After the European edition, we continue with the global aviation report, focusing this time on the market summary for Asia and Oceania during November. For previous posts, here are the links:

• United States and Canada – November 2023.
• Latin America – November 2023.
• Europe – November 2023.

Two important highlights of the month are related to new aircraft from two of the region’s leading airlines, Air India and Qantas.

Air India’s A350, which will have the registration VT-JRE, made a ferry flight from Singapore to Toulouse after receiving the airline’s new livery at Changi Airport. On the other hand, Qantas unveiled its first Airbus A220, to be incorporated to QantasLink, its regional subsidiary, in the first quarter of 2024.

The plane has a special livery and the registration VH-X4A.

In terms of routes, the resumption of Air China’s Beijing-Washington connection, discontinued since early 2020 as a result of the pandemic, can be noted.

Although almost four years have passed, some markets still have routes that remain suspended, either due to certain restrictions or insufficient demand.

Aeroflot

Starting December 28th, Aeroflot plans to resume operations between Moscow and Ho Chi Minh City. In accordance with its reservation system, the company will offer twice-weekly services with 402-seat Boeing 777-300(ER) aircraft.

Thursday and Sunday

• SU 292  Moscow Sheremetyevo SVO 19:40 · 09:30+1 SGN Ho Chi Minh City
• SU 293  Ho Chi Minh City SGN 11:10 · 18:10 SVO Moscow Sheremetyevo

Aero Mongolia

After discontinuing flights on August 10th, the airline will resume operations between Ulaanbaatar and Hanoi from December 14th. As happened three months ago, services will be once a week:

Thursday (Airbus A319)

• M0 535  Ulaanbaatar UBN 09:30 · 14:05 HAN Hanoi
• M0 536  Hanoi HAN 14:55 · 19:30 UBN Ulaanbaatar

At the time of publication, flights are available for sale until March 28th of next year.

Air China

Last November 21st, Air China resumed services between Beijing and Washington, DC. Flights returned after a three and a half year hiatus as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The carrier will operate twice-weekly on Boeing 777-300(ER) jets.

Tuesday and Saturday

• CA 817  Beijing PEK 12:30 · 14:10 IAD Washington
• CA 818  Washington IAD 16:35 · 19:05 LAX Los Angeles
• CA 818  Los Angeles LAX 21:05 · 04:10+2 PEK Beijing

Air China’s routes in the China-US market

• Beijing (PEK) – New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK)
• Beijing (PEK) – Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK)
• Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX) – Los Angeles (LAX) – Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX)
• Beijing (PEK) – San Francisco (SFO) – Beijing (PEK)
• Beijing (PEK) – Washington (IAD) – Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK)

Both capitals recover their connection due to the start-up of Air China.

Air India

Air India’s Airbus A350, currently registered F-WHUG, which will later become VT-JRE, made a ferry flight from Singapore to Toulouse on November 17th after receiving the airline’s new livery.

In Toulouse, the A350 will undergo final preparations before the start of regular operations with the carrier, scheduled for the end of the year.

Air India has more than 470 aircraft on order, of which 70 are widebody. Forty of these will be Airbus A350s.

The company’s current fleet consists of the following:

• Airbus A319-100: 18
• Airbus A320-200: 9
• Airbus A320neo: 31
• Airbus A321-200: 13
• Airbus A321neo: 4
• Boeing 777-200: 8
• Boeing 777-300(ER): 15
• Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner: 27

AirJapan

The low cost carrier, part of the ANA group, will start two new routes from Tokyo Narita effective February 2024. Bangkok and Seoul, in Thailand and South Korea respectively, will be the new additions, which will have the following schedule:

Bangkok (Boeing 787-8)

Daily except Tuesday

• NQ 001  Tokyo Narita NRT 17:55 · 23:15 BKK Bangkok

Daily except Wednesday

• NQ 002  Bangkok BKK 00:15 · 08:10 NRT Tokyo Narita

Seoul (Boeing 787-8)

Daily except Monday and Friday

• NQ 021  Tokyo Narita NRT 10:55 · 13:30 ICN Seoul Incheon
• NQ 022  Seoul Incheon ICN 14:40 · 16:45 NRT Tokyo Narita

Beijing Capital Airlines

The airline will launch flights between Hangzhou Xiaoshan and Jeju from December 15th. In line with its website, Beijing Capital will operate twice weekly on Airbus A320-200s seating 174 passengers in single class.

