US start-up carrier Breeze Airways has applied for permission to begin operating international flights as it plans a new route from Los Angeles to popular Mexican vacation destination San Jose del Cabo. In a 1 May filing with the US Department of Transportation, Breeze requests regulatory approval for scheduled passenger service between Los Angeles International and San Jose del Cabo International airports. Flights would begin operating once weekly in November 2023. <br/>Launched in 2021 by David Neeleman – founder of WestJet, JetBlue Airways and Brazil’s Azul – with $200m in private financing, Breeze is competing in the crowded North American discount market with a fleet of Airbus A220s and Embraer E-jets. ”Consumer acceptance of Breeze’s service has been strong, and Breeze has expanded its operations to 35 cities on over 140 routes,” the airline says in its application. The ultra-low-cost carrier first grew its network in the Southeast USA before expanding westward to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco. Like fellow start-up discounter Avelo Airlines, Breeze has picked up some of the slack in air service to mid-sized cities, filling demand left untapped after US regional airlines contracted amid the Covid-19 pandemic and, more recently, a shortage of pilots. ”With many markets underserved or poorly served with connecting service over a major hub, local governments and airport authorities also have embraced Breeze’s services,” the carrier says. ”Local authorities continuously approach Breeze about entering their markets or expanding service to meet their transportation needs.” Breeze has 12 new A220-300s in service, with orders for 68 more of the type, and 17 E-Jets, according to Cirium fleets data. <br/>
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WestJet Airlines' purchase of Sunwing's main airline and vacation divisions became official Monday in a major consolidation of the Canadian aviation market following a tumultuous year for travel.<br/>First announced in March last year, the deal bolsters WestJet's vacation package offerings as it adds the tour operator to its fleet, though the two brands will "initially" be marketed separately. However, the two airlines will move from being competitors to collaborators, with the merger positioning Sunwing as an "instrumental pillar of the WestJet Group," the latter said. The move expands Calgary-based WestJet's reach in Eastern Canada, particularly in the tour operator realm where it aims to compete against Montreal-based Air Canada and Transat AT. The federal government approved the takeover of Sunwing Vacations and Sunwing Airlines by WestJet in March, despite a warning from the Competition Bureau that the purchase by Canada's second-biggest airline would likely result in higher prices and decreased services, especially around package deals. In signing off on the deal, Ottawa attached conditions that include extending Sunwing packages to five new cities, maintaining capacity on the most affected routes and keeping both a vacations business head office in Toronto and a regional one in Montreal for at least five years. The agreement adds some 2,000 employees and 18 Boeing 737s to WestJet Airlines' 109-aircraft fleet, made up entirely of Boeing planes (not including its regional service, WestJet Encore), according to Airfleets.net. Financial terms of the takeover have not been disclosed.<br/>
Solomon Airlineshas grounded its sole jet after a fuel contamination issue. The airline made the announcement on May 1, 2023, saying they did not yet know when A320-200 H4-SIB return to service. "We are liaising with Airbus to assist with resolving the issue," said a statement from the airline. "Our team are striving to resolve the issue, whilst sourcing replacement aircraft to cover the affected services utilising operators approved and in compliance with our AOC and CAASI (Civil Aviation Authority of the Solomon Islands)." ADS-B data indicates the aircraft has not flown since April 26 when it operated a sector between Honiara and Brisbane International. The airline's A320 services on April 29 and 30 were operated by Nauru Airlines using B737-300 VH-XNU, while sistership VH-PNI ran services on May 1. Solomon Airlines is warning its A320-200 may be out of the air for the remainder of the week. This is the second grounding of a jet from a small airline in the Southwest Pacific in as many months.<br/>