Hainan Airlines continues its expansion in Austria, with the launch of a new scheduled route to/from the country’s capital. The airline will begin operating between Chengdu and Vienna from December 1st, using Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a capacity of 292/303 passengers in two classes.

Chengdu Tianfu will become Hainan Airlines’ second destination after Shenzhen, which it serves with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets twice a week.

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

• HU 781  Chengdu TFU 02:45 · 06:05 VIE Vienna
• HU 782  Vienna VIE 12:30 · 05:10+1 TFU Chengdu

Hainan routes between China and Europe

Beijing

• Belgrade (BEG): 2 weekly · Airbus A330-300
• Berlin (BER): 5 weekly · Airbus A330-300
• Brussels (BRU): 14 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Dublin (DUB): 1 weekly · Airbus A330-300
• Manchester (MAN): 4 weekly · Airbus A330-300
• Prague (PRG): 6 weekly · A333/789
• St. Petersburg (LED): 2 weekly · Airbus A330-300

Chengdu

• London (LHR): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Chongqing

• Madrid (MAD): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Milan (MXP): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Paris (CDG): 1 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Rome (FCO): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Shanghai

• Brussels (BRU): 4 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Shenzhen

• Brussels (BRU): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Budapest (BUD): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Milan (MXP): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Paris (CDG): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Rome (FCO): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
• Vienna (VIE): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

*Hainan operates three times weekly the Beijing – Brussels – Boston – Brussels – Beijing route (HU 730/731).

Qantas retires its Boeing 717s

Following almost 20 years, the Australian carrier will operate its last scheduled flight with these aircraft on October 26th. Currently, QantasLink, the Group’s regional airline, has two Boeing 717-200s operated by National Jet Systems, registered as VH-YQS and VH-YQW.

The retirement of the Boeing 717s is due to the addition of modern Airbus A220-300s, which will cover QantasLink services. According to our database, the airline has 4 A220-300s, all new from the factory (VH-X4A, VH-X4B, VH-X4C and VH-X4D).

At the time of publication, this will be the schedule for Qantas’ last day of operations with Boeing 717s.

October 26th

• QF 1500  Canberra CBR 06:00 · 06:55 SYD Sydney
• QF 1503  Sydney SYD 07:35 · 08:30 CBR Canberra

• QF 1504  Canberra CBR 09:10 · 10:05 SYD Sydney
• QF 1563  Sydney SYD 12:05 · 13:50 LST Launceston

• QF 1562  Launceston LST 14:30 · 16:10 SYD Sydney
• QF 1511  Sydney SYD 16:55 · 17:50 CBR Canberra

Qantas had incorporated its first Boeing 717-200 on June 2005 (VH-NXE).

Air India changes its Bengaluru-London operations

From October 27th, the company will start flights to London Heathrow from Bengaluru, to be provided by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner jets, once a day.

The “new route” BLR-LHR will replace the current services between the Indian city and Gatwick, operating with the same aircraft and frequency.

Daily

• AI 133  Bengaluru BLR 14:20 · 19:30 LHR London
• AI 132  London LHR 21:05 · 12:20+1 BLR Bengaluru

As per its website, the last service to London Gatwick will be on October 25th.

Other highlights of the Asia and Oceania market:

Aero K

At 00:32 local time on October 6th, Aero K’s inaugural flight from Cheongju landed in Cebu. The airline will offer twice-weekly operations with 180-seat Airbus A320-200 jets.

Tuesday and Saturday

• RF 523  Cheongju CJJ 21:15 · 00:35+1 CEB Cebu
• RF 524  Cebu CEB 01:45 · 07:00 CJJ Cheongju (Wed/Sun)

Aero K has 6 Airbus A320-200s in its fleet, averaging 16 years old.

AirAsia X

On October 16th, at 00:13 local time, AirAsia X’s first service from Kuala Lumpur arrived in Chongqing. Following a four-year hiatus, the carrier resumed flights on this route.

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

• D7 808  Kuala Lumpur KUL 19:35 · 00:45+1 CKG Chongqing
• D7 809  Chongqing CKG 02:00 · 07:10 KUL Kuala Lumpur (Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun)

Air Busan

Busan – Hong Kong will return after two and a half months of suspension.

The company is scheduled to resume services between the two cities on November 13th, providing a daily frequency using Airbus A321-200 aircraft configured with 195 seats.

Daily

• BX 391  Busan PUS 21:55 · 00:55+1 HKG Hong Kong
• BX 392  Hong Kong HKG 02:05 · 06:20 PUS Busan

HK express operates one flight per day on this route.

Aircalin

As mentioned in our last Asia & Oceania report, Aircalin will launch flights to Europe starting December 11th, with the new Noumea – Bangkok – Paris Charles de Gaulle route.

