ARC NEWS
TAAG Angola nears completion of transfer to Luanda's new airport
June 27, 2025
TAAG Angola Airlines foresees completing the transfer of its international flights from Luanda Quatro de Fevereiro International to the capital's new Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto International airport (AIAAN) by 15 September. The African carrier began transferring flights to AIAAN in November 2024. It has already transferred domestic services to the airport, as well as flights to regional destinations Brazzaville and Kinshasa. From September, flights to all international destinations including Lisbon and Sao Paulo will be operated from the new airport. "This is a relevant step in our strategy to enhance the customer experience and operational efficiency, as all logistics and fleet will be centralised at AIAAN, offering multiple and positive synergies," states TAAG chief executive Nelson Rodrigues de Oliveira.


Hawaiian Airlines hit by cybersecurity event
June 27, 2025
Hawaiian Airlines' operations have not been affected as the carrier works to address a cybersecurity event that has affected some of its IT systems. The carrier issued a short statement at 7:45 Hawaiian standard time on 26 June saying that it has "taken steps to safeguard our operations, and our flights are operating safely and as scheduled". "Upon learning of this incident, we engaged the appropriate authorities and experts to assist in our investigation and remediation efforts. We are currently working toward an orderly restoration and will provide updates as more information is available," it adds. In a later update on the same day, it clarified that the authorities it is working with are "federal authorities" and will provide further updates.


Spirit complains to DOT about JetBlue-United partnership
June 26, 2025
Spirit Airlines has asked the US Department of Transportation to extend the review period of United Airlines' and JetBlue Airways' joint venture agreement by an additional 60 days. It also wants the DOT to make the agreements available for public review and to provide a period for public comments, which Spirit says the DOT has previously done. Spirit says in its 24 June complaint that United and JetBlue's "Blue Sky" partnership, announced in May, "raises serious competition and public interest questions similar to the NEA", referring to the now-defunct Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue that a US federal judge dissolved in a May 2023 court order. On 28 April this year American filed a lawsuit against JetBlue to recover money it claims is owed to it following the unwinding of the NEA. Spirit argues that Blue Sky partnership "creates the same anti-competitive incentives present in the NEA". It says: "JetBlue, enticed by the benefit to its customers of United's far larger global network, will become a de facto vassal of United. Despite a rote assertion that the carriers will 'continue to manage and price their networks independently,' JetBlue's network decisions, on both overlap and non-overlap routes, will certainly be affected by United's wishes and a 'combined' approach to capacity management." Spirit adds: "JetBlue will need to purchase more expensive United miles to offer the United connectivity (e.g., on United's international long-haul routes, as well as to large parts of the domestic US not served by JetBlue) to JetBlue loyalty program members. That incremental cost must necessarily be covered by higher JetBlue fares." Spirit also argues that the tie-up "promises coordination on high-value corporate accounts and, more importantly, helps perpetuate the unchanging lack of access in both New York area and Boston airports to new entrants and limited incumbents offering competitive prices to the public". It conlcudes: "In short, this anti-competitive tie-up involving a dominant legacy carrier will neutralise the competitive benefit of an existing low-fare competitor (JetBlue), will raise fares, and will tend to weaken other value airlines, such as Spirit and others, by siphoning off customers attracted by access to the United loyalty program." United referred comment to JetBlue, which tells Cirium it thinks Spirit's filing "misrepresents Blue Sky and twists the facts about how JetBlue and United plan to deliver for customers". "Blue Sky is built around the goal of offering more value and options for travellers. Through an industry standard loyalty program agreement, customers will gain more ways to earn and redeem points/miles and access loyalty benefits. Each airline will offer flights for sale on one another's websites and apps to make booking across the two airlines' complementary networks simple and easy," JetBlue says. "Blue Sky involves an industry standard interline agreement and does not include schedule coordination or revenue sharing. JetBlue and United will remain competitors as they each will continue to publish, price, and market flights independently under their own brand and flight numbers and make independent network decisions."


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