Go East, Young Man: Avelo Heads to Connecticut
Avelo Airlines announced the first four routes for its new East Coast base at New Haven’s Tweed Airport (HVN) with service beginning this fall. Avelo will serve primary airports in four Florida cities from the southern Connecticut airport — known as the COVID Quad.
Beginning November 3, Avelo will fly 5x-weekly from New Haven to Orlando. Fort Lauderdale launches the next day, November 5, with 5x-weekly flights, followed by 3x-weekly service to Tampa beginning November 8, and lastly, Fort Myers gets started on November 11 with 2x-weekly flights. That’s 15 total weekly flights with more surely to come once Avelo realizes how many people prefer Florida in the winter over Connecticut.
The airline is investing $1.2 million into the airport for upgrades as part of a $100 million project the airport has underway to update its terminal and an extend the runway. The upgrades to the terminal include new eateries and shops, with New York/LGA’s pricing model as inspiration, plus the largest selection of tweed jackets for sale at any airport worldwide.
Allegiant Launches Allways Rewards
Allegiant Air announced its new loyalty program – Allways Rewards – today, its signature non-credit card loyalty program. The airline says it’s the first airline loyalty program specifically designed for leisure travelers, which explains why points are only redeemable for sunscreen and half-off coupons for your local bus company.
The program will offer the purchaser — not the traveler as is usually the case — one point for every dollar spent on Allegiant.com (whether on purpose or by accident) and two points per dollar over $500. Points have no expiration for those who buy tickets on the airline at least once every 24 months – which is a roundabout way of saying points expire without travel on Allegiant at least once every two years. Members also receive a 5% discount on all airfare purchased on the airline’s website, provided the flight actually operates.
As part of the rollout, the program will randomly select a winner of those enrolled by September 13 to receive a year of concert tickets and a pair of tickets to the Las Vegas Raiders’ final eight home games of the year at Allegiant Stadium. The fine print of the contest says that the winner will be seated in the Black Hole and will be required to dress up appropriately.
Bonehead Passenger Fines Surpass $1 Million
Fines issued to numbskull passengers in 2021 by the FAA have surpassed $1 million, an occasion of both great excitement and shame at the same time.
The latest set of fines were issued against 34 people totaling $531,045, with each individual fine clocking in between $7,500 and $45,000. The winner of the $42,000 fine completed the Bonehead Triple Crown – he refused to wear a mask, assaulted passengers and flight attendants, and the cherry on top – snorted cocaine aboard the aircraft. Spirit immediately sent him an offer to fly with them on his next trip.
Other fines came in for classy behavior such as urinating on the restroom floor – why? – and refusing to disconnect a phone call during takeoff. If it was such an important call – get off the plane and take the next flight.
Smaller fines came in for shenanigans such a hiding a flight attendant’s jacket, which just sounds like a game of hide and seek run amok, one passenger punching parts of the aircraft including the windows and tray table, and passengers bringing their own booze on-board. Passengers have 30 days to file an appeal with the FAA which could be the best part – hearing defenses and explanation of this insane behavior.
American Extends Main Cabin Booze Ban
American Airlines is extending its ban on selling alcohol to passengers in economy until at least late January as it looks to curb the frequency of alcohol-fueled poor behavior on-board its aircraft.
The airline is also working with the FAA to ban the sales of to-go alcohol at its hubs in Dallas/Ft. Worth and Charlotte. American is considering banning other items for sale at airport, figuring once it got one thing banned, why stop there? The airline is taking aim at mealy-looking $13 egg salad sandwiches, the alarming-looking taco salad at Chili’s To-Go locations, and those unsanitary neck pillows sold for $29 at Hudson News outlets.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, AA’s FA union encouraged the ban extension while the Association of Amateur Flight Attendants wasn’t nearly as pleased. Some consumer groups have said the bans are unfair because first-class customers have access to booze, but they also have access to wider seats, more legroom and more attentive service (at least in theory), making that argument hold very little booze water.
What’s Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander: DOT Reduces Chinese Flight Capacities
The DOT is limiting the passenger capacity on a sampling of flights on Chinese carriers to the United States as retaliation after the Chinese government did the same to United Airlines earlier this month.
China’s Civil Aviation Administration forced United to select one of four available punishments for flying five passengers that eventually tested positive for COVID-19. United chose Door #4 which resulted in four inbound flights operating with just 40% capacity. The DOT was none too pleased, stating that the mandate placed undue culpability on airlines for what its passengers might do or not do when arriving in China.
So the DOT is getting payback, forcing one flight each for Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, and Xiamen Airlines to fly with just 40% capacity later this month. The FAA also imposed the restriction on a flight from China Airlines, before someone reminded the government that that China Airlines comes from “the good China,” so it’s OK.
- Alsie Express of Denmark plans to begin international flights early in 2021. The airline also will offer window seating.
- Caribbean Airlines resumed operations to St. Lucia with a nonstop flight from Port-of-Spain to Virgie Airport (SLU) on Monday.
- Chair Airlines is standing up for itself and taking delivery of its first A320 late this year.
- Frontier took delivery of the final two of four A320neo aircraft that it was due to receive.
- Interjet founder Miguel Aleman Magnani has had an international arrest warrant issued at Mexico’s request due to accusations of tax fraud and making the pitch on his airplanes really, really tight.
- Jeju Air is the beneficiary of a $77 million cash infusion from Korea’s AK Holdings.
- Korean plans to keep its A380 fleet flying for at least another five years.
- Lufthansa hired Dr. Williams Willms as CFO of Lufthansa Technik.
- SpiceJet’s cargo business could bring home a mint after being valued at $344 million, not a tarragon amount, considering all the challenging thymes facing the industry.
- TUI Fly is holding off on plans to add the B787 for now.
- Virgin Australia is introducing a basic economy fare that it’s calling Economy Lite. Rex will be claiming something about how this is anti-competitive at some point soon.
A frog I know got his DNA tested. Turns out he’s a mix of several backgrounds and nationalities including British, Irish, Spanish and a tad Pole.