Lufthansa Cargo continues to expand its Asian network with the launch of a new route to China in July, joining another one previously commenced in April, both operated from Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (Frankfurt Airport), the airline’s main hub in Germany.

Shenzhen is Lufthansa’s recent addition, which will have two weekly flights on the Frankfurt – Shenzhen – Dubai World Central Airport – Frankfurt route, under the following schedule:

First flight on July 2nd · Shenzhen

Tuesday and Saturday

• LH 8442  Frankfurt FRA 08:50/09:05 · 03:00+1 SZX Shenzhen

Wednesday and Sunday

• LH 8443  Shenzhen SZX 05:30 · 09:20 DWC Dubai
• LH 8443  Dubai DWC 10:20 · 15:15 FRA Frankfurt

Zhengzhou · first flight was on April 25th

Thursday, Friday and Sunday

• LH 8440  Frankfurt FRA 10:30 · 03:25+1 CGO Zhengzhou
• LH 8441  Zhengzhou CGO 05:55 · 12:20 FRA Frankfurt

“In the Chinese market, the e-commerce business segment in particular is growing steadily, and we continue to see high demand, especially to Europe. Accordingly, additional air freight capacity is needed to transport goods quickly, compliantly, and safely. With the expansion of our Asian network, with two new connections, we can now serve even more important freight destinations in China for our customers. This will be possible thanks to the new B777F freighter, which we expect to receive in the course of this summer. This will not only mean #EnablingGlobalBusiness for our customers in a sustainable way, but also growing as a company in an important cargo region,” said Lufthansa Cargo CEO, Ashwin Bhat.

Lufthansa Cargo reaches 19 destinations in Asia Pacific, offering almost 50 frequencies per week.

Malaysia Airlines’ first Airbus A330-941 was spotted in Toulouse

As we commented in previous reports, Malaysia plans to take delivery of its first A330neo in Q3 2024. The airline has an order for 20 Airbus A330-900neo, signed in August 2022 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Avolon. These 20 will be delivered until 2028.

Furthermore, last March, Malaysia Airlines introduced its new cabin, which will be available on its A330neo aircraft.

The new A330neo cabin will feature the Collins Aerospace Elevation Business Class seats, an all-suite cabin with individual privacy doors, as well as wireless charging pods available at all 28 of the Business Class seats.

Malaysia’s Airbus A330-900neo will have a 297-seat configuration (28 in Business Class and 269 in Economy Class, of which 24 will have extra legroom).

Current Malaysia Airlines fleet

• Airbus A330-200: 9
• Airbus A330-300: 15
• Airbus A350-900: 7
• Boeing 737-800: 42
• Boeing 737 MAX 8: 4

Malaysia has 77 aircraft, averaging 11 years old.

We review other highlights of the Asia/Oceania market during July:

• Aeroflot resumes operations to Seychelles.

• Air India will fly between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur.

• American inaugurated services to Tokyo Haneda from JFK.

• ANA expands routes between Haneda and Europe.

• Batik Air Malaysia adds a new connection.

• Cathay Pacific increases frequencies to Auckland.

• Cebu Pacific to launch four new domestic routes.

• Chengdu Airlines started flights between Kashgar and Tashkurgan.

• China Eastern continues adding international connections.

• Eznis Airways inaugurated operations to Czech Republic.

• GX Airlines and its new destinations.

• ITA expands its Asia presence with two new routes.

• Korean Air will begin flights to Tokyo by Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

• Myanmar Airways International adds a new route.

• New services between Changsha and Thailand by Okay Airlines.

• Qantas resumed flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle.

• Syrian Airlines restarted operations between Damascus and Riyadh.

• Thai AirAsia adds a new connection from Bangkok Don Mueang.

• Tianjin Airlines commenced flights between Hailar and Vladivostok.

• Uzbekistan Airways will have services to Phu Quoc.

• Virgin Australia expands operations between Brisbane and Vanuatu.

Aeroflot

The Russian airline plans to resume flights to the Seychelles as of October 1st, which will be from Moscow Sheremetyevo. Aeroflot will operate three times a week with Airbus A350-900 aircraft configured for 316 passengers.

Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

• SU 244  Moscow SVO 01:35 · 11:25 SEZ Victoria
• SU 245  Victoria SEZ 13:25 · 21:45 SVO Moscow

The last flight on this route was last May 15th.

