Airline News - North America.

Oct 1, 2007

Airline food has been the stuff of jokes since almost the dawn of aviation, especially in the US. But after many years of dulling passengers' appetites, a number of carriers, including low coast carriers, insist they've gotten serious about upgrading their "air" food on selected domestic long-haul flights, even in economy. Sep 28, 2007

Few deals to be found on holiday flights this year. Holiday fliers will have a harder time finding cheap spots on airplanes this year, as fuel prices rise and carriers reduce capacity. The usual strategies will help travelers score the best deals: travel on off-peak days, start watching for deals now, and keep your fingers crossed. Sep 28, 2007

Transportation Department figures show that US airline delays are on a record pace for 2007. For the year to July, delays surpassed the 1 million mark, up more than 20 percent from the same period a year ago. Nearly a third of flights are late or canceled and more than 50,000 by July had ground delays of between one and five hours, a 40 percent increase over the same period a year ago. Some aviation experts, lawmakers and regulators blame airline overscheduling for delays while others say the government has failed to upgrade the aging air traffic system to handle the millions of arrivals and departures each year. Airlines scheduled a record 647,000 flights in July alone. Sep 28, 2007

The nasty summer air travel season just ended, it is time to start worrying about holiday travel plans. Expect absolutely full flights, making it next to impossible to quickly get on another flight if you are bumped, miss your flight or otherwise have to make new arrangements at the last minute. Also, as always, expect delays, especially across the upper part of the country, from foul weather. Come prepared, take water and food aboard with you, any medicine you might need in a delay, and a book or other diversion. Allow extra time to get through security because of crowds and an abundance of inexperienced fliers during the holidays. For a more detailed search of air fares, online services like www.farecompare.com and www.airguide.joystar.com can help you find a good deal and to know when you are getting one. Services like FlightTracker www.airguideonline.com/airline_tracker.htm can help you gauge potential delays and give you real-time information about flight status, delays, airport conditions, security delays and weather before leaving home. Sep 27, 2007 Air Canada Air Canada introduced paperless boarding passes for customers who check in using a PDA or cell phone. The service allows the option of receiving an electronic boarding pass in the form of an SMS text message that the customer shows to airport security screening personnel and Air Canada gate agents in lieu of a paper boarding pass. The mobile service currently is available for boarding domestic Canada flights and those to international (non-US) destinations, including connecting flights, from 60 airports across Canada served by Air Canada and Jazz. Sep 24, 2007

Aloha Airlines 

Aloha Airlines announced early September that it will be adding a second flight between Orange County and Honolulu for the holiday season, this one with an easy-to-catch late afternoon departure. The new daily service from John Wayne Airport will begin on November 16, 2007, and continue through January 5, 2008, although it will not operate from November 28 to December 5, 2007. The Honolulu flight connects with flights to Maui and Kauai. Sep 27, 2007 American Airlines, American Eagle American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, will celebrate its new nonstop jet service between Milwaukee and Sawyer International Airport in Marquette, Mich., with an introductory round-trip fare of $98. Sep 27, 2007 Continental Airlines Continental Airlines on Monday will inaugurate nonstop service between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Mumbai, India. Sep 28, 2007 Delta Air Lines, Atlanta Delta Air Lines' customers can now book convenient nonstop flights between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Shanghai, China, for service beginning March 30, 2008. Sep 28, 2007 Delta Air Lines, Atlanta Delta Air Lines will launch nonstop service between the world's largest passenger hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Stockholm's Arlanda International Airport in Sweden, beginning June 3, 2008. Sep 24, 2007 Delta Air Lines, New York JFK Next summer, Delta Air Lines will introduce a redesigned schedule at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, which the carrier claims will accommodate growing customer demand and will reduce airport congestion and delays. Sep 26, 2007

Northwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines claims it will improve its substandard service and shabby treatment of its passengers. Northwest CEO Doug Steenland says that the carrier will put a greater focus on customer service, in part by initiating its "largest training initiative in over a decade." The airline's rank and file will learn how to view the travel experience the way a customer does and hopefully be better prepared to serve travelers. "Customer focus is going to continue to define the winners," he said. Sep 24, 2007 Northwest Airlines, Midwest Airlines  Northwest Airlines and Midwest Airlines in November expect to implement a codeshare agreement, adding "250 citypairs and more than 1,000 new flight options" to customers of both carriers. Sep 24, 2007 WestJet WestJet won Canadian government approval to provide scheduled service to St. Lucia from Toronto. "This news ensures that our strategic plan of deploying aircraft to warmer climates over the winter months continues," Executive VP-Guest Experience and Marketing Bob Cummings said. The LCC, which has and will continue to operate charter service to St. Lucia in conjunction with Transat Tours Canada, said it has not yet determined what its initial scheduled offering to the Caribbean destination will be. Sep 25, 2007

ZZ

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