Avelo Airlines celebrated today the opening of its 6th aircraft base at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) – doubling its route network from the Bay Area’s best airport.
Avelo will also inaugurate service to four new destinations from STS: Portland/Salem, Oregon (via SLE); Boise, Idaho (via BOI); Tri-Cities/Pasco, Washington (via PSC); and Kalispell, Montana (via FCA). Avelo currently flies from STS to Los Angeles, California (via BUR); Las Vegas, Nevada (via LAS); Palm Springs, California (via PSP); and Bend/Redmond, Oregon (via RDM).
Avelo will now serve eight nonstop destinations from STS – offering more nonstop routes than any other airline operating at STS.
Three main carriers at STS (Airport)
Avelo Crewmembers and STS airport representatives inaugurated the new flights at a gate-side celebration for Wednesday morning’s first flight to Kalispell. Customers were welcomed aboard with local favorites from the four new destinations, as well as a commemorative boarding pass.
With the new base opening, Avelo has hired 32 STS-based Crewmembers, which is how the airline refers to its employees. New Crewmembers include flight attendants, pilots, and maintenance technicians. Avelo expects to employ approximately 50 STS-based Crewmembers by the end of this year.
Avelo is the only airline flying nonstop between STS and these four destinations:
Kalispell, Montana via Glacier Park International Airport (FCA)– The first flight departs today, May 1, 2024, with twice-weekly service on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Pasco/Tri-Cities, Washington via Tri-Cities Airport (PSC) – The first flight departs today, May 1, 2024, with twice-weekly service on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Boise, Idaho via Boise Airport (BOI) – The first flight departs Thursday, May 2, 2024, and will operate twice-weekly on Thursdays and Sundays.
Portland/Salem, Oregon via Salem Municipal Airport (SLE) – The first flight departs Friday, May 3, 2024, and will operate twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays.
West Coast route map:
Avelo Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
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Great Airlines Series of books by Brian Worthington (Volumes 1-6 now available on Amazon) – new volumes announced:
Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA) issued this statement:
Airline Dispatchers at Air Transat represented by the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA) have given their association a resounding 100% strike mandate in their negotiations with Air Transat. The result of the Strike Vote was delivered to Air Transat on April 15th after Conciliation talks with the assistance of the Federal Government failed and Conciliation ended on April 2nd, 2024. The 21 day mandatory cooling off period ended April 23rd, 2024. . The 28 Montreal based Air Transat Flight Dispatchers are very disappointed at the progress of talks. Air Transat Flight Dispatchers Collective Agreement ended on October 31st, 2022.
Flights Dispatchers are licensed by Transport Canada and prepare the Flight Plan, board fuel, monitor aircraft systems, monitor weather, deal with in-flight emergencies along with other very important functions. The Flight Dispatcher at Air Transat shares responsibility with the Pilot-In-Command for Flight Watch and Operational Control. Both the Flight Dispatcher and the Pilot-In-Command share pertinent information with each other to ensure the Flight is operated in the safest manner possible. No Air Transat aircraft can depart without the approval of the Flight Plan by the Flight Dispatcher.
Day and night, rain or shine, American’s team of system customer service managers (SCSM) has a sharp focus on our customers, helping to ensure their journeys go smoothly. Though they’re based at American’s Integrated Operations Center (IOC) in Fort Worth, Texas, the SCSMs have their eye on every customer, looking for operational solutions to get customers on their way.
Daniel Schiff, the IOC’s Senior Manager of Network Ops Strategy, recently sat down with System Customer Service Manager Kim Burrell for a discussion about their roles at the IOC.
Daniel: Let’s start with the basics: what is American’s Integrated Operations Center?
Kim: We call it the IOC, and it’s the nerve center of our airline. In this large facility, more than 20 workgroups — and 1,700 team members — come together to help run our airline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We work collaboratively to solve challenges that come our way, from weather to anything else.
American’s Integrated Operations Center.
Daniel: Our strategy is our customers, and the SCSMs ensure our customers get where they want to go smoothly. The team is always thinking ahead to minimize disruptions.
