Sky Talk

DFW Airport spent $50 million on incentives to lure international carriers

No landing fees and free marketing dollars has lured several international carriers to launch service at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

Since 2012, the airport has offered $50 million in incentives to airlines to add flights to far flung destinations including Dubai, Shanghai and Sydney, airport chief executive Sean Donohue told Fort Worth business leaders at a luncheon on Wednesday.

"We are going to continue to maximize that program because if you get a return of $200 million [in economic impact per year] alone in one flight, that's a great return on investment," Donohue said at the Mayor's International Luncheon hosted by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.

Unlike domestic visitors who spend about $500 to $600 when they visit Fort Worth, international travelers tend to stay longer and spend between $2,000 to $3,000 in the local economy, Donohue said.

In the past four years, international passenger traffic has grown 39 percent at DFW Airport. Recently, Qantas Airways and Emirates Airlines both started using the world's largest passenger jet, the Airbus A380, on its routes to DFW.

"Global is where we're all going... that's why [we've] been so focused on growing the international footprint at the airport," Donohue said.

 

-Andrea Ahles 

Virgin America launches Dallas Love-New York LaGuardia route with fare sale

Virgin America added service to New York's LaGuardia airport today out of Dallas Love Field with four daily nonstops between the cities.

To promote the new flights, Virgin America announced a fare sale on the route, with fares as low as $89.

"We have had a great response to our fares so far, demonstrating that travelers are ready for more fare and product competition at LaGuardia, particularly on this key business route to Dallas Love Field," said Virgin American senior vice president John Macleod.

Virgin America began flying out of Dallas Love Field on October 13 when the Wright Amendment restrictions, limiting long-haul flights at Love, were lifted. The San Francisco-based carrier was awarded two gates at Love Field after American Airlines was required to give up the gates to receive government approval for its merger with US Airways.

-Andrea Ahles

AAdvantage and Dividend Miles frequent flyer programs to merger in early 2015

American Airlines will fold US Airways’ Dividend Miles frequent flyer program into its AAdvantage program in the second quarter next year, the carriers said on Tuesday.

The combination, which is the next step in the merger between American and US Airways, will allow members of both programs to match up their accounts and combine mileage balances into one account. There are about 110 million members in the two programs.

However, it is not changing how members can qualify for elite status as some industry analysts had previously speculated. Several other frequent flyer programs like Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines have changed from mileage-based accrual systems for elite status to ones based on how much was paid for a ticket.

“As we look to combine the AAdvantage program and the Dividend Miles program, we have been very focused on integrating as quickly as possible the two programs so we can get merger benefits out to our customers and the marketplace as quickly as possible,” said Suzanne Rubin, president of AAdvantage. “Obviously, we will, as we always do, watch and monitor what happens in the marketplace now that we’ve seen competitors move to this type of construct.”

American is also introducing a new upgrade policy for its elite status members. And for Dividend Miles members where there were four elite tiers to the program, they will be moved into the three levels — Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold — currently in the AAdvantage program.

Dividend Miles Elite Level	AAdvantage Elite Level	Elite-Qualifying Miles	Elite-Qualifying Points	Elite-Qualifying Segments
Silver	Gold	25,000	25,000	30
Gold	Platinum	50,000	50,000	60
Platinum
Chairman’s Preferred	Executive Platinum	100,000	100,000	120

It will also be more difficult for business travelers who fly short-haul flights to achieve the Executive Platinum level at AAdvantage based on segments. Currently, it only takes 100 segments or 100,000 qualifying miles but under the new program, flyers will need to earn 120 segments or 100,000 qualifying miles.

“As we bring these two new networks together and we inntroduce a lot of shorter distance flights we thought that change made sense for the program,” Rubin said.

American said it plans to combine customers’ accounts this spring and will base their elite status on their combined mileage total which will be valid through February 2016. For Dividend Miles members who do not have an AAdvantage account, American said it will create one for them.

Once the programs are integrated, American said all elite members will receive complimentary upgrades on eligible flights less than 500 miles, which is about 34 percent of the departures in the combined network. Elite members will have different benefits on American and US Airways flights until the carriers move to a single reservation system which is expected in late 2015.

Earlier this year, American and US Airways announced reciprocal earning and redemption of miles on either airline which could count to either the AAdvantage or Dividend Miles program.

-Andrea Ahles

Monday Midday Must-Reads

-Everyone wants to know when is the best day to buy an airline ticket and the Wall Street Journal has discovered that it is on the weekend. "The lower Sunday and Saturday prices also result from the ability social media has given airlines to throw discounts in front of consumers at any time," the article says.

-The MD-11 has made its last passenger flight, twenty four years after the tri-engine jet first went into service. USA Today reports KLM flight 672 from Montreal to Amsterdam arrived Sunday morning in the Netherlands and was the last scheduled flight for the MD-11.

-And American Airlines may be cutting flights out of Charlotte as flights to Europe haven't performed as well as executives had hoped, the Charlotte Observer reports. "While we haven't finalized our plans for next year, some of the new Charlotte routes did underperform our expectations," American president Scott Kirby said in the article.

-Andrea Ahles

And the rest of the airline earnings bunch...

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines were not alone in posting profitable third quarters.

Here's a run down of the rest of the airlines who reported third quarter earning on Thursday.

-United Airlines reported $924 million in net income, or $2.37 per share, an increase of 144 percent compared to $379 million in net income posted in the third quarter of 2013. Total revenues grew 3.3 percent to $10.56 billion for the quarter.

-Alaska Airlines said its net income dropped to $198 million compared to $289 million in the third quarter of 2013. Revenues also declined slightly to $1.465 billion compared to $1.557 billion in the same period last year.

-Net income at JetBlue Airways grew to $79 million, up from $71 million in the third quarter of 2013. Revenues at the carrier increased almost 6 percent to $1.529 billion.

-Andrea Ahles

American CEO Parker: biggest integration tasks lie ahead

In his quarterly message to employees, American Airlines chief executive Doug Parker said the biggest integration tasks for the merger between American and US Airways lie ahead.

Next year, the Fort Worth-based carrier hopes to achieve its single operating certificate and combine its reservations systems.

"But what we have accomplished so far gives us confidence that we are on the right track together," Parker wrote.

Keep reading for the full letter from Parker.

-Andrea Ahles

A Message from Doug Parker

American Airlines Group Reports Record Third Quarter Profit

Dear Fellow Team Members,

Today we announced a third quarter profit of $1.2 billion excluding special charges. These outstanding results can be attributed to the hard work that you all do for our customers every day, and I thank you for those efforts.

The third quarter was not without some challenges; events like the hurricane in Cabo San Lucas and the disruption to Midwest flying caused by the fire at the FAA facility near Chicago added complexity to an already complicated operation and integration. Our team stepped up and managed those challenges extremely well and did a great job of taking care of our customers.

As we approach the end of the year, what the American team has accomplished is phenomenal. We’ve co-
located operations in more than 80 airports. We’ve re-banked the MIA schedule to increase the number of available connections for our customers, and we’re preparing to do the same at DFW and ORD. Just this week, the Cargo department became the first operational part of the airline to fully merge. Most importantly, our teams are working well together in support of our collective goal to build the greatest airline in the world.

The pace of the integration will pick up even more in the year ahead. It will be exciting, but also challenging. As you know, some of the biggest tasks in our integration still lie before us, including achieving one single operating certificate and combining our reservations systems. But what we have accomplished so far gives us confidence that we are on the right track together. Thanks for all you’ve done and continue to do – we are well on our way to restoring American as the world’s greatest airline.

Doug

Etihad Airways boosts DFW-Abu Dhabi route to daily service

Etihad Airways hasn't even launched its Dallas/Fort Worth-Abu Dhabi route and the airline is announcing it is boosting the three-times a week service to daily service.

