Emirates announces Hanoi and Rangoon

Emirates has officially announced that it will be launching 2 new Asian destinations effective 03AUG16. 

The new cities are Hanoi, Vietnam and Rangoon, Burma. It will be flown as DXB-RGN-HAN v.v. with full fifth freedom traffic rights using a Boeing 777-300ER. The schedule is mentioned below:

EK 388 Dep DXB 0250 Arr RGN 1105
EK 388 Dep RGN 1235 Arr HAN 1450
EK 389 Dep HAN 2250 Arr RGN 0020+1
EK 389 Dep RGN 0150 Arr DXB 0505

The above mentioned schedule is primarily targeting Europe bound traffic to/from HAN + Umrah/Hajj bound traffic to JED from RGN. 

Oman Air increases London Heathrow

Oman Air has officially announced that it will be increasing its services to LHR-London Heathrow from its main MCT-Muscat hub effective 12APR16.

Current daily nonstop flights will be expanded to double daily using the newly acquired slots. The schedule is as follows:

WY 103 Dep MCT 0125 Arr LHR 0630
WY 104 Dep LHR 0825 Arr MCT 1850

Aircraft: A330-200 (2 class version)



The above flights are now published for sale across all major GDS platforms. 

The point to point demand between MCT and LHR in 2015 was 102,000 pax.

Air India announces Vienna

Air India has officially announced that it will be launching new 3 weekly nonstop flights to Vienna, Austria effective 06APR16.

The new services shall be operated using a Boeing 787-8 using the below mentioned schedule:

Days - 3/5/7

AI 135 Dep DEL 1400 Arr VIE 1845

AI 136 Dep VIE 2245 Arr DEL 0925+1  

The above schedule connects very well in both directions to AI's southeast Asian network + domestic India via Delhi. 

Traffic demand (p2p) between DEL and VIE in 2015 was 43,000 pax !

Air India is doing as a result of Austrian Airlines announcement of suspending their own daily VIE-DEL service effective 27MAR16. 

Press release: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/air-india-to-launch-direct-flights-to-vienna-116021900842_1.html 

Turkish Airlines announces Summer 2016 capacity changes

Turkish Airlines has officially announced many changes to its entire worldwide route network that will come into effect from the on set of the IATA S16 season (27MAR16). The main highlights are as follows:

DEL - capacity increased from a daily 289 seater A333 to a 400 seater B777-300ER (dry leased from Kenya Airways)

ABV - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily flights nonstop using a B739ER

JFK - capacity increased from triple daily A333s to triple daily B773ERs 

JUB - new 3 weekly flights effective 29MAR using a B739ER operated via EBB


DAC - capacity increased from a daily A332 to an A333 nonstop

GVA - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 daily

MUC - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 daily 

EBB - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly using a B739ER

FIH/LBV - capacity increased from daily B739ER to daily A332

NBO - capacity increased from daily B738 to daily A332

JIB - capacity increased from daily A320 to daily A321 

NKC/DKR - frequencies increased to daily

BKO - frequencies increased from 3 to 5 weekly nonstop flights using a B739ER

NIM - frequencies reduced from daily to 3 weekly

MRU - frequencies increased from 3 to 5 weekly flights using an A333
 

Lufthansa outlines A350-900 configuration

Lufthansa has officially revealed details of its soon to be delivered Airbus A 350-900 cabin configuration and its commercial flying program. The main highlights are as follows:

a) First 10 units to be based exclusively out of its secondary Munich (MUC) hub

b) Will seat 293 passengers in a 3 class layout i.e. 48 J + 21 W + 224 Y

c) First two long haul routes will be New Delhi and Boston

d) Entry into service is IATA Summer 2017 season

Source: https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/press/news-releases/singleview/archive/2016/february/17/article/3941.html

Air Canada orders 75 Bombardier C 300 series aircraft

Air Canada has officially announced that it has placed a major order with Bombardier for the purchase of up to 75 C300 series aircraft designed to entirely replace its Airbus A319 and Embraer E90 fleet.  The order breakdown is for 45 firm units + 30 options and they all can be exchanged for the smaller C100 series if required.

AC stated the following key point in its decision making for choosing this aircraft type versus the A319 it is replacing:

"The entry of the C Series into our fleet is expected to yield significant cost savings. We have estimated that the projected fuel burn and maintenance cost savings (on a per seat basis) of greater than 15 per cent should generate an estimated CASM reduction of approximately 10 per cent, when compared to the aircraft it will replace".

Source: http://aircanada.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=984

Sri Lankan suspends Rome

Sri Lankan Airlines has officially announced network wide changes to its Europe and Asia destinations which will be implemented gradually throughout the IATA S16 season:

FCO - all flights suspended effective 01MAY

FRA - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly nonstop using an A333 effective 01JUL

CDG - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 weekly nonstop using an A333

CAN - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily i.e. new 3 weekly nonstop effective 27MAR

RUH - frequencies increased to daily