Kim: That’s exactly right. A day in the life for me is busy and full of twists and turns. When I get in, I’m assigned to a unit, which is broken down by the types of aircraft we operate and hubs that we fly into. The unit is led by an Operations Coordinator, who works in tandem with team members overseeing our fleet, our crew members and, in the case of SCSMs, our customers.
Daniel: SCSMs have a key role in caring for group travel. We have large groups —sometimes really large groups with hundreds of customers — who travel throughout our network. It’s critically important they have a seamless journey when traveling with us. If one of these groups were to misconnect, it might be harder to reaccommodate them as there likely wouldn’t be enough available seats on the next flight, unlike when we have individual travelers and smaller parties to reaccommodate. The first order of business is alerting our airport teams that these groups are coming through to make sure we have a plan for them. Sometimes we’ll hold their connecting flight, and we’ve even found back-up aircraft for these groups because they’re such a big part of our operation.
Kim: Military service members are also incredibly important to us. We work to ensure that our service members have as easy and smooth a journey as possible. We look at markets that have military bases or are close to them — we have many of them — and keep an especially close eye on those markets, going out of our way to ensure there are crew and aircraft to support the operation there. We develop a plan B as well. I’m glad the SCSM team gets to play a role with caring for our troops.
Daniel: SCSMs play a key role in the recovery of our network during what we call irregular operations — severe weather or any other type of event that disrupts the airline. We’re responsible for running a tool that helps reaccommodate our customers on alternate flights when their travel plans are impacted. American has gotten much faster at recovering, and I’m proud to say that the SCSM team plays an important role as we care for customers who are impacted.
I’m sure you have some incredible stories to tell about other ways we’ve helped our customers in the 17 years you’ve worked here.
Kim Burrell working in the IOC’s regional unit.
Kim: You bet! One time, we had a group of 40 customers who were originating in Knoxville, Tennessee, connecting through DFW on their way to Honduras, and I realized that they were going to misconnect. After I worked with the station and my colleagues in the IOC, we found a solution to use a larger aircraft for the next flight. The airport let me know that the customers were very excited that they were able to get to their destination within a reasonable amount of time. For me, it was a reminder of why I do this. I genuinely care about our customers and want to find solutions.
“It was a reminder of why I do this. I genuinely care about our customers and want to find solutions.”Kim Burrell
Daniel: One of my favorite stories is when we had a high-volume connection, which means we have a large number of customers traveling between cities. This one was between Oklahoma City and Hanoi, Vietnam, with a connection in Chicago. When their initial flight was delayed, we found another aircraft from one of our regional partners to get this group to Chicago, where they connected to one of our oneworld® partners. The SCSM team coordinates within and outside of the IOC to ensure our customers are looked after, no matter who operates the flight. It felt great to help these customers out.
Kim: It’s really the best part of the job. And we do it every day because when you purchase a ticket on American, you place your trust in us to get you to your destination safely and as efficiently as possible.
airBaltic has announced the launch of direct flights between Tampere, Finland and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Starting today, flights will operate twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, and will continue until October.
Currently, airBaltic operates eight direct routes from Tampere to European destinations. This year, the airline plans to add 17 new routes from all its bases and has expanded its network to include seven new countries in the Balkan region.
In 2024, airBaltic will connect Finland with direct flights to 10 destinations and offer one-stop connections to more than 70 destinations in its network.
The new flights will be operated by Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
In other news, the airline issued this statement:
As the Latvian national airline,airBalticprepares to publish its financial results for the first quarter of 2024, preliminary data already points to a strong performance. airBaltic continues to demonstrate operational excellence and confident business indicators, building on its record results for the full year of 2023. According to preliminary indicators, total revenue for Q1 is expected to reach approximately EUR 132 million, an increase of 26% as compared to the corresponding period of 2023 and the highest ever in Q1 for the airline. Passenger numbers increased by 20% compared to the first quarter of 2023 – another historical high for Q1 for airBaltic.
