Sept. 16

Cyprus Airways has unveiled its northern winter 2022/23 schedule, which includes plans to continue operating its recently launched Larnaca (LCA)-Yerevan (EVN) in Armenia route twice a week. The carrier will also serve three other destinations from LCA during the season, flying to Athens (ATH) in Greece, double daily; Beirut (BEY) 6X-weekly; and Tel Aviv (TLV) 6X-weekly. “Our aim this winter is to present a schedule that secures services to key destinations and gradually continue building much needed passenger and cargo capacity for 2023 in line with our five-year strategic plan,” CEO Paul Sies said.

Hungary’s Wizz Air is launching a new route linking Armenia’s capital Yerevan (EVN) and Milan Malpensa (MXP). Flights will start on Jan. 10, operating twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The flight time will be about 4-hr. 30-min. OAG data shows that Milan and Yerevan were last connected by nonstop service on a city pair basis in August 2020 when Ryanair operate to EVN from Milan Bergamo (BGY).

Eurowings will resume the Graz, Austria (GRZ)-Stuttgart, Germany (STR) route on Sept. 19. The airline, which last served the destinations nonstop in May, will offer five flights per week on weekdays. Graz Airport Managing Director Wolfgang Grimus said the route was important for business traffic, as well as inbound tourism. Eurowings also serves Graz from Duesseldorf (DUS) in Germany and Palma de Mallorca (PMI) in Spain.

Sept. 15

Canada’s Sunwing Airlines is adding Melbourne Orlando (MLB) in Florida to its network. Three routes are being launched: Toronto Pearson (YYZ)-Melbourne begins on Dec. 10 and will be 2X-weekly on Saturdays and Wednesdays; Winnipeg (YWG)-Melbourne starts Dec. 10 and will be served on Saturdays; and Halifax Stanfield (YHZ)-Melbourne launches Feb. 10, 2023 and will operate on Fridays. In addition, Sunwing is restoring one route to Orlando (MCO) and two to Miami (MIA). Toronto Pearson-Orlando will be daily from Nov. 1, while Toronto Pearson-Miami and Montreal (YUL)-Miami will each operate on Sundays from Dec. 18.

Wizz Air has signed an agreement to operate flights from Mostar Airport (OMO) in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the summer 2023 season. The airport said the deal would support the growth of the economy and tourism in the region. OAG data shows that Mostar has been without scheduled air service since the onset of the pandemic when Croatia Airlines and FlyBosnia suspended flights.

Air Belgium has launched a new route to South Africa. The carrier will operate Brussels (BRU)-Johannesburg (JNB)-Cape Town (CPT) service twice a week using Airbus A330neos. It becomes the sole airline to offer nonstop flights between Belgium and South Africa.

HiSky is adding Brussels (BRU) to its network from November. The airline plans to connect Romania’s capital Bucharest (OTP) with the Belgian capital twice a week on Mondays and Fridays from Nov. 4. Flights will depart OTP at 10.40 a.m. and arrive in BRU at 12.20 p.m. The return sees flights leave at 1.20 p.m. and arrive back in Bucharest at 4.50 p.m.

United Airlines will increase its Melbourne (MEL) services to 40% above pre-pandemic levels, with daily flights from both San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX) to start from later this year. Service from LAX will resume on Oct. 28, initially operating 3X-weekly before increasing to daily from Dec. 1. San Francisco-Melbourne is currently operating 3X-weekly and will grow to daily frequencies from Oct. 28. Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the move would significantly increase passenger and carago capacity to and from the US.

US carrier JetBlue Airways intends to restart nonstop flights between New York John F Kennedy (JFK) and Pointe-à-Pitre (PTP) in Guadeloupe on Nov. 5. Flights will be 3X-weekly using Airbus A320 equipment. The resumption comes ahead of the Route Du Rhum yacht race, which takes place every four years in November. The course is between Saint Malo in France and Pointe-à-Pitre. JetBlue’s flights will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Sept. 14

Qantas has launched a new route from Sydney (SYD) to Bengaluru (BLR), providing the first direct connection between Southern India and Australia. The carrier said that the route would cut nearly three hours off the current fastest travel time between the two cities. Flights will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. “The addition of Bengaluru to our route map deepens our ties with India and follows the launch of direct services from Australia to Delhi last year which has also proven popular,” Qantas domestic and international CEO Andrew David said.

US seaplane operator Tailwind Air has delayed the start of its planned New York-Washington service for at least two weeks. Flights between Manhattan’s Skyport Marina (NYS) and Washington's College Park Airport (CGS) were due to launch on Sept. 13, operating six days a week up to twice daily using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft. However, the airline blamed “reasons beyond the company’s control” for the delay, saying it is now seeking approval to serve an alternate airport in the capital region.

