Melbourne Airport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tag/melbourne-airport/ Informing, connecting and developing the world’s travel industry professionals. Thu, 26 Jan 2023 07:48:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Emirates adds two more Australia services as demand soars https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/emirates-adds-two-more-australia-services-as-demand-soars/ Thu, 26 Jan 2023 04:02:53 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=766653 The post Emirates adds two more Australia services as demand soars appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Emirates has taken yet another significant step in the resumption of its Australia capacity by increasing its service to two major cities – Sydney and Melbourne.

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Emirates has taken yet another significant step in the resumption of its Australia capacity by increasing its service to two major cities – Sydney and Melbourne. The airline will also restart services to Christchurch, New Zealand via Sydney, offering a new path for Australians across the trans-Tasman route.

From 26 March, Melbourne will increase from two to three daily services between Emirates’ Dubai hub via Singapore, with a third direct service to also begin to Sydney from 1 May. The service increase follows the airline’s recent announcement around double daily flights to Brisbane, starting from 1 June. The huge boost comes amidst another busy period for air travel and as the airline continues to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to growing its services to and from Australia. The two services will operate on a three-class Boeing-777 300ER offering passengers Economy, Business and First Class seats.

By mid-year, Emirates will be operating 63 weekly services to Australia with the capacity to transport more than 55,000 passengers per week to and from its major cities. Melbourne and Sydney will be restored to flying at pre-pandemic levels, a significant milestone in the airline’s reinstatement of Australia services. The uplift in capacity supports the revival of tourism by providing travellers with even more access to and from Australia, as well as bolstering trade and business opportunities with the large 22-tonne freight capacity offered by the Boeing 777-300ER.

The newly restored third Dubai-Melbourne service means Emirates is providing a new connectivity option between Singapore and Melbourne to serve strong demand between both cities, as well as offering customers its signature, differentiated product and service experience. The Christchurch service via Sydney, beginning 26 March, will offer the only opportunity for passengers between the two cities to fly on an A380, Emirates’ flagship aircraft.

Adnan Kazim, chief commercial officer Emirates Airline, said: “Adding a third daily service to Sydney and Melbourne will offer over 500,000 additional seats to and from Australia in a year. To have the two cities operating back at pre-pandemic frequencies is a phenomenal milestone in our restoration of Australia capacity and testament to our longstanding commitment to flying down under.

“For over 25 years we have provided services for Australia since our first flight to Melbourne in 1996. During this time, we have proudly transported over 40 million passengers and continued flying to Australia during the pandemic. We continue to record significant demand for our services, so we’re dedicated to offering Australians and travellers more options to travel, including the likes of our new Premium Economy cabin with Australia being one of the first markets to be offered this class.”

Melbourne Airport CEO, Lorie Argus, says:  “We’re thrilled that Emirates is enhancing its commitment to Melbourne. The resumption of the Melbourne to Singapore route means Emirates will operate three daily flights from Melbourne, returning to pre-Covid levels of capacity.

“It’s great news for customers as it provides extra capacity for the strong demand we’re seeing for travel from Melbourne to Europe and Asia. It’s also great news for Victorian exporters, with the Boeing 777-300 aircraft providing additional freight opportunities into Asia and the Middle East.”

Sydney Airport CEO, Geoff Culbert, says: “We welcome this additional capacity on the Sydney to Dubai route, which will also give passengers access to Emirates’ extensive global network. “These extra flights are another important step towards Australia’s international aviation recovery, providing much needed additional capacity to meet the high demand for travel. It is great to see that both visitors and Australians will have more choice available in time for the start of the European summer and the NSW winter school holidays.

“We are also pleased to see the A380 return on the trans-Tasman after a three-year hiatus, adding extra seats to meet the strong appetite for travel between Sydney and New Zealand.”

Emirates’ reinstated services
Sydney – Dubai: third daily non-stop service

From 1 May 2023, Emirates will add a third daily flight between Dubai and Sydney, served by a Boeing 777-300ER. Emirates flight EK416 will depart Dubai at 2130hrs, arriving in Sydney at 1720hrs the next day. The return flight EK417, will depart Sydney at 2010hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0430hrs. The airline currently serves Sydney with double daily A380 flights, and both services offer the airline’s highly acclaimed Premium Economy experience for customers.

Melbourne – Dubai: third daily service via Singapore

Emirates continues to build on its long-term commitment to stimulating tourism and trade in Victoria with the addition of a third daily flight to Melbourne via Singapore, starting 26 March 2023. The third flight will operate as EK404 using a Boeing 777-300ER and will depart Dubai at 2115hrs, arriving in Singapore at 0850hrs. The flight will then continue on to Melbourne taking off at 1025hrs from Singapore, arriving at 2035hrs local time. The return service to Dubai EK405 takes off from Melbourne at 0325hrs, arriving in Singapore at 0815hrs. The flight will then take off for Dubai at 0940hrs, arriving at 1300hrs local time.

Restart of Christchurch via Sydney

Emirates will restart services to Christchurch via Sydney from 26 March 2023, and the A380 flight will operate as EK412 an EK413. Emirates flight EK412 departs Dubai at 1015hrs, arriving in Sydney at 0700hrs. The flight will then continue, taking off from Sydney at 0845hrs, arriving in Christchurch at 1350hrs. EK413 will then depart Christchurch at 1820hrs, arriving in Sydney at 1940hrs. The final leg of EK413 will depart to Dubai at 2145hrs, arriving at 0515hrs local time. Customers in Christchurch will not only be able to enjoy the airline’s flagship aircraft, but will also have double the opportunity to experience the debut of the highly sought-after Premium Economy cabin and latest products across every class of travel.

Emirates has been serving Australia for more than 25 years, progressively growing its services to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and other destinations via its Dubai hub since 1996. The airline takes tremendous pride in enhancing travel options for customers travelling to and from Australia, strengthening the global reach of local businesses through its expansive network, and benefiting thriving travel and tourism industries by drawing in visitors. The airline also currently operates a daily A380 service to Perth.

 

 

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AirAsia X resumes operations to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airasia-x-resumes-operations-to-melbourne/ Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:02:41 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=740268 The post AirAsia X resumes operations to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

AirAsia X (AAX) celebrated its resumption of services to Melbourne, as one of its first key destinations to return to post-pandemic.

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AirAsia X (AAX) celebrated its resumption of services to Melbourne, as one of its first key destinations to return to post-pandemic. The inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne touched down at 6.25am and departed from Melbourne at 7.40am. With strong passenger loads on both flights, the new services signal a sharp rebound in demand for low cost mid range air travel, delivering a welcome boost to both Australian and Malaysian tourism.

Pre-pandemic, AAX contributed 45% of the market share for flights between Australia and Malaysia with up to 92 flights weekly to four destinations. Following the recent return to Sydney and with the resumption of services to Melbourne and Perth this week, AAX will reconnect a total of 24 flights weekly to three key destinations in Australia. AAX also plans to recover over 50% against its pre-pandemic flight frequency to Australia by the third quarter of 2023.

The return to Melbourne, with a balanced inbound/outbound traffic flow, allows AAX to review adding more services to meet a strong forecast growth in low cost travel demand. Moreover, AAX is looking forward to leveraging its operations at Australia’s core domestic cargo hubs including in Melbourne, to provide additional revenue streams.

The celebration of the inaugural flight and the return of AAX operations at Melbourne Airport was announced at a press conference hosted by Tunku Dato’ Mahmood Fawzy, Chairman of AirAsia X; Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AirAsia X; Lorie Argus, CEO of Melbourne Airport; and Brendan McClements, CEO of Visit Victoria. The event was also attended by the Consulate General of Malaysia in Melbourne, representatives of the Victorian Government and other key industry dignitaries.

Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AAX said: “Australia was our very first destination to fly to, back in November 2007 when we commenced operations. It has always been one of our core destinations with strong demand for two way travel which is historically proven.

“Our recently resumed Sydney services are already proving very popular and we are thrilled to now return to Melbourne as one of our top priority markets to return to first post-Covid alongside two more services down under commencing this week to Auckland and Perth, thanks to popular demand.

“Until March 2020, we have carried 12.7 million guests between Malaysia and Australia with almost four million guests arriving in Melbourne alone. We are also pleased to continue working with our key airport and industry partners to contribute to the millions of passengers that walk through Melbourne Airport’s doors each month.

“With today’s announcement, Asian travellers will benefit from more value and choice with convenient and affordable access to Australia. At the same time, Australians will have access to 130 destinations on the AirAsia route map, with many low-fare connecting services through to popular destinations on our short haul and long haul network group of airlines such as Thailand, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and more.

“Today our commitment to our guests in Asia Pacific does not end here, as we also celebrate the resumption of services from Sydney to Auckland and Kuala Lumpur to Perth also recommencing this week. We have seen tremendous forward booking trends for all of our routes to and from Australia and New Zealand and we will continue our focus to leverage this positive momentum by adding more services and frequencies in line with consumer demand in the future.”

Lorie Argus, CEO of Melbourne Airport said: “We are thrilled to welcome AirAsia X back to the Melbourne Airport family today. “Malaysia is an important market for Victoria for business, leisure and education travel. We know that our customers are happy to have the airline back here, offering even more choices for getting to Asia and beyond and driving competition.”

AAX also celebrates the recommencement of services from Kuala Lumpur, to Auckland, New Zealand via Sydney which touches down today at 17:20 local NZ time, and will welcome the inaugural flight from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur today at klia2 which arrives at 3:35 local time.

In celebration of the new services to Melbourne and Auckland today, AAX is offering great value all-in* fares on sale today until 6 November 2022 for the travel period between 1 January and 28 October 2023. Fly from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur from AUD349 all-in one-way for economy or AUD2,099 one way for a Premium Flatbed. Guests flying from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur via Sydney can also enjoy fares from NZD429 all-in one-way for economy or NZD2,299 one way for a Premium Flatbed.

AAX is also painting the three cities red in Australia with prominent advertising in all markets this month and key consumer promotions in Sydney (Martin Place, Sydney CBD, 15 November) and Melbourne (Queensbridge Square, Melbourne CBD on 7 November) with exciting activities and giveaways, Malaysian food trucks, and more.

 

 

 

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Melbourne Airport’s international Passengers Rose 5,525% In September https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/melbourne-airports-international-passengers-rose-5525-in-september/ Wed, 26 Oct 2022 02:50:33 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=738490 The post Melbourne Airport’s international Passengers Rose 5,525% In September appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The number of international passengers passing through Melbourne Airport in September 2022 increased by a staggering 5,525 percent over the same month the previous year, when Melbourne was in its last lockdown. With just 10,356 international passengers using Melbourne Airport in September 2021, the airport registered 582,481 passengers in September 2022, its highest monthly international […]

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The number of international passengers passing through Melbourne Airport in September 2022 increased by a staggering 5,525 percent over the same month the previous year, when Melbourne was in its last lockdown.

With just 10,356 international passengers using Melbourne Airport in September 2021, the airport registered 582,481 passengers in September 2022, its highest monthly international passenger numbers since the pandemic.

An estimated 1,898,333 domestic passengers were processed through Melbourne Airport’s terminals, including the recently integrated T3/T4 terminals, during the week of the AFL Grand Final due to the increase in demand for domestic travel due to the school holiday.

Despite rising demand, September 2019 had a decline of 13% in domestic passengers and 38% in international passengers compared to September 2019.

This indicates the total number of vacant seats, with domestic capacity at 84% of September 2019 levels and international capacity at 60% of the same levels.

As more airlines make a comeback and others add new routes, Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus anticipates an increase in passenger numbers.

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Thai AirAsia X to fly direct Thailand – Australia from December https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/thai-airasia-x-to-fly-direct-thailand-australia-from-december/ Wed, 31 Aug 2022 11:05:27 +0000 https://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=718022 The post Thai AirAsia X to fly direct Thailand – Australia from December appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Thai AirAsia X will fly from Bangkok to both Melbourne and Sydney, beginning December 1 and 2 this year, respectively.

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Thai AirAsia X  will fly from Bangkok to both Melbourne and Sydney, beginning December 1 and 2 this year, respectively. The Bangkok to Sydney route will fly four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The Bangkok to Melbourne route will fly thrice a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Both scheduled to be operated on the airline’s all-Airbus A330 fleet.

Acting CEO of Thai AirAsia X  expressed: “Thailand and Australia have maintained strong relations for over 70 years, and Australia is among the top three educational destinations for Thai students as well as a leading travel destination for Thai tourists.”

“Both Thailand and Australia have strong characteristics that mutually attract travellers from both sides of the hemisphere. Bangkok is a one stop shop for nightlife, culture, shopping and local Thai cuisine for international travellers. Not only that but it’s a key transit hub for Australian travellers.”

Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Thai AirAsia X to the Melbourne Airport family. Thailand is a favourite destination of Australians, and we expect these new direct services will be popular, particularly among leisure travellers keen to get back to Southeast Asia to experience the country’s incredible food, beaches and culture”

“This new route will also drive tourism into Victoria and support a growing Thai international student market. Prior to the pandemic, Thailand was one of the state’s top 10 international student source markets and an important part of our economy. This new route will also drive tourism into Victoria and support a growing Thai international student market. Prior to the pandemic, Thailand was one of the state’s top 10 international student source markets and an important part of our economy.”

 

 

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SIA “step-up frequency” of Singapore-Canberra-Wellington services https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/sia-melbourne-wellington-services/ Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:18:08 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=458328 The post SIA “step-up frequency” of Singapore-Canberra-Wellington services appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Singapore Airlines were the first airline to run a regular service from Singapore to Canberra and Wellington, when it established the route in September 2016, but the success of ‘Capital Express’ route means it's time for an upgrade.

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Singapore Airlines was the first airline to run a regular service from Singapore to Canberra and Wellington, when it established the route in September 2016, but the success of the ‘Capital Express’ route means it’s time for an upgrade.

Pushing the service to a more frequent operation is all part of the airlines restructuring of the current Singapore-Canberra-Wellington services, where the Canberra-Wellington flights will be de-linked and Canberra served on a daily basis.

In its place, Singapore Airlines will be operating services to Wellington via Melbourne (Singapore-Melbourne-Wellington, while services to Canberra will operate via Sydney (Singapore-Sydney-Canberra-Singapore).

This restructure has been driven by the recent upsurge in traffic between the two capital cities, according to Tan Kai Ping (below), SIA’s senior vice president of marketing and planning, who said.

“We have seen growth in international travel into and from both Canberra and Wellington since the launch of our new services in 2016. These new routings will allow us to serve Canberra and Wellington better, and provide Canberra with a step-up in frequency.”

The connection will be operated four times per week, as SQ247 starting 3 May 2018. Return services will be operated as SQ248 on a Wellington-Melbourne-Singapore routing, subject to regulatory approvals. Tickets will be made available for sale progressively through the various distribution channels.

Another addition to Singapore Airlines’ coverage in May will see the launch of a daily service from Singapore to Canberra, via Sydney, operating as SQ288 on the Singapore-Sydney-Canberra routing. The service will be also operate as SQ288 on the return Canberra-Singapore routing.

The Airline will operate services to Canberra via Sydney using its 264-seat Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with four First Class seats, 48 Business Class seats, 28 Premium Economy Class seats and 184 Economy Class seats.

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Zhengzhou gets first Australian connection https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/zhengzhou-gets-first-australian-connection/ Wed, 23 Aug 2017 05:38:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=400428 The post Zhengzhou gets first Australian connection appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province, will get its first direct connection to Australia later this year. Jetstar has announced plans to start flying direct to the city from Melbourne in December 2017, with twice weekly flights. The service, which will be operated by a twin-aisle Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, is expected to […]

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Jetstar reveals its latest route into China
Jetstar reveals its latest route into China

Zhengzhou, the capital of central China’s Henan province, will get its first direct connection to Australia later this year.

Jetstar has announced plans to start flying direct to the city from Melbourne in December 2017, with twice weekly flights. The service, which will be operated by a twin-aisle Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, is expected to bring 35,000 Chinese travellers to Australia each year.

“We expect our low-fares will further stimulate inbound tourism from China to Australia,” said Jetstar’s group CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka. “China already accounts for the largest source of tourism in Victoria, and by 2020 it’s predicted that China will overtake New Zealand to be Australia’s largest tourism market.

“We know that Chinese travellers generally visit two or three cities when they visit Australia so we expect this will boost tourism to other parts of Australia.”

John Eren, Victoria’s Minister for Tourism & Major Events, commented; “More direct flights to China means more visitors and greater business and trade opportunities for Victorians. To land Jetstar’s new direct service to Zhengzhou is another major coup.”

Zhengzhou provides a major potential source of visitors to Australia. The city itself is home to more than 10 million people and Henan province is one of the most populous regions in China, with around 100 million people – approximately the same as Thailand and Malaysia combined.

Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou

Jetstar’s Dreamliner can accommodate 335 passengers in two classes, meaning that the airline will offer 670 seats in each direction every week. Jetstar is partnering with China Comfort Travel on the Melbourne-Zhengzhou service, with the travel agency being tasked with selling flights and packages directly to Chinese travellers.

“The opening of the new route from Zhengzhou to Melbourne, which is the first non-stop intercontinental passenger route to Australia in Henan province, builds a direct bridge between the two cities. It will significantly promote the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Australia,” said Jun Yan, general manager of Australia Comfort, a subsidiary of China Comfort Travel.

This isn’t Jetstar’s first foray into central China, however; the Australian low-cost carrier previously operated a similar “scheduled charter” service between the Gold Coast and Wuhan.

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Jetstar reveals its latest route into China Zhengzhou Zhengzhou
Qatar Airways flies A380 to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qatar-airways-flies-a380-melbourne/ Mon, 03 Jul 2017 03:36:41 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=252700 The post Qatar Airways flies A380 to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qatar Airways has started flying its largest aircraft, the Airbus A380, to Melbourne. The double-decker aircraft was introduced to the Australian city for the first time on 1 July 2017, increasing Qatar Airways’ daily capacity on the route by 44%. The A380 features 517 seats in three cabins – eight in first class, 48 in […]

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Qatar Airways has started flying its largest aircraft, the Airbus A380, to Melbourne.

The double-decker aircraft was introduced to the Australian city for the first time on 1 July 2017, increasing Qatar Airways’ daily capacity on the route by 44%.

The A380 features 517 seats in three cabins – eight in first class, 48 in business class and 461 in economy. There is also an onboard lounge for premium passengers and in-flight Wi-Fi.

The A380 flights will now depart Doha’s Hamad International Airport every day at 2010 and arrive in Melbourne at 1905 the next day. The return service will then take off from Melbourne at 2140 and land back in Doha at 0525 the following morning.

With the launch of A380 flights to Melbourne, Qatar Airways passengers can now travel all the way from the Australian city to London and Paris, via Doha, aboard the A380.

Melbourne is one of four Australian destinations for Qatar Airways, along with Perth, Sydney and Adelaide. The carrier’s Gulf rivals, Emirates and Etihad, also currently fly their A380s to Melbourne.

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Melbourne Airport unveils T4 upgrade https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/melbourne-airport-unveils-t4-upgrade/ Wed, 14 Jun 2017 04:41:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251933 The post Melbourne Airport unveils T4 upgrade appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Melbourne Airport has revealed its new-look Terminal 4 to travellers flying on Tigerair. The enhancements made to the end of the terminal’s Pier F have almost doubled the available space to 2,000m² – an area equivalent to two Olympic-size swimming pools. Other upgrades include more seating, additional toilet facilities, lift access and improved wayfinding. “At […]

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Freya Appleford, Tigerair's 24 millionth passenger, is presented with a travel voucher
Freya Appleford, Tigerair’s 24 millionth passenger, is presented with a travel voucher

Melbourne Airport has revealed its new-look Terminal 4 to travellers flying on Tigerair.

The enhancements made to the end of the terminal’s Pier F have almost doubled the available space to 2,000m² – an area equivalent to two Olympic-size swimming pools. Other upgrades include more seating, additional toilet facilities, lift access and improved wayfinding.

“At Melbourne Airport we are continuing to exceed the industry’s growth expectations and are on target for annual passenger numbers to reach 60 million by 2033. In the past 12 months alone, more than 10 million passengers travelled through Terminal 4, making it a very busy domestic hub,” said Melbourne Airport’s chief of aviation, Simon Gandy.