Air Macau

On July 2nd, Air Macau started its fourth frequency between Macau and Taipei. The carrier will provide 26 weekly services on this route by Airbus A320s and Airbus A321s until late August, when it will return to three operations per day.

Daily except Monday and Wednesday (new)

• NX 8610  Macau MFM 14:30 · 16:20 TPE Taipei
• NX 8609  Taipei TPE 17:10 · 18:55 MFM Macau

Other frequencies

• NX 618/617: daily
• NX 628/627: daily
• NX 632/631: daily

Air India

The company will commence flights between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur from September 15th. In line with its website, Air India will operate using Airbus A320-200 aircraft as follows:

Daily

• AI 384  Delhi DEL 13:00 · 21:00 KUL Kuala Lumpur
• AI 385  Kuala Lumpur KUL 08:30 · 11:25 DEL Delhi

AirAsia X, Batik Air Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines serve this route, with 5, 8 and 9 weekly frequencies.

ANA

All Nippon Airways will expand its European network from Tokyo Haneda starting in December with three new destinations.

The Japanese airline will offer three flights a week on each route, which will be operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets.

• Milan (MXP): December 3rd
• Stockholm (ARN): January 31st, 2025
• Istanbul (IST): February 12th, 2025

Belgium, France, Germany and the United Kingdom are its current markets in Europe. Austria will return in August, with flights to Vienna.

Batik Air Malaysia

The carrier will begin services between Penang and Jakarta effective October 1st, with a daily operation. Batik Air, as listed on its website, will have this schedule between the two cities.

Daily

• OD 342  Jakarta CGK 11:10 · 14:40 PEN Penang
• OD 343  Penang PEN 15:40 · 17:10 CGK Jakarta

Cathay Pacific

More frequencies to Auckland.

The company intends to increase services on the Hong Kong – Auckland route, which it currently runs five times per week on Airbus A350-1000s.

Cathay Pacific will perform seven weekly flights, according to its website, during winter 2024/25.

Daily (as of late October)

• CX 113  Hong Kong HKG 21:10 · 11:55+ AKL Auckland
• CX 198  Auckland AKL 13:45 · 21:20 HKG Hong Kong

The airline will add operations on Mondays and Wednesdays on the HKG-AKL leg, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays on the AKL-HKG segment.

Cebu Pacific

Effective October, the Philippine company will add four new domestic routes from Clark, all with Airbus A320-200s.

• Puerto Princesa (PPS): 3 weekly · October 2nd
• General Santos (GES): 3 weekly · October 21st
• Iloilo (ILO): 7 weekly · October 21st
• Davao (DVO): 3 weekly · October 22nd

These connections will join Caticlan and Cebu, its current destinations within the Philippines to/from Clark.

Chengdu Airlines

The Chinese airline inaugurated operations between Kashgar and Tashkurgan in early July.

Flights will be carried out three times a week with Comac ARJ-21-700(ER) jets, configured for 90 passengers in single class.

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

• EU 3079  Kashgar KHG 09:25 · 10:20 HQL Tashkurgan
• EU 3080  Tashkurgan HQL 11:00 · 11:55/12:00 KHG Kashgar

As well as Chengdu Airlines, China Southern operates three weekly services on this route by Airbus A319neo aircraft.

Kashgar is the only destination offered from/to Tashkurgan.

China Eastern

Several new routes will be introduced by China Eastern Airlines between July and September:

• Shanghai (PVG) – Kagoshima (KOJ): 2 weekly · July 16th
• Hefei (HFE) – Osaka (KIX): 4 weekly · July 28th
• Ningbo (NGB) – Osaka (KIX): 3 weekly · July 30th
• Yantai (YNT) – Bangkok (BKK): 3 weekly · August 5th
• Shanghai (PVG) – Venice (VCE): 3 weekly · September 26th
• Xi’An (XIY) – Venice (VCE): 3 weekly · September 26th

China Southern

Starting December 17th, China Southern Airlines is scheduled to boost its services to Christchurch. The carrier will offer one daily frequency from Guangzhou with 297-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

Daily

• CZ 617  Guangzhou CAN 00:50 · 17:20 CHC Christchurch
• CZ 618  Christchurch CHC 22:30 · 05:30+1 CAN Guangzhou

China Southern will have services on this route between October 27th and March 30th, 2025.

