United Airlines

United Airlines has officially confirmed that it will be launching new daily nonstop flights to GVA-Geneva, Switzerland from its IAD-Washington Dulles hub from April 19th 2009. UA will be using a 3 class configured Boeing 767-300ER for this route which is likely to be code shared with LX. The airline hopes to attract a lot of high yielding political and business traffic on this all important route for which it will have a monopoly stronghold. The flight timings are as follows:

UA 974 Dep IAD 1800 Arr GVA 0800+1
UA 975 Dep GVA 1200 Arr IAD 1500

UAL has also revealed that for Summer 09, it will be reducing capacity on its ORD-Heathrow route to triple daily B 763ER operated services only. For Summer 08, it was a daily B 772ER + double daily B 763ER.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways will be increasing frequencies to KTM-Kathmandu, Nepal from the on set of the IATA Summer 09 timetable (March 28) from 11 weekly flights to double daily nonstop. QR will fly 5 weekly A 332s + 9 weekly A 320s on this route which does very well not only for them but its competitors as well such as GF and EY. One of the main reasons for this increase is the huge influx of Nepali labor now being recruited in the Middle East in the construction industry especially in Qatar as their salaries payable are lower than Indians and Pakistanis apparently.

Air Canada

Air Canada has announced that it will be launching new daily flights to GVA-Geneva, Switzerland from Toronto via Montreal (same plane service) using a Boeing 767-300ER from June 1st 09. AC anticipates strong high yielding demand for this route especially between June-September. The flight timings are as follows:

AC 830 Dep YYZ 1800 Arr YUL 1919
AC 830 Dep YUL 2045 Arr GVA 1005+1

AC 831 Dep GVA 1215 Arr YUL 1430
AC 831 Dep YUL 1600 Arr YYZ 1720

Jet Airways India

Jet Airways will be suspending its new Bangalore-Brussels nonstop flights from January 12th 09 onwards according to major GDS systems. All flights after that date have been ZERO'd out. No official reason has been cited yet but it will be due to cost cutting and using the 1 A 332 dedicated for this route on more higher yielding India-Middle East and India-Far East Asia flights.

9W also will be reducing capacity to EWR from Jan 21st onwards by replacing daily B 773ER operated flights with daily A 332s on the BOM-BRU-EWR sector.

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines has officially confirmed that it will be increasing its network in Africa from June 2009 with the launch of 2 new destinations namely Abuja and Lagos in Nigeria from ATL and JFK respectively. The main highlights are as follows:

JFK/LOS - eff June 9th, new 5 weekly nonstop B 763ER service complimenting the already exisiting daily ATL-LOS B 763ER service.

ATL/ABV - new twice weekly B 752 service with a tech stop in SID in both directions.

Other key developments that DL has ear marked for 2009 expansion as a result of its merger with NW are as follows:

SEA/LHR - all flights suspended from Jan 8th.

JFK/TLV - frequencies increased from daily to 11 weekly B 763ERs all flown nonstop eff June 30th 09.

JFK/NRT - new daily nonstop flights to start eff June 4th using a B 772ER.

JFK/PRG - new 3 weekly nonstop flights start from June 18th using a B 763ER.

SLC/NRT - new 5 weekly nonstop flights to be launched using NW A 332s eff June 3rd 09.

ATL/NRT - second daily nonstop flight to be launched using a NWA B 744 eff May 4th 09. Current daily flight is flown using a DL B 772ER.

JFK/CPT - new 3 weekly flights to be flown via DKR using a B 763ER.

SEA/PEK - new nonstop flights to be flown using NWA aircraft.

DTW/PVG - new nonstop flights using NWA aircraft.

ATL/NBO - new 4 weekly flights to be launched using B 763ER via DKR eff June 2nd 09.

NRT/SGN - new daily flights to be launched using a NWA B 752 eff June 1st.

Air France

Air France will be increasing its flight frequencies to DTW-Detroit, USA from Feb 23 09 from 4 weekly to daily services to fill in the gap left by Northwest Airlines cancelling its own DTW-CDG nonstop service. AF will be using an A 332 5 times a week along with an A 343 twice a week for this sector.

Thai Airways

Thai Airways will be reducing capacity to NGO-Nagoya, Japan from Dec 1st 08 onwards due to the worldwide economic crisis that has engulfed the large Japanese auto companies that are based out of NGO. Currently, TG flies 9 weekly B 773As to NGO seating 380 pax in a 2 class configuration. However, from Dec 1st onwards, TG will be using a 267 seater A 340-600 (3 class configured) on daily flights where as the other 2 weekly flights will remain a B 773A operated one.

Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines has revealed that it will be increasing capacity to DXB-Dubai from March 1st 09 by replacing 13 weekly A 320 operated flights with 6 weekly B 763ERs + daily A 320s due to strong demand being witnessed on this sector in all cabins. OS also announced that it be launching new 4 weekly nonstop flights to Amman, Jordan from its VIE hub effective 6th May 09 using an A 320 (with the new J class product).

