Tag Archives: bush intercontinental airport

ANA inaugurates the Houston – Tokyo Narita route

ANA – All Nippon Airways (Tokyo) today launched its new Houston (Bush Intercontinental) route to Tokyo (Narita). The airport issued this statement:

Following a ribbon cutting and sake ceremony, the inaugural flight of All Nippon Airway’s (ANA) newest route bound for Tokyo Narita Airport, departed Houston George Bush International Airport this morning (June 12) – underscoring the global importance of the city of Houston.

A member of the Star Alliance and joint venture partner with United Airlines, ANA expanded its nonstop service to Houston, providing passengers with additional daily flights between Houston and Tokyo. Star Alliance members can now choose a morning or afternoon departure in each direction, providing greater flexibility for travelers, especially those taking advantage of ANA’s expanded service to other Asian and American destinations beyond Houston or Tokyo.

The Boeing 777-300 ER used for today’s flight was welcomed to the gate with an official water turret salute. The 250-seat passenger plane includes eight first class and 52 business class seats to accommodate travelers.

Today’s ceremony began with a Taiko Japanese drum performance by local group, Kaminari Taiko. Diaz and Shinobe each addressed the attendees, and they were joined by additional remarks from Jim Compton, United Airlines Vice Chairman and Chief Revenue Officer, and the Honorable Nozomu Takaoka, Consul-General of Japan in Houston and Bob Pertierra, SVP and Chief Economic Development Officer, Greater Houston Partnership. Also in attendance from the office of the Governor of Texas was Oliver Yang, there to present Shinobe with a proclamation. In a gift exchange honoring Texas and Japanese culture, Diaz presented Shinobe with a Stetson cowboy hat and Shinobe reciprocated with an ANA Boeing 777 model plane.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-381 ER JA778A (msn 32651) arrives at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT).

ANA aircraft slide show:

United Airlines and Houston Airport System break ground on new Terminal C North, announces new Boeing 787-9 routes

United Airlines (Chicago), in partnership with Houston Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston Airport System, will break ground today (May 11) on the airline’s new Terminal C North concourse at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) (see below).

United Airlines is building an all-new Terminal C North concourse at its Houston hub that will feature floor-to-ceiling windows offering soaring tarmac views, expansive gate-lounge areas and 20 new dining and retail options near boarding gates.

Floor-to-ceiling windows in the new concourse will offer soaring tarmac views, expansive gate-lounge areas will provide higher levels of comfort and 20 new dining and retail options near boarding gates will give Houstonians and travelers connecting through the airport more of the varied options they enjoy.

The $244 million project will create a 265,000-square-foot facility, more than 100,000 square feet larger than the existing Terminal C North, with 11 passenger boarding gates to accommodate a mix of United’s narrow-, mid- and wide-body aircraft.

When construction on the new concourse is completed, the Houston Airport System will demolish the existing Terminal C North facility at Bush Intercontinental to enable the reconstruction of the Mickey Leland International Terminal D. The international terminal is critical to Bush Intercontinental’s extensive connecting air traffic, particularly for those customers connecting between United flights and flights operated by United’s international airline partners.

United expects to complete the new Terminal C North concourse in early 2017.

From Houston, United and United Express offer nearly 560 daily flights to more than 180 destinations around the world, including to Latin America, serving 51 nonstop destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean.

In related news, United Airlines has outlined its planned Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner introductions at Houston. According to Airline Route, United will introduce the new type from IAH to Rio de Janeiro on August 18 followed by Frankfurt on September 24. Buenos Aires will follow on October 25 and Amsterdam on December 17.

Copyright Photo above: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N19951 (msn 36402) arrives at Los Angeles International Airport.

Image below: United Airlines.

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

Spirit Airlines announces a major expansion at Houston; 10 new destinations

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) has announced it will be expanding its nonstop
service to ten new destinations beginning in the Spring of 2015. The new locations include domestic cities including Tampa, Baltimore/Washington, DC and Oakland, and seven destinations in Latin America including Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua (International routes are subject to foreign governmental approval).

