As we commented in the Europe report, Virgin Atlantic will expand its international operations with the start of Accra and Riyadh, in both cases from London Heathrow. The services will begin in 2025 and will be provided with Airbus A330-900neo and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft configured for 262 and 264 passengers, respectively.

Riyadh will become Virgin’s first destination in Saudi Arabia, while Accra will be its second route to the African continent. Currently, the carrier operates to Tel Aviv in the Middle East, and Lagos in Africa.

Riyadh · March 30th, 2025

Daily

• VS 242  London LHR 14:45 · 23:35 RUH Riyadh
• VS 243  Riyadh RUH 01:25 · 07:00 LHR London

Accra · May 1st, 2025

Daily

• VS 403  London LHR 22:30 · 05:00+1 ACC Accra
• VS 404  Accra ACC 09:15 · 17:25 LHR London

In addition to Accra and Riyadh, Toronto will be another new Virgin Atlantic destination. Flights will commence on March 30th, 2025.

Virgin Atlantic routes to/from LHR (currently + new additions)

Bahamas

• Nassau (NAS): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Barbados

• Bridgetown (BGI): 7 weekly · Airbus A330-300

Canada

• Toronto (YYZ): 7 weekly · effective March 30th, 2025

China

• Shanghai (PVG): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Cyprus/Israel

• LHR – Larnaca (LCA) – Tel Aviv (TLV) – LHR: 7 weekly · Airbus A330-300

Ghana

• Accra (ACC): 7 weekly · effective May 1st, 2025

India

• Bengaluru (BLR): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9
• Delhi (DEL): 14 weekly · Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 787-9
• Mumbai (BOM): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Jamaica

• Montego Bay (MBJ): 3 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Nigeria

• Lagos (LOS): 7 weekly · A333/A35K

Saudi Arabia

• Riyadh (RUH): 7 weekly · March 30th, 2025

South Africa

• Johannesburg (JNB): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9

Turks and Caicos Islands

• Providenciales (PLS): 2 weekly · Boeing 787-9

United States

• Atlanta (ATL): 7 weekly · Airbus A350-1000
• Boston (BOS): 14 weekly · Airbus A330-900neo
• Las Vegas (LAS): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9
• Los Angeles (LAX): 21 weekly · A35K/789
• Miami (MIA): 12 weekly · Boeing 787-9
• New York (JFK): 42 weekly · A333/A339/A35K
• Orlando (MCO): 14 weekly · A333/A35K
• San Francisco (SFO): 14 weekly · Boeing 787-9
• Seattle (SEA): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9
• Tampa (TPA): 7 weekly · A333/A339
• Washington DC (IAD): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9

TAAG Linhas Aereas de Angola takes delivery of its first Airbus A220

The aircraft will perform its delivery flight to Luanda, the country’s capital and TAAG’s hub, in the near future. This Airbus A220-300, registered D2-TAA, is currently located in Montreal (YMX).

TAAG Linhas Aereas had planned to incorporate its first A220 earlier this year, but delivery was delayed. To date, the airline has an order for 15 Airbus A220s, which are scheduled to be added during 2024 and 2025.

The company’s aim is to gradually replace the Boeing 737-700s with modern A220-300s. In accordance with our database, TAAG has 8 737-700s in its fleet, averaging 18 years old.

TAAG’s fleet

• Boeing 737-700: 8
• Boeing 737-800: 1
• Boeing 777-200: 3
• Boeing 777-300(ER): 5
• Dash 8: 6

As part of its fleet renewal process, TAAG Linhas Aereas de Angola will also add Boeing 787-9s and Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, which will replace the 777s.

Emirates’ first Airbus A350 made its first test flight

On Wednesday, September 25th, the A350, still with provisional registration F-WGZA (to be registered A6-EXA), made its maiden flight, taking off from Toulouse at 11:27 local time. After 3 hours and 55 minutes, it landed back at Aéroport Toulouse Blagnac (TLS).

Emirates plans to take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in October and four more by the end of the year. The airline’s order is for 65 A350s, with deliveries scheduled through early 2028.

