Frontier Expands Puerto Rico Routes
Frontier Airlines will soon become the leading airline with the most flights to Puerto Rico. In May, the airline is launching eight new routes to the island, which will see it overtaking JetBlue Airways as the airline with the most routes to Puerto Rico. The new routes will include daily flights from Baltimore, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago Midway and Cleveland to San Juan. The airline will also be launching four-times-weekly service from Detroit and three-times-weekly service from Cancun. Additionally, Frontier will also be introducing its first ever flight to Ponce, with three-times-weekly service from Orlando starting on May 4th. With the new additions, Frontier will have a total of 19 routes to Puerto Rico, making it the leading airline in terms of number of flights to the island. These new flights are expected to provide travelers with even more options when it comes to flying to and from Puerto Rico.
As Air Travel Recovers the 80/20 Rule Returns to UK Airports
As the travel industry continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic, the United Kingdom government has announced stricter regulations for airlines operating out of its airports. Effective March 26, airlines will be required to utilize 80% of their assigned take-off and landing slots, in accordance with the "use it or lose it" rule. This rule, which was temporarily waived due to the pandemic-related decrease in passenger numbers, will now be reimposed to meet the increasing demand for international travel.
To support the recovery of the industry, a safety net for airlines remains in place, allowing carriers such as British Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair, to give back 5% of their slots before the start of the season to prevent any last-minute cancellations. The government has ensured flexibility in the rule by allowing airlines to not use their slots in cases where either end of a route is impacted by coronavirus restrictions.
At the end of October 2022, passenger numbers at UK airports reached 85% of the equivalent numbers in 2019, demonstrating the positive impact of the travel industry's recovery efforts. The UK government's decision to impose the 80% utilization rule is a result of consultation with the industry to determine the best way to support its recovery.
F.A.A. Identified Contractor Responsible for January 11, 2023 Ground Stop
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has pinpointed the source of the recent nationwide ground stop, which was the first since 9/11. According to the FAA, the outage was caused by file deletions that took place during maintenance performed by contractors from Virginia-based company, Spatial Front. As a result, the FAA has revoked access for all Spatial Front personnel involved in the incident while an investigation is underway.
The FAA has stated that there is no indication of any malicious intent or cyberattack related to the system failure. Instead, the problem arose when contractors were working to synchronize the live primary database and backup database and inadvertently deleted important files required for the operation of the Notice to Air Missions (Notam) system.
This significant event highlights the importance of thorough and responsible maintenance procedures, particularly when it comes to critical systems like the Notam, which is crucial to the safety and operation of the aviation industry. The FAA's decision to identify the responsible contractor and take swift action to prevent future incidents serves as a reassuring reminder of the agency's commitment to ensuring a safe and efficient Air Travel experience for passengers.