Tag Archives: Airbus A319-132

American Airlines enhances its 2019 schedule

American Airlines serves more destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America from the U.S. than any other carrier. And next summer, that list will grow even longer.

American will add a sixth destination in Cuba with a new daily flight from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Antonio Maceo Airport (SCU) in Santiago de Cuba starting May 3, 2019. The airline will also start new service from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Durango International Airport (DGO) in Mexico starting June 6, 2019. American will be the only U.S. carrier to serve DGO and SCU.

American will also add new service to some of its existing international destinations from DFW, MIA, Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York.

International routes announced:

Destination	Route	Aircraft	Frequency	Dates
Cuba	MIA–SCU	Airbus A319	Daily	Starts May 3
Mexico	DFW–DGO	Embraer E140	Daily	Starts June 6
Aruba	LGA–Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)	Boeing 737-800	Saturday	Starts June 8
Dominican Republic	CLT–Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo	Airbus A320	Saturday	Starts June 8
Dominican Republic	DFW–SDQ	Boeing 737-800	Saturday	June 8–Aug. 17
Honduras	DFW–Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) in San Pedro Sula	Airbus A319	4x weekly	June 7–Aug. 17
Honduras	DFW–Toncontin International Airport (TGU) in Tegucigalpa	Airbus A319	3x weekly	June 6–Aug. 20

All new routes announced will be available for sale on October 8, 2018.

Domestic Additions

American also plans to increase service from its largest hub at DFW. As announced in March, the airline reached a lease agreement with the airport resulting in 15 new regional gates after renovating the Terminal E satellite, which is scheduled for completion during the summer of 2019. As part of the expansion, American will add new service to Valley International Airport (HRL) in Harlingen, Texas, beginning March 3, 2019 and launch seven additional domestic routes from DFW:

Beginning March 3, 2019 new daily, year-round service:
- DFW–Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) in Georgia
- DFW–Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) in Florida
- DFW–Yuma International Airport (YUM) in Arizona
- DFW–Meadows Field Airport (BFL) in Bakersfield, California
Beginning April 2, 2019 new daily service:
- DFW–Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) in California (seasonal)
- DFW–Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) in Arizona (year-round)
- DFW–Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) in California (year-round)

These new routes are part of American’s plan to grow its DFW operations from approximately 800 peak daily departures today to close to 900 peak daily departures next summer.

American will also operate the following new routes next year:

Beginning Feb. 14, 2019 new daily service:
- Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C.–Will Rogers Airport (OKC) in Oklahoma City
- LGA–McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville, Tennessee
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York–San Antonio International Airport (SAT) in Texas
Beginning Apr. 2, new daily service:
- LAX–Tulsa International Airport (TUL) in Oklahoma
Beginning June 8, new seasonal service:
- CLT–Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) in Traverse City, Michigan

International routes are subject to government approval.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by American and those listed): American Airlines Airbus A319-132 N803AW (msn 931) CLT (Jay Selman). Image: 403919.

American aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Eurowings Europe reaches a new collective agreement with its Austrian pilots and cabin crews

Eurowings Europe, the chamber of commerce and the union Vida have finalized a collective agreement for the on-board employees of Eurowings Europe in Austria. The collective agreement will apply retroactively as of March 1, 2018.

In addition to a comprehensive package of additional benefits, the collective agreement has provisions for an increase in basic salary of up to 20 percent. Additional variable earnings of up to 25 percent of the basic salary are possible depending on output. Furthermore, pay-scale adjustments to the basic salary of two percent each have already been agreed upon for 2020 and 2021. For new hires in cockpit and cabin, professional experience that captains, first officers and pursers have gained with other airlines will be recognized.

“With these new compensation and employment conditions for pilots and flight attendants, we are one of the most attractive employers at the Vienna location,” says Frank Bauer, Managing Director and Head of Human Resources at Eurowings Group. The collective agreement is also a clear signal to those who are looking for a new employer within the aviation sector. “We look forward to every application we receive for a cockpit or cabin position at Eurowings,” says Bauer. “We were already an attractive employer in Austria and have become even more so with this collective agreement. I would like to thank our team for this: Eurowings Europe’s Managing Directors Robert Jahn and Dieter Watzak-Helmer and Eurowings’ chief negotiator Benedikt Schneider.”