At the time of publication, Emirates Airline intends to commence regular operations by Airbus A350-900s on December 2nd, on the Dubai – Edinburgh route.

Other highlights of the Africa and Middle East market:

Air Arabia Maroc

Starting October 27th, the Moroccan company will fly between Casablanca and Madrid. Services will be operated four weekly times with Airbus A320-200 planes (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday).

Air Arabia Maroc, at publication time, has six flights per week to Madrid from Morocco (4 from Tangier and 2 from Tetouan).

Air Botswana

During October and November, Air Botswana will expand its operating schedule, with seven new routes. The airline will serve on Embraer 170s and Embraer 175s.

• Gaborone (GBE) – Durban (DUR): 3 weekly · October 1st
• Gaborone (GBE) – Windhoek (WDH): 3 weekly · October 1st
• Kasane (BBK) – Cape Town (CPT): 3 weekly · November 1st
• Kasane (BBK) – Nelspruit (MQP): 3 weekly · November 1st
• Kasane (BBK) – Windhoek (WDH): 3 weekly · November 1st
• Maun (MUB) – Cape Town (CPT): 3 weekly · November 2nd
• Maun (MUB) – Windhoek (WDH): 3 weekly · November 2nd

Air Botswana has 2 ATR 72, 1 Embraer 170 and 1 Embraer 175 in its fleet.

Airlink

The airline adds services between Johannesburg and Dar-es-Salaam.

According to our database, Airlink began on September 21st its eighth weekly flight on this route, which offers using 98-seat Embraer 190 jets.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (new flight – Sat 21st)

• 4Z 32  Johannesburg JNB 09:40 · 14:10 DAR Dar-es-Salaam
• 4Z 33  Dar-es-Salaam DAR 14:50 · 17:35 JNB Johannesburg

Daily except Tuesday/Wednesday and Saturday/Sunday

• 4Z 36  Johannesburg JNB 22:45 · 03:15+1 DAR Dar-es-Salaam (ex Tue/Sat)
• 4Z 37  Dar-es-Salaam DAR 04:10 · 06:55 JNB Johannesburg (ex Wed/Sun)

Air Sénégal

Effective October 27th, the company plans to launch three new international routes in Africa.

Dakar DSS

• Abidjan (ABJ) – Cotonou (COO): 4 weekly · Airbus A319
• Bamako (BKO) – Abidjan (ABJ): 3 weekly · Airbus A319
• Bamako (BKO) – Ouagadougou (OUA): 4 weekly · Airbus A319

Air Sénégal fleet consists of 8 aircraft (2 ATR 72, 2 A319, 2 A321 and 2 A330), although it has 4 operational planes (one of each type).

AirSial

The Pakistani carrier will commence operations between Islamabad and Riyadh on October 30th. AirSial will perform two services a week.

Wednesday and Friday

• PF 768  Islamabad ISB 00:35 · 03:15 RUH Riyadh (Wed)
• PF 768  Islamabad ISB 20:00 · 22:40 RUH Riyadh (Fri)

Wednesday and Saturday

• PF 769  Riyadh RUH 04:30 · 10:30 ISB Islamabad (Wed)
• PF 769  Riyadh RUH 00:00 · 06:00 ISB Islamabad (Sat)

Animawings

For winter season 2024/25, Animawings will start flying between Bucharest and Marrakech. The first service on this route will be on December 29th, being offered weekly.

Sunday

• A2 758  Bucharest OTP 07:05 · 11:00 RAK Marrakech
• A2 759  Marrakech RAK 11:45 · 17:50 OTP Bucharest

Centrum Air

As announced in the Asia/Oceania report, Centrum Air will inaugurate operations between Tashkent and Tel Aviv from October 29th. The company will provide these services with Airbus A321neo, as follows:

Tuesday and Saturday

• C6 371  Tashkent TAS 20:10 · 22:40 TLV Tel Aviv
• C6 372  Tel Aviv TLV 00:05 · 07:40 TAS Tashkent (Wed/Sun)

Uzbekistan Airways has three flights per week on this route by Boeing 767-300(ER) aircraft.

