Republic Airways pilots ratify a new three-year contract

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (Republic Airlines 2nd and Shuttle America) (Indianapolis) has announced that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ (IBT) Local 357, which represent the approximately 2,100 pilots of Republic, have voted by a margin of 76% to ratify a new three-year contract, with approximately 85% of the eligible pilots voting.

The three-year agreement becomes effective on or about November 1. The agreement invests approximately $50 million a year on average over the three-year duration of the new agreement, including both the ratification bonus and the anniversary bonus. The new agreement includes significant improvements in work rules and pilot quality of life. Additionally, it establishes pay rates that recognize Republic’s pilots as leaders in the regional airline industry, including a transformational $40/hr first year new hire rate.

Southwest Airlines announces new spring routes

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) beginning on April 12, 2016, will begin offering new nonstop service between:

Grand Rapids, Michigan and Chicago (Midway)

Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C. and Atlanta

Flint, Michigan and Chicago (Midway)

Dayton, Ohio and Chicago (Midway)

St. Louis and Des Moines, Iowa

St. Louis and Wichita, Kansas

St. Louis and Pittsburgh*

Wichita, Kansas and Phoenix

Newark and Orlando

Las Vegas and Newark

*Starts March 10, 2016

In addition to the new routes on April 12, 2016, Southwest will begin offering year-round nonstop service between St. Louis and Seattle/Tacoma, previously offered seasonally.

Southwest serves 96 destinations across the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

JetBlue reports net income of $198 million for the 3Q

JetBlue Airways Corporation (New York) today reported its results for the third quarter 2015:

Operating income of $351 million in the third quarter. This compares to operating income of $164 million in the third quarter of 2014.

Pre-tax income of $322 million in the third quarter. This compares to pre-tax income of $132 million in the third quarter of 2014.

Net income of $198 million, or $0.58 per diluted share. This compares to JetBlue’s third quarter 2014 net income of $79 million, or $0.24 per diluted share.

Air Austral moves up the last Boeing 777-200LR revenue flight to October 30

Air Austral (St. Denis, Reunion Island) has now scheduled the last Boeing 777-200 LR (Longer Range) revenue flight for October 30 as flight UU202 from Dzaoudzi (Mayotte Island) and Reunion per Airline Route. This was brought forward from May 30, 2016.

SAS schedules the last Boeing 717 revenue flight for October 31

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is now planning to operate the last Boeing 717 revenue flight on October 31. The last flight is currently scheduled to be flight SK1768 between Prague and Stockholm (Arlanda) according to Airline Route. The 717s are operated by Blue1 (Helsinki) for SAS.

As previously reported, SAS sold Blue1 to CityJet and will continue to operate operate other aircraft types for SAS under contract.

Spirit Airlines reports 3Q GAAP net income increased 44.9% to $97.1 million

Spirit Airlines, Inc. (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) today reported third quarter 2015 financial results.

• Adjusted net income for the third quarter 2015 increased 31.6 percent to $97.3 million ($1.35 per diluted share) compared to the third quarter 20141. GAAP net income for the third quarter 2015 increased 44.9 percent year over year to $97.1 million ($1.35 per diluted share).
• Adjusted pre-tax margin for the third quarter 2015 increased 560 basis points to 26.9 percent. On a GAAP basis, pre-tax margin for the third quarter 2015 increased 760 basis points to 26.9 percent.
• Spirit ended the third quarter 2015 with unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $748.9 million.
• Spirit’s return on invested capital (before taxes and excluding special items) for the twelve months ended September 30, 2015 was 28.8 percent2.

Emirates and Alaska Airlines to codeshare

Emirates (Dubai) today (October 26) announced a new codeshare and lounge agreement withAlaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma).

Emirates continued:

Pending governmental approval, Emirates will begin marketing up to 300 daily Alaska Airlines flights, which will give customers the simplicity of purchasing connecting flights on both airlines using one reservation, and a seamless ticketing, check-in, boarding and baggage check experience during the entire journey. In addition, the new codeshare agreement will feature several other new benefits including reciprocal lounge access and priority boarding and check-in for elite fliers.

With two daily flights now departing from Dubai to Seattle/Tacoma, the enhanced codeshare agreement gives passengers easy connections to 49 cities including Honolulu, Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, Phoenix, Pullman, Sacramento, Spokane, Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks as well as Canadian destinations such as Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.

Top Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Emirates Boeing 777-36N ER A6-EBC (msn 32790) taxies to the gate at Amsterdam.

Below Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-990 ER N474AS (msn 40715) with the revised titles and winglet markings arrives at Baltimore/Washington.