“In the coming months we look forward to unveiling a number of other significant infrastructure upgrades including an eighth baggage carousel in our international terminal and our new T2 luxury precinct.”

The new T4 will initially cater to Tigerair Australia’s passengers, and the low-cost carrier’s head of communications, Vanessa Regan, called the terminal upgrade a “huge step change” which “supports future planned growth of Tigerair”.

“Terminal 4 offers a significantly enhanced and seamless customer experience at our busiest port. Our customers are telling us they love these new state-of-the-art facilities here at Terminal 4 and that’s important given Tigerair is an airline that evolves based on consumer demand,” Ms Regan said.

Meanwhile, Tigerair has also celebrated carrying its 24 millionth passenger. Freya Appleford was presented with a AU$500 (US$375) travel voucher at Melbourne Airport T4 by Vanessa Regan.

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IMG_2896 Freya Appleford, Tigerair's 24 millionth passenger, is presented with a travel voucher
Jetstar’s Dreamliner takes off to Vietnam https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jetstars-dreamliner-takes-off-to-vietnam/ Thu, 08 Jun 2017 04:43:41 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251702 The post Jetstar’s Dreamliner takes off to Vietnam appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Australia’s Jetstar Airways has launched its first flights to Vietnam, using its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The inaugural service departed this week and Jetstar will now operate direct daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City – four times a week from Sydney and three times a week from Melbourne. “Vietnam is one of the […]

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Jetstar's 335-seat Boeing 787 aircraft will operate the flights
Jetstar’s 335-seat Boeing 787 aircraft will operate the flights

Australia’s Jetstar Airways has launched its first flights to Vietnam, using its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet.

The inaugural service departed this week and Jetstar will now operate direct daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City – four times a week from Sydney and three times a week from Melbourne.

“Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing holiday destinations in Southeast Asia, and until now has been the largest country in the region without a low-cost direct link to Australia,” said Jetstar’s CEO for Australia & New Zealand, Dean Salter.

“There is enormous potential for Vietnam to become one of the most popular destinations for Australian travellers thanks to its wonderful year-round climate and great beaches, food and culture.

“We are already the biggest Australian carrier operating into Bali, Phuket and Hawaii – Vietnam is the next step in expanding our international network for budget conscious travellers,” he added.

From Ho Chi Minh City, Australian travellers can connect to 15 other destinations within Vietnam on Jetstar Pacific, Qantas’ part-owned Vietnamese subsidiary.

The new routes will be operated by Jetstar’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, with a capacity of 335 passengers in two classes. Qantas will codeshare on the flights.

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Jetstar 787 Jetstar's 335-seat Boeing 787 aircraft will operate the flights
Asian air route updates from AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Air Astana and more https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-from-airasia-bangkok-airways-and-more/ Wed, 07 Jun 2017 07:31:11 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251660 The post Asian air route updates from AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Air Astana and more appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

AirAsia launches Borneo’s new intra-island route Where? Kuching (Malaysia) to Pontianak (Indonesia) When? Daily, effective immediately Who? AirAsia Why? Low-cost carrier expands intra-island connectivity in Borneo, with new cross-border link between Malaysia and Indonesia Anything else? Pontianak is known as the “Equatorial City” as it is positioned exactly on the Equator. Air China expands European […]

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Photo 1AirAsia launches Borneo’s new intra-island route

Where? Kuching (Malaysia) to Pontianak (Indonesia)
When? Daily, effective immediately
Who? AirAsia
Why? Low-cost carrier expands intra-island connectivity in Borneo, with new cross-border link between Malaysia and Indonesia
Anything else? Pontianak is known as the “Equatorial City” as it is positioned exactly on the Equator.

Air ChinaAir China expands European network

Where? Beijing (China) to Zurich (Switzerland)
When? Four times a week, effective immediately
Who? Air China
Why? Chinese national carrier continues to expand long-haul network with new link to European financial hub
Anything else? Air China operates more flights between China and Europe than any other airline, with almost 300 weekly departures

Air AstanaAir Astana goes international from Uralsk

Where? Uralsk (Kazakhstan) to Frankfurt (Germany)
When? Once a week, effective 14 June 2017
Who? Air Astana
Why? Kazakhstan’s national carrier aims to boost connectivity in the west of the country, which has strong mineral and agriculture sectors
Anything else? This will be the first direct connection between Uralsk and Western Europe

shutterstock_342873575Capital connection for World Expo

Where? Astana (Kazakhstan) to Delhi (India)
When? Three times a week, effective 2 July 2017
Who? Air Astana
Why? Kazakhstan’s national carrier expands international links from the country’s capital, Astana, as it hosts the World Expo
Anything else? Air Astana already flies direct to Delhi from Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty

Spring AirlinesLow-cost Spring resumes Bangkok route

Where? Nanchang (China) to Bangkok (Thailand)
When? Four times a week, effective 2 July 2017
Who? Spring Airlines
Why? Chinese low-cost carrier continues to tap huge outbound demand for breaks in Thailand, resuming a previously suspended service
Anything else? Spring now connects 19 Chinese cities with Bangkok, either direct or as part of one-stop routes

Hong KongVirgin Australia starts flying to Hong Kong

Where? Melbourne (Australia) to Hong Kong
When? Five times a week, effective 7 July 2017
Who? Virgin Australia
Why? New service forms part of partnership between Virgin Australia and Hong Kong Airlines, with passengers offered codeshare connections in Australia and China
Anything else? Hong Kong Airlines’ parent company, HNA Group, has purchased an equity stake in Virgin Australia

BKK Air fuselageSamui gets connected to Chinese megacity

Where? Koh Samui (Thailand) to Chongqing (China)
When? Three times a week, effective 22 July 2017
Who? Bangkok Airways
Why? Thai carrier aims to take advantage of the huge Chinese appetite for Thailand’s beaches, with new flights from the megacity of Chongqing
Anything else? Home to more than 40 million people, Chongqing is one of the world’s most populous urban areas

AlitaliaAlitalia plans return to Delhi

Where? Rome (Italy) to Delhi (India)
When? Daily, effective 29 October 2017
Who? Alitalia
Why? Italian national carrier taps demand from fast-growing Indian outbound travel market, whilst also taking advantage of partnership with Jet Airways
Anything else? Alitalia previously flew between Milan and Delhi in 2008, but has not connected the Indian capital with Rome since the mid-1990s

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Photo 1 Air China Air Astana shutterstock_342873575 Spring Airlines Hong Kong BKK Air fuselage Alitalia
Asian air route updates: including Singapore Airlines’ latest European connection… https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-including-singapore-airlines-latest-european-connection/ Mon, 05 Jun 2017 06:45:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251522 The post Asian air route updates: including Singapore Airlines’ latest European connection… appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

SIA expands A350 network in Europe Where? Singapore to Stockholm (Sweden) When? Five times a week, effective immediately Who? Singapore Airlines Why? SIA continues to utilise its new fleet of Airbus A350s (pictured) to expand its long-haul network Anything else? The new Stockholm service will operate via Moscow and as part of a joint venture […]

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SIA A350SIA expands A350 network in Europe

Where? Singapore to Stockholm (Sweden)
When? Five times a week, effective immediately
Who? Singapore Airlines
Why? SIA continues to utilise its new fleet of Airbus A350s (pictured) to expand its long-haul network
Anything else? The new Stockholm service will operate via Moscow and as part of a joint venture with SAS

DanangAnother Korean connection for Danang

Where? Seoul Incheon (South Korea) to Danang, pictured (Vietnam)
When? Daily, effective 14 June 2017 (rising to three times a day in peak period)
Who? Eastar Jet
Why? South Korean carriers continue to tap the rising demand for travel to Vietnam
Anything else? Seoul is the most well-connected international destination from Danang, with eight airlines operating the route

TigerairTigerair takes off to northern Queensland

Where? Melbourne to Townsville (both Australia)
When? Four times a week, effective 22 June 2017
Who? Tigerair Australia
Why? Low-cost carrier adds new connection from its main Melbourne base to northern Queensland
Anything else? If you tried driving overland between Melbourne and Townsville the journey would take about 28 hours

BruneiBrunei to get new direct link to China

Where? Kunming (China) to Bandar Seri Begawan, pictured (Brunei)
When? Twice a week, effective 8 July 2017
Who? Lucky Air
Why? The Chinese carrier expands its Southeast Asian connections, creating the first link between southwest China and Brunei
Anything else? No Chinese carrier currently serves Brunei, but Royal Brunei Airlines flies to Shanghai and Zhengzhou

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SIA A350 Danang Tigerair Brunei
Asian air route updates: new flights from JAL, Air Astana, China Southern and more… https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-new-flights-from-jal-air-astana-china-southern-and-more/ Thu, 01 Jun 2017 08:55:10 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251336 The post Asian air route updates: new flights from JAL, Air Astana, China Southern and more… appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Southern adds Shenzhen’s first link to Melbourne Where? Shenzhen (China) to Melbourne (Australia) When? Twice a week, effective immediately (rising to three times a week on 3 July 2017) Who? China Southern Airlines Why? Further expanding China Southern’s international network from Shenzhen, and tapping demand for travel to and from the Pearl River Delta […]

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CSAChina Southern adds Shenzhen’s first link to Melbourne

Where? Shenzhen (China) to Melbourne (Australia)
When? Twice a week, effective immediately (rising to three times a week on 3 July 2017)
Who? China Southern Airlines
Why? Further expanding China Southern’s international network from Shenzhen, and tapping demand for travel to and from the Pearl River Delta
Anything else? Air China is also expected to launch Shenzhen-Melbourne flights later this summer

AstanaAir Astana resumes Kiev flights

Where? Astana, pictured (Kazakhstan) to Kiev (Ukraine)
When? Five times a week, effective immediately
Who? Air Astana
Why? Resuming a route that was suspended in 2014 to take advantage of rising traffic during the World Expo in Astana
Anything else? Passengers on the route will be offered free tickets to the World Expo, which runs from June to September 2017

TigerairTigerair launches longest Australian route

Where? Perth to Brisbane (both Australia)
When? Four times a week, effective immediately (rising to six times a week in peak seasons)
Who? Tigerair Australia
Why? Creating a new low-cost trans-continental connection between two of Australia’s largest cities
Anything else? At more than 3,600km, Perth-Brisbane is one of the longest domestic routes in Australia

Thai LionThai Lion takes off to Taiwan

Where? Bangkok Don Mueang (Thailand) to Taipei (Taiwan)
When? Daily, effective 1 August 2017
Who? Thai Lion Air
Why? Low-cost carrier further expands international links with launch of first ever route to Taiwan
Anything else? Having started operating as recently as December 2013,  Thai Lion now operates scheduled flights to 22 destinations in six countries

JALJAL spreads wings to Australia

Where? Tokyo Narita (Japan) to Melbourne (Australia)
When? Daily, effective 1 September 2017
Who? Japan Airlines
Why? Rising demand for travel between Australia and Asia, and especially to and from Melbourne
Anything else? Despite being a wide-bodied, twin-aisle aircraft, JAL’s Boeing 787-8s (which will serve Melbourne) feature fewer than 200 seats

Tel AvivHainan Airlines to launch new Israeli flight

Where? Shanghai Pudong (China) to Tel Aviv, pictured (Tel Aviv)
When? Three times a week, effective 12 September 2017
Who? Hainan Airlines
Why? Continuing the expansion of Beijing-based Hainan Airlines’ international network from Shanghai
Anything else? The Chinese carrier will serve Tel Aviv using its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft

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CSA Astana Tigerair Thai Lion JAL Tel Aviv
Asian air route updates: new flights from AirAsia X, SriLankan, SilkAir and more… https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-new-flights-from-airasia-x-srilankan-silkair-and-more/ Tue, 30 May 2017 04:45:46 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=251204 The post Asian air route updates: new flights from AirAsia X, SriLankan, SilkAir and more… appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Thai Lion links Bangkok with Bali Where? Bangkok Don Mueang (Thailand) to Denpasar (Indonesia) When? Daily, effective 1 July 2017 Who? Thai Lion Air Why? Connecting two of Southeast Asia’s most popular tourism destinations, Bangkok and Bali Anything else? According to the latest MasterCard Destination Index, Bangkok and Bali will handle a combined total of […]

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TLAThai Lion links Bangkok with Bali

Where? Bangkok Don Mueang (Thailand) to Denpasar (Indonesia)
When? Daily, effective 1 July 2017
Who? Thai Lion Air
Why? Connecting two of Southeast Asia’s most popular tourism destinations, Bangkok and Bali
Anything else? According to the latest MasterCard Destination Index, Bangkok and Bali will handle a combined total of 150 million international visitor room nights in 2017

BaliAirAsia adds another KL-Bali service

Where? Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to Denpasar (Indonesia)
When? Daily, effective 15 July 2017
Who? AirAsia X
Why? Adding more capacity to Bali (pictured) and allowing passengers to connect to the island via AirAsia’s main hub at KLIA2
Anything else? AirAsia X will become the fourth AirAsia subsidiary to serve the KL-Bali route, following AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia X

AI 787 cockpitAir India flies to Scandinavia

Where? Delhi (India) to Stockholm (Sweden)
When? Three times a week, effective 16 August 2017
Who? Air India
Why? Continuing the expansion of Air India’s long-haul network and providing a boost for trade and tourism between India and Scandinavia
Anything else? Air India will serve Stockholm using its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft

CanberraTigerair adds new capital connection

Where? Brisbane to Canberra, pictured (both Australia)
When? Three times a week, effective 14 September 2017
Who? Tigerair Australia
Why? Adding more connections to the Australian capital, Canberra, which is undertaking a major airport expansion project
Anything else? This will become Tigerair’s second service to Canberra, following its existing flight from Melbourne

HNA 787Hainan Airlines returns to Belgium

Where? Shanghai Pudong (China) to Brussels (Belgium)
When? Three times a week, effective 25 October 2017
Who? Hainan Airlines
Why? The resumption of a route previously suspended by Hainan Airlines six years ago
Anything else? The Chinese airline will serve the route using its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft

SriLankanSriLankan spreads wings Down Under

Where? Colombo (Sri Lanka) to Melbourne (Australia)
When? Daily, effective 29 October 2017
Who? SriLankan Airlines
Why? SriLankan returns to Australia for first time since 2001, creating new option for “Kangaroo Route” travellers
Anything else? This will become the only direct connection between Sri Lanka and Australia

SilkAirSilkAir expands Japanese links

Where? Singapore to Hiroshima (Japan)
When? Three times a week, effective 30 October 2017
Who? SilkAir
Why? Further expanding trade and tourism links between Singapore and Japan
Anything else? This will become the only direct connection between Hiroshima and Southeast Asia

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TLA Bali AI 787 cockpit Canberra HNA 787 SriLankan SilkAir The distinctive Silk Air livery, set to be retired following SIA merger
Asian air route updates: new flights from Norwegian, Spring, Air China and more… https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-new-flights-from-norwegian-spring-air-china-and-more/ Tue, 16 May 2017 04:07:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250583 The post Asian air route updates: new flights from Norwegian, Spring, Air China and more… appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Spring adds low-cost link between key Asian cities Where? Shanghai Pudong (China) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) When? Four times a week, effective immediately Who? Spring Airlines Why? China’s largest low-cost carrier expands its international network with a new route connecting two of Asia’s key cities Anything else? Spring becomes the fourth airline operating […]

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Spring AirlinesSpring adds low-cost link between key Asian cities

Where? Shanghai Pudong (China) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
When? Four times a week, effective immediately
Who? Spring Airlines
Why? China’s largest low-cost carrier expands its international network with a new route connecting two of Asia’s key cities
Anything else? Spring becomes the fourth airline operating the route, but the first LCC

Jetstar PacificJetstar Pacific brings Chinese tourists to Nha Trang

Where? Cam Ranh (Vietnam) to Guiyang (China)
When? Three times a week, effective immediately
Who? Jetstar Pacific
Why? Bringing more Chinese tourists to the expanding Vietnamese beach resort of Nha Trang
Anything else? This becomes the airline’s third mainland Chinese route from Cam Ranh, following Wuhan and Changsha

VladivostokNortheastern cities get new direct connection

Where? Harbin (China) to Vladivostok, pictured (Russia)
When? Twice a week, effective 18 May 2017
Who? Sichuan Airlines
Why? Connecting two key economic hubs in northeast Asia, and providing a way for Chinese leisure travellers to access Russia’s casinos
Anything else? Vladivostok was part of China during several dynasties, including the Jin, Yuan and Qing

VientianeSichuan Airlines adds first link to Laos

Where? Kunming (China) to Vientiane, pictured (Laos)
When? Three times a week, effective 30 May 2017
Who? Sichuan Airlines
Why? Serving expanding trade and tourism links between southwest China’s Yunnan province and neighbouring Laos
Anything else? This will be Sichuan Airlines’ first connection to Laos

West AirWest Air connects Chongqing with the Philippines

Where? Chongqing (China) to Cebu (Philippines)
When? Three times a week, effective 2 June 2017
Who? West Air
Why? HNA’s Chongqing-based LCC expands international route map with first flights to the Philippines
Anything else? Chongqing is home to more than 30 million people – approximately the same as Malaysia

Air ChinaAir China flies Down Under from Shenzhen

Where? Shenzhen (China) to Melbourne (Australia)
When? Three times a week, effective 20 June 2017
Who? Air China
Why? Expanding international connectivity from Shenzhen, the Chinese city in the Pearl River Delta
Anything else? From being a small town of 30,000 people in the 1970s, Shenzhen is now one of the largest and wealthiest cities of China.

VietjetVietjet continues to connect key ASEAN cities

Where? Hanoi (Vietnam) to Yangon (Myanmar)
When? Daily, effective 31 August 2017
Who? Vietjet
Why? Fast-growing LCC continues to launch new services between key Southeast Asian cities
Anything else? Vietjet’s new service will make up for the suspension of Emirates’ Hanoi-Yangon flights in June

NAS 787Norwegian gives Singapore a new low-cost link to London

Where? London Gatwick (UK) to Singapore
When? Four times a week, effective 28 September 2017 (rising to five per week)
Who? Norwegian
Why? Fast-expanding LCC continues to develop long-haul network from London Gatwick, its main UK base
Anything else? Norwegian will operate the long-haul route using its 344-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft

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Spring Airlines Jetstar Pacific Vladivostok Vientiane West Air Air China Vietjet NAS 787
Air New Zealand opens new Melbourne lounge https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-new-zealand-opens-new-melbourne-lounge/ Mon, 08 May 2017 04:52:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250236 The post Air New Zealand opens new Melbourne lounge appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air New Zealand opened a new, larger lounge at Melbourne Airport this week. Located on the ground floor of the terminal, the lounge follows the design concept first seen at Air New Zealand’s lounge at Sydney Airport. It offers space for up to 250 passengers in five separate areas, including a self-service food buffet, two […]

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Air New Zealand's new Melbourne Lounge
Air New Zealand’s new Melbourne Lounge

Air New Zealand opened a new, larger lounge at Melbourne Airport this week.

Located on the ground floor of the terminal, the lounge follows the design concept first seen at Air New Zealand’s lounge at Sydney Airport. It offers space for up to 250 passengers in five separate areas, including a self-service food buffet, two self-service drink stations and a coffee area.

The new facility offers 50% more space than Air New Zealand’s previous Melbourne lounge.

“The airline has been investing heavily in the Australian market and promoting its services through its ‘Better Way to Fly’ campaign starring Dave the goose which encourages Australians to travel Air New Zealand to North and South America,” said the airline’s general manager of customer experience, Anita Hawthorne.

“It’s also clear Australians love the Air New Zealand products and services after recently taking out the number one spot in AMR’s 2017 Australia Corporate Reputation Index so we look forward to welcoming customers to our new lounge.”

The Melbourne International Lounge forms part of Air New Zealand’s four-year, NZ$100 million (US$69m) lounge development programme, which has already seen the opening of new facilities in Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Nadi, Wellington, Queenstown, Hamilton and Invercargill.