Corendon

Beginning November 1st, the airline will launch services to Hurghada from Salzburg. Based on its website, Corendon Airlines will perform a weekly frequency using Boeing 737-800s with 189 seats in single class.

Friday

• XR 5657  Hurghada HRG 05:00 · 08:10 SZG Salzburg
• XR 5658  Salzburg SZG 09:10 · 14:00 HRG Hurghada

El Al

In 2025, El Al Israel Airlines will introduce its first routes with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners configured for 293 passengers (30 Business and 263 Economy). At time of publication, Amsterdam, Bangkok BKK and Phuket will be the operations, from Tel Aviv.

• Bangkok (BKK): 3 weekly · January 3rd, 2025
• Phuket (HKT): January 27th, 2025
• Amsterdam (AMS): 3 weekly · March 31st, 2025

El Al has 12 Boeing 787-9s in its fleet, seating 271 passengers.

Emirates

The airline continues to expand its services in South Africa, with the addition of a fourth daily flight between Dubai and Johannesburg. This new frequency will commence on March 1st, 2025, to be carried out by Boeing 777-300(ER) aircraft.

Daily

• EK 761  Dubai DXB 04:05 · 10:15 JNB Johannesburg
• EK 762  Johannesburg JNB 13:25 · 23:45 DXB Dubai

• EK 763  Dubai DXB 09:55 · 16:15 JNB Johannesburg
• EK 764  Johannesburg JNB 19:10 · 05:25+1 DXB Dubai

• EK 765  Dubai DXB 14:40 · 20:50 JNB Johannesburg
• EK 766  Johannesburg JNB 22:20 · 08:20+1 DXB Dubai

New frequency

• EK 767  Dubai DXB 00:10 · 06:20 JNB Johannesburg
• EK 768  Johannesburg JNB 10:15 · 20:15 DXB Dubai

Ethiopian

As of late-October, the company schedules a major expansion of flights within Africa, with more frequencies and routes to/from Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines’ main hub.

These will be the main updates

• Blantyre (BLZ) – Beira (BEW): increases from 4 to 5 · October 27th
• Bulawayo (BUQ): 3 weekly · November 30th · new non-stop terminator
• Conakry (CKY): 3 weekly · November 30th · new non-stop terminator
• Abidjan (ABJ): 4 weekly · December 1st · new non-stop terminator
• Abidjan (ABJ) – Conakry (CKY): increases from 3 to 4 weekly · December 1st
• Dar-es-Salaam (DAR): increases from 7 to 21 weekly · December 1st
• Kilimanjaro (JRO): increases from 11 to 14 weekly · December 1st
• Zanzibar (ZNZ): increases from 7 to 14 weekly · December 1st
• Maputo (MPM): increases from 5 to 7 weekly · December 2nd
• Lusaka (LUN): increases from 4 to 11 weekly · December 16th
• Kilimanjaro (JRO) – Zanzibar (ZNZ): 4 weekly · March 17th, 2025

Etihad

The company will add two new routes to Europe effective June 2025.

Etihad Airways will serve from Abu Dhabi with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets configured for 290 passengers in two seating classes.

Prague · June 2nd, 2025

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• EY 155  Abu Dhabi AUH 02:50 · 07:15 PRG Prague
• EY 156  Prague PRG 11:20 · 19:05 AUH Abu Dhabi

Warsaw · June 3rd, 2025

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

• EY 159  Abu Dhabi AUH 02:45 · 06:50 WAW Warsaw
• EY 160  Warsaw WAW 11:15 · 19:00 AUH Abu Dhabi

FlyGabon

A new airline in Gabon.

FlyGabon began scheduled operations on August 31st, with Afrijet’s ATR 72-500 registered as TR-LJT. At publication time, the company has three routes from Libreville, the country’s capital city.

As can be seen through our database, the first service departed Libreville at 10:15 local time, landing at Port-Gentil 25 minutes later, covering flight J7 912. The airline uses the code J7, which belongs to Afrijet.

