Delta extends Medallion Status, Club Memberships and more to support SkyMiles Members’ future travel

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

Medallion Members will be able to enjoy their current Status through 2021
Other program and card benefits will be extended between six months and one year

Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members will enjoy the same loyalty benefits throughout 2021 as they have in 2020. The 12-month Status extension is part of Delta’s work to offer greater flexibility as coronavirus impacts travel plans, so customers can rest assured their Status will be there when they’re ready to fly.

“On behalf of all of us at Delta, I want to thank our customers for your continued loyalty during these unprecedented times. While our focus is on keeping customers and employees safe and healthy today and always, you are a part of the Delta family and we know how important these benefits are to you,” said Sandeep Dube, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Customer Engagement and Loyalty, and CEO of Delta Vacations. “That’s why as coronavirus continues to dramatically impact travel across the globe, you don’t have to worry about your benefits – they’ll be extended so you can enjoy them when you are ready to travel again.”

The following updates will happen automatically over the coming weeks, with no action needed from customers.

Medallion Members:
- All Medallion Status for 2020 will be automatically extended for the 2021 Medallion Year.
- All Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) from 2020 are being rolled over to 2021 to qualify for 2022 Medallion Status.
Delta Sky Club Individual and Executive memberships with an expiration of March 1, 2020, or later will receive six additional months of Delta Sky Club access beyond their expiration date.
Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members:
- If you have one of the following in your SkyMiles profile “My Wallet” that is valid now or has expired since March 1, 2020, we are extending the expiration dates to give you additional time to enjoy your benefits:
  - Delta SkyMiles Gold Card Members with a $100 Delta flight credit will get a six-month extension beyond their current expiration date.
  - Delta SkyMiles Platinum Card Members with Companion Certificates with an original expiration date between March 1 and June 30, 2020, can use them when they book and fly by Dec. 31, 2020, and those that expire between July 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date.
  - Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members with Companion Certificates with an original expiration date between March 1 and June 30, 2020, can use them when they book and fly by Dec. 31, 2020, and those that expire between July 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date.
  - Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members will also get a six-month extension to use their Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes beyond their current expiration date.
SkyMiles Members:
- If you have one of the following in your SkyMiles profile “My Wallet” that is valid now or has expired since March 1, 2020, we are extending the expiration dates to give you additional time to enjoy your benefits:
  - Upgrade Certificates or $200 Travel Vouchers with an original expiration date between March 1 and June 30, 2020, are extended – now, they can be booked and flown by Dec. 31, 2020. And, SkyMiles Members with Upgrade Certificates or $200 Travel Vouchers that expire after June 30, 2020, will receive an additional six months beyond the current expiration date.
  - SkyMiles Select members will receive a six-month extension to the Priority Boarding benefit and any unused drink vouchers.

“We are continuously monitoring how coronavirus impacts travel and will make additional adjustments to support our customers’ needs as the pandemic evolves,” said Dube.

SkyMiles Members enrolled in a challenge or promotion to earn Medallion Status, such as the Status Match Challenge, Reclaim My Status or a promotion offered through their employer, can restart that promotion when they are ready to travel again. Those Members will receive next steps from Delta in the coming weeks.

BRA to suspend operations until May 31

BRA (Braathens Regional Airlines) has announced it will suspend operations from April 6 to May 31.

The airline made this announcement:

We at BRA have done everything we can to maintain our air traffic for Sweden and for our customers. In the last week we have struggled with only a few flights, but with the sharp call of the government and the Public Health Authority to the Swedish population not to travel within the country makes us have no customers left who fly with us and therefore need to further adapt our traffic to the new conditions.

We at BRA have therefore decided to pause all our flight departures between April 6 and May 31, 2020. We are really sad about how this affects you, but power collects and really want to thank all of you who struggle and believe in us !! Your support is warming in this strange time.

BRA aircraft photo gallery:

Video: Bournemouth Airport during the COVID-19 lockdown

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and other carriers are now storing airliners at Bournemouth Airport because of congestion at the major airports.

Behind the Scenes: Austrian Airlines repatriation flight

From the Austrian Airlines blog:

What does a typical repatriation flight look like? Which steps are taken and what are the challenges? Our pilot Reinhard reveals more here.

