The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.
Oct. 18
French Bee plans to launch a new route to Canada during the summer 2025 season. The airline is introducing a 4X-weekly service between Paris Orly and Montreal from April 30 using Airbus A350 aircraft. “This new route is part of our growth strategy to strengthen our international intercontinental presence after the success of the routes to the U.S. (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Miami), the Indian Ocean (Reunion Island) and the Pacific (Tahiti),” the airline says in a statement.
Wizz Air is reopening a base at Chisinau International Airport, Moldova. The carrier plans to serve 16 destinations from the airport during the winter 2024-25 season, including offering eight new routes. Starting Dec. 16, the ULCC will introduce 3X-weekly flights to Dortmund and Memmingen, Germany, alongside a 2X-weekly service to Verona, Italy. The next day will see the launch of Berlin and Paris Beauvais, followed by service to Bologna, Italy, on Dec. 18, and Brussels Charleroi, Belgium, and Nuremberg, Germany, on Dec. 19. Flights to Berlin, Paris Beauvais, Bologna, Brussels Charleroi and Nuremberg will each be 2X-weekly. Wizz returned to Chisinau last December following a nine-month suspension of service.
Spanish carrier Volotea is launching a new route connecting Bordeaux and Brussels Charleroi from Feb. 21, 2025. The route will be offered twice a week using Airbus A320 equipment. Additionally, the carrier plans to open a route between Bordeaux and Menorca from July 6, operating twice a week. The route was served by easyJet and Ryanair during the summer 2024 season, OAG Schedules Analyser data shows.
Azerbaijan Airlines plans to offer service connecting Baku’s Heydar Aliyev International Airport and Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport. Flights will operate on Nov. 8, 11, 13, and 20. Additionally, the carrier will extend its service from Baku to Batumi, Georgia, will flights being offered twice a week until Jan. 12, 2025.
Etihad Airways plans to increase frequencies on two European routes from Oct. 1, 2025. Flights from Abu Dhabi to Copenhagen will rise from 4X-weekly to daily, while service to Dusseldorf will grow from 3X-weekly to daily. “These enhanced frequencies allow us to offer our guests greater flexibility and improved connection options across our global network,” Etihad Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De says.
AirAsia X has resumed flights from Kuala Lumpur to Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, China. Operations will be 4X-weekly. The move increases the LCC’s network in China to 19 destinations.
Oct. 17
Greek airline Sky Express has introduced a new route connecting Athens and Tirana, the capital of Albania. The year-round service will operate five times per week, providing competition for Aegean Airlines and Wizz Air. Additionally, Sky Express plans to commence a route between Athens and Yerevan, Armenia, from Nov. 6. The route will be served three times per week on Wednesdays. Fridays and Sundays.
InterCaribbean Airways is launching a new nonstop route connecting Grenada and Georgetown, Guyana. Flights will begin on Dec. 1, operating twice a week using Embraer ERJ145 aircraft. The route is a “gamechanger for regional connectivity,” according to Trevor Sadler, CEO of interCaribbean. He adds: “We're bridging cultures, fostering trade, and opening new possibilities for tourism and business. The convenience of non-stop flights will save travelers precious time and make journeys between these destinations more accessible.”
Ryanair’s winter 2024-25 schedule from Belfast International Airport will feature 13 routes, including one new connection to Kaunas, Lithuania. Service to Kaunas will be 4X-weekly from Oct. 27. Ryanair says it expects to carry more than 1.2 million passengers to and from Belfast during 2024.
Australia’s Jetstar will increase flights between Sydney and the South Korean capital Seoul from 4X-weekly to daily from June 17, 2025. The move will add an extra 100,000 seats on the route to better serve strong leisure demand. “Korean travellers ranked as the fifth largest group passing through Sydney Airport in quarter three, a 54% increase compared to 2019 figures, so we know this will be welcome news for passengers,” Sydney Airport Group Executive, Aviation Growth & Group Strategy Greg Botham says.
Emirates plans to debut newly retrofitted Boeing 777s featuring its latest business class and premium economy cabins to Kuwait and Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The retrofitted 777 will operate to Kuwait on EK855 and 856 from Oct. 27, and to Dammam on the daily EK823 and EK824 as well as the EK821 and EK822 from Nov. 22. Emirates has six retrofitted 777s in service at the present time, flying to Brussels, Geneva, Riyadh, Tokyo Haneda and Zurich.
FlyNamibia has announced the reinstatement of its weekday flights between Eros Airport in Windhoek and Lüderitz, Namibia. The flights are in partnership with TotalEnergies EP. “The reinstatement of the flight route will provide vital connectivity to the Lüderitz community and its surrounding economic activities,” FlyNamibia Managing Director André Compion says.
