WestJet flights between Dawson Creek and Calgary take off

WestJet Link - Pacific Coastal Airlines SAAB 340A C-GPCJ (msn 006) YYC (Chris Sands). Image: 943491.

WestJet on September 8 launched its newest route with the departure of WestJet Link flight 3027 connecting Calgaryย andย Dawson Creek, B.C.

The inaugural marks a new link for the regions’ business, travel and tourism markets as WestJet becomes the only carrier to provide nonstop service between the Peace River Region and its largest hub inย Calgary, where the airline is the largest carrier, offering the most seats and flights.

Upon flight 3027’s arrival inย Dawson Creek, the inaugural service was celebrated byย Dawson Creekย Mayorย Dale Bumsteadย alongsideย Chris Hedlin, WestJet’s Vice-President of Network Planning and key regional business leaders.

The new service and new route for WestJet operates four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. ย WestJet Link flights are operated through a capacity purchase agreement with Pacific Coastal Airlines using its fleet of WestJet-branded 34-seat SAAB 340 aircraft.

With the addition ofย Calgary–Dawson Creekย service, WestJet Link now operates five routes betweenย Calgaryย andย Cranbrook,ย Lethbridge,ย Lloydminsterย andย Medicine Hatย and three betweenย Vancouverย andย Cranbrook,ย Nanaimoย andย Comox.

Details of WestJet’s service betweenย Calgaryย andย Dawson Creek:

Route

Frequency

Start Date

Departure

Arrival

Calgary โ€“ Dawson Creek

4x weekly

September 8, 2021

3:30 p.m

4:37 p.m

Dawson Creek โ€“ Calgary

4x weekly

September 8, 2021

5:15 p.m

8:13 p.m

Top Copyright Photo: WestJet Link – Pacific Coastal Airlines SAAB 340A C-GPCJ (msn 006) YYC (Chris Sands). Image: 943491.

WestJet Link aircraft slide show:

WestJet Group announces mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all employees

WestJet Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner C-GURP (msn 64975) LGW (Antony J. Best). Image: 948007.

The WestJet Group has announced that effective October 30, 2021, all WestJet Group employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, full vaccination status will be a requirement of employment for all future employees hired by the WestJet Group.

The WestJet Group will evaluate and accommodate those employees who are unable to be vaccinated against COVID-19 either through medical or other exemption. Employees who fail to attest their vaccination status byย September 24ย or achieve full vaccination status byย October 30, 2021, will face unpaid leave or termination of employment. As part of its vaccine mandate, the airline will not provide testing as an alternative to vaccination.

In other news:

Top Copyright Photo: WestJet Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner C-GURP (msn 64975) LGW (Antony J. Best). Image: 948007.

WestJet aircraft slide show:

Swoop reaches tentative agreement with CUPE

Named #Abottsford

Swoop has announced that it has reached a tentative agreement with CUPE Local 4070, representation for Swoop’s Inflight (flight attendant) group.

Both parties now await the ratification vote to be put forward to membership.

“We are pleased to have come to tentative terms on our first collective agreement with CUPE Local 4070,” saidย Charles Duncan, President of Swoop. “Our inflight group plays an integral role in our operations and we are grateful for their commitment to safety and enhancing the traveller experience at Swoop.”

Top Copyright Photo: Swoop (WestJet) Boeing 737-8CT SSWL C-FPLS (msn 60132) LAS (Gunter Mayer). Image: 954940.

Swoop aircraft slide show:

LATAM exceeds 100 million COVID-19 vaccines transported free of charge in South America

LATAM Cargo (Colombia) Boeing 767-316F ER WL N538LA (msn 34628) GRU (Rodrigo Cozzato). Image: 952153.

The LATAM Group exceeded 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines transported free of charge within Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. The initiative is part of LATAM’s โ€œSolidarity Plane,โ€ a program that provides LATAM’s connectivity and passenger and cargo transport capacity for the benefit of South America at no cost.

With more than 10 years of history, LATAM’s โ€œSolidarity Planeโ€ program is part of the Shared Value pillar of the group’s sustainability strategy. It seeks to generate value in society through connectivity. To date, it has mobilized more than 2,400 health professionals and patients with urgent medical needs, and more than 770 tons of cargo, including medical supplies and vaccines, in South America.

