Air India Increases Tokyo Flights
Air India is to add a fifth weekly rotation on its Delhi – Tokyo Narita service during the Northern Summer 2012 schedules. The additional flight will be introduced on March 25, 2012 and like the existing services will be operated using a Boeing 777-200LR. The Indian national carrier currently competes with Japan Airlines (JAL) on the route and the two carriers have a pretty equal split of the estimated 117,000 O&D passengers that flew on direct flights in the past year. Alongside this demand, around a further 37,000 passengers flew between Delhi and Tokyo Narita via other Asian airports including with Thai Airways International via Bangkok, Cathay Pacific Airways via Hong Kong and Singapore Airlines via Singapore. Although Air India and JAL have reported similar passenger numbers on the route, there is a vast difference in air fares between the two carriers, with the average Air India ticket 26 per cent cheaper than its rival.
Air New Zealand and ANA Launch new Partnership
Air New Zealand and All Nippon Airways (ANA) will establish a closer partnership from the start of the Northern Summer 2012 schedules on March 25, 2012 providing travellers on both airlines with improved access to destinations in Japan and New Zealand. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Rob Fyfe, Chief Executive Officer, Air New Zealand and Shinichiro Ito, President and Chief Executive Officer, ANA at last week’s Star Alliance CEO meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia coinciding with Ethiopian Airlines’ entry into the global grouping. The new partnership will, subject to regulatory approval, give Air New Zealand passengers easy access beyond the gateways of Tokyo (Narita) and Osaka (Kansai) on the more than 700 flights a day to 48 domestic destinations operated by ANA. Meanwhile, ANA customers will have access to destinations in New Zealand and the Australasian region beyond the gateway of Auckland, thanks to Air New Zealand’s network. The arrangement will also open up Japan as a corridor for New Zealanders travelling to Europe and other Asian destinations - ANA flies to the four European cities of London, Paris, Munich and Frankfurt as well as a range of Asian destinations including China, India, and Korea. “While Japan has been a very important destination for us for three decades, this new relationship will help further extend our reach both within Japan and to points beyond,” said Christopher Luxon, Group General Manager International Airline, Air New Zealand. “We have a clear strategy to develop strong alliances to support our core business and this new ANA codeshare is a good example of putting that strategy into action.” To enhance connectivity between the carriers Air New Zealand will move its Narita airport base to Terminal 1 South from March 25, 2012 placing it alongside other Star Alliance carriers and giving customers access to modern lounge facilities operated by ANA and smooth transit to connecting flights operated by ANA and other Star Alliance partners. “This partnership will add more value to our network, which will now include New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands as a choice for our customers,” said Keisuke Okada, Executive Vice President of Alliance, ANA. “ANA is also willing to promote New Zealand as a leisure destination within the Japanese market and we look forward to working together to continue to grow Japanese outbound passenger numbers to New Zealand.”
Cebu Pacific Adds Xiamen Flights
Filipino budget carrier Cebu Pacific will fly to all major coastal cities in China when it commences a three times weekly link between Manila and Xiamen from March 23, 2012. This will bring its international network to 18 destinations and will add to its existing daily services to Shanghai and three times weekly flights to Beijing and Guangzhou (a fourth Beijing rotation is due to be introduced from January 7, 2012). Xiamen is a highly industrialised city in the Fujian Province, on the Southeastern coast of mainland China. It was recently ranked China’s 2nd most suitable city for living by a Beijing-based polling agency, with highly developed banking services and open policy towards foreign investment and trade. “CEB looks forward to expanding its network in China, especially with Xiamen and Fujian Province being the well-known hometown of about 85% Filipino-Chinese in the Philippines, including the Gokongweis,” said Candice Iyog, VP for Marketing and Distribution, Cebu Pacific. “We hope our thrice weekly flights to Xiamen will boost trade tremendously between China and the Philippines.” During the third quarter of 2011 Cebu Pacific said it has carried 30 per cent more passengers on its services to mainland China than the same period in 2009 as its low-fares have stimulated traffic. The Manila – Xiamen route is already served by Philippine Airlines and China Southern Airlines which together carried an estimated 154,000 O&D passengers during the past year, up 8.5 per cent on the previous 12 month period. The average one-way fare on the route is an estimated $127, a figure that is sure to fall following Cebu Pacific’s launch.
Hebei Airlines Receives First E-Jets
Chinese carrier Hebei Airlines has taken delivery of the first of up to ten Embraer E-Jets that it is seeking to introduce into its fleet to develop regional services in the Hebei Province. The airline accepted delivery of two E190s on December 20 and is in discussions to add eight more aircraft, subject to final approval from the Chinese Government. “We are glad to take delivery of our first two E190s. The introduction of these jets during the Chinese 12th-five-year period (2011-2015) matches the company’s marketing strategy, and is one of our important initiatives in response to the State’s call to build China as a civil aviation powerhouse by improving the country’s regional aviation sector,” said Luo Zhanling, Vice Chairman, Hebei Airlines. “We will fully leverage the jets’ advantages in seat capacity and range performance to build a hub network. We hope that the two parties can work together to make our respective contributions to local civil aviation development and to promote economic and cultural exchange.” The aircraft will be based at Shijiazhuang, the capital city of the Hebei Province, and will mainly be used to establish a regional hub in the province, while also flying from Shijiazhuang to other provincial capitals, enhancing connectivity with more routes and frequencies. Formerly known as China Northeast Airlines, Hebei Airlines was established in June 2012 and currently operates a small fleet of Next-Generation Boeing 737 variants and Embraer ERJ-145s. It currently offers more than 200 weekly flights flights serving 18 domestic destinations.
