Latest Airlines News

United Airlines is bringing home the gold after being named the best North American airline by two Asian travel publications. Travel Trade Gazette Asia honored United today with the award, and Business Traveller Asia-Pacific recently recognized United with the same accolade for the eighth consecutive year.

“We appreciate the recognition from travel agents and our customers for the investments we are making to provide them with a comfortable, enjoyable travel experience to destinations across North America,” says Mark Schwab, vice president - Pacific. “The Asia-Pacific region has always been an important part of United’s global strategy, and we are strengthening that commitment with the improvements we are making to our international first and business class seats, entertainment and dining.”

United’s all-new United First Suite and United Business seats give the airline the distinction of being the first U.S. network carrier to offer 180 degree fully-flat beds in business class. The new seats, which also have on-demand entertainment and cuisine from world-renowned chef Charlie Trotter, are currently available to United customers on nonstop flights between Hong Kong and San Francisco and Hong Kong and Singapore. United expects some flights between Chicago, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City to offer the new international service later this month.

United is also the only U.S. carrier to offer three cabins of service on all of its international overseas flights. In addition to its first and business services, United offers economy class with its Economy Plus® seating that provides up to 5 extra inches of legroom.

US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC) announced today that as part of a comprehensive liquidity program launched in mid August, the Company has raised approximately $950 million of financing and near-term liquidity commitments. On October 20, 2008 the Company closed on $800 million of these transactions with $400 million of proceeds used to prepay the Company's $1.6 billion bank debt facility. In exchange for this prepayment, the unrestricted cash covenant contained in the loan agreement for the bank debt facility has been reduced from $1.25 billion to $850 million. The loan agreement's term remains the same at seven years with substantially all of the principal amount payable at maturity in March 2014. The remaining proceeds from these financing transactions, approximately $370 million after payment of certain bank and other service fees, increase the Company's total cash position and will be used for general corporate purposes. The remaining $150 million of liquidity commitments are expected to close during the fourth quarter, with cash benefits realized through 2009.

Delta Air Lines will expand its service to the African continent with the introduction of the first and only flight between Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Monrovia’s Roberts International Airport, Liberia*. The service, which will make a stop at Amilcar Cabral International Airport on Sal Island, Cape Verde*, will start in June, 2009.

Passengers on the only flight between the U.S. and Liberia will benefit from significant time savings over other routes. They also will be able to connect to more than 150 destinations throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean via Delta’s Atlanta hub.

Look for Air Canada to launch seasonal nonstop service between Orlando and Halifax early next year. The scenic East Coast nonstop is scheduled to run from February 6 through May 10, 2009, and Air Canada will use a full-size A319 twinjet on the route.

Those A319s are fitted with both Economy and Executive Class eats. Every seat comes with personal in-flight audio-video.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that discount airline AirTran is selling Business Class upgrades after flyers board.The seats sell for between $49 and $99, andyou’ll need a credit card. Flight attendants have hand-held portable card readers to accommodate.

AirTran continues to sell upgrades when you book, at the ticket counter, and at the gate, but this, as far as Cheapflights knows, is an absolutely new way to get a seat up front. It could work wondrously well if you’re at the end of a long day on an otherwise chockablock flight, and want some room and a couple of “free” drinks.