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

Sept. 29

Etihad Airways is halting flights to Dhaka, Bangladesh, at the start of the northern winter 2023-24 season. The airline has issued a commercial waiver because of the planned suspension from Oct. 29. Passengers with fully unutilized tickets may receive a full refund with no penalty or administrative fee, while partially used ticket holders may refund the unused portion of their ticket. Etihad resumed service to Dhaka in October 2020 following a two-year hiatus. Flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport are currently operating daily using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The route is also served by Air Arabia Abu Dhabi daily and Biman Bangladesh Airlines 2X-weekly, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.

Fresh from announcing nine new routes from Monterrey—six of which are to the U.S.—Mexico’s Viva Aerobus has unveiled plans to grow its network from Mexico City Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU). The ULCC will launch 17 domestic services from the airport, which opened for commercial flights in March 2022. The Mexican government has been pushing for carriers to increase their operations from NLU, rather than Mexico City International Airport (MEX). It intends to cut capacity at MEX, limiting the number of hourly slots from 52 to 43. Analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Viva Aerobus already serves 14 of the 17 destinations it plans to launch at NLU from MEX. It is unclear at this stage whether the launch plans will result in capacity reductions or route cuts from MEX.

UK regional carrier Loganair plans to increase frequencies between Isle of Man and Manchester to twice daily from Oct. 31. The airline intends to operate the schedule through to the end of the year. It says the move follows easyJet’s decision to cut capacity on the route in November and December. “We think it’s important that people who had booked with easyJet still have the option to travel as planned—and that’s why we’ve added the additional routes at similar times to the services that have been lost,” Loganair CEO Jonathan Hinkles says.

Saudi Arabia’s Flynas is launching a new domestic route. Flights between Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport and Najran Regional Airport will start on Nov. 1, operating five times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The route is served 2X-daily by Saudia at present.

HiSky has commenced three new routes from Chisinau, Moldova. The airline has started service to Bucharest, Romania, operating 3X-weekly; Düsseldorf, Germany, operating 2X-weekly; and Istanbul, Turkey, operating 4X-weekly. The carrier now operates flights to 12 destinations from the Moldovan capital. HiSky has a fleet of seven aircraft, comprising one Airbus A319, four A320s and two A321neos.

Sept. 28

Nonstop air service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) will resume on Oct. 3 for the first time since before the pandemic. Cathay Pacific Airways will offer a 3X-weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. “The return of business and leisure travelers will strengthen both of our cities and bolster O’Hare’s position as a leading gateway to the world,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says.

India’s IndiGo has announced new daily domestic flights between Jaipur and Agra, effective Oct. 29. “Agra and Jaipur are part of India's renowned Golden Triangle and are highly favored by both local and international tourists,” Head of Global Sales Vinay Malhotra says.

Commencing Nov. 10, Air Serbia will open service between Belgrade and Porto, Portugal. The Serbian airline will operate Belgrade-Porto flights twice a week on Mondays and Fridays using Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. “Our destination network was expanded this year with over 20 new cities, including Lisbon,” says Boško Rupić, general manager for commercial and strategy at Air Serbia. “Flights between Belgrade and Portugal’s capital have been quite popular since the beginning, as evidenced by the continuously high load factor. However, in Europe’s westernmost country, there are other charming cities that always attract visitors, and one of them is Porto.”

Emirates plans to introduce its Airbus A380 premium economy product to two more points in its network: São Paulo from Nov. 19 and Tokyo Narita from Dec. 20. São Paulo will become the airline’s fifth point in its Americas network where flights will operate with the new cabin class, while Tokyo Narita will become the second gateway in the airline’s Far East network.

Ryanair is launching two new routes from Poznań, Poland, during the winter 2023-24 season. The new routes will connect the city to Lisbon, Portugal, and Paphos, Cyprus. Additionally, the ULCC is increasing frequencies on five other routes to Alicante, Spain; Bristol, England; Malta; Milan; and Paris. Overall, Ryanair will base three aircraft in Poznań this winter and operate 23 routes.

Sept. 27

South African Airways (SAA) has confirmed plans to launch flights to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Service from Johannesburg will start on Nov. 14, operating via Accra, Ghana, using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. SAA will fly to Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport in Abidjan three times a week, departing Johannesburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 a.m. and arriving in Abidjan at 5 p.m., with a 55-min. stopover in Accra. “The Abidjan route is an integral component of our West Africa expansion strategy,” Chief Commercial Officer Tebogo Tsimane says. On Sept. 25, Aviation Week reported that SAA will add five A320s, one A330 and two Boeing 737-800s to its fleet to be used for network restoration ahead of the busy Christmas season.

Thai VietJet has launched a new route to Japan, adding flights from Thailand via Taiwan. The LCC’s service links Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Osaka Kansai, operating via Taipei Taoyuan. Frequencies will initially be four times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, increasing to daily from Oct. 19. Thai VietJet will deploy Airbus A320 aircraft on the route.

Wizz Air has resumed flights from London Luton Airport to Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ), Bosnia and Herzegovina. Flights will be offered twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. SJJ says Wizz has opted to resume the route following the introduction of a new incentive scheme for airlines operating flights from Sarajevo.