Oct. 16
Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines plans to launch a new route between Taichung and Takamatsu, Japan. Flights will start on Dec. 1, operating three times per week using Airbus A321neo aircraft. Service will be on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Malaysia Airlines and IndiGo have entered a codeshare partnership, designed to boost connectivity between Malaysia and India. The agreement builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in April 2024 and allows Malaysia Airlines passengers access to seven additional destinations in India, including Kolkata, Varanasi, and Goa, by adding its MH flight code to IndiGo-operated routes. In turn, IndiGo’s 6E code will be added to Malaysia Airlines domestic flights to destinations such as Penang, Langkawi, and Kota Kinabalu.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has resumed flights from Tokyo Narita to Perth Airport (PER), Australia. Frequencies will be 3X-weekly using Boeing 787-9 equipment. “The return of ANA's service means that there are more options for business and leisure travelers, and it will also lead to many more Japanese and other international visitors coming to Western Australia,” PER Chief Commercial and Aviation Officer Kate Holsgrove says. “Japan is Western Australia's ninth biggest international visitor market, injecting A$70 million ($47 million) into the WA economy in visitor expenditure for the year ending in June 2024 and the return of ANA's direct service will be a major boost for the tourism and hospitality sector.”
TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair have signed a codeshare agreement. The bilateral partnership will come into effect in the coming weeks, and customers of both airlines will be able to connect with both carriers’ networks on a single ticket, with their baggage checked through to their final destination. “We recently launched services to Lisbon and, by sharing a code with TAP, we will be able to significantly increase connectivity for customers of both airlines,” Icelandair CEO Bogi Nils Bogason says.
Ryanair will offer a record winter schedule from Poznań, Poland, with 23 new routes. The schedule includes four new services to Copenhagen, Denmark; Malaga, Spain; Palermo, Italy; and Thessaloniki, Greece. The ULCC will also base an additional aircraft in the city, taking the number stationed there to four.
Ethiopian Airlines has launched a new passenger service to Port Sudan on Sudan's Red Sea coast. The inaugural flight departed from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on Oct. 15, marking the airline's second destination in Sudan following Khartoum. Port Sudan becomes the 66th destination in the carrier’s African network
Oct. 15
Saudi Arabia’s flyadeal plans to launch two new routes to Egypt. Starting Nov. 11, Jeddah-Sohag will be 2X-weekly, and Madinah-Cairo will be 3X-weekly. Both routes will be operated using Airbus A320 aircraft. “Egypt is our largest international market, strategically important for flyadeal, having steadily increased our presence since launching scheduled flights to the capital Cairo almost three years ago,” flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway says. “The addition of flyadeal flights between Madinah and Cairo embraces the opportunity to support Umrah and Hajj pilgrim travel, while our new service linking Jeddah with Sohag bridges an underserved market that brings together friends, families and communities.”
U.S. ULCC Spirit Airlines has inaugurated a new service connecting Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport, Alabama. Flights will be daily using Airbus A320neo aircraft. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Spirit will be the sole operator of the route.
Kenya Airways has announced a series of network changes from Nairobi ahead of the upcoming northern winter season to enhance operational efficiency. Starting Oct. 27, flights to Mauritius will increase to 3X-weekly. From Oct. 28, an additional weekly flight to Comoros and daily night flights from Zanzibar will be added. The airline will also introduce two extra flights to New York John F. Kennedy from Dec. 5 through Jan. 4, 2025. Effective Nov. 1, operations to Kigali will rise to 25 per week. However, all flights to Mogadishu will be suspended starting Oct. 15 due to operational challenges. “This will allow the airline to refocus its efforts on optimizing its route network and improving overall operational efficiency,” a statement from the airline says.
Emirates has confirmed that flights to Basra, Iraq, will resume on Oct. 17. However, service to and from Baghdad and Tehran, Iran, remains suspended up to and including Oct. 23. Operations to Beirut also remain cancelled up to and including Oct. 31.
Oct. 14
Icelandair has commenced flights between Reykjavik Keflavik Airport and Lisbon Airport. Flights will be offered twice a week using Boeing 737-8 aircraft. “Lisbon is an exciting addition to our extensive route network,” Icelandair CCO Tomas Ingason says. “The destination has been well received, and due to strong demand, we have decided to offer year-round services instead of seasonal winter flights as initially planned.”
FlyOne is to launch the first service connecting Moldova and Manchester Airport (MAN), England. Operations from Chisinau will start on Dec. 17 with two flights per week. “This route provides Moldovans with a direct link to their homeland, offering easier travel and more frequent visits to loved ones,” MAN CCO Stephen Turner says, adding he expects the route to also attract business and leisure traffic.
Flair Airlines has unveiled its summer 2025 schedule, increasing flight frequencies on high-demand domestic routes. Key routes like Vancouver-Toronto will see a 71% weekly increase, while service between Vancouver and Abbotsford to Edmonton will rise by 18%. Calgary-Toronto flights will also increase by 29%. Additionally, the carrier plans to open a 4X-weekly Calgary-Kelowna service during the season.
Iceland’s Play has launched a 2X-weekly Reykjavik Keflavik-Cardiff service. Flights will operate for a six-week period, coinciding with UEFA Nations League soccer matches between Iceland and Wales. The two sides met on Oct. 11 in Reykjavik, drawing 2-2. They will next play on Nov. 19. Meanwhile, European Cargo plans to launch a new base at Cardiff Airport on Oct. 16, becoming the cargo airline’s second in the UK.
South African Airways (SAA) is increasing flight frequencies to key African destinations starting in November 2024. Flights to Harare, Zimbabwe, and Lusaka, Zambia, will rise to 12 per week, while Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana, will see an increase to four weekly services. SAA will also fly five times a week to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and boost domestic flights to Gqeberha, South Africa, to three times a day. In December, flights to Mauritius will double to twice daily, while services to Perth, Australia, will increase to five times a week by January 2025.
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