The direct flights to the two Mexican cities will take off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and will be launched in the 2024/2025 winter season.

The airline said that its guests search for travel destinations with warm weather, so the new flights will cater to the demand. 

鈥淲e recently celebrated 35 years of service to Mexico and are proud to connect travelers with the rich culture and natural beauty of the country. We look forward to continuing to serve as the carrier of choice from the West Coast, especially as we prepare to start service to these popular destinations in Mexico,鈥� Kirsten Amrine, Vice President of Revenue Management and Network Planning at Alaska Airlines said in a statement.

The new flights will be serviced using the airline精东影业 fleet of Embraer E175 aircraft, with two to three weekly flights to La Paz beginning on November 20, 2024, and daily flights to Monterrey by February 13, 2025. Tickets can be booked starting from July 3, 2024.

La Paz is a coastal city in Mexico popular with scuba divers and deep sea fishers. 

Monterrey, an important industrial and business center in Mexico, is fringed by mountains, and is considered to be one of the country精东影业 most liveable cities.

鈥淲e are pleased to announce that Alaska Airlines will begin operations from Monterrey Airport to Los Angeles, expanding its services from our airports along with Mazatlan and Zihuatanejo,鈥� said Ricardo Duenas, CEO of Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte.

聽鈥淭hrough LAX, this new route will offer access to new destinations on the West Coast, as we continue to increase international connectivity from Monterrey to meet both business and leisure travel demand,鈥� Duenas added.

Alaska Airlines relaunches seasonal route, becomes longest flight in its network

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-14

The Doha-based airline claims to have seen a 62% growth in outbound passengers from Germany in 2023 when compared with the previous year.  The airline currently flies to four other cities in Germany: Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Berlin Airport (BER), Munich International Airport (MUC) and Dusseldorf Airport (DUS).

According to Qatar Airways, the flights are expected to offer up to 11% growth in Hamburg精东影业 cargo sector as compared to 2023.

The daily flights, which are being served by the airline精东影业 fleet of A350 aircraft, operate on the following schedules:

Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday (all local time)

QR89 Doha (DOH) to Hamburg (HAM)  departure 08:35, arrival 14:10

QR90 Hamburg (HAM) to Doha (DOH) departure 15:40, arrival 22:40

Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (all local time)

QR91 Doha (DOH) to Hamburg (HAM), departure 02:15, arrival 07:50

QR92 Hamburg (HAM) to Doha (DOH), departure 09:20, arrival 16:20

鈥淲e are proud to offer our customers from northern Germany one of the most modern and comfortable aircraft choices in the world to travel to some of their favorite destinations, whether for business or leisure,鈥� Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori said in a statement.

“As Germany’s most important foreign trade center, international accessibility is a key factor for Hamburg,鈥� CEO of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Dr Malte Heyne said.

鈥淭he direct connection to Qatar Airways鈥� Doha hub strengthens Hamburg精东影业 links to global trade. Direct flight connections are an important factor for the attractiveness of investors and tourists as well as for the organization of international congresses and events,” Heyne added.

Qatar Airways posts largest annual profits in its history at $1.7 billion聽聽

• Airlines
• Aviation Economics & Finance

byLuke Peters

2024-07-02

The new destination of Ningbo Lishe International Airport (NGB), China, will be served by new services from both (KUL) in the Malaysian capital and Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI).听

In a statement on July 3, 2024, the airline said Ningbo marks AirAsia Group精东影业 17^th destination in China with six weekly flights scheduled to operate on the new route.听

Through its AirAsia Malaysia carrier, the first flights to NGB will begin on August 1, 2024, from Kuala Lumpa and from Kota Kinabalu on August 2, 2024.  

Ningbo is located in the eastern part of Zhejiang province and is considered one of China’s ancient cities, boasting a rich heritage and serving as a vital port city. 

To mark the new operations, AirAsia is offering passengers promotional fares which are available to book until July 7, 2024.  

It has been a busy week for AirAsia, after it also announced a new service to the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, beginning later this year.听聽

The new route from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) will commence on November 15, 2024, with the Airbus A330-300 service operating four times a week.    

The airline said on July 1, 2024, that the new route comes off the back of a 鈥渟trong start鈥� to the year and a 鈥渞obust trajectory鈥� in its financial results thanks in part to increased load factors.    

AirAsia X previously flew to the African island Mauritius in what was the airline精东影业 first-ever expansion into Africa.听聽聽聽聽

AirAsia X goes on safari with brand new route to Kenyan capital from November聽

• Airlines
• Aviation in Africa

byIan Molyneaux

2024-07-01

The B787-9 Dreamliner, operating as flight EY476, was met with the traditional water cannon salute, while Etihad精东影业 pilots waved the UAE and Indonesian flags from the cockpit.

The four times weekly flight offers 28 seats in business and 262 seats in economy.

鈥淚 am honored to be welcomed to the island today and proud to bring a full flight on our inaugural journey into Bali,鈥� Arik De, Etihad精东影业 Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer said in a statement.