Sept. 26

Wizz Air is expanding in the Swedish market with plans to establish operations at Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN). The ULCC will launch two routes from the airport from Oct. 31, connecting Sweden’s capital with Budapest, Hungary, and Gdansk, Poland. ARN will become the third airport in the country served by Wizz, alongside Göteborg Landvetter Airport and Malmö Airport. “Wizz Air’s presence at Stockholm Arlanda will not only be appreciated by those who want to travel to visit family and friends, but also by Swedish tourists who want to discover Hungary and Poland and vice versa, as well as by those who travel for business,” says Elizabeth Axtelius, director of aviation business at Swedish airport operator Swedavia. Flights to Budapest Airport will be offered 4X-weekly, while Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport will be served 14X-weekly. Wizz will use Airbus A320s and A321s on the routes.

Batik Air has operated its inaugural service between Jakarta, Indonesia, and Perth, Australia. Service will be daily. “This Batik Air service to Jakarta will fly daily and deliver more than 120,000 new seats into the Perth market, which delivers another huge boost for Western Australia’s business, student and tourism sectors,” Perth Airport Acting CEO Kate Holsgrove says. “With a population of 10.5 million, there is massive opportunity to entice not only tourists, but students from the Indonesian capital. As Western Australia’s 12th-largest trading partner, the new nonstop service to the Indonesian capital city also presents more opportunity for Western Australia businesses.”

Malaysia Airlines is expanding its network in Indonesia with the introduction of a new direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kertajati beginning Oct. 30. Flights will be offered twice a week using Boeing 737-800NG aircraft. The move increases the carrier’s Indonesia network to seven destinations, alongside Denpasar-Bali, Jakarta, Medan, Pekanbaru, Surabaya and Yogyakarta. “As global travel demand continues to strengthen, we are seeing positive response on our Indonesia routes to date, with average load factor at 80%,” Malaysia Aviation Group CEO Ahmad Luqman Mohd says.

Germany’s Eurowings has confirmed it plans to operate 105 routes during the northern winter 2023-24 season, including five new destinations from Berlin. They comprise service to Dubai; Innsbruck, Austria; Rovaniemi, Finland; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Tromso, Norway. Düsseldorf will see new routes to Ivalo and Kuusamo, Finland, as well as to Tel Aviv, while Hamburg gains a new connection to Tromso. Hannover will be linked to three new points—Gran Canaria and Tenerife in Spain, and Hurghada, Egypt—while Stuttgart sees Bucharest, Romania; Dubai; and Tirana, Albania, added to its schedule. Nuremberg will also receive new routes to Gran Canaria, Hurghada and Marsa Alam, Egypt, and Cologne will be connected to Edinburgh, Scotland. Outside of its German bases, Graz will have new routes to Berlin, Hamburg, Hurghada, Gran Canaria and Tenerife; Prague to Agadir, Morocco, and Geneva, Switzerland; Salzburg to Amsterdam and Marsa Alam; and Stockholm to Beirut, Lebanon and Stuttgart.

Sept. 25

Royal Jordanian (RJ) has established a new route between Amman, Jordan, and Düsseldorf, Germany. Service began on Sept. 23 and will be offered twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. “This newest route is yet another step in line with RJ’s ambitious five-year growth plan, which includes increasing our current fleet of 24 aircraft to more than 40 aircraft in the coming three to five years,” Chief Commercial Officer Karim Makhlouf says.

Etihad Airways is boosting frequencies between Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur. A second daily flight starts on Jan. 15, 2024, providing passengers with 14 Boeing 787-9 services per week between the destinations. The combined double-daily flights will see Etihad offer 425,000 seats annually between Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur, representing a year-on-year capacity increase of 75%.

Emerald Airlines, the operator of Aer Lingus Regional services, has commenced a new route between Dublin and Rennes, accommodating passengers traveling to France for the Rugby World Cup. The route will operate on Mondays and Fridays until Oct. 30. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus has relaunched nonstop flights between Shannon, Ireland, and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) after a 12-year hiatus. The service, also targeting rugby supporters, will operate twice a week using Airbus A321LR aircraft through Oct. 30. A temporary route connecting Cork, Ireland, with CDG will also run 2X-weekly until the same date.

Indian LCC IndiGo has inaugurated flights from New Delhi to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The airline now serves 32 international destinations and 111 overall. Service to Almaty will be 3X-weekly, while Tashkent will receive four flights per week.

FlyNamibia is opening a route connecting Windhoek and Walvis Bay, Namibia, to Cape Town, South Africa. Starting Oct. 29, the flights will run from Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) to Cape Town (CPT) and onward to Walvis Bay (WVB). The airline will then operate flights to WDH, then back to WVB, onward to CPT and returning to WDH. Operations will be every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. “We are excited to introduce this new route, which underscores FlyNamibia's commitment to expanding our network and enhancing travel options for our passengers,” says Andrè Compion, managing director of FlyNamibia.

Brazil’s Azul has launched a route between Belo Horizonte and Orlando, Florida. The sector will be served twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays using A330-900neo and A330-200 aircraft.