New route announcements and returning services from across the Asia-Pacific region
Emirates Airline will expand frequencies to Hong Kong (HKG) with a daily nonstop Airbus A380 service from its Dubai (DXB) hub, starting March 29. The flight adds to its existing daily service that operates via Bangkok (BKK). “By bringing back its Dubai-Hong Kong flight EK380/EK381, Emirates is responding to the growing demand on the route and offering travelers the choice to fly nonstop or break their journeys in Bangkok,” the airline said.
Air New Zealand is boosting capacity to the Gold Coast (OOL) in Queensland, Australia. The airline is adding two additional weekly flights on its route from Auckland (AKL), providing an extra 27,400 seats between the two cities from March. It currently serves the sector once a day. “On average, over the past six months more than 91% of seats have been booked out on flights between Gold Coast and Auckland, and in recent months we have seen many flights operating at capacity,” Queensland Airports CCO Adam Rowe said.
Australian startup Bonza has launched commercial operations, with its inaugural network comprising 12 destinations across 15 routes. The airline, which secured its air operator certificate in January, launched flights on Jan. 31, linking Sunshine Coast (MCY) and Whitsunday Coast (PPP). In total, 11 routes will be offered from its Sunshine Coast base to destinations including Cairns (CNS) and Port Macquarie (PQQ). Once operational from the LCC’s second base in Melbourne (MEL), Bonza expects its initial route map to cover 17 destinations and 27 services.
AIRBUS
Korean Air plans to increase its European network at the start of the northern summer 2023 season, with Prague the latest city scheduled to return. The carrier has filed plans to relaunch service between Seoul Incheon (ICN) and Prague (PRG) from March 27 after suspending the 8,237-km (4,448-nm) route three years ago. Flights will operate three times per week using Boeing 777-300ERs, with the option of adding a fourth weekly frequency depending on demand.
Indian airline Vistara has become the fourth airline to serve New Goa Airport (GOX), India’s newest airport. GOX, also known as Goa Mopa and North Goa, is the state of Goa’s second international airport and was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December. Flights commenced Jan 5. Vistara will serve GOX from both Bengaluru (BLR) and Mumbai (BOM). From Feb. 14, the airline launched daily service on the BLR-GOX route. It has also opened 6X-weekly flights between BOM and GOX.
Air France is to resume daily flights to Beijing and Shanghai from July as it builds back its Chinese network to pre-pandemic levels. Frequencies to Hong Kong will also be added. Service from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Beijing Capital (PEK) is once a week at the present time, while Shanghai Pudong (PVG) became 3X-weekly on Feb. 3. Flights to Hong Kong (HKG) resumed on Jan. 9 and are currently 3X-weekly. By July 1, the airline expects flights to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai to be operating daily. The route to Shanghai will use Boeing 777-300ERs with 369 seats, while Beijing and Hong Kong will utilize 279-seat 787-9s.
Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) is increasing service to Honolulu (HNL) in response to rising demand. The airline currently serves HNL daily from Tokyo Haneda (HND) using Boeing 787-9s and 5X-weekly from Tokyo Narita (NRT) using Airbus A380s. From April 20, the carrier intends to offer 10X-weekly A380 flights and 4X-weekly 787-9 flights from NRT. Frequencies from Haneda will remain unchanged. In addition, service from Haneda to New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) will rise from 7X-weekly to 10X-weekly at the end of March, while Haneda-Seoul Gimpo (GMP) will increase from 2X-daily to 3X-daily.
LCC IndiGo began using its first widebody aircraft between Delhi (DEL) and Istanbul (IST) on Feb. 1. The Boeing 777 on damp lease has capacity for 400 passengers. “The introduction of widebody aircraft will not only increase capacity to Istanbul, but also to Europe through codeshare flights with Turkish Airlines,” head of global sales Vinay Malhotra said. IndiGo added that Turkey has emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations post-pandemic and has been one of the top choices for outbound tourism from India in 2022.
Australia’s Queensland government is investing A$1.2 million to boost connectivity from Cairns (CNS) to the remote communities of Normanton (NTN) and Mornington Island (ONG) as part of a 10-month trial. Rex will operate additional flights on Mondays and Fridays from March 6. “The increase in capacity supports this growth in demand and will be instrumental in enhancing the social and economic wellbeing of these remote communities in 2023,” Rex general manager of network strategy Warrick Lodge said.
