Short Takes
March 2nd 2015
AIRLINES: Jeju Air, Jetstar Airways, Jetstar Japan, Spring Airlines Japan and Vanilla Air will move into Terminal 3 at Narita International Airport when it opens on April 8. Read More » A taxiing Korean Air A330 has hit a parked Bangkok Airways ATR72-600 at Yangon International Airport, significantly damaging the Thai aircraft’s rudder and trim tabs. The Korean pilots did not notice the collision and took off as scheduled, before receiving a turn-back call from Myanmar ATC half an hour later. Hainan Airlines parent HNA Group’s latest subsidiary, Beibu Gulf Airlines, has performed its inaugural flight from Nanning to Haikou as it deepens its cooperation with local governments to further explore the market potential of China’s secondary and tertiary cities. The first private carrier in Laos, Phongsavanh Airlines, has rebranded and will re-launch as Lao Central Airlines with a single Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 after a two-year suspension of services.
CODESHARES: Qatar Airways has added its ‘QR’ designator to 10 additional Bangkok Airways services from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, Udon Thani, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Nay Pyi Taw and Siem Reap, together with Koh Samui to Singapore, Phuket and Kuala Lumpur and Phuket to Chiang Mai.
MANUFACTURERS: Airbus has decided to increase the production rate for the A320 family to 50 aircraft per month from 2017 to match market demand. CFM International received a record 4,244 engine orders in 2014, up significantly from the 2,723 orders it logged in 2013.
MRO: The AFI KLM E&M engine shop at Schiphol recently completed its first "Quick Turn" shop visit on a GE Aviation GEnx-1B engine. This first operation is important as it marks the beginning of a product offer slated for substantial development in the years ahead.
ROUTES: Air Arabia has launched a twice-weekly Ras al Khaimah – Kathmandu, and a four-weekly Ras al Khaimah – Doha, A320 service. From March 29, Air Koryo will add a twice-weekly Pyongyang – Shanghai (PVG) Tupolev Tu204 service. Effective September 15, Bhutan Airlines will launch a twice-weekly Paro – Kathmandu - Delhi A319 service. From March 29, BIMAN will increase frequency on the Dhaka – Bangkok B737-800, and the Dhaka – Kuala Lumpur B777-300ER, route from four- to six-weekly and daily to ten-weekly, respectively. China Eastern Airlines will increase frequency on the Shanghai (PVG) – Shizuoka B737-800 route from four-weekly to daily starting March 29. ETIHAD, also from March 29, will reduce frequency on the Abu Dhabi – Moscow (DME) route from thrice- to twice-daily. It has cancelled plans to introduce the B787-9 to the route, and will instead continue deploying a mix of A320 and A321 aircraft. Starting from the same date, Gulf Air, will reduce frequency on the Bahrain – Moscow (DME) A320 route from four- to thrice-weekly. Hainan Airlines has received regulatory approval to launch a five-weekly Beijing – San Jose B787-8 service from June 15. Hong Kong Airlines will launch a thrice-weekly Hong Kong – Yancheng A320 service from March 31. Kuwait Airways will add a thrice-weekly Kuwait – Munich A340-300 service from July 16. Nepal Airlines will add a fourth-weekly frequency on the Kathmandu – Hong Kong A320 route starting May 3. Oman Air, from March 29, will launch a four-weekly Muscat – Goa B737-800 service, its 11th route to India. Kyrgyzstan’s Pegasus Asia has launched a twice-weekly Bishkek – Delhi B737-800 service. Philippine Airlines will launch a twice-weekly Manila – Port Moresby A320 service from April 10, and a thrice-weekly Manila – Quanzhou A320 service from March 31. Qatar Airways has reduced capacity on the twice-daily Doha – Moscow (DME) route by replacing the B787-8 with the A320. Commencing March 29, Shandong Airlines will add a fourth-daily service on the Qingdao – Seoul (ICN) B737-800 route. South Korean carrier T’Way Airlines will start a Seoul (ICN) – Jinan B737 service effective March 29.
