Many new routes were announced in Asia and Oceania during March, as well as the inauguration of some connections within this market.

The addition of new aircraft is a common occurrence in this region, mainly in airlines from China, India and Japan.

We review the important highlights of the Asia/Oceania market in March:

• AirAsia will launch a new route between Malaysia and Thailand.

• Air China Cargo to add a new destination in the United Kingdom.

• 6 new aircraft for Air India, also including its express subsidiary.

• Air Macau will return to Fukuoka, and Hawaiian will expand frequencies to the Japanese city.

• Air New Zealand, the temporary suspension of its services to Chicago, and the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines issues.

• All Nippon Airways takes delivery of its fourth Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. The first this year.

• China Eastern inaugurated a new connection to Malaysia.

• Delta boosts operations between Detroit and Shanghai.

• Fly91 started flights in India.

• FlyArystan schedules a third connection to Uzbekistan.

• Hong Kong Airlines adds another daily frequency to Tokyo Narita.

• IndiGo will begin operations to Colombo from Mumbai.

• Juneyao Airlines will have two new international routes.

• Qantas will resume services between Sydney and Port Moresby after nearly 40 years.

• Starlux and the start of flights to Phu Quoc.

• Tianjin inaugurated two connections between China and Seoul.

• VietJet will launch its first route from Hanoi to Australia.

• Virgin Australia began using its Boeing 737 MAX 8 on other international routes to/from Brisbane.

Aero Mongolia

The Ulaanbaatar-based company will increase its flights to Seoul from March 31st. Aero Mongolia, which operates with Airbus A319-100 jets, will expand from three to five per week.

Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

• M0 601  Ulaanbaatar UBN 09:30 · 13:35 ICN Seoul
• M0 602  Seoul ICN 14:35 · 17:00 UBN Ulaanbaatar

New flights on Thursdays and Sundays.

Aero Mongolia routes

China

• Hohhot (HET)

Japan

• Tokyo Narita (NRT)

South Korea

• Seoul (ICN)

Vietnam

• Hanoi (HAN)

AirAsia

As of June 17th, AirAsia is scheduled to resume regular services between Kuala Lumpur and Utapao. In line with its website, flights will be three weekly, as follows:

Tuesday, Friday and Sunday

• AK 840  Kuala Lumpur KUL 11:00 · 12:05 UTP Utapao
• AK 841  Utapao UTP 12:35 · 15:30 KUL Kuala Lumpur

Air China Cargo

The cargo subsidiary of Air China will launch operations to Manchester on April 2nd. According to its website, the airline will have two services a week with Boeing 777s.

Tuesday and Saturday

• CA 3147  Beijing PEK 06:55 · 10:50 MAN Manchester
• CA 3148  Manchester MAN 13:20 · 08:15+1 CAN Guangzhou

Air China will be the only company to offer cargo flights from/to Manchester with wide-body freighters.

Air Macau

The carrier confirmed the resumption of its operations to Fukuoka, which will be performed from Macau starting July 12th with Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• NX 818  Macau MFM 08:30 · 13:00 FUK Fukuoka
• NX 817  Fukuoka FUK 14:00 · 16:40 MFM Macau

Air New Zealand

The airline announced that it will temporarily suspend services between Auckland and Chicago effective March 31st. Currently, Air New Zealand has two weekly flights on the 302-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Why is Air New Zealand discontinuing this route? It is related to the aircraft used, the 787-9.

Until at least October 25th, operations will be suspended due to ongoing challenges with the availability of serviceable Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines which is impacting airlines around the world. These are the engines used on Air New Zealand’s Boeing 787s.

What is happening with the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines?

Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines normally require heavy maintenance, where they are taken off the aircraft and sent to the offshore manufacturer for inspection, after 1000 engine cycles (take-offs and landings). During regular inspections, Air New Zealand engineers identified that the engines required maintenance after 750-850 cycles. Rolls-Royce has been unable to provide Air New Zealand with spare or replacement engines to deliver the level of service needed, leading to a reduction in the amount of flying Air New Zealand can deliver via its 787 fleet. 

Air New Zealand’s route schedule in the U.S.

• Houston (IAH): 7 weekly · Boeing 777-300(ER)
• Los Angeles (LAX): 10 weekly · Boeing 777-300(ER)
• New York (JFK): 4 weekly · Boeing 787-9
• San Francisco (SFO): 7 weekly · Boeing 777-300(ER)

China Eastern

Last March 16th, China Eastern Airlines began flights between Kunming and Kuala Lumpur. Services will be carried out on Airbus A320-200 planes with a capacity of 186 passengers in single class.