The Persian Gulf carrier will begin its service at DFW on December 3 and then increase to daily flights on April 16, 2015. Etihad said it will use a Boeing 777-200LR on the route with eight first class seats, 40 business class seats and 177 seats in economy.

"Our Dallas/Fort Worth service was announced at the end of last year and the market response has been extremely strong," said Etihad chief executive James Hogan in a statement. "The increased frequency also reinforces our commitment to the United States and will strengthen the country's deep commercial and bilateral ties with the United Arab Emirates."

Etihad's competitors, Emirates Airline and Qatar Airways, both have daily service to the Middle East from DFW Airport. Earlier this month, Emirates increased its capacity on its Dubai route with the use of a double-decker Airbus A380 on the route.

-Andrea Ahles

American reports record third quarter profit of $942 million

American Airlines made almost a billion dollars in profit in the third quarter, the best quarterly financial performance for the Fort Worth-based carrier in its history.

The company said it posted a $942 million profit as it generated $11.1 billion in revenues for the quarter.

"This performance reflects the strength of our merger and the commitment of our team," said American chief executive officer Doug Parker. "While some of the biggest tasks in our integration still lie before us, the significant accomplishments to date reinforce our confidence that we are well on our way to restoring American as the world's greatest airline."

Excluding one-time accounting items, American said its net income was $1.2 billion, or $1.66 per share, beating Wall Street analysts' expectations of $1.63 per share, according to FactSet Research.

Shares of American are up 47 percent since the beginning of the year, trading around $37. In December, American merged with US Airways and is currently in the process of integrating the two airlines.

The carrier paid an average of $2.98 per gallon of aircraft fuel, down from $3.03 from the third quarter of 2013.

Cowen and Co. analyst Helane Becker told investors American will benefit from lower jet fuel prices which continue to drop along with the price of oil.

“American does not hedge jet fuel, and although it is in the process of replacing its older fleet with younger, more fuel efficient aircraft, it still uses more jet fuel than any other major (or minor) airline,” Becker wrote in a research note Thursday morning. “As a result, it is more leveraged to lower jet fuel prices; this will help 4Q14 margins.”

-Andrea Ahles

Southwest posts $329 million third quarter profit

Southwest Airlines posted a $329 million profit as it carried more passengers on fewer flights during the third quarter.

The Dallas-based carrier said revenues grew 5.6 percent to $4.8 billion in the quarter even though the average passenger fare increased less than a percent to $160.74.

"Revenue momentum has continued into October 2014, with favorable load factors and unit revenue trends," said Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly in a statement. "Current bookings for November and December are also good."

Excluding one-time accounting items, Southwest said income was $382 million, or 55 cents per share, beating Wall Street analysts' expectations of 53 cents per share, according to FactSet Research.

Shares of Southwest are up 82 percent since the beginning of the year, trading around $34 a share.

Jet fuel prices continued to decline as Southwest said it paid $2.94 per gallon, down from $3.06 per gallon in the third quarter of 2013.

The company also paid out about $100 million in profit sharing to its employees in the quarter. On Wednesday, Southwest reached a tentative contract agreement with its passenger service agents that included pay raises and signing bonuses.

-Andrea Ahles

Southwest reaches tentative agreement with customer service agents

Southwest Airlines said it has reached a tentative agreement with its customer service agents and representatives.

The 6,000 workers, who are represented by the International Association of Machinists, will vote on ratifying the agreement later this fall. 

"I applaud the efforts of both parties in reaching a tentative agreement that incorporates rewards and incentives for our hard-working Customer Service Agents and Customer Representatives, while remaining mindful of Southwest’s low cost structure and long term success," said Southwest chief operating officer Mike Van de Ven in a statement.

The deal is a four year contract that includes 1.5 percent pay raises on the date of signing and for the first three years of the deal. In the last year of the contract, workers will receive a 2 percent raise. There are also signing bonuses as part of the contract.

"After more than two years of negotiations, with many distractions and ups and downs, your negotiating committee has reached a tentative agreement with the Company. Without your solidarity and support, this would not have been possible," said David Supplee, IAM District 142 president.

Earlier this summer, the IAM asked federal mediators to get involved in the contract discussions as the two sides had been unable to reach an agreement after two years of talks.

-Andrea Ahles

 

American launches codeshare with Jetstar Japan

American Airlines announced a new codeshare agreement with Jetstar Japan on Wednesday.

The agreement will allow American to place its AA code on flights between Tokyo and five other Japanese cities and make it easier for American passengers to connect on to Jetstar flights. The codeshares start on October 26.

"Jetstar Japan’s network provides our customers with access to more destinations in Japan," said American chief marketing officer Andrew Nocella in a statement.

American has been increasing its presence in Asia, adding flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai out of its hub at Dallas/Fort Worth airport. Earlier this month, American petitioned the U.S. government for the right to fly between Los Angeles and Tokyo's Haneda airport. The carrier also has a joint business agreement with Japan Airlines.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Travelers from Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea must pass through a U.S. gateway airport, government says

The Department of Homeland Security increased travel restrictions for those coming to the U.S. from the Ebola-affected countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Travelers from those three countries must travel through one of the five airports in the U.S. that has implemented additional screening of passengers from West African flights, the government announced on Tuesday.

"We are continually evaluating whether additional restrictions or added screening and precautionary measures are necessary to protect the American people and will act accordingly," DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement.

About 94 percent of the approximately 150 travelers that enter the U.S. each day from those countries already fly through New York's JFK, Newark, Dulles, Atlanta and Chicago airports that have the secondary screening processes in place.

Keep reading for the full statement from Johnson.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Today, as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s ongoing response to prevent the spread of Ebola to the United States, we are announcing travel restrictions in the form of additional screening and protective measures at our ports of entry for travelers from the three West African Ebola-affected countries. These new measures will go into effect tomorrow.

Last week, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DHS implemented enhanced screening measures at five airports around the country – New York’s JFK, Newark, Dulles, Atlanta and Chicago. Passengers flying into one of these airports from flights originating in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are subject to secondary screening and added protocols, including having their temperature taken, before they can be admitted into the United States. These airports account for about 94 percent of travelers flying to the United States from these countries. At present there are no direct, non-stop commercial flights from Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea to any airport in the United States. 

Today, I am announcing that all passengers arriving in the United States whose travel originates in Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea will be required to fly into one of the five airports that have the enhanced screening and additional resources in place. We are working closely with the airlines to implement these restrictions with minimal travel disruption. If not already handled by the airlines, the few impacted travelers should contact the airlines for rebooking, as needed.

We currently have in place measures to identify and screen anyone at all land, sea and air ports of entry into the United States who we have reason to believe has been present in Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea in the preceding 21 days.

Yesterday I had a conference call with our CBP officers at the five enhanced screening airports. I was impressed by their professionalism, and their training and preparation for the enhanced screening. I reminded our CBP officers to be vigilant in their efforts, and encouraged them to set a calm example for an American public nervous about Ebola. I thanked these men and women for their service.

We are continually evaluating whether additional restrictions or added screening and precautionary measures are necessary to protect the American people and will act accordingly.

Monday Midday Must-Reads

-Five international gateway airports in the U.S. began screening passengers arriving from West Africa last week in an attempt to keep the Ebola virus contained. USA Today reports that these five airports received 94 percent of the passengers arriving from countries where Ebola cases have occurred.

-The Street.com reflects on how Delta Air Lines has pushed back against Wall Street analysts questioning the Atlanta-based carrier's capacity plans. Ted Reed writes, "Delta's third=quarter earnings call on Thursday became a battleground, leading an apparently irritated CEO Richard Anderson to declare: 'We will not discuss pricing and we will not discuss capacity among competitors on these calls today or in the future, because it is not appropriate.'"