At publication time, the airline had no open bookings for operations from/to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, offering only services between the capitals of New Caledonia and France.

Finally, reservations for flights to/from BKK are now available on its website.

Wednesday and Saturday

• SB 500  Noumea NOU 01:45 · 07:55 BKK Bangkok
• SB 500  Bangkok BKK 09:55 · 17:25 CDG Paris

• SB 501  Paris CDG 20:30 · 14:40+1 BKK Bangkok
• SB 501  Bangkok BKK 16:40+1 · 06:30+2 NOU Noumea

Air India

The company will commence services, on November 12th, between Mumbai and Dammam, which it will operate on Vistara’s Airbus A320neo aircraft seating 180 passengers in single class.

Daily

• AI 2237  Mumbai BOM 20:40 · 22:30 DMM Dammam
• AI 2238  Dammam DMM 23:30 · 05:45+1 BOM Mumbai

Air New Zealand

In September, the company added another Boeing 777-300(ER) to its fleet.

As can be seen through our database, the 11-year–old aircraft, registration ZK-OKW, is currently in Auckland following its arrival from Alice Springs (ASP), Australia, on September 26th.

The 777 had operated the Hong Kong – ASP leg on August 29th, after the withdrawal from Cathay Pacific.

Fleet

• ATR 72: 29
• Airbus A320-200: 17
• Airbus A320neo: 6
• Airbus A321neo: 16
• Boeing 777-300(ER): 10
• Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner: 14
• DHC-8-300: 23

Air New Zealand’s fleet consists of 111 aircraft, with an average age of 10 years.

AirSwift

The Philippine airline will fly between Clark and Tablas with 48-seat ATR 42-600 aircraft beginning October 29th. According to our database, Tablas airport has a weekly service from/to Manila, operated by AirSwift.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• T6 710  Clark CRK 08:05 · 09:20 TBH Tablas
• T6 711  Tablas TBH 09:45 · 11:00 CRK Clark

Batik Air Malaysia

New Batik Air Malaysia domestic operations with Boeing 737s, which will commence between November and January 2025.

Kuala Lumpur

• Bintulu (BTU): 10 weekly · November 1st
• Sandakan (SDK): 14 weekly · December 1st
• Alor Setar (AOR): 7 weekly · December 7th
• Miri (MYY): 14 weekly · January 14th, 2025

Batik Air Malaysia has 15 Boeing 737-800s and 17 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, as well as 4 Airbus A330-300s.

BBN Airlines Indonesia

The Indonesian airline added three new routes to/from Jakarta CGK, to be flown on Boeing 737-800 planes.

• Balikpapan (BPN): 7 weekly · September 30th
• Surabaya (SUB): 5 weekly · September 30th
• Denpasar (DPS): 7 weekly · October 2nd

Centrum Air

Tashkent – Guangzhou, Centrum Air’s new route.

These operations, which will have a frequency of two flights per week, will start on October 27th, using Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Wednesday and Sunday

• C6 511  Tashkent TAS 17:10 · 02:40+1 CAN Guangzhou
• C6 512  Guangzhou CAN 04:10 · 08:40 TAS Tashkent (Mon/Thu)

Centrum Air will be the only operator on this route.

China Airlines

Effective November 27th, the airline will begin flying between Taipei and Guam. The services, as per its website, will be operated twice-weekly with Airbus A321neo jets configured for 194 passengers in single class.

Wednesday and Saturday

• CI 26  Taipei TPE 21:05 · 03:00+1 GUM Guam
• CI 25  Guam GUM 04:30 · 06:55 TPE Taipei (Thu/Sun)

EVA Air

More services to Seoul Incheon.

The company will increase its operations from Kaohsiung as of January 1st, 2025, from 7 to 11 flights a week.

Daily

• BR 172  Kaohsiung KHH 15:45 · 19:40 ICN Seoul
• BR 171  Seoul ICN 20:40 · 22:55 KHH Kaohsiung

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday · new flight

• BR 140  Kaohsiung KHH 07:20 · 11:10 ICN Seoul
• BR 139  Seoul ICN 12:10 · 14:25 KHH Kaohsiung

EVA Air operates Airbus A321-200 aircraft.

Georgian Wings

At 07:59 local time on October 13th, Georgian Wings’ inaugural flight to Trabzon departed Tbilisi. The airline will have two weekly operations using Boeing 737-300s.

Monday and Thursday

• D4 305  Tbilisi TBS 08:00 · 08:10 TZX Trabzon
• D4 306  Trabzon TZX 09:10 · 11:20 TBS Tbilisi

Georgian Wings has 2 Boeing 737s in its fleet.

