Recent weeks have seen a number of airlines posting new routes, and in some cases serving new cities or hubs. A few of the recent postings mark significant changes, including direct-to-Europe service from Vancouver and Pittsburgh’s budding revival as a trans-atlantic destination.
Here’s a rundown of some of the notables:
Pittsburgh on the Rise
Pittsburgh, once a major hub for USAir and its overseas services, has struggled since the hub was dismantled in 2004. Until recently, it has been serving mostly as a regional hub, with its only trans-atlantic servicer a seasonal Delta route to Paris. A number of low-cost carriers also use the airport.
Last week, though, it gained not one, but two trans-atlantic carriers: Germany’s Condor, and Iceland’s expanding discounter, WOW. Condor will serve Frankfurt with a non-stop 3-class 767, seasonal at first, but hoping to grow to year-round. WOW Air will fly from Pittsburgh to Reykjavik year-round, providing connections from there to many cities in Europe.
British Air expands U.S. Destinations
Britain’s flag carrier is adding three new U.S. cities: Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans and Oakland. New Orleans will get 4 flights a week using a 787 Dreamliner; it’s the city’s first European flight since the 1980s. The Heathrow flight will get a seasonal competitor later on, Germany’s Condor.
The Oakland and Fort Lauderdale flights will use London Gatwick, and will compete directly with discounter Norwegian, which flies the same routes. BA will fly the routes with 777-200s. Oakland makes a Bay Area trifecta: the airline already serves San Francisco and San Jose.
Air Canada adds Vancouver routes
Canada’s flag carrier, Air Canada, is building up service between its Pacific Coast hub and Europe, adding summer seasonal service to Frankfurt and London Gatwick, adding to flights that already go to Heathrow, Dublin and, with partner Lufthansa, to Munich. The expectation is that the seasonal routes could continue if demand is strong. The Frankfurt flights will use a 787; Gatwick will be covered by a 767-300.
In the past year, Air Canada has also added Vancouver-Delhi and Vancouver-Brisbane, Australia routes.
Delta and Alaska head-to-head with a twist
Delta and Alaska Airlines have been battling for dominance at Seattle, Alaska’s primary hub. The rivalry’s taken perhaps the strangest twist as Delta has added a non-stop service to Seattle from Milwaukee, using an Embraer E175 operated by Skywest under the Delta Connection brand. The competitor on the route is an Alaska Airlines flight, using an Embraer E175 operated by Skywest under its own name as an Alaska Airlines affiliate.
Skywest also flies other routes as United Express and American Eagle.
JetBlue adding more Florida-to-California service
Re-opening a service ended in 2011, JetBlue is adding service between Fort Lauderdale and Long Beach, CA, where it is the largest carrier. In the years since the route last operated, both cities have become ‘focus cities’ for the airline, which will offer passengers on the route many connection on each coast. The airline is also adding Los Angeles-Orlando service.
