News for Europe/MEA

Emirates Airline resumed (27-Mar-2023) daily Dubai-Sydney-Christchurch service using A380 equipment. The resumption supports the export of 15 to 18 tonnes of daily goods between Christchurch and Sydney, including cherries, lamb and seafood. Emirates Airline divisional VP Australasia Barry Brown stated: "Not only has Christchurch again become the smallest city on Emirates' A380 network, but New Zealand is now the first country on our network to exclusively carry our four cabin A380 and our best product yet". According to OAG, the carrier last operated the service in Mar-2020. No other carriers operate the direct route. [more - original PR]

Aer Lingus resumed (26-Mar-2023) daily Dublin-Hartford Bradley service on 26-Mar-2023. The service will be operated through to the end of Oct-2023, using A321neo aircraft. The airline is the sole scheduled operator on the route, according to OAG. [more - original PR]

Shenzhen Airlines, via its official WeChat account, announced (26-Mar-2023) the resumption of Shenzhen-London Heathrow service on 26-Mar-2023. The service will operated five times weekly, according to OAG.

Air Premia announced (24-Mar-2023) plans to launch four times weekly Seoul Incheon-Frankfurt service using Boeing 787-9 equipment from 27-Jun-2023. According to OAG, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air and Lufthansa are also scheduled to operate the route. [more - original PR - Korean]

Virgin Atlantic Airways announced (24-Mar-2023) a new codeshare agreement with Korean Air, launching 25-Mar-2023. Under the first phase of the agreement, Virgin Atlantic will codeshare on Korean Air's Seoul Incheon-London Heathrow service. By Jun-2023, the agreement will be expanded to include further destinations throughout Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. According to OAG, Korean Air currently operates Seoul Incheon-London Heathrow service eight times weekly. [more - original PR]

Airlink (South Africa) announced (23-Mar-2023) plans to launch daily Johannesburg-Nairobi service on 24-Apr-2023. The service will be operated with 98 seat Embraer E190 aircraft. [more - original PR]

Zambia's National Public Health Institute removed (22-Mar-2023) COVID-19 entry requirements for incoming travellers. Passengers will no longer be required to provide proof of vaccination status or negative PCR test results. [more - original PR]

Shenzhen Airlines, via its official Weibo account, announced (23-Mar-2023) the following international schedules changes:

• Shenzhen-London: Resume five times weekly from 26-Mar-2023;
• Shenzhen-Seoul Incheon: Daily service from 26-Mar-2023 and increasing to 12 times weekly from 03-Apr-2023;
• Shenzhen-Taiwan Taoyuan: Resume on 26-Mar-2023, increasing to daily from 29-Mar-2023;
• Wuxi-Osaka Kansai: Resume weekly from 06-Apr-2023;
• Shenzhen-Tokyo Narita: Increasing from weekly to daily from 14-Apr-2023;
• Shenzhen-Phuket: Increase from three times weekly to daily from 19-Apr-2023;
• Shenzhen-Ho Chi Minh City: Resume daily service from 02-May-2023.

Lufthansa announced (22-Mar-2023) it will resume regular operations with A380 aircraft from 01-Jun-2023, following a three year interruption. The aircraft will replace the A340-600 on daily Munich-Boston service from 01-Jun-2023 and daily Munich-New York service from 04-Jul-2023. The carrier stated it is "thus noticeably expanding its premium offering at its southern hub, especially with additional seats in business and first class". As previously reported by CAPA, the carrier decided to reactivate the A380s due to a significant increase in demand and the delayed delivery of ordered aircraft. Four A380 aircraft will be redeployed from Munich by the end of 2023. [more - original PR]

Emirates Airline and TAP Air Portugal expanded their codeshare partnership, with Emirates codesharing on the following TAP operated services from mid Mar-2023, according to OAG:

• Lisbon-Bissau;
• Lisbon-Casablanca;
• Lisbon-Marrakech;
• Lisbon-Marseille;
• Lisbon-Porto Santo;
• Lisbon-Toulouse.