West United States

Delta Air Lines on December 15 begins two new runs out of Los Angeles International. One is to Jacksonville International, Florida, and the second to New Orleans International…Residents of Fairbanks will get a second daily nonstop flight to Seattle-Tacoma International by Alaska Airlines starting February 11 until April. The flights will be operated with the 737-400 accommodating 12 in First Class and 132 in the main cabin. If successful, the daily double run will go year-round augmented during the summer when it goes to four a day…Beginning December 14, Frontier will also launch new service between San Francisco International and Las Vegas’ McCarran International with one flight a day.

Horizon Air starting January 28 plans to replace the 37-seat Q200 turboprop aircraft now used on certain seasonal runs with the 74-seat Q400. Getting the increased capacity will be the runs between Seattle-Tacoma International and Bellingham and Pasco in Washington and also to Kamloops, Kelowna and Victoria in Canada’s British Columbia province. The Kamloops run is starting four times a day December 14 with the smaller aircraft, to be upgraded a month later. The schedule will be in place through April 7…American Airlines starting December 14 and operating through April 10 will go all-out into the Rocky Mountains winter resort market. Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and Montrose and Steamboat Springs, Colorado get service to Chicago’s O’Hare International. Gunnison, Montrose and Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming get service to Dallas Fort-Worth International. Starting November 16 and operating until April 9 will be service between Eagle/Vail, Colorado and Los Angeles International, New York’s La Guardia International, Miami International and Newark International.

Midwest United States

A significant new business route. Delta Connection intends to begin thrice-daily nonstop service from close-in Chicago Midway to Boston January 11. 50-passenger Bombardier regional jets will make the run…Southwest adds a second daily Columbus-Orlando flight November 20...Headed for Kirksville, Missouri? No need to drive. US Airways was to have started essential air service (subsidized by the government) to the small Missouri city November 5. Kansas City is the destination.

South United States

Suddenly, significant service from Florida to the middle Hudson Valley, specifically to Newburgh. Hard on the heels of word that AirTran sill be launching service from a slew of Florida destinations to Newburgh, New York’s Stewart International January 11, comes this: JetBlue is beating AirTran to the punch. JetBlue starts flying from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando to Newburgh January 19. January 5, the carrier starts West Palm Beach-SWF service…More service from the south to exurban Big Apple airports. US Airways Express launches regional jet flights from US Airways’ Charlotte hub to White Plains December 3. On the low-fare front, AirTran starts nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Tampa to White Plains December 21…Daytona Beach just landed a low-fare airline. AirTran starts flying out of DAB to Atlanta January 11. A quartet of daily roundtrips is on the books. Seasonally, AirTran will be offering once-daily nonstop service from DAB to Baltimore/Washington. That flight too gets off the ground January 11…New Orleans needs badly to re-build air service. This will help a bit. Southwest just laid on a fourth daily MSY-Dallas Love Field flight.

Southwest United States

More Pennsylvania penetration out of American’s Dallas/Fort Worth megahub. American Eagle now offers nonstop DFW-Harrisburg service…Southwest has added a seventh daily Dallas Love Field-Albuquerque nonstop…More significantly, the carrier recently laid on a fourth daily DAL-New Orleans roundtrip. New Orleans needs the service.

Southwest is dipping into the used airplane market to accommodate its growth plans. It’s looking to buy another used long-range 737-700. Expect the carrier to bolster current routes in 2007, rather than forge new ones.

Northeast United States

Suddenly, significant service from the middle Hudson Valley to Florida, specifically from Newburgh. Hard on the heels of word that AirTran will be launching service to a slew of Florida destinations from Newburgh, New York’s Stewart International January 11, comes this: JetBlue is beating AirTran to the punch. JetBlue starts flying from SWF to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando from Newburgh January 19. January 5, the carrier starts Newburgh-West Palm Beach service…More service to the south from exurban Big Apple airports. US Airways Express launches regional jet flights to US Airways’ Charlotte hub from White Plains December 3. On the low-fare front, AirTran starts nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Tampa from White Plains December 21…Here’s a quintessential business connection: Delta Connection begins thrice-daily Bombardier Regional Jet (the 50-seat variety) service from Boston to Chicago Midway January 11.

Worldwide

Citing technical problems with one of its long-range A330s, Aviation Daily reports bmi has temporarily suspended London Heathrow-Mumbai service…Do a significant amount of flying from Canada to London Heathrow? Air Canada just rolled out a program called Flight Pass. Six pre-paid, one-way trips to LHR from eastern Canada will cost you C$5,398; C$6,098 from western Canada. This deal affords flyers a tremendous amount of flexibility. A bit of a bonus: You get access to Air Canada’s lounges with Flight pass and can use Aeroplan certificates to upgrade…Look for Air Canada to field summertime service ‘twixt Montreal and Rome. June 1–September 30, 2007 is the window of opportunity for these daily flights…China Southern is extending its reach out of places other than Guangzhou, its prime hub. The carrier just inaugurated daily service from Shenzhen to Nagoya. An A320 makes the trip. Know, however, that this isn’t a nonstop. There’s an intermediate stop at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport…Japan Airlines has added a fourth daily nonstop from Tokyo to Shanghai…By the time you read this an outfit called Oasis plans to be offering discount passage ‘twixt Hong Kong and London Gatwick. The conveyance: a 747-400. Initially, four weekly forays are scheduled. Service is due to go daily…If your business takes you in and out of Kuala Lumpur a lot, know that Cebu Pacific plans to start A319 service between Manila and KUL beginning November 20…Lufthansa is expanding out of close-in London City Airport. Hamburg and Nuremberg are the new routes.

Now that Airbus has delayed deliveries of its super jumbo A380s (wiring problems), prime customer Singapore Airlines is forging ahead with plans to upgrade its current fleet. The carrier is rolling out a new leather First Class seat that’s an astounding 35 inches wide. Singapore is also redefining in-flight entertainment, introducing a 23-inch LCD screen. The screen is fitted with a “business panel” that sports USB ports and in-seat power. Also up front, in the very pointiest part of the airplane, First Class will include a private vanity area, with furnishings and amenities designed by Givenchy. The new treatment debuts in December, on the airline’s 777-300ER run from Singapore to Paris Charles De Gaulle…More A380 news: Virgin Atlantic has pushed back delivery of its gargantuan Airbuses by four years. Don’t look for one flying in the Virgin livery until at least 2013…Now that BWIA West Indies Airways is history, a carrier called Caribbean Airlines is set to take its place. The government of Trinidad and Tobago is starting the new airline in hopes that it will do better than its 66-year-old predecessor…China Southern now offers rapid check-in service at its Guangzhou hub for international, as well as domestic, flyers. Go to Counter G2.