A federal judge in Texas has blocked United Airlines from placing employees who have applied for an exemption to the carrier’s Covid-19 mandate on unpaid leave until at least Oct. 26. In the temporary restraining order, U.S. District Judge Mark […]
Fiji reopening to vaccinated U.S. travelers
Fiji will reopen to vaccinated travelers from the U.S. beginning Dec. 1. The South Pacific nation, which has closed its borders to tourism throughout the pandemic, is making the move after achieving a vaccination rate of more than 80% of […]
United enabling PayPal payment for onboard purchases
United Airlines flyers will soon have the option of using PayPal QR codes to make contactless payments onboard. The carrier said the deployment will begin in November on select flights out of Chicago O’Hare and will be extended to its […]
IATA anxious for details about U.S. reopening to international travel
BOSTON — IATA is calling for clarity on which vaccines the U.S. will accept when it reopens to visitors from Europe, China, Brazil, India and elsewhere next month. “The lack of further details is hampering operational planning for the airlines […]
United to codeshare with Airlink; AA with IndiGo
Codeshare agreements announced Tuesday would give United customers greater access to southern Africa and American customers increased access to India. United’s agreement with South Africa-based Airlink would open United flyers to Airlink’s 40-plus destinations. It would also augment United’s existing […]
Singapore Airlines resuming New York and San Francisco routes
Singapore Airlines will resume flying from Frankfurt to New York JFK and from Hong Kong to San Francisco on Nov. 2. Both routes, which continue on to Singapore, have been suspended since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline […]
FAA: Getting tough with unruly passengers paying off
The rate of unruly-passenger incidents on U.S. flights has dropped by about half since January but remains more than double the rate of late 2020, according to the FAA. “Our work is having an impact and the trend is moving […]
Transpacific startup Northern Pacific Airways buys 757s
Anchorage-based startup Northern Pacific Airways has acquired six Boeing 757-200 planes. The airline said it plans to fly from Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International Airport to destinations in the U.S. and East Asia. Possible destinations include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seoul […]
Airlines can secure personal wheelchairs in the cabin. Will they?
In contrast to the requirements imposed on bus lines and trains, the American with Disabilities Act doesn’t require airlines to make it possible for passengers to travel in their personal wheelchairs. However, a newly released National Academy of Sciences (NAS) […]
Finnair is adding U.S. flights from Stockholm
Finnair will begin flying to the U.S. from Stockholm in October. In addition, the carrier is extending its summer seasonal Chicago O’Hare-Helsinki route to year-round. “We’re excited to provide American travelers easier and more frequent access to Finland and beyond […]