-Several U.S. airlines are scheduled to report earnings this week and the Wall Street Journal says they are likely to post strong quarterly profits. However, concerns about Ebola and capacity buildups have airline stock prices down lately, the WSJ says.

-Andrea Ahles

American says it has created a "contagious disease" task force

American Airlines told employees on Thursday that it has reviewed its policies and procedures related to contagious diseases and created a task force to address concerns related to Ebola.

In a company newsletter American said it has not needed to change or update procedures in place for infectious disease control. It is also answering employee questions through a central email address.

"We’re trying to outpace the fear, and are relying on facts and direction from the CDC," said Deborah Thompson, director of emergency planning and response.

Keep reading for the full note sent to American employees.

-Andrea Ahles

Deborah Thompson, Director Emergency Planning & Response, speaks to Ebola concerns: 

We have created a task force that oversees contagious disease situations exactly like we are seeing now, so we are ready. The very first thing we did was review our procedures onboard and on the ground to see if they were compliant with CDC guidelines, and they are. We have procedures in place for infectious disease control, for cleaning lavatories, for personal protective equipment, and we haven’t needed to change those.

After an exhaustive review of our current policies and procedures, the next thing we did was expand the task force outreach to all operating groups. We started centralizing all of our co-workers’ questions and concerns, and aggregating those questions to a central location so the answers could be viewed by all. Find answers to your questions on Jetnet and Wings. We also had a conference call with union leadership, who are joined with us to ensure all information coming to us from the CDC and other agencies is shared broadly. 

We want to answer your questions, and we are approaching this with a mindset to present facts, and to gather direction and disseminate those updates quickly. We have set up a special mailbox and encourage employees to use that. We’re trying to outpace the fear, and are relying on facts and direction from the CDC.

Passengers at DFW not concerned about ebola

It was business as usual at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport’s Terminal E on Thursday, a few days after the revelation that a nurse infected with ebola arrived on a Frontier Airlines flight into that terminal.

Passengers didn’t appear to be overly concerned about ebola and weren’t altering travel plans.

Arlington resident Cynthia McKnight returned from Chicago on a Spirit Airlines flight on Thursday morning into Terminal E next to the Frontier operations.

"I was never worried," McKnight said. "If I was worried, I wouldn’t have flown."

Frank Walsh arrived on a flight from Puerto Vallerta for a business trip to Dallas and said he was not worried about traveling to the U.S. city where three cases of ebola have been confirmed.

"I think my mom is more concerned than I am," Walsh said. "It’s a real concern but I think it can’t stop you from making a living."

Local travel agencies say that while ebola is a topic of conversation, they are not seeing any cancellations of trips by customers.

"No one is changing their plans at this point," said Steve Cosgrove, owner of Dynamic Travel in Southlake. His agency also books safaris and trips to Africa for customers and he said those customers are usually experienced travelers who understand the risks of traveling to foreign countries.

Travel Leaders/Main St. Travel in Fort Worth has several agents that handle missionary travel and they have not had many questions or comments about ebola, said president Terry Denton.

"We haven’t had any real negative impact on the business yet," Denton said. "But we are very aware that we could, if the outbreak was to get worse."

So far, U.S. airlines say that fears about ebola have not affected bookings for domestic travel.

On a conference call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday, Delta Airlines chief executive Richard Anderson said bookings do not appear to be impacted by ebola. Delta has the most flights to Africa of any U.S. carrier.

"What’s worth noting is you really can’t catch ebola on an airplane," Anderson said.

For business traveler Tom Latina, flying on Frontier from DFW back to his home in Denver was humorous.

"Will I be making a wisecrack to someone sitting next to me? Probably," Latina said, noting that although the virus is a serious issue, it has become a punchline where he works. "We don’t call it Dallas anymore, we call it ebola country."

-Andrea Ahles

Frontier places two pilots, four flight attendants on paid leave due to Ebola issue

Frontier Airlines has placed two pilots and four flight attendants on paid leave for 21 days following the revelation that a passenger was symptomatic with Ebola when she flew on a Frontier flight on Monday.

The Denver-based airline said it is going "over and above" guidance from the Centers of Disease Control which stated the crew was safe to fly.

Frontier is also keeping the aircraft used on Flight 1143 from Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth out of service and is removing all of the seat covers and carpets in the immediate vicinity of the passenger seat. Environmental filters will also be replaced. 

"These steps were taken out of concern for the safety of our customers and employees," said Frontier chief executive David Siegel in a letter sent to workers late last night. "Steps such as removing the aircraft from service, removing aircraft seat covers and carpet and replacing environmental filters as well as placing the crew on paid leave were not requested nor mandated by the CDC."

Frontier said the aircraft is expected to be returned to service in the next few days.

Keep reading for the full letter from Siegel.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Dear Team,

We know today has been challenging for Frontier Airlines team members so we felt it important to provide you with an update of the facts and our proactive response to the developments throughout the day.

We take today’s events seriously as your safety and that of our customers is always at the forefront of everything we do.

Since we were notified by the CDC, we’ve proactively placed six crew members (two pilots; four flight attendants) on paid leave for 21 days out of an abundance of caution as the safety and security of our employees is our number one priority. This was over and above CDC guidance that stated that our flight crews were safe to fly.

We have also been working in close cooperation with our unions and appreciate their support on this issue.

Frontier Airlines Chronology – Ebola virus

Oct. 10

• ·         Passenger first travels on Frontier Airlines flight 1142 Dallas/Fort Worth to Cleveland
• ·         Aircraft terminates its operation for the evening and is sanitized in accordance with Frontier’s standard operating procedures (consistent with CDC guidelines). Aircraft remains in service.

 

Oct. 13

• ·         Passenger returns to Dallas/Fort Worth on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth (departs 6:16 p.m. EDT, arrives 8:16 p.m. CDT)
• ·         Aircraft terminates its operation for the evening and is sanitized in accordance with Frontier’s standard operating procedures (consistent with CDC guidelines). Aircraft remains in service.

 

Oct. 14

• ·         The aircraft is routed as follows:

2042 DFW-CLE (departs 7:50 a.m. CDT, arrives 11:27 a.m. EDT)

1104 CLE-FLL (departs 12:13 p.m. EDT, arrives 3:01 p.m. EDT)

1105 FLL-CLE (departs 3:43 p.m. EDT, arrives 6:25 p.m. EDT)

1101 CLE-ATL (departs 7:14 p.m. EDT, arrives 9:07 p.m. EDT)

1100 ATL-CLE (departs 9:57 p.m. EDT, arrives 11:00 p.m. EDT)

• ·         Aircraft terminates its operation for the evening and is sanitized in accordance with Frontier’s standard operating procedures (consistent with CDC guidelines). Aircraft remains in service.

 

Oct. 15

• ·         At approximately 1:00 a.m. MDT, Frontier is notified by the CDC that a passenger traveling on Frontier flight 1143 Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth on October 13 tested positive for the Ebola virus.
• ·         Immediately upon notification from the CDC, Frontier removes the aircraft from service.
• ·         At the request of the CDC, Frontier supplies customer contact information. CDC instructs Frontier that they would contact our customers.
• ·         Separately Frontier reaches out to impacted customers with CDC contact information.
• ·         The aircraft does not perform any scheduled flying and remains out of service in Cleveland until later in the day when it was operated with crew only as a ferry flight to Denver.

 

NEW INFORMATION:

• ·         At 1:55 p.m. MDT Frontier was notified by the CDC that the passenger may have been symptomatic earlier than initially suspected; including the possibility of possessing symptoms while onboard the flight.

