Airport News - North America.

May 3, 2009

Airports around the world are now screening passengers for flu-like symptoms and airlines have eased restrictions on people wishing to delay trips to Mexico, the centre of the swine flu virus outbreak that threatens the adversely affect international passenger traffic. News reports around the globe quote various government agencies as saying airports have started to screen passengers for flu-like symptoms in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. The World Health Organisation has warned the virus has the potential to develop into a pandemic. Apr 27, 2009

Air Canada

Air Canada and WestJet joined the airlines and tour operators suspending or altering travel to Mexico as the sun destination grapples with a swine flu outbreak possibly linked to more than 150 deaths. All travel from Canada to Mexico has been suspended by Air Transat, Nolitours, Transat Holidays, Sunquest Vacations and Sunwing Vacations. Air Transat said Tuesday all flights to Mexico with the airline and its partner tour companies have been cancelled until June 1. The company said a May 3 flight from Mexico to Canada will go ahead as planned, with more returning flights announced shortly "in order to bring home its customers, passengers and employees now in Mexico." Passengers have until Oct. 31, 2009 to use a flight credit for travel anywhere Air Transat flies, the airline said. Sunquest Vacations, operated by the Thomas Cook Group, also cancelled flights to Mexico until June 4. Customers with these bookings will receive a credit toward any flight or vacation with the tour operator to be used any time up to Oct. 31, 2009. May 1, 2009

Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air today announced a spring fare sale with discounts for travel between nearly all cities served by the airlines. Sample one-way fares are: USD59 between Seattle and Boise, Idaho, Portland, Ore., Oakland, Calif., or San Francisco; USD69 between Seattle and Denver, Long Beach, Calif., Los Angeles or San Jose, Calif.; USD89 between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska; USD99 between Portland or Seattle and Fresno, Calif.; USD119 between Seattle and Billings, Mont.; and USD219 between Anchorage and Honolulu or Maui. For travel within the continental United States and Canada, sale fares are valid through Sept. 30, 2009. Tickets must be purchased by May 14, 2009, and require a 14-day advance purchase. For travel to Hawaii, sale fares are valid through Sept. 30, 2009. Tickets must be purchased by May 14, 2009, and there is no advance purchase required. For travel to and within the state of Alaska, the offer is valid through July 9, 2009. Tickets must be purchased by May 14, 2009, and require a 14-day advance purchase (except Hawaii). Fare Rules: Fares are valid from May 1, 2009 and require a 14-day advance purchase. (Travel to/from Mexico and Hawaii do not require advance purchase.) Purchase by 5/14/09 and complete travel by 9/30/09 (except Alaska sale, complete travel by 7/9/09). Some markets do not operate daily service. Blackout dates: to/from Kalispell, Mont.: 7/29/09-8/31/09. Fares between Anchorage and Portland, Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles valid for nonstop routing only. San Francisco service effective 6/8/09. Los Angeles and Denver service effective 5/17/09. Not included in the fares: Airport Passenger Facility charges of up to USD9 (amount depends on itinerary), U.S. Federal Segment Tax of USD3.60 per segment (takeoff and landing) and U.S. Security Fee of USD2.50 per enplanement. Additionally to Canada: U.S. Immigration User Fee of USD7, Canadian airport improvement fee of up to USD20 (varies by airport), Canadian security fee of approximately USD9 (fluctuates with exchange rate) and Canadian Goods and Services Tax (GST) of less than USD2, U.S. APHIS Fee of USD5. Additionally to Mexico: U.S. Immigration User Fee of USD7, U.S. APHIS Fee of USD5, U.S. International Transportation Tax of USD16.10, Mexico International Departure Tax of up to USD33, Mexico Tourism Tax of up to USD24, Mexico transportation tax of 3.75 percent of the fare (all three fluctuate with dollar-peso exchange rate). Other Important Information: All taxes and fees shown are based on one-way travel and may be doubled if traveling round trip. Tickets are nonrefundable, but can be changed for a USD75 fee when changes are made online at alaskaair.com (USD100 when made through a reservation call center or ticket counter and USD125 when originally booked through a travel agent and changes are made through a reservation call center or ticket counter) and any applicable changes in fare. A ticket purchased at a Horizon Air or Alaska Airlines airport location or through a reservation call center will cost USD15 more per person than the advertised fare. Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or all days. All fares, taxes and fees are in U.S. dollars and are subject to change without notice, and other restrictions apply. Travel to Austin begins 8/3/09. Some flights may be operated by or in conjunction with Horizon Air or an alliance partner. Passengers traveling prior to 7/7/09 may check one bag for free. Effective for travel on or after 7/7/09, a USD15 charge will apply to the first checked bag. A second bag may be checked for USD25. Additional fees apply to check more than two bags or overweight or oversized items. Exception: Travelers flying within the state of Alaska can check up to three bags free of charge. Passengers to and from Mexico City and Guadalajara can check up to two bags free of charge. See checked baggage policy at alaskaair.com for more details. May 1, 2009