Significant improvements were also seen in airBaltic’soverall operational capacity, as evidenced by a 30% increase in Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) to 1.9 billion, compared to 1.5 billion in Q1 2023. The airline’s load factor has improved to 75.9% from 71%, also the best ever performance in Q1 record. Total flights, including ACMI, rose to 12.3 thousand in Q1 2024, up from 11.4 thousand in the same quarter the previous year, an 8% increase.
airBaltic plans to announce full financial results of the first three months will be presented on 22nd of May, 2024, during an investor call, and afterwards the information will be available on the company’s website.
Avianca Airlines presents new features in its Business Class product, both in twin-aisle aircraft (Boeing 787) and single-aisle aircraft (A320 family).
Moving forward, the Executive Cabin of the double-seat aircraft will be known as Avianca Insignia, which operates routes to and from Europe.
Those traveling in this cabin will be able to enjoy flatbed chairs, which recline completely, as well as a welcome drink, menu with starter, breakfast, lunch or dinner options with dessert, unlimited snacks and a selection of spirits, hot and cold drinks.
In addition, passengers have comfort elements at their disposal such as a blanket, mattress pad and an amenity kit with collectible cases designed by Mola Sasa in collaboration with the Gunadule indigenous community, made from recycled PET bottle fabric, a proposal that promotes sustainability and inclusion, as well as the formulations of Loto del Sur, a beauty brand that celebrates and captures the richness of Colombian culture, elevating the onboard experience.
“Avianca Insignia represents the consolidation of a superior experience in our Boeing 787, one of the most modern aircraft in the world,” said Manuel Ambriz, Avianca’s chief commercial officer. “And these Bogotá to Europe flights also feature a unique design, gastronomy and wellness selection representing the best of Colombia: a menu by chef Álvaro Clavijo—one of the top 35 in the world—and a leading brand amenity kit.”
A Renewed Business Class for Flying on Single-Aisle Aircraft:
Additionally, starting July 1, a new version of the Business Class experience will be available in the first three rows of single-aisle airplanes on flights from Bogotá to Santiago de Chile, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Washington, New York, Boston, Toronto and Mexico City.
This offering includes a main meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner), drinks, a snack service and comfort elements (blanket, pillow and amenity kit).
Added Ambriz: “We are thrilled to have renewed the ‘Business Class’ experience on flights to the Americas’ main capitals,, thereby offering our customers multiple options on how they want to fly.”
Alaska Airlines is expanding service at two of its major hubs in Southern California with new routes and additional capacity to popular West Coast destinations as part of the carrier’s ongoing commitment to growth in the state.
Starting this fall, we’re adding our 39th nonstop destination from San Diego with service to Las Vegas. We’re also starting new service between Los Angeles and Pasco, as well as bringing back guest favorite Los Angeles to Reno. Guests can now book these new, nonstop routes on alaskaair.com with service beginning Oct. 1, 2024.
Alaska also announced it is adding more flights to destinations already serve out of Los Angeles International Airport, increasing capacity by more than 25%, including to Boise, Medford, Portland, San Jose, Santa Rosa and Seattle/Tacoma.
In Los Angeles, we’ll start to fly our expanded schedule on Oct. 1, 2024 when we’ll offer the most daily flights to West Coast destinations of any airline from LAX.
American launches airline’s first-ever rotating collection of premium onboard amenities, along with new bedding.
Throughout the year, new inflight amenities will feature diverse designers and brands, sustainably sourced materials and causes important to American and its customers.
Customers can indulge in fresh entrees, inspired by popular American Airlines destinations, across all domestic and international flights.
AAdvantage® members can continue to earn or use miles for flights with these premium experiences.
American Airlines is heating up the inflight experience ahead of the summer travel season with a wave of premium onboard enhancements to make travel even more enjoyable. Customers will fly in style with a new, reimagined amenity kit series and bedding, and savor new dishes throughout their journey. In the future, customers can anticipate an increasingly elevated experience with the arrival of new Flagship Suite® seats.
“We thoughtfully curate each element of the onboard experience so every customer can look forward to the time they spend in flight,” said Kim Cisek, American’s Vice President of Customer Experience. “Part of the magic of travel is connecting our customers to the people and experiences that matter most to them. We’re taking that concept to the skies by introducing a new, dynamic onboard program that’s inspired by feedback from our customers and team members.”
American worked with a mix of boutique and well-known brands to create a program that will evolve throughout the years and feature rotating kit designs and high-quality skincare products in addition to the new bedding program.
A rotation of stylish new amenities and more
The new program will be on board more than 300 international and transcontinental flights beginning Memorial Day weekend in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy cabins.
American’s primary amenity kit will be available yearlong for customers flying in premium cabins. The kit will include staple amenities customers have come to expect while in flight, such as a toothbrush, dental kit, eye mask and earplugs, in addition to new and evolving skincare products and offerings. American will cycle new brands and products within the kits for customers in all premium cabins, creating a unique customer experience several times over, based directly on customer feedback.
American collaborated with beauty retailer Thirteen Lune to curate the skincare offerings, which will feature high-quality beauty brands from Thirteen Lune’s tailored collection with wide ranging representation of diverse founders and voices such as Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
Limited-edition kits
In addition to these rotating products within the kits, customers will enjoy limited-edition specialty kits created in collaboration with diverse designers and brands based primarily in the U.S. Through the designs of these specialty kits, American will recognize specific milestones and initiatives that reflect the values and backgrounds of the airline’s customers and team members. These limited-edition kits will debut in the months and years ahead.
In fact, the all-new amenity program will launch with a Thirteen Lune specialty kit to introduce customers to the new kit line and the opportunity to start collecting the limited-edition kits. Customers flying in premium cabins will receive the Thirteen Lune kit for the first few weeks of the kickoff to the new program. Customers can then look forward to receiving the primary amenity kit on board throughout the rest of the summer.
Each specialty kit will be available for a limited time on eligible flights in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy. Travelers will be able to learn about each brand and partner featured in the specialty kit by scanning a QR code found within the kit.
Elevated bedding inspired by customer feedback
Customers will travel in elevated comfort with new bedding, pillows and sleepwear that deliver on customer expectations for a restful experience on board. In American’s research with customers, travelers shared that 75% prefer dual-sided pillows, with different materials on each side of the pillow. Based on this feedback, customers traveling across Flagship® First Class or Flagship® Business Class will enjoy a dual-sided pillow with cool touch fabric on one side, and traditional fabric on the other.
Those traveling in Flagship® First Class on international flights will continue to enjoy a set of pajamas, based on feedback that 80% of first class customers value having pajamas onboard. In addition, travelers in Flagship® Business Class on all international flights will now enjoy slippers onboard, instead of only on ultra long-haul flights.
Customers in all cabins, including Premium Economy and Main Cabin, will enjoy enhanced bedding, with cabin-specific options such as lumbar pillows, throw blankets, premium duvets and fleece blankets — all developed from premium brands that are leaders in their space.
American collaborated with the inflight textile company John Horsfall to develop bedding made with recycled materials from their Re-Thread® collection*.
Reusable Zipper Product Bag
Bedding in American Airlines Flagship® First
Bedding in American Airlines Flagship® Business
Bedding in American Airlines Premium Economy
Bedding in American Airlines Main Cabin
Bedding in American Airlines Transcontinental Flagship® First Class
Bedding in American Airlines Transcontinental Flagship® Business Class
Nearly all of the pillows, duvets and blankets created for American flights were made with recycled fibers that maintain a premium feel, while filled bedding includes 100% recycled fill. To reduce single-use plastic waste connected to the distribution of pillows and blankets, customers traveling in Flagship® First, Flagship® Business and Premium Economy will now receive their bedding in a reusable zipper product bag also made with recycled fibers. Using the bag will save 25 tons of plastic waste a year.
New dining menus soar within the U.S. and beyond
While dining on board, customers can embrace the journey with diverse flavors and new menus that are inspired by popular American Airlines destinations worldwide. The offerings feature internationally inspired pastas, salads and more.
