Thank you to this week’s Cranky Daily presenting sponsor, The Airchive.
Alaska Introduces Hawai’i Pre-Clearance Program
Alaska Airlines passengers traveling to Hawai’i can now pre-clear the state’s virus testing protocol prior to departure, arriving in Hawai’i without the need for additional screening.
The program, which will work remarkably similarly to U.S. Pre-Clearance facilities located abroad, began earlier this week as a pilot program for flights to Maui. The program will be rolled out to all flights on Alaska to both Oahu and the Big Island next week.
Alaska passengers will receive an e-mail prior to departure with instructions on how to complete the program ahead of their flight. Customers will receive a pre-clear wristband at check-in or at the departure gate.
The wristband, which was approved by the state of Hawai’i, is very versatile. Besides being your way into the state, it also tells you if your neighbor has been tested, and most exciting of all, it can be left on after leaving the airport to access VIP areas and bypass the line at nightclubs all over Waikiki.
UK Reduces Quarantine to 10 Days
Travelers arriving in all four nations of the United Kingdom will now be permitted to reduce their self-quarantine from 14 days to 10 if they don’t do the testing program which allows it to be reduced to 5 days. The 10-day quarantine had already been in place in Wales with England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland making the change, effective Monday.
The decision, which applies to visitors from countries not on the UK’s travel corridor list, was made with consultation of the country’s leading health experts plus some guy named Gary.
The idea of the 10-day isolation being reduced from 14 had many supporters, including new official quarantine sponsor Netflix which conveniently has 10 episodes of The Crown in Season 4. It will only allow you to watch one per day for the duration of your quarantine, so that you have something to look forward to.
Hong Kong Implements New, Stricter Virus Measures
Hong Kong has quietly implemented new measures for airlines operating to the island, with the goal of preventing imported cases of the virus to help control the pandemic and eventually make the city cool enough to get back into the Singapore bubble.
Under the new guidelines, a single positive test from a passenger can cause an airline to be suspended from operating to Hong Kong. Additionally, if a passenger fails to comply with testing requirements, the carrier the passenger arrived on can be held responsible.
The first airline to fall victim to the new policy is KLM, which had a passenger arrive last week that “could not comply with the requirements.” Neither Hong Kong or KLM was willing to comment any further on what exactly that means. KLM has been suspended from operating to Hong Kong through December 17.
Previously, airlines were only suspended when a single flight contained five or more passengers with the virus, or two consecutive flights each had three or more. Now, it’s KLM who will be the first to pay the price, but on the bright side, it does mean more Delft Houses for the rest of us.
JAL to Reward Passengers Who Skip Meals
Japan Airlines is rolling out a test program that offers passengers the chance to opt-out from an on-board meal in exchange for upgraded amenity kits. The airline is testing this concept on JL34, its nightly redeye from Bangkok to Tokyo/Haneda.
To participate, passengers must visit JAL’s website and choose to opt-out from their meal at least 25 hours prior to departure. In exchange, business class passengers will be offered an upgraded amenity kit that is typically offered on long-haul routes. Most economy passengers who opt-out will receive the business class amenity kit. Those on the lowest discount fares, however, will simply be treated like actual human beings as their upgrade.
The program is an attempt by JAL to both reduce cost and food waste. By knowing who might or might not want the meal ahead of time, the airline can more accurately cater its flights based on demand. This concept was too shocking for some American to grasp. Many who have spent years doing the opposite — paying the airline via buy-on-board — to avoid their catered meals will surely be eager to see how JAL’s program works out.
Jet Airways 2.0 Coming Soon
Jet Airways, the India-based carrier that collapsed in April of 2019, is planning a comeback as soon as next summer — as a full-service international airline.
The airline’s creditors — which apparently have opted for a strategy of finding ways to lose even more money — have approved the revival plan, a key step in returning to the skies. The creditors, which number almost 21,000, are still due over $6 million in claims.
The revamped airline will have three hubs in India, the same as it did previously — Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM) and Bangalore (BLR). Jet is hoping that India’s position as a leader in vaccine manufacturing makes it a perfect time to return, focusing on more cargo and freight operations, with a specific focus on delivering COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
Airline Potpourri
- Air Dolomiti is adding 3x weekly service in the spring from Munich to Aarhus, Denmark (AAR).
- BA Cityflyer announced changes to its summer 2021 schedule including a beefed-up schedule from Southampton (SOU) where it will serve 11 leisure-y destinations.
- Cebu Pacific is resuming daily service between Dubai and Manila on December 14.
- Finnair was granted more than €100 million in credit support from the export credit agencies of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom after saying that Santa needed the money to deliver presents this year.
- Qantas operated a repatriation flight on Thursday from Frankfurt to Sydney, marking the first-ever nonstop flight from Frankfurt to Australia.
- Thai has two A380s and four flight simulators for sale as it looks to scrounge up cash as a part of its reorganization. The planes are for sale “as-is,” so buyer beware. If you’re in the market for the world’s largest airliner, you can visit Thai’s
garage saleaircraft trading site. - Volotea has taken delivery of two A319s which will be the first two planes the airline bases in Venice.
Andrew’s Moment of Levity
I saw a snowman throw a major temper tantrum this morning. It was a total meltdown.