Tag Archives: san francisco international airport

Bamboo Airways and SFO sign agreement to launch first nonstop flights between Vietnam and the United States

Bamboo Airways (BAV) and the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch the first regularly scheduled nonstop flights between Vietnam and the United States.

The agreement was signed following a test flight (above and below) from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) to SFO using the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The MOU between BAV and SFO aims to promote the connection of the two aviation markets as well as two countries, Vietnam and the US, through nonstop commercial flights. These two countries are diverse in cultural and historical heritage, natural landscapes, traditional and human values. Based on the MOU, BAV and SFO will consolidate and promote the built-in conditions to deploy regular nonstop flights from Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to SFO.

BAV has initially planned 4 flights per week of non-stop services between Ho Chi Minh City and San Francisco using 787-900 Dreamliners with a build-up to daily frequencies based on market demand and is subject to US government approvals.

United Airlines and Air China expand their codeshare agreement

United Airlines (Chicago) and Air China (Beijing), members of Star Alliance, have announced plans to expand their code-sharing cooperation, covering an additional 22 routes in the China and U.S. markets. With this expansion, United and Air China will codeshare together on more than 110 routes, offering customers the most comprehensive route network between the U.S. and China.

Air China will place its CA code on United-operated flights on 12 additional U.S. domestic routes: from Los Angeles to Dallas/DFW, Cleveland, Tucson, San Antonio, New York/Newark and Seattle; from San Francisco to Salt Lake City and Austin; from Washington, D.C./Dulles to Columbus and Tampa; and from Houston/Bush Intercontinental to Tampa and Nashville. United will place its UA code on Air China-operated flights on 10 additional domestic routes in China: from Beijing to Mianyang, Taiyuan, Sanya, Shanghai Hongqiao, Yinchuan, Xining, Liuzhou, Haikou and Lanzhou; and from Shanghai Pudong to Yinchuan.

These new code-sharing routes will be open for sale from June 2, 2015.

Air China and United have enjoyed a successful cooperative relationship since 2003.

Air China in the U.S.

Air China has six gateways in the U.S.: New York/JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston/Bush Intercontinental, Washington, D.C./Dulles and Honolulu.

United in China

United began nonstop service to China in 1986 and today serves Beijing with nonstop flights from Chicago, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington/Dulles; Shanghai with nonstop flights from Chicago, Guam, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and San Francisco; Chengdu with nonstop flights from San Francisco; and Hong Kong with nonstop flights from Chicago, Guam, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City.

Top Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. San Francisco (SFO) is United’s main gateway to the Pacific. Boeing 777-222 ER N786UA (msn 26938) arrives at the SFO hub.

United Airlines aircraft slide show:

Air China aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Air China’s newly delivered Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental has been put into service on the carrier’s Chongqing – Beijing – San Francisco route starting in May 2015. This is Air China’s second route to North America operated with the “Queen in the Sky” after the airliner was introduced on the carrier’s Beijing-New York route at the beginning of this year. The pictured Boeing 747-89L B-2487 (msn 44932) rests between flight at San Francisco International Airport.

Copa Airlines is coming to San Francisco

Copa Airlines (Panama City) will add a new daily nonstop route to San Francisco starting on September 17, 2015 from Tocumen International Airport in Panama City according to San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

The airport issued this statement:

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced Copa Airlines will begin nonstop service between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Panama City, Panama this fall.

Copa Airlines officials said the airline plans to launch service at SFO on September 17, 2015, with flights operating seven days per week to the airline’s Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. Copa offers connecting flights to more than 55 cities across Latin America through the airport, the largest and busiest in Central America.

Copa flight 209 will depart San Francisco daily at 11:19 p.m., arriving at Copa’s Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama at 8:32 a.m. the following day. The return flight 208, will depart Panama at 9:41 a.m., arriving in San Francisco at 2:54 p.m. Copa will operate a Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft on the approximately 6-hour, 45-minute flight, with premium configuration and seating capacity for 16 passengers in Business Class and 138 in the main cabin.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8V3 HP-1723CMP (msn 37959) with APB Split Scimitar Winglets departs from Miami International Airport (MIA).

Copa Airlines aircraft slide show:

Air China brings its new Boeing 747-800 to San Francisco

Air China’s (Beijing) Boeing 747-800 Intercontinental makes its U.S. West Coast debut in San Francisco today (May 1), replacing the new-generation Boeing 777-300 ER used for the daily nonstop service between the City by the Bay and China’s capital, Beijing. A reception at the airport museum to celebrate the arrival of the inaugural flight of Air China’s Boeing 747-800 into San Francisco International Airport at 12:20 PM PDT today is hosted by the airline’s San Francisco team led by Ms. Litao Zhao, General Manager.

The Boeing 747-800 is the first and only aircraft in Air China’s fleet with a four-cabin configuration. It features 12 luxury suites in the Forbidden Pavilion (first class cabin), 54 fully-flat bed seats in the Capital Pavilion (business class), 66 premium economy seats and 233 in the economy cabin for a total of 365 seats.

The 180-degree fully-flat sleepers in the Capital Pavilion are split between the main deck and the entire upper deck, giving Air China’s guests an exclusive private space. Majority of the lie-flat bed seats are arranged in a staggered 2-2 configuration.

According to the airline, seats in premium economy and economy cabins offer more legroom for maximum comfort. An enhanced entertainment system offers a wide array of user-friendly features, including mobile app icons and a sliding touch control.

