Hainan Airlines Plans Maldives Adventure
Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is set to introduce flights between Beijing and the Maldives, attempting to take advantage of the growing demand from Chinese citizens for holidays in the luxury Indian Ocean archipelago. It plans to launch a twice weekly flight on November 1, adding a third weekly frequency from January 10, 2012. The demand for flights between Beijing and the Maldives has more than doubled in the past year, up from approximately 19,000 O&D passengers to 33,000 in the past 12 months. Visitor numbers from China are growing faster than Europe, one of the traditional markets for traffic to the Maldives. Official statistics show that round 120,000 Chinese tourists travelled to the Maldives last year, making China the largest individual source market and this resulted in the introduction of a first charter service from Beijing earlier this year. Singapore Airlines (75 per cent) currently dominates the traffic between Beijing and Malé, the capital and most populous city in the Maldives but passengers are also currently flying with Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur; Qatar Airways via Doha; Emirates Airline via Dubai and SriLankan Airlines via Colombo.
Far Eastern Air Transport to Increase Cross-Strait options
Taiwanese carrier Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) is planning to offer flights on ten routes between Tawian and China this winter, although it has yet to formally announce its plans or open reservations for the services. According to its planned operational schedule it intends to provide twice weekly links between Kaohsiung and Chengdu, Haikou and Hefei, alongside a single weekly rotation to Nanning. From Taipei Taoyuan it plans flights to Guiyang (twice weekly), Lanzhou (three times weekly), Sanya (five times weekly) and Shijiazhuang (three times weekly); while from the downtown Taipei Sung Shan it intends to provide weekly flights to Nanning and operate three times weekly to Taiyuan. Half these routes are already served with GE offering weekly flights between Kaohsiung and Hefei and Nanning; China Southern Airlines a five times weekly Taipei Taoyuan – Guiyang link; China Eastern Airlines a weekly Taipei Taoyuan – Shijiazhuang and China Airlines a twice weekly Taipei Taoyuan – Sanya service.
Malaysia Airlines Takes Control of Firefly Flights
Malaysia Airlines has confirmed it will take over responsibility for some of the flights of its subsidiary Firefly as it positions the carrier solely as a regional provider offering turboprop services. This transition will take place over a two month period between now and December and is part of a wider network rationalization programme which will also see greater synergies with AirAsia and its long-haul, low-cost carrier AirAsia X. Firefly confirms it will cease to operate its links between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu and Kuching from October 30, while services from the Malaysian capital to Sandakan and Sibu will stop from December 4. Its Boeing 737s will be redeployed into the mainline Malaysia Airlines fleet. “The takeover of jet services is an important part of the Group's business realignment exercise and is prompted by the need to address network and fleet restructuring plans for short-haul jet services,” explained Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Airlines Group. “With the consolidation of Firefly's jet operations under the Group, Malaysia Airlines will focus on the business of growing our premium full-service segment.”
Virgin Australia Builds Western Australia Network
Virgin Australia is to increase capacity on routes from Perth to Karratha and Port Hedland during the Northern Winter schedule. The airline will increase weekly flights to Karratha from 12 to 14 between November 23 and March 22, 2012, while Port Hedland services will grow from 14 to 17 a week during the same period. Virgin Australia competes with national carrier Qantas on both routes and has a 15 per cent share of the estimated 675,000 O&D passengers between Perth and Karratha and a 31 per cent share of the 375,000 O&D travellers between Perth and Port Hedland. Merren McArthur, Group Executive - Alliances, Network and Yield, Virgin Australia said the new services to the Pilbara region are in response to strong demand from the resources sector.
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