Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has revealed that due to high load factors on its nonstop flights from SIN to EWR and LAX, it will be reconfiguring its 4 A 340-500s to an all business class layout seating 100 passengers. It will thus offer business class only flights on these 2 routes with EWR starting in June and LAX by Sept.

SAS

SAS has officially confirmed that it will be launching new flights to DEL-Delhi, India from the on set of the Winter 08-09 timetable with 3 weekly frequencies on offer from its CPH hub to DEL using an A 340-300. Service begins from Oct 27th 08.

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines has decided to upgrade capacity on its popular nonstop Tokyo-Delhi route by replacing the B 777-200ER with the larger Boeing 747-400. The main reason for this upgrade is due to JAL recording increasing load factors in its premium cabins on this sector. This change will come into effect from Aug 1st 08 and all daily flights will see nonstop B 744 service.

Air China

Air China has reportedly being named the "unidentified" airline that has placed an order for 15 new Boeing 777-300ERs with Boeing few months ago. These new aircraft will be used in due course to fully replace CA's fleet of B 747s.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has finally revealed details of its new IAH-Houston bound flights which will be flown nonstop from Doha. Flights will be launched from Nov 10th 2008 with an initial frequency of 3 times a week using a 2 class configured (J + Y) Boeing 777-200LR. However, from Dec 1st, the service will increase to daily nonstop. The flight timings are as follows :

QR 77 Dep DOH 0120 Arr IAH 0915
QR 78 Dep IAH 1215 Arr DOH 1210+1

Flights are timed to mainly connect with QR's Saudi Arabia and GCC bound flights where as all of its Indian subcontinent flights misconnect with IAH in both directions.

Emirates

Emirates has officially confirmed that it will be launching 2 new flights this year i.e. CCJ-Calicut, India and CAN-Guangzhou, China. These 2 new cities are part of 8 new routes that EK will be launching this year after CPT was the first one announced. According to various media outlets, the remaining 5 new cities expected to be launched by EK this year are ORD, MAD, GIG, BCN and DUR. As far as CCJ and CAN are concerned, the main highlights concerning their respective operations are as follows :

CAN - will be launched from July 1st 08 four times a week nonstop using a 2 class A 332. However, from Dec 1st 08, frequencies will be increased to daily using an A 343 6 times a week + a weekly A 332.

CCJ - will be launched from July 1st 08 six times a week nonstop using a 2 class B 772A five times a week + weekly A 332. However, from Oct 26th 08, capacity will be increased to 6 weekly B 772As.

EK are also extremely pleased at how their new route to IAH-Houston is performing and are now examining the possibility of launching additional nonstop frequencies to the route from the on set of the Winter 08-09 timetable.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways CEO Mr James Hogan has informed the media that his airline will be definitely launching 2 new routes this year i.e. DME-Moscow and ALA-Almaty, Kazakhistan later on this year. Both cities will be flown nonstop from the airline's AUH hub. DME will be flown using the A 332 where as ALA is expected to be launched with the A 320.

Gulf Air

Gulf Air has confirmed that it will be launching a new long haul route to PVG-Shanghai, China effective June 16th 08. The route will be flown 4 times a week nonstop using an A 343. These new PVG flights are mainly targeting pax bound for LON and the GCC markets. The flight details are as follows:

GF 286 Dep BAH 1010 Arr PVG 0020+1
GF 287 Dep PVG 0315 Arr BAH 0810

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand has announced that it will be increasing its flights to YVR-Vancouver flown nonstop from its main AKL-Auckland hub from Nov 28th 08 onwards. An extra weekly flight will be flown thus making the service 4 times a week nonstop using a B 777-200ER. Besides YVR, the airline will also be launching new twice a week nonstop flights to PEK-Beijing, China effective November 2008 using a B 772ER flown from AKL.

Uzbekistan Airways

Uzbekistan Airways has released details of its Summer 2008 international timetable which see many changes being implemented to Europe and Asian routes in terms of capacity and frequency. The main highlights are as follows :

JFK - frequencies increased to twice a week using a B 763ER from June 1st.

LHE - frequencies increased to 4 weekly B 752s + weekly AR8.

ATQ - capacity reduced to 5 weekly AR8s.

DEL - frequencies reduced from 3 to 2 weekly A 310-300s.

CDG - capacity increased to twice weekly B 763ERs eff April 1st.

FRA - frequencies increased to three times a week using an A 310-300.

MXP - frequencies increased to twice a week using an A 310-300.

FCO - frequencies increased to twice weekly B 763ERs.

PEK - frequencies increased to 3 weekly B 763ERs.

Asiana Airlines

Asiana Airlines of South Korea has confirmed that it will be starting new nonstop flights from its ICN-Seoul hub to CDG-Paris effective 31st March 08. Flights will be flown 3 times a week on MON/WED/FRI using a B 772ER.

In addition to this, OZ will also be increasing its 4 weekly flights flown nonstop to JFK from 4 weekly to daily effective August 23rd 2008. All ICN-JFK bound flights will be flown using the B 772ER.

Air Mauritius

Air Mauritius has revealed that it will be inaugurating new flights to BLR-Bangalore, India from April 28th 2008.

Flights will be flown only once a week initially nonstop from MRU using an A 330-200.

Iran Air

Iran Air has announced details of its Summer 2008 timetable which sees many capacity changes especially in regards to its European bound flights. The main highlights are as follows :

LHR - increased to 4 weekly B 747s from 4 weekly AB6s.

AMS - frequencies increased to 4 weekly AB6s.

ORY - frequencies increased to 3 weekly AB6s from June 17th.

