EVA AIR of Taiwan has officially announced that it has placed a multi billion dollar order with Boeing and Airbus combined as part of its network expansion and fleet replacement strategy for the next 3 years. BR confirmed that it has ordered 15 Airbus A 321s + 10 new Boeing 777-300ERs. These 2 aircraft types are expected to gradually fully replace its aging B 744 and MD90 fleet.
Turkish Airlines has officially revealed that it will be increasing frequencies to Los Angeles and Washington DC from the on set of the IATA W11 season and then will be implementing a further increase to both these 2 routes from S12 season as well. The main highlights are as follows:
LAX - frequencies to be increased from 3 to 5 flights per week effective 31AUG and then further increased to daily using B 773ERs from 02APR 2012.
IAD - frequencies to be increased from 5 to 6 flights per week effective 30OCT and then further increased to daily using A 332s from 02APR 2012.
In addition, TK has also revealed expansion plans for other areas in its ever increasing flight network which are as follows:
ISB - new 3 weekly nonstop flights to be launched effective 21JUL using a B 738.
TBZ (Tabriz, Iran) - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily flights effective 18JUL.
ISU (Sulaimaniya, Iraq) - will be operated eff 18JUL 4 times per week nonstop using a 186 seater Airbus A 321-200 with the following schedule: Days: 1/3/5/7 TK 806 Dep IST 2315 Arr ISU 0145+1 TK 807 Dep ISU 0310 Arr IST 0600 (The above mentioned schedule connects beautifully with every single European and North American city in the TK network in both directions via its IST hub)
NJF - will be operated 3 times per week eff 05JUL using a B 737-800 as a triangular routing combining it with Basra-BSR. The schedule is as follows:
Days: 2/4/6
TK 798 Dep IST 0310 Arr NJF 0605
TK 798 Dep NJF 0705 Arr BSR 0750
TK 798 Dep BSR 0850 Arr IST 1215
(The above mentioned schedule connects nicely in both directions in both directions to TK's entire European network + JFK only via its IST hub)
Airbus has officially announced that it has secured 2 important orders from Far East Asia this week for its Airbus A 330-300 model. It announced that Garuda Indonesia signed up officially for 4 additional A 333s and Singapore Airlines signed to lease 15 additional A 333s primarily as a stop gap capacity measure due to the delay of its A 359 delivery schedule.
Thai Airways has officially announced that they are increasing capacity to Europe in a significant manner for the IATA W11 season of which the main highlights are as follows:
BRU - new 3 weekly nonstop flights to be launched effective 17NOV using a B 772ER.
CPH - frequencies to be increased from daily to 10 weekly nonstop flights using a B 744.
MXP - capacity to be increased effective 01JAN 2012, with all flights being operated with A346s instead of A345s.
Oman Air has officially revealed a major expansion of its long haul service to Europe and Far East Asia for the upcoming IATA Winter 2011 season. The main highlights are as follows:
ZRH - new 4 weekly nonstop flights to be launched using an A 332 effective 30OCT.
FRA - frequencies increased from 7 to 9 weekly flights using an A 332 six times per week and an A 333 three times per week.
BKK - frequencies increased from 8 to 12 times per week using an A 332 only.
CDG - capacity increased with all flights being operated with A 333s rather than A 332s.
Etihad Airways today revealed a blockbuster announcement concerning an aggressive major push into mainland China from the on set of the IATA W11 season. The main highlights are as follows:
CTU (Chengdu) - new 4 weekly nonstop flights to be flown using an A 332 effective 15DEC 2011. Flight schedule is as follows:
EY 818 Dep AUH 0825 Arr CTU 1845
EY 811 Dep CTU 2015 Arr AUH 0040+1
PVG (Shanghai) - new daily nonstop flights to be launched effective 16APR 2012 using an A 332 with the following schedule:
EY 862 Dep AUH 1010 Arr PVG 2145
EY 867 Dep PVG 0020 Arr AUH 0630
Finnair has officially announced that it will be launching a new long haul route to China to a city called Chongqing in southwestern China effective 09MAY 2012. Services will be operated nonstop 4 times per week using an A340-300.
Alitalia has officially revealed many changes to its long haul route network for the IATA W11 season. The main highlights are as follows:
MXP/JFK - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 times per week using an A 332.
FCO/GIG - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 times per week using an A 332.
FCO/YYZ - frequencies increased from 5 to 6 times per week using an B 763ER.
Virgin Atlantic has officially revealed few changes to its long haul route network for the IATA W11 season of which the main highlights are as follows:
MIA - capacity increased from daily A346s to daily B744s.
LAX - frequencies reduced from double daily to 12 weekly.
HAV - frequencies increased from 2 to 3 weekly flights using a B744.
Egypt Air has officially revealed major changes to its international route network for the IATA W11 season of which the main highlights are as follows:
NBO - frequencies increased from 6 weekly to daily.
KUL - services restored with a daily flight operated via BKK using a B 773ER.
ACC - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 times per week.
AMM - frequencies increased from 17 weekly to triple daily.
DOH - frequencies increased from daily to 10 times per week.
JED - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 times daily.
JNB - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily.
LOS - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly.
DMM - frequencies increased from 10 to 11 times per week.
Royal Jordanian has officially announced major increases in capacity and frequency across its international route network for the IATA W11 season. The main highlights are as follows:
KWI - frequencies increased from 10 to 11 weekly nonstop flights.
JFK - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 times per week versus W10. All flights to be operated in W11 using an A342.
MCT - frequencies reduced from 4 to 3 times per week.
CMB - frequencies increased from 3 weekly A 310-300s to 4 weekly nonstop flights using an A342.
DEL - frequencies reduced from 5 to 4 weekly flights using an A319.
KRT - frequencies reduced from 6 to 5 weekly flights.
The Paris Air Show recently concluded a couple of weeks ago and many large orders were placed by airlines and leasing companies respectively. To summarize, the main highlights were as follows for each respective manufacturer:
Boeing
Aeroflot ordered 8 B 777-300ERs
Qatar Airways ordered 6 B 777-300ERs
Hong Kong Airlines ordered 15 B 748s (my personal favorite order of the show)
Air Lease Corp ordered 4 B 789s + 24 B 738s + 5 B 773ERs
Malaysia Airlines ordered 10 B 737-800s
GECAS ordered 2 B 748Fs + 8 B 777-300ERs
Norwegian ordered 15 B 738s + 3 B 788s
UTAir of Russia ordered 7 B 739ERs + 33 B 738s
Airbus
Air Asia of Malaysia ordered 200 A320NEOs
LAN Chile ordered 20 A320NEOs
Saudia Airlines ordered 4 A 333s
Transasia of Taiwan ordered 6 A 321NEOs
Garuda Indonesia ordered 25 A 320NEOs
Jetblue ordered 30 A321s + 40 A320NEOs
Indigo of India ordered 180 A320NEOs
SAS ordered 30 A320NEOs
Air Lease Corp ordered 11 A330s + 1 A321 + 64 A320NEOs
GECAS ordred 60 A320NEOs
Bombardier
Korean Air ordered 30 Bombardier CS300s
