I know I posted about this yesterday, but there was a lag in getting episode 2/x live on what’s wrong at American. It’s up there now on all your favorite podcast haunts.
Spirit to Furlough 1,800 FAs
In this week’s edition of Spirit’s Spiral to Obscurity, the carrier is planning to furlough about 1,800 flight attendants — or roughly one-third of its cabin crew members.
This comes as no surprise, as Spirit has dramatically cut its network footprint during this bankruptcy — it’s second in less than a year. About 800 FAs have been on voluntary leaves of absence, which allowed the carrier to stave off the inevitable involuntary furloughs for a while, but time and economics have won out in the end. Spirit will ask for volunteers first — just like an overbooked flight — offering six and 12 month voluntary furloughs with volunteers retaining their medical benefits. (Side note: we understand medical benefits are limited to one of those traveling hydration IVs to ease the pain after a night drinking Buzzballz.)
The FAs union is working with its chapters at other carriers to get preferential interviews for those affected. The involuntary layoffs and furloughs will take place December 1, which should make for some uncomfortable Thanksgivings for Spirit staff across the country as they brace for the news.
Breeze Blows Internationally
Breeze Airways plans to blow across U.S. borders for the first time, as the carrier plans international service to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico next year.
The carrier will begin on January 10 with Saturday-only service between Norfolk and Cancún, with Charleston to Cancún launching a week later on January 17. Other service for Breeze will include Saturday-only service from both New Orleans and Providence to Cancún, 2x weekly flights from Raleigh-Durham to Montego Bay and Punta Cana, and lastly, Tampa to Montego Bay.
The new flights also include a new crew base in Raleigh-Durham, expected to open early next year. It will be Breeze’s 12th base and will bring more than 200 pilot and FA jobs to the Triangle, some of whom have planned to move in several weeks ahead of schedule so they can get rich supplementing their income by renting their places out for the once-in-a-lifetime demand surge when Durham and Duke University host the NCAA Field Hockey Final Four in late November.
American Loses Its ChicAAgo Lawsuit, And United Couldn’t be Happier
After months of trying to delay the inevitable, American has lost its lawsuit to prevent gates from being reallocated next week at Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Starting October 1, among other changes, United will now gain five gates while American will lose four. Balkan Bulgarian, if you were wondering, will remain flat at zero.
American had argued that the airport’s gate reallocation process couldn’t begin until the final gates in the so-called “L stinger” concourse were completed. While the judge said he didn’t doubt there was a side agreement to that effect, it never made it into the final agreement so, and we quote, “suck it up, buttercup.”
For its part, United definitely wasn’t gloating at all in a memo from President Brett Hart (this one, not this one) where he called it a “a powerful validation of United’s growth, investment and incredible workforce here in our hometown of Chicago.” In reality, it’s just a legal interpretation of a contract, but sure, whatever works.
Delta Replaces APUs to Stop Poisoning Passengers
Apparently Delta has been poisoning passengers on its A320s for the last few years through a design flaw in the APU that increases the risk of cabin air being contaminated with pollutants such as engine oil. Economists from several leading universities all agreed that while poisoning passengers is not ideal, it does explain how the carrier gets so many disoriented people to foolishly redeem SkyMiles for the astronomical rates it charges.
Similar to most airplanes, the A320 uses a bleed-air system to send fresh air into the cabin while on the ground. The system draws in compressed air from the engine, cools it through the AC, and pumps it into the cabin. And it turns out the APU on the A320 is potentially more susceptible to bringing in contaminated air because the inlet to the APU is close to two potential sites of oil leakage.
When asked about the situation, a Delta spokesperson seemed rather unconcerned, claiming the carrier takes special care to ensure that the contaminated air is only pumped into sections of the airplane that feature Basic Economy passengers or those who connected in on a SkyWest flight.
United’s Guam Glow-Up
United Airlines will replace the fleet at its base in Guam, swapping the 11 ancient B737-800s its been flying out of the south Pacific island with B737 Max 8s beginning in February.
These newer airplanes burn fuel a little more efficiently and are a little quieter, but the real different for the customer will be the dramatically upgraded interiors and passenger experience. These MAX8s come with 10-13″ HD monitors, bluetooth audio, larger overhead bins (though you’ll still be asked to check your bag at the gate), and Starlink Wi-Fi (eventually).
The MAX 8 aircraft flying to Guam will come with 166 seats in total, with 16 in first. The front rows of economy can even be collapsed to accommodate a stretcher for patients needing medevac transport or customers who passed out from low blood pressure due to anxiety of having to connect in Newark.
As part of its refresh in Guam, United will also adjust its schedule from Saipan three days each week to fly four hours earlier, allowing for a better connection to Honolulu. The carrier will also upgrade its check-in lobby at the airport in Guam, creating a new luxurious space that includes more comfortable seating, less congestion, and a 8×8 holding pen with one communal toilet for passengers booked in Basic Economy.
- Air Canada is extending its service between Ottawa and London/Heathrow to operate year-round.
- Alaska is adding a lounge in San Diego.
- Avelo is suspending its service to Manchester (NH).
- Cathay Pacific will return to Seattle with 5x weekly service beginning on March 30.
- Contour is cutting flights to Altoona.
- Delta is pulling out of Geneva. But it’s inserting itself into Porto. Meanwhile, it’s supersizing its First Class cabin, but only temporarily… on a subfleet.
- Garuda Indonesia is considering a merger with Pelita Air.
- Gol‘s potential merger with Azul is off after a collapse in negotiations leaving everyone feeling blue.
- ITA could break even this year. Maybe. Fingers crossed.
- KLM says its enhancing service on-board intercontinental flights, and U.S.-based travelers know there’s nothing worse than an airline announcing any sort of enhancement.
- LATAM is purchasing 24 E195-E2s with an option for up to 50 more.
- Lufthansa CityLine will reportedly retire its fleet of CRJ900s and A319s by early 2027.
- Norwegian Air Shuttle exercised an option to add 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8s to its current order.
- PIA is resuming service to the UK in November. That gives it about five weeks to find some pilots.
- Ryanair is going exclusively digital beginning November 12.
- SAS codeshare with Air France-KLM is being expanded to SAS-operated flights to the U.S.
- Turkish is purchasing 50 Dreamliners with an option for 25 more.
- Uzbekistan Airlines is purchasing 14 B787-9 Dreamliners with an option for eight more.
- WestJet is sprucing up the seating options in its economy-only B737 MAX 8s.
When I buy a pack of a dozen ribs, I only eat ribs 2, 3, 5, 7 and 11.
I prefer prime ribs.