Robert Jahn and Benedikt Schneider emphasize that the provisions in the collective agreement reflect the high sense of social responsibility that Eurowings Europe has towards its employees. “Hammering out a future-oriented contract was our most important task over the past months – all negotiating parties have every reason to be proud of the result.”

Eurowings Europe also offers additional benefits in the context of the collective agreement:

“This includes, among other things, a mobility package and comprehensive coverage for employees in case they become unfit to fly – this will secure a better quality of life for our crews,” says Dieter Watzak-Helmer.

The newly negotiated collective agreement also contains parameters for promotion within the company and creates transparent regulations for the various career options. Robert Jahn: “Comprehensive provisions for part-time work are also included in the contract.”

Counting the collective agreement for Austria, Eurowings Group has finalized 13 collective agreements with four unions in just one year. Eurowings Group Managing Director Frank Bauer: “This demonstrates the intention of management to ensure attractive and reliable working conditions for the company’s employees in cooperation with the relevant social partners.”

Top Copyright Photo: Eurowings (Europe) Airbus A319-132 OE-LYY (msn 4256) PMI (Ton Jochems). Image: 943733.

Eurowings Europe aircraft slide show:

American to add seasonal Providence – Miami flights

Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) announced that American Airlines has added a new nonstop, route from T.F. Green Airport (PVD) to Miami, Florida.

The new route will commence on December 19, 2018. This new seasonal service will offer daily flights through April 1, 2019 with the exception of January 6th through February 14th when five flights will operate weekly.

AA 9992 19DEC2018 01APR2019 1234567 PVD 06:00 MIA 09:35 319 03:35

AA 9991 19DEC2018 01APR2019 1234567 MIA 20:50 PVD 23:52 319 03:02

*Between January 6th and February 14th American will operate 5x (Thursday-Monday).

American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries.

The Miami hub operates 341 daily flights that serve 130 destinations in 43 countries and territories including; Canada, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Mexico, South America and the U.S.

Other nonstop destinations that American Airlines operates from T.F. Green Airport (PVD) include: Charlotte, Washington, DC, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

This Miami service will be provided on an Airbus A319 (above) which features eight seats in First Class, 24 seats in Main Cabin Extra with more legroom, and 96 seats in Main Cabin, in addition to more entertainment options and power outlets in every seat.

American Airlines aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Spirit to add two new Caribbean routes

Spirit Airlines beginning on November 8, 2018 will start daily nonstop service from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic*.

On December 20, Spirit will grow again and begin nonstop seasonal service between Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) and Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay, Jamaica* running three times weekly.

The expansion announcement will mark the first direct international service from Newark for Spirit and will serve as a direct connection for friends and relatives living in both the Tri-State area and the Dominican Republic.

Meanwhile, Detroit’s new service to Montego Bay will complement existing international service from the Motor City to Cancun, Mexico. Both new routes will strengthen Spirit’s growing network.

In June, Spirit announced it was launching nearly a dozen new routes from Orlando, Florida to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Newark (EWR) to/from	Starts:	Frequency:
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)*	November 8	Daily, year-round
Detroit (DTW) to/from
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ)*	December 20	3x weekly, seasonal
Cancun, Mexico (CUN)	Existing service	Up to Daily, year-round

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Spirit): Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-132 N503NK (msn 2470) LAX. Image: 936340.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

American to operate seasonal New York LaGuardia – Eagle/Vail flights

American Airlines will operate weekly seasonal nonstop flights from New York (LaGuardia) to the ski destination of Eagle/Vail, CO starting on December 22, 2018. According to Airline Route the seasonal route will operate on Saturdays with Airbus A319s.

American aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Spirit Airlines adds new international routes from Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport

Spirit Airlines on September 6, 2018 will start service from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to San Salvador, El Salvador* with year-round service running three times weekly to Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport (SAL).

The next day, on September 7, 2018 Spirit will begin nonstop flights between Houston and Guatemala City, Guatemala* with year-round service eventually running four times weekly to La Aurora International Airport (GUA).

The new routes will complement Spirit’s existing international service between Houston and Cancun and San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, as well as San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The routes are set to strengthen Spirit’s growing network while capitalizing on Houston’s diverse travel needs. The announcement comes just weeks after Spirit announced it was launching nearly a dozen routes from Orlando, Florida to Latin America and the Caribbean.


