Here's our weekly roundup of new air routes and other airline updates.
Bangkok Airways joins growing list of airlines flying to Cam Ranh
Starting January 25, Bangkok Airways will operate four-times weekly flights between Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Cam Ranh International Airport, gateway to the Vietnamese beach destination of Nha Trang, aboard a 144-seat Airbus 319 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
SilkAir boosts Singapore-Cairns flights to daily frequency
SilkAir will increase flights between Singapore and Cairns, Australia to daily frequency with effect from June 2019, up from the current five flights per week. The additional flights will be operated on Tuesdays and Sundays with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, fitted with 12 Business Class and 144 Economy Class seats.
From June 2 to October 26, Flight MI811 will depart Singapore at 01.10 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays for arrival in Cairns at 09.55. On the return, MI812 will depart Cairns at 10.45 the same day, to arrive back in Singapore at 15.25.
On the remaining days of the week, MI813 will leave Singapore at 08.45 to arrive in Cairns at 17.15. MI814 will then depart from Cairns at 18.15 for arrival in Singapore at 23.05.
Vietjet to link HCMC and Quang Ninh
Vietjet will launch a new domestic route connecting Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Van Don, Quang Ninh Province starting January 20. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, the flight departs from HCMC at 07.00 and arrives in Van Don at 09.15. The return flight takes off at 09.50 and lands in HCMC at 12.05.
Cathay Pacific launches seasonal flights to Japan’s Komatsu
Cathay Pacific will introduce a new twice-weekly seasonal service from Hong Kong to Komatsu in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, gateway to the Hokuriku region and coast of central Honshu.
From April 3 to October 26, CX574 will depart Hong Kong at 09.45 on Wednesdays and Saturdays, for return to Komatsu at 14.55. CX575 will then leave Komatsu at 16.30 and land in Hong Kong at 20.00.
The flights will be operated with Cathay’s Airbus A330 aircraft.
AirAsia takes over Borneo connections as MASwings withdraws eight services
MASwings has cancelled the following Borneo routes:
Kuching – Sibu
Kuching – Bintulu
Kuching – Miri
Kota Kinabalu – Miri
Kota Kinabalu – Sibu
Kota Kinabalu – Bintulu
Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan
Kota Kinabalu – Tawau
Transport minister Anthony Loke announced last November that the Air Asia Group was to take over the Kota Kinabalu – Sibu and Kota Kinabalu – Bintulu routes starting January 2019. The LCC was previously already flying the Kuching – Sibu; Kuching – Bintulu; Kuching – Miri, Kota Kinabalu – Miri; Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan; and Kota Kinabalu – Tawau routes.
Quoting an MASwings statement, media reports shared that the decision to withdraw from the eight routes was decided by the government of Malaysia, represented by the Ministry of Transport (MoT), as part of the new Public Service Obligation Agreement between MASwings and MoT.
