News for Europe/MEA

Bamboo Airways confirmed (01-Nov-2022) the launch of weekly Hanoi-London Gatwick service on 30-Oct-2022, operating with Boeing 787-9. The carrier plans to inaugurate Ho Chi Minh City-London Gatwick from 07-Dec-2022. [more - original PR]

Air Canada and Emirates Airline launched (01-Nov-2022) a codeshare partnership, providing customers access to 46 destinations across the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Codeshare tickets are currently available for sale to 35 markets for travel effective 01-Dec-2022, with 11 additional markets to be added pending final regulatory approval. The carriers also plan to introduce a reciprocal frequent flyer offering, allowing eligible Aeroplan and Emirates Skywards members to earn and redeem points and gain lounge access when flying with either airline. The partnership was initially announced in Jul-2022. Air Canada president and CEO Michael Rosseau stated the codeshare partnership "will allow us to draw more connecting traffic through our Toronto global hub and expand our presence in these dynamic regions where demand for global travel is expected to grow". [more - original PR]

Iberia announced (31-Oct-2022) plans to update its 'Iberia Plus' loyalty programme to enable customers to accumulate Avios points for every EUR spent rather than the distance travelled. As a result, customers will now also be able to accumulate points when spending on extra services including additional baggage and seat selection. The change is scheduled to take place from the end of Nov-2022. British Airways head of sales and customer relations management Ian Romanis said the airline would join Iberia in making the change in 2023, with further details to be announced shortly. [more - original PR - Spanish]

Qatar Airways announced (31-Oct-2022) the following frequency adjustments for the winter 2022/2023 season:

• Doha-Abu Dhabi: Increase from three to four times daily from 21-Dec-2022;
• Doha-Adelaide-Auckland: Increase from five times weekly to daily from 22-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Almaty: increase from four times weekly to daily from 01-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Amsterdam: Increase from daily to 10 times weekly from 21-Dec-2022;
• Doha-Bali: Increase from daily to twice daily from 06-Dec-2022;
• Doha-Cape Town: Increase from 10 times weekly to twice daily from 06-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Dublin: Increase from 11 to 12 times weekly from 03-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Hanoi: Increase from daily to 10 times weekly from 20-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Ho Chi Minh City: Increase from daily to 10 times weekly from 20-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Hong Kong: Increase from daily to 11 times weekly from 16-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Lusaka-Harare: Increase from five times weekly to daily from 17-Jan-2023;
• Doha-Singapore: Increase from twice to three times daily from 30-Oct-2022.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker stated: "This increase will provide even greater choice to our business and leisure passengers, who can connect seamlessly [via Doha] to more than 150 global destinations". [more - original PR]

LIFT Airline, via its official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, announced (26-Oct-2022) it commenced Johannesburg-Durban service on 26-Oct-2022. The airline operates the service 20 times weekly, according to its website.

Qantas Airways plans to operate three times weekly Perth-Johannesburg service between 01-Nov-2022 and 25-Mar-2023, as per a 25-Oct-2022 GDS inventory and timetable display. The service will be operated with A330-200 equipment. 

Norwegian CEO Geir Karlsen stated the group is taking market shares in the business travel segment, having observed a "a fairly drastic development over the past months" (check-in.dk, 26-Oct-2022). Mr Karlsen noted that passengers on its most important business travel destinations are now higher than 2019 levels. Moving forward Mr Karlsen said the carrier will be "much more focused on business travellers", with plans to update its product range which will be presented before Christmas 2022.

Zurich Airport announced (25-Oct-2022) SWISS plans to resume five times weekly Zurich-Hong Kong service in winter 2022/2023. According to OAG, the carrier currently operates the route weekly and is scheduled to increase the frequency from Nov-2022. [more - original PR - German]

Zurich Airport announced (25-Oct-2022) SWISS plans to increase frequencies to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangkok to daily during the winter 2022/2023 schedule. In addition, carrier's frequency to Singapore will be increase from five to six times weekly. According to OAG, the carrier currently operates to Delhi and Mumbai five times weekly, and to Bangkok six times weekly. [more - original PR - German]

Etihad Airways announced (20-Oct-2022) it will temporarily close its GDS for ITA Airways codeshare tickets from 15-Feb-2023 to 12-Mar-2023 as the carriers migrate their distribution systems from Sabre to Amadeus' Altea PSS system. Existing bookings for the time period will be accommodated by each airline. Travel agents are to update and re-issue tickets once notification messages are received through the GDS. [more - original PR]