GX Airlines

New service to Laos.

The airline will operate between Nanning and Vientiane by Airbus A320-200 aircraft from October 28th, three times per week.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• GX 8927  Nanning NNG 19:20 · 20:00 VTE Vientiane
• GX 8928  Vientiane VTE 21:00 · 23:40 NNG Nanning

Hawaiian

In November, Hawaiian Airlines will have a special flight on the Papeete – Los Angeles route, which will be performed with an Airbus A330-200.

November 5th

• HA 481  Honolulu HNL 15:35 · 21:30 PPT Papeete (regular flight)
• HA 914  Papeete PPT 21:00 · 06:50+1 LAX Los Angeles (November 6th)

Hawaiian offers a weekly frequency between Honolulu and Papeete using the same aircraft.

HK express

After just over five years, HK express will once again fly between Hong Kong and Hualien (Taiwan). The company schedules four services a week on Airbus A320s.

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday · eff December 12th

• UO 152  Hong Kong HKG 16:50 · 18:50 HUN Hualien
• UO 153  Hualien HUN 19:50 · 22:10 HKG Hong Kong

HK express will be the only operator between both cities.

Hong Kong Airlines

The airline will begin charter services between Hong Kong and Koror from October 29th. At time of publication, Hong Kong Airlines will fly three times weekly by 188-seat Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• HX 2731  Hong Kong HKG 13:00 · 18:00 ROR Koror
• HX 2732  Koror ROR 19:00 · 22:00 HKG Hong Kong

Jetstar

As of June 14th, 2025, Jetstar Airways will reach daily frequency between Sydney and Seoul, a route currently operated four times per week.

Daily

• JQ 47  Sydney SYD 10:45 · 20:15 ICN Seoul
• JQ 48  Seoul ICN 21:50 · 09:05+1 SYD Sydney

Current schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

From Sydney, Denpasar, Ho Chi Minh City, Osaka, Phuket and Seoul are Jetstar’s destinations to Asia.

Jin Air

Three new routes from Muan (MWX) starting in December, to be offered by the Korean carrier.

• Osaka (KIX): 7 weekly · December 2nd
• Taipei (TPE): 7 weekly · December 2nd
• Tokyo (NRT): 7 weekly · December 2nd

Jin Air’s Boeing 737 have 189 seats in single class.

Juneyao Airlines

The airline will expand its operations in Japan and Australia, boosting flights to Melbourne and Sydney, and the resumption of its Shanghai-Fukuoka route.

• Shanghai (PVG) – Melbourne (MEL): from 3 to 7 weekly · January 3rd, 2025
• Shanghai (PVG) – Sydney (SYD): from 4 to 7 weekly · January 14th, 2025
• Shanghai (PVG) – Fukuoka (FUK): 4 weekly · January 20th, 2025 (route resumption)

Korean Air

Airbus A380 to Taipei.

Between November 1st and November 10th, Korean Air is scheduled to operate again from Seoul Incheon with these aircraft, replacing Boeing 747-8s, Boeing 777-300(ER)s and Boeing 787-9s on flight KE 185/186.

Daily · Airbus A380

• KE 185  Seoul ICN 09:00 · 11:00 TPE Taipei
• KE 186  Taipei TPE 12:25 · 15:50 ICN Seoul

Daily · A32Q/A333/747/77W

• KE 187  Seoul ICN 16:15 · 18:10 TPE Taipei
• KE 188  Taipei TPE 19:25 · 22:55 ICN Seoul

Malaysia Airlines

Following a 19-year suspension, Malaysia Airlines will resume services between Kuala Lumpur and Kolkata. Flights will start on December 2nd, and will run as follows:

Daily except Wednesday and Thursday

• MH 184  Kuala Lumpur KUL 21:35 · 23:10 CCU Kolkata
• MH 185  Kolkata CCU 00:10 · 06:45 KUL Kuala Lumpur (daily except Thu/Fri)

Malaysia will operate, according to its website, on Boeing 737-800 jets.

Nok Air

On November 11th, Nok Air will restart flights to Chumphon (Thailand) from Bangkok Don Mueang. The airline will offer four weekly services.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• DD 604  Bangkok DMK 18:00 · 19:00 CJM Chumphon
• DD 605  Chumphon CJM 19:30 · 20:25 DMK Bangkok

Qantas

The company will resume operations from Brisbane with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner planes as of August 2025, replacing some of the Airbus A330-200 services.

In addition, Qantas will again have flights between Sydney and Dallas by Airbus A380-800 aircraft with 485 seats in four classes.

