News Briefs From Around The World

A digest of the key route development and schedule updates from the rest of the world...

Europe

Air Berlin to offer year-round Dusseldorf – Los Angeles service

Air Berlin has announced that it will extend the Dusseldorf – Los Angeles service from summer seasonal to year round. Starting W12, 28OCT12, the oneworld member will operate 3 weekly services with A330-200.

Air Dolomiti to start Verona – Zurich route

Italian carrier Air Dolomiti is launching 11 weekly Verona – Zurich services from 02JUL12, utilising ATR72.

Air Greenland and First Air forges partnership

Air Greenland and Canadian carrier First Air will start a codeshare operation this summer, when the former launches Nuuk – Iqaluit DASH8 services twice a week. First Air will codeshare on Air Greenland’s flight, and its Iqaluit – Ottawa service will carry Air Greenland flight numbers.

British Airways to start London City – Isle of Man from late May 2012

British Airways from 28MAY12 is returning to the Isle of Man market, with the launch of London City – Isle of Man service. Initially, the service will be operated by BA CityFlyer with up to 3 daily flights. Eastern Airways, operating Saab 2000 aircraft, will take over from 25JUN12. The Eastern Airways aircraft will be repainted into BA livery and service provided by BA CityFlyer crew.

British Airways adds Salzburg & Turin Winter service

British Airways for Winter 2012/13 season is introducing a 6thand 7thweekly service on London Gatwick – Salzburg service and a 10thweekly London Gatwick – Turin service. The new flights are being introduced due to BA dropping their London Gatwick – Thessaloniki service for W12.

Germanwings to offer seasonal Basel – Pristina link

Germanwings is offering a seasonal weekly A319 service on Basel – Pristina route, operating 30JUN12 to 01SEP12.

Jet2 adds new Ibiza link in Summer 2012

Low-cost carrier Jet2.com will start 2 per week East Midlands – Ibiza route from 20MAY13.

SAS to start Copenhagen – Kiruna link

SAS from 20DEC12 is starting 2 per week Copenhagen – Kiruna service.

Sun-Air of Scandinavia adds New Oslo services

British Airways franchise carrier Sun-Air of Scandinavia this past week introduced Oslo – Aalborg and Oslo – Billund. The immediate start was due to the collapse of Cimber Sterling.

Turkish Airlines expands in Denmark

Turkish Airlines from 16JUL12 is launching a new service in Denmark, operating 3 weekly A319 Istanbul – Aalborg – Billund – Istanbul.

Americas

AeroMexico increases Madrid service

AeroMexico from 10MAY12 to 30AUG12 is increasing Mexico City – Madrid service from daily to 10 weekly. Additional services will be operated by Boeing 767.

Cayman Airways to introduce seasonal Dallas service

Cayman Airways from 23JUN12 to 01SEP12 is offering one weekly Grand Cayman – Dallas flight, utilizing Boeing 737-300.

Delta adjusts West Africa service

Starting 14AUG12, Delta will consolidate the majority of its’ West Africa services departing from New York JFK. Existing Atlanta – Accra and Atlanta – Accra – Monrovia route will cease operation. Instead, Delta will then increase New York JFK – Accra – Monrovia from 1 to 3 weekly (Overall service to Accra from JFK increases from 3 to 5 weekly, as it maintains the 2 weekly service that extends to Abuja).

Hawaiian Airlines to Hokkaido from November 2012

Hawaiian Airlines is set to become the sole long-haul foreign carrier serving Sapporo, when it begins a 3 weekly service starting 01NOV12 from Honolulu. Sapporo, the largest city in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, has not had a scheduled foreign carrier offering long-haul service since September 2002, when KLM terminated its’ 2 weekly Amsterdam – Sapporo – Nagoya services. JAL ceased its own Honolulu – Sapporo flight in 2003.

WestJet prepares new codeshare partnership with Asian Carriers

Canadian low-fare carrier WestJet is preparing to start a codeshare service with Asian carriers Korean Air and China Eastern. The airline has secured regulatory approval for these codeshare flights. As early as 31MAY12, Korean Air will display the “KE” code on approximately 20 WestJet routes within Canada, and between Canada and US. China Eastern, from 04JUN12 will assign their “MU” code on WestJet’s domestic services.