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HyperFocal: 0 Air New Zealand's new Melbourne Lounge
Asian air route updates: new flights from Korean Air, Vietjet, Air Canada and more… https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-new-flights-from-korean-air-vietjet-air-canada-and-more/ Fri, 05 May 2017 04:28:43 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250171 The post Asian air route updates: new flights from Korean Air, Vietjet, Air Canada and more… appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Korean Air connects Seoul with Spain Where? Seoul (South Korea) to Barcelona (Spain) When? Three times a week, effective immediately Who? Korean Air Why? Rising demand for flights between Spain and the Far East, as Korean tourists set their sights on Europe Anything else? Barcelona will be Korean Air’s second destination in Spain, following Madrid […]

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Korean AirKorean Air connects Seoul with Spain

Where? Seoul (South Korea) to Barcelona (Spain)
When? Three times a week, effective immediately
Who? Korean Air
Why? Rising demand for flights between Spain and the Far East, as Korean tourists set their sights on Europe
Anything else? Barcelona will be Korean Air’s second destination in Spain, following Madrid

Turkmenistan AirlinesTurkmenistan gets connected with Abu Dhabi

Where? Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) to Abu Dhabi (UAE)
When? Twice a week, effective immediately
Who? Turkmenistan Airlines
Why? Central Asian country’s national carrier taps opportunities offered in the booming Gulf region
Anything else? Turkmenistan Airlines is the only Asian carrier still operating the single-aisle Boeing 717 aircraft

Jin AirJin Air sets sights on Bangkok

Where? Jeju (South Korea) to Bangkok (Thailand)
When? Four times a week, from 10 May to 5 June 2017
Who? Jin Air
Why? Short-term service to offer connections to Korean resort island to make up for slump in Chinese arrivals
Anything else? The diplomatic row over Korea’s decision to install a US missile defence system has had a severe impact on Jeju, which relies heavily on Chinese tourism

VietjetVietjet expands domestic network from Hanoi

Where? Hanoi to Dong Hoi (both Vietnam)
When? Daily, effective 1 June 2017
Who? Vietjet
Why? Further expanding the low-cost carrier’s domestic network with new link to the province of Quang Binh province, which has a long coastline and is home to the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Anything else? Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the location of Son Doong, the world’s largest known cave system

IndiGoIndiGo connects Singapore with India’s Silicon Valley

Where? Bengaluru (India) to Singapore
When? Daily, effective 30 June 2017
Who? IndiGo
Why? New direct connection from India’s “Silicon Valley” to key Southeast Asian trading partner and visitor market
Anything else? Low-cost carrier IndiGo is India’s largest airline in terms of domestic market share

HKAHong Kong Airlines to resume Saigon route

Where? Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
When? Five times a week, effective 20 July 2017
Who? Hong Kong Airlines
Why? Resumption of service between two major Asian cities forms part of airline’s expansion plan
Anything else? The Hong Kong-Ho Chi Minh City route is operated by four other airlines: Cathay Pacific, Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet and Jetstar Pacific

AirAsia IndoAirAsia creates first link between Macau and Indonesia

Where? Jakarta (Indonesia) to Macau
When? Three times a week, effective 7 August 2017
Who? AirAsia Indonesia
Why? Two-way traffic, adding new connection for Chinese travellers in the Pearl River Delta region and for Indonesian visitors to Macau’s casinos
Anything else? This will become the only direct link between Indonesia and Macau

AC 787Air Canada adds new seasonal service Down Under

Where? Vancouver (Canada) to Melbourne (Australia)
When? Four times a week, from 1 December 2017 to 4 February 2018
Who? Air Canada
Why? One of six new international routes announced by Air Canada for the winter 2017-8 season, with others including Vancouver-Orlando and Montreal-Lima
Anything else? Air Canada will deploy its newest long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, on the new route

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Korean Air Turkmenistan Airlines Jin Air Vietjet IndiGo HKA AirAsia Indo AC 787
Air Canada expands APAC links from Vancouver https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-canada-expands-apac-links-from-vancouver/ Thu, 04 May 2017 04:33:51 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=250103 The post Air Canada expands APAC links from Vancouver appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air Canada has continued to expand its trans-Pacific connections from Vancouver, with the launch of a new route to Asia Pacific. The airline has already announced plans to launch new routes from Vancouver to Taipei and Nagoya this summer, and later in the year it will commence a brand new service to Melbourne. Initially operating […]

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The post Air Canada expands APAC links from Vancouver appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air Canada has continued to expand its trans-Pacific connections from Vancouver, with the launch of a new route to Asia Pacific.

The airline has already announced plans to launch new routes from Vancouver to Taipei and Nagoya this summer, and later in the year it will commence a brand new service to Melbourne.

Initially operating as a seasonal service from 1 December 2017 to 4 February 2018, the Vancouver-Melbourne route will run four times a week. Air Canada will serve the route using its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

“Vancouver-Melbourne is our third route to Australia, in addition to year-round service to Sydney and Brisbane,” said Benjamin Smith, Air Canada’s president of passenger airlines. “Our seasonal Melbourne service will provide additional options for business travellers between North America and Australia as well as Australians seeking a Canadian winter vacation experience.”

Vancouver-Melbourne is one of a series of new seasonal routes Air Canada is planning to launch for the 2017-18 winter season; the airline is also planning to link Vancouver with Orlando, Toronto with Belize City and St Vincent, and Montreal with Lima and Phoenix.

Also this summer, Air Canada will start flying from Vancouver to Denver, Frankfurt, London Gatwick and Boston.

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Virgin Australia kicks off new trans-Pacific route https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/virgin-australia-kicks-off-new-trans-pacific-route/ Thu, 06 Apr 2017 07:11:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=249073 The post Virgin Australia kicks off new trans-Pacific route appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Virgin Australia launched a new trans-Pacific route this week, flying direct between Melbourne and Los Angeles. The inaugural service departed at 1130 on 4 April 2017 and landed at LAX at 0900. The return flight then departed at 2055 and arrived back in Melbourne at 0545 on Thursday morning. The service will now run every […]

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Virgin Australia's business class cabin
Virgin Australia’s business class cabin

Virgin Australia launched a new trans-Pacific route this week, flying direct between Melbourne and Los Angeles.

The inaugural service departed at 1130 on 4 April 2017 and landed at LAX at 0900. The return flight then departed at 2055 and arrived back in Melbourne at 0545 on Thursday morning.

The service will now run every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, aboard Virgin Australia’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which is equipped with 37 flat-bed seats and a bar in business class.

“Los Angeles and North America is an important market for us and through our partnership with Delta Air Lines, we offer passengers 25 return flights per week across the Pacific and remain the only trans-Pacific alliance to offer business class guests lie-flat beds with direct aisle access on all services,” said Virgin Australia’s group executive, John Thomas.

Delta will codeshare on the new route, and passengers of both airlines will be able to earn frequent flyer points.

This week, Travel Daily chatted to Virgin Australia’s chief executive, John Borghetti. CLICK HERE to read the interview.

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VA_0226 Virgin Australia's business class cabin
Asian air route updates: Virgin Australia, Thai Lion, Air India and more… https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/asian-air-route-updates-flydubai-malindo-air-india-and-more/ Mon, 20 Mar 2017 06:38:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=248356 The post Asian air route updates: Virgin Australia, Thai Lion, Air India and more… appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Bangladesh gets low-cost Dubai link Where? Dubai (UAE) to Sylhet (Bangladesh) When? Four times a week, effective immediately (rising to six per week in May 2017) Who? Flydubai Why? New low-cost link to tap demand for trade between two Muslim countries, including overseas workers in the Gulf Anything else? Located in northeast Bangladesh, Sylhet is […]

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SylhetflydubaiBangladesh gets low-cost Dubai link

Where? Dubai (UAE) to Sylhet (Bangladesh)
When? Four times a week, effective immediately (rising to six per week in May 2017)
Who? Flydubai
Why? New low-cost link to tap demand for trade between two Muslim countries, including overseas workers in the Gulf
Anything else? Located in northeast Bangladesh, Sylhet is a major tea-growing area. It also hosted matches in the 2014 ICC Twenty20 cricket world cup.

TLAExpanding ASEAN connections for Thai Lion Air

Where? Bangkok Don Mueang (Thailand) to Hanoi (Vietnam)
When? Eight times a week, effective 24 March 2017
Who? Thai Lion Air
Why? Low-cost carrier continues to expand international operations from Bangkok. This will become its second Vietnamese route, after Ho Chi Minh City
Anything else? Bangkok is the most connected international city from Hanoi, with multiple airlines operating almost 80 weekly flights between the two capitals

VASCOVASCO adds new domestic route from Hanoi

Where? Hanoi to Dong Hoi (both Vietnam)
When? Daily, effective 26 March 2017
Who? VASCO
Why? Vietnam Airlines’ domestic subsidiary continues to take over national carrier’s smaller operations. This is the fourth domestic route transferred to VASCO
Anything else? Dong Hoi is the closest city to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, which houses the world’s largest cave

shutterstock_550050499Bangkok-based LCC boosts coverage in China

Where? Bangkok Don Mueang (Thailand) to Nanjing, pictured (China)
When? Daily, effective 26 March 2017
Who? Thai Lion Air
Why? Low-cost carrier continues to expand international operations in China. This will become its fifth Chinese destination, with a sixth (Nanchang) to follow shortly afterwards
Anything else? Nanjing literally means “southern capital”, as opposed to Beijing with is China’s “northern capital”

MalindoMalindo adds second service to Hainan

Where? Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to Haikou (China)
When? Twice a week, effective 28 March 2017
Who? Malindo Air
Why? Serving the ever-expanding trade and tourism links between Malaysia and China. Flight will operate via Penang.
Anything else? This won’t be Malindo’s first connection to Hainan Island – the airline already flies to the beach resort of Sanya

CSA 737New beach flights from China’s landlocked Ningxia region

Where? Yinchuan (China) to Phuket (Thailand)
When? Three times a week, effective 10 April 2017
Who? China Southern Airlines
Why? Tapping the ever-increasing Chinese demand for tourism in Thailand. Flights will operate via Zhengzhou, the capital of China’s populous Henan province
Anything else? Yinchuan is the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which sits on the ancient Silk Road and is predominantly Muslim

MacauSpring adds new low-cost link to Macau

Where? Hangzhou (China) to Macau, pictured
When? Daily, effective 16 April 2017
Who? Spring Airlines
Why? A new low-cost connection for residents of eastern China wanting to visit the casinos of Macau
Anything else? Gambling revenues in Macau – the world’s biggest gaming market – declined for 26 straight months before rebounding in August last year

Tel AvivAir India to start flying to Israel

Where? Delhi (India) to Tel Aviv, pictured (Israel)
When? Three times a week, effective May 2017
Who? Air India
Why? Part of national carrier’s international expansion plan, which is also expected to include new services to Washington DC and Stockholm
Anything else? Only Israel’s El Al currently operates direct flights between Israel and India

VA A330 economyVirgin Australia launches Hong Kong flights

Where? Melbourne (Australia) to Hong Kong
When? Five times a week, effective 5 July 2017
Who? Virgin Australia
Why? Part of a proposed alliance with HNA, which will see Virgin team up with Hainan Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Capital Airlines and Tianjin Airlines
Anything else? Virgin Australia and its new partners will offer connections from Hong Kong to 13 destinations in mainland China

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Sylhetflydubai TLA VASCO shutterstock_550050499 Malindo CSA 737 Macau Tel Aviv VA A330 economy
Australia’s Jetstar plans first flights to Vietnam https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/australias-jetstar-plans-first-flights-to-vietnam/ Thu, 19 Jan 2017 07:19:40 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=246168 The post Australia’s Jetstar plans first flights to Vietnam appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Vietnam’s tourism industry will get a lift this year when Australian low-cost carrier Jetstar launches its first two routes to the country. In May 2017, Jetstar will start operating daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City – four times a week from Sydney and three per week from Melbourne. All services will be operated using […]

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Jetstar will fly ts Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Vietnam
Jetstar will fly ts Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Vietnam

Vietnam’s tourism industry will get a lift this year when Australian low-cost carrier Jetstar launches its first two routes to the country.

In May 2017, Jetstar will start operating daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City – four times a week from Sydney and three per week from Melbourne. All services will be operated using Jetstar’s largest aircraft, the 335-seat Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

“Vietnam has the potential to become as popular as Bali or Thailand for Australian travellers,” said Jetstar’s group CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka. “We expect our low fares and direct flights will generate even more demand for holidays to Vietnam.

“From Ho Chi Minh City, travellers can fly to 15 other destinations within Vietnam on Jetstar Pacific, which offers the same low fares that Australians have come to expect from Jetstar.”

Australian visitor arrivals to Vietnam increased 6% in 2016, while the number of Vietnamese travellers to Australia jumped 21%. At present, Vietnam Airlines flies direct to both Sydney and Melbourne from HCMC. It will also start flying from Hanoi to Sydney on 28 March 2017.

Jetstar’s flights from Melbourne to HCMC will commence on 10 May 2017, with the Sydney services scheduled to kick off on 11 May.

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Jetstar 787 Jetstar will fly ts Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Vietnam
Qantas boosts Japan with new Narita service https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qantas-boosts-japan-with-new-narita-service/ Mon, 19 Dec 2016 08:35:23 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=245200 The post Qantas boosts Japan with new Narita service appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qantas has expanded its presence in Japan with the launch of new direct flights linking Melbourne with Tokyo’s Narita Airport. The new daily service, which is being operated using a two-class Airbus A330-300 aircraft, takes the number of weekly seats the Australian national carrier offers on its Japanese routes to 6,000. This follows the launch […]

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Qantas has expanded its presence in Japan with the launch of new direct flights linking Melbourne with Tokyo’s Narita Airport.

The new daily service, which is being operated using a two-class Airbus A330-300 aircraft, takes the number of weekly seats the Australian national carrier offers on its Japanese routes to 6,000. This follows the launch of new Sydney-Tokyo Haneda and Brisbane-Tokyo Narita routes in 2015.

Qantas International CEO, Gareth Evans, said that Qantas was aiming to “meet demand and unlock opportunities for Australia in Asia”.

“The clear message from our Japanese customers was that they wanted a direct link into Melbourne, so we’re delighted to be opening up that gateway for them today,” Evans said. “We’ve had a great response from Victorian tourism operators and the many companies in Melbourne who do business with Japan.

“With a new Free Trade Agreement in place, there’s tremendous potential to build on the fantastic growth we’ve already seen in this market, and we want the Qantas Group to lead the way in making it happen.”

Tokyo becomes the eighth international destination served by Qantas serves out of the Victorian capital. Flights to Christchurch began on 4 December, and the airline confirmed earlier this week that Melbourne-Los Angeles would be the launch route for its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in 2017.

Qantas’ low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar also currently flies between Melbourne and Narita, but this service will cease operating early next year. Jetstar also links Narita with Cairns, Sydney and the Gold Coast.

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Qatar Airways reveals latest A380 destination https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qatar-airways-reveals-latest-a380-destination/ Wed, 14 Dec 2016 05:46:36 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=244990 The post Qatar Airways reveals latest A380 destination appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qatar Airways' 517-seat A380

Qatar Airways has revealed that Melbourne will become the next destination to be served by its largest aircraft, the Airbus A380. Commencing on 30 June 2017, the 517-seat double-decker jet will fly daily to the Australian city, increasing capacity on the route by 44%. The airline first started flying to Melbourne in December 2009, using […]

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Qatar Airways' 517-seat A380
Qatar Airways' 517-seat A380
Qatar Airways’ 517-seat A380

Qatar Airways has revealed that Melbourne will become the next destination to be served by its largest aircraft, the Airbus A380.

Commencing on 30 June 2017, the 517-seat double-decker jet will fly daily to the Australian city, increasing capacity on the route by 44%. The airline first started flying to Melbourne in December 2009, using a 259-seat Boeing 777 aircraft. With the introduction of daily A380 services, capacity on the route will have doubled since in the last seven years.

“As we continue to grow apace in Australia, we have seen a clear need to inject additional capacity on the Melbourne service,” said Qatar Airways’ group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker. “Melburnians will find our… quick connections via Doha’s Hamad International Airport a great and easy travel option. And our expansive European network provides plenty of homecoming options for one of Australia’s most culturally diverse cities.”

From next summer, Qatar Airways’ A380 will depart Doha daily at 2050 and arrive in Melbourne at 1720. The return service will then leave the Australian city at 2205 before arriving back in Qatar at 0525 the next morning.

The A380 offers three classes, with eight seats in first class, 48 in business class and 461 in economy. Passengers travelling from Melbourne to London and Paris will be able to fly the entire way on the A380.

Melbourne is one of four Australian cities served by Qatar Airways, along with Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, and the airline is also planning to fly to Canberra in 2017. Sydney is already served by the airline’s A380.

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shutterstock_451840504 Qatar Airways' 517-seat A380
Qantas reveals first Dreamliner route https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qantas-reveals-first-dreamliner-route/ Tue, 13 Dec 2016 08:26:38 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=244936 The post Qantas reveals first Dreamliner route appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qantas has revealed that the trans-Pacific route between Melbourne and Los Angeles will be the first to be operated by its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The long-haul jet’s inaugural international service will take-off for the first time on 15 December 2017. Operating six times per week, the Dreamliner will replace the B747 service that currently […]

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Economy class onboard the new Boeing 787-9
Economy class onboard the new Boeing 787-9

Qantas has revealed that the trans-Pacific route between Melbourne and Los Angeles will be the first to be operated by its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

The long-haul jet’s inaugural international service will take-off for the first time on 15 December 2017. Operating six times per week, the Dreamliner will replace the B747 service that currently operates on this route, alongside Qantas’ daily Airbus A380 flights.

The new B787-9 will carry 236 passengers in a three-cabin configuration, with business, premium economy and economy class seating. The larger, 364-seat B747 currently operates the route twice a week, so the additional flights will lead to a capacity increase of approximately 1,400 weekly seats.

The expansion of the Melbourne-LA service from nine to 13 return weekly flights will also give passengers the option of morning or afternoon departure from Melbourne on most days.

The new Qantas Dreamliner
The new Qantas Dreamliner

“The Dreamliner is a game-changing aircraft that opens up a new era for Qantas, and it’s been designed with passenger comfort in mind,” said Qantas International’s CEO, Gareth Evans. “The aircraft itself offers passengers larger windows, a smoother ride and better air quality to reduce jetlag.

“In economy there’s more room and plenty of storage. In business, our suites will offer a fully flat-bed and direct aisle access. We’ll be unveiling our premium economy in the first quarter of next year and it will set new standards for the industry,” he added.

Today’s announcement follows the recent revelation that Qantas will fly non-stop from Perth to London from March 2018, also using the new aircraft.

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Economy class onboard the new Boeing 787-9 QF B787 slider The new Qantas Dreamliner
Hainan Airlines opens first two routes to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/hainan-airlines-opens-first-two-routes-to-melbourne/ Wed, 09 Nov 2016 05:24:25 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=243457 The post Hainan Airlines opens first two routes to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Hainan Airlines will fly an Airbus A330 to Melbourne

Hainan Airlines launched its first flights to Melbourne this week, from two Chinese cities. On Tuesday (8 November 2016), the carrier kicked off a new twice weekly service from Xi’an to the Australian city, and then on Wednesday it commenced twice weekly flights from Changsha to Melbourne. The Xi’an service will now depart the capital […]

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Hainan Airlines will fly an Airbus A330 to Melbourne
Hainan Airlines will fly an Airbus A330 to Melbourne
Hainan Airlines will fly an Airbus A330 to Melbourne

Hainan Airlines launched its first flights to Melbourne this week, from two Chinese cities.

On Tuesday (8 November 2016), the carrier kicked off a new twice weekly service from Xi’an to the Australian city, and then on Wednesday it commenced twice weekly flights from Changsha to Melbourne.

The Xi’an service will now depart the capital of Shaanxi province at 1630 every Tuesday and Friday, while the Changsha route will leave the capital of Hunan province every Wednesday and Sunday at 1740.

Hainan Airlines will deploy its two-class, 292-seat Airbus A330 aircraft on both routes, configured with 36 flat-bed seats in business class and 256 seats in economy.

The Melbourne service will complement Hainan Airlines’ existing flights to Sydney from Xi’an and Changsha.