 

SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS:

• ·         In light of the new information, Frontier determines that the aircraft will remain out of service and ferries it back to Denver from Cleveland without customers. The flight departs at 6:20 p.m. EDT and arrives in Denver at 7:20 p.m. MDT. In an abundance of caution, it is determined that the aircraft will receive a fourth cleaning since the infected customer was onboard. Though not required, this cleaning will consist of the removal of seat covers and carpets in the immediate vicinity of the passenger seat. The airline will also change the environmental filters onboard.
• ·         NOTE: These extraordinary actions went beyond CDC recommendations. These steps were taken out of concern for the safety of our customers and employees. Steps such as removing the aircraft from service, removing aircraft seat covers and carpet and replacing environmental filters as well as placing the crew on paid leave were not requested nor mandated by the CDC. Frontier expects that the aircraft will return to service in a few days.

Thank you for continuing to represent Frontier proudly on the front lines. Please reach out to your departmental leadership should you have any additional concerns or questions.  I’m proud to stand with Team Frontier and appreciate all you do for our customers each and every day.

We will provide additional updates if developments warrant.

David Siegel

CEO Frontier Airlines

Healthcare worker who tested positive for Ebola flew on Frontier flight day before getting sick

A healthcare worker who tested positive for Ebola flew on two Frontier Airlines flights over the weekend, prior to exhibiting symptoms of the deadly virus.

Amber Joy Vinson, who was admitted to the hospital Tuesday and placed in isolation, flew from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Cleveland on Frontier flight 1142 on Friday, October 10. She returned to DFW on Frontier flight 1143 on Monday, October 13.

"Because of the proximity in time between the evening flight and first report of illness the following morning, CDC is reaching out to passengers who flew on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth Oct. 13," the Center for Disease Control said in a statement on Wednesday.

Frontier is contacting the 132 passengers that were on the Airbus A320 aircraft that landed at 8:16 p.m. on Monday. The aircraft was cleaned overnight at DFW per the airline's usual procedure before returning to service the next day. 

The A320 is Frontier's largest aircraft and can seat up to 168 passengers.

"Customer exhibited no symptoms or sign of illness while on flight 1143, according to the crew. Frontier responded immediately upon notification from the CDC by removing the aircraft from service," the airline said in a statement.

UPDATE: Frontier said Wednesday afternoon that the aircraft used on flight 1142 has been cleaned several times and has re-entered service.

"We are following CDC standards and going a step farther. The aircraft has already been cleaned three times since the exposed patient was onboard consistent with CDC guidelines. We take what occurred very seriously but CDC guidance is that no other flights were at risk for exposure.  It has re-entered service," the Denver-based carrier said.

-Andrea Ahles

Will Tarrant County residents bypass DFW to fly out of Love?

On the first day of Wright Amendment restrictions going away at Dallas Love Field, a few Tarrant County residents decided to bypass Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to take advantage of the cheap fares.

Arlington resident Clay Harris said he had planned to take his family on their first trip to Disney World since their kids are out of school for fall break this week. When he saw the fare sale Southwest Airlines ran to celebrate the end of the Wright Amendment, he quickly bought tickets on the nonstop 1:30 p.m. Orlando flight.

"It was cheaper than American, about $800 less for our family of four," Harris said. "I usually always fly American out of DFW but it's so much less it was worth the extra twenty minute drive."

Susan Fincher, who also lives in Arlington, was excited to take Virgin America's flight from Love Field to Washington Reagan National Airport. She and her husband wanted to take a vacation in Virginia and the Virgin America airfare sale made it possible.

Driving past DFW, where her husband volunteers in the ambassador program, to take flights out of Love Field is a typical occurrence for Fincher.

"Normally we fly Southwest because we have family on the West Coast so we usually come here," Fincher said.

-Andrea Ahles

Sir Richard Branson says Virgin America will bring competition to Love Field

Sir Richard Branson flew into Dallas Love Field on Virgin America's first flight from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. He joked about giving Southwest Airlines a little bit of competition at the Dallas-based carrier's home airport.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Video: Navigating Congress to get the compromise passed

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison remembers the battle to get Congressional approval of the compromise agreement in 2006.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Audio: Creating the gate penalty for Southwest

One condition of the compromise said that or every gate Southwest opened up at another airport within 80 miles of Love Field, it would have to give up a gate at Love Field.

Former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller recalls asking then American CEO Gerard Arpey what was his main concern about easing the Wright restrictions.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Southwest celebrates the lifting of the Wright Amendment

Even the travelers who didn't know about the expiration of the Wright Amendment on Monday quickly realized it was not a business-as-usual morning at Dallas Love Field.

A rock band played loudly above the security checkpoint. Free donuts and coffee tempted passersby.

Southwest Airlines chief executive officer Gary Kelly scanned boarding passes and passed out hugs to passengers boarding the inaugural nonstop flight to Denver, the first flight to leave Love Field for one of Southwest's seven new destinations.

The Dapper Dans from Disney World serenaded the waiting crowds with, "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" and other Disney favorites, before boarding the first nonstop flight from Dallas Love Field to Orlando.

Tom Stevens, a businessman from Farmersville, has been flying Southwest for about 30 years and took a quick stroll through the Frontiers of Flight Museum in the main terminal to honor the day.

"We are happy campers," Stevens said, adding that the new nonstop flights will save both him and his company time.

Bill de Haas, a Dallas businessman, said he started flying Southwest in their first few months, when flight attendants still wore "hot pants" and you could buy tickets to Houston for $19 round trip.

"Now we can fly it all over the United States, and this really makes it much easier," said de Haas of the expiration of the Wright Amendment. "I want to get on the plane and go."

Kate McNamara interned for Southwest in college five years ago. Now a flight attendant, McNamara, based in Baltimore, was so excited about the expiration of the Wright Amendment that she flew to Dallas and bought a hotel on her own dime to work one of the inaugural flights.

"I remember back then that the Wright Amendment felt so far away," McNamara said of being an intern. "It restricted our service and it restricted our growth as a company. It seemed this day would never get here, and here it is five years later and I'm a flight attendant working one of the inaugural flights."

She also showed up to the airport early to wave goodbye to the first flight of the day.

“There it goes!” she said, as she watched Flight 1013 taxi away. "It represents an enormous opportunity for us," she said. "It makes us more efficient."

Southwest executives and city leaders held a press conference early Monday morning to celebrate the lifting of the Wright Amendment restrictions.

"It is such a great day for us, this beautiful gateway to the City of Dallas. We have a wonderful, convenient, efficient airport, which is a great asset for Dallas and all we needed was a little good legislation," said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, praising the airport as a job creator and economic driver for the region. "Today we get to celebrate what is changing the City of Dallas and changing Love Field."

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who worked on the legislation to terminate the Wright Amendment and co-founder, Chairman Emeritus, and former CEO of Southwest Airlines Herb Kelleher were also at the celebration.

"This literally took an act of Congress," Kelly joked. "Do you all know what that is like?"

Despite the severe early-morning thunderstorm and flooding, the flights leaving Love Field were all on time.

"We launched new flights right on time. I had a little bit to do with that at 6:40,” Kelly said, mentioning that he scanned the boarding passes for the first flight to Denver.

On Sunday, Southwest Airlines had 118 departures out of Love Field. On Monday, with the added destinations, the daily departures increased to 140, a 19 percent increase in flight activity.

In November that number will increase to 149 departures each day, Kelly said, with eight more nonstop destinations added. The flights will increase yet again In January to 153 daily departures, as Southwest adds two more nonstop flights.

"After 43 years, when it comes to Southwest and Love, we ain’t no virgin," Kelly said referring to Virgin America who is also launching flights out of Love Field on Monday.