Daily

• MU 9629  Kunming KMG 17:25 · 21:40 KUL Kuala Lumpur
• MU 9630  Kuala Lumpur KUL 22:40 · 01:55+1 KMG Kunming

In addition, the company operates once a day to Hangzhou from Malaysia’s capital city with the same jets.

Delta Air Lines

The airline will boost its services between Detroit and Shanghai beginning May 22nd. Operations, which are performed with Airbus A350-900s, will increase from three to seven weekly.

Daily

• DL 389  Detroit DTW 11:05 · 15:20+1 PVG Shanghai
• DL 388  Shanghai PVG 17:30 · 19:35 DTW Detroit

Delta currently offers daily service between Seattle and Shanghai on Airbus A330-900neo aircraft:

• DL 281  Seattle SEA 12:30 · 17:00 PVG Shanghai
• DL 282  Shanghai PVG 19:10 · 15:42 SEA Seattle

Fiji Airways

The company confirmed that it will make changes on the Nadi – Hong Kong route, that operates with Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A330-300 jets.

Fiji Airways will reduce its frequency between the two cities for short periods from June to December.

Reductions (from 5 to 4 weekly)

• June 5th to June 19th
• July 3rd to August 14th
• September 4th to September 25th
• October 9th to November 13th
• December 4th to December 11th

• FJ 391  Nadi NAN 08:20 · 14:50 HKG Hong Kong
• FJ 392  Hong Kong HKG 16:55 · 07:10+1 NAN Nadi

Fly91

The new Indian airline, which introduced its first ATR 72-600 in February, confirmed its first scheduled routes within the country.

Fly91 will have these connections:

• Goa Mopa (GOX) – Bengaluru (BLR) – Sindhudurg (SDW)
• Goa Mopa (GOX) – Hyderabad (HYD) – Sindhudurg (SDW)

The company’s first flight, between Goa Mopa (Manohar Airport), Bengaluru and Sindhudurg, was on March 18th.

FlyArystan

Effective June 3rd, the carrier plans to add its third destination in Uzbekistan. The flights, already listed in its booking system, will be conducted three times per week from/to Almaty, FlyArystan’s hub.

Almaty – Nukus

Monday

• KC 7111  Almaty ALA 01:00 · 03:45 NCU Nukus

Wednesday and Saturday

• KC 7111  Almaty ALA 00:01 · 02:45 NCU Nukus

Nukus – Almaty

Monday and Friday

• KC 7112  Nukus NCU 04:45 · 07:20 ALA Almaty

Wednesday and Saturday

• KC 7112  Nukus NCU 03:45 · 06:20 ALA Almaty

FlyArystan’s website schedules three weekly on the Almaty – Nukus route and four weekly on the Nukus – Almaty segment.

Hawaiian

The airline will increase its flights between Honolulu and Fukuoka on August 6th. According to its website, Hawaiian will boost from three to four services a week.

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

• HA 827  Honolulu HNL 13:05 · 18:40 FUK Fukuoka

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• HA 828  Fukuoka FUK 20:40 · 09:25 HNL Honolulu

New flight on Wednesdays departing from Honolulu, and from Fukuoka on Thursdays.

Hawaiian routes to/from Japan

Honolulu

• Fukuoka (FUK): 3 weekly · currently
• Osaka (KIX): 7 weekly · Airbus A330
• Tokyo (HND): 16 weekly · Airbus A330
• Tokyo (NRT): 6 weekly · Airbus A330

Kona

• Tokyo (HND): 3 weekly · Airbus A330

Hong Kong Airlines

As of March 31st, the carrier will expand its services on the Hong Kong – Tokyo Narita route, with the addition of a fourth daily flight. Hong Kong Airlines will operate with Airbus A320-200s and Airbus A330-300s with 174 and 292 seats respectively.

