Routes analyzes some of the services returning as well as new routes being launched. This week we look at Virgin Atlantic’s move into the UK-Pakistan market; Jetstar’s resumption of Sunshine Coast-Adelaide flights; and the launch of a new Widerøe route from Bergen.
Starting Sept. 3, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will gradually allow international flights from Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Sweden and Thailand to land at Beijing as its first point of entry.
Wizz Air has put the brakes on plans to increase capacity to 80% in the next quarter amid heightened travel restrictions across Europe. However, the Hungarian carrier’s UK subsidiary has signaled its intention to expand from Doncaster Sheffield, just weeks after announcing a new base at the airport.
Continuing uncertainty around international travel restrictions designed to curb the spread of COVID-19 continues to hurt the UK economy, a report has found.
China’s HNA Group, which owns 100% of ground handling giant Swissport International, is to give up its shareholding under a debt-for-equity restructuring that will see ownership pass to the company’s creditors.
El Al has completed the first flight of an Israeli airline to a Gulf Arab country, in the wake of an August rapprochement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Workers at London Heathrow Airport are trialing three types of rapid-turnaround COVID-19 tests, which could ultimately be used for passenger testing, eliminating the need for quarantine.
Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises is preparing to take over Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL)—the country’s second-busiest airport—and will also gain control over a new airport to be built in Mumbai.
Dutch airports operator Royal Schiphol Group has warned several hundred jobs are at risk, after posting a first-half (H1) €246 million ($180 million) net loss, while London Gatwick’s H1 loss totaled £321 million ($424 million) with 600 positions under threat.
Colombia appears poised to restart commercial aviation operations after shutting down the sector for roughly six months to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) continues to increase flight frequencies and add back more routes starting from September to destinations within Scandinavia as well as in Europe and some long-haul points as demand increases.
The resurgence of coronavirus cases in Japan is causing major airlines to further scale back their domestic capacity plans as demand softens significantly.
Emirates will re-start passenger services to Lusaka with two weekly flights to/from Dubai effective 4 September, which will boost the airline's global network to 79 cities.