Monday and Friday

• JD 359  Hangzhou HGH 18:50 · 21:10 CJU Jeju
• JD 360  Jeju CJU 22:10 · 23:00 HGH Hangzhou

Capital Airlines network in Hangzhou

China

• Ankang (AKA): 4 weekly
• Beijing Daxing (PKX): 7 weekly
• Chengdu Tianfu (TFU): 7 weekly
• Chongqing Jiangbei (CKG): 14 weekly
• Enshi Xujiaping (ENH): 4 weekly
• Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN): 7 weekly
• Guilin Liangjiang (KWL): 7 weekly
• Haikou Meilan (HAK): 7 weekly
• Jinghong Xishuangbanna (JHG): 3 weekly
• Kunming Changshui (KMG): 21 weekly
• Lijiang Sanyi (LJG): 7 weekly
• Mangshi (LUM): 4 weekly
• Nanning Wuxu (NNG): 2 weekly
• Sanya Phoenix (SYX): 7 weekly
• Tangshan Sannuhe (TVS): 3 weekly
• Urumqi Diwopu (URC): 7 weekly
• Xi’an Xianyang (XIY): 7 weekly
• Yichang Sanxia (YIH): 7 weekly
• Yinchuan Hedong (INC): 14 weekly

Portugal

• Lisbon (LIS): 2 weekly

Russia

• Moscow Sheremetyevo (SVO): 2 weekly

South Korea

• Jeju (HGH): 2 weekly · new

Spain

• Madrid (MAD): 1 weekly

China Airlines

The Chinese carrier will start flights between Taipei and Toyama from January 31st, 2024. Operations will be twice a week on 158- and 161-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Wednesday and Saturday

• CI 2170  Taipei TPE 06:35 · 10:25 TOY Toyama
• CI 2171  Toyama TOY 11:25 · 14:10 TPE Taipei

According to different reports, the airline will use the Airbus A321neo on this route starting in April 2024.

Sapporo, Shanghai and Tokyo Haneda are the current connections from Toyama airport:

• Sapporo (CTS): 7 weekly · ANA
• Shanghai (PVG): 2 weekly · Shanghai Airlines
• Tokyo Haneda (HND): 21 weekly · ANA

Eastar Jet

Eastar Jet’s inaugural flight from Seoul Incheon arrived in Taipei on the morning of November 20th. The South Korean low cost carrier will operate four weekly with Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• ZE 881  Seoul Incheon ICN 08:00 · 09:45 TPE Taipei
• ZE 882  Taipei TPE 10:45 · 14:20 ICN Seoul Incheon

This route, in addition to Eastar Jet, is offered by:

• Asiana Airlines: 14 weekly
• China Airlines: 14 weekly
• EVA Air: 14 weekly
• Jin Air: 7 weekly
• Korean Air: 14 weekly
• Scoot: 4 weekly
• Tigerair Taiwan: 7 weekly

Jetstar Airways

The airline confirmed that it will inaugurate flights between Sydney and Osaka beginning April 1st, 2024. Jetstar will resume operations on this route after a 15-year suspension.

Based on its website, the company will have the following schedule:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• JQ 13  Sydney SYD 10:20 · 19:00 KIX Osaka
• JQ 14  Osaka KIX 21:00 · 07:35+1 SYD Sydney

Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States are Jetstar’s international markets from Sydney.

Korean Air

The carrier will resume flights to Hawaii from April 26th, 2024, in accordance with its reservation system. Korean Air schedules one daily frequency on the Seoul – Tokyo – Honolulu route on Boeing 777-200(ER) aircraft.

Schedule

• KE 001  Seoul Incheon ICN 17:40 · 20:00 NRT Tokyo Narita
• KE 001  Tokyo Narita NRT 21:20 · 10:00 HNL Honolulu (same day)

• KE 002  Honolulu HNL 11:55 · 15:20+1 NRT Tokyo Narita
• KE 002  Tokyo Narita NRT 17:20+1 · 20:00+1 ICN Seoul Incheon

Loong Air

Starting December 12th, the company plans to commence operations between Chengdu and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Loong Air intends two flights per week on the 161- and 165-seat Airbus A320-200s.

