LAO AIRLINES’ STEP INTO THE JET AGE FACILITATES NETWORK GROWTH
Lao Airlines is to add two Airbus A320s to its fleet enabling it to launch new services to Guangzhou and Singapore and to upgrade many of its other routes from smaller ATR 72 turboprop equipment. The carrier is understood to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire two ‘white tail’ aircraft that were originally destined for Libyan carrier Afriqiyah Airways and will mean deliveries will take place as early as next month. According to a senior executive at the manufacturer, Lao Airlines will receive its first aircraft in the second half of October with the second following the same month or in early November. The arrival of the first aircraft will enable the carrier to introduce three times weekly flights from Vientiane to Guangzhou and Singapore from October 31 and November 1 respectively, while the type will also be used on existing daily routes to Hanoi and Kunming, twice daily services to Bangkok, as well as some flights to Luang Prabang, Pakse and Ho Chi Minh. "The A320 will see Lao Airlines introduce a new level of premium service as we expand our international route network," said Somphone Douangdara, President, Lao Airlines. "In addition to the highest standards of in-flight comfort, Lao Airlines will also benefit from the extremely low operating costs offered by these modern, fuel-efficient aircraft."
EMIRATES USES THIRD B777F TO BOOST BRAZIL FLIGHTS
Emirates SkyCargo has taken delivery of its third Boeing 777F Freighter and will use the additional capacity to support growing demand in Latin America. As reported earlier this month, the carrier, the freight division of Emirates Airline, is to add a third weekly flight between Dubai International and São Paulo’s Viracopos Airport in Campinas, Brazil from September 16. . The service operates via Frankfurt, Germany, on the outbound journey and returns through Dakar, Senegal. The Middle Eastern carrier has been serving Campinas since October 2010, providing much needed support to the booming import and export industry generated by South America’s largest city. “Even in an uncertain global economy, our commitment to facilitating international trade remains strong,” said Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline. According to the Arab-Brazilian Trade Board, Brazilian exports to countries in the Middle East totalled $6.41 billion (Dhs 23.5 billion) in the first half of 2011, representing a growth of 33 per cent over the same period last year. The UAE is among the three main markets for Brazilian exports, totalling $848.78 million (Dhs 3.1 billion) - an increase of 21.40 per cent over the same period last year. The main products exported were meats, sugar, minerals, coffee and dairy products. Imports from the Middle East also recorded a strong increase in the period, totalling $4.55 billion (Dhs 16.71 billion) in the first half of 2011, a figure 41 per cent higher than the same period in 2010. The main products were mineral fuels, followed by fertilisers and salt.
AIR NAMIBIA MAKES NETWORK CHANGES AHEAD OF A319 ARRIVAL
African carrier Air Namibia is to increase frequencies on its flights to South Africa and introduce a new non-stop link to Ghana following the introduction of a second Airbus A319 later this month. The airline has been wet-leasing a new A319 from BH Air since April last year but is currently in the acceptance phase of introducing a former airberlin example, which was rolled out of the paintshop at Dublin Airport in full Air Namibia livery late last month. The arrival of the aircraft will enable Air Namibia to add a third daily flight between Windhoek and Johannesburg and third daily rotation on its non-stop link between the Namibian capital and Cape Town from October 1. It will also enable capacity to be increased to the Ghanaian capital Accra with the existing four times weekly one-stop service via Johannesburg being replaced by a daily non-stop flight from the same date. Other network amendments will see the Zambian Capital Lusaka linked to Windhoek with a direct daily flight. This will replace an existing four times weekly service via Johannesburg and will be operated using an Embraer ERJ 135. In the domestic market a three times weekly Windhoek - Luderitz - Oranjemund - Windhoek service will be re-introduced, while flights on the Windhoek - Rundu - Katima Mulilo routing will be doubled from three to six per week.
CHINA SOUTHERN CONFIRMS A380 LAUNCH DATE
China Southern Airlines is understood to have set October 17 as the date for the proposed entry into commercial scheduled passenger service of the first of its Airbus A380s. The carrier’s latest GDS inventory shows that the Super Jumbo will initially be used between October 17 and October 26 on a daily Beijing – Guangzhou rotation before flying between Beijing and Shanghai Pu Dong (temporarily replacing its existing Beijing – Shanghai Hongqiao service) from October 27 to October 29. China Southern has not formally confirmed its operational plans for the first A380 as final preparations for the delivery of the aircraft take place. There are currently no flights for the A380 displaying in the carrier’s winter schedules, so we can expect an imminent announcement from the airline on which of its international routes the aircraft will debut. The Chinese carrier will be the seventh operator of the double-decker aircraft and will configure the aircraft in a three-class layout offering 506 seats. Eight First Class seats will be located at the front of the main deck, followed by 352 Economy seats in a 10-abreat 2-4-3 arrangement. The Upper Deck will 70 lie-flat Business Class seats and a further 76 Economy seats in an 8-abreast 2-4-2 layout.
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