THE REPATRIATION FLIGHTS IN COOPERATION WITH THE AUSTRIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

COVID-19: One single virus manages to bring the whole world to a standstill within a very short time – and with it, the aviation industry. On March 18, 2020, the regular flight schedule of Austrian Airlines was suspended for the time being. But at this time, many Austrians were still abroad. Without further ado, the Austrian Foreign Ministry launched the initiative of “repatriation flights” to bring stranded Austrians back home as quickly as possible. Austrian Airlines is in constant contact with the Austrian Foreign Ministry to clarify and implement the organisation of repatriation flights. From Lima to Sydney, from Mexico to Indonesia – within a very short time, several thousands of Austrians have already been brought back home. Our personal heroes: The crew and team involved in the repatriation flights. An interview with pilot Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss now provides us with more information about the planning, procedures and challenges.

First things first: How are you?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

Me and my family are doing well. Nevertheless, the virus is present and is getting closer. It is a queasy feeling when you hear from acquaintances that they have been infected.

At the moment we are also a little worried about my father-in-law. He is currently in Mumbai and is supposed to get evacuated via Prague. So I do not just see the situation as someone who acts, but also as someone who hopes and trusts.

How did you find out about the Austrian repatriation flights and how can you participate as an Austrian pilot?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

The principle of voluntariness applies here first. The return flights do not just expose you to an increased risk of infection, they also require a high level of commitment. There is no routine. At any border of the airspace it can now happen that the entry permit is no longer valid. This can lead to negotiations and necessary coordination, which requires the highest level of diplomatic assistance. On top of this, of course, the organisation with local authorities and the respective health requirements have to be taken into account. Thus, everything takes much longer and decisions are currently far more complex than before. Each pilot has to decide individually, in view of his personal environment and his own family, whether he or she wants to volunteer for our repatriation operations.

Another important aspect is our licensing framework. Even though the EASA (=European Union Aviation Safety Agency) and national authorities advocate very good possibilities for mitigation (temporary exceptions and solutions to bridge and cope with the usual valid and restrictive limits and regulations for pilots and crews), pilots in particular have to remain “current”. This means that they have to take off and land at least one aircraft on a regular basis in order to maintain their entitlement. This represents a considerable challenge for an airline, because this is precisely what is required for the airline’s ability to act and is immensely important for the so-called “ramp-up”, i.e. the ramping up of operations at the end of the crisis. For this reason, the “Recency”, i.e. the validity of the authorization, is also selected from the group of volunteers. Another important aspect is the validity of the entry visa. In many countries there are considerable restrictions and limitations, especially for people who have already had contact with COVID-19 patients.

Which repatriation flights have you already conducted? Is the route network different to the regular one?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

At the moment, most of us have completed about two or three of these flights. The program is currently becoming a little denser, as cargo flights are now being added. Just last week, for example, medical supplies were flown in from China, which were necessary for hospitals in Tyrol and South Tyrol. Most of the destinations are not part of the regular Austrian route network. Currently, for example, I am waiting for the departure from Bali to Vienna with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur. But there have also been flights to Lima, Mexico City or Sydney – in all cases, the cabin was completely occupied.

How does it feel to be told that you can operate a repatriation flight?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

A sober attitude is essential. Based on facts. You have to put emotions aside and keep cool. Anyhow, I would say that Austrians can be really proud of their country. It is implemented much better than in many other countries. However, we also have to be aware of this after the crisis. In any case, the people on our flights are incredibly grateful and proud to be Austrians.

Were you even able to get prepared for the flights? If so, did you have any special briefings?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

Most of the flights are certainly no typical routine flights. We have a few important guidelines, but of course they cannot cover all eventualities. For example, at this very moment, I received a call that we have to remove the aircraft at the airport in Bali. The airport manager is not even allowed to do this with the help of our technicians by himself. I wasn’t supposed to be at the airport within the next five hours, but now I have to leave earlier. Those are things you cannot prepare – and this is quite harmless.

How do the repatriation flights differ from the “normal” flights?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

As many might suspect, we do not have doctors on board. From an epidemiological point of view, it would be unwise. But there are representatives of the Foreign Ministry, who are currently doing an incredible job with the local authorities. This can be particularly challenging, as the number of passengers and, above all, the amount of freight fluctuates considerably. One thing is immensely important for us even in times of crisis: the correct loading of the aircraft. This is essential for reasons of flight safety. An experienced technician checks the aircraft, takes care of the refuelling and is absolutely indispensable at the airports, where we do not have any contractual partners in the usual way.

However, the current situation is also very difficult for the cabin crew. They are used to not just accompany passengers with a lot of charm and their famous smile, but also to inspire them. In times of COVID-19, however, the new etiquette is called “distance” and the smile behind the mask is not visible. For our flight attendants, who live the “Charming Way to Fly” even off duty, this is a great challenge. But they still master it with a lot of charm and tact.

How does the boarding of the passengers proceed?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

Thanks to the support of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, which is doing incredible work in advance of each and every flight, things are progressing a little slower than usual, but nevertheless always in a controlled and orderly manner. There are always fever measurements and medical check-ups. But with every flight we keep learning and can improve and optimise our procedures.

How does a typical repatriation flight look like?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

Usually you get informed at short notice before the actual flight. No more than one or two days before. The flight briefing then takes place in our headquarters building, which is currently occupied by hardly anyone except the crew. A cabin crew team leader is available for all kinds of questions, but most of the information is sent electronically in advance. Due to the short-term nature and flexibility, it can happen that one or another approval has to be submitted later.

It is also possible that we have to go through a questionnaire with the medical service via satellite phone during the flight, which local authorities have issued only a few minutes before and which are suddenly necessary for the respective entry. The briefing before the flight is intensive and we try to cover numerous eventualities as a team. The outbound flight is completely empty, except for the crew and team. On site, our catering is handed out on the ground even before boarding, in order to comply with the hygiene regulations. Our flight attendants have to keep their distance for the entire flight and wear protective masks.

What happens after the repatriation flights? Any specific measures?

Dr. Reinhard Lernbeiss:

In terms of crew and passengers, our options here are somewhat limited. Therefore, no special measures can be taken, but tracking does exist. So if a passenger or crew member is tested positive for COVID-19 or shows symptoms, everyone will be informed and asked to follow certain procedures, depending on the type of contact. Aircraft cleaning, which was also carried out thoroughly before the crisis, is now being conducted even more intensively and manually. The entire aircraft gets disinfected and checked several times.

Thank you, Reinhard, for taking the time to answer our questions. At the same time we would like to thank you, all involved parties and our crew for your tireless efforts and the seamless implementation. A further thank you to the Austrian Foreign Ministry, for the trust and excellent cooperation.

Austrian Airlines extends temporary cessation of flight operations until May 3, 2020

Austrian Airlines has issued this statement:

More than 6,000 Austrians have been brought home safely
Airlift to Asia: 180 tons of protective clothing transported to Austria up until now
Austrian Airlines continues to stand ready to slowly relaunch operations

The worldwide entry bans imposed as a consequence of the coronavirus are expected to continue or will even be extended. For this reason, Austrian Airlines will also prolong the cessation of its regular scheduled flight operations by another two weeks, from April 19, 2020 to May 3, 2020. This decision was made today by the Management Board. Moreover, the launch of flight service to Boston, USA, originally planned for June, will be delayed once again due to American travel restrictions.

“It goes without saying that we will continue to carry out our repatriation and freight flights for medical supplies”, says Austrian Airlines CCO Andreas Otto. In the past weeks more than 6,000 stranded Austrians were brought home on behalf of the Austrian Federal Government. This has been complemented by the 180 tons of protective clothing transported to Vienna from China and Malaysia.

About an hour ago a Boeing 767 aircraft took off from Vienna Airport to Shanghai in order to pick up 13 tons of medical protection clothing. In addition, a long-haul Boeing 777 aircraft will depart tomorrow for Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, under contract from the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, to bring home stranded Austrians.

“The precise time when regular flight operations are resumed remains to be seen and depends more on the underlying conditions than on us”, CCO Andreas Otto states. “We continue to stand ready for a new and slow relaunch”.

Rebooking possibilities and waiver policy for passengers
In this regard, Austrian Airlines is offering all passengers an expanded waiver policy. Tickets with a departure date up until April 30, 2021, which were booked or will be booked up until April 19, 2020 can be held in abeyance.

Passengers will have the opportunity to rebook their flights on an alternative travel date (start of the new trip up to April 30, 2021) and, as the case may be, to another destination.

Passengers whose rebooked flight takes place before December 31, 2020 will also receive an additional EUR 50 ticket value. Passengers can take advantage of the waiver policy to hold their tickets in abeyance or rebook their flights by either calling the Austrian Airlines Service Center or using the designated contact form. Passengers who have booked their flights via travel agencies are requested to contact them.

Austrian Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

JetBlue advises its employees on the impact of coronavirus

JetBlue Airways has issued the following message to its 23,000 crew members:

Dear Crewmembers –

As the coronavirus crisis deepens, so too does its impact on our business. If anyone tells you that they’ve seen anything like this before – don’t believe them. We’ve shared with you in the past weeks the unprecedented decline in demand for travel, and the situation continues to deteriorate. The numbers are staggering:

Just 7,000 Customers are likely to fly us each day in April and possibly May, compared to the 120,000 we would typically expect.

