Corporate Travel News

Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport, via its official Facebook account, announced (04-Dec-2023) the launch of LATAM Airlines Peru's five times weekly Lima-London Heathrow service. According to OAG, no other carriers operate the route.

Fiji Airways announced (04-Dec-2023) due to "prevailing seasonal weather conditions" in the South Pacific region, the carrier is subject to payload limitations on its ATR services to Pacific Island destinations. The carrier will operate services to the following airports with reduced seating capacities:

• Funafuti International Airport;
• Port Vila Airport;
• Lupepau'u (Vavaʻu) International Airport;
• Nuku'alofa Fua'Amotu International Airport.

Fiji Airways has also suspended the acceptance of excess baggage and prepaid additional bags on these services until further notice. The carrier will restrict cargo acceptance to essential medical and humanitarian supplies. The carrier noted the situation is expected to persist into Jan-2024. [more - original PR]

Alaska Air Group and Hawaiian Airlines entered (03-Dec-2023) a definitive agreement under which Alaska Airlines will acquire Hawaiian Airlines for USD18 per share in cash for a transaction value of approximately USD1.9 billion. Features of the acquisition will include:

• The combined airline will maintain both Alaska Air and Hawaiian Air brands while integrating into a single operating platform;
• The combined organisation will be based in Seattle under the leadership of Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci;
• The airline will serve 138 destinations with a fleet of 365 aircraft;
• Honolulu will become a "key" Alaska Airlines hub;
• The company will maintain and grow union represented jobs in Hawaii, including preserving pilot, flight attendant, and maintenance bases in Honolulu and airport operations and cargo throughout the state;
• No anticipated material impact on long term balance sheet metrics with return to target leverage levels expected within 24 months.

Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO Peter Ingram said: "In Alaska Airlines, we are joining an airline that has long served Hawaii, and has a complementary network and a shared culture of service. With the additional scale and resources that this transaction with Alaska Airlines brings, we will be able to accelerate investments in our guest experience and technology, while maintaining the Hawaiian Airlines brand". The acquisition is conditioned on required regulatory approvals, approval by Hawaiian Holdings shareholders and other customary closing conditions, with closing expected between Dec-2024 and Jun-2025. [more - original PR - Alaska Airlines] [more - original PR - Hawaiian Airlines]

Novotel & Mercure Darwin Airport Resort announced (01-Dec-2023) plans to open on 05-Dec-2023, following the completion of a AUD30 million (USD20 million) redevelopment and integration of two existing hotels at Darwin International Airport. The project was financed by Airport Development Group (ADG) and includes a combined reception area, a 60 metre swimming pool, a children's aquatic playground and more. The resort forms part of ADG's 2023 master plan, which is designed to support growth in passenger numbers at the airport to between 3.7 million and 5.5 million p/a by 2043. [more - original PR]

American Airlines announced (30-Nov-2023) plans to implement high speed WiFi connectivity on nearly 500 dual class regional aircraft, commencing in 2024. The project will bring the total number of satellite connected aircraft in the carrier's fleet to over 1400 upon completion. The technology will be provided by Intelsat. [more - original PR]

SAS confirmed (30-Nov-2023) it "intends to eventually exit the Star Alliance and join the SkyTeam Alliance, of which Air France-KLM is a founding member". The carrier stated: "This move towards a partnership with SkyTeam determines a clear path forward for the company", and expects to "be able to further enhance SAS' offerings for the benefit of our colleagues, customers and communities" as a result. SAS noted "nothing is changing immediately", and it is still part of Star Alliance. [more - original PR]

Etihad Airways announced (29-Nov-2023) plans to deploy A380 equipment on one of two daily New York JFK frequencies from 22-Apr-2024. The other daily flight will be operated with Boeing 787-9 featuring first, business and economy cabins. The introduction of the A380 marks a significant enhancement to Etihad's capacity in the US market, connecting to the broader GCC and Indian subcontinent. It will further attract an increased number of visitors to Abu Dhabi. The US route becomes the second destination after London to enjoy the remarkable A380 experience. The aircraft offers economy, business and first class seats, as well as a three room suite. [more - original PR]

Air Transat and Porter Airlines extended (28-Nov-2023) their codeshare agreement by creating the 'The Alliance' joint venture (JV). The JV aims to facilitate the acceleration of both airlines' expansion in their respective markets and foster stronger network optimisation through collaboration on scheduling and route planning. Transat CEO Annick Guérard said: "Through this Alliance, we will accelerate the expansion of our transatlantic footprint by allowing us to leverage the domestic market served by Porter, while allowing for a more efficient use of our fleet". Porter Airlines CEO Michael Deluce said: "The flow of passengers on both carriers means that Porter will be able to develop a more robust network by increasing flight frequency on key domestic and transborder routes, and entering into new markets with less point-to-point traffic". The Alliance will be gradually implemented throughout 2024. [more - original PR]

Air France-KLM Group and Etihad Airways announced (27-Nov-2023) a new loyalty programme partnership, enabling Flying Blue and Etihad Guest members to earn and redeem miles on either programme when travelling with Air France, KLM or Etihad, effective immediately. The airlines will also announce reciprocal benefits for elite members "soon". As previously reported by CAPA, the carriers signed a MoU to expand their partnership in Sep-2023. [more - original PR]

Turkish Airlines announced (24-Nov-2023) AnadoluJet will conduct its operations under the name AJet Air Transportation Inc as a wholly owned subsidiary of Turkish Airlines, starting from the end of Mar-2024. The carrier will continue operations from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Ankara Esenboğa Airport. The company plans to operate as eco friendly and will enter the LCC market with an innovative perspective. [more - original PR]