Eznis Airways

The Mongolian airline began operations to Prague on July 10th.

Eznis Airways will have two flights per week from Ulaanbaatar, the country’s capital, using Airbus A330-200s.

Wednesday and Saturday

• MG 714  Ulaanbaatar UBN 17:15 · 20:15 PRG Prague
• MG 715  Prague PRG 21:45 · 11:35+1 UBN Ulaanbaatar

Eznis has 3 aircraft in its fleet (1 A330 and 2 Boeing 737-700).

Fiji Airways

During August, Fiji Airways intends to add some extra flights on its Nadi – Funafuti route, offered on a weekly basis.

At publication time, there will be new services on August 2nd and 12th, with the following schedule:

August 2nd

• FJ 289  Nadi NAN 06:00 · 08:35 FUN Funafuti
• FJ 288  Funafuti FUN 09:20 · 11:50 NAN Nadi

August 12th

• FJ 291  Nadi NAN 07:00 · 09:35 FUN Funafuti
• FJ 290  Funafuti FUN 10:20 · 12:50 NAN Nadi

GX Airlines

The company inaugurated two new routes to Thailand on July 1st. According to our database, both operations will be conducted from Nanning by Airbus A320s.

Bangkok

Daily

• GX 8909  Nanning NNG 08:00 · 09:20 BKK Bangkok
• GX 8910  Bangkok BKK 10:20 · 13:20 NNG Nanning

Daily

• GX 8907  Nanning NNG 19:10 · 20:30 BKK Bangkok
• GX 8908  Bangkok BKK 21:30 · 00:30+1 NNG Nanning

Phuket

Daily

• GX 8921  Nanning NNG 16:25 · 18:40 HKT Phuket
• GX 8922  Phuket HKT 19:40 · 00:10+1 NNG Nanning

Bangkok and Phuket are its first international destinations to/from Nanning.

Within China, the airline operates to Changsha, Chengdu, Dayong, Fuyang, Haikou, Jinan, Jining, Lijiang, Luoyang, Sanya, Shangrao, Xi’An, Xiangyuang, Xuzhou, Yichuang and Zhengzhou.

Korean Air

On July 25th, Korean Air is set to initiate flights to Tokyo Narita from Seoul Incheon using Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners aircraft.

The South Korean carrier offers services on this route with Airbus A321neo, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 747-8 and Boeing 777-300(ER).

This will be Korean Air’s schedule on Boeing 787-10s:

• KE 703  Seoul ICN 10:10 · 12:40 NRT Tokyo
• KE 704  Tokyo NRT 14:00 · 16:30 ICN Seoul

Korean Air’s current fleet

• Airbus A220-300: 10
• Airbus A321neo: 11
• Airbus A330-200: 2
• Airbus A330-300: 20
• Airbus A380-800: 9
• Boeing 737-700: 1
• Boeing 737-800: 2
• Boeing 737-900: 9
• Boeing 737-900(ER): 6
• Boeing 737 MAX 8
• Boeing 747-400(F): 4
• Boeing 747-8i: 15
• Boeing 777-200(ER): 8
• Boeing 777-300(ER): 25
• Boeing 777(F): 12
• Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner: 1
• Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner: 13
• Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner: 2

Korean has, at the time of publication, 10 aircraft on order, which will be added in the short term. These include its first Airbus A350-900s (HL8585 and HL8597).

MAI

Yangon – Vientiane, new connection of Myanmar Airways International (MAI).

The first flight was last June 25th with the Embraer 190, registration XY-ALP, as can be seen on our website.

MAI will offer two frequencies a week as follows:

Tuesday and Thursday

• 8M 470  Yangon RGN 17:00 · 19:00 VTE Vientiane
• 8M 471  Vientiane VTE 20:00 · 21:00 RGN Yangon

Bangkok (BKK and DMK), Chennai, Chiang Mai, Delhi, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Kengtung, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Kunming, Mandalay, Myeik, Myitkyina, Phnom Penh, Seoul, Singapore, Sittwe and Vientiane are its destinations from the Myanmar’s city.

Okay Airlines

In early July, Okay Airlines launched two routes between Changsha and Thailand.

The services will be operated on Boeing 737-800s and Boeing 737-900s.