-Caty Hirst

Video: A Virgin Landing at Dallas Love Field

Virgin America's first flight to Dallas Love Field arrived at 9:13 a.m.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Video: A little song from Kasey Musgraves to Sir Richard Branson

On the short Virgin America flight from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Dallas Love Field Monday morning, country singer Kasey Musgraves serenaded Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Where you can fly out of Love Field post-Wright

Want to know where you can fly to now that the Wright Amendment has been lifted?

Check out this interactive story map that shows where Southwest Airlines and Virgin America are flying to starting today.

 -Andrea Ahles

Audio: Why limiting Love Gates was important to DFW

DFW Airport chief executive Jeff Fegan remembers that controlling the growth of Love Field was critical to the airport during the negotiations.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Video: Getting Fort Worth leaders to the table

Former Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief discusses the difficulty of getting local leaders to negotiate a deal to end the Wright Amendment.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Video: Why Southwest decides to fight Wright

Southwest executive vice president Ron Ricks says the carrier was faced with three options: leave Dallas completely, move to DFW Airport or fight the Wright Amendment.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Video: Jim Wright on the amendment that bears his name

Former Speaker of the House Jim Wright may be 91 years old but he still recalls the importance of the amendment that bears his name. Wright says the amendment has fulfilled its purpose in giving Dallas/Fort Worth Airport the time it needed to grow into the international hub it has become today.

 

-Andrea Ahles

For consumers, impact of Wright going away not as great as some may have hoped

The moment that North Texas travelers have been waiting for has finally arrived.

Starting today, nonstop flights to Denver, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago will be taking off from Dallas Love Field as the Wright Amendment restrictions are lifted.

For consumers, industry analysts say, there will be more choices, particularly for business travelers, since there will be more daily flights to cities like Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. And there may be some fare sales as airlines try to fill seats on these new flights.

“You’re basically going to have to spur demand and the only way to spur demand in something like this is to drop prices,” FareCompare.com founder Rick Seaney said. “You have to get people to go who wouldn’t go if the price isn’t right.”

For 34 years, the Wright Amendment allowed flights out of Love Field to only a handful of states unless the airline was using planes with fewer than 56 seats. A compromise between local leaders and approved by Congress ends those restrictions while limiting the airport to 20 gates and prohibiting international flights.

But the impact won’t be as great for North Texas fliers as some might have hoped when the compromise was reached in 2006.

The airline industry has fewer competitors, with several airlines merging, including American and US Airways, and Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways. Oil prices spiked in 2008 and have remained around $100 a barrel. As a result, average fares at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and Love Field have increased in the past few years.

“The real beneficiaries of the Wright Amendment going away are people who live closer to Love Field than to DFW,” said Bud Weinstein, an economist at Southern Methodist University. “It’s also a real plus for downtown Dallas because you now have an airport 10 minutes from downtown.”

To read the full story that appeared in Monday's Star-Telegram, click here.

-Andrea Ahles

 

The end is finally here! Wright Amendment restrictions lifted at Love Field

After eight years of waiting, North Texas travelers can hop nonstop flights out of Dallas Love Field to cities as far away as Los Angeles, Baltimore and Chicago.

I'll be heading on a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Dallas Love Field, courtesy of Virgin America, who will be moving its operations from DFW to Love now that the Wright Amendment restrictions are lifting. Follow me @Sky_Talk to see live tweets from Sir Richard Branson's LUV flight.

I'll also be hanging out in the new terminal at Love Field, chatting to passengers that are either arriving or departing to post-Wright cities.

And Star-Telegram reporter Caty Hirst will be covering the celebration by Southwest Airlines, who launched its campaign "Wright is Wrong" to get the amendment repealed almost a decade ago. Its first post-Wright flight is scheduled to leave for Denver at 6:40 a.m. while it's first post-Wright arrival is coming in from Chicago's Midway airport around 9 a.m. Follow her @catyhirst for updates of the day's festivities.

Also check out Sky Talk throughout the day for videos, audio recordings and interactive features about the Wright Amendment.

-Andrea Ahles

 

 

Interactive: A brief history of the Wright Amendment

More than 34 years ago, the Wright Amendment went into effect, prohibiting nonstop flights to states that weren't adjacent to Texas.

Here's a brief look at the history of the Wright Amendment in an interactive timeline.

Interactive: Wright Amendment, through the years

-Andrea Ahles

Wright Amendment: The end, with Love

A decade ago, Southwest Airlines declared “Wright was Wrong,” but for Fort Worth leaders, the Wright Amendment was right.

The 1979 amendment, which restricted long-haul flights out of Dallas Love Field, was enacted to protect the new Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, built jointly by Fort Worth and Dallas. With Delta Air Lines announcing in 2004 that it was dropping from 200 flights a day to 20, DFW Airport still needed that protection, they argued.

But when members of Congress began to file bills that would add their states to the list of approved destinations out of Love Field, local leaders realized that the time had come to figure out a solution for the future of the Dallas airport and, ultimately, the Wright Amendment.

“When they started understanding that other states were starting to repeal the Wright Amendment and that was going to set a precedent for other congressional leaders to start doing the same thing, it was abundantly clear that it wasn’t going to be long before everybody started jumping ship and the Wright Amendment was going to collapse,” former Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief said in a recent interview.

With pressure from Congress, local leaders’ attitudes toward the Wright Amendment began to change. A compromise was reached in 2006, limiting Love Field to 20 gates and no international service while allowing for unrestricted domestic flights starting eight years later.

Dallas mayor Laura Miller and Fort Worth mayor Mike Moncrief sign the Wright Amendment Compromise in 2006

Now, on Monday, passengers will be able to fly nonstop to cities on the East and West coasts out of Love Field, as the restrictions put in place 34 years ago are finally lifted.

“We’ve been working to prepare for this for eight years,” Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said. “We’re ready. Our people are very excited and there is a lot of excitement with our customers.”

When former House Speaker Jim Wright is asked about the amendment that bears his name, he chuckles and reminds people that all of Congress voted on it, not just him. The amendment outlining the infamous flight restrictions was attached to the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979.

“The members of Congress knew what was necessary to protect the safety and well-being in this part of Texas, and to save the investment. It was a somewhat appreciable investment and money and time by the FAA for the development of DFW Airport,” Wright said.

Leaders of Dallas and Fort Worth agreed in the 1960s to close their municipal airports to commercial passenger service in order to receive federal funding for a regional airport that would be built halfway between the two cities. But Southwest Airlines, a small startup airline serving only cities within Texas, won several legal battles that ordered Dallas to keep Love Field open.

As the federal government moved to deregulate the airline industry in 1978, Wright said, it was necessary to limit Love Field to protect DFW, the fledgling regional airport. His original amendment prohibited all interstate flying out of Love Field, but the amendment was modified by the Senate to allow flights using aircraft with fewer than 56 passengers and for flights to neighboring states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

It was passed by Congress and took Feb. 18, 1980.

“They could have flown out of DFW anytime they wanted to,” Wright said about Southwest Airlines. “They were never prohibited from flying to other places so long as they flew out of the regional airport that was being built for that purpose.”

Over the next 25 years, several attempts were made to repeal the Wright Amendment completely or to modify it. In 1997, the Shelby Amendment added Kansas, Mississippi and Alabama to the list of permitted destinations out of Love Field.

And each time a campaign was started by an airline or leaders in Dallas to get rid of the restrictions, Fort Worth community leaders fought hard to keep them in place.

“Fort Worth’s attitude was a deal was a deal,” Moncrief said. “The Tarrant County delegation was vehemently opposed to taking it any further. They felt like this amendment was put in place to protect our largest employer, American Airlines, and to ensure that DFW Airport, our largest fiscal engine in the entire region, was protected.”

