Airline News

JetBlue Airways, the largest airline in Puerto Rico, is launching its thirteenth destination from the International Airport Luis Muñoz Marín in San Juan (SJU) International Airport Palm Beach (PBI) in Florida.

JetBlue Airways and Turkish Airlines have announced an interline agreement to connect the carriers' networks at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. Through this new partnership, customers will be able to transfer in either U.S. city between Turkish Airlines- and JetBlue-operated flights while enjoying one-stop ticketing and check-in plus hassle-free baggage transfer and other benefits.

The British & Irish Lions are pleased to announce that Qantas, Australia’s premium airline, has been appointed as Official Airline for their tour to Australia in 2013. The partnership will make history as the 2013 Lions squad and coaching staff are flown to Hong Kong for The Lions’ first match in the Far East against the Barbarians.

Some 15 years ago today an event took place which would forever change the landscape of commercial aviation. Five forward looking and like-minded chief executives took the bold decision to create the first ever multilateral airline alliance, the Star Alliance network.

Almost all commercial airlines operating in Europe have reported their carbon dioxide emissions to the European Commission on time. The Commission will use the figures for a ‘dry run’, before beginning to charge airlines for pollution under the Emissions Trading Scheme from next year.

Bombardier Aerospace has reported work on the first two Learjet 85 flight test aircraft and the complete aircraft static test article is well underway, with the production of hundreds of composite components, including the unique 32-foot composite pressure fuselage. The joining of the nose fuselage to the main pressure fuselage, as well as the assembly of the aft fuselage, vertical stabilizer and tailcone fuselage sections, have all begun at the Bombardier sites in Wichita, Kansas and Queretaro, Mexico.

Leading Irish showbiz celebrities*, music from traditional ceilidh band Wraggle Taggle, Black Velvet cocktails and a huge plane shaped cake were all part of celebrations marking the launch of a new link between Essex and Ireland.

Immigration minister Damian Green has confirmed the government will bring forward the planned recruitment of 70 new border staff in order to prevent queues at London Heathrow Airport. The new staff will be in place after the London 2012 Olympic Games, when the UK is expected to receive an influx of visitors.

LAN Airlines has reported a net income of US$76.1 million in quarter one of 2012, a decrease of 21.8 per cent compared to the same period of 2011. Operating income in the quarter decreased 27.4 per cent, reaching US$111.2 million, with a 7.2 per cent operating margin.

Qatar Airways has announced a strategic alliance with fractional jet programme provider Flexjet to offer customers access to over 5,000 destinations beyond the Doha-based airline’s four North American gateways. Flexjet is aircraft manufacturer Bombardier’s fractional ownership business, providing access to more than 80 modern executive aircraft. Aircraft available as part of the Flexjet Connect programme, are operated by United States air carrier Jet Solutions.

Wizz Air, the largest low-cost, low-fare airline in Central and Eastern Europe, announced today one new route with three weekly flights from London-Luton to Ljubljana from October 2012.