Qatar Airways announced new routes from Doha to Bangalore (daily beginning in February), Ankara (four-times-weekly in April) and Tokyo Narita (daily via Osaka Kansai from the end of April). Flights to Incheon currently operated via KIX will become nonstop from Doha at the end of March. WestJet announced the following new routes: Vancouver to Waterloo (daily from June 27) and San Francisco (daily from June 28); Edmonton to Kamloops and San Francisco (each thrice-weekly from May 2); weekly Toronto-Puerto Vallarta beginning May 7.
Qatar Airways today announced plans to further expand its international operations next year with the launch of flights from its Doha hub to three diverse cities – Tokyo, Bengaluru and Ankara.
Ryanair announced a return to Fuerteventura. The LCC pulled out of the Canary Islands airport in January following a dispute with tourism authorities ( ATWOnline, Dec. 11, 2008). It will return next March after reaching an agreement with the local government to extend an airport charges discount scheme through February 2012.
Telluride (Colo.) Regional reopened last Thursday following completion of Phase II of the airport's modernization project. The $22 million program included removal/replacement of the existing runway, reducing grades, widening safety areas, extending the length of the runway and adding all new runway lighting. The airport said that Phase III of the reconstruction "will likely begin in 2010 and will widen the remaining safety areas and add an engineered material arresting system for runway overruns."
Thai Airways will pass operation of routes to Phitsanulok, Ubol Ratchathani and Mae Hong Son to LCC Nok Airways, in which Thai is the largest shareholder. The change takes effect March 1. Thai said passengers "will continue to receive the same standard of services" on Nok flights. It said it lost an average of THB211.1 million ($6.3 million) per year over the past five years operating to the three cities.
The UAE has signed a new contract with German security specialist Bundesdruckerei . The Berlin-based company will produce the country's electronic passports for the next five years and to provide the accompanying hardware and software.
An impressive list of more than 50 global full service, charter and cargo airlines have confirmed their attendance at the third annual Routes Americas, to be hosted next year by Lima Airports Partners in Lima, Peru on 14 - 16th of February.
