Delta and WestJet Abandon Transborder Joint Venture Plans
Delta and WestJet have withdrawn their application to form a transborder joint venture and will instead settle for continuing their existing relationship as is. In a scathing filing with the Department of Transportation (DOT), the airlines called the pre-conditions required to complete the deal “arbitrary and capricious.”
The biggest roadblock to completing the deal was the DOT’s requirement that the airlines forfeit eight slot pairs at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. In the filing, the airlines pointed out that the forced divestiture would not do anything to offset anti-competitive concerns in the US-Canada market, instead likely just redirecting slots to new entrants in the domestic market.
In addition to the slot issue, the airlines also took umbrage with the requirement that Swoop and WestJet’s parent company be excluded from the joint venture. They were further displeased with the requirement that WestJet be forced to interline with any US carrier that asked, besides United.
The uncharacteristically strong language was immediately flagged by the Canadian politness police as being unbecoming of a respectable Canadian. WestJet will now be forced to personally apologize to every person who reads the document.
UK to Reduce 14-Day Quarantine to 5 Days With Testing
The United Kingdom is planning to reduce quarantine requirements for people coming into the UK from 14 days to 5 days under a new program expected to go into effect before the Christmas holiday season.
Travelers currently subject to the 14-day quarantine will be eligible for parole assuming they test negative on the fifth day after arrival into the country. Rapid tests will be used to speed along the process of getting people out of quarantine and into the local economy.
Despite these changes, those who prefer to sit alone in a far-too-small hotel room eating PizzaExpress delivery for two weeks are welcome to continue to do so.
Alaska Trades A320s for 737 MAX 9s
Alaska Airlines will lease thirteen Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft from Air Lease Corporation, and, in exchange, Air Lease will buy ten of Alaska’s unwanted Airbus A320s.
Alaska has been trying to exit the A319/A320 fleet it inherited in the Virgin America acquisition. The A319s are all gone, and after these ten aircraft leave the fleet, only 39 A320s will remain. When these aircraft actually leave the fleet remains to be seen since Alaska will lease them back for a “short period of time” after the transaction closes.
The thirteen MAX aircraft — which will begin arriving in the fourth quarter of 2021 — will complement the 32 that Alaska already has on order from Boeing. The first from that order is supposed to be delivered in January and will go into service in March.
Steven F. Udvar-Házy, executive chairman of Air Lease Corporation, was quoted as saying that he’d happily take 10 junky old A320s if it meant he could find someone to take those MAX aircraft into the fleet. “I’ve been thinking about going into metal recycling business anyway, and these A320s will certainly help provide substantial raw material.”
United Begins Testing Partnership for Caribbean/Latin Travel
United is partnering with Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory to provide a COVID-19 testing option for travelers going from or via Houston into those Caribbean and Latin American countries that require testing before arrival.
The test kits — which cost $119 and are sent via mail — will be made available to travelers going to Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Peru. This will not be available for travelers going to Kokomo, even if that’s where you wanna go to get away from it all.
Testing will be available for flights beginning December 7.
Kenya Airways Suspends Joint Venture with Air France/KLM
Aviation Week reports that Kenya Airways is temporarily pausing its joint venture with Air France/KLM due to a lack of schedule predictability. In other words, Kenya Airways can’t predict when it will start bothering to operate a schedule again.
Kenya Airways and KLM had been in a joint venture for more than twenty years. It was recently expanded in 2018 when Air France joined, though Kenya Airways has suggested in wants to negotiate a better deal.
Kenya Airways has suffered greatly during the pandemic, and regularly suspends long-haul flights as it waits for demand to return.
Airline Potpourri
- Aegean Airlines will get €120m in state funding, primarily in the form of spanakopita.
- Air Asia Japan has now officially filed for bankruptcy, as expected.
- Air India has been banned from flying to Hong Kong for the fifth time, because it keeps flying COVID-19-positive passengers into the city.
- Azul is getting small… like, really small, with 9-seat Cessna Grand Caravans.
- British Airways is selling off inflight dishware, utensils, and more for the discerning traveler who really, really misses being on an airplane. Act now and you can get 10 hot towels for only £12.00.
- Hawaiian has now expanded in-person testing partnerships to Las Vegas, Portland, and Seattle along with a second LA location.
- Virgin Atlantic is playing the Black Friday game with big discounts and 50% off award travel.
David’s Moment of Levity
Why do melons have weddings? ‘Cuz they cantaloupe.