Air Canada has begun deploying new, bigger, more fuel-efficient, two-class regional jets as part of a strategy to enhance service in North America and add more markets and nonstop flights between Canada and the U.S. The airline unveiled its Embraer 175, for which the airline is the launch customer, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Toronto. The airline has received its first three and expects to get the other 12 it ordered by December.

Fort Lauderdale-based Spirit Airlines, the leading low cost carrier to the Caribbean, is planning a further expansion of its operations to the region. Barry Biffle, Chief Marketing Officer of Spirit Airlines, disclosed the plans ahead of this week´s First International Conference on Environmental and Sustainable Development which takes place at Hotel Renaissance Jaragua Hotel and Casino in Santo Domingo, August 10-12.

GOL (Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.), Brazil´s low-fare, low-cost airline, announced a codeshare agreement with COPA Airlines. The Company kicked off operations on August 24 and sales of plane tickets started on August 19. The partnership aims at offering more flights and connection options between Brazil and Panama, including several points across the Americas, through the Hub of the Americas, a direct flight distribution center located at Tocumen International Airport in Panama, which serves 30 destinations in 20 countries.

Delta Airlines will make its inaugural flight to Antigua later this year. The December 18 inaugural event will cement a six-month negotiating process with the team headed by Tourism Minister Harold Lovell. Delta is the second largest operating carrier within the United States, and the airline will be making 2 scheduled flights per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays non-stop to Antigua from Atlanta, with its 737 aircraft that has a seating capacity of 148 passengers.

Continental Airlines announced it will begin new nonstop Saturday service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Liberia, Costa Rica, on Dec. 17. The new service will add to Continental´s existing daily nonstop service from Houston to Liberia, a growing ecotourism destination located in Costa Rica´s Guanacaste region. The flight will depart Newark at 8:45 a.m., arriving in Liberia, Costa Rica, at 1 p.m. The return flight will depart Liberia at 1:50 p.m., arriving in Newark at 7:57 p.m. Continental will utilize a Boeing 737-700 aircraft on the approximately 5-hour flight to Liberia, Costa Rica, with seating for 12 passengers in First Class and 112 in Coach.

Spirit Airlines received $100 million of new financing, which the privately held airline said it will use to pay for its accelerated transition to an all-Airbus fleet by early 2007, support its fuel hedging program and bolster its growth plans for Caribbean and Latin American service. Existing investors are providing $70 million, and a new investor, Goldman Sachs Credit Partners, is providing the other $30 million, Spirit said.