Short Takes
August 26th 2014
Airlines: Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines have received the regulatory approval needed to start an alliance that will boost the capacity between each airline's country by up to 30%. Cathay Pacific has recorded a total of 100,139 revenue passengers on August 3, a new daily record for the airline. Finnair has unveiled the cabin of its soon-to-be-delivered A350s and surprised with an “economy comfort” section. Read More » The Helsinki-based carrier will send its A350s first to Bangkok, Beijing and Shanghai. Xi’an-based Joy Air has placed an order for 60 MA60 aircraft with AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry Co. worth US$437 million at current list prices. Philippine Airlines has decided not to exercise an option to acquire eight of the 20 A321neo it had agreed to purchase last year. Urumqi Airlines, a new Hainan Airlines-sponsored start-up, has had its AOC approved by the CAAC.
Airport: The Capital Airports Holding of China has approved the development of a second international airport at Beijing. LENKE AeroConsult has been given the task to develop an operational concept for the new airport due to open at the end of the decade.
Routes: Air China will launch a second daily A330 Beijing to London Heathrow service from October 26. Airnorth, the Australian regional airline, has started services to Cairns from Darwin, becoming its 13th destination from the Northern Territory Airport. The flights operate via existing network point of Gove, with the sector between Gove and Cairns also being a new route. Emirates has commenced a new daily B777-300ER non-stop service from its base in Dubai to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Etihad Airways will add a second daily A380 service to London Heathrow next March in addition to the already-announced A380 service starting December 27. Jeju Air has begun a weekly service between Seoul Incheon and Jiamisu in China. Lucky Air has begun thrice-weekly A319 flights between Kunming and Koh Samui. Qatar Airways will launch a twice-weekly A320 service to Asmara starting December 4. Singapore Airlines will roster a 471-seat A380 to Auckland from October 27. SpiceJet has started thrice-weekly flights between Bagdogra and Kathmandu using a B737-800.
