this season
AVIATION PROFILE LEVEL
IAG — parent company of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling — has entered the UK transatlantic no-frills carrier market, currently dominated by Norwegian and WOW air, with new airline LEVEL. There are four routes launching in June from its Barcelona hub, two of which offered starting fares of £85: within 24 hours of its launch in March, the airline said it had sold 52,000 seats to California (Los Angeles and Oakland), Argentina (Buenos Aires) and the Dominican Republic (Punta Cana). Customers can connect through Barcelona from Vueling flights. Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG,
described LEVEL as taking a ‘modern approach’. Various companies are following suit: Luſthansa’s offshoot, Eurowings, continues to expand its long-haul offering, and Air France will start
long-haul services on its Boost subsidiary in 2018. LEVEL’s basic ticket offers just
the essentials: a seat, personal TV screen, and one item of hand luggage. However, the unlimited weight limit on the later is a more generous offering than its competitors, and customers can collect Avios points. LEVEL’s middle tiers — Basic and
Basic Plus — add on hold luggage and extra legroom, while Premium Economy includes a three-course meal, two checked bags, 37” of legroom, seat selection, a larger 12” screen and personal noise- cancelling headphones. LEVEL owns just two 314-seat
Airbus A330s, which will be operated by Iberia flight and cabin crew. However, the company has suggested that more routes and craſt are in the pipeline for 2018.
flylevel.com
Edinburgh to Chicago
Where are we going? To the Windy City with Iceland’s only no-frills airline, WOW air, founded in 2011.
What are the details? Flights will depart from Edinburgh to Chicago O’Hare via Reykjavik from 13 July, with the service operating four times per week on Airbus A321 aircraſt. Flights to O’Hare are also being introduced simultaneously from London Gatwick and Bristol. Fares start from £139. The approximate total journey time from London Gatwick will be 11 hours, including stopover.
Why? Skúli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW air, said, “I’m thrilled to add Chicago as our 10th North American destination, offering ultra-low fares to UK travellers who may not have previously considered travel to this exciting city viable. This is our fourth new long-haul route announcement in just a few months, bringing our network now up to a total of 32 destinations.”
what’s new?
The electronics ban in hand luggage affects direct, inbound flights to the UK from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, on six UK and eight overseas airlines. For information visit
gov.uk
What’s in Chicago? It’s easy to linger on Chicago’s stunning skyline and bold public spaces. But dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover a patchwork of charismatic neighbourhoods — home to everything from vintage bric-a-brac grottos to elevated parks and quirky bars offering food trucks, shuffleboard and ‘movieoke’ nights.
Who else flies there? Among others, United Airlines, American Airlines and British Airways fly non-stop from the UK.
wowair.co.uk
countrybycountry.com | ABTA Magazine 17
NEW ROUTES
IMAGE: GETTY
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