New airline PEOPLExpress will soon launch in the US. – Photo courtesy of PEOPLExpressNEW YORK, Feb 18 – Amid all the doom and gloom of failed airlines and stranded passengers, there have been brighter skies this week, in the form of news of two new airlines – and one reincarnated.

PEOPLExpress, a once-large North American carrier lost in the depths of Continental during the 1980s, rose from the ashes this week with an announcement that it plans to start operations in the state of Virginia.

The carrier, which hopes to offer one-way fares from US$69 (RM210), plans to expand to other Eastern US cities such as Pittsburgh, PA, Providence, RI, West Palm Beach, FL and Newark, NJ – although there’s still no definitive date for the launch.

Across the pond, new carrier Volotea unveiled its own plans this week, revealing that it will be based out of Venice from April 5.

The airline will target smaller cities in Italy, France and Spain, with destinations under consideration including Bilbao, La Coruna, Granada and ‘unspecified’ island locations.

Plans for a new airline are also afoot in Iceland, where WOW Air unveiled its new service this week, promising to offer flights between Iceland’s Keflavik and London Stansted from June 1.

The flights will run three times a week, with expansion planned to Copenhagen, Warsaw, Krakow, Berlin, Stuttgart, Cologne, Zurich, Bale, Paris, Lyon and Alicante in the future. – AFP