United Express carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines will begin twice daily services between Savannah, Georgia, and Chicago O'Hare in May, and four-times daily service between Columbia, South Carolina, and Washington Dulles on 25 May, using 50-seat Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets. United Airlines is introducing the Boeing 747-400 on to transatlantic services, with the aircraft replacing Boeing 777s on flights from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt and London Heathrow. In October, United is also launching services from Chicago and Washington Dulles to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands using A320s and Boeing 757s respectively. Brussels-based Société Générale de Gestion et de Transport (SIGT) has been appointed general sales agent for cargo by Congo airline Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (LAC) to help redevelop activities between Europe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Government owned LAC, which succeeds former Air Zaire that went bankrupt, has contracted Brussels-based long-haul low-cost airline City Bird to provide a Boeing 767-300ER on wet-lease, initially to begin scheduled services between Kinshasa and Europe (Brussels). City Bird will also operate freight services using an Airbus A300-600F. KLM has grouped the operations of its regional partners, Switzerland's Air Engiadina and Austria's Air Alps Aviation, under the brand "KLM alps". Between them the two airlines operate six Fairchild Dornier 328s. AirTran has entered a joint marketing partnership with the new Beau Rivage Resort in Mississippi to provide daily services between Orlando and Gulfport/Biloxi, beginning on 1 April. Luxair began four-times weekly services between Luxembourg and New York Newark on 30 March, its first US route - using a Boeing 767-300ER. American Airlines is suspending its Miami-London Gatwick service in May to concentrate on its existing service to London Heathrow.
Source: Flight International
