Cheap Flights to Brazil: Good Deals Flying to Rio de Janeiro

Ever fantasized about flying down to Rio de Janeiro? Here’s your chance to explore one of the planet’s most fascinating, forever fun-loving cities. Cruise Copacabana Beach. Take a breath-taking cable car ride to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Hop a train to the extraordinary statue of Christ the Redeemer, which overlooks what Brazilians call ‘The Marvelous City.’

Just now, at least a couple of airlines are offering good deals to the Brazilian metropolis. Consider breaking out of your traditional travel rut and give Rio a try.

US Airways’ deals are quoted round-trip, and do not include taxes or fees.

- New York LaGuardia flights to Rio de Janeiro are $978.
- Tampa flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,362.
- Boston flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,441.
- Philadelphia flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,446.
- Detroit flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,502.
- Los Angeles flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,539.
- Orlando flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,622.
- Chicago flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,622.
- Charlotte flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,642.

US Airways’ flights to Rio connect via the carrier’s Charlotte hub. From CLT the carrier flies Boeing 767-200 twinjets on the longish 4,712-mile run.

Meanwhile, fast-growing TAM Airlines is selling cheap flights from the United States to a number of Brazilian cities, specifically Rio. Again, taxes and fees are not included.

- New York Kennedy flights to Rio de Janeiro are $1,303 round-trip.

TAM’s flights from JFK are one-stop affairs. The airline flies A330 twinjets on the Rio route.

Before you start to plan your Brazilian getaway know this: you’re going to need a visa.

Delta Air Lines and US Airways Announce New Agreement to Transfer Flying Rights in LaGuardia Airport and Reagan National Airport

Delta Air Lines and US Airways today announced a new agreement to transfer takeoff and landing rights at New York’s LaGuardia and Washington D.C.’s Reagan National airports. The agreement, filed today with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), revises a 2009 transaction agreed between Delta and US Airways and approved by the DOT, but under terms not acceptable to the carriers, and never completed. The new agreement enables Delta and US Airways to expand service and increase competition at two of the nation’s key cities, and provides the opportunity for additional access to LaGuardia and Reagan National for new entrants and airlines with a limited presence at the airports.

Under the agreement, Delta would acquire 132 slot pairs at LaGuardia from US Airways and US Airways would acquire from Delta 42 slot pairs at Reagan National and the rights to operate additional daily service to Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2015, and Delta would pay US Airways $66.5 million in cash. In addition, the transaction could result in the divestiture of up to 16 slot pairs at LaGuardia and eight slot pairs at Reagan National to airlines with limited or no service at those airports. The completion of the transaction is subject to certain closing conditions, including government and regulatory approvals. A slot pair is the authority to operate one takeoff and one landing.

“With this agreement, Delta will enhance competition in New York, which is already one of the most competitive aviation markets in the world, by expanding the passenger capacity at LaGuardia by as many as 4 million seats annually without increasing congestion,” said Richard Anderson, Delta’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our expanded presence at LaGuardia will double our available destinations, offering customers more frequent and convenient service at New York’s preferred airport for business travel.”

US Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said, “This agreement further strengthens our commitment to increase service and create more options for our customers wishing to travel to and from Washington, D.C. As a result of this transaction, many communities, including several smaller ones, will be able to enjoy additional nonstop service to our nation’s capital.”

The proposed transaction will provide significant direct benefits to consumers flying to and from New York and Washington, as well as consumers traveling to other destinations along the East Coast as the two airlines enhance their networks. These benefits are generated by improved connectivity, enhanced service and increased efficiency at both airports.

In addition, the competitive landscape in both cities has changed significantly since the transaction was first proposed in 2009. New entrants and smaller carriers, including AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines, have gained considerable access to slots at both LaGuardia and Reagan National and expanded service at these and other airports in the New York and Washington regions. Also, mergers between United Airlines and Continental Airlines and Southwest and AirTran have dramatically sharpened competition on the East Coast generally and particularly in the New York and Washington regions. Nonetheless, to address concerns previously raised by the Department of Transportation, the agreement provides for the divestiture of up to 16 slot pairs at LaGuardia and eight at Reagan National if required by the regulatory authorities.

