© Image Alaska Airlines

Last week, Alaska Airlines operated its first flight with a cabin full of mail instead of passengers. Since reducing our flying due to the coronavirus, we’ve been looking at other ways to utilize passenger aircraft to carry essential goods to people and businesses who need it most.

This mail-illion dollar idea and FAA-approved-design allows cargo to use all available space on the main deck for essential goods like mail, medical equipment, e-commerce packages and other freight.

Each one of these flights can carry close to 30,000 pounds of cargo, including belly capacity where luggage is typically stored.

Trying to pull off a passenger-to-freighter operation is relatively new. No other known carriers in the country are doing anything similar on domestic flights, with cargo on seats. After months of planning, we worked with HAECO, one of the world’s leading independent aircraft engineering and maintenance groups, to be their first launch customer in North America.

“Our teams have been working since the pandemic hit to identify the safest and most effective processes to increase our cargo capacity,” said Torque Zubeck, managing director of cargo. “HAECO’s design will allow us to maximize the available space, increase our cargo capacity and protect the supply chain by connecting critical cargo to the communities we serve during this public health crisis.”

How does it work?

First, the cargo container bags are installed on the passenger rows by the maintenance team, a process that can take six to eight hours.

Each container bag is limited to 110 pounds of mail to meet FAA requirements, and once fitted, the main deck will carry an additional 13,500 pounds of cargo on top of what a passenger-only cargo flight can carry. Our seats did not require any modifications to install the containers, the existing seat belts are used to secure the bag.

Once the containers are installed and safely secured, the cargo flight is equipped for its scheduled route. The crew for these cargo flights will consist of two pilots and cargo load agents. The cargo load agents will be seated in the jumpseat during the flight and provide oversight of loading, ensure proper tagging and cargo integrity. They’ll also provide fire suppression if required and will make sure cargo is safe and secure within the in-seat package stowage system.

Over 100,000 pounds of mail to Alaska are expected daily this winter.

What happens next? Although we have just one cargo aircraft fitted with the in-seat solution, we’re planning to continue flying it in the state of Alaska to help with the holiday rush. The passenger aircraft will operate alongside our 3 freighters to supplement heavy holiday demands, which will help to free up space for cargo that truly needs the freighter.

Depending on its continued success, Alaska hopes to expand the cargo container solution to other 737-900 aircraft throughout the rest of the winter. The extra capacity could allow us to bring 100,000 pounds of additional e-commerce into Southeast Alaska.

© All Images Alaska Airlines

© Image British Airways

Tuesday, 17 November2020: American Airlines, British Airways and oneworld® have launched an optional COVID-19 medical-based testing trial on selected flights from the United States (US) to London Heathrow (LHR), in a combined effort to scientifically demonstrate how COVID-19 testing can reopen international travel and remove the need for passengers to quarantine on arrival.

The free tests will initially be offered to eligible customers booked on American Airlines flight AA50 departing Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW) to LHR; British Airways flight BA114 departing New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to LHR; and British Airways flight BA268 from Los Angeles (LAX) to LHR, beginning 25 November. The test will be expanded to American Airlines flight AA106 from JFK to LHR, with a launch date to be communicated.

Eligible customers booked on flights that are part of the trial will be contacted by American Airlines and British Airways with instructions on how to volunteer. Each customer participating in the trial will take three tests in conjunction with the journey. If a customer tests positive, they should reschedule or cancel their travel.

The first test, to be taken 72 hours before departure from the US, is a convenient at-home RT-PCR test provided by LetsGetChecked. Customers will self-collect a nasal sample, under the supervision of medical professionals via a virtual visit.

After landing at LHR, participating customers will proceed to their second test at the airport. The LAMP test, provided by Collinson, involves the collection of a nasal sample by a medical professional. After the test is completed, a test kit for the third test will be provided to the customer. The test kit offers an at-home testing option, through the self-collection of a saliva sample which is taken three days after arrival in to the United Kingdom (UK).

The three-test approach aims to validate a customer’s negative status for COVID-19 throughout the travel journey and will provide insight into the most effective and practical testing interval. The third test is intended to further confirm the results of the first two tests, to demonstrate that one or two tests will be sufficient to allow travel to safely restart.

A task force comprising oneworld member airline representatives and independent medical experts are overseeing the implementation of the trial. American Airlines, British Airways and oneworld will closely monitor customer participation. The task force will share aggregated results with the US and UK Governments and other stakeholders to demonstrate the essential role that COVID-19 testing programmes can play in safely restarting travel.

Trade between the UK and US totals more than £200 billion (US$ 262 billion) a year, which airlines are critical to facilitating. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, together American Airlines and British Airways flew to more than 30 destinations in the US from London. Today, the carriers are flying a fraction of that figure. Previously, the carriers operated up to 111 flights a week from London to New York; now they operate 14* flights per week combined, between the two cities.

Based on current UK Government policies, international travellers arriving in the UK from the US are required to self-isolate for 14 days even if they have tested negative for COVID-19. The tests being used as part of the trial will not impact UK National Health Service testing capacity.

British Airways and American Airlines have worked with Heathrow on implementation of the trial in to Terminal 5, and as a result Heathrow is now exploring whether trials can be introduced on more routes between the airport and the US.

