CANADA: Ontario Airport Consistent Increase In Passenger Volume

Nearly 2.6 million travelers flew in and out of Ontario International Airport (ONT) in the first half of the year, an increase of 6.5% compared to the first six months of last year.

According to the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), more than 2.4 million were domestic passengers while more than 148,000 were international customers, increases of 4.5% and 57%, respectively.

In June, the total number of ONT passengers was more than 477,000, an increase of 9.6% over June a year ago.

The number of domestic travelers grew 9.4% to more than 451,000. International passengers increased 12.6% to more than 26,000.

Ontario airport experienced significant growth in passenger volume during the first six months of the year as airlines initiated new services to major airports in Atlanta, Houston and San Francisco and added flights to existing routes, said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the OIAA.

Air travelers can now reach 21 major domestic and international destinations via nonstop commercial service from ONT.

Due to the great work of our staff and support of our community, local control is proving successful for ONT, said Alan Wapner, OIAA President. "

The growth in commercial service is a reflection of the strong demand for air travel in the Inland Empire and the many steps we have taken to provide facilities, amenities and services that appeal to business and leisure travelers, not to mention the positive, hassle-free customer service experience which distinguishes ONT.

From January through June, cargo volume was up 3.7% to more than 364,000 tons compared to the same period last year. Cargo shipments were essentially flat in June, growing 0.7% over the same month in 2018 to nearly 63,000 tons.

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers.

Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California.

It is a full-service airport with nonstop commercial jet service to 21 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan, and connecting service to many domestic and international destinations. There is an average of 67 daily departures offered by nine air carriers.

The Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area.

OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).

The number of passengers passing through Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California has been growing significantly since it was transferred to the City of Ontario in 2015.

With the new local ownership, Ontario has brought new airlines, increased the number of flights and destinations, and added new eateries and remodeled facilities to entice travelers to use the airport located approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

The new ownership and investment by the City of Ontario have proved to be worthy as this past summer travel season has been the busiest travel season Ontario has ever seen in its history.

This August alone, passenger volume grew by more than 18 percent. The number of arriving and departing passengers totaled 458,029 – an increase of over 18 percent from August 2017 when ONT welcomed 387,351 travelers.

Domestic travel went up 16.2 percent from a year ago and international travel more than 82.5 percent an increase of 22,339 passengers mostly because of China Airlines’ new daily Airbus A350 service to Taiwan which began in March 2018.

Ontario Airport has welcomed Frontier Airlines’ low-cost service this year and this August saw the start of Frontier Airlines’ daily, non-stop service to Orlando.

Earlier this month, JetBlue also re-launched nonstop service to New York’s JFK Airport.

Furthermore, China Airlines’ new service to Taipei has proven to be popular amongst Asia-bound travelers wanting to avoid the traffic and lines at LAX. According to the airport, China Airlines’ load capacity is at 80 percent each way.

Ontario also recently completed multi-million upgrades of the airport’s dining and retail concessions. This investment has brought in popular dining brands to a once bland terminal such as Einstein Bros. Bagels, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, Rock & Brews, and WPizza by Wolfgang Puck.

Like LAX with Westfield Group, Ontario Airport is also rebranding and refurbishing its concessions to provide a better and more enticing experience for travelers.

The consistent increases in passenger volume affirm what we are doing to develop Ontario into a world-class gateway and create a first-rate airport experience,said Alan Wapner, President of Ontario’s Airport Authority.

Our customers demand a smooth, hassle-free experience along with popular services and amenities, and we are dedicated to meeting their expectations.

This is only the beginning for Ontario as the airport expects these strong double-digit numbers to get even better in the months ahead with the newly-added flights and investment in upgraded traveler amenities.


Tourism Observer

USA: American Airlines Boeing 737 Engine Fails Inflight

American Airlines Boeing 737-800, performing flight from New York La Guardia to Orlando with 156 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of New York when the crew requested to maintain 12,000 feet while they were troubleshooting a problem.