The proposed transaction has generated significant support from elected officials and community leaders in New York and Washington. In addition, the City and State of New York, and both U.S. Senators from New York have supported the proposal, as have members of Congress representing New York, elected leaders in small communities and airports across the nation.

The airlines will dismiss their appeal of the DOT’s order regarding the original 2009 transaction that is currently pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. Dismissing the appeal clears the way for DOT to consider the revised application.

New York

Delta’s expanded operation at LaGuardia will allow more and improved connecting service in New York, and ensure economically viable service to small communities, while creating an expanded network that will be particularly valuable for New York business customers. The airline will approximately double the number of nonstop destinations it serves from LaGuardia, including top business destinations and many cities not currently served nonstop by Delta or US Airways.

Delta will replace turboprop aircraft currently operated by US Airways with larger jets, adding as many as 4 million additional roundtrip seats available at LaGuardia without increasing congestion.

As part of the agreement, Delta will take control of US Airways’ Terminal C to create an expanded main terminal for customers. Delta will operate a total of 18 gates in Terminal C, and add one additional gate at Delta’s Terminal D, for a total of 29 gates in the two terminals. A 600-foot connector will be built to connect the two terminals. Delta also will convert the existing US Airways lounge in Terminal C to a Sky Club, while continuing to operate its current Sky Club in Terminal D.

Delta will continue to operate its popular hourly Delta Shuttle from its six gates at the Marine Air Terminal. In addition, Delta will spend up to $117 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D over the next two years. Overall, the transaction will directly and indirectly generate an estimated 6,000 new jobs in New York.

Since making a strategic decision to build New York into a hub earlier this decade, Delta has made major investments across the region, boosting its economic impact to more than $13 billion annually. The airline is currently constructing a $1.2 billion project that will enhance and expand Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, creating a state-of-the-art facility for New York’s fastest growing global airline.

US Airways’ popular hourly Shuttle service between LaGuardia, Reagan National and Boston that is operated on dual-class mainline jets will remain unchanged as a result of the transaction. Also, US Airways will continue to offer its customers high-frequency schedules from LaGuardia to its Charlotte, N.C. and Philadelphia hubs and Pittsburgh with more than 60 daily weekday flights. All US Airways flights from LaGuardia will continue to arrive and depart from nine gates and parking positions in Terminal C and US Airways will build a new, state-of-the-art 5,000-square foot US Airways Club.

Washington, D.C.

At Reagan National, US Airways’ expanded operation will connect more small, medium and large communities with the nation’s capital and create additional flight options throughout the airline’s route network. US Airways expects to further increase its use of dual class mainline aircraft and soon to be dual class larger regional jets at Reagan National. The move will benefit customers by increasing the number of available seats between Washington and favorite destinations without increasing congestion.

US Airways plans to add at least 15 new destinations from Washington, to its network as a result of the transaction and competition will be further enhanced by US Airways adding service to popular destinations that are currently served by other carriers. As a result, business and leisure travelers as well as military and government employees will have more access to the nation’s capital and its downtown airport.

Following full implementation of the new schedule, US Airways will operate approximately 230 peak-day departures at Reagan National, a 20 percent increase over current service levels. The airline anticipates an increase of approximately 20 to 25 percent in passenger enplanements at Reagan National as a result of the new flights and schedule improvements. However, there will be no increase in congestion at the airport due to US Airways’ planned increase in scale and Delta’s reduction in slots.

The expansion is consistent with US Airways’ previously announced strategic plan to focus on growing its key, most profitable airports at its Washington focus city, its Phoenix, Philadelphia and Charlotte hubs and its US Airways Shuttle service. Once the transition is complete, more than 99 percent of US Airways capacity will be to or from its key airports.

Delta will continue to operate a robust schedule at Reagan National, with nonstop service between the airport and its seven domestic hubs and select cities. It also will continue to operate its Delta Shuttle between Reagan National and New York.

