Airline and Airport Weekly News In Brief: Eurowings, Easyjet, United Add New Routes and More

The aviation sector is witnessing a dynamic start to the week of January 22, 2024, with several airlines announcing new routes, network changes, and strategic developments. Here’s a roundup of the latest airline route news, encompassing network adjustments, schedule modifications, codeshares, and interline agreements.

January 24

• AirAsia Thailand is expanding its Indian network with a new route from Bangkok-Don Mueang to Visakhapatnam, starting April 9, operating three times a week. This addition bolsters AirAsia Thailand’s strong presence in India, where it now serves ten routes from Bangkok, including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and others, with Indian travelers constituting a significant portion of its passengers.
• Canada’s Lynx Air is introducing a new U.S. destination from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to Los Angeles. Starting July 11, this 3X-weekly service will become daily from August 11, enhancing Lynx Air’s capacity from Montréal.
• Starlux Airlines of Taiwan confirms a new route to Vietnam, connecting Taichung and Da Nang thrice weekly from April 2, offering direct links on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
• Eurowings, the German LCC, is adding three destinations and 50,000 more seats from Nuremberg Albrecht Durer Airport this summer. The new routes include Nice, Bastia, and a resumed service to Rome Fiumicino.
• Turkmenistan Airlines announces international route expansions from Ashgabat, introducing flights to Kuala Lumpur, Jeddah, Ho Chi Minh City, and Milan, starting in February and March.

January 23

• EasyJet expands from Athens International Airport for summer 2024, adding five new routes to destinations including Lyon, Bordeaux, Venice, Malaga, and Palma de Mallorca, increasing its network to 15 destinations from Greece’s capital.
• United Airlines files plans for a new seasonal route connecting Washington and Alaska. Starting May 23, daily flights will operate between Washington Dulles International Airport and Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport using Boeing 737-8 aircraft.
• Hawaiian Airlines boosts frequencies on five routes from Honolulu in preparation for the summer travel peak. Increased services will cover destinations like Austin, Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Pago Pago, with additional frequencies operated using Airbus A330s and Boeing 787-9s.
• AirAsia X resumes flights from Kuala Lumpur to Xi’an, China, from April 4, operating thrice weekly. This marks the AirAsia Group’s 12th destination in mainland China.
• Jet2.com, a UK leisure carrier, introduces a new service from Manchester to Verona, Italy, focused on the winter ski season, operating weekly from December 2023 through April 2025.

January 22

• Aer Lingus announces the suspension of flights between Dublin Airport and London Gatwick Airport from the end of March. In response, Ryanair offers “rescue fares” for passengers affected by the suspension.
• Transavia is launching a new route between Amsterdam and Tbilisi, Georgia, starting April 20, operating twice weekly. The airline also moves up the start date for flights to Tirana, Albania, to March 2.
• Breeze Airways confirms daily seasonal flights from Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport to San Diego International, beginning April 30. This adds a second California destination for Rhode Island, with service to Los Angeles returning in May.

These updates highlight the ongoing adjustments and expansions within the airline industry, signaling a continued focus on growth and connectivity in various global markets.