Tuesday and Saturday

• GJ 8531  Chengdu TFU 09:15 · 12:50 FRU Bishkek
• GJ 8532  Bishkek FRU 13:50 · 20:30 TFU Chengdu

Malaysia Airlines

Between November 9th and 10th, Malaysia Airlines inaugurated two new routes to India from Kuala Lumpur. Both will be operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, twice weekly:

Amritsar

Wednesday and Saturday

• MH 118  Kuala Lumpur KUL 18:50 · 22:10 ATQ Amritsar
• MH 119  Amritsar ATQ 23:25 · 07:30+1 KUL Kuala Lumpur

Thiruvananthapuram

Thursday and Sunday

• MH 116  Kuala Lumpur KUL 21:30 · 23:00 TRV Thiruvananthapuram

Monday and Friday

• MH 117  Thiruvananthapuram TRV 00:01 · 06:45 KUL Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Airlines routes to India

• Amritsar (ATQ): 2 weekly
• Bengaluru Kempegowda (BLR): 11 weekly
• Chennai (MAA): 14 weekly
• Cochin (COK): 7 weekly
• Hyderabad (HYD): 7 weekly
• Mumbai (BOM): 10 weekly
• New Delhi (DEL): 10 weekly
• Thiruvananthapuram (TRV): 2 weekly

Philippines AirAsia

After nearly a four-year hiatus, Philippines AirAsia will resume services between Clark and Tacloban as of April 1st, 2024. The airline will offer three weekly flights on Airbus A320-200s with a capacity of 180 passengers in single class.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• Z2 975  Clark CRK 06:20 · 07:40 TAC Tacloban
• Z2 976  Tacloban TAC 08:10 · 09:30 CRK Clark

Philippines AirAsia in Clark and Tacloban – currently

• Caticlan (MPH) – Clark (CRK): 7 weekly
• Manila (MNL) – Tacloban (TAC): 25 weekly

Qantas

Qantas unveiled its first Airbus A220-300, which will join its regional subsidiary QantasLink. The aircraft received a special livery, requiring almost two weeks of painting time, with more than 100 painters and 130 stencils.

The A220 will have the registration VH-X4A, and is named Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa. This will be the first of 29 Airbus A220s to join Qantas, with the aim of replacing the Boeing 717s.

Canberra – Melbourne will be the first route for these QantasLink aircraft.

For more information on this jet, you can read the article we published on the blog.

Thai AirAsia

Effective February 1st, 2024, the company will begin flying between Hat Yai and Singapore with Airbus A320-200s. Thai AirAsia schedules three weekly services.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• FD 336  Hat Yai HDY 10:20 · 12:55 SIN Singapore
• FD 337  Singapore SIN 13:40 · 14:10 HDY Hat Yai

Scoot also operates this route, with the following schedule:

Daily

• TR 632  Singapore SIN 14:25 · 15:00 HDY Hat Yai
• TR 633  Hat Yai HDY 16:00 · 18:40 SIN Singapore

Uzbekistan Airways

Starting December 4th, the carrier will operate flights between Tashkent and Khabarovsk, Russia. Uzbekistan Airways will offer weekly service with Airbus A321neo jets until at least March 2024.

Monday

• HY 705  Tashkent TAS 09:30 · 21:20 KHV Khabarovsk
• HY 706  Khabarovsk KHV 23:20 · 02:10+1 TAS Tashkent

The following are the routes from Khabarovsk airport, with Bangkok, Beijing Daxing, Harbin Taiping and Phuket as the international legs.

VietJet

The airline plans to start operations between Ho Chi Minh City and Dien Bien Phu from December 2nd. VietJet schedules three flights a week on Airbus A320 aircraft under the following schedule:

• VJ 298  Ho Chi Minh City SGN 07:10 · 09:10 DIN Dien Bien Phu
• VJ 299  Dien Bien Phu DIN 09:45 · 12:00 SGN Ho Chi Minh City

Currently, Dien Bien Phu airport has no regular services.

Cover photo: ChaleLu – JetPhotos (Osaka).