Routes analyzes some of the services returning as well as new routes being launched. This week: RwandAir swaps Gatwick for Heathrow, Ukraine International Airlines returns to New York via Iceland, and Alaska Airlines adds another sun route from Los Angeles.
Ukrainian carrier SkyUp Airlines is broadening its international network from next month while at the same time planning to increase its market share at home.
As part of Copenhagen Airport's Route Exchange membership, Routesonline takes a look at three significant routes to have been launched from Denmark's capital in recent years.
While its rivals Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways are looking closely at the sustainability of their business models, Qatar Airways shows no signs of slowing its incredible network growth and surprised guests at this year’s Arabian Travel Market in Dubai this week by revealing an additional 12 new markets that should see the airline service in 2018.
The aircraft, which is configured with 86 seats and will be leased between the busy summer months of June and September 2016, will allow Air Serbia to expand its flight network with non-stop flights to Hamburg in Germany and Kiev in Ukraine being introduced from its Belgrade base. In addition, the aircraft will be deployed on the carrier’s existing Belgrade – Sofia route.
An official signing ceremony for the deal took place at the US Department of State on July 14, 2015 with Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Catherine A Novelli joining Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pyvovarsky in signing the formal Open Skies agreement.
Ukraine is a huge market opportunity, but for many carriers there have been notable restrictions on air access. Negotiations on a full EU-Ukraine open skies agreement had reached a critical stage over the past couple of years, but have fallen on a more regional structure. This has initially seen the Ukraine Infrastructure Ministry allow the western Ukrainian city of Lviv to be linked directly to European Union destinations without any restrictions as a trial run.
As Ukraine’s leading carrier, UIA is playing an important role in developing air traffic from both the country’s capital Kiev and other cities across Ukraine.
The new four times weekly Košice – Kiev service will launch on May 18, 2015 and will operate as an extension of the carrier’s existing Prague – Košice offering. This will mean passengers flying between Prague and Kiev will remain on the aircraft while the 144-seat A319 makes a 30 minute stopover in the Slovakian city to collect and drop off passengers.
During the past couple of days we have been in conversation with many delegates during Routes Silk Road in Tbilisi, Georgia and here are some of the snippets of information we picked up from our discussions.