Orient Aviation's COVID-19 briefs: All Nippon Airways to fly 88% of originally scheduled domestic services as demand expected to recover in summer holiday peak
Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) said yesterday it planned to operate 88% of originally scheduled domestic flights in August to cater for an expected recovery in demand during the country's summer holidays and in response to promotional campaigns. ANA forecast it would reach 95% of originally scheduled capacity pre the pandemic – from August 7 to August 17.Read More » Projected domestic capacity for August was up about 50% on July.
The Star Alliance member's international schedule for August showed 89% of a planned 5,500 flights on 75 routes had been cancelled, with the airline scheduled to operate 616 flights on 23 routes for the month. The airline group said the cancellations were "based on changes to immigration control, recently instituted public health quarantine measures and passenger demand trends of each country due to COVID-19". The figure was a slight reduction from the 91% cancellation rate in July.
Tokyo Narita Airport yesterday announced it would re-open Runway B on July 22, ending a three month closure of the Greater Tokyo airport’s second runway. The decision to reopen Runway B, closed on April 12, was made "in light of the expected resumption of flights, mainly centred on domestic flights", an airport statement said.
Malaysia Airports reported today travellers at its 39 airports in Malaysia totalled 37,000 for the first nine days of July, compared with 18,650 passengers transported for the last nine days of June. There were 550 flights from July 1 to July 9, up 90% from 290 flights in the nine days to June 30. Malaysia Airports group CEO, Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh, described the figures as a positive sign of gradual recovery for the country’s aviation industry and said he hoped to "see larger increases in traffic numbers as we go forward".
Malaysia and Singapore have unveiled plans to establish a reciprocal green lane (RGL) so residents of both countries can undertake cross-border travel for essential business and official purposes. A second scheme, the periodic commuting arrangement (PCA), will allow Singapore and Malaysia residents holding long-term immigration passes for business or work in the other country to travel for work. In a joint statement yesterday, the two governments said they were working to have the RGL and PCA in place by August 10.
AirAsia Berhad said yesterday it planned to add flights in the Philippines for the rest of July and in August. International routes being restarted included Manila-Kuala Lumpur on July 21 and Manila to Bangkok Don Mueang and Taipei from early August. The LCC said the updated routes were "based on new developments following coordination with our partners in the government, including local government units".
From today, all passengers arriving on international flights at Mactan-Cebu International Airport are required to register online at least two days before their flights depart. The online registration form, available on the airport's website, replaces paper forms that were handed out at check-in at the departing airport.
