Big Airline Announces That it Plans to Buy Big Airplanes
The wait is over as United Airlines finally announced the aircraft order that’s been rumored for weeks. The airline is acquiring 270 new narrowbody aircraft, bringing its total narrowbody orderbook to a whopping 498. The aircraft will be delivered by 2027 which means they are expected to arrive before the airline completes the installation of its “new” Polaris Business Class.
The order consists of 200 Boeing MAX jets and 70 Airbus A321neos. Of the 200 Boeing aircraft, 150 will be MAX 10s with the remaining 50 being MAX 8s and some of them are expected to operate without issue.
United says it will add about 25,000 union jobs including pilots and flight attendants to work the new airplanes. That figure will grow higher when the airline takes gate agents into consideration who will be needed to announce delays, gate changes, and cancellations.
The planes will feature new interiors that will have seat back entertainment at every seat and larger overhead bins. United will also retrofit the existing fleet with these same amenities for a consistent experience. The airline says the overhead bins will be large enough to accommodate everyone’s bags on a full flight, to which the traveling public says, “Challenge accepted.”
For more on today’s announcement from United, visit today’s post at CrankyFlier.com.
Southwest Concerned About July 4 Staff Shortages
Southwest Airlines is asking its employees to take extra shifts this weekend due to concerns over staff shortages over the coming holiday weekend. With passenger levels expected to exceed all pandemic-era highs, Southwest is bracing for another week of potential chaos. The airline has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights in the last week due to bad weather and two seemingly unrelated technical problems.
Southwest flight attendants who pick up extra shifts between July 1 and July 7 will receive double-pay, a vintage pair of hot pants, and a nip of Wild Turkey to help through the holiday. The airline detailed the offer in a note posted for staff on Monday.
Southwest’s needs extend beyond cabin crew, as it has offered the same double pay opportunity to ground and cargo crew. The airline is also expected to make a plea to its customers to please behave themselves while onboard, wear their masks, and not end up on the news. The reward for those who comply won’t be double pay, but they will instead be given the gift of not being banned from flying the airline.
Allegiant Adds 23 New Routes and Four New Cities
Allegiant announced 23 new nonstop routes — ten of which will touch four new cities — to operate in-time for the fall and holiday travel season. The four new cities for the airline are Amarillo, TX (AMA), Melbourne, FL (MLB), Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Washington/Dulles.
The Delta hub and Sun Country base in Minneapolis/St Paul will get flights to Asheville, NC (beginning Oct. 7), Punta Gorda, FL (beginning October 8), and Palm Beach (beginning October 7). Sun Country flies to Punta Gorda while Delta flies to Palm Beach, and neither airline is likely thrilled. Meanwhile, the United hub at Dulles will now have to compete with Allegiant on flights to both Jacksonville (beginning Nov. 19) and Sarasota (beginning Dec. 18).
Amarillo will be served by Allegiant from Las Vegas (beginning Oct. 14) and Austin (beginning November 18). Melbourne get flights to Pittsburgh (beginning Nov. 11), Nashville (beginning November 18), and Concord, NC (beginning Nov. 18).
Of its existing cities, Austin is the big winner, adding seven new cities: Amarillo, Louisville, Orange County, Provo, UT, Sioux Falls, SD, Springfield, MO, and Tulsa.
Alaska and Qatar Announce Codeshare
Alaska Airlines and Qatar Airways announced a codeshare agreement between the two airlines, further strengthening Alaska’s relationship with its new oneworld buddy and giving the Eskimo a new beach destination on the Persian Gulf.
Qatar will serve as Alaska’s only partner in the Middle East, a specific reference to the end of Alaska’s partnership with Emirates that — though expected and unsurprising — was announced only recently.
Beginning July 1, which is Thursday, Qatar passengers will be able to book on more than 150 routes up and down the West Coast. Alaska passengers booking travel on Qatar to connect beyond Doha will be finalized in phase two of the codeshare.
Mango Gets Paid…Finally
The South African government passed a new law that will finally release funds to South African Airways’s LCC subsidiary Mango. The struggling carrier has been waiting months for the funds which had been held up by a technicality that prevented money sent to SAA intended for Mango to be passed on to the airline.
The Special Appropriation Act signed by the president into law makes $57 million available to Mango immediately in addition to $115 million to maintenance provider SAA Technical and $15.1 million to caterer SA Airchefs.
The money is coming in right on time as the airline was unsure if it would be able to fly or make payroll in July. Mango employees were not paid when the airline missed its June 25 payroll date, and no flights had been scheduled beyond tomorrow.
The passing of the law by the federal government should facilitate the flow of the cash to the airline in the next 24 hours, allowing it to pay its employees and schedule flights for July and beyond. In celebration, the airline will offer a free mango to all customers who purchase a round trip ticket for the month of July provided the airline actually operates the itinerary as booked.
- Air France-KLM raised $954 million in additional capital through the issuance of new bonds.
- American will revise its boarding groups to allow Exec Plats to board with Group 1, which is of course the second group to board the plane on American. Basic Economy passengers have been downgraded to Boarding Group 350.
- Brussels is adding three A320neo to join its fleet in 2023.
- Envoy Air, which flies on behalf of American Eagle took delivery of its first E170.
- Finnair completed a slot swap with American for this winter at London/Heathrow.
- Hong Kong Airlines has laid off nearly two-thirds of its staff after the airline implemented significant capacity cuts.
- Jazeera Airways is resuming twice weekly flights to Beirut from its Kuwait City (KWI) hub tomorrow.
- Rex is adding two new B737 jets as it looks to eye new routes, provided no other airline accuses it over adding too much capacity.
- Sunwing Airlines is receiving C$100 million as a loan to help meet its needs for COVID refunds.
A policeman pulled me over today and said “Papers!” I said “Scissors!” and drove off victorious.