Daily

• HX 606  Hong Kong HKG 02:20 · 07:35 NRT Tokyo
• HX 607  Tokyo NRT 09:05 · 13:30 HKG Hong Kong

• HX 608  Hong Kong HKG 09:15 · 14:30 NRT Tokyo
• HX 609  Tokyo NRT 15:30 · 19:50 HKG Hong Kong

• HX 610  Hong Kong HKG 14:55 · 20:05 NRT Tokyo
• HX 611  Tokyo NRT 21:05 · 01:25+1 HKG Hong Kong

Daily · new flight

• HX 604  Hong Kong HKG 07:25 · 12:55 NRT Tokyo
• HX 605  Tokyo NRT 14:00 · 17:50 HKG Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific, Greater Bay Airlines, Jet Linx Aviation and HK express have services between the two airports, as well as Hong Kong Airlines.

IndiGo

The Indian low cost announced it will launch a new route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, on April 12th. IndiGo will offer three weekly flights using Airbus A320-200 and Airbus A320neo aircraft.

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

• 6E 1185  Mumbai BOM 06:55 · 09:35 CMB Colombo
• 6E 1186  Colombo CMB 10:35 · 13:10 BOM Mumbai

Currently, SriLankan Airlines and Vistara operate this route, with this schedule:

SriLankan

Daily except Monday and Tuesday

• UL 143  Colombo CMB 17:10 · 19:45 BOM Mumbai
• UL 142  Mumbai BOM 20:45 · 23:10 CMB Colombo

Daily except Wednesday and Thursday

• UL 141  Colombo CMB 23:45 · 02:10+1 BOM Mumbai

Except Thursday and Friday · Daily

• UL 142  Mumbai BOM 03:10 · 05:35 CMB Colombo

Vistara

Daily

• UK 131  Mumbai BOM 12:25 · 15:00 CMB Colombo
• UK 132  Colombo CMB 16:00 · 18:40 BOM Mumbai

On Wednesdays, flights take off from Mumbai at 08:10 and 11:50 from Colombo.

Jetstar

Effective March 27th, Jetstar will boost its operations between Sydney and Avarua, Cook Islands. The airline currently has three flights per week with the 238-seat Airbus A321neo.

Tuesday, Friday and Sunday

• JQ 141  Sydney SYD 21:30 · 06:30 RAR Avarua
• JQ 142  Avarua RAR 09:00 · 12:30 SYD Sydney

New flight on Wednesdays.

Jetstar’s international routes from Sydney to Oceania

Cook Islands

• Avarua (RAR): 3 weekly · Airbus A321neo (currently)

Fiji

• Nadi (NAN): 3 weekly · Airbus A321neo

New Zealand

• Auckland (AKL): 9 weekly · Airbus A320
• Queenstown (ZQN): 5 weekly · Airbus A320

Juneyao Airlines

The company confirmed the addition of two new international routes between April and May. These operations will be performed from/to Shanghai with Airbus A320-200 planes.

• Vladivostok (VVO): 2 weekly · April 30th
• Penang (PEN): 4 weekly · May 31st

Helsinki, Hong Kong, Denpasar, Nagoya, Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Macau, Singapore, Jeju, Kaohsiung, Taipei, Bangkok (Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi), Chiang Mai and Phuket are the international connections of Juneyao in Shanghai Pudong.

Qantas

The airline will commence services between Sydney and Port Moresby starting April 1st. In accordance with the Qantas reservation system, flights will be operated twice weekly with 174-seat Boeing 737-800 airplanes.

Monday and Friday

• QF 191  Sydney SYD 09:50 · 12:50 POM Port Moresby
• QF 192  Port Moresby POM 13:45 · 18:45 SYD Sydney

Qantas already operates to Papua New Guinea from Brisbane:

Daily

• QF 57  Brisbane BNE 09:25 · 12:35 POM Port Moresby
• QF 58  Port Moresby POM 13:25 · 16:35 BNE Brisbane

SalamAir

The carrier will begin two new international connections from Muscat between May and June.

According to SalamAir’s website, New Delhi and Islamabad will be these routes, which will start on May 2nd and June 19th respectively.

New Delhi

Daily

• OV 727  Muscat MCT 23:10 · 03:40+1 DEL New Delhi
• OV 728  New Delhi DEL 04:25 · 06:05 MCT Muscat

Islamabad

Daily except Tuesday and Saturday

• OV 563  Muscat MCT 23:50 · 03:30+1 ISB Islamabad

Daily except Wednesday and Sunday

• OV 564  Islamabad ISB 04:15 · 06:10 MCT Muscat

As we announced in the European edition, Tirana, in Albania, will be a new destination for the company as of June 17th.

