Airport Check-in: Added NYC, Vegas links; new way to board
— -- NEW YORK: Virgin America flies non-stops to Las Vegas
Last week, Virgin America launched new non-stop service from New York John F. Kennedy to Las Vegas McCarran. The airline will fly one flight daily on its Airbus A320 aircraft, subject to seasonal demand.
AMSTERDAM: Cellphones used as boarding passes
Air France has launched electronic boarding passes on mobile phones for passengers on the Paris Charles de Gaulle-Amsterdam Schiphol route. Passengers who check in via its mobile Internet site — mobile.airfrance.com — can elect to receive their boarding-pass barcode as a text message or e-mail on their smartphones. Passengers then display their boarding pass to agents to check in baggage, proceed through security checkpoints and board the flight.
WORCESTER, Mass.: Direct Air to launch commercial service
Worcester Regional Airport, about 50 miles west of Boston, will resume commercial service this fall.
Starting Nov. 22, Direct Air will run six flights a week to Orlando Sanford International and Charlotte County Airport near Fort Myers, Fla. It will use Airbus A320 aircraft leased from Virgin America.
The airport, which currently serves only charter flights, hasn't had scheduled passenger airline service since 2006, when Allegiant Air ended operations there.
Direct Air, based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is a charter operator specializing in all-inclusive vacation and golf packages.
OAKLAND: Coming later this month: Free Wi-Fi
Oakland International will begin offering free Wi-Fi in its terminals later this month. The starting date hasn't been determined. The airport will generate revenue by selling online ads. Its current service costs $7.95 a day.
ORLANDO: Brazilian airline plans non-stops to São Paulo
Brazil's largest airline, TAM, will begin non-stop, daily flights to and from Orlando International in early November. The Orlando-São Paulo route is the airport's first non-stop service to South America in more than seven years. It will be served by Airbus A330 jets with 223 seats in three cabin classes.
