We are coming to the end of the January report, and we bring one of the last markets, with the Asia and Oceania update. You can read the previous reports for the United States and Canada, Latin America and Europe by clicking on the links below:
In this edition of Asia and Oceania post we will focus, in particular, on routes. The following are some of the highlights:
- Air India’s first scheduled Airbus A350 flight.
- Cathay confirms its return to Barcelona, Spain.
- Fiji Airways wants to resume operations to Tuvalu.
- Hainan inaugurated a new route to Ho Chi Minh City.
- Qantas will launch its second international connection from Darwin.
- Turkish will start flying to Oceania.
Apart from the routes, there is also a special mention for Air Japan, the new low cost company owned by ANA, which took delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The airline will start flights on February 9th.
Aero K
The carrier will begin services between Cheongju and Manila from February 28th. In line with its website, Aero K plans three weekly flights with 186-seat Airbus A320-200 aircraft.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- RF 551 Cheongju CJJ 22:15 · 01:05+1 MNL Manila
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- RF 552 Manila MNL 02:00 · 06:35 CJJ Cheongju
Manila will be the company’s second destination in the Philippines after Clark, where it operates with the following schedule:
Daily
- RF 521 Cheongju CJJ 13:00 · 15:50 CRK Angeles City Clark
- RF 522 Angeles City Clark CRK 16:50 · 21:30 CJJ Cheongju
Air India
On January 22nd, the airline began scheduled services with its Airbus A350-900. As announced on our networks, the A350, registered as VT-JRA, had arrived in India last December.
At the moment, Air India will operate domestic flights to/from New Delhi, with the first international flights to be planned soon.
These were its first routes:
- AI 589 Bengaluru BLR · BOM Mumbai
- AI 589 Mumbai BOM · MAA Chennai
- AI 589 Chennai MAA · BLR Bengaluru
- AI 587 Bengaluru BLR · MAA Chennai
- 587 Chennai MAA · HYD Hyderabad
- AI 587 Hyderabad HYD · BLR Bengaluru
- AI 868 Bengaluru BLR · DEL New Delhi
- AI 869 New Delhi DEL · BLR Bengaluru
Air India fleet
- Airbus A319-100: 17
- Airbus A320-200: 9
- Airbus A320neo: 36
- Airbus A321-200: 13
- Airbus A321neo: 4
- Airbus A350-900: 1
- Boeing 777-200: 8
- Boeing 777-300(ER): 15
- Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner: 27
Air India Express
Following with Air India, but focusing on its express subsidiary, the company confirmed some new routes that will have with its Boeing 737 MAX 8. Operations will commence between March 31st and April 5th.
- Lucknow (LKO) – Dubai (DXB): March 31st
- Mumbai (BOM) – Dammam (DMM): March 31st
- Goa Dabolim (GOI) – Dubai (DXB): April 1st
- Hyderabad (HYD) – Dammam (DMM): April 1st
- Trivandrum (TRV) – Dubai (DXB): April 2nd
- Cochin (COK) – Dubai (DXB): April 3rd
- Indore (IDR) – Dubai (DXB): April 5th
Air Japan
The Japanese low-cost carrier, owned by All Nippon Airways, took delivery of its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which has the registration JA803A. The aircraft is 11 years old and is ex-ANA.
According to its website, the Boeing 787 has 334 seats configured in economy class. Air Japan will begin service from February 9th with the Tokyo – Bangkok route, and on February 22nd, operations to Seoul from the Japanese capital will be launched.
Air Premia
In accordance with its website, as of August 31st, the South Korean company will increase its flights between Seoul and Los Angeles. Air Premia, which operates with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, currently offers six services per week.
Increases to daily
- YP 101 Seoul ICN 13:30 · 07:20 LAX Los Angeles
- YP 102 Los Angeles LAX 09:50 · 16:10+1 ICN Seoul
With respect to other U.S. destinations, the airline has four weekly flights between Seoul and New York JFK.
Azimuth
The Russian carrier started a new route from Ufa effective January 26th. Flights will be operated with Sukhoi Superjet 100s.
Friday
- A4 4065 Ufa UFA 06:50 · 08:50 TBS Tbilisi
- A4 4066 Tbilisi TBS 09:50 · 13:40 UFA Ufa
Azimuth offers 14 weekly to the capital of Georgia to/from Moscow VKO.
