Welcome to our rolling daily coverage of new routes announced during November 2021 alongside services that are scheduled to resume.
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Mexico’s Viva Aerobus has resumed operations to Cuba. Flights from Cancun (CUN) to Havana (HAV), Camagüey (CMW) and Santiago de Cuba (SCU) have restarted, while the ULCC has also launched a new daily route connecting Mexico City (MEX) and HAV. “Resuming our flights adds great value to Cuba's purpose of recovering its economy based on safe and responsible tourism,” communications director Walfred Castro said. Viva Aerobus has served Cuba since 2018. Earlier this month, the airline announced plans to launch two routes from Felipe Angeles International (NLU) in Mexico City on March 21, 2022—the day the airport opens. Nonstop flights will open to Guadalajara (GDL) and Monterey (MRY).
InterCaribbean Airways is launching flights from Georgetown (GEO) in Guyana to Barbados (BGI), with connecting flights to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD), Antigua (ANU), Grenada (GND), Dominica (DOM) and St Lucia (SLU). Flights are scheduled to begin on Dec. 17 in time for the holiday season with 12X-weekly services planned. The airline said it intends to add connections from Georgetown to additional Caribbean points in the near future.
The proposed launch of Royal Air Maroc’s first flight between Casablanca (CMN) and Tel Aviv (TLV), initially scheduled for Dec. 12, has been postponed. The move follows a decision by Moroccan authorities to suspend all direct passenger flights to the country for two weeks to halt the spread of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant. Israel has also closed its borders to non-citizens for two weeks.
Indian carrier Vistara has restarted flights between Mumbai (BOM) and Singapore (SIN). The route, which resumed on Nov. 29, is being operated under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) program that allows quarantine-free travel to Singapore for fully vaccinated travelers. Vistara will offer five flights per week using a mix of A320neo and A321neo aircraft.
Aeroflot is resuming regular flights to the Cuban capital Havana (HAV). Starting from Dec. 21, two flights per week will operate from Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) on Tuesdays and Fridays using a three-class Airbus A350. Havana is the airline’s second destination in Cuba alongside the resort city of Varadero.
Nov. 29.
Star Alliance member United Airlines will return to Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) during the summer 2022 season. A route from Newark (EWR) will be reinstated on May 13, 2022, operating daily onboard 757-200 aircraft. "We are pleased to return to Sweden in 2022 as the only American airline that flies directly between Stockholm and New York City,” said Lucas Geerts, United regional sales manager for Northern Europe. Flight UA68 departs EWR at 5.25 p.m. and arrives in the Swedish capital at 7.35 a.m. the following day. The return service leaves at 9.10 a.m. and arrives in New York at 11.45 a.m.
World Routes 2021 co-host Milano Bergamo (BGY) has secured a new route to Funchal (FNC) in Madeira, starting in late March 2022 with Ryanair. BGY director of commercial aviation Giacomo Cattaneo said: "I'm sure many Italians will start loving Madeira as much as we love the not-so-far Canary Islands. And I hope people from Madeira will take the occasion to discover our region!"
Air Seychelles will resume scheduled passenger flights between India and the Seychelles effective Dec. 2. The airline plans to offer a 1X-weekly flight from Mumbai (BOM) to the Seychelles (SEZ), increasing to two flights per week from January 2022, with onward connections to Johannesburg (JNB). “After a 20-month hiatus, we are thrilled to be offering normal commercial flights once again between India and the Seychelles,” CCO Charles Johnson said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to offer some charter flights between the two countries, but on an extremely limited basis.”
Air Astana’s flights from Almaty (ALA) to Delhi (DEL) will restart on Dec. 16, with three services a week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft. Departure from Almaty on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays is scheduled for 7.50 a.m. and arrival in Delhi at 11.10 a.m. The return flight is at 12.20 p.m., arriving in Almaty at 4.40 p.m.
Russia’s national carrier Aeroflot has opened the sale of tickets for regular return flights from Krasnoyarsk (KJA) to Bangkok (BKK) in Thailand. Flights will operate from Dec. 17 on Boeing 737, departing KJA at 9.05 a.m. on Fridays, arriving in Thailand’s capital at 4.15 p.m. The return service leaves at 9.15 a.m. on Saturdays, landing in Krasnoyarsk at 4.30 p.m. Krasnoyarsk is Aeroflot’s second base airport and forms part of a strategy to expand its network of nonstop routes that bypass Moscow.
