Boeing Completes Aircraft Disinfectant Testing
1 Boeing announced the results from its testing of one of its aircraft to help grow consumer confidence to support the return of air travel demand. The company tested an unoccupied Boeing aircraft against a live virus called MS2. The MS2 virus — not to be confused with MS-13 or MS-DOS— has similar characteristics to SARS-CoV-2. The differences are that it’s harmless and it is more difficult to kill. In other words, it’s the Alitalia of viruses.
Boeing and its partners in the study from the University of Arizona placed the MS2 virus at high-frequency touch points throughout the cabin and technicians disinfected the cabin through two means: manual wiping and with an electrostatic sprayer, a device that applies a fine spray of an approved liquid disinfectant.
Each product showed different levels of disinfectant effectiveness, but the overall result was that each option used by the airlines was successful in killing the virus and removing it from the aircraft. No word on whether anyone will attempt to try this on Alitalia at a later date.
Hawaiian to Resume Flying to All Mainland Airports in December
2 Less than a week after the State of Hawai’i reopened to visitors, Hawaiian Airlines announced that it will return flying this December to the remaining three airports on the mainland to which it operated prior to the onset of the pandemic — but had yet to resume.
Hawaiian plans to reinstate service to its two destinations on the east coast in December, flying Honolulu to Boston twice weekly and New York/JFK thrice weekly. Hawaiian will also resume service to Long Beach (LGB) with once-daily service from Honolulu.
Outside of its Honolulu hub, Hawaiian will reinstate service from Lihu’e (LIH) to both Los Angeles and Oakland, along with Kahului, Maui (OGG) to both San Diego and San Francisco.
American Taketh Partner Seat Benefits and American Giveth Some Back
3 When American Airlines announced a series of positive changes for its own frequent fliers a couple weeks ago, one negative change for Oneworld elites was snuck into the bottom of the announcement. American said that effective October 1, oneworld elites would no longer receive complimentary access to Main Cabin Extra seating on AA operated flights. It has now backed off that plan.
The pushback within the alliance was enough to make AA reverse course — somewhat — on the decision, giving select partner elites access to Main Cabin Extra seating once again. Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members who hold status with joint-venture partners British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, or Japan Airlines will receive the complimentary access and will be informed ahead of-time what passengers they can smugly look at as they walk past the elite members to the back of the plane.
All passengers on AA-operated flights, regardless of elite status, can expect to enjoy the same dread during mechanical delays, lack of information from gate staff, and sometimes on-time service.
Air Canada Offers Chance to Fly Amongst the Stars Like a Star
4 Air Canada’s all-business class charter jets — which usually operate under the Air Canada Jetz name — are going to be rotated into regular commercial service this holiday season due to the lack of charter business thanks to the pandemic.
The aircraft usually are chartered by professional sports teams and music groups on tour from city to city. But with the NBA and NHL having wrapped up their seasons for the time being and most sports being on hiatus or having travel reduced, the planes have been sitting around not flying.
Air Canada will enter the Jetz into service from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, mostly on routes to the southern U.S. and Caribbean. The A319 aircraft feature 42-49 inches of pitch between the 58 seats on-board. There is one set of four seats that face each other with a table in the middle that is bookable for families who want to be able to look at each other the entire flight.
Flights aboard these exclusive aircraft are on-sale now for travel between December 12 and January 6. A second wave of flights around Spring Break is currently in the plans for Air Canada as well. Despite the nature of the aircraft’s normal clientele, it’s important for passengers to know that booking a trip on these aircraft does not include groupies or thousands of Instagram followers.
Alaska Eases Travel Restrictions
5 While Hawai’i got much of the publicity for reducing restrictions for travel, its non-mainland cousin, Alaska, has also made travel a bit easier both in and out of the 49th state.
Just as Hawai’i did, Alaska made its revisions effective October 15, and they include:
- Reducing the quarantine requirement for people visiting the state with a negative test to five days. This differs from Hawai’i, which has eliminated the quarantine requirement for anyone who can show a state-approved negative test within 72 hours of travel.
- Visitors to Alaska no longer have to take a second test at the end of their quarantine period.
- Alaskans can travel out of state for up to 72 hours with the requirement of a virus test upon return to the state. (Previously it had been a 24-hour maximum to leave without a test upon return).
- Any travel for “critical infrastructure,” which is defined rather loosely can follow their employer’s plan for testing and quarantine rather than those of the state.
These relaxed rules have been put in place just in-time for the arrival of winter when tourism drops to Alaska. They’ll allow the state to gauge the results of the new rules while not being inundated with tourists in the cold, dark winter months. At the end of the winter, the state will meet with its advisory board which includes seven non-political appointees, three caribou, and a moose to decide how to proceed for the spring and summer.
Airline Potpourri
- Alaska will codeshare with American, placing its AS code on AA’s Seattle-London/Heathrow flight when it begins on March 27.
- Arkia Israeli Airlines will begin daily service to Dubai on January 3.
- Cathay Pacific has pushed its 777-9 deliveries back to at least 2025.
- China Southern plans to raise $2.37 billion to take delivery of nine A321neo and two A319neo.
- Eastern Airlines — the one basing itself in New York these days — has acquired three used Boeing 777s. Despite being used, the airline confirms that all three have that “new airplane smell.”
- Japan Air Commuter and Hokkaido Air System have joined oneworld as JAL affiliates.
- Virgin Atlantic is delaying the resumption of its planned daily service to both Atlanta and Johannesburg from Heathrow to November 16.
Andrew’s Moment of Levity
I’ve got a deep fear of speed bumps. I’m slowly getting over it.