Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N60436 (N979AK) (msn 43393) (Boeing ecoDemonstrator) BFI (Nick Dean). Image: 954641.

Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 N60436 (N979AK) (msn 43393) (Boeing ecoDemonstrator) BFI (Nick Dean). Image: 954641.

Historic Photo: Air Ceylon McDonnell Douglas DC-8-53 4R-ACQ (msn 45604) LHR (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 926060.

Copyright Photo: Air Ceylon McDonnell Douglas DC-8-53 4R-ACQ (msn 45604) LHR (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 926060.

Frontier Airlines announces a new employee vaccine policy effective October 1

Frontier Airlines has joined United Airlines in requiring vaccine shots for its employees:

Frontier Airlines, a leader in health measures throughout the pandemic, today announced a policy for all direct employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1, 2021. The latest action comes as COVID-19 cases – specifically of the Delta variant – have rapidly increased throughout the U.S.

“As we continue to watch the rapid increase of new COVID-19 cases across the United States caused by the Delta variant, I am concerned for the well-being of our team members, their families and friends,” said Barry Biffle, president and CEO, Frontier Airlines. “Safety is of the utmost importance at Frontier and we need to take every step possible for us to keep our teams safe, protect the operation and protect our passengers. The time has come to do what we can to help put an end to COVID-19.”

Frontier employees that choose not to or are unable to get vaccinated will be asked to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test on a regular basis. Frontier recognizes the value its union leaders provide and invites them to work with airline leadership to establish testing protocols that work for employees, their health and the overall safety of the workforce.

Frontier has been at the forefront of health safety throughout the pandemic and implemented an employee mask requirement in April 2020, followed by a requirement that all passengers wear masks less than a month later. Additionally, in early 2020, the airline enhanced onboard cleaning utilizing fogging technology and added a health acknowledgement affirming customers understand COVID-19 protocols and have not been recently exposed to the virus or experienced known symptoms. A vaccination policy is a clear next step for the airline as it remains committed to the health and safety of all passengers and crew members.

“The good news is that the vast majority of our employees have already taken this important step and have gotten vaccinated,” Biffle added. “I hope the step we’re announcing today will further increase the percentage of our workforce that’s fully vaccinated.”

Historic Photo: Swissair Sud Aviation SE.210 Caravelle 3 HB-ICT (msn 122) ZRH (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 954637.

Copyright Photo: Swissair Sud Aviation SE.210 Caravelle 3 HB-ICT (msn 122) ZRH (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 954637.

Delta adds more U.K. flights

Skyline of London before sunrise with famous landmarks, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, boat and clear blue sky – London, UK |

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

Delta to restart Seattle/Tacoma and Detroit service to London Heathrow in October, adds more New York-JFK flights.
U.K. welcoming fully vaccinated Americans without any quarantine requirement.
Delta’s FlyReady tool takes the guesswork out of travel between the U.S. and London.

Delta is ramping up service across the pond to nearly 30 weekly flights this fall, as the global gateway between the United States and United Kingdom reopened to fully vaccinated U.S. residents without quarantine Aug. 2.

Customers can choose nonstop service to London Heathrow (LHR) via four U.S. hubs as Delta restarts three-times-weekly service from Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) Oct. 7, and four-times-weekly service from Detroit (DTW) Oct. 11. Additionally, New York-JFK flights will double to twice a day beginning Oct. 6. Customers can also continue flying daily from Atlanta (ATL).

With Delta’s joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic, customers can also seamlessly connect to LHR with over 30 flights from Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX) and Miami (MIA), as well as ATL and JFK. Today, the airlines offer a combined 43 weekly flights, operated in conjunction with KLM and Air France.

The U.S.-U.K. corridor is critical to international travel and commerce with 22 million people and 900,000 tons of cargo flown between the two countries in 2019.

To travel to London, customers will need to:

Provide both proof of vaccination and a negative test (PCR, LAMP or antigen) taken within three days of departure.
Take a PCR test on or before two days after arrival.

To re-enter the U.S., customers must provide proof of a negative test within three days of departure.

Historic Photo: British Caledonian Airways Airbus A320-111 F-WWDA (F-GFKQ) (msn 2) ORY (Jacques Guillem). Image: 954636.

Copyright Photo: British Caledonian Airways Airbus A320-111 F-WWDA (F-GFKQ) (msn 2) ORY (Jacques Guillem). Image: 954636.

Frontier Airlines lowers forecast after delta variant hurts forward bookings

Frontier Airlines is now warning that the Delta variant of COVID-19 is hurting demand.

The carrier noticed a softening of demand in the past week as the Delta variant is causing a new surge in infections and hospitals, especially in the Southeast including the prime tourist market of Florida.

The airline, as previously reported, reported net income of $19 million for the second quarter.

Wizz Air wants to hire 4,600 new pilots by 2030

Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing airline, today announced it is ramping up pilot recruitment across its network, with plans to hire 4,600 new pilots by 2030. The airline has already trained over 150 additional pilots in order to fly over 100% of pre-Covid capacity this summer and aims to recruit over 300 more by the end of this year as it looks to meet its ambitious growth plans following the pandemic. Enthusiastic candidates who have always dreamed of a career in the sky can apply online here.

Pilots joining Wizz Air will have the opportunity to operate the airline’s constantly growing fleet of young, modern and sustainable Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft on over 800 routes, to 191 destinations in 49 countries. Wizz Air is committed to more than tripling the size of its fleet, with 500 Airbus aircraft expected in the next ten years, creating a wealth of opportunities for pilots looking for rapid career progression, a competitive salary, industry-leading training and development, an indefinite and secure contract, and a variety of flexible and fixed roster patterns.

Wizz Air welcomes applications from experienced captains and first officers as well as those with no flying experience at all, thanks to its Wizz Air Pilot Academy Program which gives aspiring pilots the opportunity to obtain a commercial pilot’s license. Besides intense pilot recruitment, Wizz Air continues to recruit cabin crew members across its 43 bases to meet its growth plans.

In other news, new routes:

Lanzarote from Rome or Milan, to Gran Canaria from Vienna or Bucharest, or to Billund from Cluj-Napoca.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi to Tirana or Sarajevo.

LATAM seeks court approval for 70 Airbus A320neo aircraft

LATAM Airlines Group issued this statement:

LATAM Airlines Group presented for approval before the Court in the United States an agreement with Airbus for the purchase of 28 new aircraft, in addition to the 42 narrow body aircraft already agreed upon, as part of the modernization and efficiency of its fleet for the coming years.

This order, which totals 70 aircraft, maintains the LATAM Airlines Group’s fleet as the largest in Latin America, with greater range and capacity. The integration of aircraft of the A320neo family implies more efficient engines, aerodynamic improvements and the latest technologies that provide 20% more efficiency in fuel consumption, therefore, lower CO2 emissions, together with a 50% reduction in oxide emissions nitrogen and 50% of the acoustic footprint.

With the signing of this agreement, the group aims to strengthen its operations in all its subsidiaries at the regional level with a modern fleet and maximum efficiency in environmental matters, one of the pillars of its sustainability strategy. In turn, it seeks to consolidate the longest range of destinations in and from Latin America and the Caribbean, hand in hand with the connectivity agreements with Delta, currently under review by various regulatory authorities in the countries where the group operates.