Starlux

Phu Quoc, Starlux’s new connection in Vietnam.

The airline will inaugurate flights from/to Taipei effective June 26th.

Daily except Tuesday and Saturday

• JX 705  Taipei TPE 15:00 · 17:55 PQC Phu Quoc
• JX 706  Phu Quoc PQC 18:55 · 23:55 TPE Taipei

Starlux in Vietnam

• Da Nang (DAD): 14 weekly · Airbus A321neo
• Hanoi (HAN): 7 weekly · Airbus A321neo
• Ho Chi Minh City (SGN): 5 weekly · Airbus A321neo

Thai AirAsia

The company will modify its services between Bangkok Don Mueang and Kaohsiung, with an extension to Tokyo Narita in both directions. These flights, which will maintain the same frequency, will start next June 16th.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• FD 234  Bangkok DMK 02:45 · 07:15 KHH Kaohsiung
• FD 234  Kaohsiung KHH 08:00 · 12:55 NRT Tokyo

• FD 235  Tokyo NRT 13:55 · 17:05 KHH Kaohsiung
• FD 235  Kaohsiung KHH 17:50 · 20:15 DMK Bangkok

Tianjin

The Chinese carrier inaugurated two new routes between China and Seoul during early March. Services will be conducted using Airbus A320-200 jets, twice a week.

Yulin

Monday and Friday

• GS 7951  Yulin UYN 21:50 · 01:30 ICN Seoul

Tuesday and Saturday

• GS 7952  Seoul ICN 03:00 · 05:00 UYN Yulin

Linyi

Tuesday and Saturday

• GS 7996  Seoul ICN 12:00 · 14:40 LYI Linyi
• GS 7995  Linyi LYI 15:30 · 18:15 ICN Seoul

VietJet

The airline will launch a second route between Vietnam and Sydney effective June 8th.

In accordance with its website, VietJet will fly twice weekly to/from Hanoi with 326-seat Airbus A330-300 planes.

Wednesday and Saturday

• VJ 95  Hanoi HAN 17:10 · 06:10+1 SYD Sydney

Thursday and Sunday

• VJ 96  Sydney SYD 08:30 · 16:00 HAN Hanoi

Current VietJet routes in Australia

• Adelaide (ADL) via PER: 5 weekly · Airbus A321
• Brisbane (BNE): 5 weekly · Airbus A330
• Melbourne (MEL): 7 weekly · Airbus A330
• Perth (PER): 5 weekly · Airbus A321
• Sydney (SYD): 7 weekly · Airbus A330

It will be VietJet’s first route between Hanoi and Australia.

Virgin Australia

In March, Virgin Australia introduced the Boeing 737 MAX 8 on three international routes from/to Brisbane.

Fiji, Indonesia and Samoa are the markets in the region that have added operations of the Australian carrier’s aircraft:

Fiji

• Nadi (NAN): mix 738/7M8

Indonesia

• Denpasar (DPS): mix 738/7M8

Samoa

• Apia (APW): operates only with Boeing 737 MAX

West Air

At 17:24 local time on Tuesday (12), China West Air’s inaugural flight from Changsha arrived in Vientiane. The carrier will operate three weekly flights on 180/186-passenger Airbus A320s until March 30th, at the time of publication.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• PN 6561  Changsha CSX 14:55 · 16:45 VTE Vientiane 
• PN 6562  Vientiane VTE 17:55 · 22:05 CSX Changsha

During the last month, the Asian market, mainly, received the incorporation of many new jets.

The amount of brand new aircraft delivered from the factory is similar to the US-Canada market, as we could see in the edition published earlier this month.

Europe tends to receive many new airplanes, but less than the Asia/Oceania region. Meanwhile, in Latin America, the quantity is much lower.

These are the new aircraft added to Asian and Oceania airlines:

• Air Busan

• 9 Air

• Air China

• Air India x3 – Air India Express x3

• All Nippon Airways x2

• Cebu Pacific x2

• Donghai Airlines x2

• Hong Kong Airlines

• IndiGo x2

• Shandong Airlines

• Silkavia

• Starlux Airlines

• Virgin Australia

• Vistara x2

• Xiamen Air

*The aircraft continues with the delivery flight.

To read the other reports we have published during March, you can click on the following links:

• United States and Canada
• Latin America
• Europe

Cover photo: Music Home – JetPhotos (Shanghai, China).