Tag Archives: LAS

Sun Country Airlines’ owner Marty Davis threatens to downsize and eventually close the airline

Sun Country Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul) Chairman Marty Davis has threatened to downsize and eventually shut down the airline if a new agreement with the pilots cannot be reached. In a letter sent to the pilots this past week, the owner threatened this drastic course of action. The pilots are locked in negotiations with management on a new contract. Davis has stated the latest management offer is the “last and best offer” according to this report by the Duluth News Tribune. The National Mediation Board (NMB) has scheduled another negotiating session in late May.

Captain Brian Roseen, Chairman of the Sun Country Master Executive Council, Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), representing the pilots, issued this response to the threat:

“The Sun Country Master Executive Council (SCA MEC) of the Air Line Pilots Association, International, the collective bargaining representative of SCA pilots, has received media inquiries related to reports about a communication from SCA management threatening a wind down of Sun Country Airlines.

“Yesterday, the SCA MEC received a letter from Mr. Marty Davis, Chairman and owner of Sun Country. Mr. Davis’ letter asserts that after five years of negotiations, the first comprehensive economic proposal presented by the company is also its ‘last, best and final’ proposal. In essence, it’s a take-it or leave-it offer. He claims that he has begun the process of downsizing the airline, although we have seen no evidence of this. In the interest of full disclosure to our members, we forwarded Mr. Davis’ communication to the pilot group last night.

“Mediation required under the provisions of the Railway Labor Act is now being conducted by the National Mediation Board in Washington, DC. The Association has made clear its willingness to meet anytime and anywhere to continue mediation. The NMB has tentatively set May 27-29 in Washington, DC as the scheduled next date for meetings. ALPA believes the Company was unwilling to meet sooner. At that meeting, ALPA will provide a counter-proposal to the Company’s offer that seeks to narrow the remaining gaps between the parties’ positions.

“We are disappointed Mr. Davis has chosen to respond to us with the threat of a shutdown even as the Association is prepared to present its counter-proposal. We appreciate the NMB’s tireless efforts to conduct mediation, and reiterate that our pilots are determined to rise above their current status as the lowest-paid B-737 scheduled service pilots in the country.

“Sun Country pilots intend to show up for work tomorrow and continue to do our jobs the way we always have — safely, professionally and courteously. The Association looks forward to opportunities later this month to continue our good-faith efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement that reflects established pay and benefit patterns, and trusts that Company executives will participate with the same intention.”

In February CEO Stan Gadek, who lead the airline in its last recovery, abruptly resigned and left the company.

Read the full report from the Duluth News Tribune: CLICK HERE

Sun Country Airlines aircraft slide show:

Spirit Airlines launches Houston – Cancun flights, the first international service from Houston

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) yesterday (May 7) launched its first of several new flights to Latin America from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) with new service to Cancun, Mexico.

Spirit will add six additional Latin American destinations in the coming days, with nonstop service to Los Cabos, Mexico; Toluca, Mexico; Managua, Nicaragua; San Jose, Costa Rica; San Pedro Sula, Honduras; and San Salvador, El Salvador available.

The debut is part of the steady growth by Spirit, which announced last year the addition of 10 new non-stop destinations out of IAH, bringing its total of routes served to 22. This includes expanded domestic service to Tampa and Baltimore/Washington, which began in March, and nonstop service to Oakland/San Francisco, which began in April.

The expansion nearly doubled the nonstop service offered by Spirit from Bush Intercontinental, adding to a roster that already includes flights to Chicago-O’Hare, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans, Orlando, and San Diego. The new routes will make Spirit one of the busiest carriers operating out of IAH.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Volaris to fly to Puerto Rico

Volaris (Mexico City), as part of their active expansion, has announced the introduction of new international service from Cancun, Quintana Roo to the city of San Juan in Puerto Rico, effective July 2 operating with two flights per week.

Volaris continues to strengthen its positioning as the Mexican airline with the most extensive route network throughout Mexico and the US, totaling 139 routes to 60 destinations – 22 international and 38 domestic. Since its inauguration, Volaris has transported nearly 50 million passengers, 7 million of which have been for international travel.

Cancun, Quintana Roo – San Juan, Puerto Rico
(Effective July 2. Thursdays and Sundays)

Departing Cancun, Quintana Roo at 11:30, arriving San Juan, Puerto Rico at 15:50.
Departing San Juan, Puerto Rico at 17:20, arriving Cancun, Quintana Roo at 19:40.

Volaris aircraft slide show:

Delta to start Seattle/Tacoma – Orlando nonstop flights

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) continues to add more nonstop routes from its building Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) hub in competition with its codeshare partner Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma). Delta will commence nonstop SeaTac – Orlando Boeing 737-800 flights starting on December 19. Alaska already operates on the route.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show:

Frontier Airlines to announce additional nonstop routes from Atlanta

Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) is expected today to announce six additional destinations from Atlanta according to a report by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. A press conference has been scheduled for today in Atlanta. Frontier aims to be the third largest carrier in ATL by this summer behind Delta and Southwest. With the loss of AirTran Airways there is a void in the large hub for an ultra low fare carrier service. Spirit Airlines is also building up its presence in ATL.

As we previously reported, on March 6 Frontier added new service from ATL to Austin, Indianapolis and Miami.

Today (April 30), as planned, the airline is adding new routes from Atlanta to Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New Orleans and New York (LaGuardia).

