Chicago, Illinois

In the U.S. and Canada winter storms and record-low temperatures continue to cause flight delays and cancellations across the eastern part of the country, as far south as Florida. Although the storms have largely calmed, many airports are dealing with frozen supplies of fuel and other goods and temperatures that interfere with airplane and runway maintenance. In addition, airlines and airports are working through a backlog of flights and passengers from earlier snow delays. At times, conditions have been bad enough that airlines suspended all flights in and out of some airports for more than half a day. While most of the remaining cancellations are concentrated in cities in the Midwest and Northeast, such as Chicago, Boston, New York City and Newark, New Jersey, as well as in Toronto and other Canadian cities, ripple effects are causing delays and cancellations elsewhere as well. Many airlines have relaxed or waived fees for ticket changes related to flights that may be impacted by the weather.

Although the December 29 eruption of the Chaparrastique volcano in El Salvador's San Miguel department disrupted travel and led to evacuations, the country has lifted its evacuation orders. It maintains alerts in San Miguel department, with lower-level alerts in other areas.

Heavy rains late last month caused flooding in St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica. Although major airports are back in operation, flooding continues to be a problem, and some bridges are washed out. 

New Airline Routes and Route Changes

Southern Cone

Colombian low cost carrier VivaColombia will begin flying daily between Bogotá and Pereira, Colombia (Risaralda department) on January 20. That same day, it will increase its flights between Bogotá and Cali to 21 weekly flights (up from 12), and will increase flights between Bogotá and Medellin to 42 weekly flights (up from 39). VivaColombia will also decrease its flights between Bogotá and Cartagena to seven weekly flights, down from 11.

Aerolineas Argentinas

Aerolineas Argentinas is flying two additional weekly charter flights between Buenos Aires and Cancun through February 28, bringing total direct flights between the two cities to three weekly flights. The airline has also added a weekly Buenos Aires-Cordoba (Argentina)-Cancun flight through February 14.

Aerolineas is also offering charter service between Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) and Punta Cana, Mexico with two weekly flights through March.

Mexico and Central America

Aeromexico began flying daily nonstop flights between Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City and Quito, Ecuador's Mariscal Sucre International Airport. It is the only direct flight between the two nations.

On January 18, Aeromexico will begin nonstop weekly service between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and San Jose del Cabo-Los Cabos, Mexico.

Frontier Airlines began seasonal nonstop service between Montego Bay, Jamaica and its hub in Denver, Colorado (U.S.). The weekly Sunday flights are Denver's only nonstop to the Caribbean during the winter.

San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport

U.S.-based Cape Air, flying under United Airlines' code, will begin this month to fly between San Juan and Culebra, Puerto Rico (four daily flights) and between San Juan and Virgin Gorda (three daily flights).

Virgin Islands-based airline Seaborne Airlines will launch daily flights between Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Kitts' L. Bradshaw International Airport, with continuing service to Nevis' Vance W. Amory International Airport, starting January 15.

InterCaribbean Airways (formerly Air Turks & Caicos) announced several new flights within the Caribbean, set to begin January 20. The airline will fly four weekly flights between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, as well as two weekly flights between San Juan and Samana, Dominican Republic. It will fly three weekly flights between the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo and Kingston, Jamaica. The airline also added a fourth nonstop flight between Kingston and Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. In addition, InterCaribbean will fly four weekly flights between Providenciales and San Juan, Puerto Rico, with immediate connections in Providenciales to Nassau (Bahamas) and Kingston.

Toronto, Canada-based Sunwing Airlines will begin weekly nonstop flights between Toronto's Pearson International Airport and Samana, Dominican Republic this month.

Other Airline News

Venezuela Ticket Crunch

Would-be travelers and travel agents are reporting a shortage of tickets to and from Venezuela on U.S.-based American Airlines, which is the largest international carrier that flies to that country. American says the shortage is due to limited availability of seats on those flights, and that as seats become available, so do tickets. An airline spokesperson also noted that, "This is a product of a dynamic system and is not exclusive to Venezuela."

Other international airlines have stopped selling tickets to and from Venezuela, or restricted sales in bolivars to flights leaving within 30 days of purchase. Currency conversion controls imposed by the Venezuelan government and currency fluctuations have made many international companies reluctant to accept payment in bolivars. However, Venezuelan laws require that companies selling airline tickets to or from Venezuela make them equally available in bolivars as in foreign currencies.

American Airlines Admirals Club at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Lounge Privileges Ending

As of March 22, American Airlines will no longer offer free Admirals Club airport lounge access to American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders. Only holders of the Citi Executive/AAdvantage World Elite MasterCard will receive complimentary lounge access. US Airways, which is merging with American, will also end complimentary airport lounge access for American Express cardholders.

