Delta Air Lines has been the most vocal US Carrier in regards to the “Middle East 3” expansion in the North American market. While Delta claims to defend jobs for American citizens, its double-edged sword cuts both ME3 and their lobbying partner, American Airlines. For Delta, it’s win-win. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for […]
United Announces 11 New Routes From Four Hubs
United Airlines will add 11 additional domestic/Canadian routes next summer on top of the recently announced addition of 22 new domestic and four international routes. Focusing on growth in Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington Dulles, the routes below will be begin in June 2019 unless otherwise noted. Chicago to Colorado, Florida, Oregon and […]
Analyzing United’s “Historic” Expansion At SFO
United Airlines will add four new international routes at San Francisco, double service to one Asian destination, and make two Pacific destinations year-around. In a highly-anticipated press conference, United CEO Oscar Munoz announced the following new service from SFO to: Amsterdam (AMS) [yep, previously announced] Melbourne (MEL) New Delhi (DEL) Toronto (YYZ) In addition, the carrier […]
United Expands Basic Economy To Intercontinental Flights, But Loosens Up Rules
United Airlines is rolling out Basic Economy fares on intercontinental flights, but also loosening some restrictions. Yesterday, United introduced trans-Atlantic Basic Economy fare on select routes. These vary in three key ways from domestic and shorthaul Basic Economy tickets: Customers will be allowed one full-sized carry-on bag and one personal item on board, and will […]
Oscar Munoz Offers Insight On United’s 30% Profit Surge
After reporting a 30% increase in profit even with a higher fuel bill, United Airlines finds itself in a strong position. United’s stock is up 24% this year. Meanwhile, Delta has dropped 5% and American has dropped 36%. Although critics were skeptical of President Scott Kirby’s domestic capacity expansion, it seems to be working. A […]
United Airlines Adds 22 New Routes, Cuts Three Of My Favorites
United Airlines is adding 22 new domestic routes in 2019 as it continues its robust domestic expansion. At the same time, it is retreating from a pair of routes from Los Angeles that face fierce competition plus a surprising international route. I’ve written before about United’s push to recapture its “natural share” of the domestic market. […]
United Threatens To Abandon Newark Hub
United Airlines has threatened to abandon its Newark hub if New Jersey lawmakers follow through on a proposed tax increase at Liberty International Airport that would only affect United. Currently, New Jersey only taxes the fuel on a plane burned during taxi and takeoff. Lawmakers are now considering taxing all fuel…but only for United Airlines. […]
United Considers Significant Expansion To Washington Dulles Hub
United Airlines is considering up to a 50% increase in its number of flights at Washington Dulles. Speaking at the Boyd Group International Aviation Forecast Summit in Denver, United President Scott Kirby hinted at the expansion: Today we have a four-bank structure at Dulles. The team is actually evaluating a six-bank structure that would create […]
United Teases Premium Service Between Los Angeles And Boston
United is testing out lie-flat beds for a couple months on flights between Los Angeles and Boston. United Airlines operates premium transcontinental service routes between three city pairs: Los Angeles ⇄ Newark San Francisco ⇄ Newark Boston ⇄ San Francisco > Read More: Premium Transcontinental Service on United: Free Hot Meals in EconomyPlus + Boston Expansion Logically, it would make […]
Southwest Challenges American, Delta and United at Hollywood Burbank Airport
As the economy continues to grow and air travel picks up, one of LA’s smaller airports is witnessing a renaissance. While many carriers are adding capacity at Hollywood Burbank Airport, one airline is adding capacity to a tactical assortment of cities. Traffic is way up at Burbank Airport, formerly known as Bob Hope Airport. United […]
United Shifting Strategy at Newark + Washington Hubs
United Airlines is shifting strategy at Newark Liberty and Washington Dulles, with big plans to concentrate connecting traffic at Dulles and make Newark “almost entirely” mainline. Let’s first turn to Domestic Network VP Ankit Gupta. His strategy is simple: Dulles has more capacity and room for growth, therefore Dulles should focus on connecting traffic: Newark capacity […]
JetBlue Considers Los Angeles Expansion
JetBlue is looking beyond Long Beach and Los Angeles, hinting that it will expand services at another Los Angeles-area airport. Currently, JetBlue offers transcontinental service from Los Angeles to five cities and has a larger network out of Long Beach, serving destinations around the country. But the relationship with Long Beach Airport has soured. LGB […]
United Pilots Angry at Kirby’s Push for Regional Jet Expansion
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby shocked investors by proclaiming United would increase domestic capacity by up to 6% this year and next. Now he’s shocked pilots by arguing this is “entirely dependent” on their authorization of more outsourced regional jets. As you can imagine, that did not go over to well. The scope clause, an agreement […]
United Chasing The Wrong Incremental Spending
As the year comes to a close, some travelers have already re-qualified for status for the year while others find themselves coming up short. In the past, American, United and Delta have offer incentives to drive business and improve margins in the fourth quarter, but this year is different. All three appear to be chasing […]
Airline Pilots Condemn Trump Over Norwegian UK Expansion
A union representing over 57,000 pilots in the United States and Canada has ridiculed President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy after the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a permit for Norwegian Air to further expand to the USA. Norwegian Air Shuttle has opened a United Kingdom division called Norwegian UK, based in London Gatwick. The subsidiary […]
United Airlines Adds New Service to Iceland, Portugal, Scotland and Switzerland
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby suggested his airline would re-focus on domestic service, but that has not led to any slowdown in international expansion. Quite the contrary, United is using its fuel-efficient fleet to expand to new destinations around the world. Next summer United will add new service to Reykjavik, Iceland and Porto, Portugal. Furthermore, […]
New Houston to Sydney Flight on United Airlines — Too Long?
United Airlines is launching new service from Houston to Sydney, Australia, an ultra-longhaul route that showcases new markets made possible by the 787-9. The new route will be daily and begins on January 18, 2018. Tickets are already on sale on united.com and award space has been loaded. Tuesdays are the best day to snag […]
The Real Reason United is Launching Denver to London Service?
In the world of politics, what seems obvious is often only a clever cover for something less obvious. By all accounts, United’s decision to add transatlantic service between Denver and London was a strategic move to challenge Norwegian Air. But is the story actually that United’s new route was a bargaining chip to influence the […]
United Pilots: Foreign Airlines Should Be Required to Hire U.S. Pilots
While management seems more focused on Gulf Carriers, airline unions have set their crosshairs on low-cost carriers like Norwegian. Why? Labor costs, specifically Norwegian practices to keep them low. But have United pilots taken it a step too far in demanding that the Trump Administration force Norwegian to hire only U.S. pilots? Norwegian has formed […]
Overconfident? United Airlines Mocks Frontier Airlines
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby is a smug man. I don’t even use that term in negative way. Such bravado has served him well at American and now United. But did he step over the line during a recent dressing down of Frontier Airlines? Wandering Aramean highlights an unexpected answer from Kirby during United’s Q2 earning call […]
