Qatar Airways has officially announced another round of capacity changes for its medium and long haul route network for the upcoming IATA W16 season of which the main highlights are as follows:
CGK - capacity reduced to triple daily flights exclusively operated by the B788
MAN - capacity reduced from 16 weekly A333s to 16 weekly B788s
CPT - capacity increased from daily B788 to daily B773ER
KHI - capacity increased from double daily A320/A321 to daily B788 + daily B772LR
PSA (Pisa, Italy) - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily nonstop using an A320
CEB - operational cost saving implemented by flying a daily B788 instead of A332
RGN - frequencies increased from 3 to 5 weekly using an A332
ADL - frequencies reduced from daily to 5 weekly nonstop using an A359
VCE - capacity increased from daily A332 to daily A333
GRU/EZE - capacity increased from daily B772LR to daily B773ER
Ethiopian Airlines has officially announced that it will be taking head on more aggressively both Emirates and Qatar Airways on the Africa-Guangzhou market segment. EK and QR have recently announced upgrading their daily CAN flights to an A380 so to counter attack,
ET has stated that effective 30OCT16, they will be expanding frequencies into Guangzhou airport.
Currently, ET operates a daily nonstop ADD-CAN service using a B777-300ER however from 30OCT16 onwards, frequencies shall be expanded to 10 weekly nonstop with the additional 3 flights all flying with a B788. The schedule of the incremental flights are mentioned below:
Days - TUE/THU/SAT
ET 616 Dep ADD 0945 Arr CAN 0030+1
ET 617 Dep CAN 1400 Arr ADD 1930
Comments:
The above mentioned new flights to/from CAN allow ET to also connect its European network via ADD to CAN in both directions.
Saudia Airlines has officially announced that it will be undertaking major expansion plans to the Indian subcontinent region as the carrier looks to poach away market share from the ME3 airlines + PIA/AI/9W/BG/WY with higher frequencies using wide body equipment exclusively to cater for the much sort after excess baggage allowance.
The main highlights are as follows (effective 30OCT16):
JED/KHI - frequencies increased from 11 to 13 weekly using a B777
JED/LHE - frequencies increased from 11 weekly to double daily using a B777
JED/ISB - frequencies increased from 5 to 8 weekly using a B777
JED/DEL - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily B777s
JED/HYD - capacity increased from 3 weekly A333s to 3 weekly B773ERs
JED/BOM - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly flights operated by B777s exclusively
RUH/BOM - capacity increased from 3 weekly to daily flights using a B777
RUH/DAC - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly flights using a B777
RUH/DEL - frequencies increased from 5 to 6 weekly using a B777
RUH/KHI - frequencies increased from 6 to 9 weekly using a B777
RUH/LHE - frequencies increased from 3 weekly to daily B777s
RUH/ISB - frequencies increased from 3 to 5 weekly using a B777
RUH/HYD - capacity increased from 3 weekly A333s to 3 weekly B773ERs
Other main high volume market segments where expansion has been confirmed by SV are as follows:
JED/KRT - frequencies increased to double daily using an A333
JED/MAN - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly using a B777
JED/CAN - frequencies increased from 2 to 3 weekly using a B777
JED/ADD - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 weekly using an A333
JED/IST - capacity increased from daily A320 + daily A333 to double daily A333s
RUH/MNL - frequencies increased to daily nonstop using a B777
Kuwait Airways has finally published its long haul expansion plans which are in effect from the upcoming IATA W16 season as the carrier takes delivery of its new Boeing 777-300ERs. The main highlights are as follows:
LHR - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly using their new A332s exclusively
DAC - frequencies increased to daily nonstop using an A343 which will further be increased to 10 weekly nonstop with the same aircraft type effective 17FEB
JFK - frequencies increased to daily nonstop using a B777 effective 31OCT
GVA - all flights suspended
MNL - frequencies increased from 6 weekly via BKK to daily nonstop terminator flights using an A343
FRA - capacity increased to 4 weekly B772s operated as a nonstop terminator service
BKK - capacity increased to 6 weekly nonstop terminator flights using an A332 with no extension to Manila