鈥淲e are thrilled to add Bali to the growing list of destinations we serve directly from Abu Dhabi. It becomes our second destination in Indonesia, adding to the capital Jakarta. We look forward to connecting our guests from the Middle East, Europe and across our global network with the Indonesian tropical island,鈥� De added.

Etihad launched eight new destinations in June 2024, five summer routes and three year-round services.

Etihad also started year-round services to Jaipur International Airport (JAI) in India and Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (ELQ) in Al Qassim.

Etihad launched its seasonal summer services to:

Nice C么te d鈥橝zur Airport (NCE)

Antalya Airport (AYT)

Mykonos International Airport (JMK)

Santorini International Airport (JTR)

M谩laga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP)

Etihad announces eight destinations: five summer routes, three year-round

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-06-21

Starting on September 10, 2024, Qantas will fly three times a week between Brisbane Airport (BNE) and Bauerfield International Airport (VLI) in Port Vila, with the ability to increase to five per week based on demand. 

From December 12, 2024, Jetstar will offer up to four weekly flights between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and VLI.  

The flights will make up a combined 50,000 new seats each year between Australia and Vanuatu.

Qantas will launch its new flights with its Boeing 737 aircraft, while Jetstar will use its fleet of Airbus A321neo LRs.

Qantas International CEO, Cam Wallace said the new route would help meet continued demand for travel between Australia and Vanuatu.

鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to offer our customers direct flights between Brisbane and Vanuatu and build on this important route which will maintain essential connectivity for leisure and business travel,鈥� Wallace said in a statement.

鈥淲e鈥檝e long served Vanuatu through our codeshare partnership and this new route ensures our customers have more choice and consistent service to the island destination we know they enjoy,鈥� Wallace added.

Jetstar Group CEO, Stephanie Tully said Vanuatu is a new destination for Jetstar.

鈥淎head of the arrival of our 13th A321neo LR next month and more new aircraft on the way, we鈥檙e continuing to grow our international network with the launch of low fares seats between Sydney and Port Vila,鈥� Tully said.

According to Vanuatu精东影业 , Australians make up 62% of overseas visitors in the country. 

Located 2,000 kilometers northeast of Brisbane, Vanuatu has shared deep bilateral relations with Australia for decades.

Australia established a presence in Vanuatu in 1978 and championed the case for Vanuatu’s independence in the United Nations and Pacific Forums in the lead up to independence in 1980.

On May 9, 2024, Vanuatu精东影业 flag carrier, Air Vanuatu, grounded its fleet and canceled future flights following the dissolution of the airline精东影业 board.听

Grounded carrier Air Vanuatu eyes potential investors to fund revival聽聽

• Airlines
• Aviation Economics & Finance

byLuke Peters

2024-06-19

Year-round operations

On June 19, 2024, Etihad began its four-times weekly services to its 11th Indian destination, Jaipur International Airport (JAI).

On June 24, 2024, the Abu Dhabi-based airline will launch a new service to Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (ELQ) in Al Qassim, marking Etihad精东影业 fourth destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Al Qassim is located in the heart of Saudi Arabia.The region is rich in terms of culture and is celebrated for its vibrant markets – plus,with more than eight million palm trees, it is amongst the largest producers of dates in the Middle East.

On June 25, 2024. Etihad will launch its very first flight to Bali精东影业 Ngurah Rai International Airport. The carrier will operate these services four times weekly. 

Seasonal operations

The carrier has also commenced seasonal operations to the following popular summer destinations: 

• Nice C么te d’Azur Airport (NCE)
• Antalya Airport (AYT)
• Mykonos International Airport (JMK)
• Santorini International Airport (JTR)
• M谩laga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP)

Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said in a statement: 鈥淚t is an exciting month for Etihad as we deliver on our plans to expand our network with eight additional locations. We are launching flights to three important sites 鈥� Bali, Jaipur and Al Qassim – which we can see from our forward-bookings are already proving popular with our guests.鈥� 

鈥淎t the same time, we鈥檝e commenced operations to new seasonal destinations and returned to popular summer hotspots. We鈥檙e looking forward to welcoming our guests on board this summer and conveniently connecting more people to more places around the world,鈥� Neves added.

Etihad Airways launches direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Jaipur, India

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-06-20

The new route, which is now Etihad精东影业 11th Indian city, was celebrated with a welcome ceremony at Jaipur International Airport on June 19, 2024.

Located in Northwestern India, Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan state and is known for its historic forts and buildings painted pink in anticipation of Queen Victoria精东影业 visit in 1876.

Etihad said the new route enables more visitors to explore Abu Dhabi, and travelers flying from Jaipur to the United States can take advantage of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at AUH Airport, streamlining the immigration process and ensuring a hassle-free journey.

The start of the Jaipur service further underlines the airline精东影业 deepening commitment to the Indian market, where the airline has increased its capacity by a third over the past 12 months.

鈥淲ith the resurgence of outbound travel from India, we are thrilled to start four weekly flights to Jaipur, a significant cultural and commercial center,鈥� said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways in a statement.

鈥淏y establishing this crucial air link with Rajasthan, we aim to meet the increasing demand from travelers in and around the region, providing them with convenient access to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and seamless connectivity to our extensive global network,鈥� Neves added.

