Here’s our weekly roundup of new air routes and other aviation updates
Wow air to connect US with New Delhi
Icelandic LCC Wow air will commence flights from the US to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in New Delhi via Iceland beginning December 5, 2018.
At the end of 2018, the airline will offer service to New Delhi from Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, St Louis, and Washington DC/Baltimore.
The Icelandic LCC will use brand new Airbus A330neo aircraft on the Delhi route, which are outfitted with Wow premium seats offering at least 37 inches of legroom.
Hainan Airlines launches Shenzhen-Zurich service
On August 27, Hainan Airlines launched a twice-weekly service between Shenzhen and Zurich, the first non-stop flight connecting China’s Guangzhou-Shenzhen area with Switzerland.
Operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, flights take off from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport on Mondays and Fridays at 01.20 and land at Zurich Airport at 07.55. On the return sector, flights depart Zurich at 11.40 and arrives back in Shenzhen at 05.00 the following day.
Cebu Pacific beefs up Clark hub with new routes
Starting November 9, 2018, Cebu Pacific will mount daily flights between its Clark and Davao hubs; as well as between Clark and Tagbilaran (Bohol).
Flight 5J613, bound for Tagbilaran, departs Clark at 09.55 daily for arrival at 11.20. The return flight, 5J614, departs Tagbilaran at 11.50 and arrives in Clark at 23.5pm. Meantime, Flight 5J985 departs from Clark to Davao daily at 13.45, with scheduled arrival at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao at 15.40. The return flight, 5J986, departs Davao at 16.10, for arrival at the Clark International Airport at 18.05.
On top of the new routes, Cebu Pacific will also add an additional daily flight between Clark and Cebu starting October 28, 2019. From once daily, Cebu Pacific will fly between Clark and Cebu once in the morning and another in the afternoon.
JAL unveils new frequency, fleet plans
Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced revisions to the flight frequency and fleet plans for FY2018 and on select international routes for FY2019.
On its international network, JAL will increase capacity on its Hawaii and East Asia routes. The airline will seasonally operate the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft during the year-end and New Year period on the Tokyo (Narita)-Honolulu route, which was provided during the same period last year. Additionally, JAL will continue to expand the operation of the JAL Sky Suite-configured Boeing 787-9 aircraft on routes between Japan and Hawaii.
In FY2019, JAL will seasonally increase flights between Tokyo (Narita) and Chicago (O’Hare) from June 8 to September 3, 2019, featuring 11 flights per week. On flights between Osaka (Kansai) and Los Angeles, JAL will now feature full-flat seats in business class, in addition to the introduction of premium economy class service with the JAL Sky Suite 787-9 aircraft. Meanwhile, the airline will decrease the flight frequency between Kansai and Taipei (Taoyuan) from March 31, 2019.
On domestic routes in Japan, JAL will increase the flight frequency on the Tokyo (Haneda)-Sapporo (New Chitose) and Tokyo (Haneda)-Okinawa (Naha) routes. On Kagoshima routes, the carrier will feature the new ATR 72-600 aircraft from December 2018. Additionally, the airline will start broadcasting Live TV Service as a new in-flight service from October 2018 on Japan domestic flights.