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shutterstock_324191351 Hainan Airlines will fly an Airbus A330 to Melbourne
Air India adds Australian flights due to “overwhelming” demand https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-india-adds-australian-flights-due-to-overwhelming-demand/ Fri, 30 Sep 2016 05:13:29 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=241790 The post Air India adds Australian flights due to “overwhelming” demand appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Air India will introduce three more flights to Australia next year. The Economic Times reported the national carrier’s chairman & managing director, Ashwani Lohani, as confirming that the services linking Delhi with Sydney and Melbourne would increase from seven to 10 flights per week in 2017, due to a high level of demand. “The response […]

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Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Air India will introduce three more flights to Australia next year.

The Economic Times reported the national carrier’s chairman & managing director, Ashwani Lohani, as confirming that the services linking Delhi with Sydney and Melbourne would increase from seven to 10 flights per week in 2017, due to a high level of demand.

“The response to Air India’s non-stop Dreamliner between Delhi and Sydney-Melbourne has been overwhelming and we will be deploying the additional capacity on this route in the second quarter of 2017,” Lohani was quoted saying.

Air India initially operated a triangular route between Delhi and Australia’s two largest cities, but this was later switched to point-to-point flights, with the Delhi-Sydney route running four times a week (Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and Delhi-Melbourne operating on the remaining three days of the week. It was not confirmed which route the three additional flights will be placed on.

All of Air India’s Australian flights are served using its two-class Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

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shutterstock_322945325 Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Qingdao gets connected with new long-haul flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qingdao-gets-connected-with-new-long-haul-flights/ Fri, 26 Aug 2016 06:37:17 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=240389 The post Qingdao gets connected with new long-haul flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qingdao

The Chinese port city of Qingdao will soon be accessible from more parts of the world, following the launch of a series of new international flights. China Eastern Airlines recently revealed plans to launch Qingdao’s first trans-Pacific flight to the US, with direct services to San Francisco starting on 29 September 2016. And it has […]

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Qingdao
Qingdao
Qingdao

The Chinese port city of Qingdao will soon be accessible from more parts of the world, following the launch of a series of new international flights.

China Eastern Airlines recently revealed plans to launch Qingdao’s first trans-Pacific flight to the US, with direct services to San Francisco starting on 29 September 2016.

And it has now been revealed that another Chinese carrier, Capital Airlines, will launch direct flights between Qingdao and Melbourne on the same day. This will mark the airline’s first foray into the Australian market and Qingdao’s first direct link Down Under.

Flights will operate three times a week, departing Qingdao every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and returning from Melbourne the next day. All services will be operated using an Airbus A330 aircraft and continue onwards between Qingdao and Shenyang.

Qingdao, which is located on the shores of the Yellow Sea in eastern China’s Shandong province, is best known as being the birthplace of Tsingtao, China’s most famous beer.

Following the launch of its Melbourne route, Capital Airlines will also start flying from Qingdao to Vancouver on 30 December 2016. The city is already connected to Europe by Lufthansa’s flights to and from Frankfurt.

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shutterstock_418510924 Qingdao
Emirates de-links KL from Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/emirates-de-links-kl-from-melbourne/ Thu, 16 Jun 2016 23:43:05 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=237770 The post Emirates de-links KL from Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Emirates will offer two non-stop flights to Melbourne

Emirates will cease operating its Dubai-Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne service later this year, as it opts to cut out the Malaysian capital and fly direct to Australia. The re-routing, which comes into effect on 30 October 2016, will mean that Emirates will operate two non-stop daily flights between Dubai and Melbourne, plus a third daily service which […]

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Emirates will offer two non-stop flights to Melbourne
Emirates will offer two non-stop flights to Melbourne
Emirates will offer two non-stop flights to Melbourne

Emirates will cease operating its Dubai-Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne service later this year, as it opts to cut out the Malaysian capital and fly direct to Australia.

The re-routing, which comes into effect on 30 October 2016, will mean that Emirates will operate two non-stop daily flights between Dubai and Melbourne, plus a third daily service which operates via Singapore. The airline will retain three daily direct flights between Dubai and KL.

Including its partnership with Qantas, Emirates will offer a total of four daily services to and from Melbourne – three of which operate non-stop, including Qantas’ daily flight. These form part of a total of 91 weekly flights between Australia and Dubai offered by the Emirates-Qantas partnership – including six daily A380 flights – to Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney.

The news is not great for Malaysian passengers however; Malaysia Airlines suspended its own KL-Dubai service earlier this year as part of a major tie-up with Emirates, whereby passengers can tap into the Middle Eastern carrier’s global route network via Dubai. The reduction of another daily flight between KL and Dubai will reduce the opportunities for a quick connection.

Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia X will both continue to fly direct between KL and Melbourne.

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EK fuselage Emirates will offer two non-stop flights to Melbourne
Melbourne Airport trials self-boarding gates https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/melbourne-airport-trials-self-boarding-solution/ Tue, 07 Jun 2016 07:03:36 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=237298 The post Melbourne Airport trials self-boarding gates appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

SITA's self-boarding gates

Melbourne Airport is aiming to speed up its passenger flows with the trial of a new self-service boarding system. In partnership with technology provider SITA, the airport now allows passengers departing from Terminal 2 to scan their boarding pass prior to boarding the aircraft, rather than have it checked manually. Melbourne Airport will now measure […]

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SITA's self-boarding gates
SITA's self-boarding gates
SITA’s self-boarding gates

Melbourne Airport is aiming to speed up its passenger flows with the trial of a new self-service boarding system.

In partnership with technology provider SITA, the airport now allows passengers departing from Terminal 2 to scan their boarding pass prior to boarding the aircraft, rather than have it checked manually.

Melbourne Airport will now measure speed and accuracy of this system, and its popularity with passengers, ahead of a potential wider roll-out. But the airport said that initial results are positive.

“SITA is committed to our technology partnership with Melbourne Airport which allows us to explore the potential benefits of services and plan the ideal solution implementation with the airport team. Moving forward, we are exploring how technology and innovative services can further improve the passenger experience and operations at Melbourne Airport,” said Ilya Gutlin, SITA’s president for Asia Pacific.

Melbourne Airport already uses SITA’s common-use platform, which includes self-service check-in kiosks and automated baggage drop stations. The self-boarding gates are the next step the automation process, and form part of IATA’s Fast Travel programme, which aims to save the industry up to US$2 billion per year.

“As Melbourne Airport focuses on optimising the efficient use of assets, technology and innovation play an increasing role in providing better customer service,” Melbourne Airport’s Michael Jarvis. “Working closely with expert vendors and service providers, like SITA, facilitates the testing of world-class solutions at Melbourne Airport and allows our passengers to be among the first to experience leading-edge technology that will improve their experience.”

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Business man swiping identification card at security gate, close-up SITA's self-boarding gates
Etihad upgrades Australian routes with newest aircraft https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-adds-fifth-a380-route/ Thu, 02 Jun 2016 02:55:39 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=237122 The post Etihad upgrades Australian routes with newest aircraft appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The First Apartment on Etihad's A380

Etihad Airways has upgraded its Australian network with the deployment of new aircraft to two destinations. The UAE-based airline’s Airbus A380 will touch down in Melbourne today (2 July 2016), marking the fifth global destination for the carrier’s largest aircraft. And also on Thursday, Etihad’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (pictured top) will touch down in […]

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The First Apartment on Etihad's A380

Etihad Airways has upgraded its Australian network with the deployment of new aircraft to two destinations.

The UAE-based airline’s Airbus A380 will touch down in Melbourne today (2 July 2016), marking the fifth global destination for the carrier’s largest aircraft. And also on Thursday, Etihad’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (pictured top) will touch down in Perth for the first time.

The 496-seat A380 departed Abu Dhabi International Airport at 2215 on Wednesday night, and is scheduled to land in Melbourne at 1745 on Thursday. The return flight will leave Melbourne at 2210 tonight and lands back in the UAE capital at 0625 the next morning.

The First Apartment on Etihad's A380
The First Apartment on Etihad’s A380

The A380 will operate one of two daily Etihad flights on the route, with the second service being operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The inaugural Dreamliner flight to Perth took off from Abu Dhabi at 2230 yesterday and is scheduled to arrive in the Western Australian capital at 1350 today. The return flight will depart Perth at 1700 this evening and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 0025 on 3 June. Flights will operate daily.

Etihad’s A380 comes fitted with the airline’s latest cabin products, including The Residence by Etihad, which covers nearly 12m² and features a living room, bedroom and en-suite shower room. There are also nine ‘First Apartments’, 70 ‘Business Studios’ and 415 economy class seats. For premium passengers, there is a lounge area that features two leather sofas and a bar.

The B787-9 Dreamliner meanwhile, comes fitted with 299 seats in two cabins, with 28 Business Studios and 271 economy class seats. It will replace the A330-200 aircraft Etihad previous deployed on the Perth route.
Commenting on the launch of the A380 flights to Melbourne, Etihad’s senior vice president of marketing,

The Boeing 787's Business Studio
The Boeing 787’s Business Studio

Shane O’Hare, said; “Our Abu Dhabi to Melbourne services generate very high seat load factors year-round. The A380, with 70 seats in business class, enables us to better meet the demand we have for our premium cabins and will boost our market share of this important segment.”

And regarding the Perth service he added; “Since launching flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi two years ago we have enjoyed strong two-way demand from business and leisure travellers on the route. The Dreamliner, which adds 518 weekly seats to the route, gives us the extra capacity needed to meet this ever-increasing demand.”

Etihad now operates its A380 to five international destinations: London, Sydney, New York, Mumbai and Melbourne. Perth also becomes the fifth destination for Etihad’s B787 fleet, following Singapore, Washington DC, Zurich and Dusseldorf. It also plans to deploy the aircraft on its routes to Istanbul, Johannesburg and Shanghai later this year.

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6320_Etihad_First_Apartment_Landscape The First Apartment on Etihad's A380 Business Studio_45098_257933_Etihad85077_RGB The Boeing 787's Business Studio
China’s Capital Airlines flies to Australia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/chinas-capital-airlines-flies-to-australia/ Sun, 29 May 2016 03:01:00 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236940 The post China’s Capital Airlines flies to Australia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Melbourne

Capital Airlines, a subsidiary of China’s HNA Group, will make its debut in Australia later this year. Commencing on 29 September 2016, the airline will operate three weekly flights from Shenyang, the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province, to Melbourne, via the port city of Qingdao, in eastern China’s Shandong province. Under the new schedule, […]

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Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne

Capital Airlines, a subsidiary of China’s HNA Group, will make its debut in Australia later this year.

Commencing on 29 September 2016, the airline will operate three weekly flights from Shenyang, the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province, to Melbourne, via the port city of Qingdao, in eastern China’s Shandong province.

Under the new schedule, flights will depart Shenyang’s Taoxian International Airport every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 1525, arriving at Melbourne Airport at 0825 the next day. The return service will leave Melbourne on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 1025 and get back into Shenyang at 2335.

Capital Airlines will deploy its 211-seat Airbus A330 aircraft on the route, configured with 33 seats in business class and 178 in economy.

The Beijing-based airline has expanded its international network significantly in recent months, including the launch of its first European flights to Copenhagen and Madrid.

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Melbourne Melbourne
Etihad opens new Melbourne lounge https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-opens-new-melbourne-lounge/ Mon, 09 May 2016 07:22:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=236143 The post Etihad opens new Melbourne lounge appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Etihad Airways has opened its new Premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport. Measuring 800m² and with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the runway, the new facility is the airline’s largest Premium Lounge outside Abu Dhabi. It can seat 133 people and features a 26-seat dining area with a la carte and buffet options, plus a bar […]

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Etihad Airways has opened its new Premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport.

Measuring 800m² and with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlook the runway, the new facility is the airline’s largest Premium Lounge outside Abu Dhabi. It can seat 133 people and features a 26-seat dining area with a la carte and buffet options, plus a bar stocked with local Victorian wines and more than 70 spirits and aperitifs.

The bar area at Etihad's new Premium Lounge
The bar area at Etihad’s new Premium Lounge

Other amenities include separate male and female bathrooms with shower facilities, male and female prayer rooms, a children’s playroom and a luggage room. The lounge will also be connected with free Wi-Fi, power sockets and USB ports.

The launch of lounge comes as Etihad prepares to launch its first Airbus A380 flights to Melbourne next month.

“The new Premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport is in a class of its own. Blending the best of a fine-dining restaurant and a chic city cocktail bar, this lounge is a showcase of intelligent design and sophistication,” said Shane O’Hare, Etihad’s senior vice president of marketing.

“The opening of this remarkable new facility and the launch of our flagship A380 services on 1 June, offer travellers on the Melbourne-Abu Dhabi route our most compelling guest experience proposition ever.”

The new lounge is located at Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 2, adjacent to gate 10. It will open approximately three hours prior to the departure of Etihad’s twice daily Melbourne-Abu Dhabi flights.

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Bar_2 The bar area at Etihad's new Premium Lounge
China Southern plans second Australian route from Shenzhen‏ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-southern-plans-second-australian-route-from-shenzhen%e2%80%8f/ Tue, 03 May 2016 04:10:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=235908 The post China Southern plans second Australian route from Shenzhen‏ appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Credit: Nieuwland

China Southern Airlines has applied for permission to launch direct flights between Shenzhen and Melbourne. If approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the new route could launch as early as September 2016. The carrier plans to serve the Shenzhen-Melbourne route daily using an Airbus A330, Boeing 787 or B777 aircraft. This will […]

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Credit: Nieuwland
Credit: Nieuwland
Credit: Nieuwland

China Southern Airlines has applied for permission to launch direct flights between Shenzhen and Melbourne.

If approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the new route could launch as early as September 2016.

The carrier plans to serve the Shenzhen-Melbourne route daily using an Airbus A330, Boeing 787 or B777 aircraft. This will mark China Southern’s second Australian route from Shenzhen, following the launch of flights to Sydney earlier this year.

And China Southern is likely to face competition on the Shenzhen-Melbourne sector; Air China is also planning to launch a daily flight on the same route in October 2016.

Currently four mainland Chinese airlines operate flights to Melbourne, with Air China, China Eastern, China Southern and Sichuan Airlines connecting the Australian city with Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu respectively. And three more Chinese carriers, Xiamen Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Capital Airlines, are also planning to fly to Melbourne in future.

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shutterstock_365561039 Credit: Nieuwland
Tigerair Australia touches down in Asia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tigerair-australia-touches-down-in-asia/ Wed, 23 Mar 2016 01:20:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=234234 The post Tigerair Australia touches down in Asia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The Bali services mark Tigerair Australia's first international flights (photo by Peterfz30)

Tigerair Australia embarks on its first flights to Asia today (23 March 2016), with two the launch of three flights to Bali. The low-cost carrier’s first Bali-bound flight departed Melbourne at 0915, and was followed by the launch of a service from Adelaide at 0945. These flights will arrive in Denpasar at 1225 and 1235 […]

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The Bali services mark Tigerair Australia's first international flights (photo by Peterfz30)
The Bali services mark Tigerair Australia's first international flights (photo by Peterfz30)
The Bali services mark Tigerair Australia’s first international flights (photo by Peterfz30)

Tigerair Australia embarks on its first flights to Asia today (23 March 2016), with two the launch of three flights to Bali.

The low-cost carrier’s first Bali-bound flight departed Melbourne at 0915, and was followed by the launch of a service from Adelaide at 0945. These flights will arrive in Denpasar at 1225 and 1235 respectively.

A third flight from Perth to Bali will depart at 1925 today, arriving in Bali at 2310.

This marks the start of a regular service of 19 weekly flights between Australia and Bali, with the Melbourne and Perth services operating daily and the Adelaide route running five times a week. Combined, these flights will bring up to 6,800 weekly visitors to the Indonesian resort island.

Tigerair Australia’s CEO, Rob Sharp, was onboard the inaugural service from Melbourne today.

“This is a significant milestone for Tigerair Australia as we continue to grow in line with consumer demand. Bali is renowned as a popular holiday destination for many Australians looking for an affordable tropical holiday year round and we are confident our new services will prove popular with our core market of leisure travellers,” Sharp said.

Tigerair Australia is operating the new flights using three recently reconfigured Boeing 737-800 aircraft. These aircraft feature 180 seats in a single economy class cabin, including five rows of seats with extra legroom. And for the first time on a Tigerair Australia flight, passengers will be offered in-flight entertainment, with a streaming service allowing them to watch video content on their own devices.

The new services mean that Bali will now welcome four Tigerair flights, along with an existing service operated by the low-cost carrier’s Singapore-based unit.

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shutterstock_233067970 The Bali services mark Tigerair Australia's first international flights (photo by Peterfz30)
Xiamen Airlines reveals new long-haul routes https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/xiamen-airlines-reveals-new-long-haul-routes/ Thu, 17 Mar 2016 09:27:10 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=234046 The post Xiamen Airlines reveals new long-haul routes appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Xiamen Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at Sydney Airport (photo by PomInOz)

China’s Xiamen Airlines is stepping up its long-haul expansion with plans to launch flights to Vancouver, Seattle, New York and Melbourne in the coming months. The airline launched its first ever long-haul flights to Amsterdam in September last year, and then followed this up with the start of services to Sydney in December. This Australian […]

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Xiamen Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at Sydney Airport (photo by PomInOz)

China’s Xiamen Airlines is stepping up its long-haul expansion with plans to launch flights to Vancouver, Seattle, New York and Melbourne in the coming months.

The airline launched its first ever long-haul flights to Amsterdam in September last year, and then followed this up with the start of services to Sydney in December.

Xiamen Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at Sydney Airport (photo by PomInOz)
Xiamen Airlines’ Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at Sydney Airport (photo by PomInOz)

This Australian expansion will continue in June 2016 with the start of three weekly flights to Melbourne, direct from Xiamen, the airline’s base in southeast China’s Fujian province.

Then in July it plans to launch four weekly flights from Xiamen to Vancouver, marking its first ever trans-Pacific flight, and in September the carrier will start flying four times a week from Xiamen to Seattle, via Shenzhen.

And finally in January 2017, Xiamen Airlines will launch a new daily flight between Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, and New York.

Xiamen Airlines’ long-haul expansion is being enabled by its new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The airline already operates six B787-8 Dreamliners and will start taking delivery of the larger B787-9 aircraft later this year.

The airline has significant future expansion plans, with a target of increasing its current fleet of 152 aircraft to 270 jets by the end of 2020.

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shutterstock_370663499 Xiamen Airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft at Sydney Airport (photo by PomInOz)
Air China to connect Shenzhen with Melbourne‏ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-china-to-connect-shenzhen-with-melbourne%e2%80%8f/ Fri, 26 Feb 2016 02:24:06 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=233182 The post Air China to connect Shenzhen with Melbourne‏ appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air China plans to deploy an Airbus A330 on the route

Following the recent launch of the first flights between Shenzhen and Sydney, Air China has applied for permission to launch services from the southern Chinese city to Melbourne. In January 2016, China Southern Airlines commenced three weekly flights on the Shenzhen-Sydney, marking the first Australian link for the Pearl River Delta hub. And Air China, […]

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Air China plans to deploy an Airbus A330 on the route
Air China plans to deploy an Airbus A330 on the route
Air China plans to deploy an Airbus A330 on the route (photo by TonyV3112)

Following the recent launch of the first flights between Shenzhen and Sydney, Air China has applied for permission to launch services from the southern Chinese city to Melbourne.

In January 2016, China Southern Airlines commenced three weekly flights on the Shenzhen-Sydney, marking the first Australian link for the Pearl River Delta hub.

And Air China, has now submitted an application to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to launch the Shenzhen-Melbourne route. If approved, it intends to operate the flights daily from October 2016, using an Airbus A330 aircraft.

Air China’s launched its first ever long-haul flights from Shenzhen’s Bao’an International Airport in February this year, when it commenced services to Los Angeles, via Beijing.

Both Air China and China Southern are planning to ramp up their long-haul operations from Shenzhen in the next five years.

