THAI Smile launches Mandalay flights
Thai Airways’ regional carrier, THAI Smile, has launched a new route to Myanmar. The carrier took off from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport on Sunday bound for the city of Mandalay, marking the start of a new five-times-a-week service. All flights will be operated using THAI Smile’s two-class Airbus A320 aircraft. Flights depart Bangkok at 0725 and the return leg leaves Mandalay at 0930.
Air China to upgrade London service
Air China will upgrade its flights to London Heathrow airport next month, with the addition of a new Boeing 777-300ER on the route. From 15 May 2013, the new twin-aisle jet will take over from the Airbus A330 that currently operates the route, offering Air China’s newest cabin products including flat bed seats in first and business class, personal in-flight entertainment screens and personal power outlets in all classes. Air China’s London service departs Beijing Capital airport at 1410, while the return service leaves Heathrow at 2025.
JAL starts Peru codeshare
Japan Airlines (JAL) has signed a new codeshare agreement with LAN, offering new flights between the US and Peru. The move will see JAL place its ‘JL’ flight code on LAN Peru’s flights between Los Angeles, New York and Lima. This will then allow passengers to connect to LAN’s flights from JAL’s services connecting to the two US gateways from Tokyo.
Amadeus seals IAG content
Amadeus has signed a new long-term deal with the International Airlines Group (IAG). Under the new agreement, travel agents connected to Amadeus will continue to be able to access the fares and inventory of British Airways, Iberia and Iberia Express. IAG carries than 54 million passengers per year and is the sixth largest in the world, based on revenue.
China Sourthern’s new A330 arrives in Brisbane
China Southern Airlines’ new Airbus A330-200 aircraft arrived at Brisbane airport for the first time this week. The new twin-aisle aircraft, which features flat-bed seats in business class and seatback in-flight entertainment, forms part of a major upgrade plan for China Southern in Australia. Perth will welcome its first China Southern A330 aircraft on Wednesday morning.
flydubai expands in Central Asia
UAE-based low-cost carrier, flydubai, has announced plans to expand in Central Asia with the addition of new destinations in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Flight to Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s second largest city, commence on 24 April 2013 and will operated twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays). Then on 30 April, flydubai will add two flights per week to Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe (pictured), with services operating every Tuesdays and Fridays. Both services will be operated using Boeing 737-800 aircraft to and from Dubai International Airport.
Juneyao Airlines to receive first A321
Juneyao Airlines will take delivery of its first Airbus A321 aircraft later this year. The new single-aisle jet will seat 190 passengers in a two-class configuration – 12 in business class and 178 in economy. The A321 will touch down in Shanghai for the first time in July 2013. With the retirement of its two A319s in 2012, Juneyao now is in possession of 31 A320s and expects to receive four more jets by the end of 2013. The new aircraft will enable the carrier to launch scheduled services to Chiang Mai, and Jeju.
JAL launches international homepage
Japan Airlines (JAL) has revamped its international website homepage. The new jal.com (as opposed to the domestic jal.co.jp) is available in 11 different languages and has now been redesigned with bigger font sizes and a new site index at the bottom of the page. The homepage also features the latest JAL news and promotions. The reservations area of the website has already been revamped.
United adds HK-Guam flights
United Airlines has added extra flights to its Hong Kong-Guam route. From this week, the US carrier will launch two more weekly services on the route, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, taking the total frequency to four weekly flights. United operates the route using its three-class, 134-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Tiger adds Sydney-Cairns flights
Tiger Airways has launched new services between Sydney and Cairns. The airline’s inaugural service touched down at Cairns Airport on 4 April 2013, marking the start of a new four-times-a-week service, operating using an all-economy Airbus A320 aircraft. By June 2013, Tiger will increase the frequency to daily.
AirAsia starts Indian recruitment
AirAsia has started the recruitment process for its new Indian subsidiary. The low-cost carrier is a holding a recruitment session in Chennai – the southern city where AirAsia India will be based. Both male and female candidates aged between 20 to 35 years are invited to attend the interview sessions.
EVA launches new Japanese route
EVA Airways has launched a new route from Taipei to the Japanese city of Okayama. The new seasonal route will operate twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) during the northern summer season between April and October. EVA will use an MD-90 aircraft on the route.
Boeing opens new delivery centre
Boeing has opened its new expanded Everett Delivery Center (EDC). The Washington state facility, which will be the home of deliveries for Boeing’s 747-8, 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, was officially inaugurated on 3 April 2013 in a ceremony attended by Boeing employees and customers. Spreading across more than 16,700m², the new EDC triples the amount of office, conference and delivery space offered by the old EDC. The opening comes as Boeing boosts its aircraft production rates to the highest levels in history.
Air Canada posts record load factor
Air Canada’s aircraft are now fuller than ever before. The national carrier achieved a record cabin load factor of 83.5% in March 2013 – two percentage points up year-on-year. The level performance was even better on routes across the Pacific, where 87.4% of seats were filled. Overall Air Canada’s passenger traffic rose 3.4% last month, ahead of a 1.0% expansion of seat capacity.
Abacus seals Jeju Air content
Abacus International has expanded its range of Asian low-cost carrier content, following a new deal Jeju Air. The latest agreement will see travel agents connected to the Abacus GDS able to source and sell the South Korean LCC’s fares and inventory, on both domestic and international sectors.
