Air Canada pilots ratify contract
October 11, 2024
Air Canada's pilots have voted to approve a new four-year collective agreement. The more than 5,200 pilots were represented in negotiations by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which in mid-September agreed a tentative pact with Air Canada. "This contract is the largest labour agreement in Air Canada's history and reflects contributions that our pilots bring to the success of our airline," states Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada ALPA master executive council. "We look forward to working under these improved pay rates and working conditions while continuing to connect our passengers to Canada, North America and the world." Air Canada chief executive Michael Rousseau notes that the "mutually beneficial" contract "creates a framework for future growth of the airline and its network".
United to add eight new global destinations in summer 2025
October 11, 2024
United Airlines has unveiled a major international expansion of its 2025 summer schedule that will make it its largest ever transatlantic operation, and add new routes in Asia, Latin America and Africa. From its Newark hub, the carrier will launch twice-weekly seasonal flights to Nuuk on 14 June, four weeklies to Faro from 16 May 2025, and Madeira thrice-weekly from 7 June 2025. United will also launch thrice-weekly seasonal Newark-Palermo services using Boeing 767-400s from 16 May, while flights to Bilbao will begin on 31 May. The airline will resume service from Newark to Athens on 6 March, to Venice on 29 March and daily to Dubrovnik. It is also adding three new routes from Washington Dulles, including its thrice-weeklies to Dakar from 23 May, plus seasonal nonstops to Nice and Venice from 22 May. United will resume San Francisco-Barcelona and Chicago O'Hare-Athens from 1 May, with the latter flight operating with 787-10s. In Asia, the carrier will operate a seasonal service from Tokyo Narita to Ulaanbaatar from 1 May and a year-round service to Kaohsiung on 11 July 2025 and expand its Narita-Koror (Palau) service to year-round. Schedules data shows that it will be the only carrier to operate nonstop services between the USA and Kaohsiung, while it will join MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Aero Mongolia on the Ulaanbaatar route. United is also adding a weekly, year-round service to Puerto Escondido from Houston operated by United Express partner Mesa Airlines on Embraer 175 aircraft from 5 April, plus a daily San Francisco-San Jose (Costa Rica) service with Boeing 737 Max 8s.
Delta swaps in A330neos to add seats for New York-Accra route
October 10, 2024
Delta Air Lines has begun using Airbus A330neos for its daily route connecting New York JFK and Accra, Ghana, boosting seat capacity by 30%. The US major, which offers the only nonstop flights connecting the two destinations, had previously been operating Boeing 767s for the route, schedules data shows. The Atlanta-based carrier says that using A330neos adds approximately 1,000 additional seats each week for flights between New York and Accra. Additionally, Delta now offers four seat classes for the flights, including "Delta One Suites", which features "fully lie-flat seats, luxury bedding, and privacy doors, paired with chef-curated meals and premium beverages", the carrier says. "The accelerated deployment of this new aircraft reflects the strong demand for our product, and we're excited to offer passengers a premium onboard experience across the Atlantic with Delta's renowned service," states Ralph Albus, Delta’s director of global communications, commercial.