• Franceville (MVB): 11 weekly
• Oyem (OYE): 5 weekly
• Port-Gentil (POG): 25 weekly

flynas

On September 4th at 04:09 local time the airline’s inaugural flight to Berlin took off from Jeddah. Flynas, as we published in the August report, will offer four services a week with 174-seat Airbus A320neo planes.

flynas routes from/to Europe

Jeddah

• Berlin (BER): 4 weekly · Airbus A320
• Brussels (BRU): 3 weekly · Airbus A320
• Marseille (MRS): 3 weekly · Airbus A320
• Sarajevo (SJJ): 5 weekly · Airbus A320

Riyadh

• Sarajevo (SJJ): 5 weekly · Airbus A320
• Vienna (VIE) – Salzburg (SZG): 3 weekly · Airbus A320

Georgian Airways

During November, Georgian Airways intends to operate a charter flight between Tbilisi and Mahe, Seychelles. At present, the service will be carried out on the airline’s Boeing 767-300(ER), configured for 245 passengers.

Schedule

• A9 5041  Tbilisi TBS 01:00 · 07:40 SEZ Mahe (November 2nd)
• A9 5042  Mahe SEZ 15:00 · 21:00 TBS Tbilisi (November 11th)

Gulf Air

Updates in Singapore and Thailand.

From October 27th, Gulf Air will cease flying the Bahrain – Singapore – Bangkok BKK route and vice versa, offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

On the same day, the airline will boost its services on the Bahrain – Singapore – Bahrain leg, reaching the daily flight. The operations will be performed by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Daily

• GF 165  Bahrain BAH 23:05/23:45 · 11:40/12:20+1 SIN Singapore
• GF 166  Singapore SIN 20:25/21:00 · 23:55/00:30+1 BAH Bahrain

IndiGo

The Indian low cost carrier expands operations in Africa, with the start of flights to Mauritius.

Services will begin on November 19th and will run four weekly times on 180-seat Airbus A320neo jets.

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

• 6E 1861  Bengaluru BLR 03:20 · 07:45 MRU Port Louis
• 6E 1862  Port Louis MRU 09:30 · 16:45 BLR Bengaluru

Kuwait Airways

More capacity to Hyderabad.

Kuwait Airways, effective January 1st, 2025, will increase the seats offered on the Kuwait City – Hyderabad route, switching from Airbus A320s to Airbus A330-800s. The airline will provide 101 more seats per flight.

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

• KU 373  Kuwait City KWI 19:10/20:50 · 02:25/04:05+1 HYD Hyderabad

Monday, Thursday and Saturday

• KU 374  Hyderabad HYD 03:25/05:10 · 06:20/08:05 KWI Kuwait City

Neos

The airline will commence operations between Italy and Nigeria as of October 30th. Neos will have, at the time of publication, one weekly frequency on the Milan Malpensa – Lagos route with Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Wednesday/Thursday

• NO 3396  Milan MXP 17:45 · 23:45 LOS Lagos (Wed)
• NO 3397  Lagos LOS 00:55 · 07:00 MXP Milan (Thu)

Qatar Airways

More services to Saudi Arabia.

Qatar will inaugurate a new route from Doha in January 2025, in addition to increasing operations to Neom Bay. Flights will be conducted by Airbus A320-200s.

• Neom Bay (NUM): from 2 to 4 weekly · December 1st
• Abha (AHB): 2 weekly · January 2nd, 2025

Current routes

• Al Ula (ULH): 2 weekly · Airbus A320
• Al-Qassim (ELQ): 3 weekly · Airbus A320
• Dammam (DMM): 28 weekly · A320/A332/A359/A35K/77L/77W/789
• Jeddah (JED): 35 weekly · A332/A333/A359/A35K/77W/788/789
• Medina (MED): 17 weekly · A320/7M8
• Riyadh (RUH): 33 weekly · A320/A332/A333/A359/A35K/77L/77W/788/789
• Tabuk (TUU): 3 weekly · Airbus A320
• Taif (TIF): 4 weekly · Airbus A320
• Yanbu (YNB): 3 weekly · Airbus A320

Royal Jordanian

The Jordanian carrier will return to Russia effective October 15th, with the resumption of flights between Amman and Moscow Domodedovo.

