New aircraft and new flights to the Caribbean lead this week’s air travel news.
This week ANA launched its revamped Boeing 777-300ER on the Tokyo – New York route. Newly redesigned seats on the aircraft include The Suite in First Class – the airline’s first-ever fully enclosed seating, which has a design inspired by luxury Japanese hotels. The Suite has privacy enhancing doors and a 4K, 43-inch personal monitor, as well as a moveable partition that can be adjusted on request to pair seats. Also new is The Room in Business Class, which offers flexible doors for personal privacy that can also be adjusted to pair seats, a sofa that is double the width of previous Business Class seating, wood finishes inspired by modern Japanese homes and a 4K personal monitor.
In new flight news, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism announced the addition of a third American Airlines daily flight between Miami and St. Croix next summer. The new service will run between June 4 and August 17, 2020, on a Boeing 737 aircraft.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean, St. Kitts announced that both American Airlines and Delta will extend their existing nonstop Saturday flights from New York - JFK to include the month of May 2020, providing continuous service from peak season through summer. From May 2 through June 3, 2020, American will add a total of four rotations for the flight on a 160-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft, while from May 2 through June 6, 2020, Delta will add a total of three rotations for the flight utilizing a 160-seat Boeing 737-800.
In Europe, Virgin Atlantic announced plans to increase its flights to Manchester as part of its summer 2020 schedule, including additional frequencies from Las Vegas and Orlando. Flights from Barbados to Manchester will increase from two times a week to three times a week for the whole of the summer season. There will also be an increase of flights from Las Vegas to Manchester with two extra weekly flights for the peak season, while out of Orlando thee airline will add two weekly flights, offering up to 14 flights per week during peak season. The airline also announced two extra flights a week from London Gatwick to Orlando, offering up to 18 flights a week in the peak summer season.
In onboard product news, Delta launched its new international Main Cabin experience this week. The new service includes a complimentary welcome cocktail, hot towel service and bistro-style dining.
Finally, this week Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport officially opened the doors of its new North Terminal. Officials said that the new 35-gate, $1 billion terminal will accommodate further growth at the airport, which is now the fifth-fastest-growing airport in the United States.
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