The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Feb. 23
American Airlines has confirmed the schedule for its newest route to Japan’s capital Tokyo. Flights from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) will launch on June 28, operating daily using Boeing 777-200 aircraft. The new service will be American’s fourth daily nonstop flight to Haneda, joining existing daily service from Dallas-Fort Worth and two daily flights from Los Angeles. American secured the slots for the JFK-HND service in January.
German leisure carrier Discover is adding flights to the newly opened Tulum International Airport, Mexico. Flights from Frankfurt will be offered twice a week from Dec. 12 through the end of April 2025. “With this new route, the Frankfurt-based leisure airline is responding to the strong demand from travelers in Germany and throughout Europe,” the carrier says in a statement. Tulum becomes Discover’s second destination in Mexico alongside Cancun.
Ryanair is adding two routes from Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) and two from Göteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT). Starting on March 31, the ULCC will fly from ARN to Vilnius, Lithuania, twice a week, and to Rhodes, Greece, twice a week from April 2. From GOT, a 3X-weekly route to Rome Fiumicino will start on March 31, alongside a 2X-weekly service to Brussels Charleroi.
Canada’s Porter Airlines plans to launch a Toronto Pearson-Québec City service with Embraer E195-E2 equipment from May 17. The daily service will be offered until Oct. 26. The route complements existing Porter flights between Québec City and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. “The addition of this daily flight to the Canadian hub is directly in line with our objective to offer more options to travellers in the greater Québec City region, in addition to providing excellent connectivity to popular destinations in Western Canada and the U.S.,” says Stéphane Poirier, President and CEO of Québec City Jean-Lesage International Airport
Feb. 22
Emirates has confirmed the schedule for its first passenger service to Colombia after the country’s civil aviation authority Aerocivil authorized the airline as a foreign air carrier. Flights from Dubai to Bogotá, the forthcoming Routes Americas 2024 host, will be offered daily from June 3 using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The route will operate via Miami. “We’ve long wanted to serve Colombia, and the addition of Bogotá to our network is part of our strategy to deliver better connectivity, expand options and choice for travelers and provide unparalleled premium experiences on the ground and in the air,” Emirates President Sir Tim Clark says. “There is a huge demand for travel to and from Bogotá.” Colombian and UAE citizens can enjoy visa-free entry for up to 90 days in Dubai and Bogotá respectively, thanks to reciprocal visa arrangements in place between both countries.
United Airlines will resume daily flights between New York’s Newark International Airport and Tel Aviv in March. The initial service will operate via Munich on March 2 and March 4 to ensure all service providers are ready to support non-stop service. The carrier aims to resume daily nonstop service to Tel Aviv beginning March 6. “United conducted a detailed safety analysis in making this decision, including close work with security experts and government officials in the United States and Israel,” the airline says. United says it remains “eager” to resume a second daily Tel Aviv as soon as May. Previous flying from San Francisco, Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare “will be evaluated for resumption beginning in the fall.”
Starlux Airlines plans to commence a route between Taichung, Taiwan, and Takamatsu, Japan. Flights will commence on March 31, operating 3X-weekly using Airbus A321neo aircraft. OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Starlux currently serves nine points in Japan, each of which are from Taipei Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
Doha-based Qatar Airways is resuming service to Lisbon, Portugal, during the summer 2024 season. Flights will operate 4X-weekly from June 6 using Boeing 787-8 equipment. The route returns to the carrier’s network after an absence of four years. The addition expands the airline’s route map to more than 170 destinations, including 50 in Europe.
Scotland’s Loganair is enhancing its London Heathrow Airport service this summer. A 3X-weekly one-stop service to Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands will operate from March 31, alongside a second Saturday summer service to the Isle of Man. There will also be a third Sunday flight to City of Derry and the return of a 2X-weekly one-stop service to Kirkwall on Orkney.
Aurigny is launching a route to London City Airport (LCY) from Guernsey on March 31. The carrier will operate a day and evening flight from Monday to Thursday, and three daily flights on a Friday. There will be no flights on Saturdays, but operations will be 2X-daily on Sundays. Andrew Hodges, Chief Commercial Officer at London City Airport, says: “We’re thrilled to welcome Aurigny as the first new airline at London City Airport this year, demonstrating our commitment to growing as a business and offering new destinations to our passengers.”
