Routes

Continental Airlines has increased services to Latin America. The US airline has begun daily Boeing 737-700 flights between New York Newark and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and daily Embraer ERJ-145 flights between Houston Intercontinental and Aguascalientes, Mexico. Continental has also added frequencies from Houston to Chihuahua and Tampico, Mexico, and from New York to Santiago, Chile, via Lima, Peru. A three times weekly service to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, from New York and Houston, via Lima, has also commenced. Lufthansa will launch a twice-weekly service to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with the start of its winter timetable on 29 October. The flights will depart Frankfurt on Tuesdays and Saturdays and be operated using Airbus A340-300s. US regional CommutAir is to carry Continental Airlines' code on flights to 20 destinations in the eastern USA, operating as a Continental Connection carrier. New York-based CommutAir operates as US Airways Express, flying 19-seat Raytheon Beech 1900Ds. Japan Airlines Cargo and Northwest Airlines Cargo have agreed an alliance involving codesharing and interlining to increase capacity and schedule options on freighter flights between the USA and Asia. Subject to approval by both governments, the alliance will begin services on 1 September. United Airlines will expand United Shuttle Boeing 737 service from Los Angeles on 6 September, with three new daily flights to Salt Lake City and additional frequencies to Portland and Seattle. America West Airlines will begin a daily service between Phoenix and Guadalajara, Mexico, on 13 September, using a Bombardier CRJ-200 operated by Mesa Airlines as America West Express. The airline will begin daily Phoenix-Toronto flights on 30 October operating with an Airbus A320, and will increase services to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at the start of next year using Boeing 737-300s.

Source: Flight International