AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., has announced plans to expand its Caribbean services with new flights to Cancun, Mexico, effective Feb. 25, 2009.

Unions representing British Airways and Iberia pilots said they are in favor a proposed merger of the two airlines.

Virgin Atlantic has marked the tenth anniversary of launching its flights to the Caribbean. The airline began serving the island region in September 1998 when it launched flights from Gatwick Airport to Antigua, Barbados and St Lucia.

Southwest Airlines Co. said that the company flew 5.3 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in September 2008, a 5.9 percent decrease from the 5.6 billion RPMs flown in September 2007. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 0.8 percent to 8.4 billion from the September 2007 level of 8.3 billion.

The British Virgin Islands government has concluded discussions with LIAT to provide three daily flights to and from San Juan, Puerto Rico, as talks continue with American Eagle.

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority has announced that British Airways will be commencing a new direct flight from London Gatwick Airport to St. Kitts, marking the first time the airline will offer service to this Caribbean island. The flight will operate once a week on Saturdays, beginning on January 10, 2009.