Routes & Networks Latest: Rolling Daily Updates (W/C March 25, 2024)

The latest airline route news, featuring network changes, schedule alterations, codeshares and interline agreements.

March 26

UK leisure carrier Jet2.com is to open a new base at Bournemouth Airport, becoming the airline’s 12th in the country. Flights will commence from April 2025 to 16 vacation destinations in Europe. The inaugural service from the airport will depart to Tenerife on April 1, 2025. “This latest expansion is a further demonstration of our confidence, and it reflects our long-term strategy to be the UK's leading and best leisure travel business,” Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy says. The planned launch of the Bournemouth base comes as Jet2 will this week begin operating its first flights from Liverpool Airport.

Hainan Airlines has confirmed plans to resume flights to Seattle after a four-year hiatus. Service from Beijing Capital will restart on April 2, operating three times per week. Before the pandemic, the carrier transported approximately 200,000 visitors annually to Seattle. The airline says it is “optimistic about adding frequencies in the future” subject to the bilateral agreement on capacity increasing between the Chinese and U.S. governments.

U.S. startup New Pacific Airlines is ending its scheduled flight program to focus on charter operations. The carrier ceased operating its Ontario, California-Reno, Nevada, service on March 21 and will suspend Ontario-Nashville, Tennessee, flights on April 5. Both routes were served using Boeing 757-200 aircraft. New Pacific launched commercial operations in July 2023, initially flying between Ontario and Las Vegas.

Jetstar has launched a new domestic route connecting Sydney and Busselton Margaret River in Western Australia. The route will be offered three times per week using Airbus A320 aircraft. The launch of the new Sydney service comes just ahead of next month’s second anniversary of the LCC flying from Melbourne to Busselton Margaret River.

Australia’s Airnorth has launched a 3X-weekly Alice Springs-Perth service using Embraer E170 aircraft. The route is the first to connect the destinations nonstop since June 2022. The service has been supported by the Territory Aviation Attraction Scheme, which seeks to improve aviation access and connectivity to the Northern Territory.

March 25

China Southern Airlines has scheduled the launch of a new route to Frankfurt. Service from Shenyang, the capital of China’s northeast Liaoning Province, will be offered once a week from April 24. Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be used on the route, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Flights will be operated alongside China Southern’s existing Guangzhou-Frankfurt service, which will reduce in frequencies from 3X to 2X-weekly once the Shenyang flights begin. Additionally, the carrier has scheduled plans to resume a 2X-weekly Guangzhou-San Francisco service with Boeing 777-300ER equipment from April 6 following a four-year suspension and increase Guangzhou-Los Angeles from 4X to 5X-weekly from April 7.

Mexican ULCC Viva Aerobus has inaugurated a new route between Monterrey International Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). Operations will be 4X-weekly using Airbus A320-family aircraft. “We know there's a huge opportunity to increase tourism, trade and business opportunities between our two cities, while also connecting our communities and culture,” says Viva Aerobus CEO Juan Carlos Zuazua. “When arriving in Monterrey, travelers from the U.S. will also be able to enjoy direct connections to more than 10 of the most important cities in Mexico.” Viva Aerobus previously served AUS from 2008-9.

German leisure airline Condor has commenced service between Frankfurt and Miami. Flights will be offered three times per week using Airbus A330-900neo equipment. During the summer 2024 season, the carrier plans to fly to 18 destinations in North America, with new routes to Miami and Calgary, as well as frequency increases to Boston and Halifax, Canada.

Aeromexico has launched daily flights between Mexico City Juarez and Boston. The move sees the airline return to the Boston market for the first time since January 2019. Boeing 737-8 aircraft will be used on the route. According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, Aeromexico becomes the sole airline to operate nonstop service between the cities.