North America DESTINATIONS
American Airlines is adding 12 domestic routes from LA
will be the same size as Virgin Atlantic by 2020.
Given this, we may see some reaction from legacy airlines on transatlantic routes but it is likely that the focus will shift to China and South America, as the combination of low oil prices and fleet renewals prompt carriers to be bold in their choice of new routes in the next five years or so. All the big three US carriers have used the low interest rate environment to purchase new 787-9s and Airbus A350s. Even Delta, which has so far bought the bulk of its additional aircraft from the used market, has them on order.
Budget expansion Despite their bullishness, the big three do not have it all their own way. Southwest remains a major competitor, as does its younger cousin, JetBlue, with a swathe of budget brands expanding domestically. Southwest began flying internationally only in mid-2014 following its merger with AirTran and in April launches its 13th overseas destination, from Los Angeles to Costa Rica’s Liberia. Southwest’s ambitions for 2016 include a wish to operate from Long Beach Airport, adding to its portfolio of five Los Angeles area airports, where it claims to offer more daily flights than any other carrier. Southwest’s other latest focus is Houston’s Hobby Airport, where the lifting of restrictions on international routes after 46 years saw the opening of a $156m international concourse last October. Dallas Love Field benefited from a similar lifting of restrictions in late 2014 and Southwest went from 16 destinations to 50 during 2015. A spokesman said further expansion there was unlikely, as Southwest already uses 18 of its 20 gates, each with 10 flights a day. This year, Southwest expects overall capacity growth of 5-6%.
JetBlue, which is a hybrid model, splits most of its capacity equally across Florida, transcontinental and Caribbean/Latin America with focus airports at New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Long Beach and San Juan. In 2016, it plans to continue growth
from Fort Lauderdale’s new runway. Here, JetBlue offers 46 destinations, including 19 to the Caribbean and Latin America. Among them are Barbados, Puerto Rico and Ecuador, its 22nd country, plus it flies transcontinental to San Diego. This will w
Allegiant: All MD-83 and MD-88 aircraft to be replaced by new and second-hand Airbus A320 family by 2020.
USA airlines fleet stats
American Airlines: In 2016, American expects to add 55 to the mainline fleet, 49 to its regional fleet and remove 92 mainline and 29 regional aircraft. In March, the airline took delivery of the final three-class Boeing 777-300ERs, bringing the total number to 20. On order are:
42 x Boeing 787s (15 787-8s already in service) The first four 787-9s enter service in 2016 22 x Airbus A350s, from 2017
260 x Airbus A320s series by 2022 200 x Boeing 737s by 2022.
(Short-haul aircraft orders are mainly replacements)
Delta Air Lines: On order are:
18 x Boeing 787-8s 7 x Airbus A330-300s (delivered by 2017) 25 x Airbus A330-900s (delivery begins 2019) 25 x Airbus A350-900s (delivery begins 2019) 7 x Boeing 717-200s
70 x Boeing 737-900ERs (deliveries to conclude in 2018) 2 x Boeing 757-200s 45 x Airbus A321-200s (deliveries 2016-2018) 20 x Embraer 190s
Frontier: Fleet of around 55 increases by nine this year. 101 single-aisle Airbuses on order.
JetBlue: JetBlue’s fleet of 216 includes 130 A320s, 26 A321s and 60 E190s. Another 100 are on order.
Southwest: Southwest has 704 Boeing 737s and will grow this to 720 this year. It will retire all 129 -300 and -500s by mid-2018. There are orders for 533 Boeing 737NGs and 737MAXs by 2027.
Spirit: New Airbus A320s and Airbus A321s will increase the fleet from 79 to 145 by 2021.
United: United will this year receive: 1 x Boeing 777 5 x Boeing 787s 14 x Boeing 737s 9 x Airbus A319/320s 40 x Embraer 175s
On order are: 35 x Airbus A350s 175 x Boeing 737s, including 65 x 737-700s
14 x Boeing 777-300ERs 27 x Boeing 787s
(All Boeing 747s will be retired by late 2018)
routesonline.com ROUTES NEWS 2016 ISSUE 3 43
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76