Travelers jet-setting to one of American’s new summer destinations like Nice, France; Naples, Italy; or Copenhagen, Denmark, will be able to relish delicious offerings like macadamia crusted sea bass with citrus cream sauce, quinoa, toasted orzo, and haricots verts. In addition to these offerings, pan roasted chicken, tortellini pasta and other offerings, including new pre-order options, will continue to roll out this spring for business class on flights from the U.S. to international destinations.
Customers traveling from Europe in business class can choose to indulge in menu items like chili marinated chicken with mojo verde sauce, sweet potato mash, roasted corn and mini chili or gnocchi duet with plain and beetroot gnocchi, lentil ragout, apple chutney, brown butter, roasted spring onion and sliced green onion.
Entrees: International US outbound Business Class entrees on American Airlines From left: Pan roasted chicken with pepperonata sauce, mashed potato with chives and broccolini. Macadamia crusted sea bass with lemon herb butter sauce, orzo salad haricot vert and red bell pepper. Tortellini in sauteed spinach with blushed tomato sauce and grilled zucchini and mushroom medley.
Customers traveling on domestic first class can also discover new offerings on their journey. Travelers can enjoy cuisine such as shawarma seasoned grilled chicken, three cheese sacchetti pasta, chicken enchiladas or a plant based stuffed red pepper. Customers can also choose from new pre-order options, including short rib mac and cheese.
These new options in premium cabins will provide a range of diverse culinary creations and award-winning wines. For AAdvantage® members, miles and status can help unlock access to some of these premium inflight experiences.
Domestic First Class hot entrees on American Airlines Clockwise from top left: Vegetable enchilada with red rice and green chili sauce, garnished with crumbled cotija cheese. Cheese sacchetti with garlic cream sauce and marinara sauce, topped with a chopped parsley garnish. Penne pasta with plant-based meat ragu and ricotta, garnished with chopped parsley. Stuffed pepper, green rice and cilantro crema, garnished with crumbled cotija cheese.
Domestic First Class cold entrees on American Airlines Clockwise from top left: The Mediterranean bowl with garlic aioli dressing, couscous spiced with potatoes, almonds, baby arugula, shaved red cabbage, roasted red pepper hummus, tomato & cucumber salad and roasted spiced cauliflower. The bistro grain bowl with red long grain rice, crumbled blue cheese, fresh cucumber, Roma tomato, red onion, green scallion, hard-boiled egg, sorghum and Frisée and Mesclun salad mix. The pesto pasta salad with baby arugula, pesto salad, red and yellow blistered cherry tomatoes, red pepper, sliced mozzarella, and a nut-free basil pesto sauce. The edamame and mandarin orange slaw salad with baby spinach, wonton strips, roasted cashews, green scallion and red miso vinaigrette
Suite experience
Beyond the new inflight amenities, bedding and dining options on board this summer, customers can look forward to an even more elevated experience onboard future Boeing 787-9, 777-300 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft, featuring a new interior with the Flagship® Suite seat and refreshed seats and amenities across Premium Economy and Main Cabin.
Customers traveling in the Flagship Suite® seat will be surrounded by comfort and convenience including wireless charging, Bluetooth capability and multiple storage spaces. With standard features such as lie-flat seats and direct-aisle access, American has modernized the experience by adding privacy doors and the ability to relax in a chaise lounge position, making the Flagship Suite® seat a personalized experience in the skies.
American Airlines Flagship® Suite Preferred seat
American Airlines Flagship® Suite Preferred seat
Customers looking for even more luxury will be able to further enhance their experience with a distinguished front row experience on new Boeing 787-9 and retrofitted 777-300 aircraft through the Flagship Suite® Preferred seat. This seat will offer customers expansive space, several storage areas and exclusive amenities like a Nest Bedding® mattress pad, a throw blanket, a memory foam lumbar pillow, Nest Bedding® pajamas and an exclusive amenity kit featuring additional skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
For AAdvantage® members, using miles can help unlock access to upgrade into these enhanced premium experiences, including new inflight amenities, sleepwear, bedding and dining options.
Status members may also receive complimentary upgrades, further enhancing their premium travel experience.