Bangkok

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• BK 2981  Tianjin TSN 08:40 · 11:05 CSX Changsha
• BK 2981  Changsha CSX 12:10 · 14:10 BKK Bangkok

• BK 2982  Bangkok BKK 15:10 · 19:30 CSX Changsha
• BK 2982  Changsha  20:45 · 22:55 TSN Tianjin

Phuket

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

• BK 2983  Tianjin TSN 08:40 · 11:05 CSX Changsha
• BK 2983  Changsha CSX 12:10 · 15:00 HKT Phuket

• BK 2984  Phuket HKT 16:00 · 20:55 CSX Changsha
• BK 2984  Changsha CSX 22:00 · 00:25+1 TSN Tianjin

Pegasus

The Turkish airline will inaugurate operations between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen and Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, starting August 24th.

Until early September, in accordance with its website, Pegasus will fly on its Airbus A320s, then switching to Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Saturday

• PC 250  Istanbul SAW 06:50 · 07:55 TZL Tuzla
• PC 251  Tuzla TZL 08:50 · 11:50 SAW Istanbul

Qantas

As of November 2nd, Qantas plans to commence flights between Brisbane and Noumea, New Caledonia. Operations are scheduled on a weekly basis with Boeing 737-800s.

Saturday

• QF 89  Brisbane BNE 12:05 · 15:15 NOU Noumea
• QF 90  Noumea NOU 16:15 · 17:40 BNE Brisbane

Current routes from/to Noumea

Australia

• Brisbane (BNE): 1 weekly · Aircalin
• Melbourne (MEL): 1 weekly · Aircalin
• Sydney (SYD): 1 weekly · Aircalin
• Sydney (SYD): 1 weekly · Qantas

Fiji

• Nadi (NAN): 2 weekly · Aircalin

Japan

• Tokyo (NRT): 1 weekly · Aircalin

New Zealand

• Auckland (AKL): 1 weekly · Aircalin

Singapore

• Singapore (SIN): 5 weekly · Aircalin

Wallis and Futuna

• Hihifo (WLS): 1 weekly · Aircalin

Qingdao Airlines

At 04:13 local time on Saturday, July 20th, Qingdao’s inaugural flight from Chengdu landed in Panglao, Philippines. Services will be performed three times per week on Airbus A320s, with the following schedule:

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• QW 6105  Chengdu TFU 23:00 · 03:20+1 TAG Panglao

Monday, Thursday and Saturday

• QW 6106  Panglao TAG 04:20 · 08:50 TFU Chengdu

This is Qingdao Airlines’ first route to the Philippines.

Shandong Airlines

From July, Shandong boosted its flight frequency between Qingdao and Osaka, reaching three daily services.

The company operates using the 176-seat Boeing 737-800s.

Daily

• SC 4091  Qingdao TAO 08:20 · 11:25 KIX Osaka
• SC 4092  Osaka KIX 12:30 · 14:00 TAO Qingdao

Daily

• SC 4093  Qingdao TAO 13:00 · 16:20 KIX Osaka
• SC 4094  Osaka KIX 17:20 · 19:00 TAO Qingdao

New flight · daily

• SC 2493  Qingdao TAO 01:45 · 04:40 KIX Osaka
• SC 2494  Osaka KIX 05:00 · 06:55 TAO Qingdao

Shandong Airlines is the only company operating this route.

Spring Airlines

The Chinese airline expanded its services to Japan in July, adding frequencies on three of its routes to/from Shanghai PVG:

• Fukuoka (FUK): from 7 to 14 weekly
• Osaka (KIX): from 28 to 35 weekly
• Tokyo Narita (NRT): from 7 to 14 weekly

Syrian Airlines

On July 10th, Syrian Airlines resumed operations to Riyadh from Damascus after a nearly 8-year suspension.

Flights will be once a week on Airbus A320-200s.

Wednesday

• RB 389  Damascus DAM 04:30 · 06:30 RUH Riyadh
• RB 390  Riyadh RUH 07:25 · 09:35 DAM Damascus

Syrian Arab Airlines has 12 aircraft in its fleet but only two are operational.

Thai AirAsia

Bangkok (DMK) – Lampang, Thai AirAsia’s new route.

The flights will start next October 1st and will have a daily frequency, as can be seen through its website.

