Monday's Route Development Briefs
Delta to End Long-Haul Routes From Atlanta
US major Delta Air Lines is set to suspend flights between Atlanta and Shanghai early next year just six month after it relaunched services on the route, one of six long-haul markets that it will cease to serve from the US city. According to reports the airline will stop the Shanghai service from January 18, 2012 as well as dropping plans to relaunch flights on its seasonal links to Athens, Copenhagen, Moscow, Prague and Tel Aviv. The twice weekly Atlanta – Shanghai route was only relaunched on June 5 this year having previously been operated between March 30, 2008 and September 1, 2009. Delta officials are quoted in the US press as blaming the poor performance of the routes as the reason for their cancellation.
ANA and Air Nippon to Merge
Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) will increase its network and share of its home market when it integrates the activities of its subsidiary division Air Nippon into the mainline business. A meeting of the two carriers’ respective Boards of Directors formalised a merger agreement this week, although the timescale of the deal was not revealed. Air Nippon was established as an independent entity in March 1974 by ANA, Japan Airlines (JAL) and TOA Domestic, initially as Nippon Kinkyori Airways, and launched flights in October the same year. It is based at Shiodome City Center complex in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and operates predominantly short sector routes and flights to isolated islands from Tokyo Narita. In April 2004 the venture started using ANA’s flight numbers as it became more closely aligned with the airline.
Cebu Pacific Sees Growth at Puerto Princesa
Filipino low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific Airways has revealed that it carried more than 145,000 passengers on its flights to and from Puerto Princesa, Palawan during the third quarter of this year, a growth of 85 per cent compared to the same period last year. The airline offers three daily flights from Manila and a daily link from Cebu to the city, the gateway to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, recently named one of the provisional New Seven Wonders of the World. According to Civil Aeronautics Board 1st half 2011 figures, Cebu Pacific captured a 39 per cent share of the total traffic to and from Puerto Princesa, offering 38 per cent of the available capacity. The airline first served the city in March 2003 and is now reporting loads of around 89 per cent on its flights.
Sunwing Airlines Launches Flights to Aruba
Canadian carrier Sunwing Airlines inaugurated flights between Toronto and Aruba last week and already plans to double capacity on the route. The carrier, part of the Sunwing Travel Group, is offering a weekly rotation but will add a second flight from December 15 as part of its upgraded winter schedule. “With Sunwing Airlines’ service to Aruba we can expect a positive impact on the Canadian market for Aruba! The service which includes warm meals, champagne and wine with meals and other complimentary services on board will surely benefit the passengers who wish to visit Aruba,” said Peter Steinmetz, Chief Executive Officer, Aruba Airport Authority.
Avianca and TACA in Codeshare with Sky Airline
A formal codeshare agreement has been signed between TACA Airlines and Chile’s Sky Airline, while a similar agreement is expected to be formalised between Sky and Colombian national carrier Avianca during the first quarter of next year. The partnership between TACA and Sky, which has already come into force, will boost connection options between Peru and Chile, opening additional network points for the two carriers in respective countries and strengthening their presence in these two markets. TACA’s code is now appearing on Sky’s flights from Santiago to Iquique, Calama, Antofagasta, Copiapó, Concepción, Temuco, Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas and also on Sky’s Santiago-Lima and Santiago-Antofagasta-Lima international links. Likewise, Sky’s code is now on four of TACA’s domestic routes from Lima – Trujillo, Juliaca, Cusco and Tarapoto - as well as its Lima-Santiago service. The arrangement between Avianca and Sky will come into force once the Chilean and Colombian governments give their approval and will provide new network opportunities between Chile, Colombia and the wider Americas and European markets through the two carriers networks from Santiago and Bogota.
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