Cathay Pacific
The company will resume scheduled operations between Hong Kong and Barcelona from June 17th. According with its booking site, Cathay will offer three services per week using Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Monday, Thursday and Saturday
- CX 321 Hong Kong HKG 0025 · 08:30 BCN Barcelona
- CX 318 Barcelona BCN 13:00 · 07:05+1 HKG Hong Kong
Cathay’s current destinations in Europe:
- Amsterdam (AMS): 7 weekly · Airbus A350
- Frankfurt (FRA): 5 weekly · Airbus A350
- London (LHR): 24 weekly · A351/77W
- Madrid (MAD): 3 weekly · Airbus A350
- Manchester (MAN): 4 weekly · Airbus A350
- Milan (MXP): 3 weekly · Boeing 777-300(ER)
- Paris (CDG): 6 weekly · Boeing 777-300(ER)
Fiji Airways
As of March 18th, Fiji Airways intends to resume regular flights to Tuvalu. The carrier plans to operate a weekly frequency between Nadi and Funafuti with ATR 72 turboprop planes.
Following its website, this will be the timetable:
Monday
- FJ 289 Nadi NAN 07:45 · 10:20 FUN Funafuti
- FJ 288 Funafuti FUN 11:05 · 13:35 NAN Nadi
FlyArystan
The airline, which originally scheduled to start services between Almaty and Mumbai in November, inaugurated operations on this route last January 4th. FlyArystan will perform two flights a week with 180-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.
Thursday and Saturday
- KC 7857 Almaty ALA 09:15 · 13:35 BOM Mumbai
- KC 7858 Mumbai BOM 14:50 · 19:50 ALA Almaty
Greater Bay Airlines
On January 24th, Greater Bay Airlines increased its operations between Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City. The Hong Kong carrier will serve four weekly on 189-seat Boeing 737-800s.
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
- HB 261 Hong Kong HKG 00:40 · 02:25 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
- HB 262 Ho Chi Minh City SGN 03:25 · 07:10 HKG Hong Kong
Previously, it offered two per week.
Flights of other airlines between these two cities:
Cathay Pacific
Daily
- CX 767 Hong Kong HKG 08:25 · 10:35 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
- CX 766 Ho Chi Minh City SGN 11:35 · 15:20 HKG Hong Kong
Daily
- CX 799 Hong Kong HKG 16:45 · 18:35 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
- CX 764 Ho Chi Minh City SGN 19:35 · 23:15 HKG Hong Kong
VietJet Air
It currently has four per week, but will go to daily on February 1st.
- VJ 876 Ho Chi Minh City SGN 15:10 · 18:50 HKG Hong Kong
- VJ 877 Hong Kong HKG 19:50 · 21:30 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam Airlines
Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
- VN 594 Ho Chi Minh City SGN 10:15 · 14:15 HKG Hong Kong
- VN 595 Hong Kong HKG 15:20 · 17:05 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
Hainan Airlines
The airline launched regular services between Haikou and Ho Chi Minh City last January 15th. Hainan will offer twice-weekly flights with 164-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft in two classes.
Monday and Thursday
- HU 767 Haikou HAK 00:35 · 01:40 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
- HU 768 Ho Chi Minh City SGN 02:45 · 05:55 HAK Haikou
Haikou is Hainan Airlines’ only destination in the Vietnamese city.
Jetstar
The company announced it will increase its flights on three routes between Australia and Asia starting next June. Singapore and Thailand will be the markets with developments:
- Melbourne (MEL) – Bangkok (BKK): from 3 to 5 weekly · June 21st
- Melbourne (MEL) – Phuket (HKT): from 3 to 5 weekly · June 22nd
- Melbourne (MEL) – Singapore (SIN): from 6 to 7 weekly · June 25th
Juneyao
From February 2nd, Juneyao Airlines plans to commence operations between Shanghai and Vladivostok, Russia. In accordance to its website, the Chinese carrier will fly twice a week with Airbus A320-200s.
Tuesday and Friday
- HO 1349 Shanghai PVG 22:20 · 03:25+1 VVO Vladivostok
Wednesday and Saturday
- HO 1350 Vladivostok VVO 04:25 · 06:05 PVG Shanghai
Qantas
The company announced that it will add a second international destination from/to Darwin as of December 9th.
Qantas will have five weekly services to Singapore with Embraer 190 aircraft.
