The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Aug. 28
Malaysia’s AirAsia is opening two new routes to China: Penang-Shenzhen and Kota Kinabalu-Shantou. Service between Penang and Shenzhen will be offered four times per week from Oct. 28, while Kota Kinabalu to Shantou will be 3X-weekly from Nov. 16. With the addition of these two new routes, AirAsia will operate a total of 33 routes to and from China. All Malaysians are eligible for visa-free entry to China for tourist visits of up to 15 days until the end of 2025.
Ryanair plans to add nine new routes from Charleroi, Belgium, during the winter 2024-25 season. Flights will be offered to Cork, Dubrovnik, Gothenburg, Kaunas, Lamezia, Reggio Calabria, Sarajevo, Tel Aviv and Trieste. Additionally, the ULCC says it will launch four new routes from London Stansted this winter to Dubrovnik, Linz, Reggio di Calabria and Sarajevo. Ryanair also called on the UK government to “immediately scrap” the air passenger duty.
Saudi LCC Flynas is launching five new routes to the United Arab Emirates. From Sept. 1, the airline will provide daily service on three sectors—Riyadh-Dubai World Central, Jeddah-Abu Dhabi and Jeddah-Sharjah—and a 2X-weekly service between Madinah and Sharjah. Flights linking Madinah and Abu Dhabi will commence on Sept. 2, operating twice a week.
Aug. 27
Aeromexico has announced plans to launch a new service connecting Cancun and Miami from Dec. 19. Operations will be daily using Boeing 737-8 aircraft. The airline currently serves Miami three times a day from Mexico City Juarez International Airport (MEX). It also flies from MEX to Orlando and Tampa in Florida, operating 3X-daily and daily, respectively.
Taiwanese carrier Starlux is to commence a new route to Japan in December. Flights between Taichung and Okinawa will start on Dec. 2, operating four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The carrier will be the sole operator of the routes, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.
Kazakhstan’s Air Astana will launch nonstop scheduled flights from Astana to Phuket, Thailand, from Oct. 26. The new service will be operated 3X-weekly using Airbus A321LR aircraft and is additional to the existing Almaty to Phuket service, which currently operates five times a week and will go daily on Oct. 26. The flight duration is 8 hr. 5 min. outbound to Phuket and 8 hr. 40 min. on the return sector.
Delta Air Lines is opening a new 2X-daily service between Texas' Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Flights will start on Feb. 27, 2025. The route will be served by Skywest Airlines using Embraer E175 equipment. Southwest Airlines also operates the route.
JetBlue Airways announced it is adding its premium Mint service on flights to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport during the peak ski season. The product will be available from Feb. 13 through March 30 on three flights per week from both Boston Logan and New York John F. Kennedy.
EasyJet has launched a route between Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, France, and Budapest, Hungary. The service will be offered twice a week using a mix of Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft.
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