COVID-19

The Indian government said it will consider reopening regular international flights when India’s domestic traffic reaches 50-60% of pre-COVID levels; India’s airlines started a phased return to domestic flying on May 25.

Air Belgium intends to open a new nonstop route to Mauritius from December and hopes to begin US service in 2021.

Europe's airlines are expected to lose $23.1 billion in 2020.

Thai Vietjet is increasing its footprint in Thailand’s domestic market with the launch of five new routes.

Wizz Air’s expansion shows no signs of slowing, with the carrier set to exploit St. Petersburg’s seventh freedom rights and open its first base in Russia.

With COVID-19 travel restrictions easing in parts of the world, airlines are gradually rebuilding their networks. Routes analyzes some of the services returning as well as new routes being launched. This week we look at new services from Loganair, Eastern Airlines and Air Astana.

Charting the resurgence of air transport in markets around the word, Routes looks at the easing of travel restrictions in Iceland.

While many airlines are fighting for survival, Wizz Air is continuing its bold expansion plan with the opening of a seventh base in Romania.

IATA calls for the resumption of free movement within the EU.

US leisure carrier Sun Country is hoping to extend the suspension of service to a chunk of its domestic network for a further three months.

Charting the resurgence of air transport in markets around the word, Routes looks at the easing of travel restrictions in Malaysia.

Calin Rovinescu tells an Aviation Week Network webinar that his airline expects to carry 25% of last year’s number of passengers in Q3, providing it has market access.

GOL Linhas Aéreas expects to increase flight operations to about 20% of last year’s June schedule and reopen a further five bases.

Replacing Condor’s suspended service from Frankfurt is a key target for Pittsburgh International.

International routes can be central to Poland’s economic recovery but only if aircraft passenger restrictions are scrapped, industry leaders have warned.

Dallas, New York JFK and San Francisco among the routes added back.

With COVID-19 travel restrictions easing in parts of the world, airlines are gradually rebuilding their networks. Routes analyzes some of the services returning as well as new routes being launched. This week: airBaltic’s new route to Dublin; Air New Zealand resuming flights to Tokyo; and Luxair re-entering a market it last served in 2007.

Canadian ULCC Swoop is increasing its domestic network from July but several planned seasonal services have been postponed.

The Hong Kong government will take a minority stake in the airline.

Russia’s S7 Airlines has unveiled bullish plans to resume fights across its entire domestic network in June, as well as launching five new routes in the coming weeks.

COVID-19 has thrown aviation into survival mode overnight but the industry should use this crisis to learn from the past and find ways to improve in the future, according to IATA regional vice president for the Americas Peter Cerdá.

Air New Zealand’s new CEO Greg Foran has warned that the airline does not expect a return to long-haul flying “of any note” until next year.

Delta Air Lines will suspend flights to 11 US markets from next month as it shrinks its route network to match demand. Separately, the carrier has also formally applied for the US Transportation Department to authorize its codeshare deal with LATAM Airlines Group.

Chinese carriers have transported more than 1 million passengers in a day for the first time since late January as the country’s market continues to recover from the coronavirus crisis.

American 'more optimistic' compared to previous schedule plans.