Corporate Travel News For The Americas

Sydney Airport, via its official Twitter account, confirmed (19-Jan-2018) the launch by United Airlines of daily Houston-Sydney service on 19-Jan-2018. Service operates with Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

JetBlue Airways issued (19-Jan-2018) a 30 day notice advising its intention to enter into additional codesharing with Emirates on the following routes: Orlando-Mexico City, Orlando-Cancun, Boston-Cancun, New York JFK-Nassau, Boston-Nassau, Orlando-Nassau, Fort Lauderdale-Santiago, New York Newark-Santiago, Boston-Punta Cana, Orlando-Santo Domingo, and New York Newark-Santo Domingo. [more - original PR]

Hawaiian Airlines and Japan Airlines jointly applied (19-Jan-2018) for blanket statements of authorisation from the US Department of Transportation to engage in the following codeshare operations for an indefinite period, effective 25-Mar-2018:

• Hawaiian to initially display Japan Airlines' code on certain services within Hawaii with an international itinerary, as well as certain Hawaiian services between Hawaii and Japan;
• Japan Airlines to initially display Hawaiian's code on certain services between Japan with an international itinerary, as well as certain Japan Airlines between Japan and Hawaii, and certain services behind and beyond Japan in connection with an international itinerary;

Hawaiian also applied for exemption authority to serve Hong Kong and Vietnam on a third-country codeshare basis. All Hawaiian's services will be operated with stage 3-compliant aircraft, noting the approval will not result in the near-term consumption of 10 million or more gallons of fuel. [more - original PR]

Qantas opened (19-Jan-2018) reservation for proposed Melbourne-San Francisco service, scheduled for launch on 01-Sep-2018. The service will be operated with new Boeing 787-9 aircraft on a four times weekly basis. Qantas International CEO Alison Webster said: "We expect this flight to be popular with tourists and also corporate travellers looking to do business with San Francisco's world-leading technology companies. With connections to 17 codeshare destinations including Chicago, Seattle, and Vancouver, the new service also provides another gateway for Australians travelling into the US". To facilitate the new nonstop Melbourne-San Francisco service, Qantas' 787 Melbourne-Los Angeles service will reduce from six to twice weekly service. Qantas will continue to operate daily Melbourne-Los Angeles A380 service. [more - original PR]

JetSMART launched four times weekly Santiago-Lima service with A320 aircraft effective 15-Jan-2017 (Routes Online, 18-Jan-2018). According to OAG, LATAM Airlines Chile holds 64% seat market share on the route, followed by Sky Airline with 17%. JetSmart holds 3.4% market share.

Iberia announced (18-Jan-2018) plans to launch three times weekly Madrid-San Francisco seasonal service, effective 25-Apr-2018 to 28-Sep-2018. In addition, the carrier will launch three times weekly Madrid-Managua service, effective 01-Oct-2018. [more - original PR - Spanish]

Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said international traffic in 2017 was "outstanding", growing by 7.2% year-on-year and adding more than a million international travellers. Mr Culbert noted the airport's strong international growth was "underpinned by capacity development predominantly on Middle East, Asian and US routes". These capacity additions added more than one million extra international seats at the airport for the second consecutive year and Mr Culbert stated the "pipeline of capacity announcements continues to be strong for the coming season". [more - original PR]

Pinstripe Solutions founder Kirsty Ferguson stated Australia is "having the same gaps in regional flying as in the US" (Reuters, 19-Jan-2018). As highlighted by CAPA Analysis, Australian airlines and other carriers globally, particularly regional airlines, are facing an acute shortage of skilled human resources, which promises to become a serious constraint on growth.

Sunwing Travel Group reported (18-Jan-2018) a five year growth rate of 156%, most of which president and CEO Stephen Hunter attributed to the "innovation and value we've been able to create through vertical integration". Mr Hunter added the carrier has been reinvesting in its employees, retail partners and customers to drive its success. [more - original PR]

American Airlines announced (18-Jan-2018) plans to introduce 52 routes across its domestic and international network as part of its 2018 schedule, "delivering on its promise to provide customers the largest and best network". The carrier will operate service to Budapest, Prague and Reykjavik from summer 2018, with plans to sell more than 40 new routes from its nine hubs including seven from Philadelphia and eight from Dallas Fort Worth. The carrier will open reservations on the following routes on 22-Jan-2018 for travel beginning 07-Jun-2018:

• Philadelphia to Fort Wayne, Oklahoma City and Pensacola;
• Charlotte Douglas to Panama City (Florida) and South Bend;
• Dallas/Fort Wort to Panama City (Florida) and South Bend;
• Chicago O'Hare-Wilkes Barre/Scranton. [more - original PR]