Last year on a typical day in April, we took in about $22 million from bookings and ancillary fees. This is now just $1 million per day (and another $2 million per day is being issued in cash refunds, pushing us into negative territory). Additionally, we are still issuing $11 million per day of travel bank credits for canceled bookings.

We are spending far more on running the airline than we are making in revenue and, as a result, we are burning through over $10 million of our savings each day. Despite our position of financial strength, this is simply not sustainable. We are leaving no stone unturned, cutting pay for officers (VPs and above), introducing voluntary time off programs, reducing capacity, re-negotiating Business Partners agreements, and stopping or pausing 75% of our major infrastructure, technology and real estate projects.

We are by no means alone in the pressures we are facing; it is clear that without government assistance, or mass furloughing and restructuring, that many of the world’s airlines could fail.

Taking action by reducing our network, parking our fleet

Preserving cash is our top priority and we’ve had to make decisions we never dreamed we’d make. We must continue to make sacrifices where needed so that we can emerge from this unprecedented challenge.

70% April schedule reduction: We’ve reduced our April schedule by at least 70%.

Parking over 100 aircraft: Just a few weeks ago, we couldn’t get new aircraft fast enough to hit our growth plans. Now, we are taking steps to sit down the aircraft we have. This month, we will park over 100 in the Arizonadesert and at BlueCities around the country.

Payroll support for Crewmembers

Last Friday I shared some very good news about the CARES Act, which sets aside $25 billion in payroll support for airline employees through Sept. 30, 2020. In the week since the law was signed, our nation’s leaders have moved with incredible speed to start the process of getting that money into the hands of Crewmembers. I want to again thank President Trump, his administration, and Congress – especially our very own Senator Schumer – for their bipartisan support.

Today we submitted our application for payroll support funds to the Treasury department and we now enter negotiations with the U.S. Government. I hope things can move quickly, and we are available this weekend so we can conclude an agreement next week, as time is of the essence. For reasons I am sure you understand we won’t be commenting while we are in these discussions. We may not get enough to cover pay and benefits at the level you see when we are flying at full capacity. Also, as a growth carrier, we have a disadvantage as the funds are based on last year’s payroll costs. With fewer hours for everyone to work and far fewer flights, total pay is likely to go down for both salary and hourly Crewmembers. The good news is this law keeps paychecks coming and it buys us time. Securing jobs, even at reduced total pay, is my priority right now.

Every dollar of the payroll assistance funds will be passed to Crewmembers, with the exception of JetBlue Officers who will not be funded by the Government and the leadership team have all taken significant pay cuts. We are in this together. The government is providing these funds as recognition to us to make sure we are in position to serve the flying public, support the country, and kickstart the economy again when the crisis is over.

Even if we get the payroll support, we still need to raise additional money to pay our other operating expenses. We will be talking to the government and other lenders in the coming weeks. We have thoughtfully managed our finances over the past 10 years, and thankfully we now own many aircraft and other assets we can borrow money against.

One requirement of accepting payroll support is that we continue to provide a reasonable level of service across our domestic network. With dramatically fewer Customers, we have to take a hard look at our schedule to meet those requirements while also pulling down further flying. We expect more clarity on this from the Department of Transportation soon.

Inspiring Humanity and looking ahead

I take great pride in knowing that we can help others even when we need a little help ourselves. Customers choosing to fly during this difficult time are, for the most part, doing so because they need to, not because they want to. With our mission to Inspire Humanity in mind, we are transporting medical professionals and supplies to the places where they are needed, and helping get students home.

While every day right now feels endless, this will not last forever. We are already thinking about what the world will look like when we come out of this. Just like after 9/11, some things will go back to normal and others will change for good and we need to prepare for that. With our incredible team, disruptive brand, low fares, and low-cost structure, I think JetBlue can do some great things in this new reality.

I’d like to end this update on a personal note. So many of you have reached out to me and I feel terrible I have not been able to personally get back to everyone like I normally do. I want you to know that I’ve read your comments and suggestions and have shared the themes with the right leaders. I know it is a scary time. The multiple stresses of work, finances, and personal health can take a toll. Take care of each other, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your leader if you need support. Thanks for all you’re doing. We will get through this.

Best wishes,

Robin Hayes
Chief Executive Officer

United Airlines partners with New York City to fly medical volunteers to help in COVID-19 fight

United Airlines is partnering with New York City to provide free round-trip flights for medical volunteers who want to help in the frontline fight against the COVID-19 crisis. The airline is working closely with the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and a network of medical volunteer organizations, including The Society of Critical Care Medicine, to coordinate travel for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals from across the country to help treat patients, in this time of unprecedented need.