Feb. 21
ITA Airways will begin flying between Rome Fiumicino and Dakar, Senegal, from July 3. Operations will be 4X-weekly using Airbus A321neo aircraft. With the new route, the Italian carrier will offer 57 destinations during the summer 2024 season, comprising 16 domestic, 26 international and 15 intercontinental points.
German leisure carrier Condor is launching a route between Frankfurt and Los Cabos, Mexico, during the winter 2024-25 season. Flights will be offered twice a week using Airbus A330neo aircraft from November. “Los Cabos is at the top of the bucket list for many Germans and has been on Condor's list for some time,” Condor Commercial Director Jens Boyd says.
IndiGo is set to commence operations to Denpasar in Bali, Indonesia, from March 29. The LCC plans to launch a daily route from Bengaluru. “With the launch of these new flights, we aim to not only strengthen the ties between India and Indonesia but also promote tourism and foster potential business collaborations,” IndiGo Head of Global Sales Vinay Malhotra says. IndiGo started flying to Jakarta in 2023, and Bali will be its second destination in Indonesia.
Malaysia Airlines will deploy Airbus A350-900 aircraft on both of its daily nonstop services between Kuala Lumpur and Doha, Qatar, effective April 1. Since November 2023, the airline has deployed the A350 aircraft on one of its daily services, complemented by its A330-300. “With the route demonstrating robust performance, we are confident in both the route's success and our role in facilitating connectivity to Doha and beyond with our unparalleled Malaysian hospitality,” says Captain Izham Ismail, group managing director of Malaysia Aviation Group.
KLM plans to increase available seat capacity by around 7% during summer 2024, compared with the same season in 2023. Frequencies are being increased to several long-haul destinations including Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Montreal, Taipei, Taiwan, and Toronto. Daily service to Tel Aviv will resume from April 1, operated with a stopover at Larnaca, Cyprus, until at least May 19, while European cities set to receive more flights include Italy's Bologna and Florence; Glasgow, Scotland; England's Newcastle and Southampton; and Prague.
Ryanair intends to base two additional aircraft at Tenerife South, Spain, this summer, with 53 total routes including eight new connections to Budapest, Hungary; Cardiff, Wales; Ireland West Airport; Marrakech, Morocco; Germany's Memmingen and Weeze; Pisa, Italy; and Toulouse. Additionally, the ULCC has announced six new connections from Budapest. Flights will be available to Faro, Portugal; Frankfurt Hahn; Milan; Skiathos, Greece; Tirana, Albania; and Trieste, Italy.
U.S. carrier Sun Country Airlines is expanding its network from its Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport hub. From Aug. 8, the airline will fly to Monterey Regional Airport, California, followed by Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire from Aug. 22. The move increases Sun Country’s network to 122 routes serving 108 airports across the U.S., Mexico, Central America, Canada and the Caribbean.
Breeze Airways has announced plans to launch seasonal 2X-weekly flights between Los Angeles and Huntsville, Alabama, from June 14 using Airbus A220s. Additionally, the LCC will open two new routes from Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN), located in New Bern, North Carolina. From May 24, service will be offered to Hartford, Connecticut, and Orlando, Florida, each of which will be 2X-weekly. EWN becomes Breeze’s 50th destination.
Malaysia’s AirAsia has inaugurated a 3X-weekly service between Kota Kinabalu and Shanghai. The Chinese city becomes the sixth destination in mainland China accessible from Kota Kinabalu, alongside Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Wuhan. AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam says the launch coincides “with a surge in tourism during the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival and following the ongoing visa-free initiative between both nations.”
Feb. 20
SKY Airline has opened reservations for nonstop flights between Santiago, Chile, and Salvador de Bahía, Brazil. Service will begin on July 1, operating twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. The carrier already offers a one-stop service between the cities, flying via Uruguay’s capital Montevideo. “The arrival of this new direct route to Salvador de Bahía makes us the only airline with this option available, thus allowing greater exchange of passengers between Chile and Brazil,” SKY Sales Manager Jaime Fernández says. Additionally, the airline plans to double frequencies between Peru’s capital Lima and Montevideo to 6X-weekly from May 1.
