Saturday, January 16, 2016

China Southern to start Toronto

China Southern Airlines based out of Guangzhou has confirmed that it has applied to launch new nonstop services to YYZ-Toronto, Canada out of its hub base airport effective August 2016.

CZ's planned schedule is as follows:

Days: 1/3/5/7

CZ 311 Dep CAN 1430 Arr YYZ 1725
CZ 312 Dep YYZ 0130 Arr CAN 0530+1

All flights are to be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER which seats 309 pax in a 4 class layout i.e. 4F + 34J + 44PE + 227Y. Point to point demand between YYZ and CAN (Guangzhou) over the past year was 31,000 passengers but the main focus of CZ's service will be trying to poach away transfer traffic bound to mainland China via CAN + HKG/BKK/Vietnam. 

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Arik Air announces Freetown and Libreville

Nigeria's largest airline i.e. Arik Air has unveiled its latest round of expansion into the West African market place after the outbreak of Ebola halted prior planned moves a year ago. 

The main highlights are as follows:

LBV (Libreville) - new 3 weekly flights to be launched effective 12FEB using a CRJ 1000 operated as LOS-PHC-LBV


FNA (Freetown) - reinstatement of flights effective 23FEB however it will be operated via ACC using a B737-800 three times per week with full 5th freedom traffic rights on ACC-FNA-ACC sector

On the ACC-FNA sector, the main competitor is Kenya Airways who currently operates a daily triangular service as ACC-FNA-ROB-ACC.

FYI ASKY used to operate LOS-LBV nonstop 4 times per week until it suspended the service in March 2015 in favor of increasing their own hub service i.e. LFW-LBV to all flights being nonstop. ASKY's current daily LFW-LBV service extends onwards to BZV.


Emirates upgrades Perth and Athens

Emirates has officially confirmed that it will be significantly increasing its presence in Perth and Athens later on this year as the carrier looks to take advantage of favorable market conditions. 

The main highlights are as follows:

ATH - frequencies increased from daily to double daily effective 01MAR all operated by B773ERs exclusively. The second daily DXB-ATH flight will fly via LCA with full 5th freedom traffic rights effective 01MAR.

PER - capacity increased from daily B773ER + daily A380 to double daily A380s effective 01AUG

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Malaysia Airlines suspends Dubai

Malaysia Airlines has officially confirmed that as part of its on going route network restructuring and new alliance with Emirates, it will be suspending all its Dubai bound flights effective 15FEB.

MAS currently operates a daily round trip terminator service using an A330-300 on the KUL-DXB-KUL route which will henceforth be in the exclusive domain of Emirates who operates 4 times daily.

Source: http://www.therakyatpost.com/business/2016/01/13/malaysia-airlines-increases-dubai-flights-with-etihad-codeshare/

Monday, January 11, 2016

Emirates upgrades Washington DC

Emirates has officially announced that IAD-Washington DC will be its newest A380 destination effective 01FEB16. 

Currently, EK operates the service using a B773ER but with the suspension of United's own IAD-DXB flight thus opening up the market for EK to exploit, the latter has gone ahead full steam to take advantage of the monopoly position especially after securing a lucrative U.S. Govt contract for 15,000 employees. 

With the added capacity on offer, it will allow EK the opportunity to target the high volume East Africa-IAD market segment more appropriately against KL, ET and TK especially.