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shutterstock_145656893 Air China plans to deploy an Airbus A330 on the route (photo by TonyV3112)
Tigerair Australia welcomes new aircraft for Bali flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/tigerair-australia-welcomes-new-aircraft-for-bali-flights/ Tue, 02 Feb 2016 02:08:19 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=232244 The post Tigerair Australia welcomes new aircraft for Bali flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Local Sunbury MP Josh Bull, Melbourne Airport CEO Lyell Strambi, Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp, and Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio

Tigerair Australia has unveiled the first of three Boeing 737-800 aircraft to be based at Melbourne Airport, ahead of the airline’s new direct services to Bali. The new single-aisle jets will enable the airline to launch its new Melbourne-Denpasar services on 23 March 2016, and the airline has also recently recruited more than 100 new […]

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Local Sunbury MP Josh Bull, Melbourne Airport CEO Lyell Strambi, Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp, and Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio
Local Sunbury MP Josh Bull, Melbourne Airport CEO Lyell Strambi, Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp, and Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio
Local Sunbury MP Josh Bull, Melbourne Airport CEO Lyell Strambi, Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp, and Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio

Tigerair Australia has unveiled the first of three Boeing 737-800 aircraft to be based at Melbourne Airport, ahead of the airline’s new direct services to Bali.

The new single-aisle jets will enable the airline to launch its new Melbourne-Denpasar services on 23 March 2016, and the airline has also recently recruited more than 100 new cabin crew for the flights.

“Tigerair Australia’s new services to Bali will deliver over 2,500 additional seats through Melbourne Airport weekly.  As well as more jobs and additional aircraft, today’s announcement provides numerous other benefits for the Victorian economy, tourism and consumers,” said the low-cost carrier’s CEO, Rob Sharp.

The new B737s come equipped with 180 economy class seats and passengers will be offered in-flight entertainment on their own electronic devices.

Tigerair Australia currently operates 14 Airbus A320 aircraft, so the three new B737s will take its total fleet to 17 aircraft.

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H60C9608 Local Sunbury MP Josh Bull, Melbourne Airport CEO Lyell Strambi, Tigerair Australia CEO Rob Sharp, and Minister for Industry Lily D’Ambrosio
China Southern to connect Shenzhen with Sydney https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-southern-to-connect-shenzhen-with-sydney/ Wed, 25 Nov 2015 02:05:12 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=229748 The post China Southern to connect Shenzhen with Sydney appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Southern Airlines is a member of the Skyteam alliance

China Southern Airlines will launch a new service connecting Shenzhen with Sydney early next year. Commencing on 20 January 2016, the new route will mark the first direct link between the two cities, and China Southern’s second long-haul service from Shenzhen’s Baoan International Airport, following an existing route to Mauritius. Flights will operate three times […]

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China Southern Airlines is a member of the Skyteam alliance
China Southern Airlines is a member of the Skyteam alliance
China Southern Airlines is a member of the Skyteam alliance

China Southern Airlines will launch a new service connecting Shenzhen with Sydney early next year.

Commencing on 20 January 2016, the new route will mark the first direct link between the two cities, and China Southern’s second long-haul service from Shenzhen’s Baoan International Airport, following an existing route to Mauritius.

Flights will operate three times a week, departing Shenzhen every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 1930 and arriving in Sydney at 0730 the following day. The return flight will leave Sydney every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 0930, arriving back in Shenzhen at 1600.

China Southern will deploy a 284-seat, four-class Airbus A330 aircraft on the route, offering four seats in first class, 24 in business class, 48 in premium economy and 208 in economy.

In addition, the Chinese carrier will increase the frequency of its flights from Guangzhou to Melbourne and Sydney next month. Effective 5 December 2015, China Southern will add four more weekly flights on the Melbourne route, operating every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, while a third daily service will be added to the Sydney route from 10 December.

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shutterstock_271730078 China Southern Airlines is a member of the Skyteam alliance
Beijing Capital Airlines targets UK, Australia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/beijing-capital-airlines-targets-uk-australia/ Wed, 04 Nov 2015 03:25:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=228824 The post Beijing Capital Airlines targets UK, Australia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Beijing Capital Airlines

Beijing Capital Airlines, the Chinese airline that recently entered the long-haul market, is planning to launch its first flights to the UK and Australia. According to a statement on the website of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the airline has applied for the permission to launch scheduled services to Birmingham and Melbourne next […]

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Beijing Capital Airlines
Beijing Capital Airlines
Beijing Capital Airlines

Beijing Capital Airlines, the Chinese airline that recently entered the long-haul market, is planning to launch its first flights to the UK and Australia.

According to a statement on the website of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the airline has applied for the permission to launch scheduled services to Birmingham and Melbourne next year.

If approved, the Birmingham service will commence in April 2016, operating twice a week – once from Beijing and once from Hangzhou. The Melbourne route meanwhile, would operate three times a week direct from Qingdao, a port city in Shandong province. All three routes are new city pairs.

Beijing Capital Airlines plans to deploy its 222-seat Airbus A330 aircraft on the routes, configured with 36 seats in business class and 186 in economy.

Previously a domestic and short-haul airline, Beijing Capital launched its first ever long-haul services to Copenhagen in September 2015, connecting the Danish capital with Beijing and Hangzhou. It is also planning to fly to Madrid in December.

The carrier, which is owned by the HNA Group, will take delivery of over 30 new twin-aisle aircraft by end of 2020.

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BCA Beijing Capital Airlines
Scoot launches first flights to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/scoot-launches-first-flights-to-melbourne/ Mon, 02 Nov 2015 03:48:48 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=228680 The post Scoot launches first flights to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Scoot's Dreamliner received a water cannon salute on arrival in Melbourne

Scoot touched down in Melbourne for the first time on 1 November 2015. The Singapore-based low-cost carrier received a traditional water cannon welcome on Sunday, when its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft arrived at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport. This marked the start of a new scheduled service to Australia’s second largest city, with flights operating five times […]

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Scoot's Dreamliner received a water cannon salute on arrival in Melbourne

Scoot touched down in Melbourne for the first time on 1 November 2015.

The Singapore-based low-cost carrier received a traditional water cannon welcome on Sunday, when its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft arrived at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport. This marked the start of a new scheduled service to Australia’s second largest city, with flights operating five times a week, rising to daily in peak travel periods.

Scoot's Dreamliner received a water cannon salute on arrival in Melbourne
Scoot’s Dreamliner received a water cannon salute on arrival in Melbourne

Depending on the departure date, flights will depart Singapore at 0010 every Tuesday and Wednesday and 0100 on the remaining days of the week, landing in Melbourne at 1030 or 1120.

The return flights also operate on a split schedule, departing Melbourne at 1145 every Tuesday and Wednesday and 1230 on all other days, and arriving back in Singapore at 1615 or 1725.

All flights will be operated using Scoot’s two-class B787 aircraft.

“Scoot has long received requests to fly to Melbourne, Australia’s sporting and cultural capital, so we’re delighted to finally be doing so,” said Campbell Wilson, Scoot’s CEO. “We’re even more pleased to be using a brand-new 787, part of the world’s first all Dreamliner fleet.”

Melbourne becomes Scoot’s fourth Australian destination, following Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast.

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Scoot arrival Scoot's Dreamliner received a water cannon salute on arrival in Melbourne
Etihad to launch A380 flights to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-to-launch-a380-flights-to-melbourne/ Mon, 26 Oct 2015 03:32:59 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=228374 The post Etihad to launch A380 flights to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Etihad's 496-seat Airbus A380

Etihad Airways will commence daily Airbus A380 services to Melbourne next summer. Launching on 1 June 2016, the 496-seat double-decker jet will operate as flights EY460/461 – one of the airline’s twice daily Abu Dhabi-Melbourne services. The other daily service will continue to be operated using a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The A380 deployment will […]

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Etihad's 496-seat Airbus A380
Etihad's 496-seat Airbus A380
Etihad’s 496-seat Airbus A380

Etihad Airways will commence daily Airbus A380 services to Melbourne next summer.

Launching on 1 June 2016, the 496-seat double-decker jet will operate as flights EY460/461 – one of the airline’s twice daily Abu Dhabi-Melbourne services. The other daily service will continue to be operated using a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The A380 deployment will mean that Melbourne passengers will be offered access to Etihad’s latest cabin products, including the three-room Residence.

“The launch of A380 services to Melbourne is good news for travellers on the very popular route,” said James Hogan, Etihad’s president & CEO.  “From June next year, guests on our Abu Dhabi-Melbourne A380 flights will discover what travellers the world over are talking about – the superior level of luxury, comfort, service, and in-flight technology.

“What’s more, the A380 service from Melbourne will connect seamlessly in Abu Dhabi to the A380 to London, offering our London-bound guests the convenience and class-leading comfort of an all-A380 service all the way.”

The new A380 will increase the total number of seats on the Abu Dhabi-Melbourne route by 26% to more than 11,500 seats per week.

“Melbourne is an important point on our global network, and our Abu Dhabi to Melbourne services continue to generate very high seat load factors on a year round basis. After just three months of operations, demand for our second daily service is already exceeding our expectations,” Hogan added.

Etihad’s passengers will also be offered connections from Melbourne to multiple destinations in Australia and New Zealand with the airline’s codeshare partners Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand. Destinations include Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Christchurch, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Perth, Queenstown, Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Wellington.

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shutterstock_322945316 Etihad's 496-seat Airbus A380
Emirates expands A380 services to Asia Pacific https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/emirates-expands-a380-services-to-asia-pacific/ Tue, 11 Aug 2015 07:28:17 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225440 The post Emirates expands A380 services to Asia Pacific appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Emirates will deploy its 519-seat, three-class A380 on the route (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)

Emirates will expand its Airbus A380 services in the Asia Pacific region next year, with the addition of a second daily flight to Singapore and its sixth A380 service to Australia. Effective 1 March 2016, Emirates will upgrade its daily Dubai-Singapore-Melbourne service from a Boeing 777 aircraft to the double-decker A380. This will make Australia […]

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Emirates will deploy its 519-seat, three-class A380 on the route (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)
Emirates will deploy its 519-seat, three-class A380 on the route (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)
Emirates will deploy its 519-seat, three-class A380 on the route (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)

Emirates will expand its Airbus A380 services in the Asia Pacific region next year, with the addition of a second daily flight to Singapore and its sixth A380 service to Australia.

Effective 1 March 2016, Emirates will upgrade its daily Dubai-Singapore-Melbourne service from a Boeing 777 aircraft to the double-decker A380.

This will make Australia the third largest A380 destination for Emirates (after the UK and US), with six daily A380 services to four Australian cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

“Emirates’ daily service between Dubai and Melbourne, through Singapore, has proven a popular choice amongst travellers and we’re pleased to be able to provide additional capacity on this route by up-gauging the aircraft to our flagship A380,” said Barry Brown, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of commercial – east.

“With 65 A380s in the Emirates fleet serving 35 destinations globally, and a further 75 aircraft on order, it remains firmly embedded in the future expansion plans for our global network.”

The Emirates’ A380 operating the Dubai-Singapore-Melbourne route is able to carry 519 passengers in three cabins, with 14 seats in first class, 76 in business class and 429 in economy.

The latest A380 service to the Asia Pacific region follows the announcement of Emirates’ fourth daily A380 flight to Bangkok, which will start on 1 December 2015.

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shutterstock_127862327 Emirates will deploy its 519-seat, three-class A380 on the route (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)
Jetstar flies Dreamliner to Singapore https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jetstar-flies-dreamliner-to-singapore/ Thu, 06 Aug 2015 10:09:33 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225314 The post Jetstar flies Dreamliner to Singapore appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Jetstar has deployed its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Singapore for the first time. The twin-aisle jet started operating the Melbourne-Singapore route on Thursday and will now fly five times a week between the two cities. The new aircraft will replace the Airbus A330 that has been deployed on the route since 2010. “Five years […]

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Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Jetstar’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Jetstar has deployed its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Singapore for the first time.

The twin-aisle jet started operating the Melbourne-Singapore route on Thursday and will now fly five times a week between the two cities. The new aircraft will replace the Airbus A330 that has been deployed on the route since 2010.

“Five years ago, Jetstar was the first low fares airline to introduce long-haul flying with the Airbus A330-200 aircraft in Singapore and the two-class service was popular with both leisure and business travellers,” said Jetstar Asia’s CEO, Bara Pasupathi.

“The introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will mean a more consistent customer experience for Jetstar’s long-haul customers and also offer the airline substantial fuel savings and cost benefits to help us keep fares low,” he added.

Jetstar’s Dreamliner is configured with 335 seats in two classes.

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Jetstar B787 from front Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliner
China Airlines expands in Oceania https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-airlines-expands-in-oceania/ Mon, 03 Aug 2015 06:23:45 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225081 The post China Airlines expands in Oceania appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Airlines will deploy an Airbus A330 on the new route

Taiwan’s China Airlines will add Melbourne to its route map in October. Commencing on 25 October 2015, the airline will operate three weekly flights (departing every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday) from Taipei‘s Taoyuan International Airport to Melbourne. The flight will then continue across the Tasman Sea to the New Zealand city of Christchurch. Operating on […]

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China Airlines will deploy an Airbus A330 on the new route
China Airlines will deploy an Airbus A330 on the new route
China Airlines will deploy an Airbus A330 on the new route

Taiwan’s China Airlines will add Melbourne to its route map in October.

Commencing on 25 October 2015, the airline will operate three weekly flights (departing every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday) from Taipei‘s Taoyuan International Airport to Melbourne. The flight will then continue across the Tasman Sea to the New Zealand city of Christchurch.

Operating on a seasonal basis until 26 March 2016, this route will complement China Airlines’ existing Taipei-Sydney-Christchurch service, which launched in December 2014 and also operates three times a week.

Combined with the airline’s eight weekly flights from Taipei to Auckland, via Sydney or Brisbane, China Airlines will operate a total of 14 flights per week to Australia and New Zealand this winter.

Numbered CI057 and CI058, the Taipei-Melbourne-Christchurch route will be operated using a 307-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft with seats in 30 business class and 277 in economy.

China Airlines said the new route would “flesh out” its Oceania network and “provide business and tourist passengers with more options”.

“Demand is strong on the Christchurch route from both Asian tourists and travellers between Australia and New Zealand. Average loading factor during the summer season in the Southern Hemisphere reached 90% and was extended to March 2015, due to positive passenger demand,” the airline said in a statement.

“The addition of the Taipei-Melbourne-Christchurch route this year will enable China Airlines to build on the existing Taipei-Sydney-Christchurch route to provide a more comprehensive network between Taipei, Australia and New Zealand.”

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CAL A330 China Airlines will deploy an Airbus A330 on the new route
Etihad launches second daily Melbourne flight https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-launches-second-daily-melbourne-flight/ Fri, 31 Jul 2015 04:58:48 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=225019 The post Etihad launches second daily Melbourne flight appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Melbourne

Etihad Airways’ second daily flight to Melbourne will launch on Saturday. The new service, EY462, will depart Abu Dhabi at 1030 and touch down in Melbourne at 0605 the next day. The return flight, EY463, will depart Melbourne at 1500, arriving back into the UAE capital at 2305. This complements the existing 2145 daily departure […]

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Melbourne

Etihad Airways’ second daily flight to Melbourne will launch on Saturday.

The new service, EY462, will depart Abu Dhabi at 1030 and touch down in Melbourne at 0605 the next day. The return flight, EY463, will depart Melbourne at 1500, arriving back into the UAE capital at 2305.

This complements the existing 2145 daily departure from Abu Dhabi, and the 2240 return service from Melbourne.

Melbourne
Melbourne

Etihad said the new flight would enable Australian passengers to connect to several European destinations, including Edinburgh, Geneva, Madrid, Zurich, Stuttgart, Vienna, Athens and Brussels.

“Becoming the only airline to offer double daily non-stop flights between Melbourne and the UAE clearly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to Victoria and exponentially increases the attractiveness of our customer proposition,” said Etihad’s president & CEO, James Hogan.

“From August 1 we will connect more international visitors to Melbourne from more markets in the Middle East and Europe and will offer Melbournians the convenience of two daily departures and one-stop connectivity to more than 50 great destinations.”

The new service will be operated by a three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with eight seats in first class, 40 in business class and 280 in economy.

Following the launch, Etihad will operate a total of 39 direct weekly flights to four Australian cities: Brisbane, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.

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Melbourne Melbourne
China Southern ramps up Australian routes https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-southern-ramps-up-australian-routes/ Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:23:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=224555 The post China Southern ramps up Australian routes appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Southern flies its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Perth

China Southern Airlines will enhance its Australian operations in the coming months, with the addition of more flights to Perth and Melbourne. Last week, the Chinese airline added an extra weekly flight on its Guangzhou-Perth route. This means China Southern now operates four weekly flights to the Western Australian city, every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and […]

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China Southern flies its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Perth
China Southern flies its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Perth
China Southern flies its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Perth

China Southern Airlines will enhance its Australian operations in the coming months, with the addition of more flights to Perth and Melbourne.

Last week, the Chinese airline added an extra weekly flight on its Guangzhou-Perth route. This means China Southern now operates four weekly flights to the Western Australian city, every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

All flights are operated using the carrier’s new three-class Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which offers four seats in first class, 24 seats in business class and 200 in economy.

And China Southern is also planning to increase the frequency of its Guangzhou-Melbourne route. Between 13 September and 5 December 2015, the airline will gradually add four more weekly flights to the route, taking the total frequency to daily.

The additional flights will run every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday using a 275-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

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CSA B787 China Southern flies its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Perth
Air China flies to Melbourne and Montreal https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-china-flies-to-melbourne-and-montreal/ Fri, 29 May 2015 02:51:38 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=222336 The post Air China flies to Melbourne and Montreal appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air China will fly to Melbourne and Montreal (photo by Tupungato)

Air China is expanding its long-haul international network with the launch of two new routes, to Melbourne and Montreal. The new direct Beijing-Melbourne service will commence on 1 June 2015, operating four times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Flights will depart the Chinese capital at 0105, while the return flight will leave Melbourne […]

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Air China will fly to Melbourne and Montreal (photo by Tupungato)
Air China will fly to Melbourne and Montreal (photo by Tupungato)
Air China will fly to Melbourne and Montreal (photo by Tupungato)

Air China is expanding its long-haul international network with the launch of two new routes, to Melbourne and Montreal.

The new direct Beijing-Melbourne service will commence on 1 June 2015, operating four times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Flights will depart the Chinese capital at 0105, while the return flight will leave Melbourne at 2040. Air China will deploy a two-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the route.

The airline currently flies between the two cities five times a week with a stop in Shanghai, but this service will now be suspended.

Then on 29 September 2015, Air China will launch a new trans-Pacific route between Beijing and Montreal. The new route will initially run three times a week using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Flights will depart Beijing every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday at 1350, with the return service leaving Montreal at 1620 on the same days. Air Canada will codeshare on the route.

“This new route to Canada’s second largest city will strengthen the links between China and Canada; it will provide travellers with convenient travel options in cooperation with our partner Air Canada whose extensive North American network includes many cities easily served from Montreal throughout Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the United States,” said Song Zhiyong, president & CEO of Air China.

The new Beijing-Montreal route will be the Canadian city’s first direct link to Asia.

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AC B777 (credit Tupungato) Air China will fly to Melbourne and Montreal (photo by Tupungato)
Air China expands international network https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-china-expands-international-network/ Mon, 23 Mar 2015 09:04:13 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=219693 The post Air China expands international network appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air China will odd more Boeing 777 flights to LAX (photo by Tupungato)

Air China has unveiled plans to launch several new international services, including an alliance with Air New Zealand. The Beijing-based carrier will launch a new daily direct service to Auckland as part of the partnership with the Kiwi national carrier. Air China will also continue to codeshare on Air New Zealand’s daily Shanghai-Auckland service, which […]

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Air China will odd more Boeing 777 flights to LAX (photo by Tupungato)
Air China will odd more Boeing 777 flights to LAX (photo by Tupungato)
Air China will odd more Boeing 777 flights to LAX (photo by Tupungato)

Air China has unveiled plans to launch several new international services, including an alliance with Air New Zealand.

The Beijing-based carrier will launch a new daily direct service to Auckland as part of the partnership with the Kiwi national carrier. Air China will also continue to codeshare on Air New Zealand’s daily Shanghai-Auckland service, which will be operated exclusively by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from late August 2015.

