Corporate Travel News For Asia

VietJet Air launched (22-Nov-2023) five times weekly Ho Chi Minh City-Perth-Adelaide service on 21-Nov-2023. VietJet is the first Vietnamese carrier to fly to South Australia and Western Australia. The LCC also operates services to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. [more - original PR]

Air China, via its official Twitter account, announced (21-Nov-2023) it resumed twice weekly Beijing Capital-Washington Dulles service with Boeing 777-300ER equipment on 21-Nov-2023, following a suspension since Feb-2020. United Airlines will resume service on the route from Jan-2024, according to OAG.

Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA Airways) and Korean Air signed (20-Nov-2023) a codeshare agreement for connectivity via Rome Fiumicino Airport and Seoul Incheon International Airport. The partnership is expected to facilitate trade relations and increase tourist flows between Italy and South Korea. Effective 21-Nov-2023, Korean Air will codeshare on ITA Airways' services connecting Rome to Bologna, Venice, Turin, Trieste, Genoa, Bari, Brindisi, Florence, Catania, Palermo, Naples, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, Cairo and Munich. ITA Airways will codeshare on Korean Air services connecting Seoul Incheon to Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa Airport, Busan, Daegu, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo. The carriers are also working to expand the scope of cooperation, with the aim of offering additional travel combinations. [more - original PR - Italian]

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport reported (20-Nov-2023) it handled 3.5 million passengers in Oct-2023, an increase of 17.6% year-on-year and a decline of 12.4% compared to Oct-2019. The airport reported a 45% increase in the number of South Korean passport holders in Oct-2023, owing to "strong seat capacity between Sydney and Seoul". CEO Geoff Culbert added: "In the 12 months to October, almost 14 million passengers have passed through our international terminal, more than double the number we saw in the previous 12 months. We continue to see markets roaring back to life. In the run up to Christmas there is extra capacity coming on across several key overseas destinations including China, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam". [more - original PR]

Asiana Airlines announced (15-Nov-2023) plans to commence twice weekly Seoul Incheon-Melbourne Tullamarine service on 26-Dec-2023, subject to government approval. The airline will be the sole scheduled operator on the route, according to OAG. [more - original PR]

Hainan Airlines plans to commence three times weekly Haikou-Auckland service with Boeing 787-9 equipment on 08-Dec-2023, as per a 13-Nov-2023 GDS inventory and timetable display. The airline will be the sole scheduled operator on the route, according to OAG.

South Australian Tourism Commission confirmed (08-Nov-2023) Singapore Airlines plans to increase Singapore-Adelaide frequency from daily to 10 times weekly from Oct-2024. The increase is expected to create 105,000 seats between the destinations p/a. Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison stated: "It is essential that we continue to strengthen our relationships with leading airline providers and pursue new opportunities for South Australia to secure new airlines, increase number of flights and reinstate flights that link South Australia with key tourism markets interstate and international business hubs". Eight international airlines currently operate 45 flights each week to Adelaide, with additional capacity already confirmed for the coming months. The international incoming flights are currently bringing just over 11,000 passengers per week into South Australia. [more - original PR]

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport announced (08-Nov-2023) Singapore Airlines plans to increase Singapore-Sydney frequency from four to five times daily from 27-Oct-2024. The increase, to over 12,000 seats per week to Sydney, makes it the largest port outside Singapore for the carrier. [more - original PR]

Changi Airport Group reopened (01-Nov-2023) Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 after 3.5 years of engineering and expansion works. The reopening restores four terminal operations to the airport. The T2 expansion project has added over 21,000sqm to the terminal building and five million passengers p/a to Changi's capacity. T2 is the first terminal in Changi to have automated special assistance lanes for persons with disabilities and young children at both arrival and departure immigration. A new early baggage storage system has also been installed that is fully automated with the capacity to handle up to 2400 bags. The expanded terminal also features a 14m digital display and a new garden. [more - original PR]

Malaysia Airlines announced (31-Oct-2023) plans to provide unlimited complimentary WiFi to passengers travelling in all cabin classes from 01-Nov-2023. The service will initially be available on 20 select widebody aircraft and will subsequently be rolled out on select narrowbody aircraft in phases. The enhancement follows the carrier's complimentary inflight WiFi offering introduced on 01-Jul-2023 for Business Suite and business class passengers, as well as Enrich Platinum members. [more - original PR]