United Airlines announced (11-Aug-2023) plans to resume daily San Francisco-Beijing Capital service from Nov-2023. The resumption is enabled by an agreement between the US and China governments to increase frequencies between the two countries. According to OAG, the carrier last operated the service in Feb-2020. No other carriers are scheduled to operate the route. [more - original PR]
Corporate Travel News For Asia
Etihad Airways to launch seven new services under winter 2023/24 schedule
Etihad Airways announced (09-Aug-2023) plans to launch the following services under its winter 2023/24 schedule:
- Abu Dhabi-Dusseldorf: Three times weekly from 28-Sep-2023;
- Abu Dhabi-Copenhagen: Four times weekly from 29-Sep-2023;
- Abu Dhabi-Osaka: Five times weekly from 01-Oct-2023;
- Abu Dhabi-Saint Petersburg: Three times weekly from 29-Oct-2023;
- Abu Dhabi-Kozhikode: Daily from 01-Jan-2024;
- Abu Dhabi-Thiruvananthapuram: Daily from 01-Jan-2024;
- Abu Dhabi-Boston: Four times weekly from 31-Mar-2024.
According to OAG, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi and Air India Express are also scheduled to operate the Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram routes. Etihad will be the sole scheduled operator on each remaining route. [more - original PR]
Singapore Airlines to increase frequency across Australian network from 31-Mar-2024
Singapore Airlines announced (07-Aug-2023) plans to increase frequency across its Australian network. Details include:
- Singapore-Cairns: Frequency to increase from four to five times weekly from 31-Mar-2024. SIA will upgauge aircraft on the service from Boeing 737 MAX 8 to A350-900, deploying a widebody aircraft on the route for the first time in over 20 years;
- Singapore-Darwin: Frequency to increase from five times weekly to daily from 31-Mar-2024. This will restore frequencies to Darwin to pre pandemic levels;
- Singapore-Melbourne: Frequency to increase from four to five times daily from 26-May-2024. The extra frequency will be with A350-900;
- Singapore-Perth: Frequency to increase to 25 times weekly from 24-Nov-2023 and four times daily from 31-Mar-2024. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - II]
Singapore Airlines to redeploy A380 on Singapore-Frankfurt service from 31-Mar-2024
Singapore Airlines announced (07-Aug-2023) plans to redeploy A380 aircraft on daily Singapore-Frankfurt service from 31-Mar-2024, replacing A350-900 aircraft. This will mark the return of SIA's A380 to Continental Europe. [more - original PR]
Singapore Airlines Group to restructure services to Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore
Singapore Airlines Group announced (27-Jul-2023) plans to restructure the following services to India in response to evolving demand patterns:
- Chennai: Scoot will commence daily service between Singapore and Chennai from 05-Nov-2023, while Singapore Airlines will move to a twice daily service between the cities from 29-Oct-2023. As a result, SIA group's operations to Chennai will increase from 17 to 21 times weekly. SIA will operate A350-900, Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 787-10 aircraft on Chennai route, while Scoot will operate A320 aircraft. The transfer will reintroduce Scoot to Chennai after a three year hiatus;
- Hyderabad: Singapore Airlines will take over Scoot's daily service between Singapore and Hyderabad from 29-Oct-2023, and increase its frequency between the cities from seven to 12 times weekly. The new five times weekly morning frequency will be operated by SIA's Boeing 737 MAX 8s. Daily night frequency will be operated by SIA's A350s. As a result, Hyderabad will be entirely served by SIA's full-service product;
- Bangalore: Singapore Airlines will operate twice daily between Singapore and Bangalore from 29-Oct-2023 using A350s on all days except Thursdays and Sundays, where the morning flight will be operated by the Boeing 737 MAX 8. SIA will discontinue three times weekly SQ512 and SQ513 A350 service. As a result, the carrier will operate 14 times weekly instead of 16 times weekly. [more - original PR]
Philippine Airlines welcomes lifting of mask mandate
Philippine Airlines (PAL) welcomed (24-Jul-2023) the lifting of a mask mandate and other COVID protocols announced by Philippines' government. PAL said it is a "significant sign of the normalisation of air travel and proof that the Philippines is open for business and tourism". The carrier added it will "continue to comply with any COVID-related regulation imposed by specific countries". [more - original PR]
Expedia: 72% of consumers planning extra leisure travel in 2023
Expedia Group reported the following highlights from an online consumer survey conducted in Mar-2023 (Skift, 18-Jul-2023):
- 72% of respondents were planning additional leisure travel in 2023 to make up for missed opportunities in recent years, including 78% of Gen Z and Millennial respondents;
- Travel intent was led by consumers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (84% planning leisure trips) and the Americas (83%);
- 5% plan to significantly reduce their travel budget for a single trip, compared to 2022. 81% plan to maintain or increase their budget;
- 46% plan to make fewer clothing purchases for travel, 43% plan to reduce souvenir purchases and 42% plan to reduce purchases of new luggage;
- 39% plan to make a business trip in the next 12 months, up from 32% in Jul-2022. 51% of US consumers were planning to travel for business, up from 29% in Jul-2022;
- 95% of travel reward and loyalty programme members plan to travel for leisure in the next 12 months, compared to 67% of non-members;
- 77% of respondents were most interested in travel awards that can be applied to any element of a trip, regardless of brand, including 83% of Millennials and 82% of Gen Z.
The survey was conducted in partnership with Wakefield Research and involved 5500 adults from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the UK and US.
Delta Air Lines and China Eastern Airlines offer Shanghai baggage check-through service
Delta Air Lines announced (17-Jul-2023) passengers travelling from the US to China via Shanghai Pudong International Airport may now check in their bags to their final destinations in Shanghai when connecting with China Eastern Airlines. Under the 'TransChina' connecting programme, customers travelling from China to the US may also check in their bags with China Eastern at their origin cities. With the change, passengers are no longer required to collect and recheck their baggage at Shanghai Pudong. The service is available on all flights to/from 96 Chinese cities via Shanghai operated by China Eastern. [more - original PR]
Cathay Pacific to increase Hong Kong-Perth frequency from Dec-2023
Perth Airport announced (18-Jul-2023) Cathay Pacific plans to increase Hong Kong-Perth frequency from three to five times weekly, commencing 06-Dec-2023 and operating with A350-900 equipment. Perth Airport acting CEO Kate Holsgrove stated: "Cathay Pacific's increased services will bring an additional 58,240 seats into the Perth market", adding: "Cargo capacity on commercial air services is crucial for local exporter and the additional services also provide more than 4500 tonnes of additional cargo capacity between Perth and Hong Kong/North Asia". The airline is the sole scheduled operator on the route, according to OAG. [more - original PR]