“We are committed to working with our Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand to provide better air connectivity between China and New Zealand in order to meet the growing demand from travellers in both markets,” said Air China’s CEO, Song Zhiyong.

“The proposed alliance with Air New Zealand allows both flag carriers to build a sustainable air service between Beijing and Auckland and supplement the existing connectivity between China and New Zealand. This service, along with Air New Zealand’s Shanghai-Auckland service, will provide greater benefits to travellers in both countries in the coming years.”

Meanwhile, Air China has also announced plans to launch a new route to Melbourne and more trans-Pacific flights to Los Angeles.

The Beijing-Melbourne route will commence on 1 June 2015, operating four times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays) using an Airbus A330-200 aircraft. This will take the total number of weekly Air China flights to Australia to 23.

And finally, Air China will add more flights to its existing Beijing-LA route. Effective 2 May, the airline will increase the frequency of the route by four weekly flights (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays). And from 1 July to 24 October 2015, the extra flights will rise to daily. All the new services will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Currently, Air China operates 104 weekly flights to six destinations in the US: New York, LA, Houston, San Francisco, Washington DC and Honolulu.

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AC B777 (credit Tupungato) Air China will odd more Boeing 777 flights to LAX (photo by Tupungato)
AirAsia finally gets approval for Bali-Melbourne flight https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airasia-finally-gets-approval-for-bali-melbourne-flight/ Sat, 07 Mar 2015 02:25:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=219008 The post AirAsia finally gets approval for Bali-Melbourne flight appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The route will be operated by Indonesia AirAsia X (photo by MrNovel)

AirAsia has finally received permission to launch its direct Bali–Melbourne service and will commence flights on 18 March. The route, which will be the first operated by new subsidiary Indonesia AirAsia X, was originally scheduled to commence on 26 December 2014, and its last-minute postponement left many passengers’ festive holiday plans in tatters. But Australia’s […]

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The route will be operated by Indonesia AirAsia X (photo by MrNovel)
The route will be operated by Indonesia AirAsia X (photo by MrNovel)
The route will be operated by Indonesia AirAsia X (photo by MrNovel)

AirAsia has finally received permission to launch its direct BaliMelbourne service and will commence flights on 18 March.

The route, which will be the first operated by new subsidiary Indonesia AirAsia X, was originally scheduled to commence on 26 December 2014, and its last-minute postponement left many passengers’ festive holiday plans in tatters.

But Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has now cleared Indonesia AirAsia X to launch the route, and AirAsia’s group CEO, Tony Fernandes, said he was “delighted” with the decision.

“We have been working very closely with CASA and are very pleased to have their full approval to operate,” said Fernandes. “We adhered to standard aviation practice in selling the flights but unfortunately we were caught up by bad timing during Christmas, in which we were not able to rectify the matter in time.

“We deeply apologise for the inconvenience caused to all of our guests and now look forward to welcoming them on board,” he added.

The Bali-Melbourne route will now commence on 18 March, initially with two weekly flights. But this frequency will be increase to five flights per week from 1 April 2015.

The flight time is approximately six hours and 10 minutes, and all flights will be operated using a 377-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which includes 12 flat-bed seats in business class.

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shutterstock_240542446(1) The route will be operated by Indonesia AirAsia X (photo by MrNovel)
Jetstar expands Dreamliner flights across Asia Pacific https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jetstar-expands-dreamliner-flights-across-asia-pacific/ Wed, 25 Feb 2015 08:43:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=218539 The post Jetstar expands Dreamliner flights across Asia Pacific appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jetstar will operate Boeing 787s on all its long-haul routes by September 2015

Jetstar has unveiled plans to launch its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on a series of new routes across the Asia Pacific region. Already this month, the low-cost carrier has deployed the new twin-aisle aircraft on its six weekly flights between Sydney and Honolulu. And this summer it will start operating the Dreamliner on four […]

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Jetstar will operate Boeing 787s on all its long-haul routes by September 2015
Jetstar will operate Boeing 787s on all its long-haul routes by September 2015
Jetstar will operate Boeing 787s on all its long-haul routes by September 2015

Jetstar has unveiled plans to launch its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on a series of new routes across the Asia Pacific region.

Already this month, the low-cost carrier has deployed the new twin-aisle aircraft on its six weekly flights between Sydney and Honolulu. And this summer it will start operating the Dreamliner on four more routes: MelbourneTokyo, Melbourne-Singapore, Melbourne-Honolulu and Brisbane-Honolulu.

This expansion comes as Jetstar prepares to transition to an all Boeing 787 fleet for its long-haul operations by September 2015.
“We’ve had great feedback from our customers travelling on the 787 across our international network – the bright spacious feel in the cabin and the gate-to-gate seat back in-flight entertainment has been a hit,” said Jetstar’s group CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka.

“We’re excited for more of our customers to enjoy this in-flight experience to Australia, whether travelling direct from Singapore or connecting from more than 20 destinations across Asia with Jetstar Asia.”

Jetstar’s 335-seat, two-class B787s will be rolled out on the Melbourne-Tokyo Narita route from 10 July 2015, operating four times a week. Then from 5 August the aircraft will start flying five times a week between Melbourne and Singapore.

The expansion will conclude on 14 September, when Jetstar deploys the Dreamliner on six weekly flights to Honolulu – three from Melbourne and three from Brisbane.

This means that by the end of September 2015, all of Jetstar’s long-haul operations will be operated by the Dreamliner, replacing the airline’s old fleet of Airbus A330s. In total Jetstar has ordered 14 B787s.

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Jetstar B787 Jetstar will operate Boeing 787s on all its long-haul routes by September 2015
Qantas to add new Queensland connections https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qantas-to-add-new-queensland-connections/ Wed, 11 Feb 2015 02:27:28 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=218039 The post Qantas to add new Queensland connections appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qantas will deploy an Airbus A330 on the Brisbane-Tokyo route

Qantas has unveiled a series of new domestic and international services for Queensland. Following the recent announcement of its new Brisbane–Tokyo Narita service, which starts in August 2015, Qantas has now decided to operate the route daily, rather than four times a week as initially promised. The airline was considering an alternative city from which […]

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Qantas will deploy an Airbus A330 on the Brisbane-Tokyo route
Qantas will deploy an Airbus A330 on the Brisbane-Tokyo route
Qantas will deploy an Airbus A330 on the Brisbane-Tokyo route

Qantas has unveiled a series of new domestic and international services for Queensland.

Following the recent announcement of its new BrisbaneTokyo Narita service, which starts in August 2015, Qantas has now decided to operate the route daily, rather than four times a week as initially promised.

The airline was considering an alternative city from which to operate the remaining three weekly services, but has now opted to use Brisbane for all seven weekly flights.

And the Australian carrier has also unveiled two new domestic routes for Queensland, connecting Melbourne with the Whitsunday Coast and Hamilton Island.

Launching on 25 June 2015, the Melbourne-Whitsunday Coast route will be operated by Jetstar three times a week (Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays). Then on 27 June, Qantas will start flying the Melbourne-Hamilton Island route twice a week (Saturdays and Sundays).

And Jetstar will fly an A320 to the Whitsunday Coast
And Jetstar will fly an A320 to the Whitsunday Coast

“This is great news for Qantas customers who now have a range of new, direct travel options on our international and domestic network,” said Qantas’ regional manager for Queensland, Peter Collyns. “We’ve worked closely with Brisbane Airport to increase our upcoming Tokyo route to a daily service. This is a big positive for local tourism because it makes Queensland even more accessible to Japanese travellers.

“Qantas customers now have a direct premium service from Melbourne to Hamilton Island, and Jetstar will offer the only low fares between Melbourne and the Whitsunday Coast Airport,” he added.

All Qantas’ Brisbane-Narita flights will be operated using an Airbus A330 aircraft, while the Hamilton Island route will use a Boeing 737. Jetstar will deploy an A320 on the new Whitsunday Coast service.

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shutterstock_246833362 Qantas will deploy an Airbus A330 on the Brisbane-Tokyo route Jetstar A320 tail And Jetstar will fly an A320 to the Whitsunday Coast
Qantas offers in-flight virtual reality headsets https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qantas-offers-in-flight-virtual-reality-headsets/ Thu, 29 Jan 2015 03:33:53 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=217568 The post Qantas offers in-flight virtual reality headsets appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The Samsung VR headsets will be trialled in first class on Qantas' A380s

Qantas has unveiled plans to launch the world’s first virtual reality 3D experience on its aircraft. In partnership with Samsung, the Australian airline is trialling a new system that will offer 360-degree 3D destination tours, product information and even Hollywood movies using virtual reality headsets. Samsung Gear VR headsets will initially be made available to […]

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The Samsung VR headsets will be trialled in first class on Qantas' A380s

Qantas has unveiled plans to launch the world’s first virtual reality 3D experience on its aircraft.

In partnership with Samsung, the Australian airline is trialling a new system that will offer 360-degree 3D destination tours, product information and even Hollywood movies using virtual reality headsets.

Samsung Gear VR headsets will initially be made available to first class passengers on some of Qantas’ Airbus A380 flights, and in the airline’s international first class lounges in Sydney and Melbourne. The trial will run for three months.

The Samsung VR headsets will be trialled in first class on Qantas' A380s
The Samsung VR headsets will be trialled in first class on Qantas’ A380s

“Whether the user wants a virtual tour of our new Los Angeles first lounge or experience an A380 landing from the tarmac, this technology gives us a completely new way to connect with our customers,” said Qantas’ group executive for brand, marketing & corporate affairs, Olivia Wirth.

“From an in-flight entertainment perspective, it’s an industry first. Qantas is committed to being at the forefront of innovation to give our passengers the very best and latest in-flight experiences, like accessing the virtual worlds of their favourite Hollywood blockbusters from the comfort of their seat.

“It’s also a fantastic tool to feature our network’s destinations, inspiring travel and promoting tourism,” she added.

Arno Lenior, chief marketing officer for Samsung Electronics Australia said the product, which is one of the electronics company’s latest innovations, will “open new worlds for Qantas customers”.

Qantas is also working with production company Jaunt to develop and produce the live-action content, including destination footage. Tourism NT has become one of the first partners for the trial, with a special 3D experience taking guests on a tour of the Kakadu National Park.

The Samsung VR headsets will be offered in the Sydney and Melbourne first class lounges from mid-February and on select A380 flights between Australia and Los Angeles from mid-March.

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Samsung_1 The Samsung VR headsets will be trialled in first class on Qantas' A380s
Upgraded Qantas A330 debuts on Singapore route https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/upgraded-qantas-a330-debuts-on-singapore-route/ Sat, 17 Jan 2015 03:30:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=217118 The post Upgraded Qantas A330 debuts on Singapore route appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qantas plans to revamp all 28 A330s by the end of 2015

Qantas’ first upgraded international Airbus A330 aircraft took to the skies on Saturday, on the route from Melbourne to Singapore. The revamped A330 feature flat-bed seats in business class, including a unique design feature that allows passengers to recline in their seat throughout the entire flight, from take-off to landing. A new type of Recaro […]

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Qantas plans to revamp all 28 A330s by the end of 2015
Qantas plans to revamp all 28 A330s by the end of 2015
Qantas plans to revamp all 28 A330s by the end of 2015 (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)

Qantas’ first upgraded international Airbus A330 aircraft took to the skies on Saturday, on the route from Melbourne to Singapore.

The revamped A330 feature flat-bed seats in business class, including a unique design feature that allows passengers to recline in their seat throughout the entire flight, from take-off to landing. A new type of Recaro seat has been introduced in economy class, and all passengers will be offered modern in-flight entertainment technology and improved onboard meals.

“When you combine our investment in lounges with what we’re offering on board our upgraded A330s, it puts Qantas in a very strong position to retain and win customers on key routes to Asia,” said Qantas’ group CEO Alan Joyce.

The roll-out of the first reconfigured international A330 follows the introduction of Qantas’ new domestic A330s last month.
“Our first domestic aircraft has been operating for a little more than two weeks and we have received rave reviews from crew and our passengers. Some have said it’s the best domestic business experience in the world.

“On top of the two years of research and development, more than 200 engineers and support staff at our Brisbane hangar are working on the reconfiguration programme, with around 10,000 hours spent on each international aircraft,” Joyce added.

More than half of Qantas’ 28 A330 aircraft are expected to be refurbished by the end of December 2015, with the project to be fully completed by the end of 2016.

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shutterstock_74994718 Qantas plans to revamp all 28 A330s by the end of 2015 (photo by Chris Parypa Photography)
Etihad goes double daily to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-goes-double-daily-to-melbourne/ Mon, 22 Dec 2014 05:02:48 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=216388 The post Etihad goes double daily to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Etihad will deploy a Boeing 777-300ER on the second daily flight

Etihad Airways will continue its expansion in Australia next year with the launch of a second daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne. Commencing on 1 August 2015, the additional flight depart the UAE capital at 1030, arriving in Melbourne at 0605 the following day. The return service will leave the Australian city at 1515, […]

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Etihad will deploy a Boeing 777-300ER on the second daily flight

Etihad Airways will continue its expansion in Australia next year with the launch of a second daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne.

Commencing on 1 August 2015, the additional flight depart the UAE capital at 1030, arriving in Melbourne at 0605 the following day. The return service will leave the Australian city at 1515, getting back into Abu Dhabi at 2320.

Etihad will deploy a Boeing 777-300ER on the second daily flight
Etihad will deploy a Boeing 777-300ER on the second daily flight

This will complement the existing 2220 departure from Abu Dhabi and 2240 return flight from Melbourne.

The additional service will be operated using a 328-seat, three-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with eight seats in first class, 40 in business class and 280 in economy.

“We commenced flights to Melbourne in 2009 and it has since become one of the strongest routes on our network,” said James Hogan, president & CEO of Etihad. “The new schedule will offer our guests a choice of two convenient departure times and seamless connectivity over Abu Dhabi to the Etihad Airways and Etihad Partners’ global networks.

“Significantly, we will be the only airline offering double daily non-stop flights between Melbourne and the UAE, and twice daily one-stop services to a vast network of business and leisure destinations worldwide,” he added.

The second daily service will also offer passengers new one-stop connections to destinations including Edinburgh, Geneva, Madrid and Zurich with Etihad, Stuttgart and Vienna with airberlin, and Venice with Alitalia.

Etihad commenced daily flights between to Melbourne in March 2009 and has since carried more than 900,000 passengers on the route. It also operates double daily flights to Sydney and daily services to Brisbane and Perth.

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Etihad_-_Boeing_777_300_ER
Scoot moves into Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/scoot-moves-into-melbourne/ Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:35:11 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=215838 The post Scoot moves into Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot

Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot has revealed that it will launch its first flights to Melbourne next year. Commencing on 1 November 2015, the airline will use its brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the direct Singapore-Melbourne route. Flights will run five times a week. “We’ve heard loud and clear the demands of Scoot to fly […]

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Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot
Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot
Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot

Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot has revealed that it will launch its first flights to Melbourne next year.

Commencing on 1 November 2015, the airline will use its brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the direct Singapore-Melbourne route. Flights will run five times a week.

“We’ve heard loud and clear the demands of Scoot to fly to Melbourne, and we’re delighted to finally be able to answer them,” said Campbell Wilson, the airline’s CEO. “Melbourne… has long been on our radar and the arrival of our new Boeing 787s gives us the chance to add it to our network.”

Scoot’s Dreamliners will be configured in a two-class layout with economy and ‘ScootBiz’ cabins. All passengers will be offered Wi-Fi and in-seat power sockets.

Melbourne will become Scoot’s fourth destination in Australia, following Sydney, Perth and Gold Coast.

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Scoot B777 Campbell Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot
Australian trials for aviation’s new ‘Smart Security’ system https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/australian-trials-for-aviations-new-smart-security-system/ Thu, 30 Oct 2014 07:03:34 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=213846 The post Australian trials for aviation’s new ‘Smart Security’ system appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The pilot scheme is designed to create a "more passenger friendly, sustainable and efficient process" for aviation security

Australia will be the test ground for the aviation industry’s new ‘Smart Security’ system, which is designed to make passenger screening more efficient. Qantas and Melbourne Airport have teamed up with Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to develop the pilot programme, which is expected to be rolled out in […]

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The pilot scheme is designed to create a "more passenger friendly, sustainable and efficient process" for aviation security

Australia will be the test ground for the aviation industry’s new ‘Smart Security’ system, which is designed to make passenger screening more efficient.

The pilot scheme is designed to create a "more passenger friendly, sustainable and efficient process" for aviation security
The pilot scheme is designed to create a “more passenger friendly, sustainable and efficient process” for aviation security

Qantas and Melbourne Airport have teamed up with Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to develop the pilot programme, which is expected to be rolled out in 2015.

IATA said the overall aim is to use new technologies to create a “more passenger friendly, sustainable and efficient process” for aviation security.

Melbourne Airport is the fourth airport to join the programme, following Amsterdam Schiphol, London Heathrow and Doha’s Hamad International airports.

“This partnership between Qantas and Melbourne Airport is an important step toward realising a new model of security that will improve the experience for our passengers while boosting the efficiency of security checkpoints,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general & CEO.

“Global passenger traffic is set to double in the next 20 years. Smart Security responds to this growth as well as continuously evolving security threats.”

The focus for the 2015 pilot is on “optimising security screening resources and asset utilisation, integrating innovative technology, repurposing existing equipment and implementing new procedures to facilitate risk-based passenger screening”, according to the parties.
Melbourne Airport’s CEO, Chris Woodruff, said the overall goal is to “deliver better results and a better experience for customers”.

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shutterstock_173664563 The pilot scheme is designed to create a "more passenger friendly, sustainable and efficient process" for aviation security
Indo AirAsia X to launch with Melbourne flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/indo-airasia-x-to-launch-with-melbourne-flights/ Mon, 27 Oct 2014 08:11:07 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=213680 The post Indo AirAsia X to launch with Melbourne flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Pictured (from left): Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X; Melanie de Souza, general manager of international marketing, Tourism Victoria; Dendy Kurniawan, chief financial officer, Indonesia AirAsia Extra

Indonesia AirAsia Extra, the latest regional long-haul unit from the AirAsia group, will commence services in December, initially flying between Bali and Melbourne. Having received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) earlier this month, the new low-cost carrier has now confirmed that it will take off for the first time on 26 December 2014. The inaugural […]

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Pictured (from left): Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X; Melanie de Souza, general manager of international marketing, Tourism Victoria; Dendy Kurniawan, chief financial officer, Indonesia AirAsia Extra
Pictured (from left): Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X; Melanie de Souza, general manager of international marketing, Tourism Victoria; Dendy Kurniawan, chief financial officer, Indonesia AirAsia Extra
Pictured (from left): Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X; Melanie de Souza, general manager of international marketing, Tourism Victoria; Dendy Kurniawan, chief financial officer, Indonesia AirAsia Extra

Indonesia AirAsia Extra, the latest regional long-haul unit from the AirAsia group, will commence services in December, initially flying between Bali and Melbourne.

Having received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) earlier this month, the new low-cost carrier has now confirmed that it will take off for the first time on 26 December 2014.

The inaugural route between Bali and Melbourne will be operated five times a week, departing the Indonesian resort island at 0855 on Tuesdays and Sundays and at 0005 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The return services will leave Melbourne at 1930 every Tuesday and Saturday, and at 1040 on the remaining three days.

As with AirAsia X’s other regional units in Malaysia and Thailand, the Indonesian carrier will operate a fleet of 377-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft, featuring flat-bed seats in business class.

The new route and launch date were revealed in a ceremony in Jakarta, attended by Indonesia AirAsia Extra’s CEO, Soeratman Doerachman, and Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of the original AirAsia X.

“We are super excited with the official launch of Indonesia AirAsia Extra today,” said Osman-Rani. “Our strategy of focusing and dominating our core markets in North Asia and Australia moves to a higher level with our regional expansion in Thailand previously and now Indonesia. Our investment in neighbouring hubs where established short haul feeder networks are in place, allows us to triple our size without even adding a new market.

Indonesia AirAsia Extra will operate a fleet of Airbus A330s
Indonesia AirAsia Extra will operate a fleet of Airbus A330s

“Foreign tourist arrivals into Bali increased more than 13% last year compared to the previous year with Australian being the highest contributor with more than 25%. We are confident this route will grow even further with our low fares,” he added.

