Will it happen? WOW air relaunch pushed to December
Remember that surprise bid to re-launch the failed Icelandic discount carrier WOW air? It's still on, backers say, though it's taking longer than expected.
Eccentric businesswoman Michele Ballarin vowed to have WOW’s purples planes back in the air within six weeks, pledging in early September that the carrier would begin flying from Washington Dulles to Iceland’s Keflavik Airport (KEF) by mid-October.
But that's no longer the plan, according to Ballarin’s Virginia-based USAerospace group.
“Wow Air intends to be fully operational in December with ticket sales hitting the market in November,” the company said in a statement to trade publication FlightGlobal on Tuesday.
“Significant market adjustments have taken place since the announcement of the re-launch of Wow Air,” the statement continued. “This contraction of air carriers has provided an increase in aircraft inventory previously not available in the late summer. Wow Air will take this opportunity to acquire and reconfigure our launch aircraft in the best interests of our customers and shareholders.”
Related: Exciting New Airline Routes for September 2019 and Beyond
How far along is "WOW 2"?
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) that runs both Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National airport confirmed it has had conversations with Ballarin and USAerospace regarding WOW air, but says nothing has been finalized.
“While the team at Dulles held an initial meeting in August with Ms. Ballarin and her associates regarding the process for establishing air service at the airport, there are currently no flights scheduled with WOW Airlines out of Dulles International and no new air service to announce,” MWAA said in a statement to TPG.
When the effort to re-launch WOW was first announced, Ballarin said flights would begin soon and operate under the previous WOW brand.
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Ballarin said then that she did not think WOW’s sudden collapse earlier this year had harmed the company’s image. She called WOW a “remarkable brand in aviation” while speaking during an unusual press conference in Reykjavik that was posted online.
“I don’t the brand is damaged at all,” she added then. “I think people miss the ability to go out to Keflavik (airport near Reykjavik) and get on a purple airplane and fly somewhere.”
While WOW initially launched as a no-frills ultra low-cost carrier, Ballarin’s vision for re-launching the airline sounded a bit different. She suggest her WOW might be more of a full-service carrier, suggesting that it would build airport lounges at both Dulles and Keflavik and offer inflight menus designed with the help of a Michelin-starred chef.
Related: Two airlines announced Newark-Paris flights on the same day. It may not last
At the time, Ballarin said the carrier has secured two aircraft to restart operations, but did not give details.
“I want to start carefully,” she said during the press briefing. “I want to be able to build the network very slowly, and by summer have four aircraft and go out to about 10 or 12 and stop there. The real profitability zone is when you go to 10 or 12 aircraft and just stay there.”
Whether it works or not remains to be seen. But it now appears we’ll have to wait at least until December to see if it gets off the ground.
Stay tuned…
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| 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
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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. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 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.