Turkish Airlines has officially announced that it will be launching new flights to DAC-Dhaka, Bangladesh effective Dec 26th 2010. TK will operate 4 weekly services via Karachi, Pakistan using an Airbus A 340-300 thrice a week + an A 332 once a week. Its main target market in DAC is Europe as well as North America bound passengers. Once more wide bodied A 333s (289 seater) get delivered to TK next summer, the airline plans to de-link DAC from KHI and operate 4 weekly nonstop terminator services. The flight schedule is as follows:
Days of service: MON/WED/FRI/SUN
TK 708 Dep IST 0030 Arr KHI 0845
TK 708 Dep KHI 1000 Arr DAC 1415
TK 709 Dep DAC 2250 Arr KHI 0115+1
TK 709 Dep KHI 0230+1 Arr IST 0550+1
In addition, TK has revealed major expansion plans for its worldwide route network for the IATA Summer 2011 season. The main highlights are as follows:
JFK - frequencies increased from 11 weekly to double daily nonstop flights using a B 773ER (349 seats).
BEY - frequencies increased from double to triple daily nonstop flights using a B 738.
KIX - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly nonstop flights using an A 332.
SIN/JKT - frequencies increased from 6 weekly to daily services using an A 332.
ALA - frequencies increased from daily B 737-700ss to 11 weekly nonstop flights i.e. 4 weekly A 333s + daily B 738s.
TSE - capacity increased from 4 weekly B 737s to 4 weekly A 333s.
PIA of Pakistan has officially announced that due to huge demand for its new BCN-Barcelona, Spain bound flights, it will be increasing frequencies on this route from 2 to 3 weekly nonstop flights from Pakistan. The 3rd weekly flight will be operated as a terminator service to/from Islamabad using a B 773ER where as the remaining two are flown onwards to ORD-Chicago with full 5th freedom traffic rights using a B 772ER.
GMG Airlines of Bangladesh has officially announced a major expansion plan for the Middle East region from its Dhaka based hub effective Dec 16th 2010. The main highlights are as follows:
FYI, GMG's B 763ERs seat 264 pax in a 2 class configuration of 12J + 252Y
AUH - new twice weekly nonstop flights to be flown using a B 763ER.
DXB - all flights to be flown as turn around terminator flights and capacity to be increased from three weekly MD82s to three weekly B 763ERs.
JED - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 weekly nonstop flights using a B 763ER.
RUH - frequencies increased from 3 to 6 weekly nonstop flights using a B 763ER.
Qatar Airways CEO has officially announced that the carrier is extremely interested in increasing its flights to Indonesia by launching new flights to the second largest city of the country i.e. Surabaya. If approved, it will be the only long haul carrier operating out of the city and its main target market is Indonesian labor workers residing in the Middle East region. QR plans on operating to Surabaya via Kuala Lumpur 4 times per week using an A 330 from Summer 2011. As a result of this, flights to KUL shall be increased from the current 11 weekly to double daily nonstop using an A 330.
Saudia Airlines has officially confirmed that it has placed a massive order with Boeing for 22 new Boeing 777-300ERs + 8 Boeing 787-800s. The 777 order breakdown is 12 firm + 10 options. SV is also in the final stages of signing an agreement into joining the SKY TEAM alliance of which Air France is its main sponsor.
Aeroflot has officially announced that it shall be increasing frequencies to HKG-Hong Kong, China from the on set of the IATA Summer 2011 season. SU will be increasing frequencies from the planned daily nonstop flights using an A 332 to 9 times per week nonstop using the same aircraft type. Other changes announced by SU for its Asia network in SU 11 is as follows:
PVG - capacity increased from daily A 332s to daily A 333s.
NRT - capacity increased from 5 weekly B 763ERs + 2 weekly A 333s to 5 weekly A 332s + 2 weekly A 333s.
PEK - frequencies increased from double daily nonstop to 16 weekly nonstop using a B 763ER for all the flights.
DEL - capacity increased from daily B 763ER to daily A 333.
China Eastern Airlines has officially announced that it will be increasing frequencies to Australia from the on set of the IATA Summer 2011 season. MU is based out of PVG-Shanghai and is making the following adjustments:
SYD - frequencies increased from 5 weekly A 343s to daily nonstop flights using an A 333.
MEL - frequencies increased from 4 weekly A 343s to daily nonstop flights using an A 343.
Lufthansa has officially announced that it is further increasing capacity to JNB-Jo'Burg, South Africa from Feb 12th 2011 by adding more Airbus A 380 operated flights from its primary FRA hub base. From Feb 12th onwards, all FRA-JNB operated flights will be flown on a daily basis using an A 380 instead of the current 5 weekly + 2 weekly B 744s.
Mihin Lanka has officially announced that it shall be adding 3 new destinations to its international route network from Dec 2nd 2010. All these flights will be operated nonstop from its CMB-Colombo hub base using Airbus A 321-200s only. The main highlights are as follows: DAC - 3 new weekly nonstop flights JKT - 3 new weekly nonstop flights MLE - 4 new weekly nonstop flights
Skymark Airlines of Japan has officially announced that it has signed a LOI (Letter of Intent) with Airbus for an order of 6 new Airbus A 380-800s. It makes the carrier the first Japanese based airline to place an order for the A 380 which it will configure with 800 seats in an all economy class configuration to be used to Europe, USA and popular Asian cities.
China Southern Airlines has officially announced that it has a placed a major order with Airbus for its regional expansion in Asia. CZ confirmed an order being placed for 6 Airbus A 330-200s + 30 Airbus A 320-200s.
Norwegian Airlines has officially confirmed that it has chosen the Boeing 787-800 as its preferred aircraft for long haul expansion out of its main Oslo hub. The carrier confirmed that it will be leasing 2 B 788s from ILFC and has requested for 4 more of the same aircraft type. The first destinations to be launched shall be New York City and Bangkok.
Spice Jet of India has officially announced that it has ordered 33 additional Boeing 737-800s plus another 30 Bombardier Q400 turbo prop aircraft to fuel its regional expansion strategy in India and abroad within a 5 hour flying radius of the country. The airline will get its international flying license from April 2011 and hence have ordered the B 738s for this very purpose for expansion to the Middle East, Far East and Indian Sub-Continent region.