To read the full story that appeared in Sunday's Star-Telegram, click here.

-Andrea Ahles

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/10/11/6193498/decades-later-wright-amendment.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

American throws out some post-Wright numbers, reminds travelers who has the most flights out of North Texas

With the lifting of the Wright Amendment restrictions at Dallas Love Field only days away, American Airlines reminded its employees, and travelers, who has the most flights out of North Texas.

In a corporate newsletter, American said it is "well-positioned to withstand the challenge from Southwest and other airlines at Love Field."

"We are going to be in a competition for our customers when the Wright Amendment goes away. I think it’s a competition that we’re going to win," American president Scott Kirby said in the newsletter.

And American plans to win by flying more often to top business travel destinations each week. Here's a look at the numbers.

	Austin	Washington-Reagan	Los Angeles	New York LaGuardia	Chicago airports	San Antonio
American	96	70	115	90	116	99
Southwest	63	41	27	20	40	65

*weekly frequencies

There is one market that American acknowledges that Southwest still has the advantage and that's Houston. Southwest flies to Houston 138 times a week compared to American's 101 flights.

Keep reading for the full message in the American newsletter.

-Andrea Ahles

Winning the Battle for North Texas

On Monday, Oct. 13, the Wright Amendment, a law passed in 1979 to regulate traffic at Dallas Love Field (DAL), will expire. This will allow carriers that operate out of DAL to fly nonstop to any U.S. city starting next week. Years ago, American sought to ban the expiration, but times have changed.

Today, American is very well-positioned to withstand the challenge from Southwest and other airlines at Love Field. We now have the largest network in the world, with 6,700 daily flights to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries, not to mention our codeshare flights and joint business agreements. We also have a strong frequent flyer program, we’re improving the products in all of our cabins with new aircraft, Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment options and — most of all — we have a team of employees working hard to deliver a top-notch experience for our customers. Other carriers serve some of the same destinations from DAL that we serve from DFW, but in nearly every market, we have a much larger presence. That’s critical to winning business travelers.

There is only one market — Houston – where Southwest offers more flights on a weekly basis (138 versus our 101). Additionally, American serves more than 150 markets from DFW that aren’t
served from Love Field.

"We are going to be in a competition for our customers when the Wright Amendment goes away. I think it’s a competition that we’re going to win," American president Scott Kirby.

American and Envoy Air post the worst on-time rates in August

American Airlines and its regional subsidiary, Envoy Air, had the worst on-time arrival rates of domestic airlines in August with more than a quarter of their flights not arriving on time.

The Fort Worth-based airline posted an on-time rate of 73.2 percent while Envoy Air was slightly worse with a 70.6 percent on-time rate, according to U.S. Department of Transportation report released on Thursday.

“We had several extremely challenging weather days that affected several hubs,” said American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely.

Overall, the largest domestic carriers reported an on-time rate of 77.7 percent, down from 78.8 percent in August 2013. Airlines also canceled more flights, about 1.2 percent of their schedule, up from a cancellation rate of 1.0 percent in the same month last year. Envoy Air had the highest cancellation rate, canceling 3.8 percent of its flights in August.

Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time rate of 94.0 percent. Southwest Airlines ranked 11th out of 14 airlines with an on-time rate of 75.3 percent.

There was one flight that was delayed on the tarmac longer than three hours. Republic Airways flight 3497 was delayed for 183 minutes at Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport before departing for Columbus.

Airlines also mishandled more luggage in August, posting a mishandled bag rate of 3.69 reports per 1,000 passengers, up from 3.12 in August 2013. The DOT also received 21.9 percent more complaints about air service, receiving 1,602 complaints for the month.

-Andrea Ahles

Delta may get help from Southwest to use Love gate

Southwest Airlines may let Delta Air Lines borrow a gate at Dallas Love Field.

On Wednesday evening, Southwest vice president Mark Shaw said it was in ongoing discussions with Delta to possibly provide gate space to the Atlanta-based carrier which had been told by the city of Dallas to vacate Love Field before October 13.

"We have let Delta know that we are willing to potentially accommodate them on a portion of a gate through January 6, 2015, in order to avoid inconveniencing passengers booked on Delta flights from Love Field during that time," Shaw said in a statement.

Shaw added that Southwest expects to conclude the discussions quickly.

Delta had been leasing a gate at Love Field from American Airlines, providing flights to Atlanta on small regional jets. Earlier this year, American had to give up its two gates at Love Field to Virgin America as part of a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to get approval for American's merger with US Airways.

Delta had tried to negotiate lease space with Virgin America and United Airlines, which leases two gates at Love Field, but had been unsuccessful. The city of Dallas notified Delta last week that it would have cease operations at Love Field.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Air, Land & Sea Ep. 15: Tollways and Airplane Shower Spas

You know we can't talk enough about the Airbus A380s that landed at DFW Airport last week and it's part of the latest edition of the Air, Land & Sea podcast.  Star-Telegram transportation reporter Gordon Dickson and aviation reporter Andrea Ahles discuss the shower spas on Emirates' A380 and also how much it's going to cost Metroplex drivers to take the new toll lanes on the North Tarrant Express lanes. 

 

-Andrea Ahles

Passenger traffic at American declines slightly in September

American Airlines said its passenger traffic in September dropped 0.2 percent as the airline increased its capacity by 1.6 percent.

The company said its load factor also decreased 1.5 percentage points to 80.0 in September.

American said it expects unit revenues to be up 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent for the third quarter and estimates its pre-tax profit margin excluding special items will be in the 10 to 12 percent range.

In an investor filing made on Wednesday, American said it expects total capacity to be up 2.2 percent compared to 2013 as it adds larger aircraft to the fleet while retiring smaller planes.

American has about $8.8 billion in cash and short-term investments as of September 30. 

-Andrea Ahles

Southwest says passenger traffic up 5.1 percent in September

Southwest Airlines said its passenger traffic in September grew 5.1 percent while the carrier slightly increased its capacity by 0.7 percent.

The Dallas-based airline said its load factor rose 3.4 percentage points to 80.5 percent for the month.

Southwest said it expects unit revenues to increase about 5 percent when compared to September 2013.

-Andrea Ahles

Envoy Air pilots union elects a new leader

Envoy Air's pilots union elected a new leader on Tuesday, appointing Sam Pool as the new master executive council chairman.

Current Air Line Pilots Association MEC chairman Bill Sprague is leaving Envoy and is transferring to American Airlines later this month as part of a previous arbitration ruling that enabled several former American Eagle pilots to be hired on at American.

Pool has served as executive adminstrator for the past year and prior to that was a New York-based first officer for Envoy Air.

-Andrea Ahles

 

Southwest CEO says it will use United gates at Love Field for overflow

With one week until the Wright Amendment restrictions are lifted at Dallas Love Field, Southwest Airlines chief executive Gary Kelly is excited to add 15 new nonstop destinations for its Dallas customers.

Speaking at a breakfast hosted by YTexas at the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kelly said advance bookings for long-haul flights out of Love Field are more than the Dallas-based carrier had expected. On October 13, carriers can fly to any where in the U.S. out of Love Field which is currently limited to only a handful of states.

"I'm very confident that the demand will far exceed the capacity of the airport," Kelly said.

He also discussed the agreement Southwest has with United Airlines to possibly use one of the two gates United currently leases from the city of Dallas at Love Field. 

"We won't be scheduling flights off the United gates," Kelly said. "It will just be overflow on an as needed basis."

For example, on days when severe weather may delay flights, Southwest has permission to use one of United's gates to load passengers on or off an aircraft, he said.