Premium economy seats offer eight inches more legroom (40 inches) than economy seats. In addition to priority boarding, premium economy passengers are offered a welcome drink, hot towels, slippers and many other inflight amenities for more convenience.

Air China’s Boeing 747-800 is also the first to sport the company’s new cabin interior which depicts three traditional Chinese cultural elements that represent the harmonious unity of heaven, earth and sky.

Flight CA 986 arrives in SFO at 12:20 PM. The return flight, flight CA 986 departs SFO at 2:50 PM (1450).

Video:

Copyright Photo: Eric Dunetz/AirlinersGallery.com. Air China Boeing 747-89L B-2485 (msn 41191) departs from New York (JFK).

Air China aircraft slide show:

Turkish Airlines lands in San Francisco with a new Istanbul-San Francisco Boeing 777-300 logo jet

Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) yesterday (April 13) launched its new route from Istanbul to San Francisco, its seventh U.S. destination.

The pictured Boeing 777-3F2 ER TC-JJU (msn 60401) is painted in this special Istanbul-San Francisco color scheme with scenes on the left side of San Francisco (above) and Istanbul on the right side (below).

See the 15 reasons why Istanbul and San Francisco are secret twins from BuzzFeed: CLICK HERE

This is how you inaugurate a new route. Well done Turkish Airlines.

All aircraft copyright photos by Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com.

Turkish Airlines aircraft slide show:

All others below by Turkish Airlines and San Francisco International Airport. The ribbon is cut in the departure from SFO.

Virgin America to start Dallas Love Field – Austin flights

Virgin America (San Francisco) has announced it is launching sales on new flights from Dallas Love Field (DAL) to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). The new flights take off on April 28, 2015, and flyers can select one of five daily nonstop flights from DAL to AUS, with convenient connecting service also available via DAL to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

Above Photo: Virgin America. The airline’s high profile arrival in Dallas.

In the fall of 2014, Virgin America moved from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to DAL and launched new, nonstop daily flights from that airport to DCA, LGA, SFO and LAX.

With the addition of the new DAL-AUS flights, the airline will offer 19 daily departures from Love Field. Virgin America has served the Austin market since 2013, with nonstop flights from SFO. In 2014, the carrier also expanded its SFO-AUS schedule.

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-112 N527VA (msn 3417) prepares to land in Las Vegas.

Virgin America aircraft slide show:

Southwest Airlines is adding more flights to Phoenix for the Super Bowl

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) is adding more nonstop flights and connections between Seattle/Tacoma and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Boston and Manchester and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for the Super Bowl. The additional flights will only be offered between January 29 and February 2 to handle the anticipated increase in travelers.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 737-3H4 N654SW (msn 28399) taxies to the runway at San Francisco International Airport.

Southwest Airlines aircraft slide show (new livery only):

JetBlue Airways to connect Reno, Nevada with New York JFK

JetBlue Airways (New York) has announced it will be the only airline to offer nonstop service between Nevada’s Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and the U.S. East Coast as it launches service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on May 28, 2015. Reno-Tahoe will be the airline’s 89th destination and is among a number of new JetBlue routes in the West.

JetBlue has continuously expanded its presence in the West, with new services recently launched between Salt Lake City (SLC) and Orlando, Florida (MCO) on November 12, 2014; San Francisco (SFO) to Las Vegas (LAS) on January 5, 2015; and the upcoming Portland, Oregon (PDX) to Anchorage, Alaska (ANC) on June 18, 2015.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 N640JB (msn 2832) taxies to the gate at San Francisco International Airport.

JetBlue Airways aircraft slide show:

JetBlue Airways starts San Francisco-Las Vegas flights

JetBlue Airways (New York) yesterday (January 5) launched new service from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport (LAS). The airline will offer twice daily nonstop flights on this route.

JetBlue will serve the route with its 150-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

In other news, JetBlue has outlined its growth plans to its employees:

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood (FLL), where we are also the largest carrier, will receive both southbound Caribbean/Latin additions and new northbound domestic service.

Boston (BOS), where we are the largest carrier, will see a mix of new business markets and leisure destinations.

New York (JFK and LGA), which is largely slot constrained, will gain a handful of additional flights to new leisure-oriented BlueCities as well as the full rollout of Mint and the continued deployment of the high density A321s. In fact, in 2015 we plan to get more out of our NYC slot portfolio by increasing metro-area ASMs (available seat miles) by 8% while only increasing departures by 3%.

Orlando (MCO) will continue to grow organically due to its very strong profitability and will likely see a couple new destinations.

San Juan (SJU) will see another new destination, likely on the U.S. mainland.

Los Angeles (LAX and LGB) will see the full rollout of Mint (as will SFO) while in LGB we continue to work toward our goal of a customs facility at the airport to allow international flights.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 N779JB (msn 3811) named “Blue Ribbon” in the Mosaic tail design taxies to the gate at San Francisco International Airport.

JetBlue Airways aircraft slide show:

Virgin America touches down at LaGuardia Airport in New York

Virgin America (San Francisco) today (October 28) launched its new service from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) with four daily nonstop flights to Dallas Love Field (DAL). From today, the airline is now servicing all three major airports in New York with now up to 20 flights departing the New York metropolitan area each day.

Virgin America secured 12 slots at LGA earlier this year as part of the American Airlines merger settlement. The new services have been timed to provide convenient connections with Virgin America’s new nonstop schedule from DAL. This includes three daily nonstop flights from DAL to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). With a loyal following of business travelers, the airline recently announced plans to add a fourth daily trip from DAL to DCA, SFO and LAX as of April 2015.

Virgin America Aircraft Slide Show: