Thursday's Route Development Briefs
Biman Confirms Manchester Plan
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has confirmed it will relaunch flights to Manchester this winter, as first reported by The HUB last month (see ‘Biman Bangladesh On-Track for Manchester Route Resumption and Milan Expansion’). Following the arrival of the first of four Boeing 777-300ERs it has on order, the carrier will reintroduce Manchester to its network from November 2, initially on a twice weekly basis. Biman had previous served the northwest UK city as an intermediate stop for its Dhaka – New York flights in April 2006, but these were suspended later the same month. The carrier will use the 777-300ER on two of its five weekly services from Dhaka to London Heathrow, eliminating a stopover in Dubai with the aircraft continuing on to Manchester before returning to Dhaka and Sylhet. According to Mohammed Salahuddin, Regional Manager for Northern UK, Biman Bangladesh Airlines the new service is a “dream come true for both Biman and the large Bangladeshi community” residing in the northern part of the UK. “I hope Biman will fulfill the expectations of the British Bangladeshi community in the North by providing a quality product, with its new generation of modern aircraft and an improved ground and in-flight service. By adding Manchester into its network, Biman has put itself firmly in the competition in the North, which has long been favoured by other airlines,” he added. Biman’s 777-300ERs will be configured in a two class, 419-seat arrangement (35 Business Class and 384 and Economy seats).
Cebu Pacific Launches New Flights Following A320 Delivery
Filipino carrier Cebu Pacific Airways took delivery of an additional Airbus A320 on October 8 has confirmed it will use the additional capacity to introduce increase flights to Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Cebu from October 14. From the same date the carrier will add a daily A319 service from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi and a thrice weekly A319 service from Cagayan de Oro to Iloilo. The airline is now the largest domestic carrier in the Philippines offering more than 1,660 weekly flights to 34 destinations. It has a 44.4 per cent share of the total available seat capacity, offering almost 230,000 seats per week this winter. The expansion will continue during the final three months of the year as two further A320s join the carrier’s fleet in late October and December.
Korean Air to Upgrade San Francisco Link With 777-300ER
Korean Air is to increase capacity on the Seoul Incheon – San Francisco link next summer, replacing the Boeing 777-200ER that currently serves the route with a larger 777-300ER. In the latest update to its GDS inventory, the airline plans to switch aircraft from July 1, 2012 but this obviously remains subject to change. Korean Air is one of four airlines to provide daily service on this route: Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines both use a 777 on the route, while United Airlines flies a 747-400. An estimated 366,000 O&D passengers travelled on this route in the past year, up 15.4 per cent on the previous 12 months. Singapore Airlines holds the largest share of the traffic but has seen this share fall from 36 to 30 per cent in the past year. Korean Air has seen the largest rise in traffic, up 24.2 per cent in the past year to an estimated 80,000 O&D passengers, increasing its share of the market from 20 to 22 per cent. Its yield has also strengthened as its average one-way fares have risen 10.0 per cent to $722 against the market average of $642, up 8.1 per cent.
Eritrean Airlines Considers Karachi Service
Eritrean Airlines is planning to introduce flights to Karachi this winter, the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan. The African carrier currently serves Lahore four times weekly from Asmara, via Dubai, and it is thought it will simply switch destinations in Pakistan from November 27, rather than adding a second route. Other network changes highlighted in its GDS inventory is the addition of a third weekly flight to Cairo, although the route will now be served via Khartoum, resulting in a doubling of capacity to the Egyptian capital with six flights per week now planned rather than just three. The airline will also add a fourth weekly frequency on the Asmara – Jeddah route this winter, while its sole European link to Rome will be served once weekly on a non-stop basis, rather than twice weekly via Cairo.
Kenya Airways Adds 777-300ERs to Boost Long-Haul Flying
Kenya Airways signed an agreement with lessor GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) to add two Boeing 777-300ERs to its fleet on 12-year operating leases. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in October 2013 and May 2014 and will be used to boost its long-haul network, adding frequencies on existing routes and potentially opening new markets. The East African flag carrier currently operates four 777-200ER and the larger variant will provide both passenger and cargo benefits, explained Dr Titus Naikuni, Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director, Kenya Airways. “With the increased passenger and cargo capacity that the Boeing 777-300ER offers, we are pleased with this development as it will see Kenya Airways significantly increase tonnage and passenger capacity while enhancing our premium service offering to Europe and the Far East,” he said. Kenya Airways currently uses its 777-200ERs on flights from Nairobi to Bangkok, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Lagos and London Heathrow but has been studying a number of new markets, including destinations in South America. The new 777-300ERs will offer an additional 78 passengers versus the smaller variant and 12 tonnes of extra freight capacity.
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