Indonesia AirAsia Extra becomes the second long-haul subsidiary launched by AirAsia this year, following the Thai AirAsia X, which commenced operations in June 2014.

AirAsia now operates eight separate short- and long-haul units across five countries – Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India and the Philippines – and plans to re-enter Japan in 2015.

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IAX Launch (2) Pictured (from left): Azran Osman-Rani, CEO, AirAsia X; Melanie de Souza, general manager of international marketing, Tourism Victoria; Dendy Kurniawan, chief financial officer, Indonesia AirAsia Extra AAX fuselage Indonesia AirAsia Extra will operate a fleet of Airbus A330s
United spreads wings across Pacific https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/united-spreads-wings-across-pacific/ Sat, 25 Oct 2014 03:41:48 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=213636 The post United spreads wings across Pacific appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Photo by Songquan Deng

United Airlines is embarking on a major expansion of its Asia Pacific operations, with the launch of new routes to Australia, China, Japan and Korea. On 26 October 2014, the US carrier will commence two new trans-Pacific routes, connecting Los Angeles with Melbourne and San Francisco with Tokyo Haneda Airport. Then on 27 and 28 […]

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Photo by Songquan Deng
Photo by Songquan Deng
Photo by Songquan Deng

United Airlines is embarking on a major expansion of its Asia Pacific operations, with the launch of new routes to Australia, China, Japan and Korea.

On 26 October 2014, the US carrier will commence two new trans-Pacific routes, connecting Los Angeles with Melbourne and San Francisco with Tokyo Haneda Airport. Then on 27 and 28 October respectively, another two new routes will connect the US Pacific island of Guam with Seoul and Shanghai.

“These four new routes further strengthen United’s presence in the Pacific, already the most extensive among US airlines,” said Brian Znotins, United’s vice president of network.

“New non-stop service to Melbourne and Haneda from our powerhouse West Coast hubs, and the additional new flights from our Guam hub to both Seoul and Shanghai, offer our customers convenience and schedule options that no other airline can offer.”

The new LA-Melbourne route will be operated six times a week using United’s brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This will be United’s first international route using the aircraft, and the longest Dreamliner route in the world at more than 12,700km.

The San Francisco-Haneda route meanwhile, will operate daily using a Boeing 777 aircraft. These new flights will complement United’s existing service from San Francisco to Tokyo Narita Airport.

Finally, United will launch two new routes from its Pacific hub at Guam. Daily flights to Seoul Incheon International Airport commence on Monday, with twice-weekly services to Shanghai Pudong International Airport – the first direct flight from Guam to mainland China – launching on Tuesday.

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shutterstock_117473032 Photo by Songquan Deng
Virgin Australia shifts LAX flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/virgin-australia-shifts-lax-flights/ Wed, 23 Jul 2014 09:30:02 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=210273 The post Virgin Australia shifts LAX flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Virgin Australia will operate daily flights on the Brisbane-LAX route

Virgin Australia will make changes to its Los Angeles routes later this year, with more Brisbane flights taking the place of the Melbourne services, which will be suspended. Effective 26 October 2014, the airline will boost the frequency of its Brisbane-LAX route from four flights per week to daily. The route will be operated using […]

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Virgin Australia will operate daily flights on the Brisbane-LAX route
Virgin Australia will operate daily flights on the Brisbane-LAX route
Virgin Australia will operate daily flights on the Brisbane-LAX route

Virgin Australia will make changes to its Los Angeles routes later this year, with more Brisbane flights taking the place of the Melbourne services, which will be suspended.

Effective 26 October 2014, the airline will boost the frequency of its Brisbane-LAX route from four flights per week to daily. The route will be operated using Virgin Australia’s three-class Boeing 777 aircraft.

To make room for these flights however, Virgin Australia will cease operating services between Melbourne and LAX, with the last flight on this route departing on 25 October 2014.

“The changes announced today are a result of extensive market analysis. Having the right frequency is very important to corporate and leisure customers and moving to daily flights from Brisbane enables us to provide more choice and flexibility to those travelling to and from Queensland,” explained Virgin Australia’s chief commercial officer, Judith Crompton.

“Those travelling from Melbourne will still be able to travel to Los Angeles on one ticket with through-checked baggage, connecting through Sydney or Brisbane, and we are committed to providing competitive fares on these routes.”

Following this change, Virgin Australia and its trans-Pacific partner Delta Air Lines will offer two daily services between Sydney and LAX and one daily service from Brisbane.

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VA A330 Virgin Australia will operate daily flights on the Brisbane-LAX route
Fiji Airways expands with new Australia and NZ flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/fiji-airways-expands-with-new-australia-and-nz-flights/ Mon, 30 Jun 2014 06:03:05 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=209327 The post Fiji Airways expands with new Australia and NZ flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Fiji Airways will add capacity to several routes across the Oceania region

Fiji Airways has embarked on a major increase in capacity across a series of key routes. The recent arrival of a new ATR72-600 aircraft for regional carrier Fiji Link has freed up Fiji Airways’ Boeing 737s to be used on flights to Australia and New Zealand. As a result, the national carrier has now added […]

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Fiji Airways will add capacity to several routes across the Oceania region
Fiji Airways will add capacity to several routes across the Oceania region
Fiji Airways will add capacity to several routes across the Oceania region

Fiji Airways has embarked on a major increase in capacity across a series of key routes.

The recent arrival of a new ATR72-600 aircraft for regional carrier Fiji Link has freed up Fiji Airways’ Boeing 737s to be used on flights to Australia and New Zealand.

As a result, the national carrier has now added two more flights to its Nadi-Melbourne route, taking it up to a daily service, while two more overnight flights have also been added to the Nadi-Auckland route, boosting the total frequency to 11 flights per week.

“It’s exciting for us to be able to add additional capacity to our key markets of Australia and New Zealand for the peak season, thanks to the addition of the ATR 72 which has freed up the B737s needed to operate these services,” said Fiji Airways’ managing director & CEO, Stefan Pichler.

“The increase in capacity to our tourist source markets is good news for us as Fiji’s national airline group and for Fiji’s tourism industry. This was always our intention… and we note with satisfaction, that the Department of Immigration has reported rising visitor numbers from our major inbound markets.”

In addition to the extra Melbourne and Auckland services, Fiji Airways will also start direct services between Nadi and Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, from 5 July, and more frequencies will be added during peak periods (July, October, December and January) to the Sydney and Christchurch routes. Fiji Airways currently operates once a week to Christchurch and 15 times a week to Sydney.

In June 2014, the newly-rebranded Fiji Link commenced a new direct service between Fiji’s capital Suva and Apia, the capital of Samoa, using the airline’s brand new ATR72-600 aircraft.

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Fiji Airways
Air NZ, Etihad expand cooperation https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-nz-etihad-expand-cooperation/ Mon, 30 Jun 2014 04:45:26 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=209322 The post Air NZ, Etihad expand cooperation appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air New Zealand and Etihad are already codeshare partners

Air New Zealand and Etihad Airways have expanded their cooperation with the signing of a major new maintenance deal. The new arrangement will see the Etihad perform all scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance on Air New Zealand’s aircraft at its engineering facility in Melbourne. In return, Air New Zealand will handle full line maintenance for Etihad […]

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Air New Zealand and Etihad are already codeshare partners
Air New Zealand and Etihad are already codeshare partners
Air New Zealand and Etihad are already codeshare partners

Air New Zealand and Etihad Airways have expanded their cooperation with the signing of a major new maintenance deal.

The new arrangement will see the Etihad perform all scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance on Air New Zealand’s aircraft at its engineering facility in Melbourne. In return, Air New Zealand will handle full line maintenance for Etihad in Los Angeles.

The maintenance services to be performed in Melbourne and Los Angeles could include transit, daily and weekly checks, scheduled engineering services and fault repairs for the aircraft systems and passenger cabins.

Etihad launched daily flights to Los Angeles on 1 June 2014, using a three-class Airbus A340-500 aircraft, but from mid-July this will be upgraded to a Boeing 777-200LR.  Air New Zealand already operates flights from Los Angeles to Auckland, London and Rarotonga.

Air New Zealand also operates five daily flights from Melbourne to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, as well as a seasonal service to Queenstown.

“Our successful codeshare partnership with Air New Zealand goes back three years and we are delighted to build on this foundation by working together in the technical area,” said Jeff Wilkinson, Etihad’s senior vice president of technical.

“Etihad Airways’ Melbourne line maintenance facilities, services and personnel are world-class, and we look forward to servicing Air New Zealand’s aircraft while they perform similar line maintenance for us at their modern facility in Los Angeles.

“We also expect this announcement to lead to further employment opportunities at our Melbourne line maintenance facility in the future,” he added.

In addition to Melbourne and Sydney, Etihad has maintenance facilities in Chicago, Dublin, Mumbai, Lahore, London, Manchester and Singapore.

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ANZEtihad Air New Zealand and Etihad are already codeshare partners
Royal Brunei flies Dreamliner to Melbourne https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/royal-brunei-flies-dreamliner-to-melbourne/ Sun, 06 Apr 2014 03:51:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=205927 The post Royal Brunei flies Dreamliner to Melbourne appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Royal Brunei's Boeing 787-8 features 254 seats in two classes

Royal Brunei Airlines has launched Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights to Melbourne. The new fuel-efficient, twin-aisle jet touched down at Melbourne Airport for the first time on Thursday, and will now serve the Australian city daily, direct from Brunei. Royal Brunei became the first Southeast Asian airline to operate the Dreamliner, when it received its first […]

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Royal Brunei's Boeing 787-8 features 254 seats in two classes
Royal Brunei's Boeing 787-8 features 254 seats in two classes
Royal Brunei’s Boeing 787-8 features 254 seats in two classes

Royal Brunei Airlines has launched Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights to Melbourne.

The new fuel-efficient, twin-aisle jet touched down at Melbourne Airport for the first time on Thursday, and will now serve the Australian city daily, direct from Brunei.

Royal Brunei became the first Southeast Asian airline to operate the Dreamliner, when it received its first new B787-8 aircraft in October 2013. It now operates two of the aircraft, with one flying to London (via Dubai) and the second deployed Down Under on the Melbourne route.

The new aircraft comes equipped with 254 seats in two classes, including 18 flat-bed seats in business class and 236 seats in economy.

Royal Brunei becomes the third airline to operate the Dreamliner at Melbourne Airport, following Jetstar and Air India.

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K65995-02 (2) Royal Brunei's Boeing 787-8 features 254 seats in two classes
Qatar Airways boosts Melbourne capacity https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/qatar-airways-boosts-melbourne-capacity/ Mon, 31 Mar 2014 03:51:53 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=205659 The post Qatar Airways boosts Melbourne capacity appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Qatar Airways will fly its Boeing 777 to Melbourne

Qatar Airways has increased capacity on its Melbourne route, with the deployment of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft to the Australian city. The new wide-body aircraft features 335 seats in two cabins, with 42 seats in business class and 293 in economy. This marks an increase in capacity of 30% compared to the previous aircraft. The […]

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Qatar Airways will fly its Boeing 777 to Melbourne
Qatar Airways will fly its Boeing 777 to Melbourne
Qatar Airways will fly its Boeing 777 to Melbourne

Qatar Airways has increased capacity on its Melbourne route, with the deployment of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft to the Australian city.

The new wide-body aircraft features 335 seats in two cabins, with 42 seats in business class and 293 in economy. This marks an increase in capacity of 30% compared to the previous aircraft.

The Melbourne flights will leave Doha daily at 0055, arriving into Victoria’s state capital at 2225. The return service will then leave Melbourne at 2355, getting back into Doha at 0620 the following day.

“The increase in overall capacity on our Melbourne route is further testament to our commitment to the Australian market,” said Qatar Airways’ CEO, Akbar Al Baker. “The short connection times, along with our award-winning on-board service, makes Qatar Airways a favourite with our Australian passengers who are looking for both comfort and convenience on long-haul flights.”

Qatar Airways currently flies to 136 destinations, with a further seven due to be added in 2014.

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QR B777 take-off Qatar Airways will fly its Boeing 777 to Melbourne
Virgin Australia opens new Melbourne lounge https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/virgin-australia-opens-new-melbourne-lounge/ Tue, 04 Mar 2014 06:52:01 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=204506 The post Virgin Australia opens new Melbourne lounge appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The new lounge will seat 604 passengers

Virgin Australia has unveiled its revamped lounge at Melbourne Airport. The old lounge has undergone a six-month renovation project, which saw the facility double in size to become the biggest in Virgin Australia’s network. The new 1,209m² lounge seats 604 passengers and features a dining area, wine and espresso bars, two meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi, […]

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The new lounge will seat 604 passengers
The new lounge will seat 604 passengers
The new lounge will seat 604 passengers

Virgin Australia has unveiled its revamped lounge at Melbourne Airport.

The old lounge has undergone a six-month renovation project, which saw the facility double in size to become the biggest in Virgin Australia’s network.

The new 1,209m² lounge seats 604 passengers and features a dining area, wine and espresso bars, two meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi, power outlets, PCs connected to printers, and 10 high-definition televisions.

“We are delighted to unveil our newly-transformed Melbourne lounge, which provides our guests with more areas to relax, refuel and recharge in a stylish and contemporary setting,” said Virgin Australia’s chief customer officer, Mark Hassell.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to take the airport experience to the next level and are pleased to offer our first in-lounge Wine Bar and Espresso Bar, giving a unique world-class service experience to our guests,” he added.

And in July 2014, Virgin Australia expects to open a new security screening point within the lounge, which will allow passengers to move straight from the lounge to the departure gate.

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VA lounge The new lounge will seat 604 passengers
United’s Dreamliner to fly to Australia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/uniteds-dreamliner-to-fly-to-australia/ Fri, 21 Feb 2014 04:26:57 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=204051 The post United’s Dreamliner to fly to Australia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

United has ordered a total of 65 Dreamliners

United Airlines will deploy its newest aircraft on trans-Pacific services to Australia later this year. Commencing on 26 October 2014, the US carrier will start operating its brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner between Los Angeles and Melbourne. The service, which will operate six times a week, will mark first international deployment United’s 787-9s “We are […]

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United has ordered a total of 65 Dreamliners
United has ordered a total of 65 Dreamliners
United has ordered a total of 65 Dreamliners

United Airlines will deploy its newest aircraft on trans-Pacific services to Australia later this year.

Commencing on 26 October 2014, the US carrier will start operating its brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner between Los Angeles and Melbourne. The service, which will operate six times a week, will mark first international deployment United’s 787-9s

“We are excited about using the newest version of the Dreamliner, the 787-9, to provide non-stop trans-Pacific service to Melbourne,” said Jim Compton, United’s vice chairman & chief revenue officer.

“Our customers on these new flights will enjoy a more convenient itinerary, as well as improved in-flight comfort and amenities. At the same time, we will seek to make changes to our Sydney schedule which will enable faster connections via our San Francisco and Los Angeles hubs from points throughout the Americas.”

The new Dreamliner flights will depart Los Angeles at 2230 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, arriving in Melbourne at 0915 two days later. The return leg will leave the Australian city at 1115, getting back into LA at 0650 the same day.

On Thursdays, flights will leave LA and arrive in Melbourne an hour earlier, while on Tuesdays flights depart Melbourne 1515, getting back into LA at 1050 the same day.

The new B787-9 Dreamliner being used on the LA-Melbourne route will offer a total of 252 seats – 48 in business class, 63 in premium economy and 141 in economy. All seats will feature power outlets and on-demand in-flight entertainment systems.

The Dreamliner deployment marks the latest stage of United’s plans to upgrade its Australian routes. The airline will also replace its aging B747-400s with newer B777-200 from the end of March 2014, on its daily flights from San Francisco and LA to Sydney and Melbourne.

United had initially planned to operate its Dreamliners from Houston to Auckland, but shelved the route in 2012 due to Southwest Airlines’ expansion at Houston.

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United_9865 United has ordered a total of 65 Dreamliners
New IT systems at Melbourne Airport https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/new-it-systems-at-melbourne-airport/ Tue, 18 Feb 2014 04:18:41 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=203823 The post New IT systems at Melbourne Airport appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Melbourne Airport is expected to handle 60m passengers per year by 2030

Melbourne Airport has rolled out a new passenger IT system. The Australian hub has completed a switch to SITA’s AirportConnect Open platform, which will power all 275 workstations, including check-in counters and boarding gates, at the airport’s international terminal. The move forms part of a gradual transition to SITA’s common-use platform, which has already seen […]

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Melbourne Airport is expected to handle 60m passengers per year by 2030
Melbourne Airport is expected to handle 60m passengers per year by 2030
Melbourne Airport is expected to handle 60m passengers per year by 2030

Melbourne Airport has rolled out a new passenger IT system.

The Australian hub has completed a switch to SITA’s AirportConnect Open platform, which will power all 275 workstations, including check-in counters and boarding gates, at the airport’s international terminal.

The move forms part of a gradual transition to SITA’s common-use platform, which has already seen the installation of self-service check-in kiosks and automated baggage drop facilities.

“Over the next two years Melbourne Airport is investing AU$1 billion (US$904 million) in a development plan which includes the transformation of our international terminal. By working together with SITA and using technology in new ways we will be able to improve our processes to make the journey smoother for passengers and the airlines that serve them,” said Chris Woodruff, CEO of Melbourne Airport.

Currently 25 international airlines and 30m passengers use the airport, but the new IT facilities are designed to help Melbourne Airport cope with a doubling of its passenger traffic to 60m per year by 2030.

The move to SITA’s platform is currently underway and full implementation is expected by the end of this month.

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Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport is expected to handle 60m passengers per year by 2030
Jetstar launches international Dreamliner flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/jetstar-launches-international-dreamliner-flights/ Thu, 19 Dec 2013 05:01:05 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=201622 The post Jetstar launches international Dreamliner flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Jetstar will operate three Boeing 787s by early January

Jetstar has launched its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on an international route for the first time. The inaugural Dreamliner flight to Bali departed Melbourne on Wednesday, and will now operate daily. Flights leave the Australian city at 1845, arriving into Bali at 2155. The return leg then departs Denpasar at 2300, getting back into Melbourne at […]

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Jetstar will operate three Boeing 787s by early January
Jetstar will operate three Boeing 787s by early January
Jetstar will operate three Boeing 787s by early January

Jetstar has launched its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on an international route for the first time.

The inaugural Dreamliner flight to Bali departed Melbourne on Wednesday, and will now operate daily. Flights leave the Australian city at 1845, arriving into Bali at 2155. The return leg then departs Denpasar at 2300, getting back into Melbourne at 0735 the following morning.

The launch marks the start of Jetstar’s international Dreamliner services, and these will be expanded in 2014 with the launch of new services to Asia’s resort destinations.

Boeing 787 flights from Sydney to Bali will commence in January, followed by a new Dreamliner service between Sydney and Phuket in February. Then in April 2014, the low-cost carrier will commence B787 flights on the Brisbane-Bali route. The airline will also deploy the Dreamliner on its Melbourne-Auckland route for a limited period between 26 February and 28 March 2014.

Jetstar took delivery of its first B787 in October this year and will receive its second in December and third in early January 2014. The airline plans to transition to an all-Dreamliner long-haul fleet by 2015, with the aircraft eventually replacing Jetstar existing fleet of Airbus A330s, which will be transferred to Qantas.

The fuel-efficient B787s come equipped with 335 seats in a two-class configuration, with 21 seats in business class and 314 in economy. This makes Jetstar’s Dreamliner the highest capacity B787 operating in the world today.

“Today’s inaugural international 787 flight is a pivotal milestone for Jetstar, marking a new dawn in the history of our long-haul operations,” David Hall, CEO of Jetstar Australia & New Zealand said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Jetstar has also launched flights between Adelaide and Auckland. The new service took off for the first time this week, marking the airline’s first international service from the South Australian capital. The route will be operated three times a week using an Airbus A320 aircraft.