The program rewards members for the time they spend with American, and also provides them with rewards and benefits. New in time for summer, members traveling on tickets purchased with miles can now receive upgrade offers to buy into a higher cabin via aa.com or mobile app when traveling within the contiguous U.S.
*Re-Thread® products are made with certified materials.
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):
JetBlue Airways has announced Blueprint by JetBlue™, a personalized inflight experience platform that will provide customers with more customizability across their travel journey, beginning with new inflight entertainment features, some of which have never before been implemented on a U.S. airline.
At-Home Entertainment in the Sky
As JetBlue continues to innovate industry-leading onboard technology, Blueprint by JetBlue brings new seatback touchscreen features that mimic what customers are used to experiencing with their favorite streaming platforms at home. Some of the new functions that customers can look forward to seeing on their seatback screens include:
Watch party: Watch the same film or TV show at the exact same time with up to five other customers on the flight. JetBlue is the first airline to allow up to six customers to watch entertainment content at the same time to enjoy family-style viewing. Play and pause can be controlled on all linked screens, regardless of where each viewer is seated.
Content recommendations: Receive personal recommendations for inflight entertainment based on previous viewing history.
Pick up where you left off: Whether connecting with a layover or flying next month, never miss the end of a film or television show—automatically pick up where you left off from flight to flight.
Saved favorites: Save film and TV show selections to watch on future flights so you can spend less time searching and more time watching.
Saved settings: Accessibility and system settings, such as volume, language, parental controls and close captions preferences can now be saved and carried over from flight to flight.
Content partnerships: First-of-its-kind partnerships such as JetBlue’s exclusive streaming partner, Peacock, provide customers with access to exclusive entertainment and offers.
These new personalization features on JetBlue’s award-winning inflight entertainment system will give customers a bespoke inflight experience, not only throughout their current journey, but extending into subsequent flights when customers opt-in to securely authenticate their profiles on AVANT seatback touchscreens.
Tailored Touchpoints for Seamless Connection
Beyond inflight entertainment options, Blueprint expands on JetBlue’s existing products that give customers a more personalized experience and brings their entire travel journey to their fingertips:
Personal greetings: Customers can now change their preferred name on their JetBlue travel profile to be displayed in a personal welcome message on seatback screens, whether or not they identify with their legal name.
JetBlue is the only airline that greets customers with confetti graphics and a complimentary drink (21+) when flying on their birthday.
Flight connect: Customers can access information regarding their JetBlue connecting flights and gates right at their seat.
Seatback ordering: JetBlue’s seatback ordering feature that lets customers make meal selections directly from the seatback screen now extends to its A321neo with Mint aircraft, further elevating dining on all transatlantic flights.
Loyalty made easy: Customers can enjoy easy one-click sign-up to JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty program through a QR pop-up on seatback touchscreens that automatically populates first and last name directly on a personal device.
The new personalization functions have begun rolling out on JetBlue’s AVANT touchscreen aircraft powered by Thales and are expected to be completed next month.
“JetBlue has always been an innovator as the first to have seatback screens and fast, free and unlimited Wi-Fi on every aircraft,” said Jayne O’Brien, head of marketing and customer support, JetBlue. “By launching Blueprint by JetBlue, we are doubling down on our commitment to help customers create an inflight experience tailored to their needs and preferences, making their flight as comfortable as their own living rooms.”
Since its inception in 2000, JetBlue has been the architect of industry-leading, customer-centric products that have pushed the industry standard forward. Whether with seatback entertainment at every seat, free Wi-Fia that allows for a multi-screen experience, the most legroom in coachb, or self-service snacks in the JetBlue Pantry®, JetBlue consistently provides a seamless, customer-first onboard experience.
This is just the beginning for the airline’s inflight personalization capabilities, which will continue to roll out under the Blueprint by JetBlue platform in the future.
Introducing Blueprint by JetBlue™, a personalized inflight experience, giving you new ways to use your seatback screen with watch parties, the ability to resume your content on your next flight, entertainment recommendations and real-time arrival details.💙 Available on select… pic.twitter.com/KCg5StLNNV
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