Air China is adding a fifth weekly frequency between Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) and Geneva Airport (GVA), Switzerland, from April 1. The airline is currently the sole operator of the route, flying 4X-weekly. Air China has served GVA since 2013. Meanwhile, the carrier will begin operating daily flights to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) from PEK on Airbus A330-300 aircraft from June 1. Additionally, China Southern is launching a 3X-weekly service to LGW from Guangzhou on June 20, using Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
Spanish LCC Vueling will launch two new routes from London Heathrow Airport in April, marking its return to the UK airport after four years. From April 7, Barcelona El Prat Airport will be served 2X-daily, while Paris Orly Airport will receive daily flights. On the Paris service, the airline says the inauguration of the route is “particularly well timed in view of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, offering travelers a convenient and direct new option to reach the French capital from one of the UK's main air hubs.”
Feb. 19
Delta Air Lines unveiled plans to grow its Hawaiian offering, highlighted by a new nonstop route between Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Honolulu Inouye International Airport (HNL), as well as adding a new transcontinental route. From Nov. 21, the SkyTeam carrier will begin daily, seasonal service between BOS and HNL, through April 30, 2025. Additionally, Delta will open a year-round route between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Miami from Dec. 21, operating daily. Delta will also add a second daily frequency on its HNL-Salt Lake City route from Nov. 6 through March 29, 2025. It will add a third daily frequency between SEA and HNL from Dec. 21 through March 29, 2025.
The carrier will also resume service between its Atlanta base and Maui from Nov. 29 through March 29, with frequencies not specified. Delta plans to offer 22 daily flights between the mainland U.S. and Hawaii in the 2024-25 northern hemisphere winter. Flights will operate from eight mainland cities to four Hawaiian airports –Aaron Karp
India’s Akasa Air has announced plans to launch its first international route. The carrier will link Mumbai with Doha, Qatar, from March 28, offering four nonstop flights per week. “We are proud of our remarkable growth since inception, which is also a testimony of the sheer potential of the Indian aviation industry,” Akasa founder and CEO Vinay Dube says. “Our foray into Qatar marks the next phase of growth as we continue our journey toward becoming one of the world’s top 30 airlines by the turn of this decade.” Akasa gained its air operator certificate in July 2022 and launched commercial services in the following month.
South Korea’s Asiana Airlines will double its operations between Melbourne, Australia, and Seoul when it recommences direct services between the two cities later this year. The carrier’s recent 2X-weekly services commenced in December and will end this month. However, seasonal operations will resume operations from July 2 through Sept. 2, operating 4X-weekly using Airbus A350s. “Seoul was Melbourne’s largest unserved market, so it was no surprise to us when in January we saw an average load factor of 96% on all Asiana flights arriving into Melbourne Airport, which represents fewer than 10 vacant seats free on almost every flight,” Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos says.
Pakistan’s Fly Jinnah has launched its first international route, connecting Islamabad and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Frequencies will be 2X-daily onboard Airbus A320 aircraft. The LCC, a joint venture between Air Arabia Group and Pakistan's Lakson Group, now has a network of six destinations.
GOL Linhas Aéreas is increasing frequencies between Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Sinop from daily to 11X-weekly, starting from April 3. “With the start of daytime flights to GOL's largest hub in Guarulhos, customers from Sinop and the region and passengers from all over Brazil will be able to travel for business and tourism with more convenience and a great leap in connectivity," GOL Manager of Strategic Planning Bruno Balan says.
Kenya Airways has reintroduced nonstop flights to Mogadishu, Somalia. The service will operate 3X-weekly from Nairobi. Kenya Airways initially launched flights to Mogadishu in December 2018, but had to suspend the route due to the pandemic. In August 2023, a bilateral air services agreement between Kenya and Somalia was signed, paving the way for the resumption of direct flights.
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