Houston Bush (IAH) to/from	Starts:	Frequency:
San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL)*	September 6	3x weekly, year-round
Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA)*	September 7	3x weekly, year-round 4x weekly, year-round after 11/8/18
San Jose del Cabo, Mexico (SJD)	Existing service	4x weekly, seasonal
Cancun, Mexico (CUN)	Existing service	3x weekly, year-round Daily in summer
San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP)	Existing service	4x weekly, year-round

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Spirit Airlines): Spirit Airlines Airbus A319-132 N504NK (msn 2473) FLL (Jay Selman). Image: 403762.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Routes from Houston (IAH):

Full Route Map:

Spirit Airlines to become first ultra-low cost carrier in the Americas to offer Wi-Fi

Spirit Airlines has made this announcement:

Guests on Spirit Airlines will soon be able to watch, stream, surf and text from 30,000 feet. Spirit Airlines is signing an agreement today to install Wi-Fi on all of its planes by summer 2019, giving even more options to Guests to enhance their inflight experience. Spirit operates the newest aircraft fleet in the country, our Fit Fleet^®, and will also become the first ultra-low cost carrier in the Americas to offer Wi-Fi.

“We’re thrilled to enhance the inflight Guest experience with the addition of new-generation Wi-Fi,” said Ted Christie, Spirit Airline’s President. “By next summer, every plane in our fleet should be fully equipped to keep our Guests connected in the skies. It’s just one of the many investments we’ve made and will continue to make for our Guests.”

Spirit Airlines Wi-Fi technology partner, Thales Group, a global technology leader for decisive moments in aerospace, defense and security, and transportation markets, is bringing the high-end Ka-band HTS (High Throughput Satellite) system onboard the aircraft. The technology will bring Spirit Guests high-speed web browsing and streaming experiences similar to what they would find at home. In 2021, the state-of-the-art technology will get even better, with the launch of SES-17, a new satellite operated by SES and built by Thales Alenia Space, which will increase speeds and coverage to an unprecedented level in the industry. Spirit Wi-Fi is projected to provide service coverage immediately for 97% of Spirit’s routes upon entry into service.

“Thales is proud to be partnering with Spirit to mark a new era of Guest experience in connectivity and bring solutions that make tomorrow possible today,” said Dominique Giannoni, CEO of Thales InFlyt Experience. “We are focused on supporting Spirit’s mission and helping to shape new opportunities as we work together to provide an exceptional passenger experience.”

Spirit will offer high-speed web browsing and streaming options starting with an average price of $6.50, with a cost range expected to be lower or higher based on the route and demand.

Spirit’s Commitment to Invest in the Guest
Spirit Wi-Fi is one of many improvements coming up for the airline, as part of its pledge to keep improving and Invest in the Guest.

“We understand that flying for as little money as possible is only part of our promise,” said Christie. “We promise to go further. We’ll continue to listen to our Guests, and they’ll continue to see our dedication to improving service for them. We’ll keep adding exciting new destinations, improving our check-in process, frequent flier program and inflight experience, as well as continuing to dedicate ourselves to give back to the communities where we live and work.”

Christie introduced Spirit’s Invest in the Guest pledge with the announcement of Wi-Fi installation.

“Our promise is to keep going, to keep improving, and to invest in our Guests,” said Christie as part of the pledge. “We intend to improve our Guests’ experience every chance we get.”

A video message by Spirit Airlines President Ted Christie delivering the Guest pledge, information on improvements made by Spirit, commitments to Guests, and future initiatives can be found at InvestInTheGuest.com.

Spirit wants to hear directly from Guests about new ways to keep improving. Guests who share their thoughts or requests at InvestInTheGuest.com will be entered to win free round-trip tickets.

Spirit Airlines’ Guest Commitments
Spirit Airlines is committed to improving the Guest experience and unveiled the following Guest commitments:

• Performance Promise – The commitment to get Guests to their destinations on time.

Spirit is one of the top airlines for on-time performance, according to DOT statistics over the past several months.
With the youngest planes in the U.S., Spirit has added 12 brand-new planes in the last six months to their Fit Fleet^® to get Guests where they are going safely and reliably. Spirit consistently ranks as one of the most fuel-efficient airlines in the U.S.

• Improving the Experience – The commitment to improve every aspect of Guests’ journey based on feedback.

All Flight Attendants now attend a robust inflight Guest Service Training Program developed in partnership with a world-class hospitality leader. This program will roll out to all of Spirit’s airport teams this summer, in a continued effort to better serve our 23 million Guests annually.