The crew subsequently advised they had an engine failure and wanted to divert to New York’s JFK Airport.

The aircraft landed safely on JFK’s runway 22R about 20 minutes later.

The airline reported the engine had no visible damage, the crew had received an engine fault indication which subsequently was identified to have been caused by the engine oil filter.

A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N894NN reached Orlando with a delay of about 2 hours.


Tourism Observer

USA: Passengers Go Through JFK Airport Without Getting Checked?

Passengers arriving at New York’s JFK airport from Cancun exited without having their passports checked.

It happened again: Passengers on a flight from Mexico were allowed to exit New York’s JFK airport without going through customs and passport control. When American Airlines flights 1223 arrived from Cancun, airline staff mistakenly directed an unknown number of people to leave the airport through the domestic gate rather than having their passports checked by US Customs and Border Protection first.

CBP spokesperson Anthony Bucci said in a statement: “CBP is working with airline personnel to ensure that all misdirected passengers satisfy CBP’s processing requirements. CBP, Terminal 8 airline security personnel, and the airport authority are conducting an investigation regarding this incident and will implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”

American Airlines admitted the error, but the kicker is that the same airline made the exact same mistake just a few months ago in November — at the same airport, on another flight coming in from Cancun.

This is one of a few recent security scares at JFK. Outside the airport, several drones have been spotted flying a little too close to aircraft.

ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines To Start New York City Flights

Ethiopian Airlines will start a service to New York City’s JFK Airport in June 2016, the airline announced in a press release issued today January 20, 2016 in Addis Ababa.

Serving one of the largest airports in the world would be another milestone for the growing indigenous airline, which is state-owned.

“Preparations are being finalized to launch service to New York’s JFK airport by the end of June,” the release said.

The airline says it suspended its Newark flights in 2004 to provide nonstop service from Washington to Addis Ababa, with connections to its network in East, Central and Southern Africa.

“Ethiopian’s network will once again provide a vital link between New York and Africa with this new service,” it adds.

Ethiopian Airlines which is the most profitable airline in Africa made a profit of $175 million in 2014/2015, more than all African airlines combined.

QATAR: Qatar Airways Plans Further US Expansion

Following the launch of its new daily non-stop service from Doha to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Qatar Airways has announced it plans to expand to other US destinations.

The Doha-based carrier launched its new service to the US amid the ongoing dispute between Gulf carriers and the US airlines. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have claimed “unfair competition” from Gulf airlines is impacting on their business, saying the likes of Emirates, Etihad and Qatar AIrways are being supported by government subsidies - a claim strongly denied.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, speaking at the launch of the LAX service, said the airline plans to expand further into the US.

“Los Angeles is one of the great centres of world aviation and will become a vital component in our expanding global network,” said Al Baker. “We look forward to introducing ‘Angelenos’ to our award-winning signature service, with access to more than 150 destinations around the world, through our central hub in Doha.”

The Los Angeles mayor, Eric Garcetti, said the new flight will bring an additional boost to the local economy.

“I’m pleased to welcome Qatar Airways’ new service between LAX and Doha. This new international flight will add more than $600 million to our economy, boost our growing tourism sector, and support thousands of new jobs for Angelenos. It’s exciting to see LAX take yet another step forward as it continues to extend its reach across the globe,” he said.

Al Baker also spoke about the increased cargo capacity made available by the new Los Angeles service, with a fourth weekly freighter to serve LAX starting January 19.

Following the press conference, Qatar Airways hosted a celebratory launch gala at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, which featured a performance by global superstar Mariah Carey.

LA is the eighth US destination for Qatar Airways, and the airline will launch new services later this year to Boston (March 16) and Atlanta (June 1), as well as a second daily flight to New York's JFK Airport in April.

In addition to new routes, the airline has brought the new Airbus A350 XWB to the States, where it now flies a daily, non-stop service to and from Philadelphia (PHL). The A350s will also serve the Philadelphia and Boston routes and the second JFK flight.