Malaysia commences air deal with Chile
Malaysia has commenced a new bilateral air service agreement with Chile. The open skies deal, which was actually penned in 2010 but has only just been enforced, will allow any number of flights between the two countries, operated by any airline. The deal also enables codesharing agreements, which are likely to be enforced after Malaysia Airlines recently joined Chile’s LAN Airlines in the oneworld alliance. No airline currently operates direct flights between Malaysia and Chile.
Etihad launches preferred partner scheme
Etihad Airways has launched a new programme that will see it join forces with other brands. The preferred partners scheme will initially see the Abu Dhabi-based airline team up with Rotana Hotels, Hertz and Sky News Arabia, as its preferred hotel, car hire and media partners respectively. Etihad said it also expects to appoint other partners in fields such as insurance, hospitality services and telecoms.
HK Airlines adds Thai flights
Hong Kong Airlines is increasing capacity on routes to Thailand. From this week, the carrier will add a fourth weekly flight between Hong Kong and Bangkok, while increasing its Hong Kong-Phuket service from a single-aisle Airbus A320 to the twin-aisle A330, adding 120 seats per flight.
Oman Air plans low-cost carrier
Oman Air has said it is considering launching a low-cost unit, which it would use on routes to South Asia, the Oman Daily Observer has reported. The airline’s Chairman, Darwish bin Ismaeel al Balushi, who also acts as Oman’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, said he was awaiting “government approval to operate a budget airline”, which would operate “both domestic and international sectors”.
Qatar’s new airport opening delayed again
Qatar has once again postponed the opening of its new international airport, Hamad International (HIA). Reports suggest the opening of the new Doha airport was called off just hours before the first aircraft was due to land. Authorities said that safety issues still needed to be addressed. No new timeframe for the airport’s opening has been given. Ten airlines were due to start operating from HIA this week, including Biman Bangladesh, Air India Express, Pakistan International Airlines and Nepal Airlines.
Air Macao adds new mainland route
Air Macao has commenced a new route to mainland China. The carrier this week launched its first ever flights to the city of Quanzhou, in southeast China’s Fujian province, with three weekly scheduled flights operating on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) using an Airbus A320-series aircraft. Quanzhou becomes Air Macao’s 21st destination, and continues its recent expansion in mainland China. Already this year the airline has launched services to Shenyang and Wenzhou.
Singapore, India agree to boost air links
Singapore and India have agreed to expand air links between the two countries, Channel NewsAsia has reported. India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ajit Singh, is visiting Singapore this week and has used the trip to revise the existing two countries’ bilateral Air Services Agreement. The new deal will see more carriers of both countries able to operate more services between Singapore and India.
Air China launches ‘smiling’ flights to New York
Air China has commenced flights to New York using its new ‘Smiling China’ Boeing 777 aircraft. The new twin-aisle plane, which features a unique livery of smiling Chinese faces on the fuselage, touched down at JFK airport recently, as part of a series of upgrades to the route. Air China has also increased the frequency of its New York service from seven to 11 flights per week, all using a new B777-300ER with flat-bed seats in first and business classes.
Qantas seals cabin crew deal
Qantas has reached a new contract agreement with its international flight attendants. The three-and-a-half year agreement, which was approved by almost 85% of members of the Flight Attendants Association of Australia (FAAA) applies to around 3,400 cabin crew and customer service staff. The FAAA said the new deal would “protect job security and conditions in a remarkably difficult environment”.
Worldhotels expands Garuda tie-up
Travellers staying in Worldhotels properties can now earn more frequent flyer miles from Garuda Indonesia. Under an expanded agreement, guests will receive double the amount of Garuda Frequent Flyer miles when booking a qualifying stay at any Worldhotels property. The promotion is valid until the end of 2013. Garuda became a frequent flyer partner of Worldhotels in July 2012.
Dragonair unveils new uniforms
Dragonair has rolled out a new uniform for more than 3,000 of its customer-facing staff. Unveiled late last week at an event hosted by the airline’s CEO, Patrick Yeung, the new uniform marks the first revamp to the outfits’ design in 13 years and features red and black blazers for women and olive-coloured jackets for men. Dragonair’s signature dragon logo has also been woven into different parts of the clothing. The new uniform was created by Hong Kong-based designer, Eddie Lau.
Lufthansa boosts Turkmenistan flights
Lufthansa has increased the frequency of its flights to Turkmenistan. Effective immediately, the German carrier will add one extra service from Frankfurt to the Central Asian country’s capital Ashgabat, taking the total frequency from four to five weekly flights.
Air China flies daily to Stockholm
Air China will increase its Beijing-Stockholm service from five to seven flights per week from 1 June 2013. The new daily service will be operated using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, fitted with business, premium economy and economy class cabins. Flights will depart Beijing Capital International Airport at 1350, while the return service will depart the Swedish capital at 1910.
THAI blesses new A380
Thai Airways International (THAI) has held a traditional Buddhist ceremony to bless its new Airbus A380. The aircraft, named ‘Phayuha Khiri’ was blessed last week at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport by Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong, Abbot of Wat Rajabopit Sathitmahasimaram Rajaworavihara, in the presence of THAI’s President & CEO, Dr Sorajak Kasemsuvan and other senior airline officials. THAI has ordered six 507-seat A380s, and has so far taken delivery of four.