The flights will be serviced with aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, and will operate on the following schedules:

EY 0366 depart AUH 03:05 local time arrive JAI 08:05 local time (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)

EY 0367 depart JAI 11:00 local time arrive AUH 13:00 local time (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)

Etihad Airways, China Eastern enter strategic partnership, sign joint venture

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-06-06

In a huge boost for the UK精东影业 second largest airport travelers will now have a choice of 223 destinations from 56 airlines when flying from Gatwick.听

ITA Airways, Atlantic Airways, Azores Airlines, Singapore Airlines and FlyErbil are all operating from London Gatwick for the very first time. 

New routes that recently got under way include a Norwegian service to Gothenburg, Sweden, four times a week, a twice weekly service to Vagar, Faroe Islands, with Atlantic Airways and an Azores Airlines service to Ponta Delgada, Azores, two times a week.  

Wizz Air also began operations to Varna in Bulgaria three times a week, with the first flight taking off on June 18, 2024.  

New long-haul options include Halifax and St John精东影业 in Canada with WestJet, a daily service to Beijing, China with Air China and Erbil, Iraq, once a week with FlyErbil.  

China Southern also begins flights to Guangzhou, China, from June 20, 2024, and Singapore Airlines starts a new service to Singapore June 22, 2024.   

Additional services to Jersey, Channel Islands, with British Airways, Skiathos, Greece, with easyJet, and Rome, Italy, with ITA Airways are also now operating.   

While 14 new routes will start by the end of July 2024, Air India will launch its new service between London-Gatwick and Bengaluru from August 18, 2024.  

鈥淚t精东影业 fantastic that London Gatwick can offer passengers such an exciting range of destinations this summer, whether for holidays, visiting family and friends, or business trips. As we work towards our vision of becoming the airport for everyone, whatever your journey, we are committed to providing passengers as much choice as possible,鈥� Stephanie Wear, VP Aviation Development at , said.听

Wear added: 鈥淲e are delighted to continue growing our already extensive network and welcome new airlines including ITA Airways, Atlantic Airways, Azores Airlines, Singapore Airlines and FlyErbil.鈥� 

Following the summer Gatwick with launch even more services to international destinations including Bangkok in Thailand, Islamabad in Pakistan and Rovaniemi in Finland.听

Lufthansa Cargo launches brand-new Airbus A321 freighter route from Munich

• Air Cargo

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-18

From June 13, 2024, flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) for Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) will restart, connecting Alaska with the Big Apple.  

While operating over the summer, the route between New York and Anchorage will become Alaska Airlines‘ longest route on its network.  

Alaska has scheduled the 3,385 mile route with its new Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet, with the flight expected to take around seven hours.  

According to Alaska the new seasonal route, which will operate until August 19, 2024, is the only nonstop service between JFK and ANC. 

鈥淎laskans love travel options and love them even more when they include nonstop flights,鈥� Marilyn Romano, regional vice president of Alaska for Alaska Airlines, said. 鈥淥ur new service to New York JFK is a perfect addition to our flight schedule for Alaskans wanting some adventure in one of the world精东影业 most dynamic cities, and for New Yorkers eager for new experiences in our great state.鈥�   

An overnight flight will depart JFK at 09:45 and arrive in Anchorage at 13:30. The return flight will depart ANC at 20:00 and arrive in New York at 07:05 +1.听聽

During the summer, Alaska Airlines will also be flying non-stop from to Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle.  

Alaska unveils new world-class $85M training hub for pilots, cabin crew and more

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-05-31

The resumption of the route was celebrated on June 12, 2024, at a special ceremony at Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha, UAE, where passengers were welcomed at the gate with Italian music and canapes. 

Such was the excitement surrounding the new route that even the Italian Ambassador to the state of Qatar, Paolo Toschi, attended the festivities at the gate. 

Qatar Airways already flies directly to Milan and Rome but as part of the airline精东影业 2024 network expansion, the decision was made to add a third Italian option for passengers.听

鈥淎s we enter the summer season, we are excited to resume our daily service to Venice. Italy is a key market for Qatar Airways, and we are committed to providing our passengers with more travel opportunities and seamless connections to explore this wonderful country,鈥� Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said.听

Commemorating the resumption of daily non-stop services to Venice, passengers were welcomed at the gate with Italian music and canapes.

The Italian Ambassador to the state of Qatar, H.E. Mr. Paolo Toschi attended the festivities at the gate.

馃搷 Hamad International Airport,鈥�

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways)

He added: 鈥淚n addition to Venice, Qatar Airways already serves two other major Italian cities, Rome and Milan. These flights have been incredibly popular among our passengers, and we are thrilled to expand our Italian offerings with the inclusion of Venice, through our world-class award-winning hub in Doha, Hamad International Airport.鈥� 

Flights from DOH to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) will depart daily at 09:00 and arrive in Italy at 14.20. 

Return flights will depart VCE at 16:50 and land back at DOH at 23.10.  

Qatar Airways currently flies to over 170 global destinations.听

Emirates serves over 45 million luxury chocolates per year to its passengers 聽

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

2024-07-04