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Cape Air on new Tecnam Traveller: ‘It’s better than an airliner’
Edward Russell
Contributor
Edward Russell is a contributor for TPG. An AvGeek at heart, he covered the airline business at FlightGlobal for eight years and previously covered finance in New York and Hong Kong.
Sept. 06, 2019
•
3 min read
Cape Air on new Tecnam Traveller: ‘It’s better than an airliner’
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Independent regional carrier Cape Air is preparing to introduce its first-ever new aircraft in several months. The Tecnam P2012 Traveller will bring with it an entirely new onboard experience for the airline's passengers.
The clean-sheet prop will seat nine passengers — 11 if you count the pilot and first officer — in an air-conditioned cabin with under-seat storage and even USB charging ports at every seat.
"It's a totally different product," Cape Air senior vice-president of fleet planning Jim Goddard said of the Traveller as compared to its fleet of Cessna 402s. Goddard, who spoke with TPG on the sidelines of the Regional Airline Association (RAA) annual convention in Nashville Friday, has flown in the new aircraft several times at Tecnam's manufacturing facility in Capua, Italy.
One difference that AvGeeks will immediately notice — and undoubtedly miss — is the opportunity to fly in the first officer's seat. The spot will be reserved for crew members on all flights.
Despite this, Goddard said experience onboard the Traveller will be "better than an airliner," referring to the ubiquitous 50-seat regional jets in U.S. feeder fleets.
Cape Air took delivery of its first two of up to 100 Travellers in July. The carrier expects eight aircraft by year-end, and 20 by the end of 2020.
Related: Cape Air Begins Fleet Renewal With Its First Tecnam Prop
Tecnam will fly Cape Air's first two Travellers to the airline's base in Hyannis (HYA), Massachusetts, the week of Sept. 16, he said. Each flight will make at least five stops — in France, Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and Canada — enroute from Capua. The trip is expected to take four days and include 30 to 35 hours in the air.
Once the Travellers are on property, Cape Air aims to introduce them on scheduled passenger flights in December. The first services will be to destinations it serves under the U.S. government's Essential Air Service program from Boston Logan (BOS), said Goddard. Examples of such routes include Augusta (AUG) in Maine or Rutland (RUT) in Vermont.
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The new props will begin flying elsewhere in Cape Air's network — it has bases in Missouri, Montana and Puerto Rico — soon after the introduction, he added.
Cape Air partners with a number of airlines, including a codeshare with JetBlue Airways on many of its flights. In Boston, the carrier operates from Terminal C adjacent to JetBlue, which is the largest airline at Logan airport.
The regional carrier does not have any plans to launch new routes with the Traveller. Goddard said that, even with improved performance from Cape Air's Cessna fleet, the range is limited by the "human body." Neither aircraft has a toilet.
Cape Air will use the Travellers to replace its entire fleet of 83 Cessna 402s.
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Best for dining at restaurants
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.