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It sort of makes sense. Instead of acquiring a fleet of widebodies, pilots, maintenance crew, and staff for to compete with existing carriers, it makes more sense to purchase a healthy share in Norwegian and grow your short haul passengers by feeding Norwegians Dreamliners.
In a sense it may make sense for Southwest to enter into a similar agreement on the US side. So far Southwest have shown no real serious interest in international destinations that would require them to acquire widebodies. There may be more restrictions on Southwest investing in Norwegian, but Delta bought a big share in Aeromexico.
The Ryan family of Ryanair, are 49% owners of this Mexican LCC that just started service from several Mexican cities to DFW this year. Seems to be a low key under the radar thing for them so far.
The Ryan family of Ryanair, are 49% owners of this Mexican LCC that just started service from several Mexican cities to DFW this year. Seems to be a low key under the radar thing for them so far.
I believe that Viva only flies one USA route, Monterrey to Houston.
The other 51% of Viva is owned by a bus conglomerate. Viva has 19 Boeing 737-300 which are all old. The last delivery of a Boeing 737-300 was in 1999. Viva will return them as soon as their lease is over.
They are also operating 9 Airbus A320-200 with 7 more on order and 10 options. But they are gambling big on an order of 40 Airbus A320neos.
All four major Mexican Airlines have one massive problem. In the USA 50% of the traffic flows through just fifteen airports. But in Mexico 50% of the traffic flows through just one airport, with only two runways that are spaced so close that they cannot be used simultaneously. The plan is to replace it with one of the most expensive new airports in the world. This new airport represents a massive percent of Mexico's annual GDP. In the interim period, the old Mexico City airport is dangerously crowded.
I believe that Viva only flies one USA route, Monterrey to Houston.
The other 51% of Viva is owned by a bus conglomerate. Viva has 19 Boeing 737-300 which are all old. The last delivery of a Boeing 737-300 was in 1999. Viva will return them as soon as their lease is over.
They are also operating 9 Airbus A320-200 with 7 more on order and 10 options. But they are gambling big on an order of 40 Airbus A320neos.
All four major Mexican Airlines have one massive problem. In the USA 50% of the traffic flows through just fifteen airports. But in Mexico 50% of the traffic flows through just one airport, with only two runways that are spaced so close that they cannot be used simultaneously. The plan is to replace it with one of the most expensive new airports in the world. This new airport represents a massive percent of Mexico's annual GDP. In the interim period, the old Mexico City airport is dangerously crowded.
Yes, I see that's the only US route currently listed on their website. What to make of this from last November? Maybe they've all since been discontinued?
VivaAerobus launches two new routes to US
VivaAerobus has added two new routes to the US during the last week, just in time for Thanksgiving. On 20 November, the Mexican LCC started four times weekly flights on the 1,320-kilometre route between Guadalajara (GDL) and Houston Intercontinental, TX (IAH), a route currently served 37 times weekly by United Airlines. Then, on 24 November, the carrier commenced four times weekly flights on the 443-kilometre route between Monterrey (MTY) and San Antonio, TX (SAT). This route is already served by Aeromexico (daily flights) and Interjet (twice-weekly flights). Both of these new routes will be served by the airline’s 148-seat 737-300s. This brings to five the number of US routes operated by VivaAerobus. Fellow Mexican LCC Volaris currently operates over 30 such routes.
What to make of this from last November? Maybe they've all since been discontinued?
I think about 75% of the US-Mexico air traffic is controlled by US airline companies. Although it is natural to think that they would dominate the flights to resort destinations, some smaller companies are moving into urban traffic in a big way. The Los Angeles - Mexico City route is dominated by Alaska Airlines (a corporation with no ethnic ties to the two largest Mexican cities measured by ethnic population). Partly that is because Mexicana, the largest and oldest Mexican carrier went bankrupt.
Many routes are announced and discontinued only months later. Viva made up for it's aging fleet by being the dominant carrier in Monterrey. But Volaris has been expanding relatively quickly and has moved into all four domestic hubs (MEX, GDL, MTY, TIJ) in a big way. CANCUN is the second largest airport in Mexico, but it doesn't function as a hub, but rather as a destination.
Southwest and Volaris were code sharing for a few years, but that relationship was terminated when Southwest became determined to develop it's own Mexican routes.
Mexico has a "luxury" bus industry that transports some 75 million intercity passenger trips a year. The luxury bus industry in the USA is confined to a handful of routes. But no matter how tricked out a bus is, it is still slow. With the top bus prices and the bottom air prices being nearly identical, the LCC airlines of Mexico hope to steal most of this business.
Outside of tourist trips, there is only one real Mexican train route left. It crosses the Copper Canyon (equivalent to Grand Canyon) and will never be replaced with a road. Although a few hundred miles of limited access highway were built in the 1950's when USA began it's interstate system, the nationwide network was not built until 1986-1992. The collapse of the peso meant that tolls on these highways are beyond the reach of most people.
In addition to it's existing 787 service from JFK, and Boston, Norwegian will open new bases at Stewart, (60 miles from Manhattan), plus at least one other location in the N.E. for new 737 service to EU. Possibly as early a January 2017. Fares as low as $69 one way.
This is really bad news for the US. US airlines produce 5% of GDP. Almost all jobs are US based. They are one of the last solid middle class employers left.
This is really bad news for the US. US airlines produce 5% of GDP. Almost all jobs are US based. They are one of the last solid middle class employers left.
Most US airline flights are within the US and will be uneffected.........
It's the reluctance to compete internationally, especially when able to rely on a large US domestic market, as compared to smaller EU carriers that marks the true extent of US airlines lack of competitiveness.
I'm traveling to Montpellier, France to attend a trade show in late January, and to Dusseldorf in March.
Air France IAD - MPL $1,200.
United IAD -CDG only, site unable to book onward flight to Montpellier $725.
Icelandair/WOW IAD/BWI - Rekjavik - CDG $450. TGV Paris - Montp $100 Three-four hours more travel time each way.
Ryanair, already the world's carrier of most international passengers, (I remember when in 1985 they had only one 15 seater craft), increased in 2016 by 15M to 117M, looks set to become the largest carrier of passengers period, with a target of 200M by 2024.
Ryanair are great. I have booked 5 return flights for £100. I have never had a problem.
Great planes and flight attendants.
From where to where? 100 quid seems a lot for a one way ticket( return flight) within Europe
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