Tuesday and Friday

• RJ 177  Amman AMM 10:35 · 15:50 DME Moscow
• RJ 178  Moscow DME 17:05 · 22:30 AMM Amman

Royal Jordanian’s last flights to Russia had been in mid-2022.

S7 Airlines

On September 30th, the Russian company plans to begin flights to Dubai from Domodedovo Airport. S7 Airlines schedules to operate two times a week on Boeing 737-800 seating 176 passengers.

Tuesday and Thursday

• S7 3775  Moscow DME 05:10 · 11:45 DXB Dubai
• S7 3776  Dubai DXB 12:45 · 17:25 DME Moscow

Saudia

The airline will restart services between Jeddah and Chennai from October 2nd. At publication time, Saudia will have three weekly flights until late October.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• SV 3630  Jeddah JED 09:00 · 17:30 MAA Chennai
• SV 3631  Chennai MAA 19:00 · 22:25 JED Jeddah

These operations will be performed by Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Shenzhen Airlines

As of October 29th, Shenzhen Airlines will launch flights to Doha from Shenzhen. The airline is scheduled to offer three services per week on 309-passenger Airbus A330-300 planes.

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday

• ZH 807  Shenzhen SZX 01:00 · 06:00 DOH Doha
• ZH 808  Doha DOH 19:15 · 08:45+1 SZX Shenzhen

Qatar will become Shenzhen Airlines’ first market in the Middle East.

South African

South African Airways will initiate flights on the Johannesburg – Dar-es-Salaam route.

The airline will resume regular operations between the two cities from November 11th, which will be conducted daily on Airbus A320-200s.

Daily

• SA 188  Johannesburg JNB 23:30 · 04:00+1 DAR Dar-es-Salaam
• SA 189  Dar-es-Salaam DAR 05:10 · 07:55 JNB Johannesburg

Tanzania will join Australia, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the markets served by South African.

Sunclass Airlines

The airline will add two new routes in the Europe – Hurghada market.

• Helsinki (HEL): 1 weekly · October 10th
• Copenhagen (CPH): 1 weekly · October 14th

Sunclass will fly Airbus A321-200s configured for 212 passengers.

TAAG

In addition to the airline’s first Airbus A220, regarding routes, TAAG Linhas Aereas de Angola intends to maintain year-round operations to Porto. The Angolan state-owned carrier plans to fly twice-weekly from Luanda during 2025.

Tuesday and Thursday

• DT 654  Luanda LAD 23:30 · 06:20+1 OPO Porto

Wednesday and Friday

• DT 655  Porto OPO 09:20 · 18:10 LAD Luanda

Brazil, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Portugal, São Tomé and Principe and South Africa are TAAG’s international markets.

United Airlines

Effective December 1st, United schedules to increase its flights between Washington DC and Lagos to daily.

The airline currently offers three operations a week on this route with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (at present)

• UA 612  Washington DC IAD 18:30 · 10:40+1 LOS Lagos
• UA 613  Lagos LOS 23:50 · 05:55+1 IAD Washington DC (Wed, Fri, Sun)

This upgrade is subject to government approval.

Wizz Air UK

The company will launch operations between London Gatwick and Jeddah by Airbus A321XLR aircraft as of March 31st, 2025. In accordance with its website, Wizz Air UK will perform seven weekly flights on this route.

Daily

• W9 5605  London LGW 16:00 · 00:35+1 JED Jeddah
• W9 5606  Jeddah JED 01:30 · 06:25 LGW London

Wizz Air UK’s A321XLRs will have 239 seats.

New aircraft incorporated by airlines from Africa and the Middle East

• Air Cairo (x2)

• Ethiopian Airlines

• flyadeal

• Gulf Air

• Nouvelair Tunisie

Other reports we have published

• United States and Canada
• Latin America
• Europe
• Asia and Oceania
• Play makes a play for Portugal
• American Airlines focuses on Europe for summer 2025
• Reconnecting capitals: Air Canada to restart Ottawa-London flights

Cover photo: Jan Seler – JetPhotos (London Heathrow).