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