12AUG edition

China Southern Airlines based out of Guangzhou has officially announced that its first international route operated by its Airbus A380s will be LAX-Los Angeles, USA effective 12OCT 2012. Capacity will be increased on this sector from a daily B772ER offering 282 seats to a daily A380 offering 506 seats in a 3 class configuration seating 8F + 70J + 428Y class passengers. According to world famous airplane photographer and traveller, Mr Sam Chui, CZ’s on board chinese cuisine on its international flights are the best in the world to sample! CZ’s CEO has also announced that its second A380 route shall be to London Heathrow from Summer 2013 as the carrier looks to penetrate the Australia-LON market segment in particular with this aircraft type.  

Oman Air has officially revealed a major expansion of its route network for the IATA W12 season of which the main highlights are as follows:

RUH  - frequencies increased from daily to double daily

DXB - frequencies increased from 6 to 7 daily flights

DMM - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly

JED - frequencies increased from 10 to double daily

AMM - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily

BKK - frequencies increased from 12 weekly to double daily

KWI - frequencies increased from 10 weekly to double daily

Following in the footsteps of Gulf Air and British Airways, American Airlines has now officially announced that they will be the 3^rd airline in the world to be installing a flat bed business class product on their new Airbus A321 fleet. AA’s A321s will have two configurations i.e. one exclusively for trans-continental nonstop flights from its JFK hub to SFO and LAX and others in a regional configuration. The premium A321 configuration will have a total of 102 seats on board with 30 flat bed seats (10 first class + 20 business class) along with 72 in economy class. All seats in F and J class cabins will be flat beds + have personal tv screens installed. In total, AA’s premium configured A321s will be operating 10 daily JFK-LAX + 5 daily JFK-SFO nonstop services.

Qatar Airways has officially announced that it shall be significantly increasing capacity to ICN-Seoul, South Korea from the on set of the IATA W12 season. Currently, QR operates a daily nonstop service from its DOH hub into ICN using a 2 class configured Airbus A330-200 seating 257 passengers. Effective 28OCT 2012, all flights shall be upgraded to the 335 seater Boeing 777-300ER thus representing a capacity increase of 30% as well enabling the carrier to carry an extra 6 tons of cargo per flight.

Shaheen Air of Pakistan has officially announced that it will be embarking on a major route network expansion with a modern fleet of both wide body and narrow body aircraft which shall enable it to launch more new routes rapidly. The airline confirmed signing a deal to lease 3 Airbus A330-300s seating 327 passengers + 12 Boeing 737-400s seating 164 passengers. It has already taken delivery of its first A333 and has announced its new routes which are Riyadh, Medina, Bangkok and Dhaka which shall be launched from IATA W12 season onwards. The A333s will be solely used on services to Saudi Arabia from KHI, LHE and ISB operated nonstop.

Hong Kong Airlines has officially announced that it shall be suspending its flagship all business class service to LGW-London Gatwick operated nonstop from Hong Kong. The airline was the first to operate an A332 with an all J class configuration on this sector but failed to attract a healthy load of passengers on its daily service. The route was launched on 07MAR 2012 and shall be suspended effective 03SEP 2012.

Emirates has officially announced further major changes to its route network for the upcoming IATA W12 season of which the main highlights are as follows:

HKT (Phuket) – new daily nonstop flights to be launched effective 10DEC using an A332

TIP – services to restart with 4 weekly nonstop A332 operated flights effective 29OCT

BEY – frequencies increased from double daily to triple daily effective 31DEC using a mixture of A332s and A345s

IAD – capacity reduced from daily B773ER to daily B772LR

CPT – capacity reduced from daily B773ER + daily A345 to double daily A343

DAR – capacity increased from daily A345 to daily B773ER effective 01FEB13

LIS - capacity increased from daily B772ER to daily B773ER effective 01FEB13

CPH – capacity increased from daily B772ER to daily B773ER

Finnair has officially announced that due to high demand for its services to DXB-Dubai, it shall be increasing frequencies on the HEL-DXB sector effective 13DEC 2012 onwards. Weekly flights shall be raised from 3 to 4 per week with 3 weekly B757s + 1 weekly A343s being used to operate the route.

Malaysia Airlines has officially announced that it shall be increasing capacity on its popular MEL-Melbourne, Australia bound services effective 01MAR 2013. The route shall be its third Airbus A 380 operated service after London Heathrow as the carrier looks to capitalize on its One World alliance membership. Currently, MH operates a double daily A333 service on the MEL-KUL service, this will be increased to a daily A380 + daily A333 from 01MAR13 onwards.

Turkish Airlines has officially announced that it will be implementing many changes to its medium haul route network for the IATA W12 season of which the main highlights are as follows:

MLE (Male, Maldives) – new 5 weekly nonstop flights to be launched using an A332 effective 24NOV

SSH (Sharm El Shaikh) – new 4 weekly nonstop flights to be launched using a B737 effective 09OCT

DAR – frequencies reduced from daily to 5 weekly

VCE – frequencies increased from double daily to 17 weekly

FIH – frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly

FCO – frequencies increased from 18 weekly to triple daily

BHX – frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly

DUB - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly

ANA of Japan has officially announced that it will be increasing its flights on its popular Tokyo-New York JFK service effective 28OCT 2012. Currently, the airline operates a daily B773ER on this route nonstop, however from 28OCT onwards it will increase to double daily nonstop using the same aircraft type. Flights will arrive into JFK at 0930/1515 and depart at 1115/1655 respectively.

China Eastern Airlines based out of PVG-Shanghai has officially announced major capacity changes for its medium haul route network for the upcoming IATA W12 season of which the main highlights are as follows:

BKK – capacity increased to daily A320 + daily A346

SIN – capacity increased to double daily B763ER + daily A332 + daily A346

DEL – frequencies increased from 4 weekly A332s to a daily nonstop flight using a larger A333

SYD – frequencies increased from daily A332 to 9 weekly flights using a larger A333

Singapore Airlines has officially announced few capacity changes for its route network for the upcoming IATA W12 season of which the main highlights are as follows:

NRT – capacity increased to double daily A380 + double daily B773s

JFK – capacity reduced from daily A380 to daily B773ER effective 27DEC

SFO – capacity increased from daily B773ER to daily A380 effective 28DEC

BOM – frequencies increased from 19 weekly to triple daily

According to an official tender document, PIA of Pakistan will be embarking on a major fleet and network expansion overhaul as the carrier looks to be taken seriously in the international marketplace where currently its reputation has been maligned with constant delays due to maintenance related issues and union disputes with pilots. To begin with, PIA will be leasing in 4 Boeing 737-800s along with two used Boeing 777-200ERs. A couple of months ago, PIA also signed an official order for 5 additional brand new Boeing 777-300ERs with Boeing. These aircraft are slated to replace PIA’s ageing fleet of B737-300s (built in 1985) and also its last two operational B747s.

South African Airways has officially announced that it will be increasing its frequencies to both Mumbai and Sao Paulo as it looks to further take advantage of its monopoly holding in both these key long haul market segments. To begin with, frequencies to BOM shall be increased from the current 5 weekly to daily nonstop flights using an A332 where as services to GRU shall also be increased from 10 to 11 weekly nonstop flights using an A332 daily and an A343 four times per week respectively.

SWISS has officially announced that it will be significantly increasing its presence in the Miami marketplace during the upcoming IATA W12 season as the carrier looks to take full advantage of the massive demand to Florida out of Europe during the winter season. The Zurich based carrier will be raising the number of frequencies it operates from a daily A333 to 11 times per week nonstop with the four additional flights being flown using an A343.