International Service

US Airways also will acquire from Delta in 2015 the rights to operate additional daily service at one of world’s most important business destinations – Sao Paulo, Brazil. As US Airways continues its strategic expansion into South America, the additional rights would allow it to operate two daily flights to Sao Paulo and continue its existing daily service to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Since the 2009 transaction, Japan and the U.S. have made an Open Skies agreement that would enable US Airways’ service to Tokyo Narita International Airport. As a result, the transfer of slots at Narita from Delta to US Airways that was included in the 2009 transaction is not part of the new transaction.

US Airways Fits Regional Aircraft with First-Class Accommodations

As frequent flyers well know, you don’t have to pay for First Class to sit in a first class seat. You just have to have enough points to upgrade. Problem is, with more and more of the flying done by regional jets, that opportunity isn’t always available. That’s one of the reasons why carriers have been fitting regional aircraft with first-class accommodations. US Airways Express is the latest to get the makeover.

US Airways Express will first install First Class on its Embraer 170 and 175s, and Canadair Regional Jet 700s and 900s. The initial upgrade will be on the 175 fleet this coming October. Rework on the remaining three regional jet fleets should be complete by January 2012. The seats will be arrayed in one–two configuration, with one seat on one side of the aisle, and two on the other.

When all’s said and done, US Airways contends it will loft “the highest percentage of daily departures with a First Class cabin among the four major network carriers.” US Airways’ Dividend Miles Preferred members will have access to free upgrades “on nearly 640 flights each day,” according to Andrew Nocella, the airline’s vice president of marketing and planning.

That means more room – at least in the pointy end of the airplane. While coach seats on US Airways regional jets offer about 31 inches of seat pitch (knee-room essentially) the First Class cabins of its newly-outfitted regional jets will sport either 37 inches or 38 inches of pitch.

The inability to upgrade has been a perennial gripe among frequent flyers over the past several years as major airlines have farmed out more and more of the flying to smaller airlines operating regional jets. While the livery (paint scheme) of the regional airline may look like that of the major’s, there’s sometimes been a disconnect as to the level of service offered. Putting in First-Class seats helps bridge that gap.

US Airways and Sign Agreement With Expedia Inc. to Purchase Airline Ticket

US Airways Group Inc. reached a new multiyear agreement for Expedia Inc. to provide consumers all its fare and flight data, even as the online travel agency is embroiled in a ticketing dispute with American Airlines.

Expedia will work with US Airways, the smallest U.S. full- fare carrier, so fliers can see window and aisle seats for which the airline charges an extra fee, the companies said in a statement today. The data will be on Bellevue, Washington-based Expedia’s brand-name site as well as on its Egencia and Hotwire.

“We are committed to making it as easy as possible for our customers to purchase tickets from US Airways through as many sources as possible,” Andrew Nocella, US Airways senior vice president for marketing and planning, said in the statement.

Expedia removed American fares from its website on Jan. 1, saying the airline’s new Direct Connect technology to share the information may raise costs and make it harder for passengers to compare prices. To save money and boost revenue, American wants online agencies to use Direct Connect instead of existing data distributors such as Sabre Holdings Corp.

AMR Corp.’s American, which pulled its data from Orbitz Worldwide Inc in December, this week said Priceline.com Inc., the second-biggest U.S. online travel agency, agreed to use Direct Connect for the carrier’s data.

American, the third-largest U.S. airline, won a temporary court order this month barring Sabre from discriminating in displays of fare to travel agents. The distribution company told Fort Worth, Texas-based American it planned to end their contract in August.

US Airways, based in Tempe, Arizona, and Expedia didn’t disclose financial terms.

Airlines Jobs : US Airways cutting more than 90 jobs in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh will bear the brunt of another round of cutbacks by US Airways, losing more than 90 of the 176 jobs the airline is slashing in 11 cities.

The airline will eliminate more than 70 fleet service jobs and 18 ticketing and gate jobs at Pittsburgh International Airport, dealing yet another blow to a region that has suffered loss after loss at the hands of the carrier.

Gregory Bodrog, outgoing president of Lodge 1044 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said Tuesday that 65 full-time and 11 part-time fleet service workers will lose their jobs in March as part of the reductions.

However, Todd Lehmacher, a US Airways spokesman, said he was told that 73 fleet service workers would be furloughed here. Either way, the reductions will leave only a fraction of employees remaining in a fleet service workforce that once numbered more than a thousand.