Recently, an alliance was announced with solidarity organizations and civil societies in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, making available to them the expertise, infrastructure, connectivity and speed of air transport through tickets and cargo transfer at no cost to the institutions in agreement. This collaboration will be replicated in Colombia in the coming weeks.

Other areas of action of “Solidarity Planeโ€ are:

  • Health Solidarity Plane: Airlift to attend the transportation needs of patients, health professionals and medical supplies; or connecting a patient to a donor through the transport of organs, tissues, and stem cells.

  • Environmental Solidarity Plane: Transportation of flora and fauna for their protection, as well as the transfer of scientists and members of environmental NGOs who travel to protect the South American ecosystem.

  • Natural Disasters Solidarity Plane: Transfer of affected individuals and professionals who travel in support of disasters and humanitarian aid in the event of floods, fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods or volcanic eruptions.

ย 
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Top Copyright Photo: LATAM Cargo (Colombia) Boeing 767-316F ER WL N538LA (msn 34628) GRU (Rodrigo Cozzato). Image: 952153.
LATAM Airlines (Colombia) aircraft slide show:

Bamboo Airways receives U.S. approvals to fly to the U.S. West Coast

Bamboo Airways (Hanoi) has received its final U.S. approvals to operate to the United States starting on September 23.

Bamboo has stated it will operate 12 nonstop flights in September and November.

The charter flights will be operated with Boeing 787-9Dreamliners from Hanoi and Da Nang to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle/Tacoma.

United warns its 3Q revenue will take a hit due to weaker demand caused by the delta variant

United Airlines Boeing 767-322 ER WL N670UA (msn 29240) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 954939.

United Airlines Holdings (United Airlines) warned today that its third quarter revenue and capacity will be less than expected due to a weaker travel demand due to a rise in COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant.

United also expects revenue to fall by 33% compared to the same quarter in 2019 and capacity to fall by at least 28%, more than the 26% of the previous forecast.

United is adjusting its fall and winter schedule accordingly.

Top Copyright Photo: United Airlines Boeing 767-322 ER WL N670UA (msn 29240) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 954939.

United Airlines (new livery) aircraft slide show:

Over 170 destinations are being served nonstop again from Munich Airport

Munich Airport has made this announcement:

Airlines are gradually increasing the number of flights offered at Munich Airport, which had been reduced as a result of the Corona crisis.The number of destinations served regularly from Munich has now risen to over 170. This represents around 80 percent of the destinations that were on the flight schedule in 2019, the year before the crisis.

Since this week, travelers from the Bavarian capital can now fly nonstop to Toronto again with Air Canada. As Germans are now also allowed to enter Canada again, the demand has increased accordingly. In addition to Air Canada’s three weekly flights to Toronto, passengers can also travel to Canada on Lufthansa’s five weekly flights from Munich to Vancouver.

Since January 2021, Singapore Airlines has been serving the Bavarian capital again. Now the airline increases the number of its flights from Munich to Singapore from three to five weekly frequencies. These two additional VTL (vaccinated travel lane) frequencies allow German fully vaccinated passengers to enter Singapore without quarantine, provided they have been within Germany for the last 21 days prior to departure and hold a negative PCR test. Travelers must also undergo a PCR test both on arrival and after three days in Singapore.

From October 1, Lufthansa will be flying to Dubai three times a week using the modern Airbus A350 long-haul aircraft. Likewise in October, Emirates will increase its service on the same route from seven to nine weekly flights.

As from next week, Lufthansa is boosting its flight offerings within Europe significantly: The “crane airline” will be operating around 100 more flights per week to a total of 20 European destinations. Among others, the major cities of Amsterdam, Budapest, Copenhagen, Milan, Paris, Rome, Stockholm and Vienna will be served more frequently. In addition, connections to Birmingham, Basel, Leipzig, Luxembourg, Paderborn and Stuttgart will be resumed.

EasyJet is also contributing to the expansion of the European route network from Munich. The British carrier is now flying again to London-Gatwick (four times a week) and Milan-Malpensa (three times a week). In addition, the airline plans to resume further connections to the United Kingdom in the coming months.