Chairman and Chief Executive of American Airlines, Doug Parker, said: “American has already successfully introduced a pre-flight COVID-19 testing programme for customers travelling from the US to international destinations across the Caribbean and Latin America. We have received tremendous feedback from our customers in response to testing, as it provides peace of mind for safe and enjoyable travel.
“The UK is a critically important business and leisure destination that our customers want to visit. We believe the results provided by this trial will be vital for reopening transatlantic travel safely.”

Chief Executive of British Airways, Sean Doyle, said: “We know people want to travel but our skies remain all but closed and the UK is being left behind. Major economies like Germany are adopting testing to replace quarantine.

“We need the UK Government to introduce a system that allows travellers to take reliable, affordable tests before departure, so they are confident that fellow passengers are COVID-free. For people arriving from countries with high infection rates, a further test on arrival should then release them from quarantine.

“We are confident this approach would open routes, stimulate economies and get people travelling with confidence. The UK’s economic recovery depends on the swift reopening of its skies.”

Chief Executive of oneworld Rob Gurney said: “We believe that COVID-19 testing will play an important role in safely restarting international travel. A comprehensive testing programme will provide governments the confidence to reduce or waive quarantine requirements and safely reopen their economies to international visitors, while further assuring customers that their health and well-being are protected.”

The trial for each individual passenger will comprise:

• An initial at-home test to be taken 72 hours before departure from the US
• A second test will take place upon arrival at LHR
• A third test to be taken three days after arrival in the UK

The joint trial will offer free tests to passengers who choose to participate in the programme.

The ultimate objective of this and other trials is to validate that a pre-departure test provides a high level of certainty of a passenger being COVID-19 negative, which are hoped to result in policies that further relax US and UK border restrictions, including the 14-day quarantine and entry into the US.

Independent research into COVID-19 and travel

Data from industry body IATA suggests the risk of contracting COVID-19 on aircraft is extremely low, with just 44 cases of COVID-19 recorded as linked to flights, since the start of 2020. Over the same period some 1.2 billion passengers have travelled.

A study issued on 27 October by Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that a robust, multi-layered strategy can effectively reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 during air travel. The study also found that the universal use of face coverings is the most essential part of a comprehensive set of measures to reduce COVID-19 transmission while traveling by air. The study also noted that to-date, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has not confirmed a single case of viral transmission on a US plane.

Schedule
* American Airlines and British Airways flight schedules are subject to variation

About the participating organisations

American Airlines

American’s purpose is to care for people on life’s journey. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines

British Airways

British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld.

It is the UK’s largest international airline. Its principal place of business is London, with a significant presence at Heathrow Terminal 5, which is regularly voted the world’s best airport terminal in international passenger surveys.

British Airways normally operates one of the most extensive international route networks. Over the last few years, the airline has been investing in new aircraft, new cabins, new lounges, new food and new technology – including industry-leading WiFi.

oneworld oneworld brings together 13 world-class airlines – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines, and more than 20 of their affiliates. Fiji Airways is a oneworld connect partner. Alaska Airlines is a oneworld member-elect.

oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network. Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to airport lounges across the globe and are offered extra baggage allowances. The most regular travelers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports.

oneworld holds three times as many “best airline alliance” awards as its competitors combined

© Image Delta

Delta will continue delivering on its industry-leading commitment to provide more space for customers as the only U.S. airline blocking middle seats for flights departing now through March 30, 2021

As more medical experts agree on the safety of air travel thanks to the multiple layers of protection provided under the Delta CareStandard, blocking seats into spring 2021 provides added confidence and reassurance for customers booking future travel plans.

“Several independent studies have validated the effectiveness of the Delta CareStandard’s multi-layered protection, like advanced ventilation and an extensive cleaning regimen, which together significantly reduce the risk of flight-related transmission,” said Bill Lentsch, Chief Customer Experience Officer. “However, we recognize some customers are still learning to live with this virus and desire extra space for their peace of mind. We are listening and will always take the appropriate steps to ensure our customers have complete confidence in their travel with us.”

The health and safety of our customers and employees remains our top priority. The Delta CareStandard encompasses more than 100 protective measures, such as sanitizing every flight, a comprehensive employee COVID testing program, and the use of industrial-grade HEPA filters that extract more than 99.99% of particles, including viruses. Read more about the Delta CareStandard.

Taking the Stress Out of Flying

Delta is making it easier to plan and book your next trip.

Delta launched a new interactive map on delta.com that gives customers the power to search, view and click-to-book their desired destination all in one place, giving full control and a better understanding of current travel restrictions and what to expect upon arrival.

The data is curated from government agencies and the International Air Transport Association to provide detailed insight into quarantine and testing requirements, travel forms and paperwork, local health information, local COVID-19 guidelines, and links to necessary forms and applications needed prior to travel.

In addition to a new trip planning tool, we’re offering greater flexibility if you ever need to change your plans, including:

1. No change fees for a U.S. domestic ticket or domestic award ticket, excluding Basic Economy fares.
2. No change fees for all domestic and international tickets purchased through Dec. 31, 2020, even if scheduled to travel next year.
3. Extending the use of travel credits through December 2022 for travel originally scheduled to depart before March 31, 2021 (if the ticket was purchased before April 17, 2020).

For a comprehensive overview of how we’re delivering on flexibility, superior cleanliness, more space and safer service, visit delta.com