Airports & Networks

European Commission VP-Transport Siim Kallas on Tuesday strongly criticized airport operators in Western Europe for their failure to efficiently cope with the severe winter weather that has stranded thousands of passengers since Saturday, and said he is prepared to propose new regulations on minimum service requirements for airports.

TAP Portugal in Summer 2011 season is introducing 6 new routes (some are in fact service resumptions) within Europe, including Athens, Bordeaux

TAP Portugal from 06JUN11 launches 5 weekly (4 weekly from late-September 2011) Summer Seasonal Lisbon – Miami service, on board Airbus A330-200

From 04JUL11 to 29AUG11, IBERIA is increasing Madrid – New York JFK service from 14 to 17 weekly from 04JUL11 to 29AUG11. Including American Airlines’

oneWorld members American Airlines and British Airways starting 27MAR11 is introducing shuttle-style service schedule on the 11 Daily London Heathrow

KLM will launch a thrice-weekly 777-200ER Amsterdam-Xiamen service March 27, becoming the first airline to offer direct flights between XMN and Europe. Continental Airlines will launch 737-800 service to Hilo, Hawaii from Los Angeles (daily) and San Francisco (weekly) June 9.

Lufthansa's board and the Munich Airport board gave the green light to expand MUC's Terminal 2 at MUC. T2 is a joint venture between MUC operator FMG and LH. The new terminal satellite is expected to increase the airport's annual capacity by 11 million passengers. The investment will be €650 million ($856.8 million) and will be shared 60%-40% between FMG and LH. The extension will bring 52 additional gates; 27 will have direct access to the terminal via contact stands. The new facility is slated to be operational by 2015.

Persisting freezing temperatures and heavy snow disrupted air traffic in large parts of Europe for a third consecutive day Monday. Europe’s three largest airports—London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt—remained significantly affected while smaller counterparts such as London Gatwick, Berlin Schoenefeld and Brussels have also been hit.

Qatar Airways has announced it will introduce a number of enhanced services at Doha International Airport within the new Doha Arrivals terminal which opened to passengers yesterday.

Pakistan International Airlines starting 15JAN11 is launching service the Iranian border city of Zahedan on board ATR42-500 turboprop aircraft

Mandarin Airlines has launched SCHEDULED CHARTER service on Kaohsiung – Osaka Kansai route, operating twice weekly on board Embraer E190 aircraft

Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling is to introduce Palma Mallorca – Paris Orly, Palma Mallorca – Venice and Mahon/Menorca – Rome service in Summer 2011

As per 20DEC10 GDS timetable display, China Eastern is adding 4th weekly service on Shanghai Pu Dong – Rome route, which the chinese carrier launches

TACA Peru from 15FEB10 launches 3 new domestic Peru service, where it’ll be launching 1 Daily each on Lima – Juliaca and Lima – Trujillo, and 2 Daily

Lufthansa said its fifth Airbus A380 will commence twice-weekly service Feb. 18 from Frankfurt to New York JFK, the fourth A380 destination the carrier has announced and its first US destination for the aircraft type. Initially operating on Mondays and Fridays, LH said it plans to increase the route's frequency to daily by mid-April. LH has ordered 15 A380s, all scheduled for delivery by 2015.

Mandarin Airlines has launched 4th Daily Taichung – Hong Kong service earlier this month (Dec 2010). All 4 Daily flights operated by Embraer E190

COPA Airlines Colombia from 18DEC10 introduces Saturday-only service on Bogota – Cancun route, operated by Embraer E190 aircraft. Cancun schedule as

easyJet has announced planned service expansion at London Gatwick airport in 2011, with the launch of 6 new routes, in addition to frequency increase

bmibaby announced from 28MAR11 it’ll be introducing 16 weekly Belfast City – London Stansted service (3 Daily flights on weekdays, 1 on Sundays)

ETIHAD in Summer 2011 season is increasing service to selected destinations in Europe, mainly to Brussels, Geneva, Milan Malpensa and Paris CDG

As per 16DEC10 GDS timetable display, Air China starting 01SEP11 is introducing 2nd Daily Beijing – Los Angeles CA987/988 service. Not only overall

flydubai continues its rapid expansion in Saudi Arabia market, with the planned launch of 3rd destination – Gassim. The carrier is to operate 3 weekly

In 2011, UNITED is transferring its Summer seasonal operation to Anchorage, Alaska to Continental Airlines. From 09JUN11 to 28AUG11, Continental

British low cost carrier easyjet is to begin flights to Jordan.