Arrivals and departures are meanwhile being handled again via both terminals at Munich Airport. Masks are still required in the check-in buildings at Munich Airport. I

British Airways extends its UK destinations this winter

British Airways-BA CityFlyer Embraer ERJ 190-100SR G-LCYK (msn 19000343) PMI (Ton Jochems). Image: 954937.

British Airways is extending three of its newest domestic routes โ€“ Exeter, Glasgow and Leeds/Bradford from Belfast this Winter season.ย  Customers will also be able to book direct to Birmingham as the airline further extends its UK network.

Following a popular summer of domestic travel, the extended routes will continue to support vital business and leisure links between Northern Ireland and key cities across the UK.

Flights between Belfast and Birmingham will operate twice daily, increasing to three times a day on Thursday and Friday.ย  Flights from Belfast to Exeter, Glasgow and Leeds/Bradford will increase compared to the Summer season at 4, 13 and 10 a week respectively.

The airline has also launched a new route to Salzburg, operating from London City and Southampton. Offering customers a new destination idea for skiing this Winter, flights operate twice a week from London City, on Friday and Saturday from December 10, 2021, and once a week from Southampton, on Saturday from December 11, 2021.

Full schedule

 

Route Departure and arrival time Schedule Flight No Route Departure time Schedule Flight No
BHD โ€“ BHX 06.50 โ€“ 07.55 Monday to Friday BA7321 BHX โ€“ BHD 08.30 โ€“ 09.35 Monday to Friday BA7320
BHD โ€“ BHX 10.10 โ€“ 11.15 Monday and Saturday BA7323 BHX โ€“ BHD 11.50 โ€“ 12.55 Monday and Saturday BA7323
BHD โ€“ BHX 14.45 โ€“ 15.50 Thursday, Friday and Sunday BA7323 BHX โ€“ BHD 16.25 โ€“ 17.30 Thursday, Friday and Sunday BA7323
BHD โ€“ BHX 15.50 โ€“ 16.55 Tuesday and Wednesday BA7323 BHX โ€“ BHD 17.30 โ€“ 18.35 Tuesday and Wednesday BA7323
BHD โ€“ BHX 18.10 โ€“ 19.15 Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday BA7325 BHX โ€“ BHD 19.50 โ€“ 20.55 Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday BA7324

 

Route Departure and arrival time Schedule Flight No Route Departure time Schedule Flight No
BHD – EXT 10.20 โ€“ 11.30 Thursday and Friday BA7319 EXT โ€“ BHD 12.05 โ€“ 13.15 Thursday and Friday BA7318
BHD โ€“ EXT 12.20 โ€“ 13.30 Sunday BA7319 EXT โ€“ BHD 14.05 โ€“ 15.15 Sunday BA7318
BHD โ€“ EXT 14.20 โ€“ 15.30 Monday BA7319 EXT โ€“ BHD 16.05 โ€“ 17.15 Monday BA7318

 

Route Departure and arrival time Schedule Flight No Route Departure time Schedule Flight No
BHD โ€“ GLA 09.40 โ€“ 10.20 Monday โ€“ Sunday BA7327 GLA โ€“ BHD 10.55 โ€“ 11.40 Monday โ€“ Sunday BA7326
BHD โ€“ GLA 19.10 โ€“ 19.50 Monday โ€“ Friday and Sunday BA7331 GLA โ€“ BHD 20.25 โ€“ 21.10 Monday โ€“ Friday and Sunday BA7330

 

Route Departure and arrival time Schedule Flight No Route Departure time Schedule Flight No
BHD โ€“ LBA 06.40 โ€“ 07.35 Monday to Friday BA7313 LBA โ€“ BHD 08.10 โ€“ 09.05 Monday to Friday BA7312
BHD โ€“ LBA 12.20 โ€“ 13.15 Saturday BA7313 LBA โ€“ BHD 13.50 โ€“ 14.45 Saturday BA7312
BHD โ€“ LBA 16.05 โ€“ 17.00 Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday BA7317 LBA โ€“ BHD 17.35 โ€“ 18.30 Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday BA7316

 

Route Departure and arrival time Schedule Flight No Route Departure time Schedule Flight No
LCY โ€“ SZG 07.05 โ€“ 09.00 Friday and Saturday BA8479 SZG – LCY 10.50 โ€“ 11.45 Friday and Saturday BA8480

 

Route Departure and arrival time Schedule Flight No Route Departure time Schedule Flight No
SOU โ€“ SZG 13.00 โ€“ 15.00 Saturday BA2829 SZG โ€“ SOU 16.50 โ€“ 17.50 Saturday BA2930

 

The additional services will be operated using BA CityFlyerโ€™s existing fleet of Embraer 190 aircraft.