• Sydney (SYD) – Dallas (DFW): 3 weekly · August 11th, 2025 · A380
• Brisbane (BNE) – Auckland (AKL): 4 weekly · August 13th, 2025 · 787-9
• Brisbane (BNE) – Los Angeles (LAX): 3 weekly · August 13th, 2025 · 787-9

All three routes have a daily frequency. The other flights will be operated by A330 (BNE-AKL and BNE-LAX) and 787 (SYD-DFW).

Qingdao

Qingdao Airlines will commence services between Qingdao and Hong Kong effective October 29th. In line with its website, this will be the schedule:

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• QW 9895  Qingdao TAO 12:10 · 15:40 HKG Hong Kong
• QW 9896  Hong Kong HKG 16:40 · 20:10 TAO Qingdao

Cathay Pacific and Shandong Airlines operate this route, each with one service a day.

SpiceJet

On October 10th, the Indian low cost carrier inaugurated two new routes from Shivamogga, to be performed by Dash 8s seating 78 passengers in single class.

• Chennai (MAA): 7 weekly
• Hyderabad (HYD): 7 weekly

As well as SpiceJet, IndiGo and Star Air have operations at Shivamogga airport.

Starlux

Starlux’s flights between Taichung and Takamatsu will be converted from charter to regular.

Beginning December 1st, the carrier will start scheduled flights on this route, which can be purchased through its website.

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• JX 300  Taichung RMQ 08:50 · 12:20 TAK Takamatsu
• JX 301  Takamatsu TAK 13:20 · 15:40 RMQ Taichung

Starlux will operate these services on Airbus A321neo planes.

Sunlight Air

Two new domestic routes will be launched by Sunlight Air between October and December.

• Manila (MNL) – Busuanga (USU): 7 weekly · October 27th
• Clark (CRK) – San Vicente (SWL): 2 weekly · December 26th

In both cases, the Philippine carrier will operate with 70-seat ATR 72-500s.

Thai

Thai Airways International will resume seasonal flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap. Services will begin from October 27th, according to its website.

Daily

• TG 588  Bangkok BKK 07:45 · 08:45 SAI Siem Reap
• TG 589  Siem Reap SAI 09:50 · 10:55 BKK Bangkok

The last seasonal operation performed by Thai had been on March 30th, as can be seen in our database.

Tianjin Airlines

Guiyang – Singapore, new route for Tianjin Airlines.

Flights will start on November 15th and will operate four times a week with Airbus A320 jets.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• GS 7969  Guiyang KWE 23:25 · 04:00+1 SIN Singapore
• GS 7970  Singapore SIN 05:10 · 09:15 KWE Guiyang (Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat)

Tianjin Airlines will be the only operator on this route.

T’Way

The Korean company will boost its services between Seoul Incheon and Singapore effective November 21st. In accordance with its website, T’Way Air will increase from one to two daily flights on this route, which it operates on Airbus A330-300s.

Daily · new flight

• TW 173  Seoul ICN 15:30 · 21:25 SIN Singapore
• TW 174  Singapore SIN 23:00 · 06:35+1 ICN Seoul

Daily

• TW 171  Seoul ICN 18:50 · 00:45+1 SIN Singapore
• TW 172  Singapore SIN 02:15 · 09:50 ICN Seoul

T’Way’s A330-300s have 347 seats.

Ural Airlines

As of late October, Ural will resume four international routes from Irkutsk, to be conducted by Airbus A319 and Airbus A320 planes.

• Dushanbe (DYU): 1 weekly · October 28th
• Namangan (NMA): 1 weekly · October 29th
• Osh (OSS): 1 weekly · October 30th
• Tashkent (TAS): 2 weekly · October 31st

Vietnam Airlines

Two new Vietnam Airlines routes in Asia, one of which will begin by the end of October and the other from mid-February 2025.

• Phu Quoc (PQC) – Cantho (VCA): 5 weekly · October 28th · ATR 72 (VASCO)
• Hanoi (HAN) – Taipei (TPE): 3 weekly · February 15th, 2025 · Airbus A321-200

New aircraft added by airlines in Asia and Oceania

• Akasa Air

• Cebu Pacific

• China Eastern Airlines (x2)

• China Southern Airlines (x3)

• IndiGo (x6)

• Japan Airlines

• Jetstar (x2)

• Korean Air

• Pegasus (x2)

• Shanghai Airlines

• Singapore Airlines (x2)

• SunExpress

• VietJet Air

• Xiamen Air

*It’s not new from the factory.

VietJet’s new Airbus A321-271NX with registration VN-A539, which performed the Hamburg – Paris Orly – Hamburg flight, has the “50 Years Vietnam-France” livery.

Other reports we have published

• Africa and Middle East
• United States and Canada
• Latin America
• Europe

Cover photo: mermer – JetPhotos (Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, China).