Short Takes
April 20th 2015
AIRLINES: China’s Spring Airlines has applied for permission from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to begin flights from Harbin, Hefei, Hohhot (via Shijiazhuang) and Shanghai Hongqiao to Nagoya’s Chubu from June, leading to reports the LCC will develop the port city into its second Japanese base after Osaka Kansai. Read More » From June 1, United Airlines will offer upgraded economy class meals and complimentary beer and wine on intercontinental flights. Casting off the last of its roots as a low-fare airline, Virgin Australia has started serving free food on all of its domestic services to underscore its position as a “premium, contemporary, full-service airline”.
CODESHARES: Jet Airways will place its ‘9W’ code on Air Seychelles’ services from Mahe to Abu Dhabi, and Mahe to Mumbai, starting May 1. Fiji Airways and Air Vanuatu have started a reciprocal partnership whereby the former places its ‘FJ’ designator on all of Air Vanuatu’s flights between Port Vila and Nadi, as well as between Port Vila and Suva, while the latter adds its ‘NF’ code to Fiji Airways’ services between Fiji and Vanuatu.
FLEETS: Real Tonga has leased an ATR 72-600 from Fiji Airways to make up for the capacity shortfall created when the airline’s single MA60 was grounded last month in response to pressure from the New Zealand government, which refused to extend aid funding if the “unsafe” MA60 remained in service.
MANUFACTURERS: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. has pushed back the first flight of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) from the current quarter to “September or October of this year,” but still plans for a second quarter 2017 first delivery. Rolls-Royce has won a US$9.2 billion contract to supply engines for the 50 A380s Emirates ordered in 2013.
ROUTES: AirAsia Malaysia will launch a thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Visakhapatnam A320 from May 7, in addition to doubling frequency on the Johor Bahru – Medan, and the Kuala Lumpur – Pontianak, A320 route from twice- to four-weekly starting May 8. China Eastern Airlines will increase frequency on the Shanghai (PVG) – Los Angeles B777-300ER route from daily to ten-weekly beginning October 25. China Southern Airlines will launch a thrice-weekly Wuhan – Shizuoka service from May 15, and a four-weekly Wuhan – Nagoya service from May 17, both operated by the B737-800. HK Express will launch a twice-weekly Hong Kong – Yinchuan A320 rotation from May 5. China’s Juneyao Airlines will add a daily Shanghai (PVG) – Fukuoka A320 service from June 25. Mahan Air will launch a twice-weekly Tehran – Milan (MXP) A310 service from June 17. Japanese budget carrier Peach will launch a daily Osaka (KIX) – Miyazaki A320 beginning August 28. Qatar Airways will increase frequency on the Doha – Larnaca A320 route from four-weekly to daily starting June 1. From the same date, it will increase frequency to Athens from twice- to thrice-daily. Scoot will launch a thrice-weekly Singapore – Kaohsiung B787-9 service beginning July 9. Privately-owned Chinese budget carrier Spring Airlines will open three new A320 routes to Bangkok. From May 21, it will serve the Thai capital four times a week from Nanchang, and from May 23 it will offer thrice-weekly operations, respectively, from Chengdu and Shijiazhuang. Russia’s Transaero has adjusted its planned Taipei service whereby the weekly B767-300ER rotation to commence May 27 is now scheduled to operate from Moscow’s Domodedovo instead of Vnukovo. Turkish Airlines will replace the B737-800 with the A330-200 on the daily Istanbul – Addis Ababa route starting June 22.