SunExpress, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, is planning to connect Prague (PRG) to Antalya (AYT) in Turkey during summer 2022. Flights will run from May through October, operating up to 3X-weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays during peak season.
Nov 23.
QF35 took off from Melbourne ({{MEL}) bound for Singapore yesterday, marking Qantas' first international service from MEL after nearly 20 months. The carrier also announced a brand-route from MEL to Delhi (DEL) starting on 22 December, which will be the first time it has operated the route.
Nov. 22
Alaska Airline has launched its first service to Belize City (BZE), the largest city in Belize. The new routes will start from Los Angeles (LAX) and Seattle (SEA) using 737-800 equipment. The LAX service will be year-round four times per week, while the SEA route will be seasonal, ending on May 21, and twice-weekly. "In addition to attracting greater business investment and human capital, this new flight will also spur tourism which is essential for Belize's prosperity. It comes at a very opportune time as it further boosts the industry's recovery efforts," said Anthony Mahler, Belize’s minister of tourism & diaspora relations.
Nov. 19
Cypriot airline TUS Airways is adding Dusseldorf (DUS) in Germany to its network. The carrier plans to begin scheduled flights from Tel Aviv (TLV) on Jan. 10, 2022, operating twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. The schedule is in place until the end of the winter 2021/22 season. In addition, the airline will offer flights from Larnaca (LCA) and Paphos (PFO) to Athens (ATH) over the Christmas vacation period. Both routes will be available from Dec. 10 until Jan. 9, operating 2X-weekly. TUS currently flies two scheduled routes, connecting LCA and PFO with TLV.
Spanish carrier Volotea will begin flying between Verona (VRN) in Italy and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) from next April. Service will be up to 4X-weekly, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from April 8, 2022. During the 2021 summer season, the LCC carried more than 277,000 passengers from Verona and offered 321,000 seats.
Cebu Pacific is increasing frequencies to domestic destinations in the Philippines following the easing of travel restrictions. Service between Manila (MNL) and Boracay (MPH) will grow from 6 to 9X-daily starting Nov. 22, while service from MNL to Bohol (TAG) grows from 12X-weekly to 2X-daily from Nov. 23. By December, operations between Cebu (CEB) and MNL will increase from 6 to 9X-daily, and MNL to Davao (DVO) will rise from 5X-weekly to up to 3X-daily. “We continue to ramp up our domestic network to address rising travel demand and promote safe and responsible travel,” CCO Xander Lao said.
Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight from Doha (DOH) to Almaty (ALA) in Kazakhstan started on Nov. 19, marking the launch of the airline’s newest gateway in Central Asia. Operated by an Airbus A320, flights will be twice a week. “Almaty is continuing to grow in popularity with our passengers for both business and leisure purposes, attracting travellers who wish to enjoy its rich culture, cuisine and natural scenery,” Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said.
British Airways is resuming its nonstop service between London Heathrow (LHR) and Baltimore/Washington (BWI) on Nov. 19. The transatlantic service was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flights will be onboard Boeing 787-8s, operating three times per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Nov. 18
Transavia is beginning flights from Amsterdam (AMS) to Ponta Delgada (PDL) in Portugal’s Azores during the summer 2022 season. The carrier’s booking system shows the route will begin on April 24, operating once a week on Sundays. The outbound flight departs AMS at 2.20 p.m. and arrives in PDL at 5.55 p.m. The return service departs at 6.40 p.m. and lands back in AMS at 12.05 a.m. the following day. In October, Transavia France also announced plans to serve Ponta Delgada from Paris Orly (ORY) next summer.
TAG Airlines has announced plans to launch flights between Guatemala City (GUA) and the Mexican city of Mérida (MID). The route will begin in March 2022 with four weekly frequencies. Details of the service were unveiled at Tianguis Turístico México 2021, a trade show running from Nov. 16-19.
UK carrier Eastern Airways has been selected to operate a public service obligation (PSO) route between Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY) and London. The award will secure a year-round multi-day service for the next four years. The London airport that will be served is yet to be confirmed. Prior to its collapse in March 2020, Flybe provided a Newquay-London Heathrow (LHR) under a PSO contract. British Airways and easyJet also served the market during summer 2021.
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) will celebrate Allegiant Air’s inaugural flight to Key West International (EYW) on Nov. 18. The route will be served twice a week using Airbus A319s and becomes the 17th nonstop service to be offered by the carrier from AVL.
Spirit Airlines has launched its new daily nonstops between Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE and Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Tampa (TPA), Fort Myers (RSW) and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). The carrier began flights from Milwaukee in June and now serves seven destinations from the city. Additionally, Spirit will launch a 3X-weekly route from Milwaukee to Cancun (CUN) this December.
Nov. 17
Buta Airways, an Azerbaijani low-cost virtual carrier owned by Azerbaijan Airlines, is launching flights to two cities in Saudi Arabia. Service from Baku’s Heydar Aliyev International (GYD) to Dammam (DMM) starts on Nov. 26 and to Riyadh (RUH) a day later. The DMM route will be served twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, while RUH will receive a Saturday flight. Meanwhile, parent Azerbaijan Airlines plans to begin flying from Baku to Kuwait (KWI) from Dec. 15. Flights will be 2X-weekly using Airbus A319s.
Russia’s Azimuth Airlines is expanding its international footprint with the launch of a new route to Dubai (DXB). Flights from Rostov-on-Don (ROV) will be once a week starting on Dec. 25. The outbound service departs ROV on Saturdays at 11.50 p.m., arriving in Dubai at 4.45 a.m. the following day. The return flight leaves DXB at 6.05 a.m. on Sundays and lands back at ROV at 9.15 a.m. Flydubai also serves the route, according to OAG data, while Aeroflot will also enter the market in December.
Nov. 16
The Dominican Republic’s civil aviation authority Junta de Aviación Civil has given the green light for startup AraJet to operate 30 routes. The LCC, previously known as FlyCana, has been approved to fly to a number of countries, including the US, Mexico, Canada, Cuba and Panama. Although its route network is yet to be announced, the carrier hopes to begin operations during the first quarter of 2022. Junta de Aviación Civil has also authorized Russian carrier Azur Air to fly to La Romana International (LRM) from Rostov-on-Don (ROV), Novosibirsk (OVB) and Ufa (UFA). The airline has been given the go-ahead to fly each route twice a week.
Icelandic startup PLAY has added four new destinations to its summer schedule for 2022. From its base at Reykjavik’s Keflavík International (KEF), carrier will serve Bologna (BLQ) in Italy, Stuttgart (STR) in Germany, Prague (PRG) in the Czech Republic, and Lisbon (LIS) in Portugal. Flights to Lisbon and Prague will begin in May, while service to Bologna and Stuttgart starts in June. Birgir Jónsson, CEO of PLAY, said: “These four new destinations will strengthen PLAY´s route schedule and open up Iceland as an ideal adventure for more Europeans. We are confident that these destinations will boost PLAY´s operations and that our flights between Iceland and these cities will be popular among those living there.”
Thai AirAsia will resume international service on Dec. 22 with flights from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) to Male (MLE) in the Maldives. The route will be served twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. “With the government’s reopening policy in support of the economy and welcoming vaccinated foreign travelers has provided a positive boost for the tourism sector,” Thai AirAsia CEO Santisuk Klongchaiya said. “After thoroughly assessing the situation, AirAsia is proud to restart its international services with the Maldives as its first destination.”
Spanish carrier Air Europa has announced plans to restart flying to Córdoba (ODB) in Argentina from February 2022. The route from Madrid (MAD) will operate via Asunción (ASU) in Paraguay with four flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The airline plans to deploy a mix of Boeing 787-8s and 798-9s on the route.
Nov. 15
Emirates’ Airbus A380 service will return to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi from Nov. 28. The Gulf carrier said the aircraft upgrade would help it to meet strong passenger demand for inbound travel into the popular holiday destination following Thailand’s decision to open its borders to fully vaccinated tourists. The daily A380 flights will operate as EK372/373, complementing the existing daily EK384/385 services using 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates also offers a 5X-weekly service to Bangkok via Phuket (HKT), which is set to increase its frequency to daily from Dec. 1.
Chicago-based United Airlines is expanding its schedule to make it easier for attendees of CES 2022—the world's largest consumer electronics show--to join the in-person event in Las Vegas. The airline is adding 14 new direct flights in early January between Las Vegas (LAS) and San Jose (SJC), Boston (BOS) Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and Orlando (MCO), and is also adding 30 flights from its hub airports in San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), and Washington Dulles (IAD). “We're adding about 80% of the capacity we did for CES in 2020, demonstrating that business travel is on the rebound and our customers are eager to reunite with clients and colleagues,” said Ankit Gupta, SVP of domestic planning and United Express.
Bangkok Airways will resume international service between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Phnom Penh (PNH) in Cambodia from Dec. 1. Flights will initially be 4X-weekly using Airbus A320s. Phnom Penh will become the second overseas destination to return to Bangkok Airways’ network alongside Singapore. The carrier also currently serves eight domestic destination in Thailand.
Aeroflot has started operating regular services from Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) in the United Arab Emirates and Burgas (BOJ) in Bulgaria. Abu Dhabi becomes the airline’s third destination in the UAE alongside Dubai and Sharjah. Flights on the SVO-AUH route will be 3X-weekly using Boeing 737-800s. Meanwhile, service to the resort city of Burgas will operate once a week on Saturdays during the winter season.
Nov. 12
Oman Airports has welcomed a host of new routes. The first of FlyDubai flight connecting Dubai (DXB) to Sohar International Airport (OHS) launched on 4th November 2021 and will fly two flights per week. Other recent additions include three services to Muscat International airport (MCT) including Edelweiss from Zurich (ZRH), Wizz Air Abu Dhabi from Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Air France from Paris (CDG).
Nov. 10
Icelandic low-cost start-up PLAY has added four new destinations to its 2022 Summer schedule, with flights from Italy’s Bologna, Germany’s Stuttgart, Prague in the Czech Republic and Portugal’s Lisbon. Flights to Lisbon and Prague will begin in May 2022, followed by Bologna and Stuttgart in June 2022, taking the total number of European routes to 21.
Nouvelair has relaunched its regular flights from Manchester to Tunis, Tunisia, which initially started in July 2021 but were suspended shortly afterwards due to the restrictions imposed by the UK government. Nouvelair plan to operate two weekly services from Manchester, on Wednesdays and Sundays, using its Airbus A320s. All flights will start Tuesday 29th March 2022.
Saudi Arabian LCC flynas has announced its latest flights expansion including the first ever direct international flights into AlUla (ALU) International Airport in the northwest of the kingdom. Starting from Nov. 19, the first international routes into AlUla will take off from Dubai and Kuwait. Domestic routes added as part of the expansion include Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah. The Royal Commission for AlUla's Phillip Jones called the new flight a "huge milestone."
Nov. 9
Routes World 2022 host Las Vegas (LAS) has hailed the return of Virgin Atlantic Airways as "a watershed moment" for the airport. Four carriers will resume overseas service to Las Vegas in 2021:
- Virgin Atlantic Airways nonstop from London Heathrow beginning Nov. 8
- British Airways nonstop from London Heathrow beginning Nov. 15
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines nonstop from Amsterdam beginning Dec. 7
- Copa Airlines nonstop from Panama City beginning Dec. 7
Two inaugural flights launch from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) this week. Frontier Airlines started nonstop service to Nassau and American Airlines began flights to Kingston. PHL director of air service development and cargo services said: "The Caribbean is a huge underserved market from PHL and these flights will help cover some of the existing demand. There are now more choices out of PHL for travelers wanting to get out of the cold this winter and see their friends and relatives."
Air Astana will resume direct flights from Nur-Sultan to Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek on Nov. 17. The services will initially be operated using Embraer E190-E2 aircraft twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, with an additional two frequencies on Mondays and Fridays commencing in December. Services between Almaty to Bishkek are already operating daily.
Nov. 8
Stuttgart (STR) welcomes back SAS. The Scandinavian flag-carrier has resumed service from Copenhagen (CPH) to STR with 11 flights in November. The airline will use CRJ-900 aircraft offering 990 total seats in the month.
Nov. 5
Canada’s WestJet has launched its inaugural flight between Calgary (YYC) and Seattle (SEA) on Nov. 4. The service became the airline's first transborder debut since pre-pandemic. Chris Hedlin, WestJet VP of network and alliances, said: “This route will bolster economic ties between the regions and will stimulate Alberta's visitor economy as we continue to strengthen our transborder network from our global hub in Calgary.” YYC-SEA flights will initially operate 4X-weekly, before increasing to 6X-weekly from Dec. 20, 1X-daily from March 28, 2022 and 2X-daily from May 19.
Ryanair has announced its summer 2022 schedule from East Midlands (EMA). The carrier intends operate 130X-weekly flights across 31 European destinations from April. Destinations include Alicante (ALC), Barcelona (BCN), Lanzarote (ACE), Malaga (AGP) and Mallorca (PMI). “Ryanair remains committed to re-building Europe’s aviation and tourism industries by restoring connectivity and growing our network of passengers to over 225 million per annum by 2026,” Ryanair’s director of commercial Jason McGuinness said.
Oman Air will resume flights between Muscat (MCT) and Bangkok (BKK) from Nov. 11. The route will be operated twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays using 787 aircraft. The Thursday flight will depart Muscat at 10 p.m., arriving in Thailand’s capital at 6.45 a.m., returning from BKK on Friday at 9.15 a.m. The Saturday service departs Muscat at 9 a.m. and arrives in BKK at 5.45 p.m.
Italy’s new national airline ITA Airways operated its first intercontinental route on Nov. 4, flying from Rome Fiumicino (FCO) to New York John F Kennedy (JFK). Six flights a week are being offered, increasing to 10X-weekly in December. The airline will deploy 250-seat Airbus A330 aircraft on the route. ITA officially launched on Oct. 15 after bankrupt flag-carrier Alitalia operated its final flights the previous evening
US ULCC Frontier Airlines has this week launched eight new routes from Miami (MIA). Flights have launched to Albany (ALB), Memphis (MEM), New Windsor (SWF), Norfolk (ORF), Portland (PWM), Rochester (ROC), St Louis (STL) and Syracuse (SYR). In addition, the carrier will add a route to Aruba (AUA) on Nov. 20. Daniel Shurz, SVP of commercial at Frontier, said: “Miami continues to shine, literally and figuratively, as a top spot travelers want to visit.”
Nov. 4
Turkish Airlines is planning to add two new destinations in the US to its network. In a brief statement, the carrier said it has “decided to start operating scheduled flights, based on market conditions, to Seattle and Detroit.” The airline currently serves 11 points in the US from Istanbul (IST)—the most recent of which launched in September with flights to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). In June, Turkish also said it intended to begin serving Denver (DEN) but operations are yet to start. Neither Seattle (SEA) nor Detroit (DTW) currently has nonstop service to Turkey.
Gran Canaria (LPA) is being added to Norwegian startup Flyr’s network. Flights from Oslo (OSL) will begin on Dec. 14, initially operating with 2X-weekly frequencies. A third weekly flight will start in January 2022. Flyr’s first international services began in August to Alicante (ALC), Malaga (AGP) and Nice (NCE), with Copenhagen (CPH), Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO) launching since then. In addition, the airline plans to add Barcelona (BCN), Berlin (BER) and Brussels (BRU) to its network in 2022. Barcelona and Berlin will start on March 27 and Brussels on May 6.
Air Astana’s low-cost subsidiary Fly Arystan intends to open two new routes to the United Arab Emirates in December. According to the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan, the airline plans to serve Aktau-Dubai and Shymkent-Sharjah, each with two flights per week. “The increase in flights will contribute to the further strengthening of relations between the two friendly countries, as well as the successful development of outbound and inbound tourism,” a statement from the aviation authority said.
Saudia and Edelweiss Air are the latest carriers to restart flights to Muscat (MCT) in Oman. The Saudi Arabian flag-carrier has resumed service from Jeddah (JED), while Edelweiss has reinstated its route from Zurich (ZRH). OAG data shows that the JED-MCT route will be 3X-weekly using Airbus A320s and ZRH-MCT will be 2X-weekly onboard A340-300s.
Nov. 3
Etihad Airways is increasing service from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO) to daily and transferring its operations to the Russian airport’s Terminal C from Dec. 2. The carrier’s service changes will be complemented by the launch of a broader partnership with Aeroflot, which is launching a 3X-weekly SVO-AUH route from Nov. 13. The two airlines have agreed to enhance their interline agreement, launch codeshare services across their respective networks, and explore other areas of cooperation to enhance guest benefits, such as frequent flyer reciprocity and premium customer handling.
Air Astana will resume scheduled flights from Almaty (ALA) to Baku (GYD), the capital of Azerbaijan, on Nov. 7. The twice-weekly service will be operated by Embraer E190-E2 aircraft on Thursdays and Sundays. The departure from Almaty on Thursdays will be at 11.05 a.m. and arrival in Baku at 12.55 p.m., with the return flight departing at 1.55 p.m. and arriving at 7.05 p.m. Departure from Almaty on Sundays will be at 6.55 p.m. and arrival in Baku at 8.50 p.m., with the return flight departing at 9:50 p.m. and arriving next day at 3.05 a.m.
Denver-based Frontier Airlines is this week starting 13 nonstop routes from Orlando International (MCO), including service to five international destinations. The expansion increases the ULCC’s route map to 81 nonstop destinations—the most of any airline at MCO. Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 11, flights will begin to Fort Myers (RSW), Harlingen (HRL), Pensacola (PNS), Sioux Falls (FSD), Bentonville (XNA), Montego Bay (MBJ), Nassau (NAS), El Paso (ELP), Cedar Rapids (CID), Fargo (FAR), San Salvador (SAL), Cozumel (CZM) and Liberia (LIR).
Direct flight service is available from Vienna (VIE) to 150 destinations—reaching close to 90% of pre-crisis levels. New services for the winter 2021/22 season include Austrian Airlines’ flights to Cancun (CUN) in Mexico, which it is serving for the first time since 2006. Wizz Air is also adding routes to Marrakech (RAK), Amman (AMM), Aqaba (AQJ) and Sharm El Sheikh (SSH). “The winter flight schedule makes us cautiously optimistic that the offering of flight destinations from Vienna is growing again,” Flughafen Wien AG’s Julian Jäger said. Read more on Routes 360.
Hamburg Airport (HAM) has three new winter sport destinations joining its network. From Dec. 16, Sky Alps will operate two flights per week to Bolzano in Italy, while Wizz Air will begin a 2X-weekly service to Sarajevo on the same day. The Hungarian ULCC is also adding a second new destination in Bosnia and Herzegovina the following day when flights start to Banja Luka. Other new routes starting this winter from HAM include Eurowing’s service to Beirut from Nov. 7, and startup Tel Aviv Air’s inaugural route to Tel Aviv in December. Read more on Routes 360.
Nov. 2
Grenada (GND) has welcomed the return of air service from Canada for the first time in a year. Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) with two flights per week using 737-8s. To stimulate demand for the route, Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) has embarked on a marketing campaign in the Canadian market with Air Canada and the travel syndicate TravelBrands. “Canadians are eager to travel and we anticipate that there will be a surge in international trips during the winter period, particularly to warm weather destinations,” GTA CEO Petra Roach. Grenada welcomed a total of 17,911 Canadians in 2019.
IndiGo has further expanded its domestic network with the launch of a route between Bhubaneshwar (BBI) and Jaipur (JAI). Service will be provided three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Nov. 2. “These new domestic flights will strengthen inter and intra-regional connectivity and promote trade, commerce, as well as tourism in the eastern state,” said Sanjay Kumar, IndiGo chief strategy and revenue officer. The launch of the BBI-JAI route comes after the ULCC began six new flights from Indore (IDR) on Oct. 31 and a further six from Kanpur (KNU) on Nov. 1.
Russian LCC Pobeda has announced plans to increase its inter-regional flight program—avoiding Moscow airports—by 20% during the summer 2022 season. The Aeroflot-owned carrier said it would offer daily flights to Sochi (AER) from Kazan, Kirov, Nizhnekamsk, Perm, Tyumen, Ufa and Chelyabinsk. Flights to Anapa (AAQ) from Yekaterinburg and Kazan will also be operated daily, and one flight per week will be added from Ufa. In addition, Pobeda will expand its schedule from Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO), offering flights to Astrakhan, Volgograd, Gelendzhik, Krasnoyarsk, Nazran, Nizhnekamsk, Stavropol and Tyumen.
Czech Airlines (CSA) has resumed its Prague (PRG)-Copenhagen (CPH) service. The route will be operated twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. Under its winter flight schedule, CSA will continue operating daily scheduled service to Kyiv Borispol (KBO) and Paris (CDG)), 3X-weekly to Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO)) and 2X-weekly to Stockholm (ARN)). The carrier’s CPH service will depart Prague at 5.45 p.m. and arrive in Denmark’s capital at 7.05 p.m. The return flight will leave at 7.50 p.m. and arrive 9.10 p.m.
Emirates will reintroduce flights to Algiers (ALG) in Algeria from Nov. 9. Flights from Dubai International (DXB) will be offered twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The resumption increases the airline’s African network to 21 destinations, and represents a full restoration of its North Africa operations.
ULCC Wizz Air has restarted flights from London Luton (LTN) to Tel Aviv (TLV) from Nov. 2. The route will initially be operated twice a week, increasing to 3X-weekly in December. Frequencies will then rise to 5X-weekly from April 2022.
Nov. 1
Royal Air Maroc will launch a new direct route connecting Casablanca (CMN) and Dubai (DXB) starting from Dec. 19. The route will be 3X-weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays onboard Boeing 787s. The oneworld alliance member said the service would appeal to the Moroccan diaspora residing in the United Arab Emirates, as well as leisure and business travelers. Emirates is currently the sole operator of CMN-DXB flights, according to OAG.
JetBlue Airways has launched service to Routes Americas 2022 host San Antonio International (SAT) from both New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Boston (BOS). “The new service to San Antonio is an indicator of the growing demand between the southwest and the northeast and our customers’ return to the skies,” said Andrea Lusso, VP of network planning. He added that San Antonio was previously the largest unserved destination from Boston. Both new routes will operate with a mix of Airbus A320 and A220 aircraft.
Birmingham Airport (BHX) has welcomed back the British Airways tailfin as BA CityFlyer launches services to Belfast City (BHD). The schedule provides 10 flights a week up to the new year, increasing to 16X-weekly in early January. “It was great to see a British Airways aircraft land on our runway again after three years absence,” Birmingham Airport aviation director Tom Screen said. Flights are operated using an Embraer 190 with capacity of 98 seats.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi is introducing service to three destinations in India from Nov. 3. The airline, a joint venture between Air Arabia and Etihad Airways, will begin flying from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Cochin (COK), Calicut (CCJ) and Trivandrum (TRV).
Air France began its first A220-300 services on Oct. 31, flying from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Berlin (BER) and Venice (VCE). Over the coming days, the aircraft will be rolled out on routes to Barcelona (BCN) and Madrid (MAD from Nov. 1), as well as Milan-Linate (LIN) from Nov. 6. Bologna, Copenhagen, Lisbon and Rome will also receive A220 service during the winter 2021/22 season.
Irish ULCC Ryanair is starting a new route between Manchester (MAN) and Cork (ORK) from Dec. 15. Operating twice daily, the service forms part of the airline’s largest-ever winter schedule from Manchester. In total, Ryanair plans to offer about 650 weekly flights to 72 destinations. The carrier also recently announced it would reopen a base at Cork where two aircraft will be stationed.
Ukraine International Airlines is resuming flights to Tel Aviv (TLV) from Kharkiv (HRK) and Dnipro (DNK). Service from Kharkiv will be twice a week from Nov. 8, while flights from Dnipro will be weekly from Nov. 9. In addition, the airline will continue to operate direct flights to Tel Aviv from Kyiv (KBP) and Odesa (ODS).
Emirates is increasing service to Australia in line with the country’s international border reopening. From Nov. 2, the airline is stepping up the frequency on flights between Dubai (DXB) and Sydney (SYD) to daily operated by a 777-300ER. Flights to Melbourne (MEL) will operate as a 4X-weekly service. The airline also intends to deploy A380 aircraft on the DXB-SYD route from Dec. 1.
Photo credit: Getty Images/Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy
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