In part to counter those moves by American and USAir, American Express now allows Platinum cardholders to access its two Centurion airport lounges in Dallas/Fort Worth and Las Vegas, which had been restricted to Centurion cardholders. It expects to open two more lounges this year.

Fee Increases

For flights from April 1 and on, Virgin Atlantic will begin charging US$41 each way on for customers on its long-haul flights who want to select a seat more than 24 hours before departure.

U.S. carrier Spirit Airlines raised its baggage fees. The airline has 24 different fees for carry on and checked baggage, depending on how travel is booked, when and how bags are paid for and other factors. Among the higher fees are a US$26 charge for carry-on bags when booking a ticket and US$45 for carry-on bags and US$40 for checked bags when checking on online.

Technology

British Airways now allows the use of personal technology gadgets gate-to-gate on its flights, including during takeoff and landing. It is the first non-U.S. airline to do so. 

U.S. carrier Southwest Airlines now allows passengers to pay US$2 per day for gate-to-gate messaging-only Wi-Fi data access, which allows passengers to send texts via Apple's Messages application on mobile devices. The airline plans to offer a similar plan for Android device users early this year.

Aeromexico signed an agreement with Gogo to offer in-flight Wi-Fi Internet access and entertainment to passengers. The service should be available during the second half of this year. 

Atlanta, Georgia

Other News

Delta Air Lines now offers full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite on flights between Lima and its main U.S. hub in Atlanta, Georgia. The seats also include oversized personal entertainment screens and on-demand in-flight audio and video.

As part of a $100 million investment, Alaska Airlines, which is based in the U.S. city of Seattle, introduced new seats equipped with 100-volt and USB power outlets on the seatbacks. It expects to add the outlets to all seats on its 737-800, 737-900 and 737-900ER airplanes (more than 70% of its fleet) by the end of this year.

Seaborne Airlines plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to San Juan, Puerto Rico from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The Puerto Rican government will take an ownership stake in the airline, as well as two seats on the board of its parent company, Coastal International Airways. The move, expected to be complete by March, will not affect any existing routes or Seaplane operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

United Airlines will no longer allow children between the ages of five and 11 flying without parents or guardians - known as "unaccompanied minors" ­- on flights with connections. They will only be allowed to fly on nonstop flights, a policy similar to those used by U.S. carriers US Airways and Southwest.

JetBlue Airways

Airline Alliance News

U.S.-based JetBlue Airways began a bilateral codeshare with South African Airways. JetBlue's code (B6) is now on flights operated by South African Airways between the U.S. and Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as on certain connecting flights around the nation. Codeshare benefits include single-ticket itineraries, one-stop check-in and automatic transfer of luggage. In the U.S., South African Airways flies to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport.

As of January 15, miles earned by Alaska Airlines Mileage Plus loyalty plan members on several partners will count toward earning elite status in the program. British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Fiji Airways, Korean Air and Qantas join several other Mileage Plus partners on which fliers can earn elite-qualifying miles.

Airport News

The government of Mexico is considering expanding Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport on government-owned land east of the capital, as well as possibly adding a runway to the nearby Toluca International Airport, Lic. Adolfo López Mateos. If the plan goes forward, construction at Benito Juarez could begin later this year.

Loyalty Programs News

Through April 30, members of Starwood's Preferred Guest program can earn 2,500 bonus points after every five nights of stays, plus an additional 5,000 bonus points after 20 nights. All of Starwood's hotels are participating in this program, which requires registration on the program's website.

Through April 30, IHG is offering a new set of bonus points that IHG Rewards Club members can earn for completing specific activities. The points and bonuses are determined based on an

United Airlines

 individual member's history with the company, and registration is required.

Marriott and United Airlines will continue their RewardsPlus reciprocal benefits program through this year. Although still being labeled by the two companies as a "limited-time" offer, the program includes complimentary Gold elite status in the Marriott Rewards program for United MileagePlus Gold members, Silver elite MileagePlus status for Platinum and Platinum Silver elite members of Marriot's program, bonuses and discounts when transferring miles and points between the two programs and other benefits.   

Hotel News

The Iberostar Playa Mita opened Dec. 15 near Punta de Mita, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. The 452-room all-inclusive resort, which cost more than $137 million to build, includes five conference rooms and can accommodate up to 560 people.

The 500-suite, adults-only Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort opened in Los Cabos, Mexico. The AMResorts property includes 16,000 square feet of meeting and event space, as well as a spa, two pools, six restaurants, a café and a grill. 

In Costa Rica's Guanacaste region, the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo opened on the northwest Pacific coast. The resort has 153 guest rooms and 8,200 square feet of flexible meeting space, as well as three restaurants, a spa and a 24-hour gym.

New Entry Requirements

New government regulations require that travelers have travel and medical insurance in order to enter Venezuela.

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