Icelandic airline WOW will launch directs flights between Keflavík International Airport and Los Angeles and San Francisco in the summer of 2016. This will be the first time an Icelandic airline offers direct scheduled flights to Los Angeles.
The carrier will offer four weekly round-trips to Los Angeles and five round-trips to San Francisco, with connections to 18 destinations in Scandinavia, the U.K. and Continental Europe via Keflavík International Aiport in Iceland. WOW already offers direct flights to 3 destinations in North America: Boston, Washington and Montreal.
WOW is a low-cost airline that was founded in November 2011 and began its flight service in May 2012. The airline has grown rapidly and it’s estimated that 800,000 passengers will fly with WOW air in 2015 and double that in 2016.
WOW will use Airbus A330-300 planes for the long flight to the USA’s west coast. Their range is 11,300 km (6,100 mi). The distance between Keflavík Airport and San Francisco is 6.764 km (4.203 mi), and to Los Angeles it’s 6.940 km (4.312 mi).
The Airbus will be the largest plane used for scheduled flights by an Icelandic airline. It’s 63.69 m (208 ft 11 in) long and can carry up to 440 in an all-economy layout. WOW planes will be equipped with 340 seats, for added legroom and comfort, according to the airline’s founder and CEO, Skúli Mogensen.
WOW will start selling tickets to Los Angeles and San Francisco early 2016.
Iceland Magazine
Alaska Airlines launches Orange County – Los Cabos flights
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) today (October 8) begins nonstop Boeing 737 service from Orange County, California, to Los Cabos, Mexico. The flights are year-round and will operate four-times a week.
Alaska Airlines began flying to Los Cabos more than 25 years ago. Today, the carrier operates 50 weekly peak-season flights to Los Cabos—more than any other carrier from California.
World Airline News
United Airlines launches San Fransisco – Tel Aviv flight
While American Airlines has opted to cease its Philadelphia – Tel Aviv service, United has announced today the launch of its three-weekly San Francisco – Tel Aviv service, scheduled to start on April 1, 2016, subject to government approval.
“Providing corporate customers from throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley nonstop service to the high-tech market in Israel has been high on our priority list at United,” said Dave Hilfman, United’s senior vice president of worldwide sales. “Now with the 787-9 Dreamliner, we’re delighted to make it a reality.”
Currently, United Airlines offers twice-daily service non-stop flights between Newark and Tel Aviv, operated by its Boeing 777-200ER fleet.
MORE DESTINATIONS OUT OF UNITED’S SAN FRANCISCO HUB
Besides the announced Tel Aviv service, United will expand its route offer from its Pacific hub by adding the already-announced seasonal service to Xi’An in China, besides a three-weekly service to Auckland, beginning on July 1, 2016. Flights will be operated in partnership with Air New Zealand, a Star Alliance member.
As United adds more Dreamliners to its fleet (plans are 25 aircraft in 2015), the airline readies their deployment into long thin routes. Efficient, modern aircraft like the 787 and the Airbus A350, will allow airlines to operate several such routes. United seems to follow the example of British Airways and its successful Austin service and its forthcoming San Jose flight to London.
With the right aircraft, these routes can be very profitable for airlines and become exclusive city-pairs that they can have a good hold on.
Airways News