Tag Archives: featured

American Airlines to bank its flights again at Miami International Airport

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) is switching from a “rolling hub” to a more traditional “banking hub” at Miami International Airport (MIA) on August 19. With this change MIA will have 10 distinctive banks throughout the day. The change will help improve the revenue synergies for the company because it will allow for quicker and more competitive connections (each hub competes against other hubs for the quickest and easiest connections). The move will also increase the number of possible connections.

MIA has four runways so it can handle the inbound and outbound complexes.

Of course during afternoon thunderstorms in the summer months a banking hub will be more of a challenge as there is less room for any weather delays. If one complex is delayed on the ground by a thunderstorm, the following arriving complex will have to wait for that departing complex to depart.

American is doing the same thing at Chicago (O’Hare) (ORD) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) throughout 2015. American does not have any re-banking plans at Los Angeles (LAX) or New York (JFK) right now due “to a variety of factors including gate space and slot constraints.”

American explained this change to its employees:

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-823 N816NN (msn 31081) arrives at Miami International Airport on a clear day.

American Airlines (current):

Pan American Airways to revive the Pan Am brand with Boeing 737-800s

Pan American Airways Global Holdings, Inc. (New York) is the parent holding company of six brands of the Pan American family.

The would-be paper airline wants to revive the Pan Am name and brand. If it does, it will be the fourth version using the venerable name.

On April 5 the company issued this statement:

Pan American Airways is pleased to announce that it has completed formal selection of aircraft for it’s planned launch early this summer to include the Boeing 737-800 models, with upgrades to the NexGen later as service needs develop.

In late March of 2014, Pan American entered into discussions with an undisclosed lessor that is well positioned to support Pan Am’s growth strategy within the southern tier markets, and have ratified formal agreements through an issued LOI early Friday, and will be supported with a signed Purchase Agreement once aircraft delivery is ready to proceed.

Senior executives close to these negotiations continue to monitor the formal delivery of these aircraft, as certain criterion need to be met in order to deliver the specified flying experience that the brand wishes to extend to its audience.

Pan American is committed to delivering a top flight level of service that was once enjoyed by many worldwide, and those expectations will be extended into the new 21st century business model, as we continue to proceed with our plans to launch early, to mid-summer of this year.

In other Pan American news, crew selections will begin early to mid-next week for both in-flight attendants, as well as needed Captains and First Officers, and will be formally addressed through the appropriate department heads from each section through upcoming published releases to be issued to the public. However, those that wish to apply formally online may do so by submitting their respective resume’s via our online source through hr@paaglobal.com.

According to the company, “Pan American strives to be the industry-leading provider of safe, clean, reliable and cost-efficient air service. Pan American Global aircraft will deploy under our network brands as well as our wholly owned subsidiaries of Blue Sky Airlines and P21 Air.”

Images: Pan American Airways.

Boeing delivers the 8,000th 737 to United Airlines

Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) yesterday (April 16) delivered the 8,000th 737 to come off the production line to United Airlines (Chicago) as N68821, marking another important milestone for the world’s best-selling airplane. The airplane, a Next-Generation 737-900 ER (Extended Range), features a special logo.

The 737 is the first commercial airplane in history to reach this delivery milestone. The program has a strong backlog with more than 3,700 airplanes on order, including 1,934 orders for the new 737 MAX.

United was the first airline to order and take delivery of the 737-200. Since 1965, United has taken delivery of more than 550 737s and operated nearly every model.

Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-924 ER N68821 (msn 43535) lands at Boeing Field in Seattle. N68821 has small “8000th 737” gray titles by the main cabin door.

United Airlines (current):

The new Eastern picks the Boeing 737-800 as its first aircraft type, will Spirit Airlines beat it to Miami?

Eastern Air Lines Group, Inc. (Miami), better known as the proposed “new Eastern”, has apparently selected the Boeing 737-800 as its first aircraft type. The new version of Eastern had previously looked at the Airbus A319 and later the A320.

On their website, the group has added a rendering of a Boeing 737-800 with Winglets in Eastern colors (above) with this photo caption:

This is the current artists rendering of an Eastern Boeing 737-800 in the Eastern livery. This aircraft, the “Spirit of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker” is expected to be delivered to Eastern in late Summer 2014.

As previously reported, in January 2014, the new Eastern filed an application with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.

When the first aircraft arrives, the new proposed airline will then go through the final Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 121 certification process leading to an Air Operators Certificate (AOC).

The new airline has proposed using Miami as its new hub.

Spirit Airlines is reportedly in negotiations to bring some of its ultra low-fare operations to Miami. Spirit Airlines has looked at Miami briefly in the past but decided to keep all of its South Florida operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

Read the report from Brian Andrews of CBS Miami: CLICK HERE

Image: Eastern Air Lines Group, Inc.

Eastern Airlines (1st) Slide Show:

Spirit Airlines Slide Show: