Air Jamaica has upgraded its frequent flier program (FFP). The newly re-launched Air Jamaica 7th Heaven Rewards program calculates account balances in miles flown or earned. Existing members of Air Jamaica´s current frequent flier program will see their credits converted to mileage on a new easier-to-read statement, and the airline is also offering 500 bonus miles for new members.

Iberia´s consolidated results for the first quarter of 2006 showed a loss of €45 million, which was 29 million euros worse than the results obtained in the same quarter last year. The main cause was the steep rise in the price of aviation fuel, on which the company spent €80 million more than in the first quarter of 2005. Unit operating income was up by 5 percent in the quarter from 2005, continuing the trend set in the second quarter of last year. This was due chiefly to higher unit passenger revenues on international routes.

Air Jamaica is adding more flights to Grenada this summer, increasing its nonstop schedule from four to five flights a week to and from New York´s JFK International Airport, beginning the week of June 25. JM 94, which currently operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, will have an additional Thursday departure. All flights depart New York´s JFK at 10:30 a.m., arriving in Grenada at 3:10 p.m. On the return leg, JM 95 departs Grenada at 4:00 p.m. and arrives in New York at 8:50 p.m.

According to reports, Mexican low-cost, low-fare carrier Click Mexicana plans to enter the U.S. market June 1 with service between Cancun and Miami, pending U.S. government approval. Click Mexicana, which is owned by Mexicana and previously offered only domestic service, plans to offer thrice-daily flights on the Miami-Cancun route with Fokker F100 aircraft.

Creditors of Brazil´s embattled flagship airline Varig okayed a plan last week to auction off the company. The plan offers potential investors the right to buy all of Varig´s operations or just domestic operations, a Varig spokeswoman said. Creditors and government officials agreed to try to sell Varig´s routes and planes for a minimum of $860 million at an auction to be held within 60 days.

Copa Airlines, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A. announced this week that it will begin direct flights to Maracaibo, Venezuela with six flights a week, starting July 24. Maracaibo is Venezuela´s second largest city and the capital of the state of Zulia, the most important oil-producing state.