New U.S. Destinations
——————————————————————————————–
Destination Start Date Frequency
——————————————————————————————-
Tampa (TPA) March 26, 2015 Daily
——————————————————————————————-
Baltimore/Washington, DC (BWI) March 27, 2015 Daily
——————————————————————————————-
Oakland/San Francisco Bay (OAK)* April 16, 2015 Daily
——————————————————————————————-

New Mexican Destinations**
——————————————————————————————–
Destination Start Date Frequency
——————————————————————————————-
Cancun, Mexico (CUN) May 7, 2015 3 per week
Increases to daily on June 11, 2015
——————————————————————————————-
Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD)* May 7, 2015 2 per week
Increases to 4 per week on June 11, 2015
——————————————————————————————-
Toluca/Mexico City, Mexico (TLC)* May 7, 2015 2 per week
Increases to 3 per week on June 11, 2015
——————————————————————————————-

New Central American Destinations**
——————————————————————————————–
Destination Start Date Frequency
——————————————————————————————-
Managua, Nicaragua (MGA) May 28, 2015 3 per week
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San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) May 28, 2015 4 per week
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San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP) May 28, 2015 3 per week
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San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL) May 28, 2015 4 per week
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* Routes served for summer season only

** International routes are subject to foreign governmental approval

These new destinations are in addition to the 12 nonstop cities Spirit
currently offers from Houston, which includes Atlanta, Chicago (O’Hare), Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, Orlando, and San Diego, along with connecting service to an additional 17 cities.

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A329-132 N502NK (msn 2433) arrives in Las Vegas in the new look.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Existing and new routes from IAH:

Interjet arrives in Houston

Interjet (Mexico City) officially began flight operations in Houston, Texas today (October 23) as the airline celebrated the landing of its inaugural flight connecting Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Monterrey International Airport (MTY) in Monterrey, Mexico.

The airline will now offer passengers a choice between two daily flights Monday through Friday and one daily flight on Saturdays and Sundays. The inaugural flight from Monterrey arrived in Houston at 7:55 a.m. to the traditional water cannon salute and a welcome celebration featuring dozens of well-wishers.

The arrival of Interjet is the latest example of an unprecedented level of growth for international air travel in Houston. George Bush Intercontinental Airport is currently on pace to see more than 10 million international passengers in 2014, a number never reached in the facility’s 45 year history.

Photo: Interjet.

Interjet Aircraft Slide Show:

A near miss involving two United Airbus A320s at Houston on May 9

United Airlines (Chicago) had two Airbus A320s involved in a near miss while departing from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on the evening of May 9. Flight UA 601 was departing from runway 9 to Vancouver, British Columbia while UA 437 was departing on runway 15L bound for Mexico City. The two A320s came within 400 feet of each other according to KHOU Channel 11 in Houston. The FAA is investigating the incident.

Read the full story: CLICK HERE

United Airlines (current):

Korean Air lands in Houston

Korean Air (Seoul) is now operating daily nonstop service between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Incheon International Airport in Seoul. America’s largest Asian airline officially launched its Houston service on May 2, with the morning arrival of its Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

Nonstop flights connecting the two destinations will depart from the Terminal D facility at George Bush Intercontinental Airport every morning at 10:40 a.m. (CST Houston time), with the return flight departing Seoul at 9:10 a.m. local time at Incheon International Airport.

Korean Air, a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, already operates nonstop flights to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Vancouver and Washington, D.C.

Korean Air:

Korean Air is coming to Houston

Korean Air (Seoul) will launch four flights a week for its Seoul (Incheon) hub to Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on May 2 according to Airline Route. The new route will be operated with Boeing 777-200 ERs.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-2B5 ER HL7530 (msn 27945) of Korean Air arrives at Toronto (Pearson).

