Iran orders 118 Airbus aircraft

The state of Iran has officially announced that it has placed a US$ 25 billion order with Airbus for the supply of 118 aircraft to completely replace Iran Air's aging fleet. The break down is as follows:

12 A380s
16 A350-900s
45 A330s
45 A320s 

The government has said that it is in talks with Boeing too for an order for 100 planes as well as ATR/Bombardier/Embraer for another order of up to 40 regional jets.

Thai Airways A350 configuration revealed

Thai Airways has revealed via filing to OAG, the interior cabin configuration of its fleet of Airbus A 350-900s of which the airline has ordered 12 units.

TG's A359s will seat 321 passengers in a dual class layout with 32 business class + 289 in economy class. The first route shall be Melbourne-Bangkok nonstop on a daily basis effective 01JUL16.

Oman Air announces China and USA plans

Article source: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/oman-...st-china-route-in-july-619266.html

Main highlights:

i. 4 weekly MCT-CAN (Guangzhou) flights to be launched from July using a B788. PEK was first choice but could not be accommodated due to a variety of issues. (I bet it was slots related)

ii. New York daily operation to commence from S18 season

iii. New flights to IST to be launched this summer

iv. Total frequencies to Iran to increase to 21 from this summer due to anticipated market growth demand

v. CDG to be increased to daily nonstop flights from the current 5

vi. LHR to be increased from daily to double daily but no clear cut start date mentioned

Delta announces $4.5 billion net profit in 2015 and interested in C Series

Delta Airlines has officially announced a record breaking net profit result for the 2015 full year totaling US$ 4.5 billion. 

In addition, their CEO Mr Richard Anderson has stated that the Bombardier C Series aircraft is "very impressive" and he would seriously consider purchasing many "for the right price". 

DL has a serious requirement for both the C100 and C300 as long term future replacement aircraft for its fleet of 87 B717s + 57 A319s + 20 E90s + 10 B737-700s.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/delta-air-lines-announces-december-120000618.html

Kuwait Airways increases Manila

Kuwait Airways has confirmed that it has secured bilateral approval to boost its Manila bound flights from the current 6 to 9 weekly effective 27MAR16. 

Currently, KU operates 6 times per week to MNL via BKK using an A332 with full 5th freedom traffic rights on the BKK-MNL-BKK sectors however from the on set of the IATA S16 season, these shall be boosted to 9 times weekly with the 3 new flights being scheduled as follows:

Days: MON/WED/FRI 
Aircraft: A340-300
 
KU 417 Dep KWI 0355 Arr MNL 1910
KU 418 Dep MNL 2110 Arr KWI 0135+1 

Comments:

The additional 3 weekly flights offer no convenient connections in any direction via KWI to any of KU's existing online destinations unless passengers wait for 8 hours at KWI airport which is very cumbersome!

China Southern to start Toronto

China Southern Airlines based out of Guangzhou has confirmed that it has applied to launch new nonstop services to YYZ-Toronto, Canada out of its hub base airport effective August 2016.

CZ's planned schedule is as follows:

Days: 1/3/5/7

CZ 311 Dep CAN 1430 Arr YYZ 1725
CZ 312 Dep YYZ 0130 Arr CAN 0530+1

All flights are to be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER which seats 309 pax in a 4 class layout i.e. 4F + 34J + 44PE + 227Y. Point to point demand between YYZ and CAN (Guangzhou) over the past year was 31,000 passengers but the main focus of CZ's service will be trying to poach away transfer traffic bound to mainland China via CAN + HKG/BKK/Vietnam. 

Arik Air announces Freetown and Libreville

Nigeria's largest airline i.e. Arik Air has unveiled its latest round of expansion into the West African market place after the outbreak of Ebola halted prior planned moves a year ago. 

The main highlights are as follows:

LBV (Libreville) - new 3 weekly flights to be launched effective 12FEB using a CRJ 1000 operated as LOS-PHC-LBV

FNA (Freetown) - reinstatement of flights effective 23FEB however it will be operated via ACC using a B737-800 three times per week with full 5th freedom traffic rights on ACC-FNA-ACC sector

On the ACC-FNA sector, the main competitor is Kenya Airways who currently operates a daily triangular service as ACC-FNA-ROB-ACC.

FYI ASKY used to operate LOS-LBV nonstop 4 times per week until it suspended the service in March 2015 in favor of increasing their own hub service i.e. LFW-LBV to all flights being nonstop. ASKY's current daily LFW-LBV service extends onwards to BZV.

Emirates upgrades Perth and Athens

Emirates has officially confirmed that it will be significantly increasing its presence in Perth and Athens later on this year as the carrier looks to take advantage of favorable market conditions. 

The main highlights are as follows:

ATH - frequencies increased from daily to double daily effective 01MAR all operated by B773ERs exclusively. The second daily DXB-ATH flight will fly via LCA with full 5th freedom traffic rights effective 01MAR.

PER - capacity increased from daily B773ER + daily A380 to double daily A380s effective 01AUG

Malaysia Airlines suspends Dubai

Malaysia Airlines has officially confirmed that as part of its on going route network restructuring and new alliance with Emirates, it will be suspending all its Dubai bound flights effective 15FEB.

MAS currently operates a daily round trip terminator service using an A330-300 on the KUL-DXB-KUL route which will henceforth be in the exclusive domain of Emirates who operates 4 times daily.

Source: http://www.therakyatpost.com/business/2016/01/13/malaysia-airlines-increases-dubai-flights-with-etihad-codeshare/

Emirates upgrades Washington DC

Emirates has officially announced that IAD-Washington DC will be its newest A380 destination effective 01FEB16. 

Currently, EK operates the service using a B773ER but with the suspension of United's own IAD-DXB flight thus opening up the market for EK to exploit, the latter has gone ahead full steam to take advantage of the monopoly position especially after securing a lucrative U.S. Govt contract for 15,000 employees. 

With the added capacity on offer, it will allow EK the opportunity to target the high volume East Africa-IAD market segment more appropriately against KL, ET and TK especially.  

China Southern reduces long haul capacity in Summer 2016

China Southern Airlines has officially released a series of frequency reductions for its long haul network for the upcoming IATA S16 season as its overly aggressive approach has not beared fruitful thus far. The main highlights are as follows:

*All flights originate from Guangzhou

LAX - frequencies reduced from double daily to 11 weekly using a B773ER 

SYD - frequencies reduced from triple daily to double daily using an A333 exclusively

AKL - capacity reduced from daily B773ER + daily B788 to double daily B788s exclusively


JFK - frequencies reduced from double daily to 10 weekly using a B773ER

NBO - frequencies reduced from 3 to 2 weekly nonstop using an A332

YVR - capacity increased from daily B788 to daily B773ER

Air China orders 6 more Boeing 77Ws

Air China has officially announced that it has placed a new order with Boeing for 6 additional Boeing 777-300ERs to cater for planned long haul expansion 2017 onwards.

These planes will be configured in their normal 3 class layout seating 313 passengers i.e. 8F + 42J + 263Y. It is expected that the routes identified for the new jets are primarily for North America expansion to be more competitive against rapidly expanding Hainan and China Eastern Airlines.

Etihad downgrades San Francisco and Kuala Lumpur next winter

Etihad Airways has announced significant capacity downgrades for its long haul operations for the IATA W16 season of which the main highlights are as follows:

SFO - capacity reduced from daily B773ER to daily B772LR

KUL - capacity reduced from daily B773ER + daily A332 to a standardized double daily A332 service


 

Los Angeles and Geneva increased by Emirates

Emirates has officially announced that it will be significantly increasing its presence in both Los Angeles and Geneva from Summer 2016 onwards. The main highlights are as follows:

LAX - frequencies increased from daily A380 to double daily A380 effective 01JUL

GVA - frequencies increased from daily to double daily B773ERs effective 01JUN

DFW - capacity reduced from daily A380 to daily B773ER

Comments:

The increase for LAX is easily justified as the market demand there for all the various segments EK serves via DXB. With Iran opening up and considering over 800,000 Iranian emigrants reside in the LA area, this will help boost IKA, MHD and SYZ loads for sure in turn. EK one feels is also going to aggressively target the East/South Africa market segment to/from LAX with this new additional service as this is a niche it can provide that EY/QR cannot as well as they can. 

With regards to GVA being increased to double daily, unfortunately one does not see any commercial logic to it what so ever as the demand is simply not there despite EK's massive onward route network beyond DXB! To even fill year round 60% of a double daily B77W will be a monumental task for EK when there are other markets that deserve a frequency increase such as ADD, BRU and SGN (if bilaterally allowed). Perhaps there are other ulterior motives involved such as to irritate LX/LH, poach away long haul market share bound to Asia especially or this is a good way in which to detour any hope other Asian carriers such as SQ and CX have to serve GVA nonstop in 2017.  

Emirates increases Amsterdam capacity

After receiving approval from the Dutch Government a week ago, Emirates has officially announced that it will be significantly increasing capacity on its Dubai-Amsterdam route effective 01FEB. 

Currently, it operates a daily A380 + daily B777-300ER however from 01FEB onwards, both daily flights will be exclusively operated with the 3 class Airbus A380s.

Fedex orders 16 Boeing 777 freighters

Fedex has announced that it will be purchasing an additional 16 Boeing 777-200LR freighters from Boeing. Currently, FX has 25 in service with another 18 on order as options which seem to have been converted here as firm. 

These aircraft are scheduled to replace FX's aging fleet of 56 MD11 freighters as quickly as possible in order for the airline to realize the mega operational cost savings that the B77Fs provide versus the tri jet. In addition, the B77Fs can carry an extra 15 tons hence providing the cargo specialist a high value extra revenue earning potential.

Kuwait Airways suspends 3 destinations

Kuwait Airways has officially confirmed that as part of its on going route network restructuring, it will be making the below mentioned adjustments in 2016:

CGK (Jakarta) - all flights suspended effective 28MAR

KUL - all flights suspended effective 28MAR

MNL - frequencies to be increased from 6 to 9 weekly with 3 new weekly nonstop flights to be added effective 30OCT. Currently, its 6 weekly flights operate with an A332 via BKK!

HBE (Alexandria) - all flights suspended effective 28MAR

The below mentioned article also mentions that LHR + JFK flights shall be increased from IATA W16 season onwards but nothing has been published in the GDS systems as of 02JAN! These additional frequencies are possible with more deliveries of A332s and B77Ws into KU's fleet this new year.

Source: http://www.aviator.aero/press_releases/26797