JetBlue Airways plans to launch flights from New York to Paris next summer, a trans-Atlantic expansion it contends will bring down prices on routes dominated by large carriers. Tickets will go on sale “in the coming months” for flights between its hub at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, JetBlue said Wednesday. It plans to add flights from Boston to Paris later. JetBlue began flights to London from New York in summer 2021, more than two years after it first announced its plans. The carrier later added service from its Boston hub. JetBlue had said it would announce a second destination across the Atlantic Ocean this year. “JetBlue is offering something completely unique to what you get from the big global legacy airlines on these routes,” CEO Robin Hayes said in a company announcement, referring to large carriers like Delta Air Lines, its partner Air France, and others like United Airlines and American Airlines, which is also in an alliance with JetBlue in the Northeast U.S. Those airlines account for about 88% of the seats between New York-area airports and Paris’ airports from June to August 2023, according to consulting firm ICF. JetBlue plans to use Airbus A321LR planes on the routes, a long-range version of the narrow-body jetliners.<br/>
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US ultra-low cost carrier Frontier Airlines is offering a flat rate for unlimited flights between its destinations in the USA with a new annual subscription package. The so-called GoWild! Passes ($599) apply to travel starting 2 May 2023 and are valid for one year, the Denver-based airline said on 16 November. The passes require air travellers to book flights the day before departure and apply to all of Frontier’s US routes – including from Puerto Rico. “The GoWild! Pass is a terrific opportunity for people with flexible schedules who can hop on a flight on short notice and take advantage of the huge number of airplane seats that go empty each year,” says Barry Biffle, Frontier’s chief executive. The pass does not apply to seat or baggage add-on fees, Frontier says. In February, Alaska Airlines rolled out a similar but more limited flight-subscription plan allowing members up to 24 flights yearly across the western USA for a flat rate. The Seattle-based carrier’s programme, called “Flight Pass”, was initially limited to trips between 13 destinations in California and flights from those California destinations to Reno, Las Vegas and Phoenix. It has since expanded to include Salt Lake City, Utah. <br/>
Jude Bricker, CEO of Sun Country Airlines, said it’s premature to reach definite conclusions regarding the airline industry seven months into its recovery, especially pertaining to business travel’s ongoing rebound. But he maintains flying cargo will be an important part of the business for the low-cost carrier because it enables the company to reduce its peak and off-peak schedules. “Think of a spectrum of 365 days of operating opportunities,” Bricker said in discussion with Skift Editor-at-Large Brian Sumers at Skift Global Forum on Wednesday in Dallas. “There’s the obvious stuff (where) everybody makes money in all environments, starting with the Sunday after Thanksgiving. There’s like 100 awesome days in every airline’s calendar. And then there’s 100 really crappy ones.” Bricker then added that the challenges Sun Country faced was that it couldn’t add capacity to what he described as those awesome days without decreasing it on those off-peak days. “Cargo is the solution to that because it’s absolutely flat,” he said. Sun Country entered into a deal with Amazon in late 2019 to fly dedicated cargo aircraft. “The fundamental reason we went into it is still very valuable today. And it helps us de-peak the schedule.” Bricker also touched on Sun Country’s decision to schedule more flights out of Minneapolis, a city that also serves as a hub for Delta Air Lines. “We’re trying to turn Minneapolis into a two airline market,” he said. “If you pay with our own money, you fly with Sun Country. If you fly on a corporate contract, you fly Delta.” Meanwhile, carriers across the US have been grappling with pilot shortages, but Bricker doesn’t see that a major concern for Sun Country. When asked if the carrier was getting the pilots it needs, Bricker said Sun Country is getting plenty of them, adding all of its new pilot classes are full.<br/>
Brazilian carrier Azul has ordered a further three Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered Airbus A330neos taking its fleet of the widebody twin to eight. Azul became the first carrier in Latin America to operate A330-900s in 2019 and now has five in its fleet. Cirium fleets data shows the carrier also has seven older A330-200s, five of which are in service. Azul CE John Rodgerson says: ”We are delighted to have secured three more next-gen Airbus widebody aircraft which ensures the complete transformation of our fleet. We are focused on keeping our widebody fleet stable while at the same time benefiting from the fuel efficiency savings from these aircraft.” Alongside its A330neos, the airline is also replacing its older A330s with new A350s. Azul took its first A350-900 in September and will “in the coming weeks” be operating four of the jets.<br/>
Malaysian start-up MYAirline has been awarded its Air Services License from the country’s regulators, paving the way for it to launch flights. The Malaysian Aviation Commission says the license will last one year, effective 15 November. Obtaining an Air Services License means the airline can now apply for air traffic rights and commence operations. In a short video posted on Linkedin, airline CEO Rayner Teo says: “We are now officially no longer a company that owns a few airplanes. We are officially a full-fledged airline”. The news comes two months or so after MYAirline secured its Air Operators Certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia.<br/>The low-cost airline is founded by airline veteran Teo, who previously hailed from AirAsia and Thai Vietjet Air. Teo owns 2% of the airline, with business partner and entrepreneur Goh Hwan Hwa owning the remaining shares. Teo said in October the idea to start MYAirline came in 2020, when Malaysia was plunged in the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. Teo also said the airline intends to serve key peninsular routes from its Kuala Lumpur hub. The airline has a fleet of Airbus A320s, and Teo told FlightGlobal he sees the fleet growing to 50 aircraft within the next five years.<br/>
Bangkok Airways posted a net loss of 393m baht in Q3, while Asia Aviation, the major shareholder of Thai AirAsia, racked up a net loss of 4.1b baht as the two carriers were pressured by increasing costs driven by surging fuel prices. In the first nine months this year, Bangkok Airways posted a total operating loss of 1.19b baht, an improvement of 1.3b from a loss of 2.5b in the same period a year earlier, thanks to increased ticket sales. Revenue from Bangkok Airway's passenger fares surged to 5.17b baht in the first nine months, up 800% year-on-year. The company said increasing fuel prices and maintenance costs pushed up expenses during the nine-month period. Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) skyrocketed by 150% year-on-year to 486m baht. In Q3, the airline reported operating profit of 75.1m baht, up 106% year-on-year. Bangkok Airways opened two new routes in the third quarter -- BangkokHat Yai and Samui-Hat Yai -- in addition to increasing flight frequency on its five existing main routes. The airline carried 1.7m passengers on 19,648 flights over the first nine months. Meanwhile, AAV posted a net loss of 4.1b baht in Q3,<br/>carrying on from a loss of 3.8b year-on-year. The loss was attributed to rising expenses, mainly higher fuel prices, maintenance costs as well as a weaker baht.<br/>