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Weekly UpdatesAug 16, 2009
TSA is about to require airline passengers to provide even more personal information when booking flights. The second phase of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSAOs, Secure Flight Program will begin Aug. 15 and will require travelers to give their date of birth and gender when purchasing tickets. The first phase began in May after most airlines began requesting a passengerOs name as it appears on government identification. Aug 12, 2009
We all know the drill: you show up at the airport with plenty of time to spare, only to discover that your flightOs been delayed and now you have hours to kill. Or worse yet, youOve already boarded your flight and now youOre stuck on the tarmac. There is some good news overall: the worst airport (thereOs a new winner this year) improved on its delays by 3 percentage points. It was also the only airport to have 30 percent or more of its flights delayed; last year, four airports broke the 30 percent barrier. This upward trend meant that even though some airports improved their on-time performance, their ranking may not have changed much. Dallas decreased its flight delays by a lotN6 percentage pointsNbut it remained at the No. 4 spot in the top 10 worst airports. And JFKNdespite decreasing its delays 11 percentage points over the past 2 yearsNtied with Dallas for that No. 4 spot. Some of these airports will come as no surprise: the skies around New York City continue to be congested, backing up traffic at all three area airports. And other hubs like Atlanta and Chicago remain on the list of offenders. But both the best and worst lists have some newcomers this year. PhiladelphiaNon neither list in 2007 or 2008Nshowed up in the top 10 worst airports (22 percent of flights were delayed). Orlando had sunnier news, breaking into the 10 best list with just 18 percent of its flights delayed (good news, of course, for visitors to Disney World). Detroit, too, joins the ranks of the elite, with 17 percent of its flights delayed. And of course some airports have disappeared from the lists. ThatOs unfortunate for Seattle, which was one of the 10 best in 2008. ItOs better news for Chicago Midway (MDW), which at 25 percent was one of the 10 worst in 2008. Aug 10, 2009
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways announced an expansion of its operations at New York's LaGuardia Airport and Washington's Reagan National Airport. Additional flights will begin from these airports on Nov. 4, 2009, and are in addition to AirTran Airways' existing flight schedule from these cities. At LaGuardia, the airline will begin offering service to Indianapolis while increasing flights to Orlando. At Reagan National, AirTran Airways will increase the frequency of flights to Orlando and Atlanta. Aug 13, 2009
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines will inaugurate daily service between Portland, Ore., and Chicago, starting Nov. 16, 2009. To celebrate, Alaska Airlines is offering USD 99 one-way fares on the new nonstop route for tickets purchased by Aug. 31, for travel by Jan. 31, 2010. Fares are available for purchase today on alaskaair.com or by calling 800-ALASKAAIR or 800-392-0228). OThis new nonstop service provides customers with a critical link between Portland and the nation's second-busiest airport, which has recently experienced significant capacity cutbacks by other airlines,O said Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines' vice president of planning and revenue management. Aug 13, 2009
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines says in a letter to its customers that it is increasing the cost of companion fares available through its Visa Signature card from USD 50 to USD 99. The price increase go into effect Oct. 1. The airline says it's the first increase in companion fares in 10 years and still a great deal. The airline is making another change to the credit card's terms. It will eliminate the 2,000 free anniversary miles it has granted annually to cardholders, starting on Dec. 31. Aug 13, 2009
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines said it will introduce nonstop service between Portland, Ore. and Chicago on Nov. 16. The airline, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) of Seattle, has been flying nonstop to Chicago from Seattle for nine years. Flights will leave Portland at 10:10 a.m. and arrive in ChicagoOs OOHare International Airport at 4 p.m. Flights will leave Chicago at 4:45 p.m. and arrive in Portland at 7:10 p.m. Aug 12, 2009
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines will launch twice-weekly flights to Nadi from Guam and Honolulu on Dec. 18 aboard a Continental Micronesia 737-800. Aug 12, 2009
Continental Airlines
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) assessed civil penalties against Continental Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and US Airways for violating DoT consumer regulations. OAt the Department of Transportation we take the rights of airline passengers seriously, and we will take enforcement action when airlines violate our consumer protection rules,O said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. Aug 11, 2009
Continental Airlines, San Diego
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Continental Airlines announced an expansion of the Paperless Boarding Pass pilot program at San Diego International Airport. The program will allow passengers to receive boarding passes electronically on their cell phones or PDAs, which will then be scanned by TSA security officers at the checkpoint and eliminate the need for a paper boarding pass. OThe deployment of the paperless technology signifies TSA's ongoing commitment to develop and implement new technologies while enhancing security,O said Mike Aguilar, TSA Federal Security Director for San Diego. OWe are pleased to be able to partner with Continental Airlines to expand this program that will help our officers validate authentic boarding documents.O Aug 13, 2009
Continental Express
Forty-seven passengers were forced to sit in a cramped, smelly plane on an airport tarmac for six hours after their flight was diverted because of bad weather. The Friday night Continental Express flight from Houston to Minneapolis scheduled to take just 2 1/2 hours, but the plane was diverted to Rochester airport because of stormy weather and landed around midnight. Instead of allowing passengers to disembark and spend the night in the secure section of the terminal, however, the airline decided to keep the passengers on board the aircraft, airport officials said Monday. Aug 10, 2009
Horizon Air
Horizon Air will operate daily service to Mammoth, Calif., from Reno, San Jose and Seattle (via Portland) and will increase service from Los Angeles to twice-daily Dec. 17-April 11, all aboard 76-seat Q400s. Aug 10, 2009
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue said that through Aug. 21 customers can purchase an All-You-Can-Jet unlimited travel pass for only USD 599, which will allow them to visit any of the airline's 56 international and domestic destinations as often as they like between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8, 2009. Pass holders will have access to every available seat on every flight with no blackout dates, and can book travel up to three days prior to departure through Oct. 5. Thirty-five TrueBlue points from the airline's customer loyalty program will also be awarded with the purchase of an All-You-Can-Jet pass. Aug 13, 2009
JetBlue Airways
San Franciscans can trade the bay for the beach this fall as JetBlue Airways begins the city's first nonstop service to sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Beginning November 17, 2009, JetBlue will offer daily service between San Francisco International Airport and its South Florida focus city at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. From Fort Lauderdale, easy connections to Caribbean destinations including Nassau, Bahamas and San Juan, Puerto Rico are a breeze. Aug 12, 2009
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue plans to launch competing nonstop flights from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale with Virgin America in November. JetBlue's flights start 17 November a day ahead of Virgin America's 18 November launch. San Francisco-based Virgin America announced its new service from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale earlier today. No carrier currently offers nonstop flights from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, but both Delta and JetBlue serve the market with one-stop flights. Aug 11, 2009
Porter Airlines
Porter Airlines will launch four-times-daily Halifax-St. John's service Oct. 5. Aug 10, 2009
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines and Wyndham Hotel Group, the hotel company with 11 brands and more than 7,000 hotels, announced a new association between the companies' respective loyalty programs, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards and Wyndham Reward. Rapid Rewards Members now have the option to earn a half Rapid Rewards credit for each stay at any of more than 6,000 Wyndham Rewards properties worldwide. To celebrate the new alliance, Rapid Rewards Members can receive triple credit after their second qualifying stay. Visit www.southwest.com/wyndham for offer details. Aug 13, 2009
Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines
Southwest Airlines appears keen to retain the feed currently supplied by Frontier Airlines' subsidiary Lynx if the Dallas-based carrier is successful in its bid to acquire Frontier in the Chapter 11 restructuring process. Aug 10, 2009
Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines launched a sale that itOs calling OWeOre No Virgin [ETH] WeOve Been Cheap and Easy For Years,O with fares from only USD 9 each way between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles and many other destinations. SpiritOs USD 9 Fare Club members can take advantage of this USD 9 fare sale, which is only available through Aug. 13, 2009 at 11:59 pm EST, by visiting www.spiritair.com. Other flights on sale include Aguadilla to Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, Atlantic City to Boston, Boston to Atlantic City, Cancun to Fort Lauderdale, Chicago (O'Hare) to Fort Lauderdale or Myrtle Beach. For more routes, visit www.spiritair.com.
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