Corporate Travel News For South Pacific

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]

Qantas Airways commenced (26-Mar-2023) four times weekly Melbourne-Tokyo Haneda service on 26-Mar-2023 with A330 aircraft. The service is the first nonstop between Melbourne and Tokyo Haneda Airport by any airline, saving passengers around two hours travel to downtown Tokyo compared with Tokyo Narita Airport. The route will add to Qantas existing flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Tokyo Haneda, which together offer over 420,000 seats between Australia and Japan p/a. Qantas domestic and international CEO Andrew David stated: "We've seen the demand for our Tokyo flights bounce back very strongly, and our research shows that it is one of the top tourist destinations that Australians plan on visiting in the next 12 months". [more - original PR]

Brazil's Government announced (13-Mar-2023) plans to reintroduce visa requirements for citizens of Australia, Canada, US and Japan, effective 01-Oct-2023. The electronic visa requirement had been removed in Mar-2019. [more - original PR - Portuguese]

Qantas Airways stated (20-Mar-2022) Jetstar Airways and Jetstar Asia will move to Terminal 4 from Terminal 1 at Singapore Changi Airport from 22-Mar-2023. This will increase the minimum connecting time from 60 to 90 minutes. Qantas Airways amended its commercial policy following the terminal change. Passengers may rebook onto another Jetstar Airways or Jetstar Asia service. Or for connections Singapore-Kuala Lumpur and vv sector, rebook on a connecting Malaysia Airlines operated flight. Passengers may also retain the value of the ticket in credit or receive a refund. [more - original PR]

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport reported (20-Mar-2023) the following traffic highlights for Feb-2023:

• Passengers: 2.7 million, -19.6% compared to Feb-2019;
  • Domestic: 1.7 million, -17.1%;
  • International: 1.0 million, -23.7%;
• Top 10 nationalities travelling through Sydney Airport for Feb-2023:
  
  • Australia: -11.6% compared to Feb-2019;
  • New Zealand: -23.2%;
  • US: -19.1%;
  • UK: -21.6%;
  • China: -75.1%;
  • South Korea: -12.6%;
  • India: -1.6%;
  • Japan: -31.2%;
  • Canada: -23.2%;
  • Philippines: -0.1%. [more - original PR]

Qantas Group announced (16-Mar-2023) Qantas Airways and Jetstar Airways are providing customers an additional 12 months to use their COVID credits, which are a carry over from the restrictions on borders and travel during the coronavirus pandemic. Before 16-Mar-2023, customers had to book and complete their travel by 31-Dec-2023. Following this change, they will still have to book by 31-Dec-2023 but have until Dec-2024 to complete their travel. The change also adds to offers introduced to encourage customers to book travel before their credits are due to expire, including a double points offer for Frequent Flyers in Dec-2022 and a Qantas "Find My Credit" tool, which will launch in Apr-2023 to help those who have lost track of their original booking details. [more - original PR]

Qantas Group stated (16-Mar-2023) an analysis of the AUD800 million (USD532.5 million) in COVID credits still held by Qantas Airways and Jetstar Airways customers shows:

• 76% of COVID credits are worth less than AUD500 (USD332.8);
• 24% of COVID credits are worth between AUD500 and AUD5000 (USD3328);
• Less than 1% of COVID credits are worth over AUD5000.

There are two main types of Qantas COVID credits in the system - those that were triggered when the airline cancelled a flight (which are the most flexible for that reason) and those triggered when a customer elected not to travel. All Qantas customers in the first category remain eligible for a cash refund of their credit should they prefer. [more - original PR]

Brisbane Airport announced (16-Mar-2023) VietJet Air plans to commence twice weekly Ho Chi Minh City-Brisbane service from 16-Jun-2023. VietJet will operate the service with A330-300 equipment configured with 12 business class and 365 economy class seats. The service will be the first between Vietnam and Queensland and is predicted to inject AUD25.6 million (USD16.94 million) into Queensland's visitor economy and support 240 jobs in the first year of operation. The three year deal will support the planned growth of the service to four times weekly by the third year. [more - original PR]

Emirates Airline announced (14-Mar-2023) it has increased operations by 31% (total ASKs) since the start of FY2023 and will increase frequency on the following services:

• Europe:
  • Amsterdam: From 14 to 19 weekly from 02-Apr-2023;
  • Athens: Addition of a daily seasonal frequency to serve summer demand from 01-Jun-2022 to 30-Sep-2023;
  • Bologna: Five times weekly to daily from 01-May-2023;
  • Budapest: Five times weekly to daily from 01-Jun-2023
  • London: Start of second daily frequency to London Stansted Airport on 01-May-2023. This will take Emirates London operations to 11 daily frequencies, including six times daily to London Heathrow Airport and three times daily to London Gatwick Airport;
  • Venice: Five to six times weekly from 26-Mar-2023, increasing to daily from 01-Jun-2023;
• Africa:
  • Cairo: From 25 to 28 times weekly by 29-Oct-2023;
  • Dar es Salaam: Five times weekly to daily from 01-May-2023;
  • Entebbe: Six times weekly to daily flights starting 01-Jul-2023;
• Australia and New Zealand:
  • Emirates nonstop Australia flights will resume to pre-pandemic levels to Sydney from 01-May-2023, Melbourne from 26-Mar-2023 and Brisbane on 01-Jun-2023;
  • Brisbane: Additional daily frequency starting 01-Jun-2023 will take Emirates to 14 flights per week to Brisbane;
  • Christchurch: Resumption of daily service from Dubai via Sydney from 26-Mar-2023;
  • Melbourne: Addition of third daily frequency to Melbourne from 26-Mar-2023 via Singapore. This adds capacity to Melbourne and re-establishes connectivity between Singapore and Melbourne. The other two daily flights from Melbourne fly nonstop to Dubai;
  • Sydney: Addition of third daily nonstop frequency from 01-May-2023.
• East Asia:
  • Bangkok: Addition of fifth daily frequency from 01-Aug-2023;
  • Beijing: To commence daily nonstop Boeing 777-300ER service from 15-Mar-2023, upgrading to an A380 from 01-May-2023. A second daily frequency will commence from 01-Sep-2023 with A380 aircraft;
  • Hong Kong: Addition of a daily nonstop frequency from 29-Mar-2023. This increases Emirates' operations to 14 weekly flights including its existing daily Dubai-Bangkok-Hong Kong service;
  • Kuala Lumpur: Addition of a third daily frequency from 01-Jun-2023;
  • Tokyo: Resumption of service to Tokyo Haneda Airport with daily flights on 02-Apr-2023. This takes Emirates Japan operations to 21 weekly frequencies, including a daily A380 service to Tokyo Narita and a daily Boeing 777 service to Osaka. [more - original PR]

Victoria's Government and El Al signed (15-Mar-2023) a LoI to work together to secure nonstop Tel Aviv-Melbourne service by Jun-2024. The carrier is interested in operating three times weekly on the route and adding 44,000 seats p/a. The service will mark the first time for an airline to operate nonstop between Israel and Australia. [more - original PR]