Corporate Travel News For Asia

Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia announced (22-Dec-2017) a new codeshare agreement from the end of Jan-2018. The agreement covers connectivity from Melbourne to either Hong Kong or Los Angeles from Virgin Australia onto Virgin Atlantic services. Additionally, customers travelling through Los Angeles will be able to fly directly to Sydney and Brisbane as part of the new codeshare. The deal will also open more domestic options across Australia, enabling customers to add service to/from eight Australian cities including Cairns, Brisbane and Perth operated by Virgin Australia. [more - original PR]

Air China filed (21-Dec-2017) an application with CAAC to launch the following international services in 2018:

• Adjust select Beijing-Houston service to extend to Beijing-Houston-Panama City, operating twice weekly with Boeing 777 from Mar-2018;
• Adjust Beijing-Vienna-Barcelona service to three times weekly Beijing-Vienna and four times weekly Beijing-Barcelona services, both operating with A330 aircraft, effective Mar-2018. [more - original PR - Chinese]

Lufthansa announced (21-Dec-2017) plans for A380 aircraft based at Munich Airport for winter 2018/19. As previously reported by CAPA, Lufthansa will base five A380s at Munich from 25-Mar-2018, serving Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Beijing. The winter 2018/19 season will however see a destination change from Munich to Miami, Shanghai and San Francisco. [more - original PR]

Air New Zealand retimed (19-Dec-2017) daily Auckland-Hong Kong service from 23:50 to 08:20 between 16-Dec-2017 and 31-Jan-2018, due to recent events involving Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines powering its Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The carrier stated the retiming is necessary to continue to deliver its international schedule and avoid cancellations. There will be no change to Hong Kong-Auckland return services. [more - original PR]

Hainan Airlines launched (20-Dec-2017) twice weekly Shenzhen-Cairns service with A330 aircraft from 19-Dec-2017, marking its second nonstop service from Shenzhen to Queensland and sixth service to Australia. [more - original PR - English/Chinese]

British Airways CEO Alex Cruz called (19-Dec-2017) on the UK Government to ease visa restrictions for Chinese travellers, stating: "We need the British government to take urgent action on its visa policy by making it easier for Chinese businesses and tourists to come to the UK". He added: "China is the world's second largest economy and we need to do all we can to encourage these trade links. This is even more critical post Brexit". [more - original PR]

United Airlines filed additional changes to its planned summer 2018 Asia Pacific schedule, effective 24-Mar-2018 (Routes Online, 16-Dec-2017). Changes include adjustment of first class booking availability on three class Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. Previously, the majority of routes operated with the aircraft displayed first class as unavailable for booking from 01-May-2018. Details are as follows:

• Chicago O'Hare-Beijing: First class on 777 available to book until 31-Aug-2018;
• Chicago O'Hare-Hong Kong: First class on 777 available to book until 31-Aug-2018;
• Chicago O'Hare-Shanghai Pudong: First class on 777 available to book until 31-Aug-2018;
• Chicago O'Hare-Tokyo Narita: First class on 777 available to book until 31-Aug-2018;
• Newark-Tokyo Narita: 777-300ER continues operating daily, replacing previously filed 777-200ER, effective 01-Aug-2018;
• San Francisco-Chengdu: Timing changes from San Francisco, moving to midnight hours. Seasonal fourth weekly frequency, previously scheduled from 23-May-2018 to 03-Sep-2018, is cancelled. To operate with 787-8 equipment for the entire summer season, instead of between 26-Mar-2018 and 02-May-2018 only;
• San Francisco-Taipei Taoyuan: 777-300ER continues operating daily, instead of previously scheduled 777-200ER and 787-9, effective 25-Mar-2018;
• Washington Dulles-Tokyo Narita: First class remains available to book until 30-Apr-2018;
• San Francisco-Xian: Seasonal service cancelled.

United Airlines operates to 29 Asia Pacific destinations, with Northeast Asia and Southwest Pacific among the carrier's top five largest international markets by seats, according to OAG.

Tourism Western Australia (WA) invited (15-Dec-2017) tourism industry operators to participate in a digital campaign with Ctrip to promote Western Australia as a holiday destination to Chinese tourists. The campaign will run from 28-Dec-2017 to 30-Jun-2018 with a travel period of Jan-2018 to Sep-2018. The objective of the campaign is to increase destination awareness, stimulate demand for travel to WA and increase bookings for tourism experiences and accommodation. Ctrip has more than 300 million members with one in five Chinese tourists booking outbound travel through the online agent. China is now WA's largest inbound market by visitor expenditure. [more - original PR]

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and Expedia, via their joint '2018 Air Travel Outlook Report' released (12-Dec-2017), the following insights into international economy and premium passenger flows to top airport destinations:

• Asia: ARC's data revealed intra-Asia traveller volumes are driving international arrivals to airports across Asia and much of this is concentrated within North Asia;
  
  • Bangkok, Hong Kong, Seoul and Taiwan are the key economy travel hubs;
  • Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai and Tokyo are the key premium travel hubs;
• North America: US inbound international traffic flows vary widely by destination, driven by a variety of flight origins within Europe, Asia and Latin America as top feeder markets to the busiest US airports;
  
  • New York is the top inbound economy travel hub for the US;
  • New York and Los Angeles are the key premium travel hubs in North America;
• Europe: London is the key feeder of passenger volumes to the busiest destinations;
• Asia-origin flights (Flights with segments originating in North Asia):
  
  • Shanghai, Taipei and Seoul are fueling inbound travel to key European airports/cities;
  • Dubai is the hub of Middle East travel into London and Paris/Europe for economy cabin travelers;
• Latin America: Cancun dominates the region. Cancun's popularity is predominantly driven by international economy travel from the US. [more - original PR]

Donghai Airlines, via its official WeChat account, announced (12-Dec-2017) "Australia, we are coming", with plans to launch Shenzhen-Darwin service. As previously reported by CAPA, Donghai Airlines applied to CAAC in Jul-2017 to operate Darwin service.