Routes In Brief: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C Jan. 22, 2024)

The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.

Jan. 26

Air Arabia is launching a new route connecting Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, with Athens, the capital of Greece. Staring on June 28, flights will be offered four times per week. “The launch of Air Arabia’s flights to Athens reflects our ongoing commitment to provide our customers with seamless connectivity between the two cities while offering accessible and affordable travel options,” Air Arabia CEO Adel Al Ali says.

Singapore will become the third destination in AirJapan’s network. The new ANA Group subsidiary will begin flights from Tokyo Narita on April 26 with five roundtrips per week. AirJapan has already confirmed it will fly to Bangkok and Seoul once commercial operations start in February.

Brazil’s Azul has signed a codeshare agreement with U.S. regional carrier Silver Airways. The move will enable Azul passengers to connect from Orlando to Florida's Key West, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa and to Marsh Harbour and North Elethera in the Bahamas. From Fort Lauderdale, codeshare flights will be offered to Florida's Key West, Tampa, Gainesville and Orlando, as well as North Eleuthera, Freeport, Georgetown, Governor's Harbour, Marsh Harbour and Bimini in the Bahamas. “With this new agreement, we offer access to an extensive national and international network, reinforcing our synergy and commitment to excellence in service,” says André Mercadante, Azul director of alliances, planning and revenue management.

BermudAir is set to launch two new services to Baltimore and Orlando. The carrier will start the service to Baltimore-Washington International Airport on March 18, with flights to Orlando International Airport service beginning on March 26. “The addition of Baltimore and Orlando to our network, subject to imminent final regulatory approval, is a clear indicator of BermudAir’s ongoing growth,” says Adam Scott, founder and CEO of BermudAir.

Porter Airlines has commenced daily service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Flights will operate using 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Kurush Minocher, executive director for customer experience and airline relations for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, says: “San Francisco is our sixth-largest transborder market and was one of the highest-growth destinations out of Toronto Pearson in 2023. Porter's entry on the route will allow more passengers to fly directly between Toronto and San Francisco, providing them with a simplified travel experience.”

Norwegian is opening a new route between Copenhagen and Slovenia's capital Ljubljana. Flights will be available twice a week from April 29. The route is the 18^th addition to the LCC’s network from Denmark for the summer 2024 season.

Jan. 25

Indian LCC IndiGo has announced direct flights between Surat and Dubai. The flights will operate 3X-weekly from Feb. 23. With the addition of this route, Surat becomes the second city in the state of Gujarat with direct connectivity to Dubai on the IndiGo network. Moreover, starting from Feb. 22, additional frequencies will be introduced on the Hyderabad-Dubai route. The move means that the airline will operate 108 direct flights a week to Dubai from 13 cities in India.

Sun Country Airlines is launching a new nonstop service from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) beginning on May 17. The route will operate four times a week. The planned launch comes after Frontier Airlines also revealed plans to enter the MSP-CLE market. “We have been wanting to serve Cleveland for some time, and our schedule for Cleveland will operate when our customers want to travel,” says Grant Whitney, Sun Country chief revenue officer.

KLM is increasing service between Amsterdam (AMS) and Southampton (SOU), England, from 2X-daily to 3X-daily from March 31. The additional frequency will depart AMS at 7 p.m. and arrive in SOU at 7.10 p.m. local time. The return service departs at 7.40 p.m. and arrives back in the Netherlands hub at 9.50 p.m. “The additional service will be welcomed not only by passengers travelling to the Dutch capital, but also by those wishing to travel globally to one of 332 direct destinations in 97 countries served by the one of Europe’s most popular hub airports,” says Christopher Tibbett, SOU head of airline relations and marketing.

Norwegian plans to extend service from Stockholm Skavsta Airport to Alicante (ALC) and Malaga (AGP), Spain, to year-round. The routes were initially planned for the summer season but will now continue into winter 2024-25. The LCC will serve ALC 3X-weekly this summer, reducing to weekly from Nov. 2. AGP will be offered twice a week this summer and once a week from Nov. 1.

Jan. 24

AirAsia Thailand is introducing a new route from Bangkok-Don Mueang to the city of Visakhapatnam, India, flying three times per week from April 9. “AirAsia plans to continue its expansion in India to tap on the market’s high tourism potential,” CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya says. AirAsia Thailand now flies 10 routes between Bangkok and India, serving Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Gaya, Guwahati, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow and now Visakhapatnam. Indian travelers make up 80%-90% of passengers on the routes, which maintain an average load factor of 87%.