“Our healthcare workers are heroes, and they need reinforcements,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This generous partnership with United Airlines will ensure medical professionals from across the country can come to New York City to help us in our hour of need.”

“The New Yorkers working on the frontlines of COVID-19 have been and continue to be incredibly brave and tireless in their efforts,” said Toya Williford, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “To know there are health care heroes across the country who are willing to step in and lend their support, and that United stands ready to fly them here, is wonderfully heartening. The Mayor’s Fund is deeply grateful for our trusted partners in the business community during these trying times.”

The need for medical volunteers has never been more important in New York City, which as of today has more than 50,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the most of any U.S. city.

“We are profoundly grateful for the extraordinarily talented and selfless individuals who are working around the clock and have an unwavering commitment to support our communities and medical providers at this time of exceptional need,” said Jill Kaplan, President, New York / New Jersey for United Airlines. “It is our hope that providing air travel at no cost will allow additional dedicated volunteers and first responders the ability to reach the Tri-State area, that has been hit hardest by COVID-19.”

United is working with local government agencies and their non-profit partners to ensure qualified medical professionals are staffed in hospitals best suited to their areas of expertise and have the proper housing and transportation to enable them to effectively offer their services. The airline is also closely collaborating with a network of professional medical volunteer organizations to help further enlist volunteers who have offered their support in this time of great need.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is one of those extraordinary times that demonstrates how we come together as a profession to provide desperately needed assistance and care,” said Society of Critical Care Medicine President, Lewis J Kaplan, M.D., FCCM. “We are so proud that, despite the risk, critical care professionals are among those who have volunteered to drop everything and help their New York colleagues during this crisis. We are especially thankful that United Airlines is providing complimentary airfare so that volunteers can get to New York quickly and hit the ground running.”

United plans to expand this program to additional areas in the Tri-State region and beyond to allow more volunteers to offer their vitally important services in the places that need them most.

For more information on the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, please visit the organization’s website here. Those interested in volunteering or learning more about the program can visit the New York City Health’s website here.

Thomas Cook Aviation files for insolvency, 7 aircraft parked

Thomas Cook Aviation, former Air Berlin Aviation and Air Berlin Aeronautics, filed for insolvency (bankruptcy) after Condor cancelled the wet-lease contract with Thomas Cook Aviation (original contract was due to expire on December 31, 2021).

All flights have stopped and seven aircraft (5 A321s and 2 A320s) are now parked at Düsseldorf and Leipzig. All were operated for Condor in the Condor livery.

The airline was established in October 2017 as Air Berlin Aviation GmbH and was taken over by the Thomas Cook Group in order to facilitate rapid growth in Germany after the Air Berlin bankruptcy.

The Thomas Cook Group previously declared bankruptcy in September. However Thomas Cook Aviation continued onward until today.

Air Transat retires the last Airbus A310

Air Transat operated its last Airbus A310 revenue flight on March 30 (instead of the planned March 31 target date).

The last revenue flight was flight TS765 from Porto to Toronto (Pearson) via a stop at Halifax with the pictured Airbus A310-308 C-GSAT (msn 600).

The airline took delivery of its first Airbus A310 (C-GFAT) on January 16, 2001. The type entered revenue service on January 30, 2001.

Top Copyright Photo: Air Transat Airbus A310-308 C-GSAT (msn 600) CDG (Jacques Guillem). Image: 936469.

Air Transat aircraft slide show:

airBaltic further reduces capacity for the upcoming months, parks its last Boeing 737

airBaltic has made this announcement:

As the Coronavirus crisis continues, significantly affecting demand for air travel, airBaltic is forced to further decrease its overall capacity between April 15 and October 31, 2020, cancelling approximately 50% of its flights. Currently the airline is in the process of adjusting its network and flight schedule according to temporarily reduced fleet in the beginning of restarting the scheduled operations once the crisis is over.

Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic: “Considering the significant impact on the demand, we currently plan to restart our operations gradually. When we will be able to, we will start with a reduced number of aircraft who will serve daily flights to our top routes. With each upcoming week, more aircraft will return to service, offering more flights.”

In addition, airBaltic has made a decision to delay launch of the new routes it had planned for summer season of 2020 from all three Baltic states as well as temporarily discontinue a number of additional routes.

With a reduced schedule, airBaltic was able to early retire its three remaining Boeing 737-300s on March 16, 2020. The type was due to be retired later this year with the arrival of further Airbus A220s.