Here’s our weekly roundup of new air routes and other aviation news.
Cebu Pacific to launch Puerto Princesa-Hong Kong direct flight
Cebu Pacific will be the first airline to fly direct between Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and Hong Kong when the service begins on November 17, 2019.
The four-times-weekly service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. 5J5306 departs Puerto Princesa at 15.35 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and at 16.05 on Saturdays. The return flight 5J5307 departs Hong Kong at 19.30 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and at 20.00 on Saturdays.
Air Astana looks to Asia to expand network
Air Astana is keen to expand its Asian network over the next two years following the delivery of a new fleet of Airbus A321LR aircraft. New destinations under consideration include Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.
The new A321LRs will also gradually replace the airline’s Boeing 757 aircraft on existing long-haul services to Asian destinations, including Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul.
The Airbus A321LR, which is a long-range version of A321neo, features 16 business class seats and 150 economy class seats.
Korean Air introduces new routes
Korean Air will launch new flights to Clark, the Philippines, from October 27. The flight will depart from Incheon at 07.55.
The airline will also launch new flights to Zhangjiajie, Nanjing and Hangzhou, which are routes distributed as a result of the previous Korea-China aviation talks. Incheon-Zhangjiajie will be operated three times a week, Incheon-Nanjing four times a week, and Incheon-Hangzhou twice a week.
China Eastern join forces with Virgin Atlantic, Air France and KLM
China Eastern will be entering into a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic, Air France and KLM, providing more joint commercial propositions for customers between Europe and China.
China Eastern currently has a joint venture with Air France and KLM by working together on a portfolio of flights between China, Paris and Amsterdam. With Virgin Atlantic joining the existing partnership between China Eastern, Air France and KLM, the enlarged cooperation will offer strengthened customer benefits including increased travel options and optimised connectivity across Europe and China, further facilitated by a developed joint network, as well as competitive joint commercial propositions.
The China to UK markets are expected to be pivotal at a time where China Eastern and Virgin Atlantic services linking London to Shanghai are part of the mutualised offer. China Eastern plans to seek to codeshare for the first time on Virgin Atlantic services between London and Shanghai. This will open up a range of customer benefits, including the opportunity for customers to earn and redeem miles across both carriers on flights between China and the UK.
The China Eastern-Air France-KLM’s current joint venture schedules for the summer 2019 season are as follows:
China Eastern will run twice-daily services between Shanghai Pudong and Paris Charles de Gaulle; four-times weekly services between Shanghai Pudong and Amsterdam Schiphol; thrice-weekly services between Kunming and Paris Charles de Gaulle; and thrice-weekly services between Qingdao and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Air France will operate twice-daily services between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Shanghai Pudong; as well as thrice-weekly services (and four-times weekly services) during peak periods between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Wuhan.
KLM will offer 12-weekly services between Amsterdam Schiphol and Shanghai Pudong.
Services for the summer 2019 season between London and Shanghai by China Eastern and Virgin Atlantic are as follows:
China Eastern will operate a daily service from Shanghai Pudong to London Heathrow; and thrice-weekly services from Shanghai Pudong to London Gatwick, which will be changed to a daily service during the winter 2019 season.
Virgin Atlantic will run a daily service to Shanghai Pudong from London Heathrow.