During an interview with US media last month, Al Baker said he has two other US destinations in mind where the airline planned to expand into, but didn’t name them.

The company will also open a new flagship office at New York’s Empire State Building.

Healing Pope, Some Miracles Perfomed By Pope Francis

Pope Francis may yet earn the accolade "The Healing Pope" for the miracles he has been performing when touching people with serious health problems.

When the Pope flew to New York as part of his six-day apostolic visit to the United States, he once again showed his healing power when he blessed a 12-year-old girl who was one of those who greeted him at JFK Airport.

Julia Bruzzese of Brooklyn, New York was in a wheelchair when the smiling Pope stopped by, touched her face and blessed her. She had been using the wheelchair ever since she suffered a sudden paralysis whose cause puzzled her doctors no end.

Her doctors said she seemed to exhibit symptoms of Lyme disease. But the problem was that her blood tests showed she was negative for that disease. Early symptoms of the inflammatory Lyme disease include a rash, headache, fever, and chills, according to WebMD. The sufferer then develops arthritis and neurological and cardiac disorders. The disease is caused by bacteria transmitted by ticks, according to the medical website.

While her doctors were still trying to figure out what exactly caused her paralysis, Julia, together with her mother Josephine, decided to meet Pope Francis, hoping and praying for a miracle to enable her to walk again.

"Meeting the pope was the most precious moment of my life," the young girl said. Josephine recalled the moment when the Pope saw and approached them. "He looked me right in the eyes; I kissed his hand and thanked him, and I walked away saying 'she's gonna be okay,'" Josephine said.

Five days later, the doctors decided to subject Julia to another blood test. To their utter surprise, they finally found the cause of her ailment. Their initial suspicion turned out to be right—she had Lyme disease, an ailment that can easily be treated with medication.

"The miracle has begun," Julia said. "Yesterday, I went to the doctor and for the first time they saw Lyme disease activity in my blood, and that just shows a miracle can happen if you believe, just like I did. If you believe and pray everything can happen." In another interview with NBC New York, Julia said she is now brimming with optimism that she will be able to walk again soon. "I know I will walk again because of him [Pope Francis]," she said.

Julia is already starting to plan her activities once she gets to walk again. She said she wants to play softball and soccer again and sing in the choir as well.

"It's unfortunate that this has happened. This experience has made me wiser, made me look at life in a different perspective. Life is precious," she said. Performing miracles is nothing new to Pope Francis. Last March, authorities attested that he turned the dried blood of St. Gennaro into liquid in Naples, Italy.

Just before he began his visits to Cuba and the US, Pope Francis abruptly stopped his motorcade in the rain and asked his aide to bring to him the baby he saw being lifted at the barricade by her parents at St. Peter's Square. The Pope briefly placed his palm on the chest of the three-month-old girl who was suffering from Down's syndrome and had two holes in her heart. Later when the doctors checked on the baby, they found one of the two holes had completely closed while the other one was reduced to half its former size.

Lynn Cassidy, the mother of the baby, said that what happened to her child made her believe that "God can act through the pope's blessings in miraculous ways."

Jet Blue Honors Veterans With Special Charter Flight As Veterans Tour National World War II Museum

On a daily basis, hundreds of visitors head to the National World War II Museum. But Monday, a special group of veterans were in for a special treat.

Jim Schratz, 91, didn't need a trip to the National World War II Museum to learn about the history of what some call "the war that changed the world." He lived it. He fought it.

“The big one," he called it. "World War II."

Schratz's daughter, Molly Costello, one of nine children, was able to take in some of the history with one of America's heroes, simply known to her as dad.

"We're just so honored to be here and see what he did,” said Costello. “We saw B-17. Amazing. He was the top gunner. So, we got some pictures of him in the plane."