More details will follow.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Also read Assistant Editor Aaron Newman’s Planely Speaking: The Battle for the Big Peach: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: James Helbock/AirlinersGallery.com. Ex-USA 3000 Airlines Airbus A320-214 N263AV (msn 1860) with Jack, the Rabbit, on the tail arrives in Las Vegas. The airliner has now become N219FR.

Frontier Airlines aircraft slide show:

Video: New Frontier Slimline Seats:

The expanding Frontier Airlines route map. Frontier is now flying more in the East rather than the traditional West making its name somewhat obsolete as it downsizes its fading Denver hub.

Sun Country’s pilots picket at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport

Sun Country Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul) could be facing a strike by its pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The pilots of the airline yesterday (April 24) picketed for higher wages outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. ALPA states they are the lowest Boeing 737 scheduled airline pilots in the country. The pilots have authorized a strike if necessary.

The union issued this statement:

Sun Country Airlines Pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association Int’l (ALPA), conducted informational picketing Friday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, saying the company’s current pay proposal would keep SCA pilot wages near the bottom of the industry for another five years.

Already the nation’s lowest-paid scheduled service airline pilots for their aircraft type, management’s recent proposal would provide only minimal increases. Sun Country pilots last received a pay rate increase in 2005.

“Our current pay is 30 percent below the midpoint for our peers. We’re seeking a contract that gradually gets us closer to the industry average. The company offer keeps us from realizing that goal throughout the life of a new contract,” said Capt. Brian Roseen, chairman of Sun Country’s ALPA Master Executive Council.

Virtually all of Sun Country’s 247 active ALPA pilots not flying or in training marched in shifts outside MSP’s Terminal 2, joined by supporters from United, Delta, FedEx Express, Compass, Endeavor Air, and other ALPA pilot groups.

ALPA and Sun Country have been in negotiations for five years, and in federal mediation since 2012. In February pilots voted 100 percent to authorize ALPA to declare a legal strike if later allowed to do so by the federal government. Before any strike could occur, the National Mediation Board would have to release the pilot group from mediation and the group would have to complete a 30-day cooling off period.

“Under our new ownership Sun Country has been profitable and more than doubled in size. It’s time for them to invest in people the same way they’ve invested in airplanes and facilities,” Roseen said. “We want to negotiate. We’re 100 percent ready to do everything the law allows to lift ourselves up from the bottom of the industry.”

Meanwhile the pilots of Southwest Airlines (Dallas) came to the aid of its fellow pilots at Sun Country. SWAPA issued this statement:

As the pilots of Sun Country (SCA) picket on Friday outside of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA) announces support of the SCA pilots’ efforts to obtain an improved contract. Sun Country Airlines pilots are the lowest-paid Part 121 B-737 pilots in the country and have been in contract negotiations for more than five years. In February, the SCA pilots voted nearly unanimously to authorize ALPA to call a legal strike if necessary, upon a release from mediation by the National Mediation Board and the expiration of a cooling-off period.

“Sun Country pilots have the lowest 737 pay rates for scheduled carriers and are about 30 percent below the industry average pay for this equipment,” said SWAPA President Capt. Paul Jackson. “Low fares do not have to equal low wages in our industry and we fully support our friends at Sun Country in seeking a fair agreement.”

Sun Country management has failed to offer industry-standard fair compensation to pilots despite doubling the number of aircraft and profitability in recent years under new ownership. The company’s most recent contract offer would still leave the SCA pilots at the bottom of 737 pilot pay rates for another five years. The SCA pilots’ union leadership is proposing gradual increases toward the industry average, with the goal of reaching middle ground by the end of the contract term.

Top Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8Q8 N804SY (msn 30689) prepares to touch down at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.

Sun Country Airlines aircraft slide show:

Spirit Airlines launches 10 new routes

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) yesterday (April 16) began nonstop service to 10 new destinations and increases service to 18 popular summer routes, including Cleveland, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago. This marks one of the biggest days in Spirit’s history.

New Routes:

Resumed Routes:

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-132 N502NK (msn 2433) approaches the runway at Las Vegas.

Spirit Airlines aircraft slide show:

Interjet to start Mexico City-Houston flights

Interjet (Mexico City) is expanding its presence at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The airline will start daily nonstop service from Mexico City to IAH on May 14.

Copyright Photo: Eddie Maloney/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 “EcoJet” XA-JCV (msn 3514) touches down at Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport (LAS).

Interjet aircraft photo gallery:

Interjet aircraft slide show:

Route Map from Mexico City:

AeroMexico to fly to Ontario and Sacramento from Mexico City

AeroMexico (Mexico City) has announced the beginning of its new service from Mexico City to the cities of Ontario and Sacramento, California, starting on April 5 and 6 of this year, respectively.

AeroMexico will operate four weekly flights to Ontario and three weekly flights to Sacramento, operated with Boeing 737 jet airliners with 124 passenger seats — 12 in Clase Premier, the AeroMexico Business Class Cabin:

These flights are in addition to the five weekly flights to Sacramento and four weekly flights to Ontario that AM currently offers from Guadalajara.

AeroMexico currently operates 10 different routes serving five destinations in California.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-752 N908AM (msn 30038) arrives in Las Vegas in the now old 1999 livery.

AeroMexico aircraft slide show:

Allegiant Air launches Omaha – St. Petersburg/Clearwater flights

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) yesterday (March 5) launched its first flights out of Omaha with new, nonstop jet service to the Tampa Bay area via St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.

The new service operates twice weekly between Eppley Airfield (OMA) and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE).

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N420NV (msn 49424) approaches the runway at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.

Allegiant Air aircraft slide show: