New routes, frequencies, changes

Neelam Mathews
Dec 23, 2011

Air India will add a fifth weekly on its Delhi – Tokyo Narita service starting March 25, 2012 using a Boeing 777-200LR.  AI competes with Japan Airlines on the route and the splitting the estimated 117,000 O&D passengers. A further 37,000 passengers flew between Delhi and Tokyo Narita via other Asian airports including Thai Airways International, Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines.  An Air India ticket is around 25% cheaper than JAL.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has made capacity adjustments between Match 25, 2012 and October 27, 2012 to meet changes in seasonal demand from the travelling public. It is adding an additional daily to Seoul with a fourth flight between Singapore Changi and Incheon International, one of which continues on to San Francisco. Four weekly flights will be introduced to Male increasing from ten a week to a double daily schedule with daytime and nighttime rotations.  In India, Mumbai will see two additional weekly flights, increasing from 17 to 19.  There will also be some capacity reductions. Singapore–Moscow–Houston services will be reduced to five times weekly from daily.  Some Middle Eastern services will also be restructured.  SIA has also signed an interline agreement with US low-fare carrier JetBlue Airways between Asia and North America and the Caribbean.  Passengers will be able to book combined tickets for travel between JetBlue and SIA destinations, via SIA’s flights between Singapore Changi and New York JFK and Newark Liberty International.

Air New Zealand and All Nippon Airways (ANA) will establish a closer partnership from March 25, 2012 providing travellers on both airlines with improved access to destinations in Japan and New Zealand.  A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Rob Fyfe, Chief Executive Officer, Air New Zealand and Shinichiro Ito, President and Chief Executive Officer, ANA.

Emirates Airline is to introduce the Airbus A380 on its flights from Dubai International to Tokyo Narita and Auckland via Melbourne as it takes delivery of additional aircraft during 2012.  The carrier will use the A380 on a daily flight to the Japanese capital from July 1, 2012, while the type will be introduced on the daily Dubai – Melbourne – Auckland route from October 1, 2012. 

U.S leisure carrier Allegiant Air has announced plans to further expand its domestic US network during 2012 with the addition of new links from Orlando Sanford International to Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport in Maryland, Gary/Chicago International Airport in Indianapolis and Niagara Falls in New York.  The airline will offer at least twice weekly flights on each of the routes. 

Pakistan’s Bhoja Air will relaunch commercial operations in the country in January 2012 with plans to expand its network to include destinations in the Middle East and Asia.  

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is to follow its sister carrier Air France and consolidate its route network in Milan at a single airport.  From the start of the Northern Summer schedules it will suspend its flights to Milan Malpensa and will instead focus its activities at Milan Linate doubling the frequency of its flights