JetBlue and American Begin Alliance Implementation
JetBlue and American Airlines will move forward with their planned alliance, after the U.S. Department of Transportation ended their review of the plans. Focused on the Northeast, American and JetBlue will begin codesharing, allowing flyers to book seamless itineraries with both airlines and grant access to loyalty benefits.
With the U.S. Department of Transportation ending their review into the proposed American Airlines-JetBlue alliance, the two carriers are primed to begin putting their plans into action. In a press release, JetBlue announced how the airlines will work together to create a new customer experience focused on New York and the Northeast.
Under the alliance, the two will work together to allow flyers to book a seamless itinerary on either the American or JetBlue websites. To achieve this, the two will start operating codeshare flights on select routes. Both airlines will soon begin carrying each other’s codes on flights out of all three New York airports and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
You can read more about it by clicking here on FlyerTalk.
Southwest Joins Spirit In Opposing American – JetBlue Partnership
As is the norm in the United States, cutthroat competition and heavily slot-controlled airports mean airlines look cautiously upon partnerships between their rivals. When American and JetBlue announced their partnership, competitors did not instantly come out against it. However, after evaluating the market and partnership, Spirit Airlines and Southwest Airlines are raising concerns over the American Airlines and JetBlue partnership.
Spirit Airlines was the first to file an official complaint about the JetBlue-American Airlines partnership. The airline believed the codeshare hub at New York City, the largest air market in the United States, would continue to stymie access for low-cost carriers to enter into the market.
The airline noted that, in the New York airports, American, Delta, and JetBlue combined, would have a share of 90.8% of New York departures. In addition, getting access to New York-JFK or LaGuardia is difficult already. Newark is not much better.
You can read more about it on Simple Flying by clicking here.
JetBlue Reveals Its Stunning New Airbus A220 Cabin
On the last day of 2020, JetBlue received its first Airbus A220. However, so far both the airline and manufacturer have been tight-lipped about the aircraft’s new interior. It seems JetBlue couldn’t hold it in any longer, today revealing the aircraft’s new cabin to the world.
The Airbus A220 is the smallest product currently on offer in the Airbus commercial lineup. While it was slow to roll out in the United States, it is steadily working its way into the system thanks to Delta. Now, JetBlue is set to begin flying the A220 in the US, before Breeze should follow in the future.
Until today we knew that the A220 would have 140 seats fitted, but we didn’t know just what this would look like. Now we don’t have to wait any longer. The aircraft has been fitted with the Collins Meridian seat. As is typical on the Airbus A220, the seats are laid out in a 2-3 configuration, making the left side perfect for couples.
You can read more about it by clicking here to access Simple Flying.
US To Require Negative Test Results For Inbound Travelers
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded its requirement for testing to all passengers coming to the United States. Going into effect from January 26th, passengers will need to have proof of a negative test on departure.
Starting January 26th, the CDC is mandating all inbound travelers to the United States to have a negative viral test result before the departure to the United States. A viral test is defined as a test for current infection, such as a nasal swab PCR test.
The test must be taken within three days before the flight departs for the US. In order to board the plane, passengers must provide written documentation of the test result to the airline. This can be a paper or electronic copy. For those who were infected with COVID-19, passengers will need to provide documentation of having recovered from the virus.
Airlines will need to confirm the negative test result for all passengers or documentation before boarding. If a passenger does not provide documentation or chooses not to take a test, the CDC has advised that airlines must deny boarding.
You can read more about it by clicking here to access Simple Flying.
NO travel for germans until late may
The German government has warned that people will only be able to go on holiday after Whitsun this year, meaning a wait until the end of May before Germans can travel.
“I think that travel is something that is very hard to imagine happening over the next two to three months,” Thomas Bareiß, the tourism commissioner for the government, told broadcaster RTL on Monday.
“It will get better again from the Whitsun vacations onwards. And I hope that summer will then be a very big travel period,” he said.
The religious holiday of Whitsun falls on May 23rd this year. The Monday following Whitsun is a national holiday in Germany.
His announcement comes as Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly told her party members that the tough Covid-19 measures in Germany will be needed for ‘eight to 10 more weeks’ if numbers don’t improve.
You can read more about it by clicking here to access The local.de
Treska - Travel Smart with Koloman 