• The consolidated dollar value of airline tickets sold by US-based travel agencies rose 4.68 per cent year-over-year in the first eight months of 2014 compared to the same period last year, totalling $63.1 billion versus $60.3 billion in 2013. Sales for August 2014 were up 1.04 per cent at $7.1 billion compared to August 2013 at $7 billion, as reported by Arc.
• Atlanta International Airport is the most efficient airport in the world, according to a comprehensive ranking of global airports, conducted by a team of international aviation academics at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business. The ATRS Global Airport Benchmarking Report compares the operational and management efficiency, as well as cost competitiveness, of 200 airports and 26 airport groups in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.• Delta Air Lines will launch twice-daily nonstop services from Los Angeles to San Antonio, Texas, beginning April 7, 2015. The San Antonio service complements Delta’s daily service from Los Angeles to Dallas, which launches November 3, and the addition of a third daily flight between Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, beginning November 2. • United Airlines launched its Mercedes-Benz tarmac transportation service at Denver International Airport, offering chauffeured convenience at more airports than any other carrier. With this expansion, United offers the service at all of its US hub airports.• Virgin America once again was named passengers’ top pick, taking home the coveted Best Overall Passenger Experience award for the 2014 Passenger Choice Awards. It’s the airline’s second consecutive win in that category.• Hawaiian Airlines leads the US airline industry in on-time performance for the sixth consecutive month, arriving on schedule 93.3 per cent of the time throughout the month of July 2014. The airline also reported fewest flight cancellations in July at 0.1 per cent.• Australian carrier Qantas will boost services between Melbourne and Los Angeles, and between Sydney and Santiago, from early 2015, and introduce a new schedule providing the flexibility of morning, midday and evening departures between Australia and the US. • Icelandair will begin seasonal non-stop service from Portland, Oregon to Reykjavik, Iceland beginning May 20, 2015 and continuing through October 21, 2015. With this new route, Icelandair now provides flights to its third gateway in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and 14th overall in the United States and Canada.