Schratz and Costello are two of 150 vets and family members treated to a special charter flight by JetBlue airlines. The flight took off from New York’s JFK Airport and is JetBlue's way of honoring generations of veterans who have served, including deployments in Desert Storm, the Korean War and those who served during World War II.

“I can tell they're enjoying the day, and there's a lot of reminiscing,” said Jeff Martin, Executive VP of Operations for JetBlue Airlines.

Martin, an active duty military, was also the pilot for Monday’s flight.

“I think it's good for people to be able to share experiences and stories. And it's good for those who are younger to listen to them. And you get an appreciation for what they sacrificed," said Martin.

For Maurice Baroni, this trip is sacred. It was the American Army that liberated his family in northeastern France in 1944. When he came to America, he served in the field Admiral Division out of Fort Knox -- the division that meant his freedom.

"It's very special. To serve in the field admiral, and to have been liberated by them in 1944," said Baroni.

"There couldn't be a better responsibility than to bring that story to life for all Americans all over the country," said Dr. Nick Mueller, president and CEO of the National World War II Museum.

"To see all these men and women here, it's very touching. We owe them everything," said Costello.

Top 40 US Busiest Airports

Top 40 US Airports
According to the 2011-2015 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), there are over 19,700 airports in the United States. 5,170 of these airports are open to the general public and 503 of them serve commercial flights.

A great deal of flights within the USA are domestic flights as North America is over 9,826,675 km² in total which would be a considerable amount of driving if you were to travel by car. This contributes to a large amount of air travel travellers through the popular and smaller airports.

These are the Top 40 busiest airports by passenger numbers in the US for 2012:

The above tables show the number of passengers for the top 40 busiest airports by passengers in the United States for last year (2012) and the year previous (2011) as well as the Year on Year change in the number of passengers between them.

Airport Information Index:

1. The busiest airport are ranked depending on the number of passengers flying to or from each airport.

2. Passenger may only be catching connecting flights from an airport to another destination.

3. Passenger Number data is related to the Airport Council International estimated full year figures for 2012.

USA: Delta Airlines Adds New Trans-Atlantic Routes In 2016

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways will strengthen their trans-Atlantic network next year with the introduction of new nonstop Delta services from London Heathrow to Salt Lake City and Edinburgh to New York-JFK.

“For the second summer in a row, Delta will be launching new routes, that give customers more options when flying between the UK and the United States,” said Nat Pieper, Delta senior vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“Delta and Virgin Atlantic are committed to offering an extensive network on the trans-Atlantic and our new flights from London and Edinburgh will offer more connections to destinations throughout the U.S. and beyond.”

Starting May 2nd, 2016, Salt Lake City will be Delta’s eighth US destination served from Heathrow and will be the only nonstop service between the Mountain West and Heathrow, offering one-stop connections to many Mountain West cities such as Reno, Boise Idaho, Albuquerque and Idaho Falls.

The airline has scheduled a 210-seat, Boeing 767-300ER aircraft for the flight, which will be operated on a seasonal basis linking Heathrow nonstop to all seven Delta hubs in the United States.

Known as “The Crossroads of the West”, Salt Lake City is situated within easy reach of some of North America’s most famous national parks, with more than 20 located within a few hours’ drive of the airport.

As the largest airline operating in Salt Lake City, Delta offers connections to more than 50 destinations throughout the West and into Canada.

The region offers many travel options for tourists wanting to enjoy outdoor pursuits, with some of the United States’ best hiking, mountain biking and rafting nearby.

Delta’s daily nonstop flight between Edinburgh and New York-JFK will launch on May 27th, 2016, offering customers up to 60 convenient onward connections.

The flight will be Delta’s only service from Scotland but joins Virgin Atlantic’s three times weekly summer seasonal service from Glasgow to Orlando.

The new flight offers convenient transfers to popular destinations including Miami, Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Francisco via the newly extended Terminal 4 at its JFK hub.

The airline will operate a 163-seat, Boeing 757-200 aircraft on the route