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Jetstar B787 from front Jetstar will operate three Boeing 787s by early January
Etihad boosts Melbourne capacity https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/etihad-boosts-melbourne-capacity/ Thu, 28 Nov 2013 03:28:25 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=200800 The post Etihad boosts Melbourne capacity appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Etihad will fly a Boeing 777-300ER to Melbourne from 1 December 2013

Etihad Airways will add more capacity on its Abu Dhabi-Melbourne route next month, with the introduction of a new Boeing 777-300ER on the route. The aircraft will start operating the route from 1 December 2013, offering 328 seats in a three-class configuration – 36 more than the Airbus A340-600 that currently operates the route. “Etihad […]

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Etihad will fly a Boeing 777-300ER to Melbourne from 1 December 2013
Etihad will fly a Boeing 777-300ER to Melbourne from 1 December 2013
Etihad will fly a Boeing 777-300ER to Melbourne from 1 December 2013

Etihad Airways will add more capacity on its Abu Dhabi-Melbourne route next month, with the introduction of a new Boeing 777-300ER on the route.

The aircraft will start operating the route from 1 December 2013, offering 328 seats in a three-class configuration – 36 more than the Airbus A340-600 that currently operates the route.

“Etihad Airways’ Melbourne–Abu Dhabi flights are some of the strongest performers in our network – this year load factors between the two cities have averaged more than 80%,” said Etihad’s president & CEO, James Hogan

“Switching to the Boeing 777 gives us 12% more seats overall and 25% more in business class. This will enable us to increase our share of the corporate and leisure travel market between Australia and Abu Dhabi and beyond to our worldwide network,” he added.

The three-class B777-300ER features eight seats in first class, 40 in business class and 280 in economy.

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EY B777 Etihad will fly a Boeing 777-300ER to Melbourne from 1 December 2013
China Southern boosts Melbourne route https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/china-southern-boosts-melbourne-route/ Tue, 17 Sep 2013 05:47:31 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=197526 The post China Southern boosts Melbourne route appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

China Southern's A330-300 offers flat beds in business class

China Southern Airlines is boosting its presence in Melbourne with the addition of more flights and the deployment of a new aircraft to the city. From 26 October 2013, the Guangzhou-based airline will start flying twice daily to the Australian city, using its new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which features fully flat beds in business class […]

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China Southern's A330-300 offers flat beds in business class
China Southern's A330-300 offers flat beds in business class
China Southern’s A330-300 offers flat beds in business class

China Southern Airlines is boosting its presence in Melbourne with the addition of more flights and the deployment of a new aircraft to the city.

From 26 October 2013, the Guangzhou-based airline will start flying twice daily to the Australian city, using its new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which features fully flat beds in business class and seatback in-flight entertainment systems in both cabins.

With 275 seats, the new A330 will boost capacity on the route by more than 1,600 seats per week over the Australian summer season.
The move marks the latest upgrade of China Southern’s Australasian services. Brisbane and Perth are already served by the new A330s and from 28 October 2013 China Southern will deploy its A380 to Sydney and its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Auckland.

“This is a really exciting time for China Southern in Australia and we’re thrilled to have completed this overhaul of our aircraft to ensure that each and every one of our Australian guests has a comfortable and pleasant flight with us,” said China Southern’s regional general manager for Australia & New Zealand, Henry He.

“We’re celebrating with some great spring deals which we hope will encourage more Victorians to fly with us and experience the new and improved China Southern product.”

China Southern is aiming to take a share of the lucrative ‘Kangaroo Route’ market between Australia and Europe by offering easy connections via Guangzhou, marketing it as the ‘Canton Route’.

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A330-300 flat bed China Southern's A330-300 offers flat beds in business class
AirAsia expands Australian services https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/airasia-expands-australian-services/ Mon, 26 Aug 2013 04:24:22 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=196472 The post AirAsia expands Australian services appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

AirAsia X flies an Airbus A330 to its three Australian destinations

AirAsia is increasing the number of flights it offers to Australia. The low-cost carrier revealed today (26 August 2013) that its long-haul subsidiary, AirAsia X, will commence twice daily services from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth later this year. Following the signing of a new bilateral air service agreement between the Australia and […]

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AirAsia X flies an Airbus A330 to its three Australian destinations
AirAsia X flies an Airbus A330 to its three Australian destinations
AirAsia X flies an Airbus A330 to its three Australian destinations

AirAsia is increasing the number of flights it offers to Australia.

The low-cost carrier revealed today (26 August 2013) that its long-haul subsidiary, AirAsia X, will commence twice daily services from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth later this year.

Following the signing of a new bilateral air service agreement between the Australia and Malaysia, and the expansion of AirAsia X’s fleet, the airline will add a total of nine more weekly flights to the three Australian cities before the end of 2013.

From 1 October 2013, two extra flights will be added to both Sydney and Melbourne, taking the total frequency of both routes to double daily. Then from 25 November 2013, five more weekly flights will be added to the KL-Perth route, taking it from nine flights per week to twice a day.

“We are delighted to increase the current flights to double daily flights on our Australian routes. Our flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth routes have performed extremely well and the new double daily services will help meet increasing demand,” said Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X.

“The double daily services will provide guests with a greater choice of travel times and enable us to offer improved flight connections across our network and that of the AirAsia Group, which would further encourage the growth of tourism and trade of both countries.

“AirAsia X has been lobbying both governments for some time for the increased capacity, and we are delighted to be able to further expand our reach across these dynamic cities from Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

Osman-Rani revealed that AirAsia X has carried more than 3.4 million passengers on its Australian routes since operations began in 2007. Australia contributes over 40% of the airline’s total revenues, and with the new services AirAsia X expects to become the fourth largest international carrier operating in Australia.

AirAsia X flies to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth using its 377-seat, two-class Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The Australian expansion follows the recent announcement that AirAsia X will operate daily flights to Osaka from November 2013.

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001 A330-300 AirAsia X AirAsia
MAS adds third daily Melbourne flight https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/mas-adds-third-daily-melbourne-flight/ Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:38:32 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=196428 The post MAS adds third daily Melbourne flight appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

MAS will deploy an Airbus A330 on the third daily Melbourne service

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will increase the frequency of its flights to Melbourne later this year. The Kuala Lumpur-based national carrier currently flies to the Australian city twice a day, with 1005 and 2200 departures from the Malaysian capital. But from 21 November 2013 this will be expanded to three daily services, with the addition of […]

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MAS will deploy an Airbus A330 on the third daily Melbourne service
MAS will deploy an Airbus A330 on the third daily Melbourne service
MAS will deploy an Airbus A330 on the third daily Melbourne service

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will increase the frequency of its flights to Melbourne later this year.

The Kuala Lumpur-based national carrier currently flies to the Australian city twice a day, with 1005 and 2200 departures from the Malaysian capital. But from 21 November 2013 this will be expanded to three daily services, with the addition of a new 1950 departure. The new flight will arrive in Melbourne at 0645 the following day, while the return flight will depart at 0855, getting back into KL at 1415.

With the extra daily flight being operated using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, the third daily flight will increase capacity on the route from 7,896 to 11,844 seats per week.

“This is a 50% increase in the overall availability of seats. Melbourne is one of Malaysia Airlines’ key markets, now flying 21 times weekly and is in line with the airlines’ continued efforts to strengthen its position as a top airline within this region,” said MAS’ regional senior vice president for Australia, New Zealand & South West Pacific, Lee Poh Kait.

The Melbourne expansion will shortly follow the launch of MAS’ new five weekly flights to Darwin, which take off for the first time on 1 November 2013.

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MAS A330 MAS will deploy an Airbus A330 on the third daily Melbourne service
United to fly B777s to Australia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/united-to-fly-b777s-to-australia/ Mon, 19 Aug 2013 03:49:35 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=196109 The post United to fly B777s to Australia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

United's B777s will fly to both Sydney and Melbourne

United Airlines will introduce the three-class Boeing 777 on its Australian routes next year. The US carrier has announced that from 1 April 2014 the 269-seat B777-200ER will be deployed on its daily to Sydney and Melbourne routes, from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. It will replace the older 374-seat B747-400. “The 777 will […]

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United's B777s will fly to both Sydney and Melbourne
United will operate a Boeing 777 to Australia
United will operate a Boeing 777 to Australia

United Airlines will introduce the three-class Boeing 777 on its Australian routes next year.

The US carrier has announced that from 1 April 2014 the 269-seat B777-200ER will be deployed on its daily to Sydney and Melbourne routes, from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. It will replace the older 374-seat B747-400.

“The 777 will be the ideal aircraft for our Australia routes in terms of both capacity and customer amenities,” said James Mueller, United’s vice president of Atlantic & Pacific sales.

“Our trans-Pacific services from Sydney and Melbourne are an important part of United’s global route network, and we look forward to offering our customers a full range of in-flight products and services on the 777,” he added.

The B777-200ER will offer eight seats in first class, 40 in business class and 221 in economy, including 117 ‘economy plus’ seats with extra legroom. Both the first and business class cabins feature flat-bed seats, while all passengers will be offered in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets. United is also in the process of rolling out in-flight Wi-Fi on its B777s.

United currently flies daily flights to Sydney and Melbourne from San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as operating a twice-weekly service between Cairns and Guam.

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United – new livery United will operate a Boeing 777 to Australia
A380 to lead Etihad’s Australian expansion https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/a380-to-lead-etihads-australian-expansion/ Wed, 07 Aug 2013 01:40:47 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=195636 The post A380 to lead Etihad’s Australian expansion appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Etihad Airways has outlined a series of major changes to its Australian operations, including the deployment of its new Airbus A380s on key routes to the country. Speaking at the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit in Sydney, Etihad’s president & CEO, James Hogan, unveiled a raft of planned upgrades to the carrier’s Australian operations, including […]

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Deliveries of Etihad's A380s are expected to start in 2014
Deliveries of Etihad’s A380s are expected to start in 2014

Etihad Airways has outlined a series of major changes to its Australian operations, including the deployment of its new Airbus A380s on key routes to the country.

Speaking at the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit in Sydney, Etihad’s president & CEO, James Hogan, unveiled a raft of planned upgrades to the carrier’s Australian operations, including new routes, flights, aircraft and airport facilities.

And central to this growth will be the deployment of Etihad’s brand new A380s to both Sydney and Melbourne, following the double-decker aircraft’s entry into service in 2014. Etihad also plans to develop new premium lounges at Sydney and Melbourne airports, add more flights to Melbourne and Brisbane, and launch a new route connecting Abu Dhabi with Perth.

Hogan also revealed that Etihad is planning to increase its stake in Virgin Australia from 10% to 19.9%.

“Virgin Australia is a key member of our ever-expanding airline equity alliance, and Etihad Airways is an active and long-term investor in Virgin,” Hogan said. “We have a significant presence in Australia, with 28 weekly departures, annual expenditure of over AU$100 million (US$89m), direct employment of 106 staff and engagement of 415 local contractors.

“The Virgin Australia partnership enables us to connect with 45 destinations in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, while we reciprocate by providing connections via our Abu Dhabi hub to a wide range of destinations in Europe, UK, Ireland and Africa,” he added.

Etihad is currently undertaking a major global expansion. Having already sealed equity stakes in several carriers, including Ireland’s Aer Lingus, Air Seychelles and airberlin, the Emirati carrier also recently tied up a deal that will see it rebrand Serbia’s national carrier, JatAirways. It is also in the process of taking a significant stake in India’s Jet Airways.

The airline is also expanding its fleet, with more than 50 A380s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners expected to be delivered from 2014 onwards.

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Etihad_-_Airbus_A380 Etihad's Airbus A380
Aussie airports need to catch up with Asia – IATA https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/aussie-airports-need-to-catch-up-with-asia-iata/ Wed, 03 Jul 2013 06:30:36 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193779 The post Aussie airports need to catch up with Asia – IATA appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Asian airlines like China Southern are driving growth at Australian airports

Australian airports need to increase capacity if the country wants to trade effectively with the Asia Pacific region, aviation stakeholders in the country heard this week. Addressing the National Aviation Press Club in Sydney, IATA’s director-general & CEO, Tony Tyler, urged authorities to move faster to upgrade Australia’s airports, to cope with the sharp rise […]

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Asian airlines like China Southern are driving growth at Australian airports
Asian airlines like China Southern are driving growth at Australian airports
Asian airlines like China Southern are driving growth at Australian airports

Australian airports need to increase capacity if the country wants to trade effectively with the Asia Pacific region, aviation stakeholders in the country heard this week.

Addressing the National Aviation Press Club in Sydney, IATA’s director-general & CEO, Tony Tyler, urged authorities to move faster to upgrade Australia’s airports, to cope with the sharp rise in traffic expected in the coming years, driven by demand from Asia.

“Australia needs to do business with Asia. But that’s going to be difficult if it does not have the airport hub capacity to facilitate the needed connectivity,” said Tyler.

He noted that major new aviation infrastructure developments have taken place across Asia in the last two decades, including new airports in China, Korea, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. With this in mind, Tyler advised Sydney’s airport authorities to consider plans for a new hub.

“At some point, Sydney airport will reach its maximum potential. Even Sydney Airport’s draft masterplan acknowledges that. We have about two decades to select a site, sort out all of the necessary approvals, acquire the land, upgrade surface transport, get the airport built, and, of course figure out how to pay for it all.  That is not a lot of time for such a mammoth and important project,” said Tyler.

“Further procrastination will only lead to missed opportunities for economic growth. The challenge is to break out of the endless cycle of studies, make a decision and get on with it,” he added.

Sydney Airport recently published its draft masterplan, planning to cater for a doubling of traffic to 74 million passengers by 2033, while Melbourne airport has submitted a similar expansion plan, with traffic expected to grow to 64m passengers in 20 years’ time.

Perth airport is currently in the process of a major expansion, while Brisbane airport is also looking to develop new facilities.

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Sydney Airport Asian airlines like China Southern are driving growth at Australian airports
Air India to fly to Australia https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/air-india-to-fly-to-australia/ Mon, 01 Jul 2013 06:33:35 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193643 The post Air India to fly to Australia appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Air India will fly a Dreamliner to Sydney and Melbourne

Air India has confirmed plans to fly direct to Australia. The national carrier will launch daily flights from New Delhi to both Sydney and Melbourne later this year, using its 256-seat, two-class Boeing 787 Dreamliner. News of the new service was welcomed by Australian authorities. “Since 2008, visitor numbers from India to NSW have increased […]

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Air India will fly a Dreamliner to Sydney and Melbourne
Air India will fly a Dreamliner to Sydney and Melbourne
Air India will fly a Dreamliner to Sydney and Melbourne

Air India has confirmed plans to fly direct to Australia.

The national carrier will launch daily flights from New Delhi to both Sydney and Melbourne later this year, using its 256-seat, two-class Boeing 787 Dreamliner. News of the new service was welcomed by Australian authorities.

“Since 2008, visitor numbers from India to NSW have increased by over a third – with holidaymakers, international students and those visiting friends and families making Sydney and NSW their destination,” said NSW’s minister for tourism & major events, George Souris. “This new service to Sydney will provide a new way for visitors to plan and book their next visit to Sydney.”

Sydney Airport’s CEO Kerrie Mather added; “This is a great result for NSW and a great result for tourism. With more than 217,000 people of Indian decent living in Sydney alone, India is one of our largest unserved markets.”

The new route will see Air India fly a daily triangulated service from Delhi to Australia, operating to Melbourne via Sydney four days a week and to Sydney via Melbourne on the other three days. Services are expected to commence on 29 August.

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AI B787 Air India will fly a Dreamliner to Sydney and Melbourne
Virgin adds Melbourne-Hamilton Island flights https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/virgin-adds-melbourne-hamilton-island-flights/ Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:03:02 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=193150 The post Virgin adds Melbourne-Hamilton Island flights appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Hamilton Island

Virgin Australia has announced plans to launch direct flights between Melbourne and Hamilton Island, in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands. From 15 August 2013, the airline will commence four weekly flights on the route, departing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. This will be reduced to three weekly flights during the February-June low-season. Virgin Australia will serve […]

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Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island
Hamilton Island

Virgin Australia has announced plans to launch direct flights between Melbourne and Hamilton Island, in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands.

From 15 August 2013, the airline will commence four weekly flights on the route, departing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. This will be reduced to three weekly flights during the February-June low-season. Virgin Australia will serve the route using a 176-seat Boeing 737-800 with both business and economy classes.

Jetstar is currently the only airline operating direct between Melbourne and Hamilton Island.

“Melbourne to Hamilton Island has been a monopoly route for many years and we are very pleased to be bringing competition to the market from today,” said Virgin Australia’s chief commercial officer, Judith Crompton.

“Hamilton Island remains a very popular holiday destination for Australians. We continue to review customer demand and the local community and tourism operators have told us that a direct service to Melbourne would be beneficial in bringing more choice to those flying in and out of this popular destination. We already fly direct from Brisbane and Sydney and are delighted to now offer leisure travellers a direct service from Melbourne,” she added.

The Melbourne route becomes Virgin Australia’s third direct connection to Hamilton Island, following existing flights from Brisbane and Sydney.

Virgin adds Melbourne-Hamilton Island flights

 

Virgin Australia has announced plans to launch direct flights between Melbourne and Hamilton Island, in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands.

From 15 August 2013, the airline will commence four weekly flights on the route, departing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. This will be reduced to three weekly flights during the February-June low-season. Virgin Australia will serve the route using a 176-seat Boeing 737-800 with both business and economy classes.

Jetstar is currently the only airline operating direct between Melbourne and Hamilton Island.

“Melbourne to Hamilton Island has been a monopoly route for many years and we are very pleased to be bringing competition to the market from today,” said Virgin Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Judith Crompton.

“Hamilton Island remains a very popular holiday destination for Australians. We continue to review customer demand and the local community and tourism operators have told us that a direct service to Melbourne would be beneficial in bringing more choice to those flying in and out of this popular destination. We already fly direct from Brisbane and Sydney and are delighted to now offer leisure travellers a direct service from Melbourne,” she added.

The Melbourne route becomes Virgin Australia’s third direct connection to Hamilton Island, following existing flights from Brisbane and Sydney.

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shutterstock_1543538 Hamilton Island
Melbourne Airport unveils major expansion plan https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/melbourne-airport-unveils-major-expansion-plan/ https://dev.traveldailymedia.com/melbourne-airport-unveils-major-expansion-plan/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 05:03:21 +0000 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/?p=154528 The post Melbourne Airport unveils major expansion plan appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport will be expanded, with plans for a third runway and a new rail link to help cope with a sharp rise in passenger numbers. A draft master plan for the airport’s future was released on Monday 20 May 2013, setting out the vision for the airport’s development over the next 20 years. […]

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Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport will be expanded, with plans for a third runway and a new rail link to help cope with a sharp rise in passenger numbers.

A draft master plan for the airport’s future was released on Monday 20 May 2013, setting out the vision for the airport’s development over the next 20 years. The airport’s operators said it would be necessary to plan for a rise in traffic to 64 million passengers per year by 2033 – more than double the 29m expected this year.

Capacity at Melbourne airport is expected to more than double by 2033
Capacity at Melbourne airport is expected to more than double by 2033

To manage this, the master plan proposes the development of a new 3km-long runway located 2km to the south of the existing east-west runway. This will be necessary as, according to the airport’s forecasts, the existing two-runway system will reach capacity by the end of the decade.

In an effort to reduce congestion around the airport, the draft plan proposes the creation of an airport rail link connecting to the city, plus a new elevated loop road to be constructed around the main terminal buildings. While the rail link may take some time to develop, the first stage of the road is expected to begin in 2015.

“The draft master plan highlights the economic and social importance of Melbourne airport and how its future growth will continue to drive the Victorian economy, including more than doubling spending by interstate and international visitors from AU$8.5 billion to AU$18 billion (US$8.3-17.5bn) by 2033; growing the number of jobs directly related to airport operations from more than 14,000 now to 23,000; and more than doubling the airport’s contribution to gross state product from AU$1.47 billion to AU$3.2 billion over the next couple of decades,” Melbourne Airport’s CEO, Chris Woodruff, said in a statement.

The expansion plan is expected to cost approximately AU$10 billion, and will be the most significant expansion at the facility since it opened in 1970.

The draft plan will now be submitted to the Commonwealth Minister for Infrastructure & Transport for approval following a 60-day public consultation process.

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