JetBlue Airways and American Airlines have launched the next phase of their so-called Northeast Alliance, together offering more than 700 daily flights from Boston and New York. The two carriers, who began collaborating in February, say on 20 July that their combined forces represent the biggest choice of flights from the region. “With JetBlue’s domestic strength and American’s growing international network, we are unlocking more destinations for travellers, more flying for both our teams, a better suite of products and a premium experience in the northeast,” says American’s chief revenue officer Vasu Raja. “With demand for travel returning, JetBlue’s new low fare flying — along with the broader growth made possible with American through the benefits of the NEA — is well-timed for us to best meet the needs of more travellers in the Northeast and introduce more competition with new flying,” says JetBlue’s Dave Fintzen, vice-president of the Northeast Alliance. JetBlue says it will expand capacity from the New York metropolitan area’s LaGuardia airport to 35 daily departures by the end of the year and up to 50 per day by summer 2022. As a result it will be expanding to the airport’s new Terminal B, home of American’s Laguardia presence. <br/>
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Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said he’s ready to order wide-body freighter planes from Airbus or Boeing within a month or two if a new model is made available. The Gulf carrier could place a “large customer order” for an A350 freighter planned by European manufacturer Airbus or a new 777F from its US rival before the end of the third quarter, Al Baker said. Al Baker has lobbied for the aircraft before, but neither planemaker has committed to making a freighter version of the passenger jumbo-jets. His urgency highlights how important burgeoning cargo demand has become to airlines whose long-haul passenger markets remain blighted by the coronavirus crisis. State-owned Qatar Airways consolidated its position as the world’s biggest freight carrier among passenger operators last year after keeping routes open during lockdowns to service trade flows, adding new destinations and converting some planes for cargo-only operations.<br/>
The ATSB has announced it is to investigate a second Qantas landing gear incident in less than a month. The new probe will examine why a flight crew did not retract the wheels of a QantasLink Dash 8 departing Sydney for Albury on 12 July. Qantas said it would work with the ATSB on its investigation. The DHC-8-402, VH-QOY msn 4288, departed Sydney at 3:27pm as flight QF2213 and was diverted back to the NSW capital after the problem was discovered and the landing gear safely retracted. The issue was not identified during the after take-off checks but discovered later during the climb. “The evidence collection phase of the investigation will include interviewing the flight crew and reviewing operator procedures, flight crew records and recorded data,” said the ATSB. “A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties, so that appropriate safety action can be taken.”<br/>