LAN Argentina announced that it will begin operating the Miami-Buenos Aires route on August 15 with a nonstop flight that departs from Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires at night and arrives at Miami International Airport the following morning. The flight will in turn depart Miami the same morning and touch down in Buenos Aires at the following morning.

Caribbean Star Airlines announced last week it has postponed plans to offer new service to and from Curacao. The move comes as the carrier refocuses and expands its efforts toward achieving Category One status under the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA). All Caribbean Star passengers ticketed and confirmed for postponed travel to or from Curacao are eligible for full refunds of all ticket charges. To claim compensation, Caribbean Star customers must send their tickets via regular mail to the following address:

The European Union has banned three more airlines from operating in the 25 nation bloc and put restrictions on a fourth, updating its blacklist of carriers to try to boost safety in European skies. The executive European Commission said on Tuesday Suriname-based Blue Wing and Kyrgyzstan´s Sky Gate International would be banned from operating in the EU.

The inaugural of Air Canada´s nonstop daily service from Montreal marks its extensive eastern Canada network, with the Mexican capital. “The introduction of daily nonstop Air Canada flights between Montreal and Mexico City is great news for Montreal residents and consumers in eastern Canada seeking value and convenience in air travel to Mexico, whether for business, vacation or visiting friends and family,” said Ben Smith, vice president of Network Planning.

Former Air Jamaica executive Allen Chastanet has added his support to Air Jamaica´s new nonstop flights to St. Lucia, saying that this service is critical to the success of tourism on the island. “The new flights which started in February couldn´t have come at a more opportune time. New York is the largest market to the Caribbean, so having nonstop flights out of this market is imperative,” said Mr. Chastanet, who is now a Caribbean hotelier and was recently in New York for Caribbean Week activities.

The main union representing Iberia Airlines (IB) pilots called a strike for July 10-16 that will affect flights throughout Spain. Iberia pilots are protesting the airline´s plans to eliminate unprofitable routes operating out of Barcelona´s El Prat Airport (BCN) and Iberia´s investment in a new low-cost airline –Catair- based at BCN.