Southwest has leases for 16 of the 20 gates at Love Field while United holds the lease on two gates. The other two gates used to be leased by American Airlines which was forced to give up its gates to Virgin America to receive government approval of American's merger with US Airways.

Delta Air Lines, which had been using one of American's gates, has been asked by the city of Dallas to suspend operations at Love Field since Delta was unable to come to a sub-lease agreement with either Virgin or United.

The Wright Amendment compromise agreement reached in 2006 and passed by Congress allows carriers to fly out of Love Field to any destination in the U.S. starting on Oct. 13, however, restrictions remain on international flights and the airport can only operate 20 gates. 

"The law could change," Kelly said, referring to the 20-gate capacity limit. "I'm not going to be the one to pursue that and I don't know anyone will."

-Andrea Ahles

 

Monday Midday Must-Reads

-With a confirmed case of Ebola in Dallas, questions have been raised on why the U.S. hasn't restricted flights from Africa. In this Washington Post article, experts say that travel restrictions may make the Ebola outbreak even worse as medical workers are unable to get to those countries where the disease has spread the fastest. "If someone isn't exhibiting symptoms of Ebola, that person is not infectious. And one of the first symptoms of Ebola is a fever. In airports in all of the affected regions and across the world, passengers coming from flights from West Africa are being screened for elevated temperatures," the article says.

-Alaska Airlines said it will order 10 more Boeing 737-900ERs, worth more than a half a billion dollars. The airline said it plans to replace its aging 737 Classics and expand service out of its Seattle hub with the purchase of the new aircraft, the Seattle Times reports.

-American is looking to take away Delta's Seattle-Tokyo Haneda route, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. In a filing made with the U.S. Department of Transportation, American said Delta is under-utilizing the route and if the DOT granted the Haneda slot to American, it would use the slot for daily service between Los Angeles and Tokyo. American had previously held a JFK-Haneda route but because the service was a disappointment, it was reassigned to United who flies between San Francisco and Haneda.

-Andrea Ahles

Love Field, DFW get makeovers with Wright Amendment a week away

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and Dallas Love Field have spent several years and millions of dollars getting gussied up for Oct. 13.

When the Wright Amendment flight restrictions are lifted next week at Dallas Love Field, travelers will be able to board long-haul flights out of a brand new terminal.

And 15 miles away, DFW is overhauling all of its domestic terminals with features including terrazzo floors, windows that admit more natural light and high-end concessionaires.

Both airports have improved the customer experience, adding power ports for passengers to charge phones and laptops in the terminals and changing out restaurants to offer a greater variety of food and beverages.

 The changes aren’t all operational either. A kinetic fine art piece hangs in the new baggage claim area at Love Field while DFW Airport offers comfort zones where passengers can take a nap or get a massage.

“The airport of the future really needs to be more than just a place where you walk off one plane and get on another,” said Byford Treanor, DFW’s vice president of customer service. “You want to enjoy yourself and you want to experience the airport and then be ready to get on the plane to sit for several hours.”

The end of the Wright restrictions at Love Field, which have allowed flights from the Dallas airport only to cities in Texas and nearby states since 1980, was a catalyst for the big improvements. But both facilities were also showing their age.

In Dallas, Love’s primary tenant, Southwest Airlines, agreed that it was time to update the 1950s-era terminal after Dallas, Fort Worth and other major parties, reached the historic agreement in 2006 to open up long-haul domestic fliying out of Love Field.

“With or without the Wright Amendment, the age of Love Field’s terminal facilities meant it was due and we were going to have to do some kind of renovation or remodel,” said Mark Duebner, Dallas’ aviation director, who oversees Love Field. “Old facilities become expensive to maintain, so sometimes you’re better off building new facilities.”

 And that’s what Dallas has done, spending about $500 million and issuing bonds backed by Southwest, to build a new 20-gate terminal. The first half of the terminal opened in April 2013, and the remaining gates opened last month. Since the airport only has 7,000 parking spaces in its garage, Duebner said, the city has started planning for a new garage.

Airport workers are still putting the finishing touches on concessions in the new terminal and a new baggage claim area opened a couple of weeks ago. Southwest had already moved all of its operations to the new terminal but Virgin America, which will shift its operations from DFW to Love Field this month, has yet to occupy its new gate and check-in counter.

To read the full article that appeared in Sunday's Star-Telegram, click here.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Envoy pilots union leader calls Miami base closure a "punitive decision"

Envoy Air's pilots union leader called the carrier's announcement to close its Miami crew base a "punitive decision."

In a letter sent to pilots, Air Line Pilots Association master executive council chair Bill Sprague said the carrier's news has created extreme challenges for the Miami-based pilots and their families.

Sprague said he spoke with Envoy Air chief executive Pedro Fabregas about the decision on Friday morning and explained it was made by American Airlines.

"I asked many questions to be sure that we understand the dynamics and logistics of the MIA draw down," Sprague said. "We have not been provided with an exact date, but we've been told to expect a displacement bid soon."

Keep reading for the full letter from Sprague.

-Andrea Ahles

October 3, 2014

To All MIA Pilots,

By now you have all heard the news that AAG announced the closing of the MIA Envoy Crew base beginning with schedule reductions in December and January as our EMB-140 and 145 aircraft are replaced by EMB-175 aircraft operated by Republic. The company states that the MIA base closure will be complete by April 2015.  Everyone in the MIA Envoy family will be affected by this punitive decision, which creates some extreme challenges for your families and those of our friends and co-workers in the Miami area. The accelerated timeline only increases the need to quickly prepare your families and decide how you will deal with this news.

I have been swamped with calls as the news of this announcement began to circulate. We, like you, have many questions and understand that each of you will need up-to-date information as you decide your future. Pedro Fábregas contacted me this morning to inform me of this decision and explained that it was made by American Airlines.  I asked many questions to be sure that we understand the dynamics and logistics of the MIA drawdown.  We have not been provided with an exact date, but we’ve been told to expect a displacement bid soon.  As more details become available we will communicate them to you.

We are planning a Pilot Unity event in Miami to answer your questions and to familiarize you with the career resources that ALPA will provide. We will announce the date and location as soon as they are finalized.  We are also available by phone and email and encourage you to call anytime as we move forward during this difficult transition.

Bill Sprague

MEC Chairman

Envoy to close crew base and cut 50 maintenance and management positions in Miami

Envoy Air continued to shrink on Friday as the regional carrier's chief executive told employees it will shutter its crew base and layoff about 50 employees in maintenance and management in Miami.

The move comes as American Airlines shifted its regional flying in Miami from the smaller 50-seat regional jets that Envoy operates to larger 76-seat aircraft.

Envoy chief executive Pedro Fabregas said the carrier will operate only 37 daily departures from Miami for American after December 18, down from 60 daily departures it currently operates. Instead of using Envoy, American is using other regional carriers that is has contracted with to operate larger aircraft.

"As American continues to optimize its network, there no doubt will be other changes that affect us," Fabregas wrote in a letter sent to employees on Friday. "I truly regret the adverse impact these changes will have on some of our people in [Miami]."

American's decision to shift some of its wide-body aircraft maintenance to Miami also means that Envoy will no longer have maintenance hangar space. As a result, employees may be moved to other Envoy facilities, Fabregas said.

The carrier expects to cut 50 positions in Miami, particularly in maintenance and management. It does not expect to layoff any pilots or flight attendants because of the reduced flight schedule but will close its crew base by April 2015.

Envoy operates regional flights for American Airlines under the American Eagle brand. American has 11 regional carriers that it contracts with to operate regional flights, including its three wholly-owned subsidiaries, Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines and PSA Airlines.

