U.S. authorities are likely to retaliate against the Dutch government’s decision to cut flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, probably limiting slots for Dutch airline KLM at U.S. airports, airline lobby group IATA said on Tuesday.
25.10.2023 - 17:51 / thepointsguy.com / John F.Kennedy / Delta
Delta Air Lines is making some changes to its New York City network.
Over the weekend, the carrier, which operates a hub at both LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), filed plans to drop service on a new route that it launched just earlier this year: LGA to Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM).
Instead of the LGA service, Delta will once again fly to Binghamton from its Detroit hub as of Jan. 8, 2024.
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While Binghamton is the only route cut from this week's schedule update, Delta is also trimming about 10% of its flights from its two New York hubs from January through March, as first seen in Cirium schedules and later confirmed by an airline spokesperson.
Though no single route is getting slashed completely, the airline is shaving off frequencies in many markets, such as Bangor, Maine; Burlington, Vermont; Norfolk, Virginia; and Syracuse, New York.
The move comes as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently extended the temporary slot waiver for flights at New York's two busiest airports.
In order to operate at the capacity-constrained LaGuardia and JFK Airports, airlines need to hold takeoff and landing permissions from the FAA. These permissions, known as slots, are usually use-it-or-lose-it, meaning that if Delta weren't able to fill its entire slot schedule, then it would risk losing a valuable slot to one of its competitors.
Go long: Delta adds 4 new — and longest — LaGuardia routes
During the pandemic, airlines received slot waivers that allowed them to cut flights without the risk of losing these valuable assets. While those temporary pandemic-related waivers are now history, the FAA recently extended another slot waiver through October 2024, primarily due to air traffic controller shortages in the Northeast.
This waiver allows airlines to drop about 10% of their flights at LaGuardia and JFK, allowing Delta to adjust its New York schedule without worrying about losing assets with immense long-term value.
While Delta could theoretically keep flying a full schedule, trimming frequencies in many markets seems to make sense. Business travel, which is typically one of the main sources of demand between January and March, isn't back to pre-pandemic levels, so instead of flying empty planes or dropping prices to spur ticket sales, Delta can instead trim capacity.
While that might be a good move for Delta's bottom line, it could theoretically lead to higher fares if capacity is restricted by too much.
Of course, we'll have to wait to see how things play out in the winter, but extending the slot waiver avoids a common strategy that's used by many airlines in
U.S. authorities are likely to retaliate against the Dutch government’s decision to cut flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, probably limiting slots for Dutch airline KLM at U.S. airports, airline lobby group IATA said on Tuesday.
Bobbi Storm was just nominated for two Grammy Awards, but that's not why she made headlines over the weekend.
A Delta Air Lines flight attendant refused a request for a nut-free flight by a family traveling with a teenager with a nut allergy, a complaint filed with the Department of Transportation claims.
Imagine my surprise when I saw that my flight from New York to San Francisco last night was showing as leaving on time, but my arrival was delayed by 46 minutes. I'd never seen that before, and it turns out the jet stream is making for some very unusual flights lately. My flight ended up getting in only about a half hour late, but it was a long flight. A whopping seven hours from coast to coast, it was longer than trips to Europe I've had. And it's all about the jet stream.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, November 7. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
For the first time in a decade, I went away without my husband.
It’s been a busy week for JetBlue.
It looks like JetBlue may have to scrap its short-lived routes to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) next summer.
Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday it is cutting some corporate jobs to better manage costs, at a time when the industry grapples with higher fuel and labor expenses.
American Airlines has released a new status match program, targeting the most “elite of the elite” flyers from its two major competitors: Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
For its 17th edition, the 2023 UNWTO-PATA Forum (Guilin, China, 26-27 October) put the focus on maximizing the sector’s ability to drive growth, build economic resilience and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The Forum is the consolidated leading platform for policymakers, business leaders and a range of tourism stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific.
Following Delta Air Lines' decision to increase SkyMiles elite status requirements, some members may decide to jump ship. With Delta frequent flyers voicing their dismay at the new requirements, other airlines, such as Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, were quick to offer status to disgruntled Delta flyers. Now, American Airlines is following suit and has launched a new status challenge for upper-tier Delta and United Airlines elite members.