Some of the workers losing their jobs have as much as 32 years of seniority with the airline, Mr. Bodrog said. The cutbacks will leave the union with about 80 employees to load and unload baggage and cargo and to clean and cater jets in Pittsburgh.

“It doesn’t look like US Airways management wants to grow in Pittsburgh anymore,” he said. “It looks like they want to dissolve it.”

The 18 passenger service employees facing layoffs work at the ticket counters or the gate, Mr. Lehmacher said.

The Pittsburgh furloughs are part of a larger reduction that will affect 176 US Airways customer service and fleet service employees in 11 cities, including Boston, Buffalo, Los Angeles and Memphis, according to Robert Isom, the airline’s chief operating officer.

In a letter to employees, he said the cutbacks were the result of reduced flying in some markets, overstaffing at some stations, and the discontinuance of mainline employees handling ramp functions for US Airways Express flights at two locations, including Pittsburgh.

The affected Pittsburgh employees now service US Airways mainline jets and those operated by commuter affiliates Republic Airlines and Chautauqua Airlines, Mr. Bodrog said.

US Airways workers who will still have jobs in Pittsburgh will service only US Airways mainline jets, he said. He added he’s not aware of any flights being eliminated as a result of the layoffs.

Mr. Bodrog suspects the Republic and Chautauqua work will be subcontracted out to people making lower wages than the US Airways workers, who earn an average of $19 an hour. He said the union is powerless to do anything about the layoffs under the contracts negotiated during the last US Airways bankruptcy.

“We don’t feel good about it,” he said of the cuts. “Contractually, we can’t do anything about it until August [when the contracts expire].”

US Airways, he said, has offered the employees facing possible furlough the opportunity to bid for jobs in other cities. In his letter, Mr. Isom said there are enough openings in other cities to accommodate all 176 affected employees.

Those who don’t take transfers will be laid off. Full-time employees will receive 15 weeks of pay and health benefits, according to Mr. Bodrog. Part-time workers will receive 10 weeks of pay and health benefits.

The pending furloughs are the latest in a series of painful cutbacks in Pittsburgh by Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways. At one time the airline employed as many as 12,000 in the region and operated its largest hub from Pittsburgh International.

But that all changed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the airline’s two bankruptcies. The airline now has 1,883 employees in the region. It dropped Pittsburgh as a hub in 2004. It has cut the number of daily nonstop flights from more than 500 to 45 as of November.

Southwest Airlines And United Airlines Led The Airlines Stock

Airline stocks edged higher early Thursday, led by gains from Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

United UAUA shares climbed 2%. Southwest LUV and American AMR and US Airways LCC rose 1%.

Tracking the sector, the NYSE Arca Airline Index rose 0.5% to 37.86 points, with nine of the benchmark index’s 13 components advancing. The index is up more than 12% so far this year.

In the energy market, oil futures fell 31 cents to $82.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In other developments, Virgin America, launched in 2007, is expanding its flight pattern. Virgin said it plans to launch non-stop flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Orlando and Toronto.
Read more

FAA Proposes $9.2 Million in Fines for United, US Airways

Signaling a potentially tougher safety enforcement policy, federal aviation regulators proposed $9.2 million in civil penalties against US Airways and United Airlines for various maintenance lapses affecting more than 1,800 flights stretching back to early 2008.
Read more

US Airways Sees Brighter Travel Picture

Airlines reporting August passenger traffic so far are lining up in two camps: low-cost carriers like US Airways Group (LCC) say the picture is improving, but major international carriers, including British Airways, are still hurting from a downturn in business travel, their best source of revenue.
Read more

US Airways Announces New Baggage Fees

US Airways is joining other airlines in bag fees.

he Phoenix based carrier says it will match the $20 first checked bag and $20 second checked bag fees American Airlines started earlier this summer.
Read more

Continental, US Airways Add $50 International Checked-Bag Fee

Continental Airlines Inc. and US Airways Group Inc. added a $50 one-way fee for a second checked bag on trans-Atlantic routes, matching competitors.

US Airways also increased its fee by $5 to check bags on domestic flights, to $20 for the first piece of luggage and $30 for the second. Read more

Next Page »