For decades, American Airlines has sold roughly the same services to all economy-class travelers headed to Europe. For the price of the ticket, passengers have gotten seat assignments, a checked bag, food and even booze — all for free. But some of that could end as soon as next year, Don Casey, American’s senior VP of revenue management, said Monday. The airline, he said, could start selling few-frills fares on transatlantic flights as soon as next year. If it happens, they may be similar, though perhaps not identical, to the Basic Economy fares American now sells on many domestic flights to compete with carriers such as Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air. On American, travelers who buy Basic Economy cannot bring a large carry-on bag into the cabin, nor can they choose a seat in advance. And if they are frequent flyers, they are not eligible for free upgrades to first class. “The strategy of unbundling the product and creating sell-up opportunities is something that will work in more markets than just domestic,” Casey said. “We would expect over time, like hopefully some time in 2018, we would have a form of this product on the transatlantic.”<br/>
oneworld
A legal challenge against Berlin’s decision to grant a state bridging loan for insolvent airline Air Berlin won’t stop dispersal of the funds, the German government said Tuesday. “The submission of the application ... has no suspensory effect,” the economy ministry said in a statement, adding that Berlin expected the EC to approve the loan. Rival German airline Germania on Tuesday asked a Berlin court to block the bridge loan until the European Commission has given its go-ahead for such state aid. <br/>
Qantas will base four of its upcoming Boeing 787-9s in Brisbane, complementing the four aircraft that will be based in Melbourne. The carrier says that the four aircraft earmarked for the Brisbane base will be delivered during H2 2018. “We’ve said that initially our Dreamliners will replace the routes that our older 747s fly, but there are also new destinations we are looking at given the capability of the aircraft,” says Qantas CE Alan Joyce. At present, Qantas’s only 747 services from Brisbane are to Los Angeles, FlightGlobal schedules data shows, making that the likely launch route for 787s from the Queensland capital. The airline says, however, that the aircraft could potentially open up new services to destinations including Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver. Joyce adds that decisions on those new routes will be made in the coming months.<br/>