Emirates will increase the frequency of its services to Algiers (ALG) with the addition of a fifth weekly flight, effective Oct. 7. The newest service will complement the airline’s existing operations between Dubai (DXB) and Algiers, currently running at four flights a week. The fifth weekly flight will be on Fridays and use Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Swedish airline BRA Braathens Regional Airlines is opening a nonstop route between Stockholm Bromma (BMA) and Aarhus (AAR) in Denmark. Flights will start on Nov. 7 and operate daily. The carrier has previously served the Stockholm-Aarhus market via Goteborg (GOT).

Sept. 13

Dubai-based LCC flydubai is launching flights to Namangan (NMA), which will become its third point in Uzbekistan. Service between Dubai (DXB) and NMA will start on Sept. 24, operating 2X-weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The opening of the route comes four days after flydubai begins flights between Dubai and Samarkand (SKD) in Uzbekistan. The carrier also serves the country’s capital, Tashkent (TAS). “The commencement of our 10 weekly flights to the market will strengthen trade and cultural links between the UAE and Uzbekistan,” flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said.

Spanish carrier Iberia is increasing capacity to the US during the winter 2022/23 season. The airline said it plans to offer 589,000 seats and about 2,000 flights during the season, representing increases of 15% and 21% respectively compared with 2019 levels. Service between Madrid (MAD) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) will continue to operate during winter with three frequencies per week, gradually increasing to daily by June 2023. In addition, winter season service between Madrid and Miami (MIA) will be 2X-daily, compared with 10X-weekly a year ago, and service to New York John F Kennedy (JFK) will expand from 10X to 13X-weekly flights.

Swiss airline Edelweiss Air is adding flights to Jordan from Feb. 2, 2023. The carrier plans to offer a Zurich (ZRH)-Amman (AMM)-Aqaba (AQJ) routing. Flights will be twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays using A320s.

Canada’s Air Transat is returning to Havana (HAV) in Cuba after an absence of almost three years because of the pandemic. Flights from Montreal (YUL) will restart on Dec. 19, operating three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. OAG data shows that flights will be onboard Airbus A321 and A321neo aircraft and Air Transat will become the sole operator of nonstop YUL-HAV flights.

GOL Linhas Aéreas has commenced two new routes from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU). Flights have begun to Ipatinga (IPN) and Uberaba (UBA), both of which will be served 4X-weekly.

Widerøe has announced its summer 2023 schedule, which includes one new route from Sandefjord Airport (TRF), Torp. The Norwegian airline will connect TRF with Florence (FLR) in Italy three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays using Embraer 195-E2s. Apart from the one route addition, Widerøe said the 2023 schedule would feature the same destinations as summer 2022.

Sept. 12

VietJet has launched two new routes connecting Phu Quoc (PQC) with Indian cities Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM). Phu Quoc is a Vietnamese island off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, known for its beaches. OAG data shows service to Delhi will initially be 3X-weekly and Mumbai will be 2X-weekly using Airbus A320s. However, Mumbai frequencies will grow to 4X-weekly from the start of the northern winter season.

Beginning March 11, 2023, Southwest Airlines is adding seasonal service on Saturdays between Denver (DEN) and San Jose (SJC) in Costa Rica, alongside existing Saturday service between Denver and Liberia (LIR) in Costa Rica. The carrier currently serves several international destinations from Denver including Belize, and four destinations in Mexico: Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas/Los Cabos. In addition, the LCC plans to offer a new nonstop seasonal route on Saturdays effective March 11 between San Diego (SAN) and Eugene (EUG).

Aerolineas Argentinas is adding five new frequencies between Montevideo (MVD) in Uruguay and its Buenos Aires Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) hub, increasing fights between the cities to 24X-weekly from October. This expansion will allow passengers to connect with nine new destinations within Argentina. “A robust and varied offer in terms of frequencies, schedules and connection possibilities is key to continue promoting receptive tourism,” said Pablo Ceriani, president of Aerolineas Argentinas.

Romania’s Blue Air has pushed back its planned resumption date to Oct. 10. The airline originally suspended flights last week until Sept. 12after accusing the Environment Ministry of blocking access to its bank accounts.

Indian startup Akasa Air has inaugurated its first flight from Chennai (MAA)—the fifth city in its network. The airline will offer 2X-daily services from the airport to Bengaluru (BLR), increasing to 3X-daily from Sept. 26. In addition, a daily Chennai-Mumbai (BOM) service will start on Sept. 15 and a daily Chennai-Kochi (COK) begins on Sept. 26. “The increased capacities across these key focus cities backed by affordable fares will provide our customers many options to choose from while planning their travel,” co-founder and CCO Praveen Iyer said.