CIS

Aeroflot Winter 2012 schedule changes effective from 07MAY12

Aeroflot Russian Airlines has made several adjustments to its international network for the Winter 2012/13 season, effective from 07MAY12. Moscow – New York JFK is planned to operate twice- daily using A330-300 aircraft (previously planned 767 and A330). A third daily service to Milan Malpensa and Rome is currently loaded in the GDS, but unavailable for reservation. A new daily flight to Tallinn is due to start from 28OCT12.

Georgian Airways Starts Paris Service

Georgian Airways is starting a Tbilisi – Paris CDG service from 15MAY12, offering twice weekly Boeing 737 service.

Transaero outlines Italy service

Transaero from late June 2012 is launching 6 new routes to Italy: Moscow Vnukovo – Rome, Moscow Vnukovo – Venice, Moscow Vnukovo – Milan Malpensa, Moscow Domodedovo – Venice, St. Petersburg – Milan Malpensa and St. Petersburg – Rome.

UT Air’s new seasonal Surgut routes

UT Air is adding new seasonal routes for Summer 2012 from Surgut, Surgut – Baku and Surgut – Simferopol. Each route will operate once per week using Boeing 737 equipment.

Yamal Airlines adds new domestic routes

Yamal Airlines is launching 3 new domestic services from Moscow Domodedovo: 6 weekly Taganrog from 25MAR12; 6 weekly to Krasnodar from 27APR12, and 2 weekly Anapa (27MAY12 to 10SEP12).

Africa / Middle East

Air Arabia Maroc starts Nador – Palma Mallorca charter

Air Arabia Maroc has launched a weekly charter service between Nador and Palma Mallorca.

Air Mauritius adds Madagascar and Kenya flights

Air Mauritius, from 28OCT12, is increasing Mauritius – Antananrivo service from 4 to 6 weekly while Mauritius – Nairobi will gain a third weekly flight. This is part of the airline’s network restructuring, which focuses on strengthening its’ core markets.

Air Nigeria postpones Johannesburg resumption until mid June

Air Nigeria has postponed the planned service on Lagos – Johannesburg route, due to start 18MAY12. The new launch date for this 3 weekly service is now scheduled to commence on 17JUN12.

Eritrean Airlines starts South Africa service

Eritrean Airlines on 07MAY12 launched services to South Africa, with 2 weekly Asmara – Cape Town – Johannesburg – Asmara and vice versa routes. Service operates on Airbus A319.

Etihad to start Addis Ababa and Ahmedabad service

Etihad Airways starting 01NOV12 will launch a daily Abu Dhabi – Ahmedabad service, using Airbus A320 aircraft. The following day will see the launch of 5 weekly A320 Abu Dhabi – Addis Ababa services.

Asia & Oceania

Air China reshuffles Japan operation

Air China has adjusted its’ planned operation to Japan, which sees the cancellation of its’ planned Hangzhou – Osaka Kansai 3 weekly service, due to start from 02JUL12. The planned service increase on Beijing – Nagoya from daily to 11 weekly was also cancelled. However, planned Hangzhou – Tokyo Narita 4 weekly service, due to start 01JUL12 and previously shelved, is being resurrected. A319 will operate the service to Tokyo.

Air New Zealand boosts capacity to Perth

Air New Zealand will boost capacity on Auckland – Perth service for the Northern Winter 2012/13 season. It will use the larger capacity 777-200ER instead of 767-300ER from 28OCT12 to 30MAR13.

DrukAir Opens reservations for Mumbai and Singapore services

DrukAir, Royal Bhutan Airlines opened reservations for its Mumbai and Singapore services on 01MAY12. The airline is starting a twice weekly Paro – Mumbai service from 15MAY12 and Paro – Singapore service (technical stop in Kolkata) from 01SEP12. Reservations can only be made via the airline’s booking office.

EVA Air upgrades business class product

Taiwan-based EVA Airways has unveiled it’s upgraded business class product, which features fully lie-flat seats in cirrus configuration. The new business class, marketed as “Royal Laurel Class”, will be launched on Boeing 777-300ER aircraft operating Taipei – New York JFK service from 02JUN12.

Jet Airways Ends Johannesburg Service

Jet Airways from 13JUN12 is cancelling services to South Africa, terminating 5 weekly Mumbai – Johannesburg service, launched in April 2010.

Philippines AirAsia to start international routes

Philippines AirAsia will launch its first international route on 01JUN12, with a daily Clark – Kuala Lumpur service. AirAsia already operates one daily flight on this route.

Links to rest of The HUB stories for the week...