Daily except Tuesday and Thursday
- QF 353 Darwin DRW 18:05 · 21:25 SIN Singapore
- QF 354 Singapore SIN 22:25 · 04:45+1 DRW Darwin
At present, Dili in Timor Leste is Qantas’ only international destination from Darwin, where it operates one service per day.
Royal Brunei
Beginning March 31st, the carrier will expand its flights to Malaysia from Bandar Seri Begawan, the country’s capital. The schedule will be as follows:
- Kota Kinabalu (BKI): from 7 to 8 weekly · Airbus A320neo
- Kuala Lumpur (KUL): from 9 to 10 weekly · Airbus A320neo
The airline also operates in Malaysia to Kuching, four times a week with the same airplanes.
Sichuan Airlines
Sichuan, which operated three flights a week between Chongqing and Phuket, increased its frequency on January 18th. The company will have a daily service on this route with Airbus A320 aircraft.
Daily
- 3U 3705 Chongqing CKG 15:25 · 18:35 HKT Phuket
- 3U 3706 Phuket HKT 19:35 · 00:15+1 CKG Chongqing
Thai AirAsia
Starting February 2nd, the airline will inaugurate operations between Bangkok Don Mueang and Shanghai Pu Dong airports. Thai AirAsia will perform five weekly on Airbus A320-200s with 186 single-class seats.
Daily except Tuesday and Thursday
- FD 470 Bangkok DMK 21:25 · 02:45+1 PVG Shanghai
Daily except Wednesday and Friday
- FD 471 Shanghai PVG 03:45 · 07:20 DMK Bangkok
Turkish Airlines
The company announced the inauguration of flights to Melbourne effective March 15th. Turkish will operate services to/from Istanbul with a stopover in Singapore using the 300-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Melbourne will be the 346th destination in the Turkish Airlines network, and Australia will become the 130th country with operations, reaching six continents with its services.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- TK 168 Istanbul IST 17:30 · 08:50+1 SIN Singapore
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- TK 168 Singapore SIN 10:20 · 20:40 MEL Melbourne
- TK 169 Melbourne MEL 22:30 · 03:00+1 SIN Singapore
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
- TK 169 Singapore SIN 04:30 · 11:15 IST Istanbul
VietJet
The Vietnamese ultra low cost carrier will boost flight frequency between Da Nang and Hong Kong on February 3rd. VietJet currently offers four operations a week with the 222-seat Airbus A321 jets.
According to its site, the company will increase to seven weekly.
Daily
- VJ 966 Da Nang DAD 17:30 · 20:15 HKG Hong Kong
- VJ 967 Hong Kong HKG 21:15 · 22:05 DAD Da Nang
VietJet destinations to/from Da Nang
Hong Kong
- Hong Kong (HKG): 4 to 7 · Airbus A321
Singapore
- Singapore Changi (SIN): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
South Korea
- Busan (PUS): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
- Daegu (TAE): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
- Seoul (ICN): 21 weekly · Airbus A321
Vietnam
- Can Tho (VCA): 4 weekly · Airbus A320
- Haiphong (HPH): 4 weekly · Airbus A321
- Hanoi (HAN): 35 weekly · A320/A321
- Ho Chi Minh City (SGN): 48 weekly · A320/A321
Xiamen Airlines
The airline plans to duplicate its flights between Xiamen and Singapore as of February 1st. Xiamen, that currently has two daily operations on this route, increased to three a day on January 27th and will reach 4 in February.
Daily
- MF 851 Xiamen XMN 09:25 · 14:05 SIN Singapore
- MF 852 Singapore SIN 15:45 · 20:10 XMN Xiamen
Daily
- MF 885 Xiamen XMN 17:30 · 22:15 SIN Singapore
- MF 886 Singapore SIN 08:55 · 14:05 XMN Xiamen
Eff Jan 27th · Daily
- MF 859 Xiamen XMN 22:00 · 02:25+1 SIN Singapore
- MF 860 Singapore SIN 03:25 · 07:35 XMN Xiamen
Eff Feb 1st · Daily
- MF 873 Xiamen XMN 23:10 · 03:45+1 SIN Singapore
- MF 874 Singapore SIN 04:45 · 08:50 XMN Xiamen
Aircraft used
- MF 851/852: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
- MF 885/886, 859/860, 873/874: Boeing 737-800
Cover photo: MelbourneYang – JetPhotos (Melbourne).
The post Asia and Oceania route updates – January 2024 appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.