Service Shockers and Surprises

Gate area of Southwest Airlines at Orlando Int...

Image via Wikipedia

Time to update all of you on some service updates and enhancements that have been happening.

Delta Air Lines announced it would inaugurate service from Paris to Pittsburgh and Raleigh-Durham. The new transatlantic route out of Pittsburgh will be the only transatlantic service offered out of that city, and the Raleigh flight will be the only one offered by Delta out of that city. Both services are to be launched in June 2009, using 757-200 aircraft and service will be five days weekly on each route. With its partnership with Air France, the service will offer easy connections to more than 90 cities from Paris. Pittsburgh is pleased with the development, as it lost its transatlantic service in 2004, when USAirways dropped London and Frankfurt service. Officials there have been trying to get the service, or any alternate service resumed since. In Raleigh-Durham, American operated the same route from 1988-1994. Fellow pundit, the Cranky Flier, commented that the flight is likely to suffer from fuel stops, due to the distance combined with the choice of a 757, which is a bit cramped for such service.
Southwest Airlines filed new airfares between 56 cities and Minneapolis-St. Paul, taking advantage of its announced service from its Chicago-Midway hub. Expect competition on this one from Northwest, who has previously defended its hub aggressively. However, they are in the midst of a reorganization to become part of Delta, so there may be a policy change. Either way, watch out for falling fares.
In addition to the eight daily nonstop flights being added from Minnepolis to Chicago-Midway, on March 8th, Southwest Airlines is adding a daily nonstop from Birmingham to Phoenix, and one additional roundtrip flight on the following routes: Las Vegas to Orlando(to bring it to twice daily), Baltimore-Washington and Denver(four times daily), Baltimore-Washington and Ft. Lauderdale(five times daily), Chicago-Midway and Omaha(six times daily), and Midway and Pittsburgh(six time daily).
AirTran Airways launched new service this past week at Port Columbus Airport in Columbus, Ohio. It now offers roundtrip nonstop service to Atlanta, Orlando, and Ft. Myers, with additional connections available.
Cayman Airways announced effective in December, new nonstop service from Washington to Grand Cayman, as well as the resumption of service from Chicago, complementing existing service from New York’s JFK Airport, Miami International Airport, and Tampa Airport, The new services will operate twice weekly and will be operated by 122-seat 737-300s, with an 8-seat business class.

Related articles by Zemanta