Tonlé Sap Airlines Secures 757 Lease
Cambodian carrier Tonlé Sap Airlines is to introduce a single Boeing 757-200 into its fleet having been forced to reschedule its operations following the recent collapse of UK charter specialist Astraeus Airlines. The company launched operations in January this year with a single 737-300 operated on its behalf under an Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) lease by Astraeus. This aircraft was due to be replaced by a 737-700 from Astraeus last month but following the closure of the UK carrier the original aircraft was returned to its owner at the end of October. Tonlé Sap Airlines is understood to have maintained schedules through short-term wet-lease deals but has now agreed to lease a Boeing 757-200 from Latvian flag carrier airBaltic in a deal brokered by Skygo Leasing. The aircraft will be based in Siem Reap and will fly mainly between Cambodia and Korea with some additional services to China. “This is a tremendously-understated win-win deal for both operators, and a significant landmark for aviation commerce between East and West,” said Shaun Monnery, Executive Vice President – Commercial, Skygo Leasing, who had been responsible for the original deal between Tonlé Sap Airlines and Astraeus Airlines in his previous role working for the latter. “Asian airlines want and need aircraft as they adopt a seasonal approach, and European operators have too many aircraft, especially in the winter season.”
Singapore Airlines Announces Capacity Changes for Summer 2012
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has revealed its capacity adjustments for the Northern Summer 2012 schedules which will run between Match 25, 2012 and October 27, 2012 to meet changes in seasonal demand from the travelling public. The carrier has confirmed it will add a an additional daily rotation to the South Korean capital Seoul with a fourth flight between Singapore Changi and Incheon International, one of which continues on to San Francisco. Elsewhere, a further four weekly flights will be introduced to the Maldives’ capital Male increasing from ten a week to a double daily schedule with daytime and nighttime rotations. In India, Mumbai will see two additional weekly flights, increasing from 17 to 19, while in the Southwest Pacific, frequency will increase to points in Australia with Adelaide services increasing to ten a week from seven, from July 2, 2012 while Brisbane and Perth will each be served 21 times per week, rather than 19 and 18, respectively, as in the last Northern Summer schedule. There will also be some capacity reductions due to the changes in demand. Singapore–Moscow–Houston services will be reduced to five times weekly from daily, while one rotation per week will be removed from the Singapore–Munich–Manchester route, cutting flights from a daily schedule to six rotations per week. Singapore–Taipei services will also be reduced to 14 per week from 18 last summer. Some Middle Eastern services will also be restructured during the Northern Summer season, confirms SIA. Flights to Riyadh, which are currently served via Abu Dhabi, will instead operate via Dubai. This will result in Abu Dhabi being served three times per week, down from seven times, with flights carrying on to Jeddah. Dubai will continue to be served with ten flights per week, four of which will carry on to Riyadh and three to Cairo. SIA has also signed an interline agreement with US low-fare carrier JetBlue Airways, enhancing the travelling experience for passengers between Asia and North America and the Caribbean. Under the arrangement passengers will be able to book combined tickets for travel between JetBlue and SIA destinations, via SIA’s flights between Singapore Changi and New York JFK and Newark Liberty International. “This new partnership provides a seamless link for passengers in dozens of interior US points to connect to our unique brand of Asian hospitality when travelling abroad,” said C W Foo, Regional Vice President – Americas, Singapore Airlines.
ANA Enhances Schedule to Hangzhou
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced it will increase capacity on the Tokyo Narita – Hangzhou route from next month due to growing passenger demand. The Japanese carrier currently offers four flights per week between the two destinations but will increase to a daily schedule from January 20, 2012, subject to Government approval. ANA had previously planned plans to increase from four flights a week to a daily schedule from March 2010, but the enhanced schedule was not introduced for undetermined reasons. It is currently the sole operator on the route, which serves an O&D market of an estimated 33,000 O&D passengers. The route is operated by an Airbus A320.
Cairns Airport Celebrates Air New Zealand Milestone
Executives at Cairns Airport this week celebrated the 23rd anniversary of Air New Zealand’s direct flights to the city in Far North Queensland, Australia from Auckland, highlighting the carrier as “an invaluable airline partner” in maintaining connectivity around Australasia. Air New Zealand currently operates four services per week on the route carrying approximately 43,000 passengers each year, with those visiting Cairns injecting tens of millions of dollars into the regional economy, according to Cairns Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Brown. “New Zealand is an important business and holiday market for Tropical North Queensland and many people living in or visiting Cairns appreciate the opportunity to fly direct from our city to Auckland,” he said. “Cairns Airport and Air New Zealand have built up a strong relationship since the Auckland-Cairns service began back in 1988 and we look forward to this continuing for many years to come.”
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