Top Copyright Photo: British Airways-BA CityFlyer Embraer ERJ 190-100SR G-LCYK (msn 19000343) PMI (Ton Jochems). Image: 954937.

BA CityFlyer aircraft slide show:

Frontier Airlines retires the last Airbus A319

Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A319-112 N949FR (msn 2857) (Ermine) LAS (Ton Jochems). Image: 921280.

Frontier Airlines on September 8, 2021ย marked a significant fleet milestone with the retirement of its last Airbus A319 aircraft โ€“ tail N949FR – delivered to the company in 2006.

The type had been grounded in March 2020 but it was returned to service when traffic picked up again. It is now being retired for the last time by the carrier.

Frontier passengers, crew and executives commemorated the occasion during flight 391 from Nashville (BNA) to Denver (DEN). The phase-out of the A319 is part of a fleet modernization plan by Americaโ€™s Greenest Airline, that includes a strong focus on operating newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft.

“The retirement of Frontierโ€™s last Airbus A319 aircraft is a proud and symbolic moment for our team as we look ahead towards a greener future,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial, Frontier Airlines. “Our ultra-modern fleet is already the most fuel-efficient in the U.S. skies and, as we continue the transition to A320neo (New Engine Option) and A321neo aircraft, our fuel savings and operational efficiencies continue to evolve.”

The final A319 tail featuring Erma the Ermine flew with Frontier for more than 15 years. The A319 model aircraft, which the company first began flying in 2001, played a vital role in Frontierโ€™s success for more than 20 years, providing efficient, safe and reliable service, including during the airlineโ€™s transition to an ultra-low-cost carrier.

The aircraftโ€™s final flight was marked with a special onboard announcement and giveaway items for customers, including a framable certificate commemorating the occasion. Denver-based crew were invited to greet the aircraft on its final arrival during a gate celebration, as well.

Frontier operates the youngest and most fuel-efficient U.S. fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft with an average age of only 4.1 years, including the largest A320neo fleet in North America. Moreover, with approximately 140 aircraft currently on order, Frontierโ€™s modern fleet will continue to grow in the coming years, a testament to the companyโ€™s overall commitment to more sustainable, reliable and affordable flying.

Top Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A319-112 N949FR (msn 2857) (Ermine) LAS (Ton Jochems). Image: 921280.

Frontier aircraft slide show:

American to give passengers free access to live sports and news networks

American Airlines made this announcement:

Football season is upon us and American Airlines is ready to connect customers to a live TV football experience in the skies with live action for every game day. To make the announcement, American drafted a professional football legend to create a tongue-in- cheekย social media videoย to help bring life to an inflight entertainment brainstorm.

Beginning Sept. 9, customers traveling on any of Americanโ€™s domestic narrow body aircraft will have free access to live sports and news networks 24/7. The beefed-up offering means fans of college and professional football wonโ€™t miss a snap if they are flying during a big game.

โ€œInvesting in our Wi-Fi technology has allowed us to deliver more than movies and TV shows,โ€ said Clarissa Sebastian, Managing Director of Premium Customer Experience and Onboard Products. โ€œAmerican works with innovative partners to provide consumers with content that reflects our customers and their passion points, and we know being able to watch live sports is really exciting for many travelers.โ€

American has the fastest Wi-Fi on more aircraft than any other carrier and was the first to offer free music streaming and aย Lifestyle inflight entertainment channelย that includes e-learning tools such as Rosetta Stone and Skillshare.

Connecting is simple. Customers can access inflight entertainment on their personal device and connect to the โ€œAA-Inflightโ€ signal. Once connected, customers will be redirected to aainflight.com, Americanโ€™s Wi-Fi and entertainment portal.