Earlier this year, Envoy pilots rejected a contract earlier this year that would have guaranteed the deployment of larger regional jets with Envoy in return for pay band freezes. Without a revised pilot contract, American has decided to take the 47 large 76-seat regional jets from Envoy and give them to PSA while also retiring Envoy’s smaller 44-seat ERJ-140 aircraft. As a result, Envoy has continued to shrink its operations as it conducts less flying for American.

Keep reading for the full letter from Fabregas.

-Andrea Ahles

American to Adjust Regional Flying, Maintenance in Miami

Dear Envoy Team:

As part of American’s integration work to optimize its network with US Airways, American has informed us that it is adjusting its regional flying in Miami (MIA) to include fewer 50-seat regional jets, beginning in December. American also is moving some of its heavy maintenance operation for wide-body aircraft to MIA.

Envoy is the largest operator in American’s regional network and will remain so after these changes in Miami. However, American’s new schedule and maintenance plans in MIA mean we must optimize our operation and position our employees in markets where they can help us maximize profitability and provide the necessary regional feed for the mainline operation.

Following the Dec. 18 schedule change, Envoy will operate 37 daily departures from MIA, using 12 50-seat EMB-145 aircraft for scheduled and charter services. This compares to 60 flights at the hub as of Oct. 1, using 23 aircraft. The 50-seat EMB-145 aircraft that will no longer be needed in MIA will be used to backfill Envoy flying in other locations, covering the planned retirement of 44-seat EMB-140 aircraft.

As American continues to optimize its network, there no doubt will be other changes that affect us. We must adjust in a way that creates the most efficient and cost-effective operation for Envoy, so we are poised to capitalize on future opportunities. I truly regret the adverse impact these changes will have on some of our people in MIA. These decisions are never easy, but we will continue to make the necessary business decisions to ensure the long-term success of our company.

American’s introduction of large regional jets in MIA represents a growth opportunity for Envoy’s Customer Service employees, as our people will continue to perform ground handling services for all American Eagle branded operations at the hub. Because the EMB-175 aircraft seats 26 more passengers than the outgoing EMB -145s, Envoy will add ground handling employees to support the new schedule.

While no Envoy pilots or flight attendants will be furloughed as a result of this schedule change, we will phase out our pilot and flight attendant bases in MIA. This will begin in January 2015, with closure complete by April 2015. Envoy flying in MIA will be staffed out of our DFW crew bases, bridging that flying over cities served by both MIA and DFW. Displacements will be handled according to our collective bargaining agreements.

To accommodate American’s increased need for wide-body maintenance and following the schedule change, Envoy will no longer maintain hangar space in MIA. Following the schedule change, line maintenance tasks requiring a hangar will shift to other locations in the Envoy maintenance system. Envoy line maintenance coverage and certain overnight check work will continue at the terminal. All TWU-represented employees in MIA who are affected by the reduced maintenance staffing requirement will be advised of positions at other locations within the Envoy system, in accordance with the provisions of their collective bargaining agreement.

We will also work with other employees who are affected by the reduced flying schedule to assist them with applying for available openings elsewhere in the company. If these employees want to stay with Envoy, we believe there are opportunities around our system for them to do so. We are still working to determine the exact impact, but anticipate reducing approximately 50 Envoy positions among all of the impacted departments in MIA, including maintenance, management and support staff.

It is up to all of us to stay focused, believe in our future at Envoy and adapt to these changes in a way that makes long-term sense for our employees and company. We serve American’s customers well and we must continue to provide the same outstanding service that will convince American that Envoy is their best choice, now and in the future. If we work together toward this common goal, I know we will succeed.

Thank you for all you do – for our customers and each other.

Pedro Fábregas

President & CEO

A peek inside Emirates A380

There is only one word to describe the interior of Emirates Airlines' A380: Extravagant.

The Persian Gulf carrier pays close attention to all of the little details that make this large plane the most luxurious to fly the world's skies. 

Here's some of the photos we took when Sky Talk got a brief tour of the A380 before it took off for Dubai.

The flight normally departs from Terminal D Gate 15 and 16 at 12:40 p.m. 

The first level of the A380 has 399 seats in economy class.

Each seat in economy has an in-flight entertainment system with over 1,800 channels.

A spiral staircase in the back of the plane leads up to the on-board lounge/bar area.

The lounge is stocked with liquors, fine wines and champagne for business and first class passengers.

There are 76 business class seats on the upper level of the A380.

Business class passengers are served several meals and have a choice of wines during the 13-hour-plus flight.

There are 14 First Class suites which feature fully lie-flat seats with pajamas for passengers.

Each suite has its own mini-bar and snack basket.

The suites can be closed off when the passenger does not want to be disturbed.

There are two shower spas available for first class passengers.

-Andrea Ahles

Video: Luxury in the Sky, Emirates A380 at DFW

Emirates Airline flight 221 landed at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on Wednesday at 9:21 a.m., bringing North Texans a glimpse at the most extravagant aircraft in the sky.

The Airbus A380 will be used daily on Emirates' flight between DFW and Dubai.

 

-Andrea Ahles

Emirates brings its A380 to DFW

It's the second A380 to land at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in less than a week.

On Wednesday, Emirates Airline began using its 489-seat A380 on its daily DFW-Dubai route.

The Persian Gulf carrier is the largest operator of A380 in the world with 52 in its fleet and 88 on order from Airbus.

By upgrading the route from a Boeing 777-200, Emirates is adding an additional 220 seats daily or 83 perrcent more capacity between the two cities.

Emirates’ A380 also features 14 private suites and shower spas in first class, 76 flat-bed seats in business class and extra legroom and custom lighting in economy class which has 399 seats.

The 16-hour flight departs DFW at 12:35 p.m. each day and arrives in Dubai at 12:20 p.m. the next day. The return flight leaves Dubai at 2:45 a.m. and arrives at DFW at 9:45 a.m. on the same day.

DFW Airport spent $2.8 million on a new jetbridge needed to serve the double-decker plane. Qantas Airways began using an A380 on its route between DFW and Sydney on Monday. The Emirates flight will use gates 15 and 16 at Terminal D in the morning while the Qantas flight will use it in the afternoon.

-Andrea Ahles

 

DFW Airport plans to spend $96 million on a new parking garage for Terminal E

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport plans to spend $96 million constructing a new parking garage for Terminal E as part of its terminal redevelopment program.

On Tuesday, the airport board's operations committee approved a contract for the construction of the new garage that will add another 1,600 parking spaces for Terminal E.

The full board will vote on the contract at its meeting on Thursday.

The new garage for Terminal E will cover the middle and southern sections of the terminal. The airport does not plan to tear down the northern garage section of Terminal E as it is only a little over a decade-old.

The two parking sections that the airport plans to replace currently has 2,337 parking spaces. When construction is completed on the five-level garages, the two sections will have 3,992 parking spaces.

About $4.3 million of the contract will be used on a new parking guidance system, similar to one installed in Terminal A's new parking garage that has red and green lights above occupied and open spaces.

-Andrea Ahles

Want a closer look at the A380?

The media had plenty of opportunities to take pictures of Qantas Airways' new A380 that landed at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on Monday. Here's a closer look inside and out of the Airbus double-decker plane.

Parked at Terminal D, gates 15 and 16

Qantas' familiar kangaroo livery dons a tan cowboy hat and blue bandanna for the occasion

A view from the back of the plane

The return flight to Sydney is expected to depart around 10:45 p.m. on Monday evening

Qantas ambassador-at-large John Travolta poses for photos with the flight crew

First class seats feature a massage function

First class passengers can also dine together as if they were seated at a restaurant

Business class features lie-flat seats

On the upper deck, business passengers can relax or hold meetings in a lounge area

Each business class seat also has its own in-flight entertainment system

Economy seats make up most of the lower deck

-Andrea Ahles