Korean Air:

Air China starts nonstop Beijing-Houston service

Air China (Beijing) began its four weekly nonstop services between Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) in Beijing, China and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas yesterday (July 11).

The inaugural flight from Beijing, CA 995, arrived at 3:40 (1540) yesterday afternoon to a Texas-sized welcome which included a traditional water cannon salute. Houston Mayor Annise Parker was on hand to greet the delegation from Chinaled by Ms. Yinxiang Wang, Co-Chairwoman of Air China Limited; Chinese Consul General for Texas and seven U.S. southern states and Puerto Rico, Ms. Erwen Xu; and, former Houston Rockets star and now Houston’s Honorary Goodwill Ambassador, Yao Ming.

Copyright Photo: Ribbon Cutting Celebrates Air China’s New Nonstop Service Between Houston, Texas and Beijing, China. (PRNewsFoto/Houston Airport System).

With the launch of the nonstop service, Houston becomes Air China’s fifth gateway in North America, joining Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Vancouver. Air China will operate inside Terminal D at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston’s gateway for all foreign carriers.

Houston and Beijing have enjoyed a strong relationship for several decades. China’s paramount leader, the late Deng Xiaoping, visited Houston during his historic trip to the United States in 1979.

Air China will operate the nonstop flights, CA 996, from Houston to Beijing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing at 1:00 AM local time (0100) and arriving in Beijing at 4:50 AM (0450) local time, next day. The chart below shows the schedule of the new service.

Flight Number	Code-Share Flt. No.	Route	Departure	Arrival	Schedule	Aircraft
CA 996	UA7602*	Houston-Beijing	01:00	04:50+1	Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun	B777-300ER
CA 995	UA7601*	Beijing-Houston	15:00	15:40	Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun	B777-300ER

NOTES: All times are local. “+1” stands for next-day arrival.

Top Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-39L ER B-2036 (msn 38676) arrives at the Frankfurt terminal.

Air China:

* Codeshare flight.

Spirit Airlines launches new routes from Houston

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) on September 20 launched its ultra low fare service between Houston (Bush Intercontinental) and Dallas/Fort Worth. Spirit now offers twice daily nonstop flights between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, with connections available to 12 destinations throughout the Americas, including Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Oakland/San Francisco, Phoenix/Mesa, Portland (Oregon), Tampa, and Toluca/Mexico City.

Spirit is also introducing daily nonstop service from Houston to Chicago O’Hare and Las Vegas on October 4, 2012.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Airbus A319-132 N534NK (msn 3395) prepares to land at Los Angeles International Airport.

Spirit Airlines:

Spirit Airlines announces even more new routes

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) today announced that it is adding two more new routes from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport starting October 4, 2012, including:

daily nonstop service between Houston and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and
daily nonstop service between Houston and Las Vegas

Spirit also recently announced it is launching twice daily nonstop service between Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on September 20, 2012, with connections available to six destinations including, Baltimore/Washington, Las Vegas, Mesa, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Toluca, and Portland, Oregon.

Spirit Airlines also announced schedules for new service to/from Los Cabos and Cancun, Mexico starting November 8, 2012.

Daily nonstop service between Los Cabos, Mexico (serving Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo) and San Diego starts November 8, 2012, with connecting service to Dallas/Fort Worth.
In addition, four weekly nonstop flights between Los Cabos, Mexico and Dallas/Fort Worth start June 13, 2013.
Three weekly nonstop flights between Cancun, Mexico and Dallas/Fort Worth start April 25, 2013, with service increasing to daily on June 13, 2013.

The company also announced it is adding daily nonstop service between Denver International Airport and Mesa (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport) starting on October 4, 2012.

Finally the ultra-fare airline announced it is adding daily nonstop service between Portland International Airport and San Diego International Airport starting on November 8, 2012.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Airbus A320-232 N604NK (msn 4431) taxies to the runway at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood hub.

Spirit Slide Show: