Iran Air is planning to develop more point-to-point international flight operations as a means of stimulating the broader Iranian economy. Iranian minister of Roads and Urban Development, Abbas Ahmad Akhoundi, said that the carrier would use its growing fleet of ATR72-600s to start short haul flights from Iran's border provinces to neighbouring countries. At present, the bulk of Iran Air's international connectivity is channelled through its Tehran Imam Khomeini hub. Airports at Ahwaz, Bandar Abbas, Isfahan Int'l, Lar, Mashad, and Shiraz play a lesser role with flights primarily to Kuwait, Dubai Int'l, and Beirut. Service is primarily undertaken by Iran Air's fleet of A320 Family of aircraft. In terms of the 20 ATR72-600s it has on order, Iran Air currently operates 4 with a further 2 due this month. <br/>
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While the Gulf political crisis centred on Qatar is continuing, Emirates Airline president Tim Clark believes traffic flows have stabilised to accommodate the situation. The United Arab Emirates is one of several countries to have imposed a blockade on Qatar flights in early June. Clark said that, following "initial traumas", the traffic flows had "settled down" and reached a "degree of equilibrium". Clark adds that there has been a "redistribution" of the way in which passengers travel around the region. But he says that, while the dispute had persisted for 3 months, Emirates had yet to determine whether it was benefiting from the circumstances. Emirates has been coping with a slower economy in the Middle East which, says Clark, has resulted in a decline in corporate travellers. <br/>
Aer Lingus, is introducing a “bare bones” transatlantic fare as it fights off growing competition on the North Atlantic run, notably from long-haul, LCCs. The new Saver fare will cut E40 (US$47) from Aer Lingus’s standard Smart one-way transatlantic fare. Like basic economy fares introduced by US carriers, it comes with restrictions, with passengers having to pay for features such as advance seat selection, blankets, headphones and checked baggage. The new fare, which will take effect Oct 1, “is very much part of the move of the market to a situation where certain niches are interested in price only, or are very price-sensitive,” an Aer Lingus spokesman said. Saver fare passengers will still receive on-board meals, a 10kg cabin bag allowance and access to the aircraft’s IFE system. <br/>
The Air Line Pilots Association, International says more than 1,400 WestJet pilots have voted 62% in favour of forming the first union at WestJet. The vote makes the ALPA the exclusive bargaining agent for WestJet pilots. WestJet CE Gregg Saretsky said that the airline is disappointed with the outcome of the vote, but will now focus on engaging in constructive dialogue with the ALPA. The company has long prided itself on being union-free and considers it a competitive advantage. The WestJet ALPA Organising Committee stated that the vote was about ensuring support in issues like health, retirement, fatigue, safety, family support and legal protection. One labour relations expert said Friday's result shows a clear change of atmosphere among the pilots at WestJet from 2015, when only 45% of pilots voted for unionisation. <br/>
Start-up airline Canada Jetlines plans to offer base fares below C$100 when it begins selling flights next year. Flights will begin June 1, 2018, from airports in Hamilton, Ont., and Waterloo, Ont., to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Halifax, Canada Jetlines CE Stan Gadek said Monday. After 60 days of operation, the carrier plans to add 2 more planes and expand to markets including St. John's, Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., he said. By the end of its second year in operation, the airline plans to operate 12 aircraft that will expand its route offerings to other Florida cities and Mexico. The planned June launch will pit the new carrier against the ULCC that WestJet Airlines plans to establish as an airline within an airline. WestJet recently pushed the scheduled launch back to the middle of 2018 from the end of this year. <br/>
New data published in the Airline Customer Experience Index suggests that Southwest Airlines has the best desktop booking experience among US carriers. Spirit Airlines ranked the worst in the US. The study asked 1000 travellers to go through the booking process across 10 airlines in the US and then collected data based on the users' experience with Ease of Use, Speed, Credibility, Aesthetics and Delight. Overall scores placed Southwest on top of the heap with 86.9 out of a maximum 100 points. Spirit was only able to reign in 36.4 points. The big 3 legacy carriers of Delta, American and United also ranked in the bottom half of the study in 6th, 7th and 8th place respectively. Desktop booking experience is a critical factor when considering how airlines approach customers and shepherd them through the purchase experience. <br/>