United will begin Newark-Athens flights next spring. (Image: Jim Glab)
In international route news, United will add new Europe services in 2016; SAS eyes another new U.S. gateway; and Delta and American make new inroads at London Heathrow. And we are getting late breaking news that Lufthansa will add nonstops between Mineta San Jose and Frankfurt.
Today Lufthansa announced that it will launch 5x per week nonstops between the Bay Area’s Mineta San Jose International Airport and Frankfurt starting April 29, 2016 using an Airbus A340-300. The aircraft will offer business class, premium economy and regular economy seats (no first class). If Lufthansa can make the April 29 date, it can claim that it’s SJC’s first European carrier this year since British Airways 787 nonstops SJC-LHR begin a week later.
Details on Lufthansa’s new 12-hour nonstop SJC-FRA
United said it will begin seasonal service next spring on three new routes to Europe, all starting on May 25. The airline will operate daily 767-300 non-stop service from its Newark hub to Athens, continuing through October 5; daily 767-400 non-stops from Washington Dulles to Barcelona, operating through September 6; and daily 757-200 service from Dulles to Lisbon, ending September 6.
Meanwhile, United will also begin new code-sharing with partner Air Canada. Starting November 1, United’s code will go onto Air Canada flights from Toronto to Delhi and Dubai; and effective already, Air Canada’s code has gone onto United flights from Newark to Delhi and Mumbai, and from Washington Dulles to Dubai.
AirlineRoute.net also reports that SAS plans to begin service on March 29 next year from Boston to Copenhagen, operating daily flights with a two-class Privatair 737-700. This is in addition to plans SAS announced earlier to add new U.S. service in 2016 between Los Angeles-Stockholm, Miami-Copenhagen and Miami-Oslo.
Delta hasn’t yet said yet if it will mean any schedule changes, but it announced that it has acquired six slots at capacity-restricted London Heathrow that it had been leasing from joint venture partners Air France and KLM. “By taking ownership of the slots, Delta will enhance its ability to provide long-term continuity and stability on the route network operated from London Heathrow with joint venture partner Virgin Atlantic Airways,” Delta said.
Also at Heathrow, American Airlines plans to add add a fourth daily flight between London and New York JFK next spring. The new flight, starting March 27, will use a two-class 777-200ER, according to airlineroute.net.
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