ARN - capacity increased to 2 weekly B 747s from 2 weekly AB6s.

FRA - frequencies increased to weekly A 310-300 + 4 weekly AB6s.

DAM - capacity increased to 2 weekly B 747s + weekly AB6.

BKK - 2 weekly B 747-100s will be flown.

DXB - capacity reduced to 13 weekly A 310-300s.

KUL - frequencies increased to 4 weekly B 747s.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa has announced 2 new route changes to its wide spread network in India. The main highlights are as follows:

MUC/BOM - a new route Munich-Mumbai nonstop flown 3 times a week using an A 343 effective 5th May 08. The new MUC-BOM-MUC flights connect to LAX & SFO with a transit of less than 3 hours in both directions at MUC which is excellent.

CCU - due to high demand, it will be increasing its flights to CCU-Calcutta, India from 1st June 08. Currently, 3 weekly flights are flown nonstop from FRA using an A 333. However, from June 1st, this route will be increased to 5 times a week using an A 333.

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines has unveiled a large scale expansion of its long haul flights to Europe, USA and Asia for the upcoming summer 2008 peak season. The main highlights are as follows :

IAD - increased from 4 to 5 weekly flights flown via FCO-Rome using a B 763ER effective March 30th.DEL/PEK - increased from 3 to 5 weekly flights using a B 763ER. ET has 5th freedom rights on the DEL-PEK-DEL sector. This will come into effect from March 3rd.

CAN - increased from 3 to 5 weekly flights using a B 763ER flown via BKK. ET has 5th freedom rights on the BKK-CAN-BKK sector.

BKK - increased from 6 to 9 weekly flights i.e. 3 nonstop terminator flights + 6 weekly flights which continue onwards to CAN. All BKK operated flights will be flown using a B 763ER.

Comments:

Seems like ET is following in its main rival's KQs footsteps in expanding its presence in key Asian markets such as BKK & CAN.

PIA

PIA - Pakistan International Airlines has officially confirmed the launch of its first ever nonstop Pakistan-USA flight as the carrier introduces a weekly nonstop flight flown from LHE-Lahore to JFK-New York City. A Boeing 777-200LR will be used for this flight which will be operated on Wednesday. As a result, PIA's JFK flights will be increased to 3 weekly i.e. weekly B 772LR + 2 weekly B 773ER flown from KHI via MAN.

Besides increasing JFK, PIA will also be reinstating its Moscow and Glasgow bound flights from March 30th 08. GLA will be flown nonstop from LHE twice a week using an A 310-300, however one of the flights i.e. on Wednesday will be flying to LYP-Faisalabad from GLA via LHE. As far as SVO-Moscow is concerned, it will also be flown twice a week using an A 310-300 but from KHI via DXB. PIA has full 5th freedom rights on the DXB-SVO-DXB sector.

Middle East Airlines (MEA)

MEA-Middle East Airlines of Lebanon has confirmed that it will be increasing frequency and adjusting capacity on its medium haul flights to London Heathrow for the upcoming summer season.

Currently, MEA operates 4 weekly A 321s + a weekly A 332 on this route. However, from June 1st 08, LHR will be increased to a daily operation with all flights being flown using an A 330-200.

Swiss

Swiss has announced that it will be increasing its nonstop flights to JNB-Johannesburg, South Africa for the summer peak season only. All daily flights will be operated by the A 340-300 and will last from 30th June to Sept 3rd only.

Air Canada

Air Canada will be increasing capacity on 3 long haul international routes for the upcoming summer peak season.

YVR/ICN - to be increased from daily to 10 weekly nonstop flights subject to government approval.

YYZ/TLV - to be increased from 5 weekly to daily B 763ERs. All flights are flown nonstop.

YYZ/EZE/SCL - to be increased from 5 weekly to daily B 763ERs.

Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines has confirmed that it has placed a multi billion dollar order with Boeing for 8 new Boeing 777s + 19 unspecified variants of the Boeing 737NGs. Insiders within CO, reveal 2 versions of the B 777 order. One side says all 8 are B 772ERs where as the other says that 2 B 772ERs are confirmed as part of the order but the remaining 6 are listed as unspecified options meaning that CO can exercise the remaining 6 as either B 773ERs or B 772LRs.

Analysis:

CO's B 772ERs suffer payload restrictions on their nonstop flights from EWR to HKG, BOM & DEL especially in the cargo belly. One would hope that CO's tradition of making "sensible" fleet decisions is implemented here and that all 8 B 777s are not of the -200ER version as CO would benefit greatly if B 777-200LRs are ordered as they can fly from its IAH & EWR hubs nonstop to DXB, Far East Asia (EWR-HKG), Africa (EWR-JNB) and India which the -200ER is incapable of doing and the -300ER is incapable of flying IAH-DXB/India nonstop.

CO also doesnt need the extra capacity of 50-70 more seats that the B 773ER offers as the B 772LR is the perfect aircraft for its ultra long haul routes for all seasons as it can fly 280 pax in a 2 class configuration + carry 16 tons of cargo in its belly without any problems what so ever.

Insiders have said that 2 B 772ERs have been ordered for sure which leaves 6 remaining. If 6 B 772LRs are ordered, then 2 can be used effectively for EWR-BOM + 2 for EWR-HKG + 2 for EWR-DEL. The B 772ERs that would be replaced on these routes can be used to launch one stop flights to South/Eastern Africa, increase capacity to Brazil + replace some EU routes operated by the B 764ER as the performance economics of the B 772ER on trans-atlantic flights is superior to the B 764ER!