Airline and Airport Weekly News In Brief: Ryanair Adjusts Ops, Aer Europa, United and more

The aviation sector continues to adapt and evolve with new developments in airline routes, network modifications, codeshare partnerships, and interline agreements. Here’s the latest roundup of significant changes across the global airline industry for the week starting February 12, 2024.

February 16, 2024:

• Ryanair Adjusts Operations: In response to Dublin Airport’s imposed traffic cap of 32 million passengers per year, Ryanair has reallocated three aircraft from Dublin to Italian bases. Concurrently, Ryanair announced a new base at Reggio Calabria Airport, its 19th in Italy, with eight new routes to various European cities.
• Porter Airlines Expands Crew Bases: Porter Airlines will introduce three new Embraer E195-E2 crew bases in Canada, significantly increasing its operational crew at Ottawa, Montréal-Trudeau, and Vancouver International Airports. This expansion supports Porter’s summer operations, including new nonstop routes.
• Aer Europa Resumes Seasonal Flights: Seasonal flights to Marrakech and Tunis are set to resume, with Aer Europa operating two weekly flights on each route using Boeing 737 aircraft through the end of October.
• Lynx Air Debuts in Mexico: Lynx Air marks its inaugural flight from Toronto Pearson to Cancún International Airport, offering six weekly flights to accommodate over 2,000 seats in both directions.
• Turkmenistan Airlines Adds Kuala Lumpur Service: The airline has initiated a weekly service from Ashgabat to Kuala Lumpur, with plans to double the frequency by mid-March.
• American Airlines Launches Phoenix-Tijuana Route: A new daily service between Phoenix-Sky Harbor and Tijuana, Mexico, has been introduced, promising significant economic benefits and connectivity.

February 15, 2024:

• United Airlines Seeks Tokyo Haneda Slots: United has requested immediate DOT approval to take over Hawaiian Airlines’ nighttime slots at Tokyo Haneda, aiming to start daily flights from Guam by May 1.
• Funding for City of Derry-London Route: Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister confirms £1 million funding to maintain flights between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow, operated by Loganair.
• Zipair Tokyo Increases Frequencies: The LCC plans to boost services between Tokyo Narita and San José, as well as to Honolulu, enhancing its summer schedule.
• Gulf Air’s Network Expansion: Introducing new destinations Geneva and Rhodes, Gulf Air is also increasing frequencies to several destinations as part of its summer 2024 schedule.

February 14, 2024:

• Frontier Airlines Expands at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International: Announcing nonstop service to six new destinations from May, Frontier Airlines will now connect CVG to a total of 20 destinations.
• Play Launches Reykjavik-Vilnius Route: Icelandic carrier Play will commence a weekly flight to Vilnius from May 25, becoming the sole operator on this route.
• Canada Jetlines Adds New Routes from Halifax: Beginning June, Canada Jetlines will introduce services to Toronto Pearson and Orlando International Airport, enhancing connectivity from Halifax.

February 13, 2024:

• Air Canada Boosts Asia-Pacific Presence: A new thrice-weekly service between Toronto Pearson and Osaka Kansai International Airport is announced, alongside the resumption of Vancouver-Osaka flights.
• Aerus Seeks U.S. Expansion: The Mexican regional carrier has applied to begin operations to four Texas destinations from Monterrey and Tampico, aiming to offer up to 1,200 roundtrip flights annually.
• Alaska Airlines Increases Portland Frequencies: Announcing significant capacity and frequency increases on nine routes from Portland, Oregon, Alaska Airlines continues to strengthen its network.
• LATAM Announces Santiago-Orlando Service: A new seasonal service connecting Santiago, Chile, to Orlando, Florida, will begin in June, offering twice-weekly flights.

February 12, 2024:

• Allegiant Air Unveils New Routes: Announcing 10 new nonstop routes connecting 14 U.S. cities, Allegiant Air expands its domestic network, including services from Los Angeles, McGhee Tyson, and Jacksonville International Airports.
• AirJapan Commences Operations: The LCC starts service between Tokyo Narita and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, with plans to expand to Seoul Incheon and Singapore Changi.
• VietJet Launches Ho Chi Minh City-Chengdu Route: A new daily service connecting Vietnam and China is introduced, expected to enhance trade and tourism between the two countries.
• BA Euroflyer to Connect London Gatwick and Jersey: Starting May 23, the airline will operate up to four weekly flights throughout the summer season, using Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.

This comprehensive update underscores the dynamic nature of the airline industry, with carriers continually adjusting their strategies to optimize networks, explore new markets, and enhance connectivity for passengers worldwide.