Daily

• FD 3923  Bangkok DMK 11:10 · 12:20 LPT Lampang
• FD 3924  Lampang LPT 12:50 · 14:05 DMK Bangkok

From Bangkok Don Mueang, the company operates to Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar (Burna), Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Tianjin Airlines

At 20:06 local time on July 13th, Tianjin Airlines’ inaugural flight to Vladivostok departed from Hailar on Embraer 190 with registration B-3180.

The airline will run two services per week between these cities with the 99-passenger E190s.

Tuesday and Saturday

• GS 7985  Hailar HLD 19:55 · 00:05+1 VVO Vladivostok

Wednesday and Sunday

• GS 7986  Vladivostok VVO 01:05 · 01:10 HLD Hailar

In addition to Hailar, there are flights from Vladivostok to Beijing, Dalian, Harbin, Pyongyang, Shanghai and Yanji, with respect to Chinese cities.

Uzbekistan Airways

The company plans to operate services to Phu Quoc effective October 29th.

Operations will be carried out from Tashkent, the country’s capital and hub of Uzbekistan Airways, twice-weekly with Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Tuesday and Saturday

• HY 565  Tashkent TAS 23:35 · 08:25+1 PQC Phu Quoc

Wednesday and Sunday

• HY 566  Phu Quoc PQC 09:55 · 15:15 TAS Tashkent

Uzbekistan Airways fleet consists of 43 aircraft, including Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A330, Boeing 767 and Boeing 787.

VietJet Air

More flights to South Korea.

On October 27th will be VietJet’s first service between Nha Trang and Daegu, a route that will be offered with a daily frequency.

Daily

• VJ 870  Nha Trang CXR 00:20 · 06:50 TAE Daegu
• VJ 871  Daegu TAE 07:50 · 11:00 CXR Nha Trang

VietJet’s routes between South Korea and Vietnam

Busan

• Da Nang (DAD): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
• Hanoi (HAN): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
• Ho Chi Minh City (SGN): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
• Nha Trang (CXR): 14 weekly · Airbus A321
• Phu Quoc (PQC): 7 weekly · Airbus A321

Seoul Incheon

• Da Nang (DAD): 21 weekly · Airbus A321
• Haiphong (HPH): 7 weekly · Airbus A321
• Hanoi (HAN): 14 weekly · Airbus A321
• Ho Chi Minh City (SGN): 21 weekly · A320/A321
• Nha Trang (CXR): 21 weekly · Airbus A321
• Phu Quoc (PQC): 21 weekly · A320/A321

Virgin Australia

Virgin increased its operations to Vanuatu on July 9th.

According to our database, the company expanded from five to seven services a week from/to Brisbane, operating with 176-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets.

Check schedules on Virgin Australia’s site, as it will have different ones each day.

Frequencies

• VA 57/58: Saturday (new flight)
• VA 53/54: Daily except Thursday (new flight on Tuesdays)

Brisbane is Virgin’s only destination in Port Vila (Vanuatu).

Xiamen Air

Last July 1st, Xiamen Airlines doubled its flight frequency between Xiamen and Tokyo Narita, from 2 to 4 operations per week.

The company serves this route on Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner planes with a capacity of 237 passengers in three seating classes.

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

• MF 815  Xiamen XMN 08:30 · 13:45 NRT Tokyo
• MF 816  Tokyo NRT 14:55 · 18:10 XMN Xiamen

New flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Osaka is Xiamen Air’s other destination in Japan.

With respect to new aircraft, these were the airlines that added jets to their fleet during June and July:

• AirAsia

• Air Astana

• Air China Cargo (x2)

• Air India

• Air India Express (x6)

• Cebu Pacific

• China Airlines (x2)

• FlyArystan

• Hong Kong Airlines (x2)

• IndiGo (x4)

• Jetstar (x2)

• Korean Air (x2)

• Pegasus

• Qingdao Airlines

• Sichuan Airlines

• Singapore Airlines

• Starlux

• Thai AirAsia

• Vietnam Airlines

• Virgin Australia (x2)

*It’s not new from the factory.

Other reports we have published:

• Africa and Middle East
• United States and Canada
• Latin America
• Europe
• Lufthansa sending the A380 to Washington
• Holidaymaker express: Delta starting London-Orlando flights

Cover photo: Shenzhen Boa’an International Airport – Lufthansa Cargo vía LinkedIn.