including 11 daily flights from JFK to Heathrow and 1 daily flight from JFK to Gatwick.

The inaugural British Airways’ A380 arrives at Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia, USA (British Airways)

This summer also marks the return of daily direct flights from San Jose, California, to London on June 13; and the return of A380 aircraft to more North American airports. Chicago and Vancouver were the latest cities to welcome home the Airbus earlier this week. Meanwhile, Dallas/Fort Worth is preparing to welcome the A380 for the first time on July 1. The aircraft, which is British Airways’ and the airline industry’s largest, offers a choice of First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins and has a total of 469 seats. There are 12 A380s in the British Airways fleet.

Notes:

The Portland route will be operated by one of British Airways’ newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
British Airways customers will also benefit from our relationship with Alaska Airlines, offering seamless onward connections beyond Portland. British Airways customers can book onto Alaska-operated flights to 15 destinations from Portland, enabling them to access the UK with only one stop. Furthermore, our loyalty program members can earn and redeem miles on these flights.
Pittsburgh will be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

British Airways aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):

JetBlue comments on Frontier-Spirit announcement

JetBlue Airways has issued the following statement regarding the amended Frontier-Spirit merger agreement:

The Spirit Board of Directors’ conflicts continue to guide their every move. This announcement demonstrates why, in their shareholders’ best interest, they should negotiate with us in good faith – which, yet again, they have failed to do. Spirit’s Board only went back to Frontier under pressure, when it became increasingly clear their shareholders would decisively reject the Spirit Board’s flawed process and Frontier’s inferior transaction.

The addition of a reverse termination fee in the face of a likely defeat is simply an acknowledgement that the regulatory profiles and timelines of both deals are indeed similar.

Spirit had already admitted that its own prior unreasonably optimistic projections of receiving approval this year were in fact not accurate. Experts agree both transactions will receive the same level of scrutiny.

JetBlue will review and assess the revised terms of the amended merger agreement once it has been made available. We believe we have put forward a clearly superior offer and remain prepared to negotiate in good faith a consensual transaction at $33, subject to receiving necessary diligence. We urge Spirit shareholders to continue to let the Spirit Board know they want an open, fair process, providing us a level playing field and full access to the same information available to Frontier. There is still time for the Spirit Board to do the right thing for their shareholders.

JetBlue aircraft photo gallery:

Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines announce an amended merger agreement

Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Frontier Group Holdings, Inc., parent company of Frontier Airlines, Inc., have announced an amendment to their previously announced merger agreement dated February 5, 2022.

Under the terms of the amended merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Frontier would pay a reverse termination fee of $250 million, or $2.23 per share, to Spirit in the unlikely event the combination is not consummated for antitrust reasons.

William A. Franke, the Chair of Frontier’s Board of Directors and the managing partner of Indigo Partners, Frontier’s majority shareholder, said, “We continue to believe in the strategic rationale of a combined Spirit and Frontier, which brings together two complementary businesses to create America’s most competitive ultra-low fare airline. Given our conviction that regulators will find this combination to be pro-competitive, we have agreed to institute a reverse termination fee. We look forward to bringing these two companies together and delivering on the benefits for all stakeholders.”

Ted Christie, President and CEO of Spirit, said, “Since announcing our transaction with Frontier, we have had extensive constructive conversations with our stockholders, who have expressed support for the strategic rationale of our combination but a desire for additional stockholder protections. After discussing this feedback with the Frontier Board and management team, we have agreed to amend the merger agreement. We look forward to closing the transaction and bringing more ultra-low fares to more people in more places.”

“We continue to be excited about the combination with Spirit, which will create a true nationwide ultra-low fare airline to compete against the dominant ‘Big Four’ carriers and other high-cost airlines,” said Barry Biffle, President and CEO of Frontier. “We will continue to work closely with the Spirit team to successfully complete the transaction and deliver enhanced value to all of our stakeholders.”

“The combination of a higher reverse termination fee and a much greater likelihood to close in a Frontier merger provides substantially more regulatory protection for Spirit stockholders than the transaction proposed by JetBlue,” said Mac Gardner, Chairman of the Board of Spirit. “We look forward to closing the transaction with Frontier and giving Spirit stockholders the opportunity to benefit from pandemic recovery and share in approximately $500 million in annual net synergies.”

Spirit Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Flair Airlines will continue to fly and expand

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has announced it has determined that Flair Airlines is Canadian-owned and operated.

The CTA was investigating the company on a reports that some of its owner were not Canadian.

The investigation focused on the influence of U.S.-based investor 777 Partners LCC which helped the airline survive during COVID-19 restrictions.

3 liveries for one airline:

The airline has been cleared to continue to expand.

Flair Airlines aircvraft photo gallery:

Comair suspends all flights pending additional funding

Comair has announced that regrettably it is obliged to suspend all British Airways (operated by Comair) and kulula.com flights from Tuesday evening, May 31, 2022 pending successfully securing additional funding.

The company’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) have advised that the process to raise the necessary capital is in progress and that there is reason to believe such funding may be secured. Once received, the airline will be able to recommence operations, but regrettably under these circumstances, the practitioners have no choice but to voluntarily suspend all scheduled flights until the funding is confirmed.

British Airways (operated by Comair) and kulula.com ticket sales have also been suspended with immediate effect.

British Airways (Comair) aircraft photo gallery:

Kulula aircraft photo gallery:

Hawaiian Airlines to resume service to Tokyo Haneda Airport, increase frequency to Narita and Osaka Kansai

Hawaiian Airlines will resume daily service between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) on Aug. 1. Hawaiian, which today offers three weekly flights between HNL and Narita Airport (NRT) and one weekly flight between HNL and Osaka’s Kansai Airport (KIX), will also bring daily service to each route in August.

Hawaiian Airlines flight HA863 will depart HNL at 1:55 p.m., with an estimated arrival at HND at 5:10 p.m. the following day. The return flight, HA864, will depart HND at 8:15 p.m. and arrive at HNL at 9:05 a.m. the same day.

Earlier this month, Hawaiian launched its Boarding Pass campaign to encourage guests arriving from Japan to support local businesses during their visit to the islands. Guests can show their Hawaiian Airlines boarding pass at partner stores, including Foodland, Honolulu Cookie Company, Local Motion, Jana Lam and more, to receive special discounts and offers.

Hawaiian has not yet announced dates for service resumption to Fukuoka, Sapporo and Kona-Haneda. U.S. travelers should be aware of restrictions affecting entry into Japan.

Hawaiian Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Marianas Southern Airways is getting ready to start flying

Marianas Southern Airways (Saipan) is the name of the newest airline of Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

The U.S. DOT has approved the name of the new airline.

The first aircraft, a new Tecnam P2012 Traveler, is named “Spirit of Saipan”. Then airliner has departed from Italy on its delivery according to the new airline.

The airline will compete against Star Marianas on local flights within the NMI. Specific routes will be announcved at a later time.

Marianas Southern Airways is a joint venture partnership between Saipan-based Marianas Pacific Airlines and Southern Airways Express.

Meanwhile Marianas Pacific Airlines is a new international consumer airline in its formative stages. Locally owned and operated, the CNMI based full-service passenger and cargo airline will bring the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) to Australasia and North East Asia, forging new trade opportunities for tourism, export and import businesses while facilitating the travel for essential services for the people of CNMI.

The airline will operate as a United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved scheduled service Part 121 air carrier, allowing unrestricted operations.

Marianas Pacific’s operations will provide 52 flights a week on seven niche routes in the next three years using three US registered aircraft. The planned routes will be accessible to over 313 million people in four countries within a 6 hour 15 minutes flying time of Saipan.