KLM

KLM has confirmed that it is seeking to order dozens of large wide bodied long haul jets to fully replace its aging Boeing 747 and MD 11 fleet. It has ruled out ordering the Boeing 747-800 and is likely to order many Boeing 777-300ERs to replace its full pax B 744 versions. With regards to its MD 11 and B 744 Combi fleet replacement strategy, it is examining the B 772ER along with the Boeing 787-900 and A 350-900.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has unveiled many capacity and frequency changes to its medium and long haul network for Summer 2009. The main highlights are as follows:

MNL - frequencies increased to double daily nonstop flights operated by a 2 class B 773ER + 2 class A 333.

DEL - capacity increased to daily B 777-200LR from 29th March; likely to be a same plane service DEL-DOH-IAH.

BKK - capacity increased to double daily B 773ERs effective 1st Sept 09.

CAI - capacity increased to daily B 777-200LR from 1st Oct 09.

SIN/CGK - capacity increased to daily B 773ER from March 30th.

JED - capacity increased to 5 weekly B 773ERs from 1st Aug 09.

Sri Lankan Airlines

Sri Lankan Airlines has officially confirmed that it will be restarting flights to FCO-Rome, Italy from December 3rd 2008 with 3 weekly nonstop flights flown from its Colombo hub using an Airbus A 340-300. As a result of this new FCO service, all flights from Dec 3rd onwards to Paris (CDG) will be flown via FCO. The new flights will be flown on WED/FRI/SUN only.

SIN-KWI open skies

The states of Singapore and Kuwait have officially signed an OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT between themselves allowing designated carriers of both states to fly unlimited times a week between SIN & KWI as well as carry 5th freedom traffic on certain designated routes.

British Airways

British Airways has announced that it will be suspending all its flights to Calcutta (CCU) and Dhaka (DAC) from the on set of the Summer 2009 timetable as it looks to cut back long haul capacity on low yielding routes that do not witness high premium loads. Other key short haul routes that will be suspended as well are LGW-ZRH, LGW-GVA and LGW-DUB.

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines will be launching new daily nonstop flights from its Atlanta hub to Johannesburg, South Africa effective June 1st 2009 using a 2 class configured Boeing 777-200LR. As a result, the current flight routed via DKR-Dakar will be eliminated. Other new routes that DL will be launching from June 2009 are daily B 757-200 operated flights from Pittsburgh and Raleigh (North Carolina) to CDG-Paris.

Jet Airways India

Jet Airways of India has confirmed that it will be cancelling its Amritsar-London Heathrow nonstop flights from December 1st 08 onwards as a cost savings measure. The airline reportedly witnesses 70% plus load factors on t8hese flights but the yield doesnt meet expectations hence the suspension.

Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines is planning to increase its frequencies to New York JFK from 4 weekly to daily flights effective March 30th 2009. The new 3 weekly flights will be operated using a 3 class Boeing 777-200ER where as the remaining 4 will be flown using a Boeing 747-400 Combi. With regards to its ORD-Chicago route, it will be replacing B 747-400 Combi service on this route with a Boeing 777-200ER effective Nov 29th.

Air Canada

Air Canada will be increasing capacity on its Toronto-Frankfurt route from June 2009 by replacing its second daily Boeing 763ER operated flight (AC876) with the larger Airbus A 330-300. As a result, AC will be using a B 773ER + an A 333 for its double daily YYZ-FRA flights from that month onwards. AC also announced that it will be suspending its 2nd daily YVR-LHR route from April 2009 onwards as part of its long haul restructuring plan. However, to compensate for the loss in frequency, it will be increasing capacity on AC 854 from a daily A 333 to a daily B 773ER.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa has confirmed that due to lower forecast ed demand for this winter season on 3 key long haul routes, it will be reducing frequencies on them rather than waste money flying half empty planes. The 3 routes that will be witnessing cuts are Munich-Sao Paulo from 5 weekly to 3 weekly A 343s plus Munich-Beijing from daily to 5 weekly A 343s and lastly Frankfurt-Shanghai from 10 weekly to daily B 744s.

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus of Ireland will be increasing its flights to ORD-Chicago from its Dublin hub starting March 31st 09. From that date onwards, frequencies will be lifted from daily to 10 weekly flights with the 3 additional flights being flown from DUB via Shannon using an A 332 on TUE/THU/SAT.

Eva Air

Eva Air will be returning to France with 3 weekly nonstop flights being flown from its TPE hub to CDG using a Boeing 777-300ER effectiven Jan 21st 09. Flights will operate on WED/FRI/SUN and the flight schedule is as follows:

BR 087 Dep TPE 2355 Arr CDG 0635+1
BR 088 Dep CDG 1120 Arr TPE 0700+1