• À La Smarte – The commitment to give Guests more choices when it comes to how they fly and how they save.

Spirit’s latest technology initiatives allow Guests to have more control over their booking, check-in and travel experience, including a mobile-friendly website, Spirit Check-In App, new airport kiosks and self bag tagging.
This year, Spirit expanded its network to include Columbus, Ohio, Richmond, Va., Guayaquil, Ecuador, Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to adding even more routes to some of the best vacation destinations in the world.

• Giving Spirit – The commitment to give back to the communities where Spirit lives and works.

This year, Spirit has supported more than 100 charities and community organizations with countless flights and volunteer hours.

About Thales Group:
The people we all rely on to make the world go round – they rely on Thales. Our customers come to us with big ambitions: to make life better, to keep us safer. Combining a unique diversity of expertise, talents and cultures, our architects design and deliver extraordinary high technology solutions. Solutions that make tomorrow possible, today. From the bottom of the oceans to the depth of space and cyberspace, we help our customers think smarter and act faster – mastering ever greater complexity and every decisive moment along the way. With 65,000 employees in 56 countries, Thales reported sales of $18 billion in 2017.

For more than 100 years, Thales has conducted significant research and development, manufacturing, and service capabilities in the U.S. Today, Thales is present in 13 states operating 23 different facilities. Working closely with US customers and local partners, Thales is able to meet the most complex requirements for every operating environment.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Cobalt to start a new route to London Gatwick from Athens

Cobalt Air (Cobalt Aero) has announced it will add the Athens – London Gatwick route starting on March 31. The new route will be operated two days a week.

Top Copyright Photo: Cobalt Air (cobalt-aero) Airbus A319-132 5B-DCV (msn 2032) BRU (Karl Cornil). Image: 938681.

Cobalt aircraft slide show:

Borussia Dortmund signs cooperation deal with Bangkok Airways as its regional partner

Borussia Dortmund, one of Europe’s most successful football clubs with a traditionally strong fan base in Asiaand the world, announces Bangkok Airways, Thailand-based regional airline, a “Regional Partner of Borussia Dortmund” at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany.

The cooperation deal includes a variety of advertising and promotional components of the co-branding campaigns in Thailand, Southeast Asian countries, mainland China, Hong Kong, India and Bangladesh which will enhance the airline’s brand recognition across the region.

Mr. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, Bangkok Airways’ President, says, “We are so proud and excited to partner with Borussia Dortmund, an eight-time German Champions. With Borussia Dortmund’s strong global brand presence and a huge fan base, we believe that it will strengthen Bangkok Airways’ brand image as Asia’s Boutique Airline as well as make the airline better known across Asia and Europe which are our main customer bases.”

“Another highlight is BVB Evonik Football School for children as giving back to the community has been part of our business roadmap for many years. We will work with our dedicated CSR team to make this sponsorship activation tangible,” added Mr.Puttipong.

Carsten Cramer, Chief Marketing Officer of Borussia Dortmund states, “We are excited to partner with Bangkok Airways that have strengthened their award winning position over the last couple of years in Asia. Both of us we are ambitious and aspiring brands and are looking forward to introduce our cooperation across Bangkok Airways’ key markets.”

Borussia Dortmund (www.bvb.de/eng) is one of the most traditional and popular German football clubs. Founded in 1909, BVB boasts around 10 million fans within Germany and, in addition, also looks to a rapidly growing fan base worldwide.

Bangkok Air aircraft slide show:

Spirit Airlines to add new service to St. Croix

Spirit Airlines has announced, beginning on May 24, 2018, it will connect Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) with nonstop service to St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX). The service will run three times per week on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

The new route will be operated with Airbus A319 aircraft.

The Caribbean island will become Spirit’s 65^th destination, following last week’s addition of Columbus, OH, and upcoming new service to Richmond, VA; Guayaquil, Ecuador; and Cap Haitien, Haiti.

Spirit continues to rebuild to its full historic Caribbean scheduled service levels. On March 10, service to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and to San Juan and Aguadilla in Puerto Rico all return to pre-storm, daily service. On April 12, Spirit will also celebrate expanded service to Kingston, Jamaica for the summer season and new nonstop service to Cap Haitien, Haiti. Spirit intends to resume its Saturday-only service to St. Maarten on May 5, 2018.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Route Map: