EMIRATES SET TO GO NON-STOP TO BASRA
Emirates Airlines will begin its first services to Iraq from February 2011. Effective February 2nd, 2011 the Dubai based operator will begin a four-times weekly service to Basra, Iraq. The route will be operated with A330-200 equipment and will be Emirates only scheduled service into Iraq.
EMIRATES SET TO BOOST SAUDI ARABIAN LINKS
Emirates has also revealed that it will boost scheduled flights into Saudi Arabia, effective January 1st, 2011. It will increase services into Jeddah operating a double daily service, 12 times weekly with A380 equipment and twice-weekly with A340-300. On the same date, Emirates will operate double daily services to Riyadh. Emirates is currently the second largest operator on the Dubai to Jeddah sector with a 42% share of the annual O+D traffic, second to Saudi Arabian Airlines with a 50% share. Over 328,000 O+D passengers flew the city pairs between July 2009 and July 2010. Emirates has just a 25% share of the Riyadh sector from Dubai with Saudi Arabian Airlines having a 71% share of the 385,000 O+D market.
TURKISH INCREASES DAILY TO SEOUL
Turkish Airlines has announced that it will increase its existing service from Istanbul to Seoul Incheon with a daily service, ramping up from existing five-times weekly schedule. The increase is planned for Turkish Airlines summer 2011 programme. IATA BSP data shows that over 142,000 O+D passengers flew the route between July 2009 and July 2010 with Turkish having a 22% share of the market, with Korean Air the market leader with a 34% share.
QATAR ADDS SECOND SYRIAN SERVICE
Doha based Qatar Airways will add non-stop service to Aleppo effective April 6th. The route will be operated four-times weekly and will complement existing service from Doha to Damascus which is operated on a double daily rotation.
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES POSTPONES B777 TO WASHINGTON
As per 18NOV10 GDS timetable display, Ethiopian Airlines is postponing planned Boeing 777-200LR operation on Washington Dulles service for the 2nd time. Per display, latest 777 service entry on Addis Ababa – Washington Dulles – Rome – Addis Ababa is scheduled on 24DEC10 (25DEC10 from IAD), 3 days later than the planned first change