Travel News
New Airline Routes and Route Changes
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Londrina, Paraná
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South America
Brazil-based Azul added several new routes within Brazil at the end of April, all with weekly service: Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo state - Presidente Prudente, São Paulo state; Ribeirao Preto - Sao Jose do Rio Preto, São Paulo state; Ribeirao Preto - Porto Seguro, Bahia; Ribeirao Preto - Recife, Pernambuco; and Recife - Londrina, Paraná.
On May 15, Azul will add a new route Ribeirao Preto and Goiana, Pernambuco, Brazil; it will fly the route 12 times a week.
TAME Ecuador will change its daily service between Guayaquil, Ecuador and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to instead fly between Quito and New York JFK.
On July 11, Copa Airlines will begin three weekly flights between Georgetown, Guyana and Panama City, Panama.
Central America
Spain-based Iberia will add an additional Madrid - Panama City, Panama flight beginning June 2, increasing to six weekly flights.
Copa Airlines will begin flying from its hub in Panama City, Panama to Montreal, Canada (Quebec province) on June 3, with four weekly flights.
Beginning July 11, Copa Airlines will introduce service between its Panama City hub and Fort Lauderdale, Florida (greater Miami area, U.S.), with four weekly flights.
Caribbean
A new Grand Cayman-based company, Cubano Airtours, will begin twice-weekly service between Havana, Cuba and George Town, Grand Cayman, on May 21.
American Airlines will add an additional weekly nonstop flight between Martinique and Miami International Airport (U.S.) on Wednesday, from June 11 through August 13.
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| Zurich Airport |
International Connections
Qatar Airways will begin nonstop flights between Miami International Airport and Doha, Qatar (its hub in the Middle East) on June 10, with four weekly flights.
Delta Air Lines will begin year-round daily service between New York JFK Airport and Zurich Airport on June 16. The route will be operated with Boeing 767-300 ER planes with full flat-bed seats and direct aisle access in BusinessElite.
United Kingdom-based Thomas Cook Airlines is now flying twice-weekly nonstop flights between Miami International Airport (U.S.) and Manchester, U.K., seasonally through the end of the year. It will also begin thrice-weekly service between Manchester, U.K. and New York JFK this month.
Other Airline News
Air Canada became the first airline not based in the U.S. to be accepted into the PreCheck program of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The program expedites security screening for approved fliers who have joined it, but for now only applies to Air Canada travelers who check in at the airport or reprint their boarding passes onsite.
Loyalty Programs
Southwest Airlines, which Air Tran acquired in 2011, announced that it will end AirTran's loyalty program, A+ Rewards, on November 2. It is offering 750 bonus points to A+ members who verify their accounts and link them to new or existing Southwest Rapid Rewards accounts. After November 1, Southwest will automatically convert all A+ Rewards into Rapid Rewards.
US Airways Dividend Miles members will receive bonuses from 50% to 100% when they purchase frequent flyer miles through May 25.
Between May 1 and July 31, Hilton HHonors members can earn double base points or double airline miles for stays at participating hotels (with registration).
Through August, Hyatt is offering triple airline miles with eight different airline program for stays of more than one night.
Travel booking site Orbitz introduced a no-annual-fee visa credit card linked to its Orbitz Rewards program.
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| Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco |
Hotel News
The Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco hotel opened in downtown Rio Branco, Acre state, Brazil, near Rio Branco-Plácido de Castro International Airport and close to the Peruvian border. The 110-room select-service property has two conference rooms with capacity for 12 people and a large meeting space with capacity for 80. It offers free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business center and convenience store, a fitness center and complimentary breakfast bar.
The 216-room Holiday Inn Express Belo Horizonte Savassi hotel opened in the Savassi neighborhood of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais state). The largest hotel by total guest rooms in the city, each room includes free Wi-Fi and a workstation, and the hotel has a fitness center, outdoor pool and modern restaurant. The hotel has four meeting rooms, which can hold up to 130 people.
InterContinental Hotels group completed renovations of the Holiday Inn Resort Aruba - Beach Resort and Casino on Palm Beach. The company upgraded the property's nearly 600 guest rooms, as well as its lobby and out door amenities.
Volcano Alerts
Ecuador's Chiles and Cerro volcanoes, located on the northern border with Colombia in Carchi province, have shown unusual activity recently, leading the Ecuadorean government to issue a yellow alert in the province on May 1.
Londrina, Paraná by .Lírica Aragão.; Zurich Airport by andreweland; Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco, courtesy of Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco
