China’s aviation authority has given the go-ahead for carriers to start four new international passenger services, including flights to Madrid and Toronto.
Routes analyzes some of the services returning as well as new routes being launched. This week we look at Virgin Atlantic’s move into the UK-Pakistan market; Jetstar’s resumption of Sunshine Coast-Adelaide flights; and the launch of a new Widerøe route from Bergen.
This week: British Airways resumes flights to Pakistan's capital, Air Italy adds more North America destinations, and China Southern connects the hosts of two Routes events.
The privately-owned Serene Air commenced flights on January 29, 2017 between Karachi and Islamabad after securing its air operator certificate just a week earlier. The airline is also offering flights between Jinnah International Airport in Karachi and Faisalabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta, with the latter also being served from Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad too.
A new UK long-haul carrier plans to launch operations late next year and bring a welcome upgrade for Economy passengers with a new business concept. The carrier, Firnas Airways, intends to offer a one-class operation on routes from the UK to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia serving the strong ethnic travel flows with an enhanced premium economy offering.
The airline will launch flights on eight routes across six countries from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport from May 16, 2014 despite its own Sharjah International Airport hub being just 80km away.