American Airlines

Amid the fanfare of flamenco dancing, Spanish food, and music, American Airlines today is launching new daily nonstop service from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Madrid, Spain (MAD). American is flying the route with its 225-seat Boeing 767-300 widebody aircraft in a two-class configuration. The inaugural departure, Flight 36, departs DFW at 5:30 pm and arrives in Madrid at 9:55 am the next day - a flight lasting approximately 9 hours, 25 minutes. The first departure from Spain, Flight 37, will depart Madrid at 1:10 pm Saturday and arrive at DFW at 4:45 pm the same day - a flight lasting approximately 10 hours, 35 minutes. All times are local. May 1, 2009

American Airlines

American Airlines Drops Dallas/Love Service--Again: Business travelers have lost count of the number of times the bosses at Dallas/Fort Worth-based American Airlines have launched flights at Dallas/Love Field. Whenever a competitive threat appears at Love Field, American begins flying inexpensive, competitive service. And as soon as the threat disappears, so does American. But this time American ran into Love-based Southwest Airlines, a competitor it couldn't push around. After a change in the Wright Amendment permitted Southwest to fly to new cities from Love in 2006, American piled in, too, launching flights to Chicago/O'Hare, Kansas City and St. Louis. The St. Louis and Kansas City flights disappeared almost immediately. American has now announced that it'll drop the O'Hare service on June 11. But don't worry, American says it'll be back at Love in 2013, when a new terminal is due for completion. Apr 29, 2009

Asiana Airlines, Boeing, Seattle-Tacoma

A Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman says a twin-engine Boeing 777 returned safely to the airport after the crew reported an engine malfunction. No injuries were reported. Airport spokesman Perry Cooper says Asiana Airlines Flight 271, headed to Seoul, turned around soon after takeoff Wednesday afternoon. He says the plane's crew reported an "engine out." Cooper says his initial report of an engine fire was incorrect. The spokesman adds that Port of Seattle fire crews have looked at the plane's left engine and found no signs of fire. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus confirms no one was injured and said there were no major delays for other flights. The plane dumped fuel over Puget Sound before landing without incident at about 3:30 p.m. and taxiing to a gate. Apr 29, 2009

Boeing

A federal appeals court will allow the American Civil Liberties Union to proceed with a lawsuit claiming a Boeing unit assisted the Central Intelligence Agency in secretly taking suspect foreigners to overseas prisons for torture, the ACLU said on Tuesday. The ruling by the US District Court California Northern District reverses a lower court decision throwing out the case against Jeppesen DataPlan, which provides flight and logistics support to plane operators. The ACLU originally filed the lawsuit brought on behalf of five men whom the ACLU says were "kidnapped, forcibly disappeared and secretly transferred to US-run prisons or foreign intelligence agencies overseas where they were interrogated under torture." A Jeppesen spokesman said the company was reviewing the decision but that it was not prepared to comment. Washington has acknowledged the secret transfer of suspects to third countries but denies torturing them or handing them over to countries that did. Apr 28, 2009

Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines announced plans for its 2009 International Restaurant Week. Twelve of New YorkOs best restaurants will participate, each offering a unique dining experience for guests from May 1 through May 10. Diners can sign up for free reservations on the Continental Airlines International Restaurant Week website to receive special offers, including exclusive kitchen and wine cellar tours, signed chef cookbooks, take-home treats, and more from participating restaurants. www.continentalrestaurantweek.com. May 1, 2009

Continental Airlines

Continental today announced significant, temporary reductions in capacity to Mexico, effective May 4, 2009, in response to lower demand. Initially, for the month of May, the company has reduced capacity to Mexico as measured by available seat miles (ASMs) by approximately 50 percent, compared to its original May 2009 flight schedule. Flight departures have been reduced by approximately 40 percent. These reductions constitute approximately 2.0 percent of ContinentalOs systemwide ASMs for May 2009 compared to its original May 2009 flight schedule. Reductions are being implemented by using smaller aircraft on flights to Mexico or by reducing the frequency of flights to any one destination. Prior to these reductions, Continental operated an average of 450 weekly flights to the country. May 1, 2009

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates