June 24, 2020

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut Prepare to Require Quarantine for Domestic Visitors

1 The states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut seem to like the European Union’s proposed ban on visitors from countries with higher coronavirus rates so much that they are poised to institute their own… for domestic travelers.

While coronavirus numbers continue to surge throughout the South and Southwest, a more normal curve has seen numbers plummet in the northeast. This 14-day quarantine would only apply to those travelers coming from states with higher coronavirus levels than NY/NJ/CT.

This quarantine requirement would join the one in Hawai’i — which currently applies through July 31 — as well as much more limited, voluntary quarantine rules in places like Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.


United Turns to Crowdsourcing To Choose Routes for Restart

2 As it looks to rebuild its network in the coming months after the devastation of the virus outbreak, United Airlines is turning to its corporate clients for their feedback on where the airline should restore service.

United is asking its corporate clients for anticipated destinations along with other details such as number of passengers and when travel will resume. Normally, airlines rely heavily on data analysis, but the pandemic has made historical data virtually worthless. The airline is keeping all data received from its customers confidential to encourage responses.

The airline will also ensure that it receives a fair sample of data on which to base its decisions, otherwise it would possibly load up on service from Newark to Columbia, SC.


JetBlue Introduces Cash + Points Buying Option

3 JetBlue yesterday introduced a new option for members of its TrueBlue frequent flier program, allowing them to purchase tickets using a combination of TrueBlue points and cash. The option will be available on all classes of service on JetBlue with the exception of Blue Basic — JetBlue’s basic economy product — and Blue Cargo, a new offering that allows you to check yourself as luggage.

The redemptions start at as little as 500 points and give customers the option of splitting their purchase between the two currencies. The new flexibility could help spur bookings for JetBlue as it gives customers an opportunity to purchase tickets for a discounted cash rate without having to save up the full number of TrueBlue points for a redemption. The cash portion of the ticket will earn elite qualifying points to Mosaic Elite status while the points portion will not.


Qatar to Retire 777 Fleet by 2024

4 Qatar Airways will begin phasing out its entire Boeing 777-300ER and 777-200LR fleet by 2024 in favor of new Boeing 777 jets as part of its ‘green modernization’ push which will also see the airline phase out its A380s by 2028.

Qatar Airways CEO & Grand Poobah Akbar Al Baker said that the airline would see its Boeing 787-9s eventually replace its 787-8s as well. Those 787-8s were originally bound for Air Italy before that airline failed.

The reinvention of the airlines’s Boeing 777 fleet will be almost a like-for-like swap.

  • Qatar has 48 short & medium-haul Boeing 777-300ERs, which will make way for the initial 50-strong order for the Boeing 777-9
  • Qatar also has nine long-haul Boeing 777-200LRs, which will be replaced by 10 extended-range Boeing 777-8s

In the meantime, Qatar will fly its 777-200 and 777-300s whenever & wherever it damn well pleases.


Initial Report Blames Pakistan 8303 Crash on Pilot Error

5 One month after Pakistan 8303 crash on approach to Karachi airport, the preliminary investigation report has been released. It blames the accident almost entirely on the two guys in the pointy end of the airplane.

The pilots were busy talking about coronavirus in the cockpit instead of focusing on the approach. They were too high and air traffic control suggested they should go around, but they opted to continue. They lowered the gear and descended rapidly. Inexplicably, they later raised the gear — maybe they forgot? Despite a variety of warnings, they landed too fast with no gear down and scraped the engines along the runway. Then, instead of stopping, they decided to go around. At this point, the engines failed and the aircraft crashed short of the runway on its second attempt.

If there was blame to go around, a little was pushed on to Aerodrome Control which “observed the scrubbing of engines with the runway but did not covey this abnormality to the aircraft.” This, of course, makes us wonder… did the pilots need someone to tell them?


Airline Potpourri

  • Eastern Airways introduced two new summer routes from Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) with service to Leeds (LBA) and Teesside (MME).
  • easyJet has apologized for its description of the Italian region of Calabria after finding a horse’s head in its CEO’s bed. The airline promoted flights to Calabria and referenced its history of mafia activity.
  • Emirates will return its fleet of A380s into service this July, initially serving routes to Paris and London/Heathrow.
  • JSX is dipping its toes into the Dallas market with flights from Love Field to Las Vegas and Pinehurst, NC with continuing service to Westchester, NY. These are in partnership with Wynn Las Vegas and Pinehurt Resort.
  • LATAM Brasil has finalized its July schedule, and the only US route is Sao Paulo to Miami once a day.
  • Nile Air is expected to resume domestic Egyptian operations in Q3 2020.
  • Singapore has suspended selling First Class through November.
  • Wizz Air expanded its network in Cyprus adding five new routes.

Andrew’s Moment of Levity

I hired a Spanish-speaking magician for a birthday party we did over Zoom last week. He did a great disappearing act, but his timing seemed off. He started to do a trick, and he said “uno, dos…” and then he was gone without a tres.