Canada’s Lynx Air is adding a new U.S. destination from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The ULCC will open a 3X-weekly service to Los Angeles from July 11, increasing to daily from Aug. 11. “By this summer, Lynx will serve four destinations from Montréal flying more than 11,700 seats to or from Montréal each week,” says Lynx Air CCO Vijay Bathija.

Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines has confirmed plans to launch a new route to Vietnam. Beginning on April 2, the carrier will connect Taichung and Da Nang three times per week. Flights will be offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

German LCC Eurowings plans to offer three additional destinations and 50,000 more seats from Nuremberg Albrecht Durer Airport this summer. Flights to Nice will start on May 17 operating 2X-weekly and service to Bastia begins on June 29 operating weekly. The airline will also resume to Rome Fiumicino for the first time since before the pandemic, flying 2X-weekly from May 15.

Turkmenistan Airlines has announced four international route additions. From Ashgabat, the carrier will begin flying to Kuala Lumpur from Feb. 15, Jeddah from Feb. 16, Ho Chi Minh City from March 5 and Milan from March 6.

Jan. 23

EasyJet is expanding its network from Athens International Airport (ATH) during the summer 2024 season. The LCC plans to offer five new routes from Greece’s capital, increasing the number of destinations served to 15. The additions will see the airline fly from ATH to Lyon, France, from March 31 (3X-weekly); Bordeaux, France, from April 4 (2X-weekly); Venice, Italy, from April 22 (2X-weekly); Malaga, Spain, from June 1 (2X-weekly); and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, from June 27 (2X-weekly).

United Airlines has filed plans to open a new seasonal route between Washington and Alaska. According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, the carrier will serve Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport from Washington Dulles International Airport daily from May 23. Flights will operate using Boeing 737-8 aircraft.

Hawaiian Airlines is increasing frequencies on five routes from Honolulu in readiness for “strong summer travel demand.” Flights to Austin, Texas, will rise from 3X to 4X-weekly from May 24 through Aug. 2; Boston will increase from 4X to 5X-weekly from May 23 through Aug. 1; Las Vegas will grow from 18X-weekly to 3X-daily from May 24 through July 28; Los Angeles will expand from 3X to 4X-daily from May 24 through Sept. 2; and Pago Pago, American Samoa, rises from 2X to 3X-weekly from May 22 through Sept. 4. The additional frequencies will be operated using Airbus A330 aircraft, with select flights to Los Angeles operated onboard Boeing 787-9 equipment.

AirAsia X is resuming flights from Kuala Lumpur to Xi’an, China. Starting April 4, the route will operate three times per week, with Xi’an becoming the AirAsia Group’s 12th destination in mainland China. “We are proud to be the only airline connecting Kuala Lumpur directly to Xi’An with this route resumption,” AirAsia X Malaysia CEO Benyamin Ismail says.

UK leisure carrier Jet2.com plans to commence a weekly Saturday service from Manchester Airport, England, to Verona, Italy. Flights will start on Dec. 21 and operate during the ski season through April 5, 2025. “We are experiencing strong demand from skiers and snowboarders clamoring to book the best of the action for winter 2024-25, and our ski flights are selling very well,” CEO Steve Heapy says.

Jan. 22

Aer Lingus is suspending flights between Dublin Airport and London Gatwick Airport. The carrier currently serves the route up to four times per day using Airbus A320s. However, operations will be halted from the end of March. Ryanair, which operates the route up to eight times per day, says it will offer “rescue fares” for passengers affected by the suspension.

Transavia is to launch a new route between Amsterdam and Tbilisi, Georgia. Flights will commence on April 20, operating twice a week. The LCC will compete with Georgian Airways’ 3X-weekly service using Boeing 737-800s, OAG Schedules Analyser data shows. Additionally, Transavia has brought forward the planned start date for flights to Tirana, Albania. Operations were due to commence on April 3, but will now start on March 2.

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation has confirmed that Breeze Airways will offer daily seasonal flights to Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) from San Diego International (SAN) beginning on April 30. This is the second California destination for PVD, with seasonal nonstop and direct service to Los Angeles available seven days a week scheduled to return on May 1. In February, Breeze will also launch nonstop flights from PVD to Savannah and Myrtle Beach, each operating twice a week. Breeze announced plans to add SAN to its network earlier this month.